Not surprisingly, it did not take FD long to find a name for our new doe fawn. The week before Emma’s arrival we drove to Wichita Kansas to meet my sister Jules. Wichita is more or less the halfway point between Jules’ home in Nebraska and our home in Oklahoma. She was bringing sixteen-year-old Emily to spend a week on Ten-Acre Ranch. Emily and her brother Sid had spent a week with us between Christmas and the New Year this past winter, with Emily declaring she would return again after school ended. Sid wanted to as well, but his baseball schedule and mowing job had him hooked up after school let out for the summer. Emily’s softball games did not start until late in May, but she did have to request time off from her job at Starbucks and even had to put helicopter flying off for the week. There were plenty of things for Emily stay busy with back in Nebraska, like tending to her vegetable garden, or practicing for a tryout to attend the Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall in NYC again next year. But instead, she chose to come to Oklahoma to spend a week with her Uncle and Auntie. And we are so glad she did.
The entire week Emily was here, she experienced everything she set out to, and maybe more. For one, we cooked and baked together. Emily’s specialty (not surprisingly) is desserts! And she really enjoyed eating what she baked! Though we hoped Daisy would deliver her fawns while Emily was with us, the timing was, unfortunately, about a week off. Daisy did come around a few times though, and let Emily pet her and feel her giant belly. Emily also got to observe the cows and calves grazing in the pecan grove. Many evenings, Emily and I were able to watch the mama fox hunt in the pasture, while her four kits played chase in my mother-in-law’s back yard. Our orphaned squirrels Punkin and Buddy came to beg pecans each morning, and Em was able to feed them. She also made time to pet and give attention to our three, aging Japanese Chin dogs. Emily’s loving heart even won over Mr. T, who is afraid of everyone! And for two days, Emily helped us with a major tree-trimming project to prepare for the installation of our outdoor storm shelter. She also assisted me in weeding the garden. Her hard work won her a day of shopping and, on her last evening with us, we took her for her first formal dinner at a fine French restaurant in the Norman area.
So far Emma’s character seems to be much like that of her namesake, Emily. Both are beautiful, confident and inquisitive. Both are preparing to venture to wide open spaces in life. Instinct will guide them and resilience and gumption will see them through. And I am the lucky mama and auntie to know them both, and take part in watching them flourish in life!
© 2016 Day by Day the Farm Girl Way…
Day by Day the Farm Girl Way... 
They all grow up so fast. What a darling girls – all of them!
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They sure do grow up fast… but not as fast as weeds in my garden!! Even Emily didn’t last long at that overwhelming project!
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Oh wait. i have to go back – why is the fawn on your bed?
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Did you miss the previous post maybe? The game warden brought me Emma last Friday. And Emma’s just on a pee pad (adult incontinence pad) on the bedroom floor. We will move her to the barn before long – when she begins peeing on her own!
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Yes I did miss it – things are not slowing down here yet!! How exciting to start a new baby on the farm – hope she does alright for you.. c
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My friend, your work is just beginning to pick up! I honestly do not know how you do it. I am transitioning into “deer mama” mode where things will be quiet with gentle movement. It is about putting one’s mind to the animal’s mind and attempting to understand. We are always learning, aren’t we? That is what makes you the wonderful steward of the land and animals that you are. I will be busy today planting some shrubs that are insect, hummingbird and butterfly friendly. And of course still working on Emma’s deer pen finding some shade screening. We lost our trees back there two years ago, and that little girl needs shade for the oncoming Oklahoma heat!!
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Wow what a great week you all had! Daisy got to meet her daughter’s namesake, Emily had a fawn named after her and was allowed to drive the jaguar! That picture of the kit is sooo cute!! You mentioned the orphaned squirrels, those aren’t the ones were the mother squirrel moved them from one tree to another into the woods are they? I hope not cause then that means something happened to Mama. Another wonderful story about life on the farm!! 🙂
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I will explain a little, Deb! Punkin and Buddy were two of four orphaned baby squirrels we raised more than a year ago. They’re on their own now, living in the woods, but occasionally Punkin and Buddy come back for pecans. Punkin has already been a mother this spring… but I think she’s raised them and they are probably on their own. Daisy has not seen Emma at all. I’m not even sure where Daisy is. Yesterday we thought she might actually be nearby, but after looking at the game camera, the doe we saw was not Daisy. I’m afraid she’s gone off towards the river to have her babies. We won’t know about her, maybe until she brings her fawns out which is usually around a month to two months. 😦 And sadly, because of the neighbor’s dogs, all of the foxes have vanished. We have discovered dead wildlife of various sorts on our property and back in the woods, so I can only imagine the dogs have been on killing sprees when they’re running loose.
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Oh thanks for that explanation. Sure hope everything goes well for Daisy! I’ve said a prayer that the dogs settle down and leave the wildlife alone! And I will keep requesting it…such a shame, too bad there wasn’t some sort of natural element that would keep the dogs away…some type of plant or herb that they didn’t like the smell of or something like that. 😦
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Initially I tried some natural repellents along the fences, but the dogs escape from the other side of their property and go west to the river, often coming back through our property. It’s impossible to treat the whole ten acres. And I worry as we put Emma in the deer pen – not far from the dividing fence between our property and the neighbors, that Emma will take flight… or even worse, get used to the barking and growling, making her unafraid of dogs. In the wild, packs of dogs kill. It would be like setting her up for death. My neighbor had three large dogs in the past, but they were gentle beings and always quiet. Daisy was never bothered by them and seemed to understand they meant her no harm. But these are a different breed and have already been taught to kill (by the mama dog). If they come running up on the property with Emma in the pen, she will hurt herself by flinging herself into the fences trying to escape. It’s a very bad situation. I would have to rethink being a rehabilitator at that point. If I cannot keep animals safe here, I have no business doing rehab. 😦
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Oh that is so sad. I had a neighbor who had pitbulls and they were not friendly either and always trying to get into my backyard and after my dog, so I can appreciate your concern. Have you tried talking to your neighbor and expressing your worries? I understand there’s no way you can protect or repel 10 acres, that’s impossible…hmmm there has to be something…can your land be declared a sanctuary or rehabilitation area where such breeds are not allowed to be near? Could you go to the town and request some sort of restraint for them? It’s so sad that they are taught to kill, they are domestic and they have to be taught that. I will continue my prayers for a solution so that Emma and others will be safe and that the foxes can come by again. xo
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Thank you, Deb. The city is aware of the situation and I understand they are taking measures. Let’s hope for the best all around! 🙂
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Awesome!! Yes let’s!! Fingers-crossed. 🙂
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Emily appears to be a clean cut young lady and that is so nice to see. She had quite and adventure when she got to drive the Jag. I hope little Emmie continues to do well. She is too darn cute.
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Emma is thriving. She certainly has a strong personality. Yesterday I had her outdoors in the deer pen and she did well. As for Emily, the Jag suits her!
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That’s great.
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Everyone should be so lucky to have an aunt and uncle like you and FD. Looks like such a fun visit. Emma is just so gorgeous 💕
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Oh thank you, Ardys! We enjoy having our nieces and nephews here. Just last week we had some of our great nieces and nephews here and did they ever have fun! Now that the pool is open we will be entertaining all summer. It’s really a wonderful place for kids to learn, and let imaginations run wild. Although, I’m not sure many of today’s kids experience that with their eyes peeled to iPads, computer gaming, and TV all day long. 😦
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Hi Lori, I am glad you have such a strong bond with your niece. You clearly relished her visit for the week.
As I was reading your account of the wildlife using your property at present, I was wondering if you are still having problems with the neighbour’s rampaging pack of dogs.
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FD and I truly enjoyed Emily visiting. I wish her brother Sid could have come also. He loves fishing and we have some great fishing down here! I hope some day we can take them down south to Lake Texoma and hire a professional guide to take us all out for some fun striped bass fishing.
Unfortunately, the neighbor’s dogs are still escaping almost daily. The city police have confronted our neighbor, but they have allowed him to find homes for four of the dogs, and he may keep three which is the limit within the city. I am not sure how long they’ve given him to find homes. That would have been easier when they were cute puppies. Now they’re huge and bark at everything (intimidating to me) so I’m not sure how much success he’ll have. Meanwhile, I discovered four of them were running loose again yesterday evening. 😦 We haven’t seen Daisy in three days now. I’m sure she’s taken off elsewhere to have her babies. We may not see her for a month or two until the fawns can keep up with her.
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❤
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A whole lotta love going on here! 🙂
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It looks like Emily had a blast at your house over the week she was there and went home with some extra muscles from helping out. It certainly looks like you tuckered her out in that last image ;).
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It was a very busy trip for Emily but mostly fun activities. For me, observing the fox kits was probably the best. I’ve never been that close to baby foxes before!
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The photo you took of that baby fox was truly beautiful. You can tell that you love nature by the careful and loving way you document it Lori. Your images are a study in joy
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I adore all of nature… and even when I photograph something difficult (like a kill or death) it is with respect and perhaps even to educate. I learn so much from nature. It’s a joy to pass it on to others. Some of these events or photographs I stumble on to by accident… but then I wonder, is it ever really an accident?
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I don’t believe that anything is an accident. It happens for a reason and we just don’t know what that reason is yet. I don’t know how many times I have looked back on things that have happened in my life and realised that “click” (light bulb going on), if that hadn’t happened, exactly the way that it did, something else wouldn’t have happened either.
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Both are super cute! 🙂
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Thank you, Tom. I think we all start out that way! 😀
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How fun to have a house guest that enjoys helping out on the farm. Looks like everyone had a great time. Your animal care sounds so fascinating – what a diverse menagerie you have collected. Looks like a fun summer!
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The summer sure has kicked off with a big bang! That is the best way to go about it, right? 🙂
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Such a wonderful post! I have to confess to being a bit envious of Emily’s time with you, FD, Daisy, and the entire clan. Of course Emily would choose coming to hang with you. I surely would!!
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Emily has so many interests in life, and her trip here was to experience a moderate level of self-sustaining living. Like many young people today, she is exploring a healthier way of life, and economical living. I have to say, even while shopping, she was very conscious of practicality. Instilling options for a better way of life and paying attention to nature and our ecosystem is a responsibility for all of us to pass on to our young people.
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Even though the BEST-est part of this wonderfully-told story was the Jaguar, I enjoyed reading every bit, particularly the French restaurant part. And, yes, a Jaguar is NEVER old, for, a Jaguar IS a Jaguar!! I live that car!
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Even though the BEST-est part of this wonderfully-told story was the Jaguar, I enjoyed reading every bit, particularly about the French restaurant. And, yes, a Jaguar is NEVER old, for, a Jaguar IS a Jaguar!! I love that car!
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Ha ha!! I knew you would like the car. She’s a real treat to cruise around in. Emily looked fantastic driving it!
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What a fantastic week for Emily and you both. It’s so important to stay connected to nature and to share that with younger people xxx
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I agree, Henri! We have so many great nieces and nephews. We have more family coming to visit during July and August – the summer months are always busy here. And I think it’s so important for kids to have connections with nature. I think most folks that come to visit here love that aspect of the place. It’s truly a sanctuary!
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Hi Lori, Just checking in to say I got caught up on a couple of your latest posts and read about Emily’s visit and about the arrival of baby Emma! Wow, the deer pen is so different now from when you first set it up for Daisy – I couldn’t get over the difference a few years can make when Ma Nature is involved. So happy to hear you have another fawn to raise as you and FD are experts at it by now. Am so sorry to hear that it jives with you having a pinched nerve in your spine. That is NOT fun or funny. So please, please rest (or slow down) whenever you can, whether you want to or not, and be careful of your footing. We say “Oh, I’ll just go get that now.” and lo and behold, one foot drags a bit and we stumble and fall. Not a good thing.
Enjoy raising Emma and we’re all looking forward to pictures of her and tales of her growing pains! Let FD get a friend or two to help with the new tornado shelter and do not do any heavy lifting. A pinched nerve can develop into a more severe problem in the blink of an eye, and you do not want that to happen. I know of where I speak, and I love you.
Huge hugs, Gail in CT
On Fri, Jun 3, 2016 at 10:01 PM, Day by Day the Farm Girl Way… wrote:
> Littlesundog posted: “Not surprisingly, it did not take FD long to find a > name for our new doe fawn. The week before Emma’s arrival we drove to > Wichita Kansas to meet my sister Jules. Wichita is more or less the halfway > point between Jules’ home in Nebraska and our home in Okl” >
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The tornado shelter is in place Gail!! I’m so glad that is completed now… what a relief. I have much to write about… just now finding time to send short snippets here and there. It will be mostly photos and not so much storytelling. It’s very busy this time of year and Emma just adds to it all. But… what a sweetie she is! 😀
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