Last week I found myself picking acorns for our orphaned fawn, Tukker, from an oak tree near the old river channel. We have a good number of oak trees on our property, but it just was not a great production year for acorns. I had been picking from this particular tree for a couple of … More Winter Foraging For Tukker
The day I got the phone call about orphaned fawn, Tukker, I was given very little useful information by the woman who brought him to me. Mostly, the story sounded like a fabrication. I was told he was a month-old fawn that had been taken in by a local trucker, who claimed he’d scared up … More Keep Trying
I have written, more than once, about how the Eeyore in me tends to look first to the down side of everything. For instance, when FD’s mother passed away in March, all I could see around me was a lot of chaos and overwhelming work to do. The house she lived in had not been … More Tukkered Out
Late one rainy afternoon in early September, I was putting dinner in the oven and thinking about how productive my day had been. I had managed to do some house cleaning, ironing, and a good bit of cooking and baking, and was finishing up a few dishes at the sink when something caught my attention … More A Trip Worth Making
Late one afternoon in April, I ventured across the yard to toss a bowl full of vegetable scraps to the chickens. As I neared the chicken yard the hens began their usual routine of following me the length of the fence, with some running to stay in the lead for the best pickings. My normal … More Baby Gopher
Almost every morning when looking out the kitchen window while finishing up the last of the breakfast dishes, I can find Emma and Ronnie deer, grazing in the yard. Of course, this time of year there are numerous weeds growing, and my herb and lettuce bed is sprouting all sorts of greens that deer like to nibble … More Shadowing Your Mom At Work
It was just a couple of weeks ago that our area of Oklahoma was drenched with nearly three inches of rain in a twenty-four hour period. I always find spring an exciting time of year, when balmy, warm days ignite unstable conditions and severe weather. I thought of Emma and Ronnie deer that evening as lightning flashed … More A Splashing Good Time
Last night before bedtime, I made one last scan across the front yard and pasture with the flashlight, hoping to spot Emma and Ronnie deer, but there was no sign of them. I walked through the house to the back porch and shone my flashlight down in the canyon. All I found there was a lone raccoon … More If You Go Looking for Trouble, You Will Find It
I knew it would only be a matter of time before Emma and Ronnie deer ventured off to the old river channel. It was a place Daisy often explored, jumping the fence to find more of the local herd in the milo field across the way, and the main river channel beyond that. Besides the … More The Lure Of Water
I tried not to worry when daylight arrived Monday morning and Emma and Ronnie were nowhere to be found. FD and I both called out into the woodlands, hoping they would hear us and come running. After checking all of the usual spots we found them in this last weekend, we gave up. FD went on to … More Building Stamina
Surprisingly, I slept soundly the night after we released Emma and Ronnie deer. I suppose my body was fatigued after spending so much of the previous day on foot, while leading – or, I should say, mostly following – our two little charges around to show them the woodlands. I am quite sure my emotions, leading … More Rest and Rumination
