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 did not know what to think yesterday morning when I walked out to the front gate to unlock it and found Ronnie deer by himself on the north side of our house. Since it was still dark out, I scanned the property with my flashlight, but found no sign of his sister. While Emma … More Love is in the Air
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
If I could have changed one thing about yesterday, it would have been the weather. It was cold and blustery. The wind howled out of the south with gusts to more than 30 mph. You would think a south wind, and temperatures around 50F would make for a lovely day, but the wind made it miserable. … More Running Wild in the Wind
During the month of December, it was common to find me traveling west in the electric buggy to the pecan orchard’s old river channel area where a large, globe-shaped elm tree stood. After exhausting the supply of cat brier on our original ten acres, I took to sawing down larger elm limbs for Emma and Ronnie … More A Mystery Unfolds In The Woodlands
During the winter months, I generally spend a lot of time gathering downed timber in the woodlands, cleaning up debris from storms, and opening paths along fence lines. This year, when I thought about the newly-purchased pecan orchard property, which needed a lot of cleanup, the idea of my winter work became a bit overwhelming. Back in … More Burning Therapy
On December 23 around noon time, a phone call from my mother catapulted me into a bit of distress. A nephew had suddenly passed away. Family in Nebraska was gathering to be with my sister, and I knew I needed to be there. I also knew there was no way FD and I could trust … More Houston, We’ve Had A Problem
Friday brought very balmy, warm weather, the likes of which Oklahoma had not seen in a few weeks. While folks up north were experiencing the “Siberian Express” hurtling down the plains and bringing bitter, below freezing temperatures along with it, I was enjoying the last hours of our unseasonably warm conditions. I intended to make the … More Tough Skin
