I will never forget the first time I heard a co-worker exclaim, “Dad gummit!” in complete frustration over a problem we were trying to solve. At first, I thought I heard her wrong, so I asked her to repeat what she said. After a repeat of the phrase confirmed I had indeed heard what I … More Dad Gum Tree
The weather was bitter cold the day after Tukker’s release, but the sun shone brightly and a mild breeze from the south brought hope of a better day. FD and I were up early, with plans to take Tukker on another hike to the west end of the property and cover more of the orchard, … More The Fawn Who Walks With People (Tacicala Tuwe Mani Kici Oyate – Lakota Sioux)
The weather here has been cold and overcast the past few weeks, making me feel trapped in the house. But each time I did venture out to do chicken chores or put feed down for the wildlife, I was quickly ready to come back inside to the warmth! Despite the cold, I still hoped to … More Woodland Walk in Snow
Late September brought the first heavy rains of the year, at last refilling the dried-up slough and old river channel in the pecan orchard area. With all this rainfall, I heard the nearby river was up several feet, so I was anxious to hike to the leased property to the west as soon as the … More Autumn Offerings
Most days after FD takes off for work, I enjoy my second cup of coffee on the back porch. I read a little from my iPad and watch the woodlands wake up. The Cardinals are always the first to begin chirping and flying about. Soon chickadees, titmice, and mockingbirds join in, while a few of … More A Different Approach
“Each of us actually believes that things should be the way we want them, instead of being the natural result of all the forces of creation.” Michael A. Singer I felt more than a little overwhelmed this spring when I realized there was no way I could continue my plan to keep the pecan orchard … More Ready to Surrender
I am not sure when I first noticed the return of the turkey vultures this spring. They are present all year long, with one or two spiraling high in the skies on warm days, but for the last three weeks a colony of more than thirty buzzards circled the skies just before sundown, and ultimately … More Lessons From a Buzzard Roost
This past winter was a strange and disappointing one for me. Temperatures were much too cold to work in the orchard, and even if I could have managed to tough out the freezing conditions, a state-wide burn ban left me without any means to burn the wood I’d manage to gather in an effort to … More A Little Show of Ice
In the days following my foiled attempt at finding clues after sighting a deer poacher on the neighboring property, I found myself keeping close to home. The weather had become cold and blustery, with occasional fog and drizzle, and I was anxious about continuing my investigation before the coming weekend when rifle season would open. … More Keeping a Low Profile
I was ready to head out early the morning following the discovery of an illegal hunter on the property next to ours. I intended to have a closer look at the area that I call “the island”, where I saw the hunter disappear to. This stretch of woodland juts out into a soybean field, creating … More A Foiled Attempt
After Thursday’s hike, I intended to return to the river area and continue my search for Emma deer while taking in the changing fall colors, but Friday and Saturday turned out to be good days to do a little work in the pecan orchard. Sunshine brought warming temperatures just right for working outdoors, and a … More An Intruder
Day by Day the Farm Girl Way... 