The weather is bad enough right now.  Then add to that the 150+ Roosevelt Elk that roam all over this area. They eat all our forage to the ground and attract the Mountain Lions. There are both here right now. Hubby saw the Mountain Lion tracks on our place (there are 2). A call from a neighbor told us that there have been sightings of the Mountain Lions from the road, and they like to use a brushy area beside us to hide themselves. Another neighbor lost all his chickens this week to Mountain Lions....jumping into and out off his chicken yard, right in the middle of the day. I told hubby this is why I don't have chickens. I noticed that the deer are really watching and listening the sounds around them. Those big cats need to eat some of the elk! There are way too many elk. Oh, speaking of elk, I saw 4 big bull elk right behind our house, very nervous, they all had huge antlers on them........now hubby is training the dog to sniff out and retrieve antlers....and there is good pay for antlers to sell them. However, he can't chance losing the dog to a big cat. 

The Elk Herd

I know that this photo is a little difficult to see well. I am sorry, I was a little far for a good photo with my cell phone camera. There are about 100 +or- elk. I could see 3 large males, that survived the rifle season last week. This is right across the county road from our farm.

This herd was right beside the house last night, and let me tell you they can make a lot of noise. They talk to each other...especially the mothers and calves. A large male was bugling. A bugle is a strange very loud squawking,
whistle, screech, noise...it is hard to describe...The first time I heard it, about 35 years ago...I thought that it has a human scream...but not like a cougar scream.

I have to tell you that there are many more in the area around our farm....and they are destructive, and can eat all the grass in an entire pasture in one night....and destroy the fence to boot.

Oh, and we are having the best weather ever this month, 65 to 75 every day! It hasn't rained in 3 weeks!!!!!

December Moon

via Pinterest

Tonight is a full moon. It is cloudy right now...but last night it was very clear. There is snow on the ground, and the full moon made the landscape very clear. I saw our cattle at their feeders at midnight. I think that the moon kept me awake. I have seen many wildlife outside in the middle of the night. One memorable night there was a huge Bull Elk pawing in the snow, his antlers were the largest I have ever seen. He was all alone, it was majestic, and magical.

Vintage Bicycle Planter

via Pinterest.com

 It is fun to get creative, and put some interesting items in the landscape. I have so much trouble with the Deer and Elk eating everything they can possibly reach.  I look for and use old rusty stuff, and an old bicycle around the front of the house. That way...when the plants are eaten to stubs...there are fun and interesting things to look at. This summer I will use an old bicycle and tricycle with some faux foliage/flowers when the real foliage/flowers are eaten. 


BTW, Hubby purchased a wireless driveway alarm. We are going to use it to let us know when the wildlife are out front...foraging and destroying the plants. The idea is that we will know when to go out and chase them off. I hope that it works. Or...I could get some of the horrible smelling Liquid Deer Fence, I know that it works. (If you can stand the odor.)

A Very Busy Farmgirl!

This lovely artwork was featured at Molly Mo's last August.

Three days ago, I wrote a to do list...it had 34 items on it. Wow, I had to start working on that list. I am making progress, not really quickly...today my Sis and I goofed off. Tomorrow, I will be back to work, expecting guests soon.  

I just realized how many craft projects that I have lined up to work on...so...it is time to stay out of those very tempting stores.

BTW, the elk returned again. They tore all the leaves and limbs off my newly planted Sweet Gum tree. I wish that my dog would hear the elk and let me know, so I could scare them off. Well, the snow will not break anything off of it this winter...and it will probably live. I may get 4 - 8 ft tall T posts, and fence it for several years. It will be an ugly thing. 

Elk #$@%&&^%$#@

These are Elk. There is a large number (oh, about 250) of Elk that live around our home and a few miles around. I am not joking when I say that I detest the animals! They come onto our 10 acres, raise havoc, eat everything that grows, tear down fencing, and destroy the landscaping. They came right up to the front door of my house last night, tore down my bird feeders and broke them. The ate a plum tree up to the 9 foot level, tore many branches off the tree, and ate or pulled up the plants around my home. They also destroyed my outdoor lighting. Ugh......I ---- them, and I have a elk tag that I will fill this year.  The deer are mere pests compared to the elk.