When the dust settles

The wind finally stopped blowing. For now.

 

I could sweep off the back porch but it would be pointless. It's a chore best left until the end of May.
And who knows? I might get lucky and the wind will blow the opposite direction and sweep it for me.

When I moved here, I knew I would have to deal with the wind and the shifting sand. This is the desert afterall.

I planted a natural hedge of chamisa around the yard to help divert the dirt. I even started a lawn.

It seemed like such a good idea at the time. The picture below was taken in the spring of 2006:

Wynonna, Waylon and Willie were the designated groundskeepers.

The natural hedge idea sort of worked. I can't imagine how much more dirt 

would end up on the porch if the chamisas weren't there.

A giant sand dune now slopes down across my once-level lawn.

Smooch doesn't care. 

She much prefers the giant sandbox to a manicured lawn.

Every desert dog needs a pink water bowl – the better to find it in a dust storm.

Relentless

The wind has been blowing relentlessly since Saturday. Being outside isn't any fun at all. 

I can hide in the house, but Lucy et al have to tough it out.

Maybe I'm reading too much into their eyes, but I think they're all asking me to make it stop.

If only I could.

They have plenty of places to take shelter from the wind, but there's no escaping the sound of it.

By yesterday, they were exhausted from the noise.
I looked out the window and saw all four of them squeezed into the same pen taking a nap.

Lucy propped herself up against the fence, waiting for a vacancy on the ground.

Smooch tried to keep the outdoor cushions from blowing away.

When pig treats fly

When I saw a commercial for these Beggin' Party Poppers bacon-flavored dog treats, 

I knew I would have to buy some for myself Smooch,

 not because we like bacon-flavored treats but because, as the instructions tell us:

1) Put treat on nose

2) Push in ... wait for it...

3) Watch it POP!

4) Take pictures and have a blog post.

The jar of treats was a little pricey, but I succumbed to Purina's marketing tactics because it's refillable.

 I sliced some treats in half so we'd have twice as much fun.

Smooch wasn't sure what she was getting herself into, 

but by then the room and my hands smelled like bacon so it had to be good.

 So I placed a treat on the nose, pushed down, and we waited.

 There's no telling how long it will take to pop off...

... or in which direction it will go.

This one disappeared on the window seat before Smooch knew what happened, 

 but she got the hang of the whole game after a few more tries.

 It was a toss-up as to who was having more fun:

Smooch trying to catch the treats in the air...

 ...or me trying to catch the treats in the camera.

 We'll both be doing a lot of practicing.

Maybe next time you see the pink pig, it will be popping carrots to Lucy and the boys.

Hank's weather forecast

 Strong southwest winds, 25 to 40 mph,

with gusts up to 55 mph.

Saturday encore ~ George and Alan tell a knock-knock joke

This post is from last spring, shortly after the feral beast's arrival when he was still afraid of everything and everyone. 

***

George: Knock knock.

Johnny CashCat: Who's there?

George: A herd.

Johnny CashCat: A herd who?

Alan: A herd you were home so we came over.

Since Johnny won't leave the feed room to meet the herd, I let the herd in the feed room to meet him.

Johnny CashCat: Please tell me I don't have to share my litter box with them.

Is it my imagination or is Johnny rolling his eyes at me?

Johnny: That burro just picked up a bale of hay with his teeth!

And she wonders why I'm afraid of him...

Lucy: I'll be your friend, Johnny. My jokes are much better.

Lucy makes funny faces in front of a pretty sky

 Lucy can be such a silly girl.

 She loves to laugh,

which makes me laugh.

I'm guessing you might be laughing, too.

 

How about now?

 

It's Friday. Let's end our week smiling.

If the shoe fits

The last time my dad visited the ranch he left behind a pair of shoes, 

and they've been collecting dust ever since.

 

 I've now re-purposed them as barn toys,

and I'm sure he would approve.

Hank: These are a pretty big shoes to fill.

George and Alan couldn't figure out how to put it on,

or how to tie it.

Then I put a cookie in the bottom.

George: Put yourself in my shoe. How would you feel if there was a cookie within reach 

but your mouth was too big to get it?

George: See what I mean? The shoe is on the other foot.

George waited for the other shoe to drop.