I need to keep my doors closed...

Blast these beautiful and cool days. I have had our windows open for almost a month now, and when the day is just right, I keep the doors cracked too. That way the dogs can go in and out as they please. Well, today I was down at the garden and left the door cracked. I walk back in the house and heard this strange noise, I walk into the kitchen and see this little guy...
I know, I know. This picture shows that I need to wipe down the shelf above my sink, sorry.

After about 10 minutes I was able to coax him back outside, that is after I ran him around the front room and halls of the house for a bit. Moral, I need to keep my doors closed! So far this fall I have had a stray dog, now known as Mr Collins, wander in. A brave and smelly skunk try to get in. And now this little creature. Universe, the lesson has been learned!! Oh, and yes Todd you were right! There I said it, lets all move on..

Not Sure...

I am not sure what this thing is. From a distance we always assumed it was a prairie dog or light brown mole roaming our pastures. We enjoyed watching him roam around, sit on his hind legs taking in the country, and running away from the dogs. However, today he had a different outcome. The poor thing has seen its last day on the farm. Im not sure which dog finally got him, but I do know all three were down around his area. Mr Collins and Lulu were the ones I noticed barking, but who knows it could have been anyone...

Prairie Dog, groundhog, or mole???
Prairie Dog, groundhog, mole, or beaver??? Check out those teeth.
Do you know what he is?

Last few days...

The last few days have been wonderful. I had a nice visit with my Dad and Grandpa Suppes, Mr Collins is healing nicely, and more and more salsa!!

While Dad and Grandpa were here, we went and did a little Civil War site seeing. We toured the Belmont home, went and saw the Battle of Franklin site, and then we went to the largest Confederate Cemetery in the country. It was a wonderful!!
Oh, and don't forget the porch sitting. We always seem to do a lot of that when my family comes..
Here is what Mr Collins looks like these days. He is looking very good, and smelling a lot less like death. His scabs are healing, his hair is coming back, and his cute little personality sure is coming out.

He loves to run the chicken coop and make the hens fly all around...
He also likes to have a stare off with the cows. Keep trying Mr Collins, maybe someday the 800 pound cows will tremble at your bark..
All is well at the Cottle Farm. I hate when family leaves, the house always seems so quiet... We miss you Dad and Grandpa.
Here is a picture I snapped today. Countess Yummy Tummy is laying on Betsy Joe's back. Isnt that sweet?

Introducing Mr Collins...

Poor Mr Collins. He is new to our home, in fact he kinda welcomed himself into our home. With the weather being as nice as it has been, I have had all the windows and doors open enjoying the delicious fresh air. However, Wednesday I was scrubbing tubs and toilets when I heard this strange growl in my hallway.

I walked out and saw something black underneath the bench in our hallway. I thought it was the skunk from the night before (oh, I didn't mention that story? Another tale for another time.), but alas it was just sweet Mr Collins. Wednesday he looked more like this...
He was sad and scared. I couldn't turn him out to the streets so I fed him, gave him a place to sleep, and left him be for the day. That afternoon he allowed me to inspect him more closely and that is when I saw it. The poor thing had little to no hair. His entire body was covered in scabs. He was itching like crazy. You couldn't help but want to give him so love. So, I bathed him and waited for Todd to come home. The minute Todd saw him he was off to the vet. And that is when Collins came home 2 days later looking like this...
The poor guy had mange so bad it had eaten away his fur and scabbed over his entire skin...
He had fleas the size of ticks on him....
He was neutered, shaved, bathed, dipped, put on 4 different antibiotics, and given a new life.
We know he is 18-20 months old, a Schnauzer/ Lhasa Apso mix, and a friendly little fellow. Alas, Mr Collins is now a Cottle. Welcome to family. We sure are glad you came our way!!

What have I been up to...

So so much...
100 tomatoes turned into spaghetti sauce and salsa! YUM
Tons of peaches turned into bottled peaches. This is only 1/2 of the peaches we had.
2 bushels of apples made into yummy and delicious applesauce!!
Oh yes, and this cute little fellow. More to come on him soon....