Carnivores!!!!

 Good morning again from sunny California.  I am very happy to be able to say that, having had so many close calls over the years.  I'm pretty sure it's because of my nightmares.  I've had so many weird things happen in my sleep ... mostly bad ... that I have learned how to survive in real life.  It certainly makes me wonder just WHY I can't get through a night without a bad dream.  Last night I escaped my truck that was sinking in a river.  Maybe that's it ... survival.

Anywhoo ... these guys are surviving quite nicely too.  Who knew they were carnivores?  Aren't they supposed to eat berries and fruit?  I knew crows would partake of carrion once in awhile, but Mockingbirds?  

Sadly I haven't seen the fox (nor thankfully the skunk) since that last big party.  I'm thinking maybe they got scared off for good.  I even put out some chicken bits that Cooper refused to eat, just to see if they would come around.  

Nope ... they sat there all night long until these carnivores came by.  I have never EVER seen a mockingbird eat meat.  I suppose they do eat worms, but that's not chicken like this.  They cleaned up every single bit.

With 90 degree temperatures hanging out most every day (95 tomorrow), it's time to do my sprinkler check.  That should be part of the job description for the gardeners, but you now how that goes.  These are turned on so I can throw big rocks at them to see WHERE they are located.  

If you don't dig them out every spring, they won't work at all.  I'm sure you all are aware that this is my favorite pastime, right?  Why in the world I didn't put on Levis, I've no idea.  I now have grass dimples in my knees that will last for the next month.

On the ranch, there were no flowers, although my Mom did get one lilac bush to grow.  Lawn and flowers were a luxury we could not afford.  There was some lawn watering by hand, but it never needed to be mowed.  If it did, we just brought the horses up and hung out for awhile.  

We grew lots of vegetables though ... the biggest and best tomatoes I've ever tasted.  There were lots of green beans and squash, bell peppers and carrots, but NO hot peppers.   No Mexican food was ever prepared in our house, but we always had a fresh tomato onion salsa of sorts that went on the deep pitted beef.

We had a pit built in the back yard, about 4' x 6' and lined with a few scavenged bricks.  Beef was seasoned, wrapped in foil, then wrapped in burlap barley sacks that were soaked with water and tied with baling wire.  After building a fire and letting it burn down to ashes, the bundles of beef were placed directly on top.  

A big piece of steel was slid over the top, resting on the bricks, then it was covered with about 10 inches of dirt.  The next day we dug it all up and OH BOY was it ever good.  If you've never had deep pit beef, it's AMAZING!!  We were VERY good at being carnivores on the ranch!!

I do love gardening when you are growing things to eat, but this ..... not so much.  I put off planting these yellowish bushes ... I've no idea what they are ... for well over a week.  The beautiful little flowers I had here died a horrible death in the frost and rain.  These are good down to 10 degrees, so hopefully they will survive.

With that done, I was back to sewing on binding while this little guy took a nap.  I always wonder if he's really asleep ... I mean look ... his eyes are open!!!  I think maybe he's just fooling me!!

The rest of the day was uneventful, and since it's Sunday, I plan on doing more of the same.  I think I'll be the carnivore I am and have some MEAT (the rest of that leftover steak) while watching the latest Redding Rodeo.  

Thank you for stopping by .... and I hope you have a wonderful sunny day!!