Around With Grandpa: 2006-02-19

Springtime

Spring is rapidly advancing in Johnson County.

Vinca and Redbud just ready to burst into bloom.

Rain began yesterday and continued all day today. Total about 2 and a quarter inches. It fell slow so there was very little runoff - just enough to get the creek flowing gently.

Rain Begins

Light rain began falling Friday afternoon and continued through the night.

Will and Jesse came for a visit after school while Lynne ran around with a friend. We went to Sams for a few supplies and made a stop to see Jack (in the box).

Traffic was very heavy coming out of Fort Worth even at 7 pm. We drove on the service road until south of Burleson and made better time than the cars on the freeway.

Look Who's Back!

Tiger Tom was back in his regular place this morning acting a little hungry.

Black Dog told me that his bowl was empty also.

Dental Visit

I had a dental appointment today. He replaced the silver filling on my front tooth with an enamel colored filling. It is less noticeable than the previous repair job.

Thursday

I have not seen Tiger Tom for a few days. As I left for the dentist this morning I saw this cat near the cedar tree. I wonder if this has anything to do with Tom's absence?

The crew installed the drain pipe at the north lake today.

Water is still being pumped in from the well.

Foggy Day

This is not poor photography! Our visibility was quite low all day with the temperature stuck around 45 degrees.

Mamma and I went to Cleburne for a load of cattle feed today and I loaded up on chicken fried steak while we were there.

The fire in the wood stove has been burning continuously for several days now and it still feels very good with all the dreary weather. The forecast mentions a chance of light rain for the next 2 or 3 days. It will be welcome.

David Remembers

Thanks for the picture.

In Memoriam

About 4 years ago I found a thin and aging nanny goat grazing in the pasture on the Wyrick farm. I lifted her into the trailer and brought her to our house where she stayed in a pen for a while. I would turn her out to graze in the yard for short periods of time. She preferred the young weeds and thistle plants with stickers on them. Grass did not seem to interest her.

Before too long I found an old leather dog collar an began to leave her staked to Granddaddy's old anvil.

After being attacked by the dog a couple of weeks ago she has been staying in a temporary pen each time that I let Jake run free for exercise. Friday the corner of the pen came loose and Jake got into the pen with Nanny and chewed her up badly. She expired late Sunday afternoon.

After a year or so on the leash I began letting Nanny run loose in the yard. She slept on the welcome mat by the front door and moved reluctantly when we came through the door. Often I took a walk after 10 pm and Nanny, Black Dog and the cat would follow me up to the mail box with Nanny bleating all the way. One Sunday morning at church one of our neighbors said that when they came by our house Black Dog and Nanny were at the highway by the end of our driveway keeping watch for our return.

A few months ago Nanny lost one of her horns. We don't know what happened but when the boys went outside after Sunday dinner they reported that Nanny was missing a horn. The horn was broken but still dangling from her head. I took her to the vet the next day for a shot of pain medication since she seemed to be having a lot of pain around the broken horn. The vet finished removing the horn. After that she was called the uni-goat.

I remember the first time Black Dog met Nanny on the front porch. She lowered her head and butted Black Dog in the ribs. He ran off yelping and never bothered her again.

A couple of years ago we had lots of dandelions in our yard. As you know dandelion blooms open each morning and close after the sun shines on them for a while. Nanny loved the dandelion blooms. She would graze around the yard eating one bloom after another. I think this was her favorite food of all the things that she ate. She did munch on our shrubbery a little but never did very much damage.

Nanny will be missed. I even think Black Dog will miss her. After she was injured he would lie next to her or sit by her side and lick her wounds to help keep them clean.

Winter Wonderland

With temperatures in the upper twenties a very light drizzle overnight left everything covered with a thin layer of ice. As we left for church the car fishtailed a little as we pulled out onto the highway. We drove slowly and only met one other car before sliding into the parking lot at church. I found a box of salt and sprinkled the north steps to make them a little less dangerous. Attendance was only a little over half the normal number.

The temperature hovered around the freezing mark all afternoon with occasional very light drizzle falling over the landscape adding to the winter wonderland effect.