Black Rock Ranch

Been busy with the camera.

2017-09-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

The horses of the neighborhood.

Just a little fog this morning.

Looks like we are going to have a black walnut crop this year.

Finn decided we needed to climb "the mountain" this morning.

John keeps the walking path cut for Finn and I.

I am having a thing about all the cobwebs coated with the heavy due.

Meet Mr. Ugly... Lucas

He's actually very friendly and talkative.

The boys...never turn your back on these two..

Bubby... can you believe he was a bottle baby. I used to carry him around..

Some of the things we see...

2017-08-20T07:07:00.003-07:00

July is here!

2017-07-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

Haying was done early this year, so July 1 the fields are green and growing. Looks like there will be great fall pastures.

Hummingbirds are here in full force. The young ones are learning about the feeders. We are putting out about 1- 1/2 gallons of water a day.

The rubs are rubbed and ready for the BBQ and the start of the 4th of July long weekend..

Decided to check on the ancient pile of fireworks that have been in storage...some are collectors for sure.

Ribs are getting there...

Gravel road ride. The traffic is terrible... Why did the chicken (I mean turkey) cross the road????

Neighbor's barn that has been around for a very long time.

We have to put out some stars and strips for the 4th...

Then there was the TriTip....marinated and smoked....Garlic and Lime!!!

Our gravel road ride.

Then there is the tractor and brush hog...

Smokin' Some Chicken

2017-06-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been filled with clouds, sun, humid stormy nights..we are out grillin' and enjoying it all... just have to dodge a few bugs four wheeling out on the gravel

German Potato Salad Dressing getting ready for some Taters...

Cooking on Da Kettle

A place up on " Walkin' Road

Out on the gravel ridin' seeing the sights

PRESCRIBED FIRE

2017-06-12T07:34:00.000-07:00

FIRE COULD HELP YOUR LAND

Here are a couple pictures of a fire project our neighbor did this spring. The results are pretty amazing.

Fawn... It's spring after all.

2017-06-03T15:16:00.003-07:00

As I have stated before, Finn and I go for a walk every morning looking for bad guys. On the way home I decided to look at a certain section of fence. I saw a brown spot, not really sure what it was, I was careful. Finn was off following another scent, thank goodness. This is what I found.

Four Wheeling Frog

2017-05-30T08:11:00.001-07:00

Every Morning Finn and I take a walk through the fields..checking for bad guys... Here's one that was a little out of place. He was out in the middle of the goat pasture about 1/4 mile from the pond. I decided it needed to go back to the pond.

Frog started out in the coffee can... about half way to the pond it jumped out onto the seat right next to me and then to the floor. I must say, I did let out a yell when it landed right next to me as I was driving!

Back at the pond, door open. It was amazing, when it heard the other frogs croaking it starting paying attention..one leap onto the ground, second leap into the pond and it swam away. Happy ending for the frog...

Big Cat Country

2016-08-07T06:39:00.000-07:00

Missouri Conservation

What is one of the largest wild mammals in Missouri? What large mammal sometimes sleeps on and hunts from tree limbs? What mammal can make leaps up to 10 feet? The answer to all three questions: the bobcat.

The bobcat is found only in North America, where it is the most common wildcat. This handsome animal has tufted ears, a tawny coat with black spots and a ruff of fur that flares from its cheeks and neck.

The bobcat gets its name from its stubby or “bobbed” tail, which is only 4 to 6 inches long. The rest of the cat’s body may be from 2 to 4 feet long. Bobcats weigh up to 40 pounds.

Its spotted fur camouflages it well as it hunts for food. Unlike coyotes, for example, which usually trot along when hunting, the bobcat hunts slowly, frequently stopping and sitting for minutes at a time as it studies its environment. It uses its acute sight and hearing more than its sense of smell to find prey.

When the bobcat does spot prey, it lowers itself into a crouch and creeps slowly forward. Bobcats place their front feet down so carefully and noiselessly that their prey does not hear them coming. Then, as they move forward, they place their hind feet in the same spots, so no extra sound is made. When it’s close enough, the bobcat leaps and pulls down the victim with its sharp claws.

“The bobcat’s diet is 70 percent rabbit,” says Dave Hamilton, a resource scientist and furbearer biologist at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Resource Science Center in Columbia. Bobcat diets also include a variety of small mammals, such as shrews, mice, squirrels and opossums; birds, such as wild turkeys and quail; and, occasionally, deer.

Because there is too much meat on a deer to eat at one time, the bobcat caches or covers it with ground litter. It may come back and feed on the remains later. However, if other food is plentiful, it may not bother to return for the meat.

Bobcats sometimes prey on domestic stock, such as chickens, turkeys, piglets, sheep and goats, but they’re not really a threat to farmers. They may also eat carrion (dead animals) if food is scarce.

These wildcats can live almost anywhere, from swamps, forests and farmlands to scrubby and arid regions, as long as there is some cover to hide in. They often rest in caves or hollow trees and under rock overhangs.

Starting to catch up

2016-06-21T05:10:00.003-07:00

Well it looks like I have dropped the ball again! Here's what happened in April 2016..

Finn is ready for the babies~

Here they come

Pinky the blind goat with her twins.

Wow these guys are sure little~

They guys have found a great place to sleep.

Spring has arrived!

Moss...before the cold snap

2016-03-20T06:53:00.002-07:00

From these pictures, maybe we should re name the place to Green Rock Ranch...

Random shots from the farm and area

2016-03-16T05:29:00.004-07:00

Wow I have really dropped the ball here. I have been taking pictures just not posting. Here are a couple from around the farm and the neighborhood. We have had such a mild winter, we have been out and about a lot. Time to get serious, baby goats will start withing the next two weeks!!!

More January 2016

2016-01-20T12:09:00.000-08:00

End of 2015

2016-01-03T06:50:00.002-08:00

2015 has been a very unusual year, both in weather and events. Our family has "weathered" it all very well and we are thankful!

Visited my family's church as it was getting ready for the Christmas Eve service.

We are very fortunate to have a cheerful warm home to live in.

Our Christmas present to Us..

Finn at 11 months, large and in charge.

Our county courthouse, no longer needed, falling to ruin.

Osage River Valley flooding December 2015 below Bagnell Dam

Old Courthouse

Hwy 17 bridge above flood stage

St. Louis County suffers from epic flooding along the Meramec River

December Day 2015

2015-12-08T08:21:00.000-08:00

The weather here has been more like late October instead of December 8th! We plan on enjoying it while it lasts...

Went for a walk with Finn this morning, giving the goats a break from all of his energy. He's a handful....healthy BIG handful!

Finn's been hunting again!

If I lay here long enough looking cute, maybe you'll rub my belly??? PLEASE!

(It worked)

Dog Selfie

That's right I'm BAD!

This is our favorite place!

Fog

2015-11-08T06:31:00.001-08:00

Finn at Nine Months

2015-11-06T08:41:00.003-08:00

It's hard to believe that Finn is 9 months old already! He weighs in at over 100 pounds and has SO much energy, some days you think he is going to explode! Good thing he has a 10 plus acre yard to burn off that energy. He has discovered that getting a good belly rub is a really great thing to happen...

Finn and the "Old Goat"

2015-10-03T08:24:00.001-07:00

Husband decided to spend a little time with Finn the other morning...Finn gets so excited he can barely sit still long enough to be petted and rubbed.

A early morning foggy walk to get rid of the some excess puppy energy..Nothing is safe when he needs to blow off some energy...he will move trees if they are available.

My Horse

2015-09-30T06:11:00.001-07:00

Cloud's Bay Malinda (Better Known as Windy)
Missouri Fox Trotter
March 6, 1984 to August 28, 2015
Dark Liver Bay, not a spot of white.
Windy came to live with us in August of 1990.
We shared her life for 25 years. And for the first time in 35 years we do not have a horse to call our own.

She was a prideful horse with a big heart, plenty of spirit and plenty of life experience stories. If you were a man you did not want to even think about getting on her back! Even the dogs gave her respect and distance!

She made herself the baby goats guardian. It was so much fun watching the baby goats climb all over her and share "their" grain and hay.

We miss you"Old Mare".

Taildraggers

2015-09-14T12:02:00.001-07:00

Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day here in Central Missouri, so we decided to get out and see a new sight... Lake of the Ozarks Air Show...Saluting our Military. The "Old Goat" was in the 74th AVN Co. Aloft Group, Pho Loi, Vietnam. His job was Crew Chief for one of the flight lines. He spent 14 months living and breathing the O-1 Birddog. He has not been up close and personal with the taildraggers since. It brought back a few memories from the good old days being this close to planes again. They did not have any O-1's in the show.

It was a good day....

Finn and Stuff

2015-09-02T07:37:00.000-07:00

This is like hunting, right?

Pretty sure there is a turtle in his mouth...

Hard morning already!

Bucks -- Havin' a "block" party

2015-08-29T11:19:00.002-07:00

I am sure that we will never see this many bucks in one spot again!! Looks like they are having a good time.

Jefferson City Veteran's Memorial

2015-08-24T08:33:00.001-07:00

"My Hero" in 1970 Phu Loi Vietnam

2015 Does for Sale and Finn

2015-08-21T08:28:00.003-07:00

Buck is back...

2015-08-14T05:43:00.002-07:00

Here are a few shots of one of the "older" bucks we see from time to time. If you look closely you can see that there is a horse fly on the tip of one of his antlers.

Still has some filling out to do.....

Finn and the New Pasture

2015-08-10T05:31:00.000-07:00

We finally have the fencing fixed in Pasture #2... so Finn has to deal with his goats moving... Finn was not too sure this whole thing was a good idea... We have all adjusted. Of course we had a late afternoon thunderstorm to seal the deal... All will be okay...but this morning we are not happy...lots of barking and chasing.. and just making noise..Finn is only 6 months and he is doing great, if I walk him away from his goats there is a lot of stopping and looking back. The return walk to his goats goes a lot faster...We will be happy when his head and body size match!!