Black snakes, field mice, & ladybugs

I went back to work today.  I was mowing briars.  They are a nuisance and they grow fast and are hard to kill.  The cows and horses do not like to walk through them. So even as boring and unnecessary as it sounds… it is an important job and I got a lot done.  On the way to the tractor I saw a coyote.  Pug did not have his gun so this one got to live to see another day, might not be so lucky next time.  I also got to see many newborn baby calves.  Oh how my heart melts.  These babies were so new they still had part of their belly button cord.  All colors  but the same shape… tiny.  I love this time of year.  They are so sweet and cute.  They are cuter than a monkey holding a puppy and that is dang cute!!!  I think I may have seen my favorite one of the year.  It was a dirty white, kind of gray with specks and splashes of dark reddish brown.  It was “ugly”.  My favorite kind.  It was probably a boy because we don’t get to keep the boys, boys become steers and steers don’t make babies they make beef.  So I will have to get a closer look to see if it was a girl or boy.  And I will get a picture!!!

The tractoring went very well.  I got the hang of it quick and was mowing briars like crazy.  I saw a lot of critters during my work day.  The ones I have already mentioned and a few more.  I saw three black snakes.  Two of which just slithered along on their merry way.  But of the course the whoooooge one decided to hang around and watch my tractor techniques.  I am sure he was guarding either his home or a hole with a very tasty field mouse in it.  Either way we had a mutual respect for each other.  He kept well-seen so there were no surprises on my part and I in turn watched out for him so I did not scramble him with my large rotating sharp blades.  I did run one over one time with the lawn mower and I am still dealing with guilt issues to this day.  Do not need to add to that.  My new friend stayed the whole time I mowed “his” area of briars.  On my last turn I waved good-bye and told him I was leaving.  I am quite sure he smiled at me. 

I also encountered many field mice.  I call them mice because they seemed too small to be called rats.  I saw them as brown, furry and cute.  I am sure my new friend, we will just call him “Blackie”, saw them as round, plump and tasty.  Luckily I did not have to see what happens when they meet face to face.  Although, I would put my money on the snake every time.

I love mowing where the older mama cows graze.  I love to see them all piled up together in a circle with the new babies.  It reminds me of a play group or something like that.   I can just hear Bessie talking to Flossie.  Bessie says “you hear anything from that sorry man of yours?”  and  Flossie answers “no, not since they carried his tired butt out of here on that trailer, not a call, not a text, not even a tweet… nothing.”  Bessie comes back with “well I hear the Whitehursts are looking for new bulls… maybe we might get lucky and get us new husbands!!”  Ha! okay so it probably does not sound like that … but it could…


The older mama cows are so laid back that I had to keep going around one today when I was mowing a patch of briars.  She just gave me a look like she was thinking that I was not the ONLY one working there.  The big loud mower or tractor did not bother her at all.  She WAS working… she was taking care of herself and her baby… that is her job and she does it very well.  I just let her be and went on about my own work.  Happy cows have happy, healthy babies.


This kind of work really gives me time to think… too much time as a matter of fact, the end results are these ramblings.  I was thinking of how I always like to learn some kind of a lesson, or get enlightened, or pretty much just get affected by something in a positive way, as much as humanly possible, on a daily basis.  So today was no exception.  It all happened and I am now going to share… aren’t you the lucky one.  These are my happenings for today:


1. I realized that Marvin Gaye is the only man I know that can sing about a “booty call” and not make it sound dirty.  Thank you Mr. Gaye for your song Sexual Healing… old school rocks!

2. The cows DO NOT like it when I sing really loud “Who let the dogs out?”  what the heck was I thinking???????

3. I am completely certain Luke Bryan is NOT singing directly to me BUT he is SO convincing that I had to tell him NO I will not shake it for you!… I am driving a tractor and that would be very unsafe.

4. When you are out in the middle of nowhere and you THINK you are all alone and you are taking a much needed potty break and you see a face staring back at you through the woods… even though it is just a deer, it is STILL VERY DISTURBING.

5. Even if you are sitting up on a very large tractor when you spot ANY snake slithering in the grass, it does not stop that “gasp, heart stops for 1 second, I think I might tinkle in my pants” feeling… EVER.

6. I have GOT TO REMEMBER  to always have my camera with me… I am missing way too many cute babies and I could have had a picture of my new friend, Blackie. (if for nothing else… proof that I am not really as crazy as I sound)  :)

7. I now know that black snakes, field mice and ladybugs dwell, hunt, hide, and feed in the briars.

This has kindly turned into an “I’m just sayin’ “ post. This could be the start of something new!!!!  Normally I get dive bombed by grasshoppers while I mow or fluff hay.  Today was not the case.  I was dive bombed but it was by LADYBUGS!!! They were hitting me, landing on and crawling all over me and my tractor.  It does not get much better than that!  So my wish and prayer for you is that if you are getting dive bombed or crawled on by anything, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually… I truly hope it is something ladybug-like!!! I’m just sayin’   :)