Wednesday, September 11, 2013

The Ranchsitter Report, September 10, 2013

Wish I could tell you I was home on the range writing this, but I can't. The infection at the scene of the crime 
is not yet under control. The docs will be visiting early Wednesday morning for another look. 
I'm feeling fine, though, all things considered.

If I do get released today, I'm not entirely optimistic that I'll make it home. Here's why:


Wouldn't you know the next changing of the ranchsitters is scheduled to occur this morning. 
Danni spent a big chunk of her Tuesday hatching and coordinating an elaborate plan and rearranging her life 
so that the animals and the ranch will not be left unattended for one second while this miserable weather
turns the road to the highway into a muddy river. The plan doesn't involve an ark,
but it does involve the very best friends a girl could ask for. I am blessed.
So there may an interim stop between hospital and home, but I'll get there eventually.

I'm not sure where she found the time, but Danni sent me these pictures and her daily report.
Take it away, Danni!

***

Today was the day we’d heard was coming. A storm with the potential for widespread flooding had arrived. 
Everyone seemed a little less enthusiastic than usual under the wet skies, and with Carson still being gone, 
we needed to lighten things up a bit. Hank made the first move in the mood-lightening effort, 
by covering himself with mud and then falling promptly to sleep: 


The chickens said they were up for a bit of fun and let me experiment with their palates. 
I already knew they had a fondness for corn on the cob, so that’s what they got first: 


but they got pretty excited over the cherry tomatoes, too: 


But the winner today? Pasta! Wow, you should have heard the collective chattering over the noodles I gave them: 


Smooch humored me by posing for a photo shoot: 


She gave me all her best looks. 
Intrigued: 



Pensive: 


Dreamy: 


Coy: 


Bored... 


Back outside, I found that Johnny Cash Cat had relocated himself from the hay barn to the feed room.
Somehow, he knows this storm is going to be here a while: 


While visiting with Johnny Cash, there was a knock at the feed room door behind me. 
Being the only human currently at the ranch, this was of some concern to me, 
but when I turned to look, this is what I saw: 


The sky was growing ever darker as the day progressed: 


I was startled to find that the 7MSN has a new water feature running through it: 


And how fun for me, the native Oregonian, where mud reigns at least 7 months of the year, 
to come to the desert of New Mexico and walk in....mud. 


At last check, 1.21 inches of rain have fallen today, with more on the way: 


Johnny Cash Cat decided to have dinner in bed. Good call on his part. It’s very cozy in that feed room.





 

36 comments:

  1. beautiful reportage! we'll miss you Danni!please come back soon to play rope with Johnny. have an esay trip back. and all my fingers crossed for you Linda: please heal!

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  2. I Salute you, Native Oregonian! Three cheers for Farm Prep! Prep, prep, Hooray!

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  3. Oh dear, sorry to hear you're still in the hospital.It must be such a worry to be away from the animals. Danni has done a great job, and yes you do have wonderful friends and family.Thank goodness.Fingers crossed that you're soon on top of the infection.

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  4. Good grief. I guess this is what you call "adding insult(s) to injury". Or an overdose of irony. Neither right nor fair!
    And yet, another superb report by Danni, and no complaining from valiant Carson. Here's to the two of you defeating all adversities right about NOW!

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  5. Heal up soon, Carson.

    Great story, Danni. I hope you are able to make it home without too much trouble.
    Good luck to the new ranch hand in the wings.

    Best always,

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  6. Hey Dani,
    Seems like New Mexico does not want to see you go, so its offering you a further enticement from the land of enchantment - MUD! How can you resist? Do you get rich red mud at home?

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  7. Danni has sure set the bar high for the rest of the ranch sitters. Hopefully they will know how to blog as well as handle all the other surprises that seem to happen daily at the 7MSN Ranch.

    Keep resting and healing up. We miss you, but are having fun reading about the antics going on while the boss is away. ;)

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  8. Diane from NC9/11/13, 6:00 AM

    Sending you hurry and get well wishes Carson.

    So glad you are blessed with people who love your critters and step up and care for them with such love.

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  9. So are you saying it will be 40 days and 40 nights before your return home?

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  10. Hang in there, Linda. Let the doctors do their thing. Danni is doing you proud!

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  11. i have to say your sitter is as funny as you and she is perfect for taking care of your crew... oh no on the rain and always at the wrong time. I pray for healing for you and a way to get back home... loved today's post...

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  12. I guess this is when I realize I am very thankful for paved roads eh!

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  13. Ah, Danni. How I miss your blog posts.

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  14. Everyone has said it so well. So I'll just send love and healing thoughts to all. XO

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  15. Hope the ranch sitter exchange goes smoothly. Lots of reassuring pics here. Thank you, Danni, from all of us.

    Please try not to get discouraged, Carson. Soon this will all be a memory and life will be normal, well as normal as it gets on the 7MSN.

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  16. My hubby says: "at least you can be pretty sure there are no rattlesnakes in the hospital,". (At least I hope not...)

    Get well soon!

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  17. I'd fight that chicken for th corn! $1/ear up here for the good stuff.

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  18. We'll miss you, Danni. But I'm sure Ranchsitter #3 will be as delightful and helpful as you and Carson's sister. And, Carson, it's just not right for you to keep taking up a hospital bed just so you can drool over the doctors!!!

    Nancy in Iowa

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  19. Hope you get well and can get back to the ranch. I know if Lucy, Hank, Alan, George, Wynona, or Smooch could come visit, you would be out of there and on the mend in no time. Danni you have done an excellent job of reporting on the ranch activities. CARSON: Get WELL!~ Quickly!

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  20. Bon voyage Danni! Carson, don't fret, you will be home soon and obey the instructions the handsome doctors give you.

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  21. Darn cute post, Danni. Smooch is such a photogenic dog...love those photos.
    Get well Linda.

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  22. Love, love this! Oh the mud...I love how it squishes between your toes....
    Great photos, Danni !

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  23. Danni, you are a reporter/photographer at heart...Great job taking care of
    all the crew at the ranch...
    Carson, hope that infection is under
    control soon...I am sure the crew misses you...Stay dry!!! LOL
    Love from NC

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  24. Thank goodness for fantastic friends. God bless Dani I am hoping and praying you will be home soon with your gang. Feel better!!

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  25. Are you sure this isn't just an evil scheme to spend more time with the cute docs you were telling us about. The folks back at the ranch (both two- and four-legged) will be highly PO'd when they find out!

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  26. Good thing the hay got in before the rain! Danni did such an extraordinary job at 7MSN. That bar is set high. Have a safe flight Danni and a dry ride home Linda. I'll be peeping over to see if Danni picks up blogging again.

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  27. Well done Danni, the ranch was in excellent hands. Good luck with the exchange. Hope all the animals aren't missing their "mom" too much-gotta get rid of that infection!!! Hugs from Oregon. BTW, what was Lucy knocking at the door for? Hehe.

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  28. As everyone else has urged, I hope you get two thumbs up today and can go to respite locale until the weather (it's because of the State Fair, don't ya know) clears up.
    You certainly are blessed with good folks to help you when you need them. And it didn't hurt any to have a super ranch sitter/blogger/good natured cowgirl step in to aid you this week. I know you would have preferred to visit with Danni at 7MSN, but I'm also sure that will happen again soon. Take care, the Cuckoos send our love, Oma Linda

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  29. Dani! I love your posts, I wish you blogged (?!?!?)! Thanks for taking care of the farmily and for the updates! Carson, hoping all is well and healing for you!

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  30. I know you are ready to be done with this whole ordeal. I'm thankful that you have a wonderful network of friends and family to help with your babies...as awful as what you are dealing with physically, I know the heartstrings you carry for each special creature are tugging constantly. My prayers are with you for a speedy and complete recovery, and a total reunion for you and your babies.

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  31. I choose to ignore the weather guessers. They predicted 80% chance of heavy rains today----a beautiful, partly cloudy day happened instead. Besides, Don is a hero mudder in that big truck. We'll get you home one way or another. :)

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  32. Danni, you are a brave and amazing woman to step in where you are needed the most; I imagine at some cost to yourself and those you love and support you.

    Carson: You would do the same for Danni as well as the ranch sitters yet to come. I know this.

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  33. Carson, I hope you're out of the hospital by now, but only if the infection is definitely under control... or better yet, gone. We don't want a repeat of this setback and neither do you nor your animals. You are truly blessed with good family and friends who are willing and able to take over for you. I looked at a weather web site a little bit ago and it did not show any rain today in Albuquerque so I'm hoping you didn't get any at the 7 MSN and the road is passable. You've got a lot of people out here still praying for you and hoping that your ranch sitters have an uneventful time there and that you'll soon be at home with them.

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  34. When it rains, it pours. ;) Hope you're feeling better son.

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  35. How wonderful is this: I just read something about a "hero mudder in the big truck"... Wow... :-) (sigh of relief)
    Continued best wishes, dear Rancher Woman!

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  36. Oh, my! You guys have a lot of rain coming! Well, then, more green grass for the crew! LOVE Johnny Cat~he is one smart boy! :-)
    ~Cheryl Ann~

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