COOKING YOUR EGGSHELLS FOR THE BIRDS

 For many years, I have saved eggshells to give to the birds.  Eggshells are a good source of calcium, which they need for their bones and to help their eggs  have a stronger shell.  When I'm cooking with eggs, I place the eggshell back in the carton and save it until they've all been used.  Then, I place them on a piece of foil and put them in my  toaster oven at about 350 degrees.  I bake them for only a few minutes, until they are slightly browned.  Be careful not to overcook.

Then, I put them in this wrought iron basket and the birds and the squirrels, and not sure who else, love pecking and eating them.  Maybe the squirrels are eating the part of the egg white that is still in them.  And,  there are lots of bugs on the eggs for the birds and squirrels.  If you don't want to bother with hanging them in a tree, you can crumble and place them on the ground in your flower beds and any place that is easy for the birds to find.

By the way, I buy organic cage free eggs. 

 I'm sad for the chickens that are kept in small cages.

(Original post July 8, 2012)

BORDER PATROL USING HORSES AT THE BORDER IN DEL RIO, TEXAS ~ In response to the lies and misrepresentation in media, 💯

Andy Lewis

SeopntStermbero 23 aotno g7e:5f9dS fAMch  · 

In response to the lies and misrepresentation in media, "Definitely the best job I ever had, you become one with your horse. They learn to trust you. They will go to the end of the earth, if you ask them. We train everyday with them. Definitely the best partner I have ever had. See what’s in my hands? Those are split reins; not whips, they are 6 feet long. They are split for when we go into the brush. If we go through thick brush and a tree branch gets caught, it will just slip right through. The reins are connected to the bit. The bit is in their mouth and the last thing we want to do is hurt our partners by tearing up their mouths.

You have seen the video of the agent spinning the rein when noncitizens get close to the horse. It’s to create distance between the horse and the person on the ground. Our horses easily weigh 1200 pounds, they can step on someone and break a bone or kill a small child of a person gets to close. We also spin them if someone attempts to grab the reins because the last thing you want is someone who doesn’t know a thing about horses, to have control of the horse you are on. (If noncitizens attempt to gain control of our reins it is considered deadly.) The horse can freak out, jump up and roll with you on them. Us as riders can be killed if a horse lands on us. Hope this helps those who have never seen a horse or split reins before… we will continue to support our brothers and sisters in Del Río." - Deanndra Cantu - one of my fellow Border Patrol Agents

OPOSSUM CONSUMES 95% OF TICKS IT ENCOUNTERS

OPOSSUM CONSUMES 95% OF TICKS IT ENCOUNTERS

"Dr. Mike's Fun Fact: according to recent research, North America's only marsupial, the

 opossum, is a front line defender against tick borne diseases in people. The opossum

 consumes up to 95% of the ticks it encounters including the tick that carries Lyme disease. 

So hug an opossum today!"

Oak Pointe Veterinary Care

(Original Post 11/7/15)

THE MUD DAUBER/DIRT DOBBER IS YOUR FRIEND~COLLECTING SPIDERS

THE MUD DAUBER/DIRT DAUBER IS YOUR FRIEND~COLLECTING SPIDERS

The mud dauber/dirt dauber is your friend and collects spiders to feed it's larvae.  Among those spiders are black widow and recluse.  If you leave their little mud nest alone, they will rid your area of a lot of spiders.  The post below this picture tells you about the dirt dauber.  They're a little black wasp.  I've never noticed them being aggressive.

"A Mud Dauber nest fell onto the porch last night, spilling the contents of several brood chambers. The large maggot looking larva is the baby Mud Dauber (wasp) and the spiders strewn all about are its food. The mother goes around collecting spiders, her sting paralyzingly but not killing them, and seals them up in a mud chamber along with a single egg. Once hatched, the larva begins feeding on the still living spiders! So cool."

SIGNS OF AN ORPHANED FAWN ~ TIPS OF EARS ARE CURLED

SIGNS OF AN ORPHANED FAWN ~ TIPS OF EARS ARE CURLED

Wild Heart Ranch The ears stand back up after a few days of eating. So far after at least 10 years of using this sign with callers that if ears are straight, watch from a distance for mom and let us know, 100% of the fawns with straight ears who were NOT suffering from another issue, (dogs, flood, dead mom) were claimed by mom. They DO dehydrate before the ears curl, but this is a sure way to tell from a distance you have an orphan or if ears are straight, lets give mom a chance without spooking the fawn off its spot, potentially sending it into danger or getting it lost. I trust it and I would never deny an orphan, but nothing is a bigger fail to me than taking a baby from a healthy mom.

"Ears are straight, fawn is great. Ears are curled, fawn alone in the world." Look at the ears before picking up a fawn. It takes a few days of not eating for the ears to curl. Here's a photo of both scenarios.

FUN WITH EGGSHELLS

 Pinterest

                                                                             

"PLEASE DON'T THROW MY LEAVES AWAY"

"PLEASE DON'T THROW MY LEAVES AWAY"

Your trees are begging you not to throw their leaves away.

Their roots are deep and bring up the minerals and good things in the earth for nourishment.

Those minerals go straight to the leaves.  In the fall as they flutter to the ground, they are putting those minerals and good things back into the soil to nourish the roots.

Those leaves are organic matter and as they decay, all is returned to the soil.

Healthy soil is what makes a healthy garden.
(Be organic~no chemicals, please)

Most of the leaves in my yard are soft and will decay pretty quickly.  I don't mind the look of the fallen leaves.  If they bother you, you can mow over them to break them up.  Then you can rake over them and they will settle to the ground and be a good mulch, then compost for the grass and your landscape.

If you think you have too many leaves for your grass, rake them into the flower beds and extra piles around your trees.  Or, you can share them with your neighbors.

FALLING LEAVES IS HOW THE EARTH REPLENISHES ITSELF.

PLEASE DON'T THROW THE LEAVES AWAY.

12-21-14