Petty Vents

[dragnlaw]

*** I do not recommend spanking either children or horses.

A friend and I went for a ride, with my ex coming along for the first time on his new green broke gelding. As we rode single file along a trail, friend and I chatting away, she twisted to talk to me and reached down and thumped her horse on the butt. I do that myself several times during a ride. We suddenly heard a kerplufful behind - both stopped to look - and
there was my ex- sitting on the ground, his gelding looking at him wide-eyed.

He'd seen us doing it and thought OK, guess we're supposed to. He followed suit with a solid whomp.
I heartily recommend NOT to whump a green-broke on their butts. Poor thing had probably only been ridden maybe 4 or 5 times.
Afraid there were quite a few giggles all the way back. Don't think my ex was giggling to much though, neither friend nor I turned to see, but she and I just kept on giggling with a few snorts thrown in.

 

[caseydog]

Every time I hear about someone getting tossed of a horse, Christopher Reeve instantly enters my head.

CD

 

[dragnlaw]

You never think about what your body will look like after you crash into a cement wall at 200+ mph?

 

[caseydog]

You never think about what your body will look like after you crash into a cement wall at 200+ mph?

I would never think of driving a car 200+ MPH without months of training, a properly prepared car, with the best safety equipment available -- and on a real race track. Would you jump on a thoroughbred racehorse and run Churchill downs at full speed with just the experience you have right now?

On the other hand, I've been driving cars almost every day since 1977, and so far, so good. That's millions of miles.

BTW, I've ridden motorcycles, and have never wanted to buy one. I like being inside a (modern) car.

CD

 

[Andy M.]

You never think about what your body will look like after you crash into a cement wall at 200+ mph?

Think like this and you'd end up never doing anything.

 

[caseydog]

Think like this and you'd end up never doing anything.

In fairness to dragn, a certain amount of fear is a good thing.

But, fear is not the primary issue I have with riding horses. I didn't enjoy riding a horse, at all. I certainly don't want to get injured doing something I don't like doing.

I do enjoy riding motorcycles (street, not dirt), but I admit that I'm afraid to get one, especially living in a major metropolitan area.

CD

 

[dragnlaw]

I hear yuh casey. Again, in all fairness, I don't think Christopher Reeves was actually a beginner though. It can happen to anyone. There's risks even driving to the grocery store.

I have also driven bikes, street bikes, not often, wanted to get one but my big bro talked me out of it. He still wouldn't let me drive his BMW - touring bike, huge thing, he ordered it from Germany. Quiet as a mouse and super comfortable.

But I am wicked on a 4 wheeler thru the trails...

 

[Kathleen]

I have experienced a few "close calls" in life where I have developed a "que sera sera" attitude. My suggestion to anyone who experiences close calls is "when it is time, it's time." I won't/don't borrow trouble by worrying about what ifs. Otherwise, I would never do anything or go anywhere. That being said, there are things I won't do - like sky diving. 1. I don't like heights. 2. Lots of things give me thrills, so I see absolutely no need to jump out of a perfectly good plane. Yanno?

 

[dragnlaw]

It is still quite warm outside but time to water the gardens. I have a choice, douse myself in bug spray, gah. Don long pants, long sleeve shirt and a net hat. pant-sweat-pant. Or be eaten alive.

decisions, decisions...

 

[caseydog]

It is still quite warm outside but time to water the gardens. I have a choice, douse myself in bug spray, gah. Don long pants, long sleeve shirt and a net hat. pant-sweat-pant. Or be eaten alive.

decisions, decisions...

I cover as much as I can with light clothing, and just use spray in the few exposed areas. I can wash that off without a full shower.

The mosquitos here seem to hover pretty low to the ground, so my legs are the always biggest target.

CD

 

[dragnlaw]

As you casey, donned some very thin long pants, 3/4 sleeve shirt and used bug goo for the ears and neck.
I forgot - lately I've been purchasing children's bug spray. Smells very nice only lasts for either 2 hours or 3 depending on the type you buy - but I'm not out there that long anyhow!

Other option is to not breathe... did you know mosquitoes are attracted by carbon dioxide? So there you go - just don't breathe!

Last but not least... why do mousquitoes head for your ears? and why do gnats, no-see-ums head directly for your eyes?

 

[Kathleen]

If you find the answers to those questions, dragn, I want to know!!!

 

[Aunt Bea]

I have experienced a few "close calls" in life where I have developed a "que sera sera" attitude. My suggestion to anyone who experiences close calls is "when it is time, it's time." I won't/don't borrow trouble by worrying about what ifs. Otherwise, I would never do anything or go anywhere. That being said, there are things I won't do - like sky diving. 1. I don't like heights. 2. Lots of things give me thrills, so I see absolutely no need to jump out of a perfectly good plane. Yanno?

“A man destined to hang can never drown.”

 

[dragnlaw]

Less than 1/2 the size of our young chickens - the monster took out 2 of them before I could even get outside. On MY watch! RIP Diamond and Henrietta.

Weasels... have a tendency to kill all and sundry and then think about chowing down.
So the girls are closed up tight in their coop. They had been loose but when that happened I put them in their run. Went inside and immediately heard more squawking!
It was now inside the run!
Couldn't even go in there (bare legs and flipflops - not good for chasing weasels) plus the girls were flying around and throwing themselves towards me at the door. Absolute pandemonium.

He finally squeezed back out thru the fence wires.
So looks like they are going to be locked up tight in the coop til son can change, rewire the fence.
After all that probably won't get any eggs for a day or so. Poor girls, traumatized for sure.

 

[caseydog]

Less than 1/2 the size of our young chickens - the monster took out 2 of them before I could even get outside. On MY watch! RIP Diamond and Henrietta.

Weasels... have a tendency to kill all and sundry and then think about chowing down.
So the girls are closed up tight in their coop. They had been loose but when that happened I put them in their run. Went inside and immediately heard more squawking!
It was now inside the run!
Couldn't even go in there (bare legs and flipflops - not good for chasing weasels) plus the girls were flying around and throwing themselves towards me at the door. Absolute pandemonium.

He finally squeezed back out thru the fence wires.
So looks like they are going to be locked up tight in the coop til son can change, rewire the fence.
After all that probably won't get any eggs for a day or so. Poor girls, traumatized for sure.

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CD

 

[dragnlaw]

LOL, casey, that's how I used to shoot the rats in the barn. For every one I shot, Maya would catch 2.
Damn she was fast!
But it was my neighbour's and I found it difficult to cock. I bought a hand pistol but it just wasn't strong enough.
On the farm I could use my .22 rifle or the .22 hand gun, but not here within city limits.
My brother recently got a small crossbow. really cute - like a hand gun and although the range is not the same as a full size (it really is just for target) he has dispatched several raccoons. But he lives outside city limits.

hmmm, maybe I'll borrow his.

 

[Kathleen]

All of the nature calendars make weasels look so darn cute. Other cultures do consume them though. Stew perhaps?

 

[taxlady]

All of the nature calendars make weasels look so darn cute. Other cultures do consume them though. Stew perhaps?

When I lived in the country, there were ermines. They are ridiculously cute. They move like quick silver. In winter you would catch that little black tail tip out of the corner of your eye and if you were lucky, you would see the ermine briefly before it vanished.

But, I wouldn't want to argue with one. I don't think I would want to eat a stringy carnivore that might have been eating fish. I would have to be quite hungry.

 

[dragnlaw]

I agree - they are darn cute. Even when he was trying to squeeze thru the fencing, his little face and effort of pushing with his little paws was so cute.
I wish I'd made notes of his description as I have no idea whether it was a long tailed weasel, mink, or an ermine (short tailed weasel). Pretty sure it was a weasel as minks are slightly bigger and this guy was pretty small. Perhaps it was a youngster.

 

[caseydog]

According to Frank Zappa, weasels are mean little critters...

CD