Friday, June 22, 2012

A FROG, A COW AND WASPS, OH MY

Typical of life in the country?
I thought I'd share a few random photos of the last few days adventures.
Little frog
I was mowing on the big green zen machine and saw movement in the grass.  It was this little frog.  Seeing as how they are a good thing to have around, I couldn't run over him. I got off the mower, then spent 10 minutes herding him into a safe area.  Have you ever tried frog herding?  It should be an Olympic sport!  Thank goodness there was no one around to see my herding dance.
The frog was saved to live another day.
Loose cow
No, not THAT kind of loose, the "just escaped from her pasture" kind of loose!
I was on my way to the farm the other day, and I drove by this cow and thought cool, a cow....and then realized, wait a second, she's on the SIDE OF THE ROAD outside of her fence.  So I put it in reverse, snapped her photo (so she can be famous on the blog of course, LOL) and then drove to the house nearest her.  They knew who she belonged to and as I left, they were off to get her back home.  It's very dangerous on a dark road at night, so I'm glad I was able to help her get safely back home.
The cow was saved to live another day.
Wasp nest!
OK, funny story on this.  This is just above the mudroom door on the porch ceiling.  I must have gone in and out of the door a dozen times that day.  Slamming the screen door, putting stuff on the porch, opening and closing the door, etc.  Never gave it a second thought.  Then I happened to glance up and saw this.  New in just a week!  Of course then I ducked every time I went in and out and ran in and out as quickly as possible (boy aren't we brave when we don't know what's just a couple feet above our heads?).  I bought some wasp spray and I took care of them.  No saving, no rescuing, I killed them.  All of them.
None of the wasps lived to see another day.

And I was happy.  :-)

22 comments:

  1. How very kind of you to save the frog. It gives me hope for mankind! :-) No, really... I think that's great. The cow and the unsuspecting drivers thank you. And she's a beautiful cow. I'm totally with you on the wasps. I've been stung on my forehead just minding my own business, going in and out of my back door. Enjoy your day.

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    1. Ha, thank you that's very sweet. I'm a sucker for all things living (except maybe wasps, ha). It's funny what you said about the cow a friend of mine who has a cabin at his parents ranch, said the same thing, she was a beautiful cow.

      Hope you enjoyed your day and weekend!

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  2. oh 1st Man - i wish we lived closer as i am a master at moving wasps nests!!! i could have just scraped the majority of the nest off of the ceiling - with wasps buzzing around my head, and you hiding in the bathroom (bahahahahah! couldn't help myself!) and then moved the nest out to a tree with the wasps following me - i have done this like 8 or 9 times in my life and it works! i am sorry that you killed them - they are wonderful pollinators! however, i am glad that you saved little frog man - they eat tons of bugs! as for the cow - good job! cows have a habit of getting out of their fences to their owners dismay - and i am sure that the cow enjoyed some freedom but would have been scared come nightfall!

    i love seeing all the pics - take more - teeheehee! your friend,
    kymber

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    1. Hey, I'll admit, if you were MOVING A WASP NEST, yeppers, I'd be inside. Waiting with a cold drink for all your efforts of course, ha. I really have never heard that you can do this. I took a beekeeping class last fall and I want a hive later this year, but I would not mess with the wasps. They scare me, ha. More pics coming soon!

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  3. Bless you, frog and cow saver. Yes, I'd have sprayed the wasps too. Especially after the $100-plus vet bill for Annie when she got stung on the nose and it swelled to the size of Mt. Everest. I have since learned to give the dogs Benadryl. Generic. Cheap.

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    1. Ha, thank you! So sorry about Annie, glad it was just a blip on the radar (or is that blip on the nose?). Benadryl works wonders for everything, ha.

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  4. If you haven't removed the wasp nest, DON'T. It will keep any other wasps from building in the area, as they are territorial. I've had an empty nest on my back porch (why do they always build near a door?) for 3 years with no others coming around to build there.

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    1. Haven't moved the nest, and I didn't know that. Great idea. I'll just keep my eye out for more nests later. There is only one porch and so I only have to keep my eye out there. Great to know, thank you!!

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  5. Agree w/kymber on keeping wasps around (just not by the door that we go in & out of regularly). Yes, they are great pollinators and I've heard they eat mosquitoes. We've killed many nests that are too close for comfort.

    And, thanks to Ladyhawthorne about the wasp nest location. She's right, when we don't take the dead nest down, they don't build another one near it.

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    1. I might not have messed with it if it was elsewhere, but yeah, right by the back door was not a good place. Thanks for all the great info!!

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  6. sounds like one of those 1950 horror films
    "KILL...KILL....KILL THEM ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

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  7. Wonderful frog and cow rescue, and goodbye wasps! What good eyes you must have to see that little frog in there!

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    1. Ha, I think my mind was thinking "snake" when I saw movement, LOL! I feel like I did the right thing.

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  8. Hi, I just found your blog and so enjoyed visiting and reading. Living about 30 miles out............with no large areas of water........no neighbors, however, bullfrogs have come from somewhere and are inhabiting the pond. Ranch land is just across the road and twice a year the cowboys get on their horses and heard the cattle right down the road.........it is always a wonderful thing to watch. Watch out for those wasps.........they are mean!

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    1. I just joined your blog too! Awesome. You are doing what we want, only you're a few years ahead of us. Awesome. That would be neat to see the cowboys herding down the road. Too cool!! I'll be checking out your blog in detail. Thanks!!!

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  9. Got to hate wasps! Love the cow and the frog though.

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    1. Yes, I'm sure they do some pollinating or eating of other bugs, but, unlike bees, they are so aggressive. I don't like 'em either, ha.

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  10. Yep, life in the country. One year I tried relocating a mouse nest that we found under the tomatoes in our garden. (Back when I had time to have a garden.) It was all well and good until we missed a baby. Mama came looking for the baby and when she couldn't find it, she bit my son in the toe (don't wear sandals in the garden.)

    Later on I was mowing near the garden and before I knew it, mama mouse ran under my mower. I was mortified. All the time I spent relocating the babies was for nothing. :(

    One thing about encountering all the wildlife in the country, is that you don't end up being afraid of much...except snakes. I still hate snakes, but that's a long story.

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    1. I keep hearing the Lion King song "It's the circle of life", ha. Sorry about your mouse experience. Hey, you did what you could and gave them the best chance. I guess I'll learn to not be afraid. Except the snakes, they still give me goosebumps.

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  11. kymber can move all the nests he likes but if you don't want them to come back to the same spot in the porch, kill the nest but leave it hanging. It's prime real-estate. They may build in the other corner. Just kill that one and leave the nest. They'll find a new spot. It works. My cousins had a horse barn FULL of dead nests and NO wasps!

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  12. We have wasps too in the garage. I couldn't bring myself to kill them yet. Though, two days ago I found the biggest spider I've ever seen in my life. Check the net and it looked close to like the two only one in Quebec that could be full of venom... You never saw a girl taking a piece of wood to wreck a spider that fast ! Seems that country living bring the killer out sometimes! :)

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