Saturday, July 23, 2011

Sunday Stills Farm (Ranch) Animals (7-24-11)

The challenge this week is to show my farm animals. Many of these photos are from today, a few are from the last week or so, and a few are from archives.

Here are Louise and Thelma, my recently acquired alpacas. This is the first time I've been able to approach them when they're cushing (laying down). Alas, they both stood up right after the photo.
Of course, my two year old Arabian filly Yalla! must be included.
Here's Annie, Yalla!'s 18 year old Polish Arabian dam, stepping out.

Like mother, like daughter; Yalla! is  doing some fancy stepping with her tail flagged out too.
Nadia and Scout are enjoying their gallop. Nadia is my 28 year old Egyptian Arabian mare and Scout is part Appaloosa-Arabian and Paint. What a combination!
Here's Sandy, the stray dog who adopted us last summer. I think she's part Terrier and part Australian Cattle Dog.
She's always up for a frolic.
 And here is her best buddy, my Little Buddha, a Japanese Chin. He usually curls his tail over his back. I'm not sure why he's not doing it here. Several months ago he had severe back problems. Now he runs all around the neighborhood with Sandy, with the energy of a puppy. I worry about him because he's so little, less than five pounds, and we often have coyotes in the area.
Just today, I took this photograph of Terra, my 16 year old American Shorthair, enjoying the great outdoors for a little while. Only a few months ago, I lost her brother, Simba, to kidney failure.
 This large bull snake likes to frequent my yard and especially, the grill.




















This time, he was trying to catch himself a lizard dinner. He may be the same bull snake that killed one of my neighbor's chicks. I hope not.
I have about nine nests in my barn right now and two on my house so I must include the barn swallows in my post.

Ravens abound in my barnyard and surrounding areas. During the winter, a couple of them roost in the rafters.

For more Sunday Stills, please visit here.

17 comments:

cheyenne jones said...

Plenty going on at your place then!!

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

hehehe, I almost wanted to post a snake photo too, but decided against it.

Anonymous said...

you've got your share of farm animals! nice photos

Anonymous said...

All great takes on the challenge. I really love all of your beautiful horses. Arabians are so elegant! :)

Grey Horse Matters said...

Love all your animals with the exception of the bull snake (does he have a name ?). Yalla is beautiful and getting so big, I can't believe she's two already.

Shirley said...

Lots of different critters! Yalla! sure is gorgeous. Cool shot of the lizard.

Oak Creek Ranch said...

Great pictures. Sandy looks like such a happy fun dog. And the appy-arab-paint mix certainly works -- cool looking horse.

Crystal said...

Sure a lot of animals over at your place!

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Great pics! I like the raven and the one of your alpacas cushing.
Always enjoy seeing your horses running and enjoying themselves. And of course, Yalla has the cutest ears ever!

(And I will not comment on the bull snake...kind of a sore spot, ya know. Poor chickie. wah!)
~Lisa

Ed said...

Hope thats not the same snake from lisa's place, you may have to take him back over to her place, great shots too, especially Thelma and Louise..:-)

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Bite your tongue, Ed! Shame on you.

lol!

~Lisa

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Ooooh! Ooooh! Val! Head on over to Leah Fry's blog, Barn Door Tagz!!!

YOU WON!!!!!!

Whooohoooo! Hooray! Yay you!!

~Lisa

Fantastyk Voyager said...

Lisa~ how cool is that?? I almost never win things.

Leah Fry said...

Val, email me your address so I can mail your stuff. Congrats!

Lori Skoog said...

Your animals are beautiful. When I look at that young filly, I can see why you would love Cass Ole.

Achieve1dream said...

Awesome pictures! I wish I'd done this challenge. I love that first picture of Yalla. She is so gorgeous!!!!!

Horses Are Our Lives said...

oh my goodness, I hope to not see that snake at my place! We did have bull snakes when we moved there about 20 years ago, but we've kept the weeds down, and now haven't seen any in about 15 years! thanks goodness, even though I know they aren't harmful, to us anyways, and catch mice! and you're right, your older horses look awesome!
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