Surrounded by History

Good article: Brief History of Barbed Wire

The ranch we work on is 3,500 acres and is surrounded by historical evidence that it is one of the oldest in the area. While mending fences, we came across this stretch of barbed wire:

Split Diamond barbed wire 

Patented by H.N. Fentress, December 14, 1875

Rattlesnake Dilemma

Spring is mating season for snakes, so it is no surprise that we often see them on the ranch this time of year - lots and lots of them. Plus, with its creeks and rocky terrain, Cedar Creek is known for being home to many types of rattlesnakes - as the one pictured here. Because we see snakes so often and because they serve a valuable purpose (mice control), "live and let live" is the usual policy. However, this evening, as I was driving home and humming some sweet tune I spied this giant thing cruising toward our resident deputy's house through the yard where his two young children play. From a distance, a snake is just a snake, so I sped forward to identify it. If it was a rat snake, then it would live - if not, well - you see the picture. As I sped closer, its tail and head, both suspended slightly, were a dead giveaway to me that it was likely a rattler (pun intended). If it were heading the opposite direction I would have ignored it, but all I could think of were the children that play in that same grassy stretch - and this type of rattler is aggressive; some aren't. 

With about one second to decide what to do to kill it before it was unreachable, I floored it and ran over it in my Nissan Sentra, not exactly a ranch vehicle, but it'll do. That only made it mad. It struck at my car as I wheeled around and ran over it a second time, with me now well into their front yard and doing donuts. Well, that only wounded it's mid-section, so it kept cruising toward the house-side bushes. 

Preparing for a third attempt, the resident deputy unknowingly came running outside and toward the angry rattler to see what I was doing. Motioning violently through my windshield and toward the snake to warn him to stop walking - he finally saw it and ran to grab a weapon.

 Meanwhile, I got out of the car so as not to lose sight of our prey. Being aggressive and protecting itself, it prepared to strike me - even after being run over TWICE. This is often the case with these, by the way. I hate to kill snakes, but when we do - you should know, rattlers die hard. If you ever come across one - be careful. We've had one strike with half its head severed. 

Anyway - the deputy shot it several times before it finally died. It was about 4 1/2 feet long and looks to me like a Diamondback Rattlesnake, one of the most common in these parts. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, please. 

Today's lessons: "There's a time to die" - "Don't mess with the children" AND "Never let your guard down." Happy spring. 

How to Make a Water Trough Garden

1. Fetch a couple of water troughs.

2. Make your husband wear your pink ear muffs before he shoots draining holes in the bottom of the troughs with his .22.

3. Rest the trough against a brush pile as a backstop.

4. Find a spot with full sunlight and position them by something for climbing plants. We found an old gate.

5. Fill the troughs with soil and position your plants with the climbers and tall ones at the back so you can tie them off - tomatoes, string beans, etc.

 6. Remove all plastic and add more soil to secure the plants.

 7. Add water. 

 8. Tie a foil pan to dangle in the wind and chase away hungry birds.

 9. Tie string around the old gate, or whatever you use, so plants can climb it.

10. Thank your sweet husband for putting together a compost bin that has 56 screws and bad directions.

Strong Drink and Wine

"Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress." - Proverbs 31:6
Every morning I read the Bible for spiritual food to start the day - sometimes reading the chapter of Proverbs that matches the date - today's being Proverbs 31. 

During every reading, one or two verses will especially ring true at this time and invite a rereading. The verse above did that this morning and has special meaning now. 

First off, I do not drink because I am allergic to alcohol and hate its negative affects on people I love, self included. By God's grace, I have not had a drink nor wanted one in 11 years and 338 days; whereas, Robert has always been one to drink socially or in moderation. Long story, short: Robert was in so much pain from his wound prior to the amputation that the doctors had him on 3 pain meds - all narcotics and some of them opioids. Pain management is extremely important in hospitals as of 2000 and moreso to anyone prior to amputating a limb because the nerves will remember the pain. In other words, after Robert's foot was severed, he could still feel it - phantom pain, they call it. 

More will come on this topic, but back to the pain meds . . . After the amputation, we were sent home with only 5 days worth of one of the pain meds. "Why?!" we wondered. After calls to nurses, research, and a few weeks of grueling experience, we discovered why; coming off of it was torture. Following the intense and constant pain, sleepless nights in the hospital, and many experiences too personal to discuss - running out of these highly addictive pain meds actually tops the list of things to overcome. 

With God's help and his fighting spirit, Robert did it. His withdrawals from the drugs included about a week of extreme insomnia, loss of appetite, anxiety, depression, increase in leg/phantom foot pains, us crying and praying and grieving through it. We see how people get addicted to it - and it's very prevalent on the streets. Having been there myself   with alcohol, I could empathize deeply, which ironically brings me back to the verse about "strong drink." 

Thus far, Robert had avoided alcohol because of all the meds. However, there came a time for him when a few glasses of wine was the only way he could find relief. He used it sparingly, temporarily, and only until another medicine, Neurontin, started to work in relieving his nerve pain. Since sobriety, I have always passionately said, "I hate alcohol," but that first night of watching my husband sleep for more than 3o minutes at a time to get the healing he needed became answered prayer and a turning point for me. I still hate alcohol for myself and all other former/present/future alcoholics, BUT I now cherish it as a medicine "to those in bitter distress." 

So hallelujah for wine and whiskey when they are used in moderation and as God intended!

We share all of this personal stuff because other BKA (below the knee amputee) people sharing their story on blogs helped us - and is still! God often works through other people.

#BKA
#belowthekneeamputee

Simple Joy Surrounds Us

A future dewberry ...

Bush peas ...  

                                                 

A fat male turkey (tom) seeking a mate ...

An old pony we named Frank watching me with his one good eye ...

Two dear friends with once wild Francis, the Franciscan donkey, photobombing from behind ...

Fish and Feral Hog

This evening Robert was able to stand long enough to catch 4 bass at the pond AND was able to drive me around long enough for me to shoot a big feral hog - what he was doing when his injury occurred. God is good. If you look in the distance, there's a giant thunder storm that had just passed over us. This all reminds me of the verse we were given at the start of this - 

"And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." - I Peter 5:10, The Holy Bible

Here is Robert's first time walking with a prosthesis and NO walker or cane! It was a bit trying with the pain from still healing, but he's really ahead of schedule here and determined to walk. He's taking it easy between jots, by the way - mostly resting with spurts of standing/walking. 

Little by little . . . He's still using the walker when the prosthesis is off (of course) and uses the cane as well, but it was exciting to see him try to do it solo. This has given us hope today.