compost

Sun May 27.
Great sunrise this morning. Walked out to robin and meadowlark serenades. Dug grass around 10 of my new spruce trees until my knee began to ache. Let the sheep out to pasture and went in to have a bath. Linda as usual left me bathwater to use and then pump out onto a tree (birch today.) Her tulips are looking ragged after the snow a few days ago, but they refuse to die in a sea of yellow and red. A few potatoes popping up from the cold cold ground Everything is 2 weeks late but determined to do its cycle. Toady's projects: cut up dead caragana wood and pile it (Linda does latter) and to clean out barn (why did I bathe?) I added 2 small truck loads onto pile by the garden house so water running off roof soaks into the pile. There will be compost next fall and eventually, I hope, my remains are added to it.
PS Talked to son in Darfur and had email from Toronto son saying he may be out this summer to see his sister when she is home from Pakistan before going to live in Uganda (her birth place)

Sheep fencing is good politics

Toronto Star
Dear Editor

Today I dismantled a sheep fence around my new trees. After I had rolled up the wire I realized it was actually right for the job, just needed tightening. So I unrolled it and, after some stretching, renailed the wire to the posts. The sheep watching must have wondered at my erratic activity. Michael Ignatieff, who calls Ducepe's move "political opportunism," may never discover that to error is natural, to admit so is human.

Sincerely

larry mackillop

Box 633

Nanton Ab

T0L 1R0

403 646 5643

Cougar again

Almost shut the sheep in barn last night as the shearer is coming this morning. Felt sorry for them and left them out for the night. Linda poked me at 1 am. Rowdy! she whispered. Out I went putting a shell in the 22 and pulling on pants as I went. Why do I do this? Rowdy and Tiko had formed a circle around the sheep. One little lamb jumped sideways in the excitment. I shone my light around the trees and caught an eye flash along the fence. Fired a shot. Must be coyotes coming to the fence. No worry as I can keep them out. Back to bed with gun in bedroom window ready. 5 am an ewe bawling. No lamb answering said Linda. Grumpily got up and made coffee before ventureing out. Sure enough the Rambolais ewe had lost her lamb. Quick count showed only 15 lambs Checked the fences and found no holes. It had to be the cougar again! Nothing else could jump a 6 foot fence carrying a fair sized lamb. I had assumed she found other game by now. Like last time she came calling on a Friday night. This time I will leave a message with Fish and Game who may send a houndsman out to serch Pine Coulee. Endanged spieces is now me!

Rush Before the Rain

Awoke 6 AM and began my morning routine: listen to CBC news, making coffee and checking messages. Checked out a B n B on Sunshine Coast for July visit with my daughter and family when home from Pakistan. Took Linda a coffee in bed (her routine) and heard rain forecast. Skipped my bath and went to finish rototilling garden. Linda joined me watching that I did not remove some newely planted beds. Rain began. Went to put remainder of my last hay bale in barn so not rot. Locked the 2 ewews with triplet lambs in with the hay and left others to forage remains of the bale. Had a cool bath in water Linda left for me. (we have long used same water to then pump it onto trees for max economy.) Felt like a warrior as I marvelled at the wire scratch on my shin. Linda had fresh muffins in the oven as I relaxed in front of tv to select tonight's viewing. Choice was between another global warming doc, hockey or 8 ft spider movie. I selected the latter. Watching rain drips run down my north window I felt secure in a place where I belong.

A cougar came calling

Linda woke me from a deep sleep saying she heard the llama, Rowdie. I held my breath until it came again...much like a jack ass. Out of bed down the stairs cursing I went because I forgot where I hid the key to the guns. Don't have a cabinet yet but I chain and padlock my shot gun and 22 together. Had visions of me going out with 2 weapons conjoined, trying to shoot one when Linda yelled the key was over the table. Right where I put it ! Pulling on my pants I took the 22 outside. My gun shy dog Rex ran past me into the porch. Found entire flock of ewes and lambs encircled in wet snow between the 2 llamas. Must be coyotes had come to the fence Felt certain my fence had no hole so I fired a shot and went back to bed. Just about asleep when Rowdie began again. Shit! Back to barnyard and this time I drove truck around, wiper removing wet snow, scanning with trucks lights. Near the fence I saw tracks and signs of something being dragged. Blood on snow confirmed a kill and tracks double size of Rex's. Wool on the top wire and tracks on the other side confirmed a cougar! Nothing else could jump a 5 foot fence carrying a sheep. Tried to drive back to the house but tires spun in he wet snow on green grass. Ran back and got the shot gun plus one shell. This time Rex came with me and we headed back to pick up trail of killer. I opened the gate and we followed tracks through my poplar trees. Unlikely the beast was treed but I had my gun loaded in case. Rex and I followed tracks SW across the pasture towards Pine Coulee. After I lost trail I called for Rex who had vanished into the night. A cougar would make shot life of him in a fight. I lifted the shot gun to fire only the safety was on. I wasn't so safe in the tree! Finally managed to get a shot off and with Rex went back to the flock. Careful counting revealed 10 big ones and one missing. Forgot Big Daddy was shut in the coral to prevent him hogging hay nursing mothers needed . I found him running up the down the coral in terror and let him out with the others. He has always shadowed the llamas since a coyote attack years ago and was soon back with his protectors. I counted lambs and was one shot of 13 meaning the cougar took one. Likely a mother desperate to feed her kittens in the bad weather spell. (wish she'd kill the deer eating my new trees!)
Next day being Saturday, Fish and Game office was closed. Phoned a guy who shoots coyotes for me when they depleting my flock but he is not allowed to hunt cougars, an endangered species. he told me of a cougar hunter near Fort Macleod but he replied he was not allowed to hunt without Fish and Game permission. Phoned my brother Lloyd and nephew Wes who is a hunter. They came and we followed the trail but snow was melting quickly and we lost the tracks. We drove to edge of pine coulee and gazed at the view . None of us wanted to search the pines for a cougar den. Just then Lloyd looked down and crawling out of the ground juniper were hundreds of lady bugs. I went back and erected a higher wire on my sheep enclosure. Might not stop a cougar from jumping 6 feet but could deter her. That night Linda and I put the sheep in the barn, leaving Big Daddy and the llamas outside to sound the alarm. I had a good sleep.