Wild Kingdom

I grew up in the city (Houston, TX) and 11 years ago we made the big move to the country (because my dh and I have always wanted to live in the country). First thing we did was buy 2 horses (Masa and Lady) so we could spend LOTS of money feeding them and then just watch them out the front window. Masa was bullet proof and all the grandkids could ride him and we wouldn't worry about them (except for the time he walked REALLY close to a tree with the grandson......... hahahaha...............RUB SOME DIRT ON IT SON!!!).

The mare, Lady, was a wild woman. This horse was like 24 years old and it was a rodeo every freakin time I got on her. She didn't walk, she pranced. That horse would prance herself into a lather in 5 minutes. She was also very skittish. I remember we were riding down the right side of the road one day and the next thing I knew, we were riding down the left side of the road. She had seen a dark patch in the road and got scared and actually hopped to the left. Staying in the saddle was a challenge.

As far as animals go, one day I came home and at the end of the driveway there was a stand of tree's and there was a huge owl sitting in the tree. I'd never seen an owl before. Well.....I'd seen pictures of them, but I hadn't seen a live one. Then there was the day I just happened to walk to the back door and looked out and low and behold there was a big bird flying just over the tree tops with a huge snake dangling out of it's talons. Then there was the day all the cats (we inherited 6 six cats from the previous owner) just flew off the back deck. Like roaches, scattering. Again I looked out in the back yard and there's this big snake (water moccasin) ambling through the backyard. I think it was headed for the pool. My husband got out the .22 and we started shooting at it. DH hit the body several times. I aimed and hit a tree on the back of the property (hahahahaha - oops). Finally, the snake was all coiled up and DH went down the steps to about 6 feet away from the snake and aimed at his head and the snake leaped at him with its mouth wide open. I've never see DH move that fast backwards. It scared me so bad I just about fell off the deck.

There were coyotes too. If we got home late and it was dark, I'd make someone walk to the barn to feed. I was too scared. I could hear them howling out there and it was give me goosebumps. Also, this was around the time that Rafael Resendez Martinez Burrito was traveling by train and killing people. We lived about 3 miles from the tracks.

This morning on the way to work I thought I saw a buck, but I wasn't sure. This evening, on the way home, sure enough, I saw a 6 pointer and he was standing with 2 does by the road. I've NEVER seen a buck up close.

You never know what you're gonna see in the country........

Sandi