THE CRITTERS AT SHEPP RANCH . . .

Shepp Ranch is alive with critters . . . .  domestic animals of all shapes and sizes. We have 10 cats, 3 dogs, 2 hens, 1 pig, 15 mules and 3 horses. And then there are those who are not domestic, who come to share space with us on the ranch.  They would include mule deer, elk, big horn sheep, bear and cougar.  I spotted two mule deer in the mule/horse corral in front of my cabin at 6:00 a.m. the other morning.

I will start with the cats.  The include Buster Keaton, Scaredy Cat, Simba, McGruff, Melky Cabrerra, Cleopatra, Princess Shadoe and my yuppie cat, Yentl.  All of the cats live outside, except for Yentl who lives in my cabin with me.  I feed all the cats twice a day.

7 cats at feeding time . . . Melky Cabrerra is missing  and one other . . .

 

and, this is Yentl Be Gentle, the yuppie cat,  on my bed . . .

 

Our pig is  named Moonbeam.  She has her own space but has many visitors, both human, canine and feline all day.  She eats very well from our table.

Moonbeam

 

We have two hens, Patti and Blondie.  They are English Hens and lay light green/blue eggs, each one per day.  Patti and Blondie live in a pen in the garden.  They have a little hen house where they sleep each night and lay their eggs in the afternoon.  They love currents on the bush/branch and watermelon too.  They get  a half cup of 'scratch' every day and their regular food and water.

 

Patti and Blondie

 

And then there were three - dogs that is.  We have a Springer Spaniel Cane (pronounced Connie), a black Laborador Retriever, Coot and now a Griffon, named Banks.

 

Coot and Cane (Connie) at the back porch door awaiting their dog bone when the dinner bell rings . .

 

Banks and his human Nathaniel (our new ranch hand/wrangler) . . . .'

 

And then there are the mules - 15 of them.  I do not know all of their names except for Willy and Alfalfa.  I will post again when I get their names.  They are our mainstay in packing for hunting camp and riding.  They are unflappable on the trail and love to talk at all hours of the day and night.  Nathanial likes to feed them green apples which they love.

 

Here are many of the mules in a shady spot on a hot 100 degree day . . . .

 

We have three horses for riding.  The two new mares and McKenna.

 

Olivia on the left and Mercedes on the right . . . . .

 

Here is McKenna the horse, lounging in the shade on a hot day with the mules . . . .

 

Annie is the mare we sold to get the two new mares.  Her new home is up river at Indian Creek Ranch, more than a few miles and up over a few mountains.  She  escaped and found her way back home to Shepp Ranch and was in her old corral again until her new owners, Wes and Kristina came back to get her a week later. 

 

Annie, back home at Shepp Ranch for a few days  . . . . .

 

 

That about sums it up for domestic critters on the ranch.  Hope you will come visit, talk to, scratch and pet some, and ride a few on these beautiful trails if you care to.