Donny was off today so we decided to tackle some things that have been needing to get done. I’m always the first one up in the mornings. I have a set routine that needs to get done on a daily basis. I always start the coffee when I first get up. Then I let the cats out and make sure they have food and water outside and check and refill their food inside. After that I grab a cup of coffee and wait for the sky to lighten up so that I can let the chickens out of the coop and make sure they have food and clean water.

Since Donny was off, he ran Jackson to school and I started sorting laundry because it’s been a few days since I have done any. I’m embarrassed to show this picture, but it’s real life and boy is this real.

We needed to get the morning glories cut down from the coop and the bottle tree. That is a chore in itself because the vines are so invasive, strong and can wrap themselves so tightly around whatever they are growing on.

By the time I took this Donny had already cleared the bottle tree and had started burning the dead vines in the fire pit.

The smoke was so bad, but they burned off pretty quickly.

While Donny was cutting away more vines in the garden I was inside tackling the laundry. I actually don’t mind laundry day. I use the Zum Laundry Soap and It makes the outside and inside smell so good.

I did decide to take a break because I was getting so hungry. My avocados were finally ripe so I whipped up some guacamole. It’s so sad that I’m the only one in the house that really likes it. Sad for them at least.

Since it’s getting darker so much earlier now, it pushes my nightly chores up about an hour. These are so important though and I’ve added a new one. There is a mama cat with two kittens that hide out across the street. I had put a food bowl and water buy the drainage ditch that they hang out by. Unfortunately ants got into the food. We have a neighbor on the corner who is always out of town so I put them next to her driveway. Of course she came home and threw the bowls into the street. I asked the neighbor beside her if I could put the food and water against his fence. He said yes, so I did. I guess that corner neighbor called animal control and I got a notice that basically said, Whoever is feeding these cats it is trespassing and you need to remove them asap. Well, I didn’t and I won’t because I have permission from the neighbor and I refuse to let animals starve.

So this is what I walk across the street at dusk.

I found that if I float the food bowl in a pan of water the ants can’t get to it.

After I feed the feral cats, I go put the chickens up. Four go in easily. One likes to roost on the air conditioning unit, but she’s finally jumping off when she sees me to go into the coop. Penelope likes to roost on the bottle tree and is not happy when I have to lift her off. After the coyote, we are being cautious. And every night I go give some love to my neighbor’s neglected dog. He is the sweetest thing and they just throw food in his bowl, never walk or pet him. It’s the saddest thing ever.

The best part of the nightly chores is getting the food ready for our two raccoons, the skunk and possum. I have found that the skunk and raccoons LOVE peanut butter. I do a sandwich and peanut butter crackers. The skunk eats it like a kid would eat an oreo. It opens the cracker sandwich, licks the peanut butter out and then eats the crackers.

Tonight’s menu was ham, mashed potatoes, peanut butter sandwich, peanut butter crackers, peanuts, grapes, frosted mini wheats and marshmallows. They also get a bowl of cat food. I was so happy when I saw the skunk and raccoons eating together. It hasn’t always been that was. I think that they have worked out their problems.

Even though the skunk is small it’s a badass and rules the yard.