Deer In Yard

A few minutes ago, Sierra caught my attention as she was looking out of one of my bedroom windows. 

I took a look and a female deer was munching on some plants. 

I managed these to shots:

 

Grandfather Injured By Charging Bison

 

The above video is a good example for keeping your distance from bison in Yellowstone National Park or anywhere else. Bison are surprisingly fast.

Fortunately, the grandfather, although injured, is expected to fully recover.

From Cowboy State Daily: 

A man was seriously injured Friday evening after being thrown 8 feet into the air by an angry bull bison in Yellowstone National Park.

Mike MacLeod, a professional photographer from Bozeman, Montana, said the incident happened at the Bridge Bay Campground, south of Fishing Bridge.

MacLeod said the man was walking with his grandson when the agitated bison made them the targets of its aggression.

“I was just trying to get some dramatic footage of that bison having a fit,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “It’s changed my idea of what to expect from these guys at this time of year, because I would not have predicted that happening.”

The National Park Service has not released any information on the incident.

To read more, go here. 

San Diego Rodeo Ban Would Threaten Tribal History and Culture

Above, many rodeos in the Southwest are predominantly Native American. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Once upon a time, the city of San Diego was pretty much a conservative city with Republican mayors and council members. That has apparently gone by the wayside as liberal lunatics have taken over and there is talk of an ordinance banning rodeos within the city.

Nearby Native American tribes call any ban on rodeos a threat to their history and culture. 

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported:

SAN DIEGO —  Local tribal leaders and charro groups are lobbying San Diego to put the brakes on a proposed citywide rodeo ban, contending city leaders have been duped by activists and need to thoroughly educate themselves.

While the ban wouldn’t apply to local tribes because their land is outside the city limits, they’re fighting it because they believe bans proposed recently in San Diego and Los Angeles could spread statewide quickly.

They say San Diego’s ban threatens longtime traditions because rodeos are a cultural practice with roots that have been intertwined with Black, Indigenous and Mexican American communities for centuries.

“The city has not equipped itself with accurate information to craft sensible, equitable policy, and we fear that it could lead to a dismissal of our cultural history and heritage in San Diego,” the groups said in a joint letter to the city. “In the spirit of inclusivity, we urge the City Council and its staff to participate in a dialogue and begin their educational journey on our practices and values.”

This really shouldn't come as much of a surprise. After all, we're talking California (i.e., Commiefornia) here.

To read more, go here. 

California "Poised" To Ban Rodeos

Above, from the 2019 Best of the Best Rodeo in Gallup. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first rodeo I recall ever attending was in Santa Barbara, California in 1977. I enjoyed watching the contestants. One contestant had an interesting name, Sarah "Honeybear" Hickey (see photo below), who was the 1977 Miss Rodeo California. 

The rodeo was held at the Earl Warren Fairgrounds.

Above, Sarah "Honeybear" Hickey, 1977 Miss Rodeo California.

Now it seems that the last remaining All-American patriotic spectator sport, the rodeo, is in the crosshairs of leftists California (i.e., Commiefornia). 

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that for former Golden State is poised to ban, or at least curtail, rodeos.

They begin with:

Earlier this fall, Alameda County supervisors officially banned the practice of “wild cow milking” — a timed event in which a lactating beef cow, unused to human handling, has been wrangled from the fields and brought to an arena.

There, she is separated from her calf, tossed into a rodeo ring, and attacked by three or four men who rope her, pull her tail, wrestle her to the ground and try to hold her still while one of them grabs her teats and milks her.

The move comes three years after the county banned “mutton busting” — an event in which small children are placed on the backs of scared, unsaddled sheep and try to stay on while the sheep bucks, kicks and jumps to knock the child off.

“It’s animal abuse,” said Eric Mills, coordinator for Oakland’s Action for Animals, an animal welfare organization. “It’s unconscionable to treat animals this way. Can you imagine if they did this to dogs? No one would be OK with it. So why is it OK to do this to baby calves, horses and cows?”

For those who admire a “western lifestyle,” a good rodeo performance highlights the skill, bravery and strength of a talented cowboy or cowgirl — a rider deft with a lasso, in control of wild, bucking animals, and laser-focused on a chaotic, seemingly uncontrollable task at hand. It’s this display of western grandeur, hard work, grit and sportsmanship that has likely made the Peacock series “Yellowstone” such a major hit.

But for others, the rodeo is a horror show in which terrified animals are chased around an arena, kicked by strangers, tossed onto the ground with potentially bone-crushing impact — all while loud music is blared and dozens, if not hundreds, of people yell, scream and clap from the nearby stands.

In California, there is a growing movement to ban — or seriously curtail — these kinds of performances. And lawmakers are stepping into the fray, exposing one more hot-button issue that is seemingly emblematic of the nation’s growing cultural discord.

In Los Angeles, the City Council is poised to vote on legislation that would curtail, if not eliminate, rodeo events within the city. Instead of banning particular events, the legislation seeks to ban certain devices used on rodeo animals — spurs, flank straps and electric prods — that can cause pain or injury.

I am sure glad to have left that rotten state. Leftist wackos have ruined most everything else within California, ruining the quality of life there. And now they are going after rodeos. Idiot voters have just re-elected "King Wacko" himself, Gov. Gavin Newsom. Pathetic!

To read more, go here. 

Kitty In Condo

Since last night's temperature got down to freezing or near freezing, I plugged in the heat pad in the Cat's Condo on the deck.

D.K.'s kittens have been using it and since the night and morning would be cold they needed a warm space.

When I got home from the post office this afternoon (the snow stopped), I saw one of the kitties in the Condo. At least the electricity is not going to waste as they are making good use of it.

A few minutes ago, snuck this photo of the kitty in the Condo:

Here's the same photo, but zoomed in:

Happiness is a warm kitty.

New Horse In Christmas's Former Corral

Above, the new occupant of Christmas's former corral. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A few days ago, while heading down to the Flying J, I noticed a horse in Christmas's former corral Obviously, the new occupants of the property are also horse people.

This morning, while returning from picking up my mail at the post office, I stopped and took some pictures of the new horse.

Christmas, in the meantime, has been relocated up the hill on Birch Road and across the street from friend Victor Gomez. She seems to be doing okay at her new home. 

Unfortunately, since I don't know her new owners and her pen is away from the roads and in the middle of the owner's property, I haven't stopped to give her carrots. Maybe her owner doesn't take kindly to trespassers and may have Elmer Fudd shotgun tendencies. At least I knew Christmas's late owner.

Oh, well. 

Melting Snow and Animal Tracks

While putting the trash container on the side of the road for tomorrow's pick up, I noticed a number of different animal tracks in the remaining snow at Barking Spider Acre.

So I took a walk over to take a closer look.

Some were cat and dog tracks (I saw some dogs chasing a cat there the other day). There were some rabbit tracks (we have cottontails and jackrabbits here). Some looked like either deer or elk tracks (we have both in the area). It was hard to tell what they were days old and the melting snow distorted them.

Some photos:

Above, the GOCO Beast Barn. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, remains of snow and Buddy in the background. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a variety of animal tracks. Photo by Armand Vaquer.