Of Flying Mice & Horses

Yep, I caved and put blankets on the horses. It made me feel better.

There is nothing like another couple inches of snow to brighten my day! It’s my last day of vacation and I absolutely have no idea what to do with it. One-degree temperatures do not lend it to very much. I’ve cleaned closets – two of them, and the pantry. And I had a mouse fall on face. If that isn’t a hazard of cleaning, I don’t know what is! A lot of good those three cats are doing us. I am thinking maybe they should get a taste of the one-degree weather! Seriously, we haven’t had a mouse in the house for years. But then we never had a dog that could open (and not close) the exterior doors. Dang Ritz anyway!

And if you think I am pretty blasé about a rodent on my face, you are wrong. Granted, mice don’t freak me out like snakes do. If a snake fell on my face, I would never come back in my house again. Ever. I would have to live in the barn. And you think I’m kidding! Not!




In the case of the flying mouse, I jumped over three dogs and one cat as I ran out of the room screaming. Ritz took that as an opportunity to chase the cat, which may have went for the mouse, had the dog given it half a chance. But then again, look at him! Probably not! After I woke up Case to tell him what happened, I abandoned the pantry job until John could secure the area. I was pleased to see the little critter’s lifeless body in a trap the following day. Sorry, PETA folks, I’m a farm girl. We eat beef and kill mice. Excuse me while I go wash my face …. Again!

To make this horse related, there is one cardinal rule when riding with me. If you see a snake on the trail, don’t look at it, don't point to it and don’t tell me about it. Just keep on riding like nothing is there. It is truly a phobia with me that is not the least bit funny. I get the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it right now. When I was young, a neighborhood kid threw a dead snake at me and I still feel it touching my leg like it just happened. And that was forty years ago. I don’t forget or forgive; God rest that kid’s soul, whatever his name was....

At Cowgirl Weekend 2004, I was riding John’s horse. Ginger had always scared me and I never quite trusted her. When a rattlesnake was found on the trail, there was no getting around me not knowing about it. The only thing I could do was get the heck out of Dodge. It was the first and only time I have ever opened Ginger all the way up and let her run. And run we did. Fast! You'd have thought a den of snakes were after us. Although the memory of the snake still sends shivers down my spine, that race from terror still makes me smile. We were flying.

I realize I may be opening myself up to torment by admitting this online. I’m sure some prankster will think, “let’s scare Tammy” and want to sneak up on me with a snake. My husband knows not to do that, my kids know not to do that and those close to me know not to do that. Broken trust is the quickest way to end a friendship. Ask the boy from the hood all those years ago!



And with that said, I’m going scoop snow. Again.