Working at the Petting Zoo
Meaty here. I work. At a petting zoo. It used to be a landfill and my Mom runs it three days a week. Now, it’s a petting zoo. I am the star attraction! People who could whiz right by and flash their yearly permits, now stop, turn off the engine, and come in to see….ME.
Here I am looking serious in the office. I do have a few toys.
It is a challenge to get any decent rest on my new Coolero bed. People keep waking me up!
Mom’s boss LOVES me. Did you see my cool collar?
Mom! Stop taking my picture. I practice the Stink Eye when she does.
Ok. That’s enough work for today. I’m tired! love, Meaty.
Working Dog; Meatball the Bulldog
Hi, Folks, Meatball here. I turned five months old this week! I’m already a working dog. Just in case some of you think we’re spoofin’ about this bear tracking stuff……. Here I am on the job Saturday. I found it! Me! Baby Meatball! It’s Bear poop, called Bear Scat. Cooper Jackson, eat your heart out.
Here is my sweet little self, closing in on the prey. When I was younger, and whiter, Mom had to watch because big bald eagles circled me on the trail………as if I were prey!
Hate to say it, but the fact that the ground is still wet around and beneath the pile means this is FRESH.
Yup, that’s the real thing. BEAR! After we found this we ran for the shed, called it in to Game and Fish, locked the door. Mom wouldn’t go to the porta potty all day. Here’s a photo of the hind foot print I found just inches from the pile.
Here is a photo for you to see of a bear that was caught where we were in these photos, last year, before I was even born!
That’s MY Mom’s finger touching her foot on the left!
Poor Bear. She has a bit of blood on her head because the men pierced her ears, and not with a needle. A leather punch!
Well, it’s back to trackin’ on Tuesday. ME! The Mighty Meatball!
Eeeuw! Does a Bear SCAT in the woods?
Coyote Boys
Yee Haw! I sure hope all you girls have cowboys as prepared as mine! Here in the wild west of Wyoming, at the dump to be precise, there has been what passes for a lot of excitement.
Spotting a mangy coyote on my way to the porta potty (not in photo…. please,) I became mildly alarmed. When two good friends stopped by to dump some trash and chat, I asked offhandedly, “Would either of you like to shoot a coyote for me?” The response was as if I had asked a couple of eight year olds, “Would you like some Candy and Chocolate?”
YES! WHERE?
Then I asked what was surely the dumbest question ever to exit my mouth since I came to Wyoming;
“DOES ANYBODY HAVE A GUN?
Now just in case AFT subscribes to this blog, I may refrain from naming every article in the rolling arsenal of these two guys’ trucks. In the photo you can see something that looks to this girl like an assault rifle. For a COYOTE. Let us just say that I know for sure that there are three more guns in the photo. Something called a “Permit to carry.”
I was telling someone the other day that there are at least six loaded guns at all times in our church……….that I know about. Some are on guys, some are in Grannys’ handbag. The ushers and the guys who take the offering are packing for sure. Only in Wyoming.
Meanwhile back in the shed, I pass the day between shoot outs cutting out long horns. Never a dull moment here.
Wishing you a happy and Authentic Cowgirl Life.
If your turkey carver wears a cowboy hat IN the kitchen;
And the young people of your community have their Senior Pictures done in the Church
You’ll probably be just fine.
BEAR Artist
I was a bear artist. I made stuffed bears; some like teddy bears with my own twist and some very much like real bears.
Now I work three days a week where REAL BEARS come to search for lunch. We have been dealing with several and now we caught one. This is a female grizzly bear. She is only sleeping! They shot her in the rear with a tranquilizer dart. Poor Bertha. (I named her.)
First they tatooed her lip, then they pulled one of her teeth. Her ears were pierced and not with diamond studs. The nice man from Fish and Game used a leather punch on each ear and made a hole the size you would use in a belt. This bear is going to wake up with one serious headache. They placed an electronic tag under her skin and drew blood. Then some fur was clipped and I could see and touch the wooly taupe colored undercoat.
She was magnificent. I have to be careful in my own mind. I expected to hate the bear. These animals have been causing me fear and sleepless nights for weeks. I have had private bear instruction from the regional education officer. I am armed to the teeth. I thought the bear would be stinky, smelly and horrible if I ever got up close to it. It was clean and lovely and just the most beautiful animal imaginable. Yet, I must remember that when I saw here she was anethestitized. Bears are dangerous, and I can never forget it.
I’ll tell you the truth. I prayed for the bear. I hope she doesn’t get in trouble again where they dropped her 22 miles west of the south entrance to Yellowstone. I also hope she doesn’t make it back here!
In case you’re wondering, the cage didn’t come back empty. We get bears from the Jackson area who need to be relocated. The Fish and Game officer said, “Park County is a net giver of bears. You send more than you receive.” I couldn’t help myself. I said, “It’s truly better to give than to receive.”
Two things if for sure; she woke up with one terrible headache, and I will never forget her.
