Fawns and Flowers

 The Pronghorn Antelope fawns are closer to the road now where we can fully enjoy them. When they are first born, the doe tucks them far back in the fields away from prying eyes.

And while the fawns are bedded down in the grass relaxing, the grown bucks are in their own groups of exclusively males. Despite the hot days, the larger males are chasing the young bucks making sure they know who's boss come fall. Then dominance will basically be established and the does going to the stronger, older, and more aggressive bucks. 

 Note in this photo the older doe in the front and the condition of her hair, her fawns behind her, and then her yearling doeling in the far back. You can sure tell who's body is under the most stress by how slick their coats are. Also look carefully and you will see tiny little horns on the mother doe just above her eyes. Some have them and some don't. I wonder if it makes a difference if they were a twin and their twin was a male for that would raise the testosterone levels in the uterus.

In cattle with twins, if one is a male and the other a female then the testosterone levels will be high in the uterus. The result will be a Freemartin. In other words, a female who has a 98 percent chance of being sterile.

Maybe in Pronghorn Antelope the female just develops horns. Now don't go a quoting me on this because my mind is just a wondering trying to come up with answers to a question swirling around in there and definitely no fact.

 My Nasturtiums are blooming in light yellows and a few deep oranges. Next year I'll have to plant a much larger grouping now I've gotten my feet wet with the project and my confidence raised. My end goal is to try some of seeds at the green stage pickled like you would Capers and some to the blacker stage where they are dry and supposedly taste like black pepper. Plus, enough to re-seed a crop for the next year. I figure that just might be quite a few Nasturtiums. Some of you might have the answer for me. The leaves are also edible and are suppose to give a peppery taste to salads. I'll have to give them a try.

I brought home daisies from my mom's yard a small clump of them. In her patch they've taken off and filled the whole bed. Hence, the reason for a small clump. I do hope they take off as I don't mind plucking volunteers just as long as they volunteer. Not even Russian Olive trees volunteer here. We have had four in our yard for 29 years and not a single start. Where as over the mountain, where my mom lives, they have gone to great expense recently to try and clear the land of them. They've spread crowding everything else out. A law was passed in that area against the planting of them.

I can hear that my washing machine has quit so I'd best hurry and get a another load on the clothes line. And a goat appraiser from Iowa, I believe, is due to arrive this afternoon to appraise Anne and Micheal's herds. I'm chief goat holder and gopher in this deal.

So I'd best hurry and finish my food for the meal afterwards. Hi, ho, hi, ho, it's off to work I go.