I did not set out to complete this goal today, but when the opportunity presents itself you need to take it! My husband and I were taking a stroll through the Art & Garden Festival in our hometown, hoping to pass the time before going back to work. We passed some folks walking a couple of Alpacas and I wondered what they had to do with art or gardens and then wondered if I should add an Alpaca goal to my bucket list. As i pondered, I noticed a huge crowd surrounding one booth and, of course, my curiosity got the best of me. Getting closer I got a glimpse of the snake handler demonstrating how to hold this scaly creature. All I could blurt out was, "Ooh…Ooh, this is on my bucket list! Any chance I can wrap that thing around my neck and take a picture?" The fear set in when he actually said, "sure!" He really wouldn't let me do it if it wasn't safe…would he?
Archive for the Category »animals & nature «
2010
2010
The Park: Sugarloaf Ridge, Kenwood, CA
Total Miles of Trails: 21
Miles Competed: 4.9
Sugarloaf Ridge has a 25 foot waterfall that flourishes after the winter rains and I was determined to find it. I was hoping that seeing such a sight would make me okay with the fact that it is still cold and rainy in Northern California in late April! I selected a 5 mile trail with two "opt-out" shortcuts along the way.
The Trail: Pony Gate > Bald Mountain > Lower Bald > Canyon Tail
Though this hike was a loop I made sure that the waterfall was the highlight at the end, something to look forward to. Besides, I always like to do my uphill hiking at the beginning. The first half of the hike was a fairly steep incline, thankfully there were several benches and "vista points" (AKA: catch your breath so you don't burst a lung points) along the way. 
I felt a sense of excitement as we were approaching the waterfall, hearing the running water in the background. As we rounded the corner it was as if the clouds lifted and birds sang…it was absolutely amazing. The sight of the waterfall was the perfect climax to an already gorgeous hike.
Walking back to the car, I felt grateful that I was able to see such beauty by simply making a plan and venturing out. I also felt a little sad that many people would miss this opportunity because they would not make that effort.
Animal Count: 1 vulture, 2 squirrels, 100s of birds, dozens of lizards & 2 deer.
2009
I have often fantasized about owning a farm; waking up with the roosters, milking the cows and feeding slop to the pigs. But, after touring Tara Firma Farms my dreams were shattered because I realized that….FARMS ARE A LOT OF WORK!!! A customer of ours recommended that we try the meat products from Tara Firma, so we set up a tour to see exactly what was so different about this ranch. We learned that this farm is committed to offering healthy chemical-free, all-natural produce and raising grass-fed, pasture-raised and humanely treated pigs, cows and chickens.
Pulling into the parking lot, it appeared to be a typical Sonoma County farm. Though, I was still taken aback by the vast beauty of the land. There were approximately 12 of us participating in this outing, a third of which were under the age of 5. The owner, Craig Smith, was making small talk with the group as we arrived and to our delight was going to be our guide. We started by visiting the baby chicken shed where dozens of these yellow puff balls were fighting for the heat of the lamp in their pen. I fought my way through just to get a glimpse, can't I act like a child too? We then headed uphill to check out the adults that these tiny chicks turn out to be. There were several of these colorful creatures roaming free from fences or any other barriers. Their movable home had the doors open and housed several hens laying eggs. At night this is where all of them automatically take shelter to protect themselves from the dangers of the dark. A participating youngster had the pleasure of plucking a fresh egg from it's mother to bring home. Damn…how I wish I was 5!
We noticed that there were only 4 cows on the entire 260 acres and were informed that in previous months there were over 100. They had to be removed because they were doing too much damage to the land and it needed time for repair and regrowth. That's all part of the "being kind to the land" and becoming a sustainable ranch.
I was surprised at the amount of turkeys pecking around. They were roaming their space fearless by the fact that they made it through Thanksgiving. I am not sure they are going to be so lucky this Christmas!
I was anticipating the visit to the pig pens ever since Craig said there were babies. Unfortunately, we were not able to hold them…there goes the perfect photo op! Nonetheless, they were the highlight of the tour, poking their snouts out from their mothers breast. What could be better than seeing a big, fat rollie-pollie covered in mud?
The vegetable gardens were lush and green, yet still not at capacity. I had an uncontrollable desire to step right in there and pick my dinner, but was kept at bay by the barbed wire fence. The feeling passed anyway, as soon as I walked past the smelly compost pile. Lost my appetite.
After all is said and done, I loved spending an hour petting animals, learning about sustainable ranching and organic farming.
Ms. Listologist Grade: A+
TIPS ON STARTING YOUR OWN FARM
1. Decide on what your farming goals will be. Do you want a large producing farm, would you like to sell just to the local farmers market or is providing for your families meals enough?
2. Decide on animals, crops or both?
3. Research! Research the best way for you to achieve your farming goals. Access your land to know the acres necessary for each of the animals/crops you have selected.
4. Learn about your finance options for starting your farm.
FACTOID
The average cow produces 46,000 glasses of milk in a year (2,100 pounds).
RESOURCES & FUN PRODUCTS
Organic Farming: Everything you need to know. This book covers the basics, from getting started to developing a marketing strategy.
John Deer Sign: Parking Only. Save your tractor's parking spot with this fun metal sign.
Hobby Farms Magazine: The ultimate owner's manual for enthusiasts.
Ranch Family Vacations, directory of ranches in America
Organic Farming, what makes a farm organic
Land Preperation, how to prepare the land for planting
2009
2009
1.2 miles round trip
ile Alamere falls hike. But, we opted for a short hike, so we could get to the beach
as quick as possible. Getting to the beach was the easy part, all downhill (which of course means that the way back sucked!). The beach is always beautiful, but this one had no sand, just large rocks. No biggie, as long as I heard the waves crashing I was a happy girl. On the way back we ran into a bobcat. Unfortunately, it ran before I had a photo opportunity…Darn!!!2009
Marshall Beach Trail 2.4 miles 
This was a beautiful trail that brought you down to the water. The only problem was that the hike started at downhill, so the way back was all uphill! I have alwa
ys liked to do the strenuous part of the hike at the beginning so I can cruise on the way back. After the hike, we stopped for bbq oysters & clam chowder at Marshall Store in Marshall, CA. Fantastic! 
2009
I recently went on a trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Besides sitting on the beach drinking Pina Coladas & eating chilaquiles (my new favorite Mexican dish), swimming with dolphins was the only other activity on the agenda. Lucky enough, my girlfriend & her 1-month-old boyfriend sat through the torture of a 3-hour time-share seminar (God bless new boyfriends trying to impress the girlfriends best friend!). They were able to score 4 tickets to the Dolphin Experience at Vallarta Adventures for $130! The usual cost is about $120 per person.
The dolphins were kept in large pools (similar to swimming pools). I was worried that it would make me feel sad that they were contained, but they seemed to be having fun. A few were just playing ball with each other with no trainers around. We stood on a platform in the pool and, for all you wimps (myself included), the water was cold! I sucked it up, still continuosly jittering, because this was an experience I couldn't pass up! We were able to ride the dolphin, get a kiss, dance and feed it a slimy fish. For more money there were more intimate (not that intimate… gross… get your mind out of the gutter!) experiences available, but I was pleased with the interaction we had. This could be due to the fact that my teeth were chattering and I needed to get the heck out of that pool. Everyone with me agreed that we don't need to do it again, but it was totally worth the check on my bucket list!
The only bummer, next to the freezing agua and the perks that come with it, is that they don't allow cameras in the dolphin area, so their photographer took all of the photos & you had to purchase them if you wanted any record of your experience. The four of us shared the expense and paid $99 for 8 photos on cd. Ok, now I'm feeling kind of ripped off.
OTHER PLACES TO SWIM WITH DOLPHINS
Atlantis, Bahamas
Miami Seaquarium
Dolphin Quest, Bermuda & Hawaii
Discovery Cove, Orlando, Florida
Dolphin Encounter, New Zealand
2009
I am well aware that this goal is trite in the Bucket List arena. Really, who doesn't want to swim with dolphins? Can anyone resist the charm of potentially being smooched by this enchanting creature? I suppose swimming with sharks would be a more adventurous feat, but I'm just not ready for that yet (maybe by the time my bucket list gets into the 200s).
You would think that a dolphin swim would be easily obtained, but no so. There is actually some planning and travel involved. I will be going to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in April 2009 and then I think this goal will have a big check mark by it (if the Tequila doesn't take over first)!!
