Monday, January 16, 2006

another walk on the rails

I had hoped today would be nice enough that the girls and I could have a picnic at the cabin, and start a campfire.  Alas, it's gotten cooler all day.  Even so, we were gone two hours walking along the railroad track.  And not a single train came along while we were there.

We walked a mile or so, to the place where a road crosses the tracks; this is where the train wreck happened, last April.  By the state of the deteriorating railroad ties, I wouldn't be surprised to hear of another train wreck along this area.

We pretty much avoided looking at the big dead dog that we knew was laying along the tracks from last time, and I warned the girls when I saw a dead fox (or is it a coyote?  I didn't think coyotes had bushy tails like that?) up ahead, in case they wanted to avoid him.  He obviously hadn't been there long, and their curiosity got the best of them; they took a good, long look, and expressed their sympathy for him.  I assured them that he probably never knew what hit him. 

It amazes me that any animal would stand there and be hit by a train; you hear and see them coming for so long, and it seems any creature would run away.  That's what Mandy does:  she wants nothing to do with trains!  For some reason, though, the track is strewn with carcasses and bones.

In picture 10, behind the girls is the area of the river bottom where the cornfield fire occurred, and where we eventually got enough free corn to feed two hogs to butchering weight.

On a different topic, Cliff finally tore into my dryer:  It was taking longer and longer to dry a load of clothes, and we knew there had to be lint stopping up the works.  I am not exaggerating when I say we got at least a half-bushel of lint out of the innards of the dryer.  I wish I'd taken a picture!  It had  been a  problem  for some time, but Cliff doesn't enjoy tearing dryers apart the way  he does tractors, so he kept forgetting to do it.

Final edit:  I do believe my reader is correct; that's no fox, it's a coyote.  Which make me happy, because I like foxes better than coyotes, although I'm a big admirer of both (in other words, if one or the other has to die, let it be a coyote).

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I believe that from the distance some of the ties are apart that they have replaced the bad ones and left the old ones. It is great that you take the girls on these trips and let them enjoy a little country living.

Anonymous said...

Isn't that a coyote? Doesn't look like a fox to me?

Anonymous said...

Great pictures!  I agree, I think that is a fox.  WE have so many coyotes out by us, and that surely does not look like one.

As for that 3/4 sign?  I wonder if that's a mileage marker.  Maybe to let the conductor know that 3/4 up is something he should be looking for.  Heck, I don't know.. lol   Good guess though, eh? :)

Jackie

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you didn't let the weather ruin your day.  Good for you!  Enjoyed the pictures! Barbara

Anonymous said...

Wonder if our counters will ever go back to normal.  I think this happened once and they fixed it.
Sonya

Anonymous said...

Yes you wonder why so many animals would get hit by a train. Maybe it is far enough out that they don't blow the whistle as often? Sometime it is hard to know why a human would get hit by one. Recently a man was cutting logs along the tracks in san antonio and just stepped in front of the train. It must be nice having the tracks go through your property. Paula

Anonymous said...

It seems small for a coyote but it could be a young one.The ones that I have seen were bigger, about the size of a German Shepherd dog.

Anonymous said...

I know those girls ove to come to your house, Mosie! You keep them doing things that are fun and also teaches them!
Be careful on those tracks.
love ya,
carlene

Anonymous said...

Great pictures Donna.  I too would wonder about the 'full plate' and the 3/4 sign.  Probably 'train speak' but it would be interesting to know.