Well our big storm has arrived in the form of pure rain. My Granddaughter's teacher had told her that they probably wouldn't have school today. I don't know how she is doing but I would have been devastated when I woke up this morning, they did have school.
Our accumulation estimation was raised one inch last night to 9 inches and if this rain had been ice or snow it would have been a pretty decent storm. There is some snow mixing with the rain right now. It is a little after 9:00 AM. Instead of a Winter Storm Warning maybe we should be under a Deeper Mud Warning. There is still the possibility of losing power if the light poles sink.
Showing posts with label ice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ice. Show all posts
Friday, February 5, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Winter Storm Watch
Thanks to those who were concerned about me. December and January were not great months. December was lean in the pocketbook for us, plus I had the flu during the first part of the month then my DH got pretty sick towards the last part. I spent a couple of weeks on the couch with a pinched nerve in my back around the first of January. I think that I have had a little of the winter blues. Nothing much to write about and I just haven't been inspired.
However, I feel a little inspired today. As I sit here waiting on the big winter storm that is about to engulf Indiana tonight and tomorrow, I was thinking of Spring. Our groundhogs did not see their shadows and Spring is only a few snowstorms away. I know this because my hens have gotten back on their nests and gone to work this week. After months of one egg per day. We got two eggs, then six eggs, then zero eggs, then four eggs, then one egg. I can't wait to see how many eggs we get this evening.
The actual truth is that I had read somewhere that giving your hens Cayenne Pepper would make them start laying. I tried it and about three days later got six eggs. So, yesterday I fixed them up with some leftovers drowning in Cayenne Pepper. I will let you know how it goes.
Collette is huge but I don't think that she will have triplet doelings again this year. I think that she will probably have twin spotted doelings. I still have no idea when she will kid, but I do know now that the father is my black spotted young buck, Rancid. I didn't think he was tall enough or even knew what he was doing but where there is a will there is a way. He doesn't even stink yet!
I check Collette everyday when I milk Calico. She is getting ready to kid, losing her ligaments and has that dropped look, hollowing out in the flanks, carrying low. Still no udder to speak of though. She is waiting for just the right snow or ice storm or just the right sub-zero temperature.
My plans for the rest of today are to get prepared for a winter storm. I need to find a way to store some water. If our electricity goes out we have no water because we have a well with a pump. We do have a nice spring in case of emergencies but it is easier to store some from the well than hauling it to the house from the spring.
We do have heat from a ventless gas heater that provides our heat during the cold months. We do not have lights or a way to cook unless we run our generator. I miss having a woodstove because you always have heat and a way to cook. I suppose we could always build a campfire outside to cook on, I am a pretty good campfire cook.
However, I feel a little inspired today. As I sit here waiting on the big winter storm that is about to engulf Indiana tonight and tomorrow, I was thinking of Spring. Our groundhogs did not see their shadows and Spring is only a few snowstorms away. I know this because my hens have gotten back on their nests and gone to work this week. After months of one egg per day. We got two eggs, then six eggs, then zero eggs, then four eggs, then one egg. I can't wait to see how many eggs we get this evening.
The actual truth is that I had read somewhere that giving your hens Cayenne Pepper would make them start laying. I tried it and about three days later got six eggs. So, yesterday I fixed them up with some leftovers drowning in Cayenne Pepper. I will let you know how it goes.
Collette is huge but I don't think that she will have triplet doelings again this year. I think that she will probably have twin spotted doelings. I still have no idea when she will kid, but I do know now that the father is my black spotted young buck, Rancid. I didn't think he was tall enough or even knew what he was doing but where there is a will there is a way. He doesn't even stink yet!
I check Collette everyday when I milk Calico. She is getting ready to kid, losing her ligaments and has that dropped look, hollowing out in the flanks, carrying low. Still no udder to speak of though. She is waiting for just the right snow or ice storm or just the right sub-zero temperature.
My plans for the rest of today are to get prepared for a winter storm. I need to find a way to store some water. If our electricity goes out we have no water because we have a well with a pump. We do have a nice spring in case of emergencies but it is easier to store some from the well than hauling it to the house from the spring.
We do have heat from a ventless gas heater that provides our heat during the cold months. We do not have lights or a way to cook unless we run our generator. I miss having a woodstove because you always have heat and a way to cook. I suppose we could always build a campfire outside to cook on, I am a pretty good campfire cook.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Just When I Needed You!
Rachel at Welcome To Wilmoth Farms was hit very hard in Kentucky by the ice storm that passed through on Tuesday, January 27th.
If you follow my blog you know that during that storm our little Angus was born. My first thought while he was thawing out in our living room was, I knew Rachel will have some advice for me since it has been many, many years since we raised any calves on bottles.
I had many questions, like how long he should have colostrum, since his Mother never let him nurse? If the goat colostrum that I had on hand would work since the roads were so bad that we couldn't get out to get anything else? How much should he be drinking and how often?
Then the really, really big question, how do you stop these scours????
But alas, Rachel is still without power and Angus may be half grown before she is back among the enlightened. She did read my post about Angus and left a comment but she is only checking in when she can. Since for some reason I am not able to post comments on her blog, I will just have to communicate with her here.
Hello, Rachel, hope you are doing well and I hope that your place is thawed out by now and clean-up is nearly done. I really hope that you get your electricity back soon. But I must say that these on again, off again scours are driving me mad!
Angus is healthy and strong, has bonded with my DH and follows him everywhere he goes. He always runs in a gallop with a few twists and bucks. When he is hungry, he comes to the door and rattles the doorknob, this gave me quite a fright the first time that he did it and I was here all alone.
Since he is staying in the barn right outside my living room door, I am seeing most of his bowel movements and smelling them. Some are firm but some like the one that I slid in the other night and almost fell are very runny.
I would appreciate your home remedy for scours very much. He is currently getting 6 quarts of medicated replacer per day with some yogurt and an egg in each bottle. He is also getting mushed up Calf Manna and we are putting a couple of tablespoons of Pepto-Bismol in each bottle if he appears to need it.
If you follow my blog you know that during that storm our little Angus was born. My first thought while he was thawing out in our living room was, I knew Rachel will have some advice for me since it has been many, many years since we raised any calves on bottles.
I had many questions, like how long he should have colostrum, since his Mother never let him nurse? If the goat colostrum that I had on hand would work since the roads were so bad that we couldn't get out to get anything else? How much should he be drinking and how often?
Then the really, really big question, how do you stop these scours????
But alas, Rachel is still without power and Angus may be half grown before she is back among the enlightened. She did read my post about Angus and left a comment but she is only checking in when she can. Since for some reason I am not able to post comments on her blog, I will just have to communicate with her here.
Hello, Rachel, hope you are doing well and I hope that your place is thawed out by now and clean-up is nearly done. I really hope that you get your electricity back soon. But I must say that these on again, off again scours are driving me mad!
Angus is healthy and strong, has bonded with my DH and follows him everywhere he goes. He always runs in a gallop with a few twists and bucks. When he is hungry, he comes to the door and rattles the doorknob, this gave me quite a fright the first time that he did it and I was here all alone.
Since he is staying in the barn right outside my living room door, I am seeing most of his bowel movements and smelling them. Some are firm but some like the one that I slid in the other night and almost fell are very runny.
I would appreciate your home remedy for scours very much. He is currently getting 6 quarts of medicated replacer per day with some yogurt and an egg in each bottle. He is also getting mushed up Calf Manna and we are putting a couple of tablespoons of Pepto-Bismol in each bottle if he appears to need it.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Too Cold
I know that I said that I love snow and cold weather but I don't like this bone-chilling cold. The wind chill today could be -10 and my old bones are screaming for warmer weather. It is suppose to get warmer, even up in the 50's, then all of this snow will melt and we will have mud and flooding but I have already got my snow fix for this year. I am ready for Spring.
Angus is doing well, he is following my DH around while he feeds in the evenings. I got a video of him out in the snow last night. I will try to post it here when I get some more time.
I really love feeding and milking but it is all that I can do to make it outside when it is this cold. I don't remember worrying about the chickens this much, it is so hard to make sure everything has fresh water all of the time. They don't seem to want to drink until the water freezes solid and that happens about 10 minutes after you carry hot water to them.
Enough whining, I just want to thank you all for doing your part to combat Global Warming, your efforts are working and I think those in Kentucky would agree with me.
Angus is doing well, he is following my DH around while he feeds in the evenings. I got a video of him out in the snow last night. I will try to post it here when I get some more time.
I really love feeding and milking but it is all that I can do to make it outside when it is this cold. I don't remember worrying about the chickens this much, it is so hard to make sure everything has fresh water all of the time. They don't seem to want to drink until the water freezes solid and that happens about 10 minutes after you carry hot water to them.
Enough whining, I just want to thank you all for doing your part to combat Global Warming, your efforts are working and I think those in Kentucky would agree with me.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Night Glitter
To update my previous post, all of my hens came home wagging their tails behind them. I don't know where they have been the last few days but they seem to be fine. I would imagine that they were just under a shelter of some sort. Then the snow piled up around them and they couldn't escape until the sun came out today and warmed things up.
I had a most amazing walk that I was going to blog about and forgot. It got really cold last night and after I got all of my feeding and milking done and had gone into my toasty house for the night. I remembered that I had forgotten to feed Angel and Abby. Well, there was no hurry, I warmed up and did a few things inside. Later I wrapped back up, fixed their food and went back out into the frigid night.
I had my headlight on which gives you a new prospective on things in the night, all of the animals eyes glow because you have this bright light so close to your own eyes. But what was so amazing about last night was that there was a freezing fog.
Oh my, it was the most beautiful thing. The air temperature was so cold that the fog was freezing into tiny, sparkling ice particles floating in the air. Wow! It was like walking through suspended glitter and it was everywhere. I could have stayed out all night if it hadn't been so cold, but if it hadn't been so cold it wouldn't have been such a glittery world. And to think that I would never had experienced it if I had just had a flashlight in my hand.
I had a most amazing walk that I was going to blog about and forgot. It got really cold last night and after I got all of my feeding and milking done and had gone into my toasty house for the night. I remembered that I had forgotten to feed Angel and Abby. Well, there was no hurry, I warmed up and did a few things inside. Later I wrapped back up, fixed their food and went back out into the frigid night.
I had my headlight on which gives you a new prospective on things in the night, all of the animals eyes glow because you have this bright light so close to your own eyes. But what was so amazing about last night was that there was a freezing fog.
Oh my, it was the most beautiful thing. The air temperature was so cold that the fog was freezing into tiny, sparkling ice particles floating in the air. Wow! It was like walking through suspended glitter and it was everywhere. I could have stayed out all night if it hadn't been so cold, but if it hadn't been so cold it wouldn't have been such a glittery world. And to think that I would never had experienced it if I had just had a flashlight in my hand.
Thawing Chicken
Awhile back my Hubby thought that I had some missing hens but it turned out that they were all here. This time I hate to say that it is true. On the night of the big snow and ice storm the chickens had been in the barn all day. That evening my DH herded them out of the barn and sent them on their way to the goat/chicken shed. We were on our way to the neighbor's for supper.
They always go to the goat/chicken shed without any problems, so we didn't think to check on them to make sure that they all had made it. I really don't know why they didn't make it to the shed but we didn't know there was a problem until the next day.
My Son came to get one of our blazers and when they dug it out of the snow, started it and moved it into the driveway, a Barred Rock Hen ran out from under it. Her feathers were ruffled and she was covered in ice. My Husband caught her and took her to the shed and placed her on the roost.
A short time later my Grandson was out playing in the snow when he came running into the house saying that Elvis, my Polish Rooster was in trouble, he thought he was dying or dead. My DH went out and found him lying in the snow barely alive. He brought him to the house and he had so much ice on his head that his neck could not support it. He would not have survived much longer.
My Husband discovered that he might have missed his calling, maybe he should have been a chicken stylist.
After Elvis was thoroughly thawed out, he was immediately back to his old self and jumped on a hen.
After the Barred Rock Hen was thawed out with the hair dryer as well, I went to count heads. We were missing a Silver Laced Wyandotte Hen, we searched under everything that we thought a hen might hide under from the freezing rain and sleet. As you can see, it was hard to look everywhere.
I guess that when they had tried to make it back to the goat/chicken shed that night they just chickened out and didn't want to walk through the freezing rain and sleet, so they just hid under something, then the snow that night trapped them.
I counted heads again last night and one of my Golden Comets is missing too. I must have overlooked her the other night when I counted. I guess we won't find them until the snow and ice melts, there might yet be hope if they are under the goat/chicken shed because grain falls through the cracks in the floor.
This morning my Mille Fleur Bantam Hen was bleeding profusely from her toe. I brought her in the house and her toenail as well as the tip of her toe was hanging loose. I tore it the rest of the way off and tried to stop the bleeding but it was hard to get stopped.
The temperature was -10 here this morning. I am thinking that her foot must have gotten frozen to the roost last night. After about 30 minutes of bleeding I finally got some cobwebs, wadded them up and applied them to the toe and that did the job.
-10 this morning and 45 degrees this afternoon, this must be Indiana. Angus is doing very well, he has a wonderful appetite now and I am trying my best to keep him from scouring. He keeps wanting me to play with him and I am just not up to it.
They always go to the goat/chicken shed without any problems, so we didn't think to check on them to make sure that they all had made it. I really don't know why they didn't make it to the shed but we didn't know there was a problem until the next day.
My Son came to get one of our blazers and when they dug it out of the snow, started it and moved it into the driveway, a Barred Rock Hen ran out from under it. Her feathers were ruffled and she was covered in ice. My Husband caught her and took her to the shed and placed her on the roost.
A short time later my Grandson was out playing in the snow when he came running into the house saying that Elvis, my Polish Rooster was in trouble, he thought he was dying or dead. My DH went out and found him lying in the snow barely alive. He brought him to the house and he had so much ice on his head that his neck could not support it. He would not have survived much longer.
My Husband discovered that he might have missed his calling, maybe he should have been a chicken stylist.
After Elvis was thoroughly thawed out, he was immediately back to his old self and jumped on a hen.
After the Barred Rock Hen was thawed out with the hair dryer as well, I went to count heads. We were missing a Silver Laced Wyandotte Hen, we searched under everything that we thought a hen might hide under from the freezing rain and sleet. As you can see, it was hard to look everywhere.
I guess that when they had tried to make it back to the goat/chicken shed that night they just chickened out and didn't want to walk through the freezing rain and sleet, so they just hid under something, then the snow that night trapped them.
I counted heads again last night and one of my Golden Comets is missing too. I must have overlooked her the other night when I counted. I guess we won't find them until the snow and ice melts, there might yet be hope if they are under the goat/chicken shed because grain falls through the cracks in the floor.
This morning my Mille Fleur Bantam Hen was bleeding profusely from her toe. I brought her in the house and her toenail as well as the tip of her toe was hanging loose. I tore it the rest of the way off and tried to stop the bleeding but it was hard to get stopped.
The temperature was -10 here this morning. I am thinking that her foot must have gotten frozen to the roost last night. After about 30 minutes of bleeding I finally got some cobwebs, wadded them up and applied them to the toe and that did the job.
-10 this morning and 45 degrees this afternoon, this must be Indiana. Angus is doing very well, he has a wonderful appetite now and I am trying my best to keep him from scouring. He keeps wanting me to play with him and I am just not up to it.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Angus
I have kept you in suspense long enough. We went to our neighbors on Tuesday night for supper, it was the night of the ice storm. We feasted on tender Pork Roast that is like no other, fried plantains with garlic and salt, beans and rice cooked to perfection, boiled potatoes and squash, followed by wonderful lemon meringue pie.
The neighbor mentioned that he was afraid one of his cows was going to calve that night. He really doesn't have a good place to get a cow up and with the weather like it was there wasn't much he could do because all of his pasture is on a hillside.
The next day we got a call saying that she had a bull calf and she was rejecting it. My DH went to help him get her up and try to help the baby nurse. The calf was chilled, weak and covered in ice and mommy just flat didn't like him. She was under the distinct impression that one of the other cow's calves was hers and they could not convince her otherwise.
The calf was given to me, my Husband carried it home wrapped in a wool blanket on his tractor through the ice and snow. I instructed him to bring him into the house to thaw him out.
He thawed out nicely. He accepted a couple of syringes of warm goat's milk to get him kick started. I had some powdered goat colostrum that I mixed into a quart size bottle of warm goat's milk. It wasn't long before he was dry, warm and on his feet giving the house an inspection, he found it to be calf friendly.
With the weather and roads so bad, we had to go to another neighbor's to bum some cow colostrum and an antibiotic as a precaution against whatever might attack him in his weakened state. His nose was already dripping snot on assorted family members.
All went very will and he drank a quart of the cow colostrum from his bottle with so much gusto that he collapsed the bottle at 11:00 last night after we moved him out in the stall with my two does.
The does were not happy campers but we didn't have any other choice. They thought that he was most certainly a fanged, clawed, goat eating predator of some sort. They totally panicked every time he moved. It is a very large stall but they kept trying to run through the walls and jump over the gate. I don't think either of them slept a wink all night because they both had to have both eyes on him at all times in case he made his move.
My problem started this morning, he wouldn't take a bottle. I kept trying all day and could only get a couple of ounces in him at a time and he didn't want it. He laid and trembled.
I was home alone and there was no way I could get him up or carry him but he finally got to his feet and I guided him back into the house at which time he peed on my best rug which made me feel much better because it let me know that he was at least getting something. My estimate was that he relieved himself of three gallons at least.
He did finally drink about a pint tonight and I think that he will drink more later. I know he isn't getting enough and I suppose he will stay in the house. He is laying in front of my refrigerator right now and I can't even get myself something to drink.
More later...
The neighbor mentioned that he was afraid one of his cows was going to calve that night. He really doesn't have a good place to get a cow up and with the weather like it was there wasn't much he could do because all of his pasture is on a hillside.
The next day we got a call saying that she had a bull calf and she was rejecting it. My DH went to help him get her up and try to help the baby nurse. The calf was chilled, weak and covered in ice and mommy just flat didn't like him. She was under the distinct impression that one of the other cow's calves was hers and they could not convince her otherwise.
The calf was given to me, my Husband carried it home wrapped in a wool blanket on his tractor through the ice and snow. I instructed him to bring him into the house to thaw him out.
He thawed out nicely. He accepted a couple of syringes of warm goat's milk to get him kick started. I had some powdered goat colostrum that I mixed into a quart size bottle of warm goat's milk. It wasn't long before he was dry, warm and on his feet giving the house an inspection, he found it to be calf friendly.
With the weather and roads so bad, we had to go to another neighbor's to bum some cow colostrum and an antibiotic as a precaution against whatever might attack him in his weakened state. His nose was already dripping snot on assorted family members.
All went very will and he drank a quart of the cow colostrum from his bottle with so much gusto that he collapsed the bottle at 11:00 last night after we moved him out in the stall with my two does.
The does were not happy campers but we didn't have any other choice. They thought that he was most certainly a fanged, clawed, goat eating predator of some sort. They totally panicked every time he moved. It is a very large stall but they kept trying to run through the walls and jump over the gate. I don't think either of them slept a wink all night because they both had to have both eyes on him at all times in case he made his move.
My problem started this morning, he wouldn't take a bottle. I kept trying all day and could only get a couple of ounces in him at a time and he didn't want it. He laid and trembled.
I was home alone and there was no way I could get him up or carry him but he finally got to his feet and I guided him back into the house at which time he peed on my best rug which made me feel much better because it let me know that he was at least getting something. My estimate was that he relieved himself of three gallons at least.
He did finally drink about a pint tonight and I think that he will drink more later. I know he isn't getting enough and I suppose he will stay in the house. He is laying in front of my refrigerator right now and I can't even get myself something to drink.
More later...
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Weather Update
I measured 6 inches of snow yesterday morning in our driveway. Then the freezing rain started, we got around 3/4 of an inch of ice before the freezing rain and sleet turned back into snow overnight. When we woke up this morning we had an additional 6 inches of snow on top of the ice.
When I went out in the sunshine early today I could stay up on top of the ice, so I was only wading through six inches of snow. Later on the ice didn't hold me up so well and it got a little treacherous. My feet would sink softly into the snow then the ice floor would break with a thudding sound and I would sink down another six inches.
The problem with this was that you had to concentrate on stepping straight up out of your ice footprint or your toes would catch under the ice layer and you would fall on you face in the snow. This was something that I had to keep reminding myself of.
After paths were made in the snow and it all got packed, I could walk across the bottom strand of electric fence wire without lifting my feet to step over. It wasn't even visible. I also had to bend down to unhook the top gate wire. The stone step into my goat/chicken shed was level with the packed snow, so all in all I felt a little taller today than I have been feeling.
I took on a new rescue responsibility today and if it lives through the night tonight I will share the story and pictures with you tomorrow.
When I went out in the sunshine early today I could stay up on top of the ice, so I was only wading through six inches of snow. Later on the ice didn't hold me up so well and it got a little treacherous. My feet would sink softly into the snow then the ice floor would break with a thudding sound and I would sink down another six inches.
The problem with this was that you had to concentrate on stepping straight up out of your ice footprint or your toes would catch under the ice layer and you would fall on you face in the snow. This was something that I had to keep reminding myself of.
After paths were made in the snow and it all got packed, I could walk across the bottom strand of electric fence wire without lifting my feet to step over. It wasn't even visible. I also had to bend down to unhook the top gate wire. The stone step into my goat/chicken shed was level with the packed snow, so all in all I felt a little taller today than I have been feeling.
I took on a new rescue responsibility today and if it lives through the night tonight I will share the story and pictures with you tomorrow.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Predictions
As I sat here reading different blogs and message boards tonight, I found that most interest was centered on the weather. We are currently under a Winter Storm Warning and are suppose to get up to three inches of snow tonight, three inches tomorrow and so on.
I just went out to see how that was coming along and discovered that there is already three inches of snow and ice on the ground here at a few minutes after midnight, so that means that it will have to stop snowing immediately for the weather predictors to be correct. I looked at the radar and it doesn't seem that we are being skirted by this storm, so I think that for once they have underestimated this storm for our area.
Normally they tell us that we are going to get 10 to 20 inches and that we will be trapped in our homes with no electricity, food or water for many days and we wake up the next morning to see the pretty snow and not one flake has fallen. I remember one year that the predictions were so bad that schools totally dismissed classes before one flake fell and it never did snow that day or the next or even for the rest of that winter, if my recollection is correct.
Perhaps the Predictors are tired of getting caught with egg on their faces, so they just didn't tell us the terrible truth this time. It will probably be the worst snowstorm in decades and we will be unprepared.
Just in case that happens, I am filling all of my pitchers with water, that is about all I can do at this point. I am also blogging now in case I have no electricity tomorrow.
I just went out to see how that was coming along and discovered that there is already three inches of snow and ice on the ground here at a few minutes after midnight, so that means that it will have to stop snowing immediately for the weather predictors to be correct. I looked at the radar and it doesn't seem that we are being skirted by this storm, so I think that for once they have underestimated this storm for our area.
Normally they tell us that we are going to get 10 to 20 inches and that we will be trapped in our homes with no electricity, food or water for many days and we wake up the next morning to see the pretty snow and not one flake has fallen. I remember one year that the predictions were so bad that schools totally dismissed classes before one flake fell and it never did snow that day or the next or even for the rest of that winter, if my recollection is correct.
Perhaps the Predictors are tired of getting caught with egg on their faces, so they just didn't tell us the terrible truth this time. It will probably be the worst snowstorm in decades and we will be unprepared.
Just in case that happens, I am filling all of my pitchers with water, that is about all I can do at this point. I am also blogging now in case I have no electricity tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Wind Chills
Not looking forward to the weather for the next few days. It is currently snowing and sleeting here. We are under a wind chill advisory for -10 to -30 from tonight through Friday. I know that is not as cold as it is some places and I don't mind the cold but I don't care much for wind chills.
It is hard to keep water to everyone, we have a big heated tank for the main pasture but with so many horses they can drink it dry in a day's time. Which means that it has to be filled everyday, even in subzero temperatures. The problem, of course, is the hose. Yesterday it was warm in the morning but the temps dropped all day and I didn't think to top off the big tank before the hose became frozen, so I had to wind the hose up and bring the whole thing into the house. We have a hard time remembering to unhook and drain the hoses.
We have to provide water in nine different places, two tanks are heated but require hoses to fill them, two tanks are not heated and required hoses, the others are small and we can carry the water.
I carry warm water in my little red wagon to Cooter, Angel and Abby, I also carry warm water to three different places for the chickens. The does in the barn are not hard to keep watered because it is normally warm enough in the barn to prevent frozen water but last night I brought their bucket into the house after they were bedded down. I will have to remember to do that again for the next three nights and probably most of the day tomorrow, I will just have to take the water out for them to drink and bring it back in.
Our biggest headache is the two tanks that are not heated, I usually take a splitting maul and drop it down on the ice to break it for Badger's water and for the young horses that are separated from the main herd. It will not be an easy task to keep them watered for the next couple of days. I will also have to keep breaking and refilling for Cooter, the dogs and the chickens. I break their ice with a hatchet and scoop out the ice with a very handy kitty litter scoop that I bought for that purpose, then refill with warm or hot water.
So, while some of you are sitting inside your warm, cozy houses listening to the wind howl, think of me trudging across the hard frozen ground with a bucket or splitting maul in my hand fighting against the icy wind. We will also have to feed and milk in this cold, it is all part of the joy of farm living and I love it, my eldest son and his family got me a new face mask for Christmas, so I am prepared.
We have been getting around 8 eggs per day but the temperature took a nose dive yesterday and we got 10! I don't think that I will ever understand chickens. They might all lay tomorrow since it will be so cold and there will be nothing else to do.
It is hard to keep water to everyone, we have a big heated tank for the main pasture but with so many horses they can drink it dry in a day's time. Which means that it has to be filled everyday, even in subzero temperatures. The problem, of course, is the hose. Yesterday it was warm in the morning but the temps dropped all day and I didn't think to top off the big tank before the hose became frozen, so I had to wind the hose up and bring the whole thing into the house. We have a hard time remembering to unhook and drain the hoses.
We have to provide water in nine different places, two tanks are heated but require hoses to fill them, two tanks are not heated and required hoses, the others are small and we can carry the water.
I carry warm water in my little red wagon to Cooter, Angel and Abby, I also carry warm water to three different places for the chickens. The does in the barn are not hard to keep watered because it is normally warm enough in the barn to prevent frozen water but last night I brought their bucket into the house after they were bedded down. I will have to remember to do that again for the next three nights and probably most of the day tomorrow, I will just have to take the water out for them to drink and bring it back in.
Our biggest headache is the two tanks that are not heated, I usually take a splitting maul and drop it down on the ice to break it for Badger's water and for the young horses that are separated from the main herd. It will not be an easy task to keep them watered for the next couple of days. I will also have to keep breaking and refilling for Cooter, the dogs and the chickens. I break their ice with a hatchet and scoop out the ice with a very handy kitty litter scoop that I bought for that purpose, then refill with warm or hot water.
So, while some of you are sitting inside your warm, cozy houses listening to the wind howl, think of me trudging across the hard frozen ground with a bucket or splitting maul in my hand fighting against the icy wind. We will also have to feed and milk in this cold, it is all part of the joy of farm living and I love it, my eldest son and his family got me a new face mask for Christmas, so I am prepared.
We have been getting around 8 eggs per day but the temperature took a nose dive yesterday and we got 10! I don't think that I will ever understand chickens. They might all lay tomorrow since it will be so cold and there will be nothing else to do.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
I Have Returned
It has been nearly a week since my last post, I have gone though a very stressful time, it was called Christmas. We had Christmas early here to give our kids the freedom to keep other family obligations. Christmas should be enjoyable and I did have a good time after everyone arrived, it was the preparation that was stressful.
Having a two year old Granddaughter is just the best, that age is so much fun. The older kids were fun too but after they reach a certain age they tend to be a easily disappointed. Our oldest Grandson wanted expensive gifts this year, Nike Shocks, a Carhartt jacket and a Bible. He really liked them but there were no toys to play with. I remember that age and the disappointment, like something important is missing.
We had our Christmas on Monday evening, then yesterday I just relaxed and didn't spend much time on the computer. We went to town last night after the icy roads cleared up. We ended up at Wal-mart and the famous last words of my DH were; "Just go ahead, look around and I will find you." I wanted to set up a meeting spot but he thought that he wouldn't have a hard time locating me. Needless to say, we both spent hours looking for each other.
We met people that we both knew and they tried to help us out by telling us where they had last seen the other person but that didn't help much. We would run into the same people later and get directions from them again but to no avail. I finally just sat down on a bench in the middle of the store and waited. My feet and back were killing me from the miles that I had walked. He finally wondered by and sat down with me. I suppose if you lived a boring life and liked treasure hunts, you could make it into a healthy pursuit with lots of exercise.
After the 10 mile marathon, we went to McDonald's for an Eggnog Shake, my favorite. Of course, they didn't have them, for the last three weeks every time we have gone there they have told us that their machine was broken. Last night they told us that they had run out and wouldn't be getting anymore in, I was devastated. For the record, the McDonald's in Bedford, Indiana is poorly managed.
Meanwhile, back at the farm, it was very cold here over the weekend and with my Christmas preparations, my dear, sweet Husband took care of all of my animals while I stayed warm and comfortable inside the house.
He fought frozen water tanks and frozen hoses and on Monday morning he brought me a frozen Rooster. Poor Bootstrap was just about dead. He was weak and could hardly support his own head. I sat down and held him for awhile, pried his frozen beak open and rubbed his stiff legs and feet.
Because of his fluffy, new feathers, I couldn't tell that he had lost a lot of weight. He had been acting strange for awhile but he was molting and I thought that was his problem. I wormed and deloused him because he had some leg mites, I also coated his legs with vasoline and made him a straw bed with food and water in our back room. His comb turned blackish purple, but he is eating and drinking and slowly regaining his strength.
My one egg day was just that, one egg for one day. The next day I got five eggs and have gotten 4 to 5 eggs every day since then. The weather has been all over the place, freezing cold, warm and sunny, ice storms, snow flurries, strong winds and right now as I am typing this, I hear thunder and it is suppose to get up to near 60 degrees after an ice covered day yesterday.
Now that my Christmas stress is completely relieved (it feels so good), I will be blogging again. This blog is one year old, I started it on Christmas day last year, it has had over 10,000 views according to my hit counter and those are not page reloads.
I never dreamed that people would find my life interesting in the least, I have never understood this whole social networking business, like My Space or Facebook but I guess it has it's purpose. I know people who have nearly abandoned television altogether for My Space and connecting with their friends. All of their spare time is spent there. I do enjoy reading other people's blogs and finding that there are actually other people out there who live the same sorta life that I live.
Having a two year old Granddaughter is just the best, that age is so much fun. The older kids were fun too but after they reach a certain age they tend to be a easily disappointed. Our oldest Grandson wanted expensive gifts this year, Nike Shocks, a Carhartt jacket and a Bible. He really liked them but there were no toys to play with. I remember that age and the disappointment, like something important is missing.
We had our Christmas on Monday evening, then yesterday I just relaxed and didn't spend much time on the computer. We went to town last night after the icy roads cleared up. We ended up at Wal-mart and the famous last words of my DH were; "Just go ahead, look around and I will find you." I wanted to set up a meeting spot but he thought that he wouldn't have a hard time locating me. Needless to say, we both spent hours looking for each other.
We met people that we both knew and they tried to help us out by telling us where they had last seen the other person but that didn't help much. We would run into the same people later and get directions from them again but to no avail. I finally just sat down on a bench in the middle of the store and waited. My feet and back were killing me from the miles that I had walked. He finally wondered by and sat down with me. I suppose if you lived a boring life and liked treasure hunts, you could make it into a healthy pursuit with lots of exercise.
After the 10 mile marathon, we went to McDonald's for an Eggnog Shake, my favorite. Of course, they didn't have them, for the last three weeks every time we have gone there they have told us that their machine was broken. Last night they told us that they had run out and wouldn't be getting anymore in, I was devastated. For the record, the McDonald's in Bedford, Indiana is poorly managed.
Meanwhile, back at the farm, it was very cold here over the weekend and with my Christmas preparations, my dear, sweet Husband took care of all of my animals while I stayed warm and comfortable inside the house.
He fought frozen water tanks and frozen hoses and on Monday morning he brought me a frozen Rooster. Poor Bootstrap was just about dead. He was weak and could hardly support his own head. I sat down and held him for awhile, pried his frozen beak open and rubbed his stiff legs and feet.
Because of his fluffy, new feathers, I couldn't tell that he had lost a lot of weight. He had been acting strange for awhile but he was molting and I thought that was his problem. I wormed and deloused him because he had some leg mites, I also coated his legs with vasoline and made him a straw bed with food and water in our back room. His comb turned blackish purple, but he is eating and drinking and slowly regaining his strength.
My one egg day was just that, one egg for one day. The next day I got five eggs and have gotten 4 to 5 eggs every day since then. The weather has been all over the place, freezing cold, warm and sunny, ice storms, snow flurries, strong winds and right now as I am typing this, I hear thunder and it is suppose to get up to near 60 degrees after an ice covered day yesterday.
Now that my Christmas stress is completely relieved (it feels so good), I will be blogging again. This blog is one year old, I started it on Christmas day last year, it has had over 10,000 views according to my hit counter and those are not page reloads.
I never dreamed that people would find my life interesting in the least, I have never understood this whole social networking business, like My Space or Facebook but I guess it has it's purpose. I know people who have nearly abandoned television altogether for My Space and connecting with their friends. All of their spare time is spent there. I do enjoy reading other people's blogs and finding that there are actually other people out there who live the same sorta life that I live.
** Happy Birthday, Jackie!! **
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The Truth
I hope that I don't offend anyone with my blog this morning. It is not my intention to alienate anyone who doesn't hold my same opinions. I would be devastated if anyone stopped following my blog because of this post. That said, I must unburden myself and reveal the long hidden truth that has remained concealed for much too long.
I have not kept this secret from everyone, my closest and dearest friends know this awful truth. Most of my family members know it as well. Although some of my friends and most of my family openly criticize me and try to get me to change. I do have some friends who share my feelings and opinions in this matter. I ask you to please open your hearts and accept me the way I am.
I love Winter, I love snow, I love the cold, all of it, the frozen ground, the frozen waters, being able to see my breath. I love the way the snow crunches under my feet, the way the snowflakes softly and gently float through the air. I love the quiet of a snow covered landscape. I love the feel of heat hitting my face when I come inside after being out in the freezing cold. I love being snowbound. I love the anticipation of a coming Winter storm. I love burrowing under a pile of blankets on a cold Winter's night.
I don't know how I got this way, I don't know how it happened, but I ask for tolerance and acceptance. I have already heard all of the arguments that there are in the world against my feelings and views. Those arguments have never been able to sway me or change me from what I am.
Sure, I don't like everything about Winter. I don't like for my family and friends to have to be out on the roads when they are slick, I don't like to be out on the roads when they are slick. I feel for the road crews and law enforcement officers. I worry about the elderly and the sick. I worry about the animals when it is real cold, windy and/or freezing rain.
Maybe I am immature and this all stems from getting snow days off of school. As a teacher, I got just as excited as the kids at the prospect. But I don't have to go to school anymore as a student or a teacher and I still love Winter.
There, I have said it, I have confessed my faults. I feel much better now that I can openly say that we had snow flurries yesterday and I was just thrilled to see them.
I have not kept this secret from everyone, my closest and dearest friends know this awful truth. Most of my family members know it as well. Although some of my friends and most of my family openly criticize me and try to get me to change. I do have some friends who share my feelings and opinions in this matter. I ask you to please open your hearts and accept me the way I am.
I love Winter, I love snow, I love the cold, all of it, the frozen ground, the frozen waters, being able to see my breath. I love the way the snow crunches under my feet, the way the snowflakes softly and gently float through the air. I love the quiet of a snow covered landscape. I love the feel of heat hitting my face when I come inside after being out in the freezing cold. I love being snowbound. I love the anticipation of a coming Winter storm. I love burrowing under a pile of blankets on a cold Winter's night.
I don't know how I got this way, I don't know how it happened, but I ask for tolerance and acceptance. I have already heard all of the arguments that there are in the world against my feelings and views. Those arguments have never been able to sway me or change me from what I am.
Sure, I don't like everything about Winter. I don't like for my family and friends to have to be out on the roads when they are slick, I don't like to be out on the roads when they are slick. I feel for the road crews and law enforcement officers. I worry about the elderly and the sick. I worry about the animals when it is real cold, windy and/or freezing rain.
Maybe I am immature and this all stems from getting snow days off of school. As a teacher, I got just as excited as the kids at the prospect. But I don't have to go to school anymore as a student or a teacher and I still love Winter.
There, I have said it, I have confessed my faults. I feel much better now that I can openly say that we had snow flurries yesterday and I was just thrilled to see them.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Horse Tails
When I went out to feed my goats and chickens on Saturday after the big snow, I kept hearing this strange sound. Anytime there is snow on the ground, everything sounds different, clearer. This was a clicking sound that was coming from the pasture and sounded like lots and lots of wooden or bamboo wind chimes. I stopped and listened and tried to figure out where the sound was coming from. It didn't take long to see what was causing it.
All of the horses with long tails which is most of them, had little balls of ice on the ends of their tails. They were clicking together when they moved. They were also causing great difficulty in walking and some them had even quit trying to walk because their tails were wrapping themselves around their hind legs and locking in place. When they would try to step forward they were all tangled up and pulling their own tails. It was a strange sight that I had never noticed before. It was like having their hind legs roped, so I suppose it was good training, they didn't seem too upset about it, some of them were just standing very still, while others were walking very slowly and carefully.
All of the horses with long tails which is most of them, had little balls of ice on the ends of their tails. They were clicking together when they moved. They were also causing great difficulty in walking and some them had even quit trying to walk because their tails were wrapping themselves around their hind legs and locking in place. When they would try to step forward they were all tangled up and pulling their own tails. It was a strange sight that I had never noticed before. It was like having their hind legs roped, so I suppose it was good training, they didn't seem too upset about it, some of them were just standing very still, while others were walking very slowly and carefully.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Monday
I don't know when this day went bad, just a typical Monday I suppose. Those first little minor annoyances weren't that noticeable. Like when my husband was throwing a load of dirty clothes into the washer and tried to throw my holey long underwear away. I protested loudly that they were still serviceable enough to keep me warm and I couldn't afford new ones anyway.
Then my husband set down at the table to pay bills, we were scampering around trying to shuffle money from place to place in order to write checks. His bank account is empty because of hay, feed, horse training and gas and mine is empty because of hay, feed, horse training and gas. We are hoping to be able to sell the three geldings that we have had trained this Winter in the Spring. They have all turned out very well, we also took two fillies to the trainer this Winter, one is not for sale and the other isn't ready to be sold yet. We just hope that this training isn't another losing proposition.
I had planned to give myself a home perm today. I went to Walmart last night and bought everything that I needed. I told my daughter-in-law not to bring the kids over today because I was going to have the house all stinky, my husband wasn't working, so I thought it would be a good time since he could help me out if I got in trouble.
Then my other daughter-in-law called and said that she was sick and wanted to know if we would pick up our Grandson from school and keep him for a few days. Oh well, no big deal, I could wait on the perm.
We ran out of spiced tea, which makes my husband real testy when he has a cough, so I was in the process of making more, when I realized that the frozen orange juice that I had just gotten out of the freezer wasn't frozen. We have been noticing soft ice cream for a few weeks but this was a pretty drastic change. Did I mention that we are broke? I don't think a new refrigerator is in the budget.
While I pondered these things, my husband went to the school to pick up the Grandson. When they returned, they continued to pick up speed instead of slowing down while applying the brakes coming down our long, steep, ice covered driveway. So the truck with the brand new battery that we had to buy for it last night at Walmart, plowed into the back of our other vehicle causing quite a bit of damage to both. I picked up as much of the broken plastic and paint chips as I could, so the chickens wouldn't eat them.
We just laughed this evening when the rain started and we noticed the puddle in the living room getting bigger and bigger. We both continued to laugh as we folded our holey towels and holey wash cloths and wondered if we would ever be able to throw them away, along with my holey long underwear. Tomorrow is Tuesday, I hope.
Then my husband set down at the table to pay bills, we were scampering around trying to shuffle money from place to place in order to write checks. His bank account is empty because of hay, feed, horse training and gas and mine is empty because of hay, feed, horse training and gas. We are hoping to be able to sell the three geldings that we have had trained this Winter in the Spring. They have all turned out very well, we also took two fillies to the trainer this Winter, one is not for sale and the other isn't ready to be sold yet. We just hope that this training isn't another losing proposition.
I had planned to give myself a home perm today. I went to Walmart last night and bought everything that I needed. I told my daughter-in-law not to bring the kids over today because I was going to have the house all stinky, my husband wasn't working, so I thought it would be a good time since he could help me out if I got in trouble.
Then my other daughter-in-law called and said that she was sick and wanted to know if we would pick up our Grandson from school and keep him for a few days. Oh well, no big deal, I could wait on the perm.
We ran out of spiced tea, which makes my husband real testy when he has a cough, so I was in the process of making more, when I realized that the frozen orange juice that I had just gotten out of the freezer wasn't frozen. We have been noticing soft ice cream for a few weeks but this was a pretty drastic change. Did I mention that we are broke? I don't think a new refrigerator is in the budget.
While I pondered these things, my husband went to the school to pick up the Grandson. When they returned, they continued to pick up speed instead of slowing down while applying the brakes coming down our long, steep, ice covered driveway. So the truck with the brand new battery that we had to buy for it last night at Walmart, plowed into the back of our other vehicle causing quite a bit of damage to both. I picked up as much of the broken plastic and paint chips as I could, so the chickens wouldn't eat them.
We just laughed this evening when the rain started and we noticed the puddle in the living room getting bigger and bigger. We both continued to laugh as we folded our holey towels and holey wash cloths and wondered if we would ever be able to throw them away, along with my holey long underwear. Tomorrow is Tuesday, I hope.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Life's Not Fair
When I taught school the kids all loved to say, "That's not fair!", to which I would reply, "Life's not fair, so get over it!". Life certainly is proving me right at the moment. Our old bachelor neighbor was here this afternoon and he told me that he was getting really tired of this cold weather for some reason and I told him that usually happens in February. He asked me if he would get over it in March and I told him that he would, especially towards the end of March.
He also told my husband that he sounded just like his calves that he is doctoring for pneumonia. This is true, my husband seems to get pneumonia if he catches a cold. I am not complaining, well, maybe I am a little bit but I feel so bad when he is so sick and he still has to go out in the below 20º weather to feed and water. I try to help as much as I can but I am not much help.
Add to this that we have a psycho horse that has to have her back leg re-bandaged everyday and I am feeling like life isn't fair. For one thing she is without question the hardest horse that we have to handle and the injury is on a hind foot and it is difficult to wrap. She also has to have a shot everyday. She has to be kept up in a stall, so that means a stall that needs cleaning everyday. I can shovel a little manure but my back prevents me from doing much of it and there is no way that I can wrap her leg, for one thing she wouldn't let me and for another I couldn't stand in that position. So, with my husband being so sick, this is something that we didn't need right now.
The weather is another thing that we don't need right now. It is 6º at the moment and the wind chills are awful. We are suppose to get sleet and snow for the next few days and that may stop me from being able to help out at all. I hurt myself the last time that we had ice. I just feel guilty when I can't do my share of the work.
Enough whining around, Spring will be here before we know it, this cold weather can't last forever. The March winds will dry up all of the mud, the grass will start growing and the horses won't have to be fed as much. Morning's leg will start healing, the dressing won't have to be changed as often and the shots won't have to be given after Feb. 28th.
I just ran out and watched the Lunar Eclipse, I almost missed it because I didn't know it was happening tonight and since this is tomorrow's blog that I am writing now, if you didn't hear about it, you missed it too.
He also told my husband that he sounded just like his calves that he is doctoring for pneumonia. This is true, my husband seems to get pneumonia if he catches a cold. I am not complaining, well, maybe I am a little bit but I feel so bad when he is so sick and he still has to go out in the below 20º weather to feed and water. I try to help as much as I can but I am not much help.
Add to this that we have a psycho horse that has to have her back leg re-bandaged everyday and I am feeling like life isn't fair. For one thing she is without question the hardest horse that we have to handle and the injury is on a hind foot and it is difficult to wrap. She also has to have a shot everyday. She has to be kept up in a stall, so that means a stall that needs cleaning everyday. I can shovel a little manure but my back prevents me from doing much of it and there is no way that I can wrap her leg, for one thing she wouldn't let me and for another I couldn't stand in that position. So, with my husband being so sick, this is something that we didn't need right now.
The weather is another thing that we don't need right now. It is 6º at the moment and the wind chills are awful. We are suppose to get sleet and snow for the next few days and that may stop me from being able to help out at all. I hurt myself the last time that we had ice. I just feel guilty when I can't do my share of the work.
Enough whining around, Spring will be here before we know it, this cold weather can't last forever. The March winds will dry up all of the mud, the grass will start growing and the horses won't have to be fed as much. Morning's leg will start healing, the dressing won't have to be changed as often and the shots won't have to be given after Feb. 28th.
I just ran out and watched the Lunar Eclipse, I almost missed it because I didn't know it was happening tonight and since this is tomorrow's blog that I am writing now, if you didn't hear about it, you missed it too.
Think Spring!!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Ice Again
And yet again the weather psychics get it wrong, we were prepared for 8 inches of snow and we got just enough ice to make walking impossible. They tell me that the roads weren't too bad, I wouldn't know because I never go anywhere. But my personal experience with my driveway in walk mode was exciting to say the least.
I slid downhill while standing perfectly still. It took me several minutes to get to the goat/chicken shed. I had to go because no one had water or feed, but I risked my life doing it. I did fall and did some crawling to keep from falling.
Then my husband came home and walked confidently to the shed with additional water and didn't even slip. What really made me mad was that he kept saying that it wasn't that slick, while I was crying. He does this neat trick where he steps down hard on his heels and that breaks through the ice. I can't do that, I have tried. It's not that I don't have the weight to do it but I guess I don't have the strength.
I slid downhill while standing perfectly still. It took me several minutes to get to the goat/chicken shed. I had to go because no one had water or feed, but I risked my life doing it. I did fall and did some crawling to keep from falling.
Then my husband came home and walked confidently to the shed with additional water and didn't even slip. What really made me mad was that he kept saying that it wasn't that slick, while I was crying. He does this neat trick where he steps down hard on his heels and that breaks through the ice. I can't do that, I have tried. It's not that I don't have the weight to do it but I guess I don't have the strength.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Groundhog Day
If a groundhog surfaced here today, he would have most assuredly seen his shadow, so I guess we get some more winter. After our big winter storm warning yesterday, I believe he is better at predicting than those getting paid to do so.
Our deer did return this evening, just like clockwork, so I guess our offspring didn't traumatize them too badly.
I had a wonderful day, I went out this morning and the ground was still frozen and covered with ice. My back is so bad that I am terrified of falling, I did slip several times but never went down. My animals had to be taken care of and I was the only person here to do it, so I had to suck it up and be brave.
I went back out at about 1:00 and didn't even need a coat, all the ice was gone and muddy soup had taken it's place, like I say, you gotta love Indiana weather. I did some more slipping around and checked for eggs.
My Great Pyrenees, Angel was running all around me, in a playful mood, trying to knock me down, wallowing in the mud and when I went into the goat/chicken shed, she gleefully followed me in. That's when I started being splattered all over with a mixture of liquid mud and manure as she wagged her big furry tail, it was just like a big, wet dish rag being slung around.
Spots appeared all over my glasses and clothing as well as my neck and face.
Then of course, she just couldn't help but put her big, mud soaked paws all over me.
When I got back to the house I was a sight and I didn't smell very good either but that is good, because as long as you have a good sense of smell they say that you don't have Alzheimer's. Losing one's sense of smell is one of the first symptoms, this is reassuring to me since I can't smell my billy goat anymore, at least I can still smell manure.
Our deer did return this evening, just like clockwork, so I guess our offspring didn't traumatize them too badly.
I had a wonderful day, I went out this morning and the ground was still frozen and covered with ice. My back is so bad that I am terrified of falling, I did slip several times but never went down. My animals had to be taken care of and I was the only person here to do it, so I had to suck it up and be brave.
I went back out at about 1:00 and didn't even need a coat, all the ice was gone and muddy soup had taken it's place, like I say, you gotta love Indiana weather. I did some more slipping around and checked for eggs.
My Great Pyrenees, Angel was running all around me, in a playful mood, trying to knock me down, wallowing in the mud and when I went into the goat/chicken shed, she gleefully followed me in. That's when I started being splattered all over with a mixture of liquid mud and manure as she wagged her big furry tail, it was just like a big, wet dish rag being slung around.
Spots appeared all over my glasses and clothing as well as my neck and face.
Then of course, she just couldn't help but put her big, mud soaked paws all over me.When I got back to the house I was a sight and I didn't smell very good either but that is good, because as long as you have a good sense of smell they say that you don't have Alzheimer's. Losing one's sense of smell is one of the first symptoms, this is reassuring to me since I can't smell my billy goat anymore, at least I can still smell manure.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Catching Up
I seem to have gotten behind in my life and need to do some catching up. I have several rope halter orders that need to be made and shipped.
It seems most of my website clients wanted updates after Christmas. We had a horse come home from the trainer and his info and pictures had to be updated on our site. I even took some videos of Leroy with the trainer and posted them, you can see them here: 2004 ApHC Bay Leopard Gelding For Sale . The page has a lot of pictures, so if you are one of us poor peasants who are still on a dial-up, then it will take a while for the page to load and you will have to really be patient if you want to watch the videos.
Leroy may be a famous horse, we got a call the other day from a friend who sent Leroy and Biscuit's pictures in to a magazine, I forget the name of the magazine but he said that they had gotten back with him, wanting to know the reason for their names. I don't understand that, doesn't everyone name their horses Leroy and Biscuit? Leroy had actually been named by the owner of the mare that he is out of. We bought him after he was already registered. Biscuit is an actual descendant of the great Seabiscuit and Lady Bugs Moon, so thus her registered name, PS Lady Seabiscuit, you can visit her page here; 2007 ApHC Chestnut Leopard Filly For Sale .
I just got back in from doing the morning feeding, I can walk on top of the mud now, it is frozen, we have several days ahead calling for cold temps, so I can take care of my animals myself and give hubby a break. He only has 30 something horses to feed grain to every evening besides my stuff, it is taking him around 3 hours at this point.
I broke the ice for water this morning, it was pretty thick. I have to carry water out to my goats and chickens in a gallon bucket because that is the most my back will allow, so sometimes I have to make several trips. I don't even mess with the hoses, even if they have been drained and aren't frozen, they still hurt me to drag them around, the bucket is easiest. I usually get warm water from the bathroom for everyone when it is cold, they appreciate it.
Angel was very needy this morning, I had to sit down and spend some time petting and hugging on her. I really enjoy my life, I would never leave home, if I didn't have to.
It seems most of my website clients wanted updates after Christmas. We had a horse come home from the trainer and his info and pictures had to be updated on our site. I even took some videos of Leroy with the trainer and posted them, you can see them here: 2004 ApHC Bay Leopard Gelding For Sale . The page has a lot of pictures, so if you are one of us poor peasants who are still on a dial-up, then it will take a while for the page to load and you will have to really be patient if you want to watch the videos.
Leroy may be a famous horse, we got a call the other day from a friend who sent Leroy and Biscuit's pictures in to a magazine, I forget the name of the magazine but he said that they had gotten back with him, wanting to know the reason for their names. I don't understand that, doesn't everyone name their horses Leroy and Biscuit? Leroy had actually been named by the owner of the mare that he is out of. We bought him after he was already registered. Biscuit is an actual descendant of the great Seabiscuit and Lady Bugs Moon, so thus her registered name, PS Lady Seabiscuit, you can visit her page here; 2007 ApHC Chestnut Leopard Filly For Sale .
I just got back in from doing the morning feeding, I can walk on top of the mud now, it is frozen, we have several days ahead calling for cold temps, so I can take care of my animals myself and give hubby a break. He only has 30 something horses to feed grain to every evening besides my stuff, it is taking him around 3 hours at this point.
I broke the ice for water this morning, it was pretty thick. I have to carry water out to my goats and chickens in a gallon bucket because that is the most my back will allow, so sometimes I have to make several trips. I don't even mess with the hoses, even if they have been drained and aren't frozen, they still hurt me to drag them around, the bucket is easiest. I usually get warm water from the bathroom for everyone when it is cold, they appreciate it.
Angel was very needy this morning, I had to sit down and spend some time petting and hugging on her. I really enjoy my life, I would never leave home, if I didn't have to.
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