A Day (or two) in Pictures.......

 

Can you see the vapor trail descending directly from the cloud?

Warmth, and dry river bed, brings out the crawlies..........

Inside, apparently, too!!!!

My sweet John, recovering from his injuries, and wandering around the front yard. When he's done mowing the lawn, he just takes himself back to the barn- Too bad the rest of his herd is not that trustworthy!!!

While I was in the drive thru' of the bank, there he sat....

I have a little, er, uh, BIG shadow that goes in and out with me......

Gorgeous, and not mine....

 

 

1st controlled jump ever- poetry (sort'a) in motion

Less than 5 miles from home !!!

A very nice woman did not mind us pulling in her driveway and letting Cisco munch on her lawn, while D/H changed the tire on the trailer...

Yesterday's brief coating of snow, with the mourning doves hunkering down

 

John, staring intently at me, across the field, thru' the blowing snow, wondering why I am not walking toward him with his bowl of warm mash

 

A Day in the Life............

                              Just some photos of what I see from day to day....................

                                                                       lichen

Can you spot the fossil?- a friend informed me that this area is fossil rich!!! I have a few, will be looking for a whole lot more!!! This is an area overflowing with Native American artifacts, fossils, and Civil War goodies.Look where you walk, you never know what you will step into!!!

While working in the garden the other day, I cut several of these mystery items below, out of my lavender and sage. My friend, Maryanne, informed me that they were "keepers" - they are praying mantis egg cases!!  Woohoo!! My front garden had several mantises last season- it is interesting to watch them eat - and they pose for photos quite willingly !!! Good to know, I will have a boatload of babies come spring!!! And, these cases are practically indestructible - I tried to cut one open with a trowel- trying to figure out what was inside- friend or foe- and fortunately, was unsuccessful in damaging the case!

                      Below, one of the first harbingers of spring - the mini daffies planted last year!

Friend, Maryanne, when she came to pick up a truckload of manure for her garden, brought me a beautiful helleborus- with a promise to bring me some actual plants for my garden soon!

 

No street lights in the boonies -it's DARK at night...

A really poor shot of a wondrous view - of the crescent moon with Venus below, and Jupiter off to the side.

Every time I got the camera in focus, a cloud would obscure the view. It was cold, and I got tired of trying to get the perfect shot!!!LOL

                                 Quite a neat barn swallow nest, high up in an indoor riding ring.

 

Up close and personal with a friend's cows - I happen to be standing between them and their food - not too smart on my part! They may be huge and ungainly, but they can mooooove!!!!

                                    And last, my two favorite "posers" - giving me the eye.................

HAM ON THE LAM !!!

                 Yesterday started off as a peaceful and sunny day.

I checked on the horses a few times during the day, which is the usual routine.

At 2 pm, I went out to let John out back. He is so trustworthy, I just let him loose behind the house to graze. He just hangs out.

When I got to the barn, I noticed Mycon, the old man, was gazing, rigid and intent, toward the tree line outside the paddock fence.

I thought maybe the farmer was wandering around out there, so I walked the length of the fence line looking something.

                                        There was nothing there.

A I walked back toward the house, before letting John out, I heard a crashing in the underbrush, and turned around to see something big moving about.

A deer maybe? 

I saw it at the same time Mycon did- and he FREAKED!!! I had to run back to the barn, to open the gate and put him back in with his buddies, Mud was flying -he could not get thru' the gate fast enough!!!

Let the snorting begin - John, the leader of the herd, was snorting and stomping and rounding up his little band to keep them away from this dangerous PIG !!!!

I know from past experience, that John is not too fond of hogs. We tried riding past a hog farm several years ago - and when he got a whiff of them, he did an abrupt about face and zoomed all the way home!!!

Now, to have not one, but 3 huge porkers breaking thru' the trees and rooting around outside HIS paddock, well, this was more than he could stand!!!

                                                        Danger, danger, Will Robinson!!!!

I ran back in the house, to call around and find out who belonged to these pigs. Then I drove around to knock on doors. The folks who owned them were not home- of course...........!

The pigs eventually high tailed it back thru' the woods into the field from whence they came.

                A bit camera shy - all I could capture was the retreat!!!

But, later that night, when darkness fell, the horses were still absolutely sure that porcine danger still lurked in them thar'  woods!!!!!!!!!

My daughter tried to get the horses in for dinner, and John would have nothing to do with going in the barn! He was on  high alert, meaning no one else was allowed to go in and eat. I went out to see if I could calm them, but to no avail. The usually placid John kept spinning around in his stall, charging the stall guard, in his attempts to get back outside.

So, the only one who eventually got dinner, was the old guy, Mycon. Katie managed to get him inside, keeping him calm enough to eat.

I walked the perimeter in the dark,  to see if I could spot or hear any wayward hogs in the woods, but didn't see any. I am sure the horses still smelled them, and after seeing them earlier, just didn't believe they were gone. Now, they can connect the smell to those big pink "monsters"!!  Scary things become much scarier in the black of night.

We left the outside lights on at the barn, for whatever good that did!

At 6am this morning, I peered out into the darkness, to see if I could see or hear anything. All was quiet down by the barn. No Yoshi alarms going off!!!

     This morning there was pea soup thick fog but no hams in sight!!!! 

       This is looking out toward the barn at 6am- the lights barely visible.

Daylight is finally here, and all appears calm at the barn. I will go out and scope the area, before I bring the dogs out, and before I feed the horses.

Hopefully, the pigs' adventures are over, and they are securely back where they belong!!

Never a dull moment.........................

If You Get a Chance......................

 on by my other blog, and see what's happening, down on the farm!!!!!

Tea on Tuesday

It has been so hot here, that iced tea is usually the drink of the day, and night!!!!


I have seen enough days of 90 degree temps to last me for a long while! And, we need RAIN!!! I keep hearing reports of several towns nearby getting torrential downpours, and hurricane style winds, while we have nothing in the form of precipitation!


My daughter went to work yesterday, and found the building partially flooded- a leak in the roof, and heavy rains during the night. We had none of it - and we are a mere 10 miles away. The mountains that surround us, do a very good job of redirecting the rain clouds. It is almost like the clouds get stuck on the treetops and never float this way.


We did finally get a brief downpour of about 10 minutes yesterday - instead of cooling us off, it turned the evening into a total sauna!

I have managed to get in early morning rides while it is still cool enough for the horses (and me) but, have not managed to get down to the garden in a few days! After days of  pickling, and freezing, and canning, and working with the crate of peaches the other night, the phrase from Gone With the Wind - "....tomorrow is another day..." is how I look at that garden lately!!!LOL

This has been one of my favorite teas lately - iced green tea, with fresh mint and lemon balm from the garden. My cool little green checked melamine iced tea spoon is from The Farm Chicks. Paired with a dark chocolate biscotti, and set on a vintage hand painted Lefton snack plate- time to sit back in the wicker rocker, on the porch, and rest for a while!!! 

Please join us- and visit the others- see the list of participants at Kim's blog.

Tea on Tuesday

In a few minutes, I will be outside, drinking my tea, while grazing my horses.

 The daily routine of late, has been to take them out, 2 of 3 on  lead ropes, to let them graze. Their two paddocks have been closed off to allow the grass to grow. Their new 3rd paddock has been grazed down to the nubs in one month. So, every day, sometimes 2x a day, I take them out for an hour and a half, to just eat the green!
I have become quite adept at writing, texting, talking on the phone, or just plain day dreaming, with a horse in each hand!!!Once they are out in the green grass, eating is the only thing on their minds!

Used to be, I could take my original two horses out anywhere untethered, and just sit on the ground and watch them- I never had to worry where they would go- 'cause they would not go anywhere!!! With the addition of Breeze, the young Walker, we have to keep a closer eye. Breeze would take off in a heartbeat. It is amazing that a 110 lb person at the end of a lead rope, will keep a 1,200 lb animal from taking off! Don't they know that they are stronger than me?? Never ceases to amaze me.............but thank goodness they don't take advantage of that!!!

I did get stepped on the other day- there is a first time for everything!!! The "old man" and Breeze were getting a little anxious to get out and eat, and the "old man" jostled Breeze, who, in his haste to get out of his way, stepped on me and knocked me down. His foot held my foot firmly to the ground as I went down, ripping my boot, and I was saying a silent prayer that nothing would break!!! As my calf muscle popped, I tried to turn and break my fall!! Both horses just stood there looking at me -as if to say what the heck are you doing down there? Breeze would not get off my foot- so I managed to get my other leg up there and push him off.!! Fortunately, I just have a bruised hip and palm, the popped calf muscle is perfectly fine!!

Anyway, time to get outside -I am drinking Jacksons of Piccadilly's green sencha tea - sent to me by Chriss in my tea bag swap numero dos!!! It smells delicious!!! Now, I am going to put the tea outside, and go get the boys for the morning graze........

Feel free to join us for tea any Tuesday. Visit Kim and Patty for links to the other tea party-ers!!!

John and the "old man"( above) heading for the gate to come out!

The daughter came out to give me a short break- this IS her horse, after all! She is texting behind the horse!These photos are from yesterday - I am on my own today!!

Our Thursday Visitor

To read about it, click HERE!

Once in a Blue Moon

Ever wonder where that saying came from - once in a blue moon? Well, visit Heart and Hand's blog to find out the history behind it.
I always remember my grandmother saying that- "that happens once in a blue moon..."

Tomorrow night, it will actually occur!!! The full moon of New Year's Eve will be that blue moon. My husband always swore, in his years on the police force, that the night of a full moon was when all the "crazies" came out!! I bet he's glad he's not working this New Year's Eve- the holiday, combined with the full moon, and a blue one at that - will probably make for a record night for the local constabularies!

I missed yesterday's Tuesday tea - but am making up for it today with some homegrown sage tea!!! I read about sage tea on someone else's blog (can't remember who), and decided that was what I needed this morning to take the chill out of my bones!!!

I spent 2 frigid hours in the barn this morning, with the farrier- a half hour of preparation prior to his arrival - feeding haying, mucking, halters on, sweeping out the entryway. I could barely write the check, by the time we were done - my fingers were frozen!!! I still have my many layers of clothing on - the thermostat inside reads 68 degrees - even tho the woodstove is burning. DH is not home - and I don't want to play with the stove to try to get it to burn hotter!!!

So, several cups of sage tea - altho I would really like a hot toddy!!- a egg sandwich cooked on my old cast iron pan, and some crocheting of wool squares to get the blood flowing back into my fingers.

I found some wonderful goodies at the thrift store yesterday, including a vintage test tube(!) filled with 27 metal English and American made crochet hooks of all sizes!!! I don't imagine they are worth very much - but to a beginning crocheter like me - they are a gold mine!! Some have the original price stamped on them - 25 cents! The really small hooks come with little metal caps to slide over the ends-very cool!! One appears to be very old - with a tiny hook at each end.This hook reminds me of the story an elderly German lady, named Irma, told me years ago, of her life during "the war". Luxury items were quite scarce- and people would save string to knit/crochet socks out of. The one end is so tiny, it could only crochet sewing thread!
I have been needing new crochet hooks - and I am so excited with these!!!
I need to figure out how to store them - so they are easily accessible in numerical size order. Sticking them in order, into a square of styrofoam would probably work - but wouldn't be too attractive!!

Well, enjoy some scenes from our snow laden farm and pix of my "new" crochet hooks!!! I am going back to the couch, with some more hot tea and my wool squares!!!!

When I Should Be Working..........................

Why haven't I been doing anything creative lately?? Procrastination, mostly. I have great ideas, but need someone else to do the actual work!! LOL

I did get to proof read a children's book for a local author today, and he even used some of my suggestions in his rewrite - woohoo!!! Very exciting for me!!!

Here are some pix of what I do in my spare time - hug horses!! These should really be on my other blog - but I figured I would just throw something other than tea into the stagnation that has become this blog!!!
The blonde is my daughter with the love of her life - her "old man", semi retired at 28 years old. Miss Lilly is my precious mini horse - she IS a horse, NOT a pony, thank you very much!!!! The "big guy" is my Prince John, and the paint is our new, and hopefully permanent member of the family, Breeze.