June 2013....

June at last!!

Welcome to June!

Soooo, how are you?

Carol, do take good care of yourself. If Midge gets a bath, would the hospital allow her to come for a visit? Sometimes they do.

Ark, I'm glad to hear from you. Sounds like you've been really busy. It must feel great to start getting in your hay supply without having to wait on somebody else to do it when the hay is ready.

Today, I went through my yarn stash and found two little blankets that were done except for tying in the loose ends, a whole baby outfit that just needs the finishing touches, and lots of little bitty balls of yarn. I must be out of my mind to keep those little bits, but I just have a hard time throwning them away. Goofy, huh. I did finish sewing in the loose ends and finished the blankets. Now, I'm starting a pair of socks with some left over yarn. Of course, there is probably not enough to make a two socks, so I'll have to buy another skein of yarn to finish them.

Carol, sending prayers your way for a speedy recovery and a BIG HUG to help you get better quicker

Carol - Big, big hugs from here, too. Ellen's suggestion that Midge visit is a good one: doggy kisses go far. I'll be thinking of you and hoping that you post some good news for us soon.

Hums for Kent, too, Sunny. It is way past time when life should have smoothed out for both of you.

Ark, up here in the still-frigid north, it's hard to remember what haying is! Though we have already had a few very hot and muggy days. On one of them, last Sunday I think it was, right in the middle of planting my garden, I decided to drop all tools and seeds and good intentions and pile, instead, onto my little scooter for a ride to cool off. I ended up going six miles on a tortuously bumpy dirt road to visit a friend. We sat chatting in the shade on her back deck until winds suddenly began bending trees, and the western sky turned black. Boy, did I high-tail it home! I fully expected to be bombed by baseball-sized hail on the way, but that didn't happen, and I even had plenty of time, once I got home, to scurry around and pick up tools and seed packets before it rained. That storm front was the one that spawned so many tornadoes in Oklahoma and elsewhere. Here, it did result in some power outages to the north, but, for us, only blessedly cooler and drier air, yielding some absolutely glorious weather. Yesterday I rode Golden Girl (the big scoot) on a 30-mile round trip to pick up some medicine (dr is upping the bp med), and the skies were so blue that I didn't want the ride to end. With the wind in my face and all about me so perfect, I was 9 years old again. Well, maybe 12...Who needs bp meds? Not me, ha, ha....

I always carry my metal water bottle with me when I'm on either scooter, because I remember the time I broke down and had a long wait in the sun while I debated whether to drink from a nearby brook. Yesterday I couldn't find that bottle anywhere for love nor money. Today I found it in my box of seeds, where I'd stowed it in the rush to beat that storm on Sunday.

Not much drama to report here, you can see...

Ellen, your little-bitty balls of yarn remind me of the poet Donald Hall, I think it was, who came across a box in an attic labeled "String Too Short to be Saved."

ARK, ten lashes with a wet noodle, doncha eva do that again to us! tsk!
I'll bet having your own baler is sooooo nice. OK, now you and ol man have gotten my mind working overtime...why is leaving baled hay cure better hay? I always thought it loses its protein value the older it gets? All these years ....and who knew!

BEECH, sounds like a glorious ride, who could ask for anything more....wind in our faces, sun shining warm, and the sights and sounds of nature! except I wanna be on my horse....gonna try for that on Sunday....May wasn't a great month for me for riding...too many medical parts saying ouchie in the region of the saddle area! But am doing better each day and I'm rarin' to go.
Who knew one could develop an allergy at my age to of all things ALLLOE....yes aloe....dang, thought I was healing things and I was making it ALL Worse....I am thinking I'm hearing snickers out there in foopland....but I guarantee it wasn't a laughing matter!

Stay safe in the storms wake...and Carol, you stay healthy! Kent, you heal quickly, be good!

YAY!!! ARK has returned and gotten rid of that ugly pic! Glad to see a horse pic up now.!!

MY take on the cured hay question:....

IF hay is properly dried down / cured in the field before baling, it should be good enough to feed. IF baled a bit early, there is the danger, of course, of musty, mildew hay that you would NOT wanna feed horses. That is where a 'hay tedder' is worth its weight. (Ark calls it a 'fluffer - upper' and is very descriptive,,,a tedder will fluff up the hay to let air circulate better to dry out/ cure the hay.

Quite honestly, I'm not aware of "don't feed hay out of the field", but I can visualize a problem with hay that is extremely high in protein being fed too much to a horse with a sensitive GI system. IMHO...hay would lose some of its protein with age while being in the barn. Personally, I do NOT want a super duper high protein feed (grain OR hay) for an animal that is just a pasture ornament. I DO limit hours of grazing on lush, springtime grass...and do so more with the idea of pasture preservation than anything else. Thus, I feed a flake of grass hay morning and evening while limiting pasture time also. Phony Pony (aka Miranda) is sleek, shiny and borderline overweight. She's "just a pet"!

ARK...IF you have any doubt, stack your hay rather loose in the loft to allow air to circulate, and periodically test it by working your hand/arm between bales to check for heat. Might also cut open a bale and check it also for heat internally. There's been many a barn burned because hay was put up "heavy" and it heated to point of combustion. Don't let Donnie have ALL the fun on that tractor what with the mowing, tedding, raking, baling!!

We have "Harper" with us now...she is Jillian's Weim. puppy (~ 6 months old) and needs more attention during the day to help with house training. Cute, lovable, HYPER ENERGETIC 34 lbs of kissing / licking puppy!! We are going to see about house training her as we both are here during day. PRAY FOR US in this endeavor!!

My love to all...Rick

(Snoop rarely shows up anymore...I think he misses the open road!! IF anybody sees him...just shoo him on down the road and tell him to "GO HOME")

some ranchers/farmers will turn the cut hay and rake it or fluff it up, some cut it down and bale it the same day. They don't usually do that if it recently rained tho, cuz of the danger of it heating and molding or catching sheds/barns on fire, which happens every year there around my ol' stompin' grounds. They only grow alfalfa there about 22-28 percent protein, so that is what we fed for years....the grass hay here is 2 dollars a bale cheaper, and the grass is coastal mixed with whatever....the alfalfa is 14 a bale...I'll get the alfalfa, won't have to feed as much, as we have to chop more cactus before we can put our guys/gals out on grass....with the rain we have had, we have grass...I just think if we get the cactus gone, we'll have more....which would be nice....but right now the gang are in dry lot long runs, being fed twice a day...and my SIL says they all need to go on a diet! LOL....what does he know!

Sunny how's the weather? Ours is sunny today, but cooler. We had rain all night long tho, and rumbly thunder and lightning....today just a bit humid. Hubby got Tanks' shoes put on, he is ready to go once again...hoping to ride Sunday.

Tomorrow going to an estate auction, hubby is looking for some tools he needs...sometimes there are good buys, sometimes not....but its something to do...breakaway from the homestead and go have some entertainment.

they are opening a flea market just down the road from me about a mile, they are having there grand opening tomorrow and Sunday so I figured I would take my scooter and check it out, there are 300 stalls and it is inside, air conditioned I need to get some me time in as Kent is driving me nuts, I don't cook like him, and so he bugs me while I am trying to make him something to eat, like a backseat cooker, have fun at the auction tomorrow, our weather here is clearing up and getting warmer, but still have clouds and some rain in the afternoon, which is our normal summer pattern.

I just barely remember my grandfather feeding bran to his horses. Does anyone still doing that?

I have a mixture I use just to keep their attention.
About 80 lbs of oats ground up with a bale of hay and some molasses and some mineral bagged and put out spareingly.

Round here I don't think any two horse people use the same mixtures, hay, pastures--mostly feed what they can afford. Add some clover seed to the fields.

This is nice we have such a nice group!!!!

Way back 5 of us teenagers baled all summer, yup Shorty,s Dad bought a new one man baler so he loaned his old baler (it was in real good shape) to us. I forget where we got the little farmall A tractor ,not much speed; One farmer after realy closing hard deal worryed about us going down hills too fast brought out a brand new big, I say big and made us use it. Also no two ever agreed --- big or little bales, when to start and stop, how stack= you name it. We never had any hard arguments and almost invariable made us stop at noon, those diners were terrific. Roast en ears, tomatoes country fried chicken, ham , fryed catfish ---

ahhhhhh Geeeeeeeesh OL MAN! Now you made me hungry, bad enuff I couldn't sleep, and NOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW I'm hungry to boot! geeeeee...thanks!

Bran mash is a good thing to give onceinawhile to help pull the stuff thru their intestines...it kind of reaches out to pull stuff along with it as it goes thru...you can use stuff called pysillium (that isn't spelled right)and just mix some with their grain ration and it works well too.

Rick, if Snoop is good at digging ditches send him my way! Sure is slow going in this humidity and heat....hubby is losing weight tho! Sweatin his you know what off!

I need some big HUMS or my Great Dane Bubba, he is having kindey problems...he is only 7....such a sweetie...not much we can do except keep him comfy...he is on meds to help but we won't know ....hate this...just don't want him in a lot of pain. We put fans up on the end of their big dog houses to blow thru..keeps them a bit cooler and helps get rid of the flies...boy with this rain, they are bad..BAD BAAAAD!

Hello! I am finally dropping in. It has been some time, I know. You can verbally lash me if you like.

I hope everyone is doing well, and that the ones who aren't so healthy, are mending and will be well soon. I do think of you all, and add you to my prayers.

I'm back at the campground/resort that I worked at last summer. It's nice to be back. I think it will be a good season. Right now, it's very quiet, because the weather has been so rainy. But that means that I can get some needed gardening done there. The job is mostly three days a week, works well for me.

Horse-wise, Peter is doing terrific. He looks better than I've ever known him to (about 3 years since I first met him) His pasture buddy Jazz, a mare approximately 27 years old, is doing great too. She's had arthritis and been quite gimpy for several years. A few months ago they put her on glucosamine, and it's done wonders for her. She's now been seen rearing to spar with Peter, all in fun, but it's amazing to see her trotting and cantering around the paddocks. She's put on weight too, as has Peter.

I haven't ridden in quite some time, but am probably getting on today and see also if Jazz can be ponied around for some exercise and to keep Peter company on the trails. Have to go really easy as she now is heavey.

Jim is doing great as usual. Mr. Steady Eddie.. I'm so fortunate. He grocery shops and cooks great meals, and holds down the fort here, keeping us ahead of the bill collectors! Mom is doing pretty well, her mind is doing some amusing things, but... generally is doing well. She can get out now and garden, so is happier than in winter when there isn't much to do.

I am trying straw bale gardening for the first time. Yesterday we planted our little sprouted veggies we started indoors. Now we will see what happens... exciting!

I did some painting around the house while I had downtime before the camping season began, and it turned out beautifully. The front door is now a nice light sagey green. The main floor bathroom (Mom's) is a fresh light green and all the woodwork in the halls, etc. is redone, and I like the soft white better than the stark white we had before. The ceiling also is done. It really needed it.

We got new Bardi-proof sofas this winter and Mom made slip covers for the fabric portion. The rest is wipe-off faux leather (sounds better than vinyl, doesn't it?) It is a very convincing fake, and the colour went perfectly with the paint already there. Thank goodness we didn't have to paint that too, as the living room, kitchen and dining room is all open and we'd have to do everything.

I do think of you all. I just haven't always the energy to feel I have anything to post of any value. That sounds strange, doesn't it, but that is how my body seems to work. It seems to be everything I can do to hold down a job, deal with the responsibility for Mom, who won't do anything for herself socially, so I feel entirely responsible for her happiness and stimulation. Jim is absolutely amazing with her, but he isn't her social buddy. He takes her shopping and errands and is around the house with her from time to time during the day, but to think up things and do them for enjoyment, that is just for me to do. I barely ever get out to the barn because there is no energy left.

I finally prevailed upon my brother to do something regular with Mom, for her sake, to get her out of the house. He lives only half an hour away, and is retired, but has been terrible at staying in touch. Not on purpose, just the squeaky wheels getting the grease. He has been quite agreeable to be more involved, but we'll see what happens with that. So far, not much.

I'm doing better now that I'm out of the pharmacy, and just working one job part time. yay! but the energy needs to be doled out wisely. It's just part of the autoimmune disease. At least now I know, for the past couple of years, what I've been dealing with for most of my life! And I am getting the right meds. They have risks, but I can live my life now with improvement over what it was before doing the weekly injections.

I am so sorry, I hate giving way way Too Much Information! I avoid complaining, just truly hate it, but I kind of feel I need to explain my long absences. So, you're getting it all at once, and now we will forget it, and move on in positive directions. :-)

Have a wonderful day.

Prayers and health to you NANCY. We love hearing from you, and am glad you have treatment so you can feel your best. I still lay our CD and enjoy your fantastic voice.

Don't apologize, Nancy. We're always glad to hear from you as much as you want to type. We love hearing from you. I hope your summer goes really well. You can always tell us of some of the events that happen at the resort.
Welcome home.

Big rce in a few minutes--Place your bts $$$$

GO ROSIE......hope Unlimited Budget can be in the top 3..............Orb & Oxbow will be interesting. Rosie is riding increasingly better horses...............

Oxbow with the return from retirement jockey Gary Stevens will be fun to watch. He said in an
interview he got tired of being one of the predicting announcers as riding is so much more fun
There he is healed, back in shape and doing what he knows and what he is best at.

We'll see after the second turn how it all goes........WHOOPIE!

ok, would someone please burn me a cd of our Nancy Lee singing, I have yet to hear her voice, altho I've heard it is a great one! And NL, its good to have you posting and hearing whats going on with you! I miss your posts when you arn't around! My life is pretty humdrum, if ya can imagine that, as it was usually all over the place! But we are just busy working on the land, digging ditches, putting up fences and getting some rides in. The State Park here has some wonderful trails...except I worry on some of them that if I were to go off, I may end up with a arse for of cactus spines! Some of the trails are really wide, and safe...so I tend to head for those, but the more skinny trails are the shady trails...wouldn't ya know!

Anyhoo, we went thru our bedroom and moved a bunch of stuff into storage, makes it much more roomy in there! No auction today, too hot, and I'm sticking close to Bubba, to make sure he is comfy. Poor guy, doesn't want to eat much, but is drinking lots...we'll have to take this a day at a time. I may have to make the big decision...that dreaded one that none of us like to make...but know we have to.

Have a great weekend y'all Keep posting everyone, I love to hear what everyone is up to.

Don't you just LOVE Shug McGauhey? LOL. "Well, if we don't win, we'll be saddled up and right back at it".........He's happy in his heart and soul.

That's horse racing...............all horses and riders safe....................fun raced to watch.

Good race! Everybody safe. Unexpected winner, but that's why they run them. Rosie did a good job.

Well thank you so much for the welcome! You always make me feel at home right away!

Yes, CB needs a copy of the Accomplices CD and I haven't been able to locate even one... ridiculous. So if someone would provide her with a copy, I'd be grateful. Sheez, maybe I'll have to get someone to copy me one too! LOL BTW, I don't have any hangups about copyright and duplicating them. I'm not selling them, have no intention of concerning myself with any infringement of ownership. Just give them away, if anyone wants one.

I am hoping to do a little more recording with my wonderful songwriter buddy Mike O'Toole. Then I guess I'll need his permission to distribute them so freely.

CB, I can't imagine you living a humdrum life. You made me grin when you said you didn't want to land in the cacti. Sounds like nice riding there. I'm really not clear as to where you are now? I hope Bubba is feeling better.

GRAYMARE, thanks! and ELLEN!

BEECH, we've had quite the questionable weather for scooter riding, all over North America. Lots of storms. Stay safe.

Hi RICK! Hi OL' MAN! Hi SUNNY! and of course, hellloooo ARK and DONNIE!

Thanks for all ood thoughts and prayers. Doing better gang. Keep the prayers going ... we all know how powerful they are. Will see what the plans might be tomorrow. Weekend staff thinks I am doing much better. I can tell that is true. Still need all the help I can get. Appreciate all your help....

Carol, I'm super glad to hear from you, and to know that you are doing better. Hopefully, you and Midge will have a sloppy lick fest reunion soon.

So glad to hear it CAROL! Keep improving.