February 2015

GM yes he is! thank goodness! my older 2 tho, diff story....ol beans daddy of baby beans, is digging up the yard trying to capture the moles....and mz bluey aka smiley pup, she is tearing up the pasture chasin down rabbits!....but at least I can call for them and they come back. bluey did a flying run thru the horses last night, made all the horses jump up in a hop as they were semi snoozing...she is a fast dog. makes me smile to see them happy...and they will be even happier when we get fencing up and they can run the ten acres. gs therin is coming down for summer to help out...that will be great...I havnt had to feed a teenage boy inawhile tho!...probably will kill my grocery budget! lol
Dawn, wish jodi well and luck.

Warmer here today but temps r going to drop for a few days and wind chills....I feel for the folks with all the snow and I hope folks r watching out for elderly and homebound...and everyone stays safe. that is a real mess of snow and cold. am not complaining about mine!

Sunny, I hope your daughter, and then you, can find a happy place to live and be.

Today is a very blustery kind of day. Just a little bit of snow looks like a lot when there are STRONG winds blowing it all around. I will NOT be going out to play today in 14 degrees and going down, with occasional white outs. Drat. I'll have to just clean house. I don't even have enough yarn to do a real project to allow putting off the cleaning.

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Well, I thought I could post a pic, but pfffftttt!   I'll try again.

ARK, the dear friend down the road from me from whom I get my eggs has some fragile hens that come inside her house regularly overnight in cold weather, and others who live inside all the time -  including a rooster who has a foot damaged last year by frostbite --and no bathtubs for them!  They have the run of the house. She also has two big dogs and umpty-jillion cats, and they all get along beautifully -- never the slightest altercation, ever. She just doesn't allow it! it's really quite amazing. Talk to her on the phone and the rooster will chime in. More poop patrol than I'd feel comfortable with, but she manages to keep things amazingly clean, considering. Other hens, some geese, an old Tennessee Walker and two young minis are barn-quartered. Two days ago she sent me home with a goose egg: breakfast for yesterday. Yum!!!!  

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That's the path to my woodshed and barn. I'll take another after tomorrow's blizzard. Sheesh, this is getting old!!  

Take another picture, that is. Though, come to think of it, another path -- one along a sunny beach, temp 70,  gentle breeze -- might be an even better idea...

Wood in, horse in, fire stoked, dogs asleep, just waiting for the storm. Happy end of Valentine's Day!

Good to hear from you BEECH! Where is it going to go when it melts?

We r going to have some low temps with the wind chill added....we r stocked on everything and ready....it really helps if we get prepared, I sure feel better knowing the animals r as ready as can be. tank and heated bowls and buckets...heat lamps for chickens and doxies and even tho they have nicenhouses in the garage they choose to snuggle down in straw and make lil tunnels...crazy dogs!....horses have nice windbreaks....that dang mule rips blankets off and destroys them...they will soon have a roof overhanging from the garage hubby is working on and we have thick cedar trees that offer a break also. they all seem just fine....it will take us awhile to get everything like we want it....time and moolah...

Stay warm and safe y'all. we will be unpacking boxes ugh...but got togeter done

Ps our two chickens r laying like crazy...dogs r having excess eggs scrambled with cheese....they luvvvvvvvvvv it!

Thanks, BEECH!
I am glad to hear I am not the only crazy chicken lady who brings them into their house! Mine are confined to the bathtub, though. I suspect your friend may be single....somehow I don't think Donnie would be happy with chickens roaming around the house! That little squishy stuff between the toes would get to him .

I found the weirdest thing the other day in the round pen, which is inside the arena. At first I thought it was a dead snake, perhaps from in the hay, but upon close inspection, I discovered it was the black leg and webbed foot of either a goose or large duck. Stranger still, it was fresh, not dried up like it would have been in the hay for several months. The webbed foot was flexible, not stiff. I have no idea what killed it and left only the one lower leg in the round pen, or where a duck or goose would have come from this time of year. I never found any other parts. What goes on in the dark in my arena is very strange....

Your picture is lovely, but darn scary! I hope you don't get any more snow.
And you stay warm !!!

We are in the midst of horrendous winds and windchills this evening. Snow is blowing around and is occasionally blinding while driving. We ran to the grocery this evening instead of our usual Sunday trip because the windchills in the morning are predicted to be -15 degrees. Donnie's asthma really kicks in during extremely cold temps, so we did all our weekend running chores today. We bedded the stalls, went to the feedstore and grocery, bought and stacked a load of firewood, cleaned the barn and tucked in all the animals. We are as ready as we can be for this weather. I hope. Now if the power just stays on. I will have to go out in the morning to feed the animals, but Donnie can stay inside and make pancakes!

A computer friend from Kenya says these are Nambian Warmbloods. 10 yo. dtr. is probably gonna be horse crazy before long!!

ARK, PU=LEEEEEZE close that gate! The temps are cold and the wind is HOWLING!!

BEECH ... I hope you had a snowblower to clear that pathway! BBBBRRRRRrrrrrr!!

CB ... stay warm and keep Harry outta the cold, windy elements.

Love to all,
Rick

I sure wish Canada would close the door. It is ZERO this morning, and the high for today will zip right up to 9. It's a pretty clear morning, but I definitely will not be going out to play in the sunshine.

Not much snow here, or maybe it just blew away. I went out to check the horses early this morning when it was 3 degrees with howling winds. I wore two pairs of longjohns under my jeans, a hat with my coat' s hood pulled over it and two pairs of gloves. I wore a bandit style bandana over my mouth and nose. Ivan wanted no part of me. I had to lower the bandana before he accepted that I was the hand that feeds him. The other horses didn't care who I was, just bring on the hay.

It wasn't bad in the barn, but the walk down there was invigorating...

Last night got a phone call from my brother at 10 pm...he was on his way to hospital by ambulance...can we meet him there....ok.....he was discharged at 2 am and we drove him home and stayed until this morning. we slept in his recliners that were so hard...ouchy....he is doing ok, he just won't quit smoking and out in cold wind, and then he can't catch his breath....
And the weather is trying to make up its mind just how much snow and cold we r to get and I got a weather alert on my phone early a.m. woke hubby up and we made sure brother had food and stuff...tried to talk him in coming up with us, but nooooo, stubborn cuss. we had to come home with the critters. we drove taking turns as we were so tired...and I was driving, got so sleepy I pulled off at a gas station for a power nap. a noise woke me up and here comes right at us a tractor trailer hauling cardboard...and I screamed, woke hubby up out of avery sound sleep and I swear we both froze in place with our lives flashing before our eyes when the nutcase swerved at last second and missed us....I didn't hesitate, started the car and drove last 3 miles home. fed everyone and checked water and basically crawled into the house and collapsed all without saying one word. I think we were rattled into quietness!
Weatherman has said everything from 1 inch 2 days ago now could be up to 18 inches..ack! stay warm! and safe!

Whew, CB, glad your brother is O K. AND, that you got home O K...........
SO many crazies on the road everywhere.....

RICK, lovely horse and child.......hope she enjoys horses.

Speaking of crazies, I changed my avatar for fun............that is a crazy experience and finally got it by luck.

Everyone stay warm in these storms you are having.

Honest to goodness, CB. You have more adventures and near adventures than anybody I know. Glad you finally made it home safely. I'll bet you've slept all day today.

Graymare, your new avatar is beautiful. Love that pretty head.

Dozed off and on, but that truck haunted me! life has been quiet on the farm, its only when I leave stuff happens! guess I need to stay home more...lol

No snow yet...hubby has firewood on back porch just in case....coming home today we saw all these power company trucks not local going south where the ice storm is going to hit...guess they r getting prepared....

Holy cow, CB!!!
I am exceedingly glad that truck didn't hit you and Harry!!!! I hope that driver had to change his pants after that....I hope your brother is feeling better.

GRAYMARE
I love the new avatar! Eli has such a pretty face. Good job on figuring out how to do that! I need to tackle how to reset the time for the forum since it is set for a time zone in the middle of the Atlantic.

Our snowless winter is about to end...sigh....We may get up to 10 inches tomorrow and Tuesday. I hope they are wrong. Our tractor is in the shop for its spring tune-up, and we will miss it this week if it snows that much. We do have a snowblower, but it takes longer to use than the tractor.

SUNNY
I hope Jodi likes cold, snowy weather. If she moves this week, she will be right in the midst of it. Tell her to have a safe trip!!





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Ark, my daughter is in no.Carolina as we speak, she left here Saturday, she called me yesterday to tell me that they are expecting snow today through Wednesday, she is so excited that she is going to call me no matter what time when it starts snowing I even told her I wished I was there to enjoy it with her yes, I love snow even when it becomes a pain in the a$$, I have been here to many years without it but still love it and when we were in north Carolina last month even though it was 4 degrees I had fun, call me crazy but I do love it my joints don't seem to mind either as everyone has said that my joints would hurt but they don't I probably wouldn't like it if it were year round, but I love the change in seasons, it is summer I can't stand the heat and humidity, that is why I am miserable here, no cha he of seasons just summer and a couple months of fall temps
I hope that the rest of you stay safe and warm during this storm and hope you don't get too much snow and cold

INDYAPP -I loved your tale! And brave of you to tell it.  I  haven't done that yet but could, easily. I keep a house key hidden outside the house, and many's the time I've been glad of it.

 ARK -Friend with the hens in the house keeps a husband there, too, and all seem happy!
   How's Daisy today?

 [size=18]C[/size]B  I agree with Ellen about your adventures! I'd pop a baker's dozen of blood vessels if I had to keep up with you.  I hope you've had a calm, peaceful, uneventful and restful day! 

 Well, it looks like y'all down south may be getting more snow and stormy weather today than we did this week. The storm forecast to hit here as a blizzard yesterday went 100 miles east out to sea and so largely skipped us. Just cloudy skies at 7 a.m. and sunshine by noon.  We did get 5 or 6 more inches overnight on Saturday-- enough to move around, but a piddling amount by this winter's standards.  A cold wind today but, with the sun so high and bright and the atmosphere so clear, it's hard not to dream of spring.  But hold on: another snowstorm is forecast for tomorrow!  And another for Sat- Sun!  

Believe me I didn't like waking up to seeing that truck, I could have done without that! oh man...it was last night before I could sleep, every time I dozed I'd wake up screaming.....all day yesterday. finally took a sleepaid and was out, but by that time my headache was singin! then we woke up to snow and more came...about 4 inches...and my brother got 10 inches but the idiot drove 10 miles to his doctors appt, got stuck twice.....and then he said when he got there there were no other patients...well no DUH, they stayed home off the roads. I was slightly pi$$ed...he even went out to coffee in the snow and cold..........I sit home starting another cold cuz the er room was freezing and not one person knew how to adjust it...and didn't sleep and drove home tired....egads! Ihave figured out he Iis going to do what he wants to do...it doesn't matter to him he will be leaving his kids without a dad and won't try to stick around longer, gotta keep puffin those cigs...the doc told him it would buy him months or years yet if he quits.....grrrr

Thanks for letting me gripe and vent.

Is foopland all accounted for with this weather?

BEECH
 Daisy is doing well, thanks.  She has Kazi's luxury stall during this cold and now snowy weather because I don't want her eating out of Nibble nets or slow feeder hay nets that the rest of the herd eat their hay out of.  Her nose is starting to heal pretty well now.  
 Poor Kazi wonders why she has been banished to the front part of the barn where Ivan and Areion can make ugly faces at her and the shelter isn't quite as nice.  As soon as possible, she will get her stall back.

 
The snow has finally caught up with us.  We have about 5 inches so far and may get 10 to 12 inches before it is done.  Donnie got off work at noon and  it took him 2 hours to go 16 miles home. While going around the traffic circle in Blacksburg, a Chinese college student slide into the back of Donnie's truck.  The little car was just the right height to catch onto  and over Donnie's trailer hitch, and was stuck to the truck.  So there they were in a major intersection, glued together and couldn't pull apart.  Donnie suggested that the  5 spectators get into the truck bed, which lowered the hitch, and he pulled away from the car.  No harm to our truck, but the little car had a bit of damage.  The driver was very apologetic, Donnie told him not to worry about it and everyone went their way.  He saw several other cars sliding or in the ditch, plus saw two other accidents before he got home.  

SUNNY
 You would love this weather!

CB
My mother-in-law was a long time smoker. As she lay on her deathbed dying from lung cancer, she mentioned she was going to give up smoking as soon as she licked her cancer. Addictions don't give up easily....

Ark, they really don't give up, and they think the docs can keep them going....its truly hard for loved ones to watch.
Maybe put a lil vit e on her nose..


See, I'm not the only one that has things happen, glad no one was hurt! bet donnie was glad he got home.

We only got about 4 inches, but its going to be chilly willy here this week. critters are all fine, keeping close eye on them.

A good night for sugar free diet hot choc....and some tv

Dawn, if u want or need to talk I'm here. I know u will miss her a lot.

BEECH, glad you're hanging in there..............your code doesn't work...........I used to try that and didn't do well with it, either............

CB, I can't believe some of the things people do but we all choose our own path. You have helped all you can.

AAACCKKKKKK more freaking snow...This has been such a nasty February. I could just pull my hair out this morning when I saw MORE snow. Our road was so bad on Sunday the newspaper guy drove off the road and into a farmers field had to be pulled out by the road crew. We decided not to go to church and just hunker down and not leave the farm. It was ZERO here over the weekend with 25 MPH winds. More snow Tomorrow and Saturday.

BEECH: God bless you living up north where it is even worse.

CB: MY gosh girl, your life is waayyyy to exciting for me. I couldn't take all the insanity that has been going on lately for you guys. My mom was a smoker too and would even smoke when she was in the hospital and hooked up to oxygen in the 80's, before smoking was not allowed in hospitals. She thought it was cool to sneak a drag or 2 from my aunt. They made me so angry..she HAD to smoke so she could breathe. WHAT???? You can't reason with smokers, even once she was on oxygen 24/7 she wanted to smoke. My son smokes too even though he watched his Grammy die one day at a time, he can't stop either. The addiction is just too great for them to kick.

ARK: You sure have had some fun experiences with your horses lately. Never a dull moment with horses, if there if trouble, they can find it and at the worst times.

GRAYMARE: Loved the photos of your guys. Eli is growing into such a beautiful horse, what a great head shot.

INDYAPP: WOW that was not a fun time for you. Thank goodness you were rescued and managed to get home. We have become so dependant on our phones and computers, without them we are lost.

Please say a prayer for my friends Herb & Liz Shaffer, they had to put their beloved dog Rex down yesterday and are just devastated. Rex had cancer and was starting to suffer. So sad for them.

Stay safe everyone.
Love & prayers for all..

Trudy, there is a small horse in butler pa looking for a new home for free. his owner has cancer and can't care for him now. diego is 8 yrs old, if you know of anyone.
Sorry about your crappy weather, that is why I won't live back in my home state..the four years we came back we had a nasty n'easter and drifts over our house and without power for 5 days....no thanks!
A hug for your friends, its a tough decision but its our last act of love for our pet we can do. still hurts tho.

Yeah, my brother will probably drive me crazy...but he's my brother, he ain't heavy...well maybe sometimes! most times....ok...all the time.....smoking is an addiction but people can and do quit, he won't try anything to help, so I can't help him and I just have to realize that....ill help him for other stuff.....and keep on lovin him.

Stay safe. stay warmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!