Getting Ready

I probably got a little too excited earlier this week when the weather was so nice. 

I decided to start working on the garden.  Instead of turning over the entire thing I just did the rows.  I had tilled the whole thing when I cleared it off last fall so the weeds aren’t too bad. 

The I made a couple of this to the barn for two buggies full of dried manure. 

Joe helped me spread it on the rows that I had forked over.  I also added the leaf mold I had piled up from the fall. 

I think it looks good.  Now, I will just have to till the rows before planting time to get it all mixed.  That may still be awhile, we had snow this morning.  
 

Two Ride Day

We have had beautiful weather for the last couple of days.  I decided to take my second ride on Otoelene this morning while Joe was still around. 

Things went very well.  

I ended up increasing my ride time to 15 minutes. I still worry about quick or sudden movements.  My back still notices those things.  Then I was surprised by Sadie coming over.  Mike was working on our hot water heater and brought Sadie with him.  Apparently, she threw up on the way to school so they kept her home.  She was feeling fine by the time they got to my house.  

After lunch, Unicorn Academy, craft time and Barbies I asked if she wanted to brush a real horse.  She had been getting Nibbles, the Barbie horse ready for a show.  Yes! Was the answer that I got.  So Otoelene made another trip to the barn.  

There was a considerable amount of brushing this time.  We even combed her mane and I was able to hold up the front feet for Sdie to clean them. 

She also wanted to stand on the bucket so she could brush even higher. 

Then it was ride time. Sadie remembered everything.  She walked and trotted on the lunge line, practiced turning, stopping and learned how to back.  She did a great job managing the reins too. 

 And for being such a good horse, Otoelene got a handful of grain. 

Out With The Old

The cedar rail fence in my flower border has worn out. It is 25 years old, the first landscape feature we put up after we built the house. 

Two of the posts had broken off and the rails keep falling down.  

So I have decided to take it out and replace it.  

I am trying to get it done before too many flowers come up.  

You can see how much the part of the post that was in the ground had rotted.  

I am sort of getting use to it without the fence.  But I think it adds structure and winter interest to the yard and border.   Joe wants to replace.  Mike likes it how it is.  

What do you think?  In with the new? 
 

Slumber Party

Sadie and Allie came over Saturday evening to spend the night.  I thought it would be a nice time to have a slumber party with their new unicorn sleep matts.  The only problem was that there was too much party and too little slumbering.  After multiple rearrangements of blanket, pillows, stuffies, rooms and room mates, they finally went to sleep on the bed in Virginia's old room while I stayed in Emily's old room.  It was after 1 am before they were asleep.  Granted, the wind was blowing at 50 mph and it sounded like parts of the house could come off.  But then they were up at 6:30! I let Joe entertain them for an hour while I rested in my own bed.  Then it was time for Mimi fun.  

I had planned a string art craft that I had seen on Pinterest.   Sadie was excited to work on it.  Allie, not so much.  

Sadie worked and concentrated on hers while Allie wanted to go downstairs and play with balloons. 

I think it turned out spectacular.  Another Pinterest win. 

Anticipation of the balloon returning.  

Consequence of the balloon hitting a spiky plant. 

Of course we had to have a tea party.  Since I wouldn't let Allie use the fancy dishes yet, we used a table cloth and bunny figurines as a centerpiece to fancy things up.  

Kit Kat joined us for our flower picking journey.  

Allie was still not sure she wanted to be too close to him.  

There was some tricycle riding before going back inside for flower arranging.  

After playing dress up we went back out to check on Draper.  

Sadie is still in love with the horses.  

And even though they are princesses, 

they are not afraid to put on their boots and go to work.  

Not the most practical barn attire but it is certainly pretty.  
 

The Birdfy

I have had the same variety of birds at the feeder, but something new showed up last night.

This black and white cat has shown up several mornings at the house.  When we see him he runs down the driveway.  I am not sure where he belongs but a I hope he has made friends with Kit Kat.  I don’t want to have to treat any wounds.

Maybe he was looking for this little chipmunk.  Then for the bird house Birdfy.  It has been a disappointment so far.  A month ago one blue bird looked in.   Since then the tree swallows have arrived but the Birdfy doesn’t seem able to identify them.

It is not a white headed woodpecker.

But the only one brave enough to venture inside so far.

It is also not a European starling,

Or Hairy woodpecker.  It has also identified the tree swallow as a blue jay, carolina chickadee, downy woodpecker, acorn woodpecker, red headed woodpecker, eastern kingbird and common grackle. 

I am not sure what this one is but I know it is not a black capped chickadee, 

Or pileated woodpecker.

Starling have shown up apparently disguised as red winged blackbirds.

But my lone bluebird from a month ago was actually a blue bird.
 

Foaling Stall

I don’t like to clean stalls.  So when we built our new barn, I did not include any stalls. But that was before I considered breeding a horse. I  have set up an area in the barn as a run in shed for when the horses are in the fat lot. But now that Draper is there it seems like a good idea to set up a foaling stall. The fat lot is all down hill.  I could just see her foaling out there and it rolling down hill and under the fence. 

So today, I helped Joe with his idea of how to expand the run in shed into a foaling stall. 

Draper checked out the expansion and didn’t seem too impressed one way or the other. 

There are now two areas, one open to the outside and the other with the gate to make it a stall.  The stall measures about 20 x 24 which should be plenty big.  

The only time Draper has been stalled was when she was at the trainer a couple of years ago for a month and then at the breeder last year.  Joe thinks I should start leaving her in the stall for a few hours a day and not wait until the last minute to shut her in.  Seems like a good idea. I also need to get some shaving for bedding.  I don’t think sand will be good to foal on.  
 

In Bloom At The 4Rs

Daffodils!

When Sadie was here last week she saw that the daffodils were starting to bloom. She was so excited and ran over for a closer look. 

Since then the miniature daffodils have started blooming. 

 And the big patch that Sadie was so excited to see have come into their own.  Maybe this weekend Sadie and Allie will be able to pick some.