Guest Photographer

Emily made it to Panama City today.  She will be there a couple of days before heading to Isle Boca Brava to study the lance-tailed manekin.  She spent several days in Florida before flying out early this morning.  Here are a few pictures she took.  You will just have to guess on your own as to what they are because she did not identify them for me.  Sometimes when I ask how to tell what some bird is she will just say, "use your eyes."  That is soooo Emily.  

 

Ride Like The Wind

Ok, today it was just “ride in the wind.” 

 Joe and I took off on Hugo and Otoelene.  Joe said with the wind gusting to 30 mph, that he didn’t want to ride where there were any dead trees.  But if I had listened to that, we would have never left the barn. 

We ended up doing and hour loop around the farm.  Joe was quite the gentleman and got all of the gates. 

Hugo out walked Otoelene as usual.  We had to do some trotting to keep up.

We had a couple of water crossings and lots of mud.  Hugo went through everything like a champ.

There was even some hill work.

Joe has been a little reluctant to ride Hugo around the cattle, not knowing how the cattle would act or how Hugo would respond.  This group of heifers can get a bit silly acting sometimes.  Since I was on Otoelene, I said I could block the cattle from Hugo if need be. 

But he did fine, even pinning his ears at them a little bit.  

Another nice ride despite the wind, and no trees fell on us.

Couponing #82

Three different scenarios today with no issues.  I have had my eye out horse white bowls to us as pots.  There was a digital coupon this week for buy one get one free.  I might have gone a little overboard getting 6 but I can probably find a use for them. 

 My total out of pocket was high, $23.  But I am trying out a different rebate app.  If it works out I should get $13 back so all would be good.  It says it takes up to a week so I will have to keep my fingers crossed.  

Update -  The rebate came through.  It is coupons.com and the $13 went directly to my PayPal account. 

Trying To Change

Sometimes it is hard to go out there and ride a horse that I don’t have a lot confidence in.  The boot camp trainer said something to me that has helped some.  When he recommended that I sell Draper he said she wasn’t going to change and neither was I.  Well, I never like being told that I can’t do something, it just makes me want to do it all the more.  So I am trying to change, trying to not live with fear from past experiences, trying to be brave like when I was younger.  

 So far so good.  Draper did good in the barn, walk, trot, canter, leg yield, side pass...  Her stopping still needs lots of work.  She slipped at the canter once and wanted to get sassy and I just pushed her on forward.  She continued on without a problem.

And she did find for a little ride around outside.  I sometimes dread starting but I am usually glad that I sucked it up and did it.  Maybe it is not to late to change.

Grapevine Construction

Every year I watch YouTube videos on grapevine pruning and every year I always say I didn’t prune hard enough.

This is what I was faced with.

And this is what I ended up with.  I think I finally pruned it back enough.  Maybe we will get some big grapes this year.  Then there were the trimmings to deal with.

I noticed my grapevine wreath was getting a little ragged looking and decided to spruce it up some.

It just so happened that Joe had an old rusted round bale feeder.  He had told Mike to cut it up for scrap.  But I had another plan.  I did have Mike cut off the rusted out bottom section.  I then bolted it back together.

And rolled it into place.

Somehow, I had managed to make my original grapevine wreath the same size as the feeder.  I then took the new trimmings and wrapped those around to hold it in place.  No I need to make another trip into the woods to get some more vines.  I am enjoying the new look.

It Is Not Halloween

But you wouldn’t know it from the pictures.

I was in the shop and heard a squeaking sound coming from under some old sacks.  I thought it might be a mouse. But when I moved the sacks I saw this.

 It was a bit of a surprise.  Not really sure what a bat was doing in the shop or why it was even out this time of year.

Sadie And Allie Sunday

I invited Mike and Virginia for lunch today.  I did have an ulterior motive other than getting to see the grandchildren.  I asked if Mike could bring his pole saw.  

He cut down 2 truck loads of branches for me, YAY!  And helped Joe haul them off.  

Sadie said it was too loud.  

Allie didn't seem to care.  

Sadie saw the daffodils blooming and said yes to having her picture taken in front of them.  Kit Kat got in on the action too. 

Sadie took a break from drawing with the sidewalk chalk and Mike took a break from sawing and they both blew some bubbles.  

And of course we had to go catch Otoelene and go for a ride.  

Joe even got Hugo.  But by the time he was ready to ride Sadie said she was done.  (No helmet in this picture because she was done once before and had already put it up.  Then she decided she wasn't done and wanted to ride some more.  I didn't make Mike go back for the helmet.)  She kept saying, "Mimi's done too."  I told her no, that I was going to ride with Joe.  She finally gave up and was ready to go home. 

The ground was drying out some so we were able to ride around outside some. 

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  
 

Spring Weather

Why is the one I want to ride is always laying down? 

Otoelene loves an afternoon nap.  Once again, I had to wait for her to get up.  But with the temperature near 60, it was a pleasant wait.  
 

The squirrels and chipmunks were out in full force.  I heard this one before I saw it.

He was much more interested in getting into that nut than worrying about me 6 feet away.

The mud hasn’t dried up much so I stayed on the road for today’s ride. 

But even the road was muddy in places.  

And it looks like an early Spring.  I noticed the Daffodils started to bloom today.  

Riding Buddy

We woke up to a winter wonderland this morning.  

But by the afternoon, the snow was mostly gone.  I thought I would brave the mud and catch Draper again. 
 

But who is that in the other field catching Hugo?

That would be Joe, taking some time off from the cattle to give Hugo a workout and me some company.

I don’t know if it was Hugo being there or the fact that I was riding for the second time in a week, but whatever it was, Draper did better.  We were back to cantering, no spooking and just a couple of spells where she acted like she wanted to balk but a little fussing at her moved her on out.   Hugo was his normal regular self.

Valentine's Dinner

The weather took a turn for the worse and Virginia brought Sadie and Allie over Saturday and Sunday so Draper didn't get a follow up ride.  We did end up at the church Valentine's Day Dinner though.  They had a photographer and a nice backdrop set up. We all got in line for our picture. 

 

After we were done, Sadie wanted to go back and have her picture taken again.  I tried to explain that we needed to stand in line again.  She grabbed my hand and pulled me around to where we had exited after the pictures and thought we could cut back in there.  No, that won't work.  We have to go back around and stand in line again.  

It was a late night for the two girls, staying until 8:30 when they usually go to bed around 7.  But everyone had a good time. 

Then I think I have created a new bird watcher.  Sadie likes to check out the birds at the feeders with the binoculars I have sitting on the table.  Today she said there were two birds in the tree.  Virginia looked and confirmed the sighting.  

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