Good and Bad

We had a calf that had not been doing well for a couple of days.  This morning, we spent over and hour in the rain looking for it, then another hour trying to get it to the barn.  We ended up having to haul it in the tractor loader.

I thought we were just going to run down and give it an antibiotic shot so I didn't even wear a raincoat.  Once Joe roped it and we examined him, we saw that it was theileria from the ticks.  So the plan changed to get him to the barn with the cow and do a blood transfusion.  

But it was also Camp Mimi day with Sadie and Allie.  I finally got the transfusion done but it was very complicated.   Back at the house, Allie had to have a change of clothes and I had to have my third change.  Sadie just took her clothes off and didn't want to put anything back on.  I was at least able to convince her to put on a tee shirt.  

After a late lunch, I pulled out a game from my youth,  Hands Down.  The "slam-o-matic" was a big hit.  

Then we played a game of Lego, Race to Build It.  Sadie wanted to play a second time but Allie just wanted to play with the blocks.  I ended up taking Sadie to the TV room for another surprise game.  Allie didn't last long by herself with the Legos, and she joined us.  

We spent the rest of a rainy day (almost 2 inches) playing Wii Fit.  

They had a ball.  But there was lots of reminders about how to take turns.  We sent them home after supper and probably ready for bed.

Joe and I then went back to the barn to check the calf.  It died while I was giving it more IV fluids. It was a rough day. 

 

From The Beach To The Mountains

 I left the beach yesterday morning.

Most people don’t seem to make it out before 11. So from 6 am until 10 I can be pretty alone. 

There were some birds, 

Goodbye beach for this trip. 

Golden Boy (not his name) is filling out. 

Then for the evening Joe and I went to the bluegrass night at Chautauqua. 

The head line band wasn’t exactly bluegrass. I made the comment that if someone came wanting to hear bluegrass they might be disappointed. 

Joe’s reply was “they have the same instruments but they make a different racket.” But they were still good. 

But I had left 90 degree weather to come back to 60’s. 

Good thing I dressed for it and had a blanket in the car. 

Zoom

Draper's colt has been very popular. 

They are spending more time outside.  After over 2 months in the barn, Draper is glad to be out on grass again. 

I caught some zoomies on video.  He is starting to venture away from mom more. 

Linda visited yesterday, 

and Carol came a little bit later.  "Golden Boy" (joe's nickname for him) is eating up all the attention. 

 

Transfusion Update

The video speaks for itself. 

 I guess the transfusion bought enough time for the calf’s bone marrow to catch up on making red blood cells and maybe for his immune system to help fight off the theileria. 

Cattle Work

Yesterday Mike helped us with some cattle here.

Some were vaccinate, some dewormed, some both and one dehorned.  It was nice having the extra help.  Mike being there always makes things easier for me.

After we were done, the cattle when back out where they came from.  

Today we were at it again.  Mike was busy this time so it was just me and Joe. 

We were not doing anything with the cows, so we sorted them out first.

More deworming, vaccinating and 3 to dehorn.  That is always the drawback to using a horned Hereford bull.

We we were done, the cows didn’t go back to where they came from, they went to new pasture.  You can tell how excited they were for that.

 

Hugo and Daffodils

The weather was nice enough and I had some time so I decided to ride Hugo for a little bit yesterday.  

You can see that Hugo was not being a fan of getting caught, as usual.  After about 20 minutes of this, and Clyde never joining in, Hugo finally gave up and let me catch him.  He was a gentleman from then on.  

The last cold snap did in my hyacinths but the new miniature daffodils that I planted last fall were not far enough along to get damaged.  I have Minnow Rock Garden daffodils that have multiple flowers on each stem. 

I don't recall the name of this one, but it is stunning with it's white color and thin petals.  I don't see it on my order from the bulb company last year so I must have bought it on clearance and it probably had already bloomed.   I think it turned out to be a good purchase.  

And this daffodil that looks like a dandelion is called Rip Van Winkle.  It is very different looking.  But I am thinking that the flowers are proving too heavy for the stems.   A lot of them are pretty saggy.   

It had been fun watching all my new flowers pop up.  

Spring Grass

This morning Joe wanted to get a group of cattle up to sort out the bred heifers and fall calving cows. 

There hasn’t been anything in the barn lot this winter and with the warm weather the grass was already growing. 

It was very noisy with all the cows shoveling in the grass as fast as they could.  It won’t last long though. Next week’s weather forecast is for 18 degrees. 

 

Treacherous

Well, with temperatures staying from 0-20 and wind chills in the negative numbers, the 3 inches of packed snow and sleet has turned into solid ice.  

It may look pretty but it is treacherous.  Yesterday, Joe fell 5 times trying to get around to feed and bust water tanks.  Thankfully, he was not hurt.  It took me 3 times as long to feed the dogs last night.  The goats are preferring to hunker down under an old barn 1/2 a mile from the house.  

And when you have to walk with baby steps, everything takes longer.  

 

Three Times In One Week

You read that right.  I rode three times this week.  The weather is suppose to take a turn for the worse and I wanted to take advantage of another 50 degree day, even if the wind was getting up some. 

I thought about riding Hugo again but changed my mind and picked Otoelene.  With a jog like that how could I resist.  

And this is what her jog is like while riding.  And yes, she really is jogging,  not walking.   I could do this all day.   This is why Allie only wants to trot on Otoelene and not Clyde.  

But today, I wanted to get my nerve up to head outside.  So after walk, trot, and canter inside, 

We went outside.  I will have to admit that I am still not mentally over the accident.  I lead her around the field first before getting on.  She did find, but I didn't really do much,  just a few circles amount the cattle feed troughs.   But at least it was something.  

I think a trail ride would be nice.  Maybe when the weather is nice again I can talk Joe into going on one.  

 

Saddle Woes, or Whoa

I gave Sadie and Allie the saddle for Christmas.  

"It's a saddle Mimi, it's a saddle.  For what?"  Allie is so cute.  For Clyde of course. 

Saturday, the weather was beautiful, temperature in the 60's and no wind.  Allie and Sadie came over to ride Clyde in the new saddle.  It fit Clyde and I even found a 28 inch girth.  But the rings were pretty rusted and it was difficult to get attached.  The problem was more of the stirrup length.  This is as high as I could pull up the fender and as high as the holes could be punched. 

And it is a good 12 inches too long for Allie.  I did use the over the horse stirrups but they slid back and forth a little too much for my liking.   

But I think Allie appreciated having a horn to hold on to.  

However, she still did not want to trot.  

I don't know was was wrong with Sadie.  I think she was getting over a cold and not feeling her best.  She was being very contrary.  I told her it looked like she was trying to sit in a recliner.  But you can see the stirrup issue.  

The over the horn stirrups also set their legs too far forward.   By the time they get big enough to reach the stirrups they will have out grown Clyde.  

I even got on to try out the saddle.  I am pretty sure I could lower the stirrups enough to ride, but the stirrup is too small for my boot.  I have options.

1. return the saddle and try again (not a problem as I got it locally from a friend that said bring it back if      it doesn't work)

2. just continue to use the over the horn stirrups

3. teach them to ride without stirrups.  

4. remove the fenders and replace with more of a hunter type strap and stirrup.  

I may try option 4 before option 1.  But with the temperature now in the teens, I don't expect to do too much riding for a few days.  

 

25 Days Of Christmas, Day 21

Allie woke up this morning saying her head hurt. She had a fever of 100.5.   After much discussion and negotiation, we decided that I would stay home with Allie and Virginia would come pick up Sadie and take her to her regular church. Sadie was very upset to not be able to go to my church. But she finally got over it. 

Allie sat in my lap for a lot of Netflix.  Sher said I was comfortable.  Then she wanted to put on her matching dress that Sadie had worn to church.  She also ok'ed me taking her picture.  

She was a very good model.  

Sadie came back after church and let me take her picture too.  Allie had already changed again so I didn't get their picture together, yet.  Virginia took Allie back home and Sadie stayed to do some crafting.  

Today's crafts involved beads, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, paint, hot glue, glitter, markers, wooden ornaments, gems, paint and wire cutters.  I found out that 1:15 minutes is about Sadie's limit on crafting.  But the next thing she wanted to do was ride Clyde!

                                           

She wanted to lead he to the barn, then do lot and lots of trotting. She is getting so much better at posting.  I may or may not have a saddle update for tomorrow.  

 

25 Days Of Christmas, Day 20

"When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter...

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof, The prancing and pawing of each little hoof."

Not exactly Santa's reindeer, but there was quite the clatter.  Today they started working of the new roof we contracted for 3 months ago.

And they decided to try to turn around a ton truck in the narrowest part of the driveway. 

 

"With a little old driver, so lively and quick," NOT!

 My birdbath is now completely trashed.  

On a happier note, Sadie and Allie came today to spend the night.  They wanted to watch Unicorn Academy first.  But I said, "let's ride a real unicorn."   They decided this was a good idea.  Plus, they had on the proper attire.  

We also decked out Clyde in all the red things I could find in the tack room.  We even tied jingle bells in his mane.  

If you tune up the volume you can hear the bells jingle as Clyde trots.  

Allie still does not want to trot but she does like to walk fast.  

I took over leading her and Sadie played in the sand.  After we finished riding, we make molasses cookies, watched one episode of Unicorn Academy, played witches and princesses, walked to the tiny house, fed the dogs and ate out at CJ's.  Sadie even admitted that she was tired.  

 

Unexpected Visitor

Emily and Keiran came to visit for a couple of days. They left this morning after I had gone to work and Joe had left out for the day. On my way home from work I got a slightly panicked call from Joe. When he had gotten home the walk through garage door was open and the door from the garage to the house was open. When Joe stepped into the house, whoosh, the stray tom cat that has been hanging around occasionally ran out of the laundry room and into the house. Joe went on a cat hunt and found Kit Kat upstairs on a bed. But he could not find the stray. 

When I got home I joined the hunt. I found him under the cedar chest in our bedroom.

Now, what to do with a wild cat in your house. 

I opened some windows hoping he would jump  out. 

But no, he just jumped everywhere else. 

He even tried to climb the bookshelves.  That's him on the 5th shelf up.   I told Joe to get the fishing net. His response was, “do we have a fishing net?”  He found it and I slithered under the bed where the cat was hunkered down. Joe waited on the other side of the bedroom door. 

I am a professional, don’t try this at home. I was able the get the hissing and spitting cat into the net and threw it (gently) out the window.  I spent the next two hours trying to rid the bedroom of tom cat odor.  Luckily, I have couponed for a wide variety of cleaners and air fresheners. 

Meanwhile, Kit was relaxing on the back porch. He has been grounded and banned

 from having anymore friends over. Emily and Keiran will get a lesson on how to close a door. 

And I may have to get rid of the doormat in the laundry room. Looks like the whole thing could be my fault.