Before, During and After

We had a beautiful 10 foot tall Fraser fir as our Christmas tree this year. 

J went with me this year to pick it out and help get it home. 

 It graced our living room  for over a month.

 But all good things must come to an end.  So after the un-decorating was completed the tree made its way out into the field.

 Where is was promptly descended on by a herd of locusts, I mean goats.

Now this is all that remains, a mere skeleton of its former self.

First Barn Lesson

The farrier came yesterday to pull the shoes on Hank and Brother since it doesn't look like there will be much riding until spring.  So while he was here I thought I would have him trim the new horse's feet. With her growing so fast I wanted her feet to be balanced.  No pictures of that but she was perfect.  Her first time up at the new barn and she acted like a pro.   Since the weather is mild and I don't have to worry about the water tub freezing I decided to leave her in the barn lot. 

 That made it easier to work with her today, in the barn for the first time.  The farrier had asked if I had been working with her and my initial response was no, just feeding her twice a day.   But after I started thinking about it she has had a lot of little lessons, leading, backing, backing off a ledge (like unloading off a trailer), grooming, picking up her feet, desensitizing her to the lead rope, giving her head, flexing her neck, yielding the front and rear...I had done more than I had realized.

 So today I let her into the barn and she made a bee line for the spooky stuff corner and nothing spooked her.

 I tied her with the Blocker Tie ring and she acted like she has been doing this all along.  There was a little pawing and trying to bite the rope but she never even thought about pulling back.

 So while we were having such a good day, I pulled out the blue tarp.   I started by walking away dragging it and letting her follow, a couple of little run arounds and then she was fine with it.  I was even able to rub her all over with little problem.

And it wasn't long before she was walking across like a pro.  Her curious nature is finally starting to come out.  I think she will be a lot of fun.

Nobody Knows My Troubles

We live near the top of a large south facing hill and everything is either up hill or down.  J is forever complaining about the steepness and how it affects trying to do anything. 

 Yesterday he came in fuming and saying,  "no one understands the troubles I have here."  Well, the trouble was that the ground was slick and muddy on top and still frozen underneath which isn't a good combination with the steep hill.  The tractor got stuck while he was giving the calves a round bale in their feeder.

 But all it took was a call to a wonderful neighbor who was right there with his tractor in minutes.

 After some discussion and a long chain,

 J was out and ready to continue on with his work.

Meanwhile, the weather was so warm that afternoon that I got to go riding for the first time this year.  I guess this is why J doesn't think I understand his troubles.

Extra Work

This cold spell has created a few extra chores around here. 

 First off, the water keeps freezing.  Yesterday J had to take a post and break it.

 The calves ate their hay into an interesting pattern that needed pushing over so they could reach it again.

 We had a sick steer this morning that needed to be treated.

And the round bale J set out for the horses was in a pile that needed spreading out.  At least the goats could enjoy it then.

Snowstorm Helema

We ended up with about 5 inches of snow from Helena.

 Enough to make things pretty.

 But it is cold enough that the snow was really sticking to the animals.

The icicles on their sides sounded like jingle bells when they trotted.

 The new horse (I'm calling her something different every day to see what sticks.  So far nothing.) was trying to figure out if the snow was edible.

 I think the answer was, "yes."

 I have never gotten caught up in the blanketing craze.  They have food and sheltered places, that's the best I can do.   I think they survive pretty well.

J had me shovel out the troughs for the feeder cattle.  

 They looked at me in anticipation of getting fed.

 But they had to wait a little longer until J got there.
Hope everyone is surviving the storm.

Giant Snowflake

Before I finish taking down the last of my Christmas decorations, I have one more craft project to share.

 I had seen some giant snowflakes on Pinterest

from pinterest 

and thought that might be a good project for some thin scrapes of wood that I had left  from other projects.

Getting the angles was a little tedious but there was nothing too challenging about the construction.  Just a nail in the center then gluing and clamping all of the rest and a little bit of spray paint.  Pretty easy for a nearly 3 foot snowflake.   I think it makes a nice impact over the door with the stars.  Maybe they can stay up there until spring.

No Sharing

 Hank hasn't been holding his weight very well this winter so I have resorted to feeding him grain.  He has gotten pretty good about following me to the barn when he sees me headed in that direction.

 If the other horses are around I have to put him in the lot or they will chase him off.  This day (our first snow of the season) he only had to contend with a pesty  cow.

 But no matter how persistent she was,

 or how nicely she asked,

 Hank had no intentions of sharing his good fortune with her.

 She was quite the photo hog

and very curious about the camera.

And hopeful til the end that some food would come out of the barn for her.

(her persistence paid off in the form of some hay but no grain.)