Friday, December 29, 2006
Thursday December 28 2006
Did another 40 newsletters today and got the house clean. Dave spent a few hours researching and troubleshooting the generator problem. Analized the wiring, the computer software and the hardware in the garage and house. Seems to have narrowed it down and may have fixed it. I can't believe how much he knows about electical systems these days.
Wednesday December 27, 2006
Started working on Holiday Newsletter to all my clients. I ordered pocket calenders with the ranch name and info on it and am sending one to everyone I talked to this year. I have about 250 to send out and want to write a personal note on each to tuch base with everyone. Got started today and did about 30 of them.
When Dave got home we tried to fix the generator, but the piece the installer thought we needed didn't do it. Must be some other problem.
When Dave got home we tried to fix the generator, but the piece the installer thought we needed didn't do it. Must be some other problem.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Monday December 26, 2006
Christmas was great. Went down to town Christmas Eve and came back up Christmas afternoon. Generator is not working well, so the power was off, but it wasn't off for so long that anything in the fridge went bad, so we made it back up. Asked Jarred to put a log on the fire, as we can't afford to let the house get so cold the pipes freeze (and the only heat is a wood stove which needs to be fed regularly). So that worked out too!
Jarred asked if we wanted to trade out some tire chains we can't use anymore for more of his time feeding. We did, so he is feeding through Friday. Gives me a really nice chance to get caught up on my office-work and keep getting my energy back. Still sleeping most of the day and am pretty tired, but clearly doing better.
Jarred asked if we wanted to trade out some tire chains we can't use anymore for more of his time feeding. We did, so he is feeding through Friday. Gives me a really nice chance to get caught up on my office-work and keep getting my energy back. Still sleeping most of the day and am pretty tired, but clearly doing better.
Saturday December 23, 2006
Doing somewhat better. Spent the day getting presents ready for my sister's family. I think we will be able to go down tomorrow and be with them for Christmas. Jarred has the feeding until Tuesday, so I am still not having to do much animal care right now, thank goodness!
Friday December 22, 2006
Have been sick all week. Sleeping most of the day and night. Just beginning to do better now. Managed the past couple days to get the house straightened up during the hour or two I felt ok each day. In the evening, I even felt good enough to walk down the road and pick a Christmas tree. Dave brought the chainsaw and we put up our tree. I was starting to think we would miss Christmas all together, but we were able to get it in, up and put a few red bows on it (and around the house). Also got our stockings hung and now I feel like we wont miss Christmas all together!
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Monday December 18, 2006
Sick as heck. Can barely get out of bed during the day, but then get a small burst of energy at night. Jarred has the animals under controle for us this week. Am trying, as I get a little energy in the evenings, to clean the house. We don't even have Christmas decorations up yet, or a tree. Don't want to miss Christmas all together. If I can do a bit more tomorow, maybe Dave will help me bring the decroations over and we can at least do something this year.
Saturday December 16, 2006
Feeling sick today and had a hard time feeding. Temps dropped to bellow zero at night and I have a bad cold. Must have gotten what my sister's family had. Trying to call Jarred to feed for me for a couple days. Dave worked a ton extra this week and we can afford that right now.
Sunday December 17, 2006
Was nocked out sick all day. Could barely get out of bed. Tried to reach Jarred by phone but didn't get him. Dave went to town in the afternoon and when he got home the feeding still hadn't been done. No way I could do it. He went out in the dark to do it himself. Somehow I fell asleep and woke up - aparently not more than an hour later, but thinking it was the middle of the night. I felt like I had been asleep all night. I was confused and panicked that he hadn't come home from feeding. Thought he might be hurt. Put on every bit of clothes I owned (it was -7 degrees out) and stumbled out to the little loaner truck we have. The Dodge was gone so I knew he must have taken it to go to the far pasture. Went driving over there and couldn't find him. Kept going and met him half way home from Jarred's. He had stopped up there to talk to Jarred about feeding for the next week. I was so upset. Didn't know what I'd do if he were hurt somewhere, since I could hardly stand. He finally got me to realize that it had only been an hour, and he took me home and put me back to bed.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
REGULAR WINTER JOBS AT THE RANCH
Besides feeding, there are a few regular jobs we have to keep up with to live on the ranch. Here is a list of those for this winter...
- Every day we have to bring in a cart or two (in really cold weather) of wood. Every few hours we have to remember to check the fire and put enough wood on to keep it going. At night we pile on a number of pieces and try to remember to throw more on if we get up to go to the bathroom in the night. If we let the fire go out, we have to start it from scratch.
- We need about 10 cords of wood to make it through the winter. Every year we have to bring that in. If we work together and hard, we can get about 1-2 cords in an afternoon by going around to dead and fallen trees with our chainsaw, limbing them, making a pile of the limbs and loading the wood into the truck in firewood-sized segments.
- We keep 2-3 cords of wood on our porch, stacked against the house. The rest of our wood we keep down by the big barn, in a wood-shed that holds about 15 cords. As we get low around the house, we have to take the truck and make 2-3 trips down there for wood, then stack that wood around the house so it is easy to get to every day. We go through all the wood on the porch about once per month during the winter and have to refill about that often.
- During the winter, when there is snow on the ground, or during the spring when there is water everywhere, we spend a number of days burning slash piles. These are the piles of limbs and brush left over after we have cut up a tree for firewood (or anything else). We leave these in the middle of fields, or by the side of roads, and when the world around them is wet, we pour old motor oil over them and stuff dry paper in them, then light them on fire. It takes most of a day to burn a pile and we may have a number going at once. You can't leave them unattended, so we have to choose a day when we are working outside anyway and can watch them all day. We have had piles that burned larger than our truck and as tall as our house.
- I should be keeping the stalls in the big barn scooped out every day during the winter, because if you leave them too long then the poop freezes and wont come out till spring. However, my energy this winter doesn't allow it, so the stalls get pretty yucky. The horses come in and out of those stalls to eat, so it is not as though they are stuck in the unclean stalls all day, but still I don't like it. When it is cold, the floors are a couple of inches thick with ground up poop that is frozen, and then each time we get a warm spell, it melts. It can only be cleaned up during the warm smells, as it is very hard to remove when frozen.
- I should also be scooping out the area around the outside of the stalls and even shoveling the snow every week, because the ground out there builds up to a point each winter that I can't close the stall doors anymore. But this too I often don't get to when I am on my own, and it all freezes into the mud out there and becomes unmovable as the weather gets colder.
- I should also clean out the inside of the big barn once per week, sweeping out all the fallen hay and picking up any stray bailing twine. This keeps the barn clean, prevents mold from growing near the feed and keeps the barn cats from getting use to having loose hay all over the floor (which they think they should be able to pee in). But again, I am not keeping up with that very well this winter.
- I should also clean out the goat stall at least once per month, scrapping the floor of the old hay and putting down new stuff. They make their own bedding out of trod-on hay and straw, but I should freshen it more often than I have been doing this winter.
- We have to keep the oil, oil filters and such changed on the generator (about once per month) and make sure that the batteries are topped off (with distilled water) about once per month.
- I try to keep a path shoveled to each barn and outbuilding I use all winter (I try to use the snow blower for this, as that much shoveling is usually more than I can do. If it is working this is a good solution that takes about 2 hours each time it snows). I have found that pushing my way through a couple feet of snow every time I feed takes much, much more energy than walking a clear path.
- Every time it snows, then warms up a bit, the barn roof drops a large amount of snow right in front of the Big Barn door. I either have to keep that shoveled (a few hours hard work each time it snows) or I stop being able to use that door for the winter and have to use the side door for everything.
- We have to keep cat food supplied to all the barns and the cabin, as well as keep the cat litters in the barns and the cabin cleaned out. About once per week I go to each building and clean out cat litter and re-fill cat food. About once per month I load up a sled and drag 4-5 bags of cat litter and food to each barn to re-supply.
- We have to buy bird feed about once per month and I have to load up the sled and take 6-9 50lb bags of feed to the big greenhouse.
- Inside the house, we have to keep the pets fed and the rabbits we have moved in fed. We also have to clean out cat litters and rabbit pans at least once per week.
- If we go away overnight (or, during the really cold spells, if we go away more than a couple hours) we have to have a neighbor come by and keep the fire full of wood. That is our only heat and if it goes out, our pipes will freeze.
- Every day we have to bring in a cart or two (in really cold weather) of wood. Every few hours we have to remember to check the fire and put enough wood on to keep it going. At night we pile on a number of pieces and try to remember to throw more on if we get up to go to the bathroom in the night. If we let the fire go out, we have to start it from scratch.
- We need about 10 cords of wood to make it through the winter. Every year we have to bring that in. If we work together and hard, we can get about 1-2 cords in an afternoon by going around to dead and fallen trees with our chainsaw, limbing them, making a pile of the limbs and loading the wood into the truck in firewood-sized segments.
- We keep 2-3 cords of wood on our porch, stacked against the house. The rest of our wood we keep down by the big barn, in a wood-shed that holds about 15 cords. As we get low around the house, we have to take the truck and make 2-3 trips down there for wood, then stack that wood around the house so it is easy to get to every day. We go through all the wood on the porch about once per month during the winter and have to refill about that often.
- During the winter, when there is snow on the ground, or during the spring when there is water everywhere, we spend a number of days burning slash piles. These are the piles of limbs and brush left over after we have cut up a tree for firewood (or anything else). We leave these in the middle of fields, or by the side of roads, and when the world around them is wet, we pour old motor oil over them and stuff dry paper in them, then light them on fire. It takes most of a day to burn a pile and we may have a number going at once. You can't leave them unattended, so we have to choose a day when we are working outside anyway and can watch them all day. We have had piles that burned larger than our truck and as tall as our house.
- I should be keeping the stalls in the big barn scooped out every day during the winter, because if you leave them too long then the poop freezes and wont come out till spring. However, my energy this winter doesn't allow it, so the stalls get pretty yucky. The horses come in and out of those stalls to eat, so it is not as though they are stuck in the unclean stalls all day, but still I don't like it. When it is cold, the floors are a couple of inches thick with ground up poop that is frozen, and then each time we get a warm spell, it melts. It can only be cleaned up during the warm smells, as it is very hard to remove when frozen.
- I should also be scooping out the area around the outside of the stalls and even shoveling the snow every week, because the ground out there builds up to a point each winter that I can't close the stall doors anymore. But this too I often don't get to when I am on my own, and it all freezes into the mud out there and becomes unmovable as the weather gets colder.
- I should also clean out the inside of the big barn once per week, sweeping out all the fallen hay and picking up any stray bailing twine. This keeps the barn clean, prevents mold from growing near the feed and keeps the barn cats from getting use to having loose hay all over the floor (which they think they should be able to pee in). But again, I am not keeping up with that very well this winter.
- I should also clean out the goat stall at least once per month, scrapping the floor of the old hay and putting down new stuff. They make their own bedding out of trod-on hay and straw, but I should freshen it more often than I have been doing this winter.
- We have to keep the oil, oil filters and such changed on the generator (about once per month) and make sure that the batteries are topped off (with distilled water) about once per month.
- I try to keep a path shoveled to each barn and outbuilding I use all winter (I try to use the snow blower for this, as that much shoveling is usually more than I can do. If it is working this is a good solution that takes about 2 hours each time it snows). I have found that pushing my way through a couple feet of snow every time I feed takes much, much more energy than walking a clear path.
- Every time it snows, then warms up a bit, the barn roof drops a large amount of snow right in front of the Big Barn door. I either have to keep that shoveled (a few hours hard work each time it snows) or I stop being able to use that door for the winter and have to use the side door for everything.
- We have to keep cat food supplied to all the barns and the cabin, as well as keep the cat litters in the barns and the cabin cleaned out. About once per week I go to each building and clean out cat litter and re-fill cat food. About once per month I load up a sled and drag 4-5 bags of cat litter and food to each barn to re-supply.
- We have to buy bird feed about once per month and I have to load up the sled and take 6-9 50lb bags of feed to the big greenhouse.
- Inside the house, we have to keep the pets fed and the rabbits we have moved in fed. We also have to clean out cat litters and rabbit pans at least once per week.
- If we go away overnight (or, during the really cold spells, if we go away more than a couple hours) we have to have a neighbor come by and keep the fire full of wood. That is our only heat and if it goes out, our pipes will freeze.
Tuesday December 12, 2006
Forgot to say that on Tuesday, as well as feeding, I separated the three babies who were still with their mamas. Took some corralling and work because two of them are the ones I haven't handled much and I couldn't walk up and put a rope on them. I have weaned these guys three times (separated them from their mothers) but because our fences are not very strong right now they keep slipping through and finding their way back to their mothers. I thought that maybe if I put them in the middle 20, just across the road from the back 20 where their mothers were (so they could see each other and talk back and forth), they would be content enough to stay where they were put and let their mothers' milk dry up.
Wednesday when I went out to feed I found that they had knocked the gate between the two pastures down and were loose in the small area between the two pastures. Without getting the electric back on (can't do that until I fix a major fence that got taken down by a tree) I can't keep them from going through that gate. So I let them be in that space, hoping they would be content to be across the fence from their mamas and not push to get in.
Thursday when I went to feed, Corry had found his way in with his mama (think he must have rolled under the gate which is pretty high off the ground) but Little Creek and Breeze had not. I decided to let it go at that for a bit. Mariah could use her own energy back, but she is not doing too badly, so she can manage to keep nursing for a bit, I think.
Wednesday when I went out to feed I found that they had knocked the gate between the two pastures down and were loose in the small area between the two pastures. Without getting the electric back on (can't do that until I fix a major fence that got taken down by a tree) I can't keep them from going through that gate. So I let them be in that space, hoping they would be content to be across the fence from their mamas and not push to get in.
Thursday when I went to feed, Corry had found his way in with his mama (think he must have rolled under the gate which is pretty high off the ground) but Little Creek and Breeze had not. I decided to let it go at that for a bit. Mariah could use her own energy back, but she is not doing too badly, so she can manage to keep nursing for a bit, I think.
WINTER FEEDING SHCEDULE #2
This is my daily Feeding Schedule at the ranch this winter:
- Get a milk jug full of water in the house and take it to the goat pasture. Pour half of it in a bucket for them (any more will just freeze) and give them a small scoop each of sweet mix for a treat. Put about 6lb. of hay in their feeder and, if I have any, put in some fresh pine branches and take out the old stripped branches they have eaten already.
- Take rest of the water jug with to big barn. Divide 2 bales into 6 stalls and 3 outside tire feeders. Check that all horses are there: 9 in all in this pasture.
- On cold days, take an ax and break open creek to be sure horses have access to water.
- Take jug of water to big greenhouse. Give rest of water to rabbits. Feed all rabbits. Fill bird feed pans.
- Go to little greenhouse and put food and water out for peacocks.
- Get in truck and drive to back 20 pasture.
- Drag 2 bales along fence in back 20 pasture and feed those, plus half a bale by the gate. Then take 1 bale across the road to the middle 20 pasture.
- On cold days, take an ax out into the back 20 and middle 20 pastures and break the creak open to be sure horses have access to water. That's it - go home.
This is a once-per-day feeding schedule. The animals would do better to have a twice per day schedule but I am not able to do this consistently, so we are making do with this. The rabbits have trouble with only one watering per day (on bellow freezing days) and we can't keep that up (we have begun moving them into the house). The horses do fine, but get into more trouble when fed this way - they get board between feedings more easily and start testing fences and finding entertainment that way. It does help to make the feeding time regular. I try to feed around 1pm every day. When I do that the horses don't get into much trouble, but if I am late they often do.
On days that I don't write much, I do this feeding and then, if I am not feeling well, I rest. If I am feeling better, I work in my office, updating my website, planning the business, and corresponding with clients.
- Get a milk jug full of water in the house and take it to the goat pasture. Pour half of it in a bucket for them (any more will just freeze) and give them a small scoop each of sweet mix for a treat. Put about 6lb. of hay in their feeder and, if I have any, put in some fresh pine branches and take out the old stripped branches they have eaten already.
- Take rest of the water jug with to big barn. Divide 2 bales into 6 stalls and 3 outside tire feeders. Check that all horses are there: 9 in all in this pasture.
- On cold days, take an ax and break open creek to be sure horses have access to water.
- Take jug of water to big greenhouse. Give rest of water to rabbits. Feed all rabbits. Fill bird feed pans.
- Go to little greenhouse and put food and water out for peacocks.
- Get in truck and drive to back 20 pasture.
- Drag 2 bales along fence in back 20 pasture and feed those, plus half a bale by the gate. Then take 1 bale across the road to the middle 20 pasture.
- On cold days, take an ax out into the back 20 and middle 20 pastures and break the creak open to be sure horses have access to water. That's it - go home.
This is a once-per-day feeding schedule. The animals would do better to have a twice per day schedule but I am not able to do this consistently, so we are making do with this. The rabbits have trouble with only one watering per day (on bellow freezing days) and we can't keep that up (we have begun moving them into the house). The horses do fine, but get into more trouble when fed this way - they get board between feedings more easily and start testing fences and finding entertainment that way. It does help to make the feeding time regular. I try to feed around 1pm every day. When I do that the horses don't get into much trouble, but if I am late they often do.
On days that I don't write much, I do this feeding and then, if I am not feeling well, I rest. If I am feeling better, I work in my office, updating my website, planning the business, and corresponding with clients.
Thursday December 14, 2006
Slept till 2pm today. Haven't done that in a long time. I'm exhausted these days - just can't seem to get back on my feet. Went to do feeding (takes about an hour) and was shaking and breathing hard afterwards. Had to go to town to switch our loaner truck for a different one (they needed the dually back - ok by us. It doesn't do a good job on this kind of terrain.) Our Chevy will be there for a while. We cut a break line during our adventure the other night. But it turns our we were also leaking transmission fluid, which is unrelated to what we were doing the other night.
Some of the neighbors had plowed, so on the way down the road was good. On the way back up the road was slick like ice for a mile then good after that. Hoping to go to be soon. Just can't get my energy back.
Dave finished work at four, as usual, and got to work right away on butchering the lamb we have had hanging from a tree for the past week (when butchering meat needs to age by hanging for a bit - something that works well as long as the weather remains bellow freezing as it has until today). It took him until 8:30 to get that job done and he gave some to Jarred and Pete for helping him. (Jarred taught him how to butcher for the first time. Dave offered him half the meat in exchange for his help, but Jarred just took one leg. He said we didn't need to give him even that. He said he would have taught him for free. Dave said, "I know, that's why I want you to have more than that.") We now have some good lamb in the freezer along with our home raised pig and cow and turkey.
Some of the neighbors had plowed, so on the way down the road was good. On the way back up the road was slick like ice for a mile then good after that. Hoping to go to be soon. Just can't get my energy back.
Dave finished work at four, as usual, and got to work right away on butchering the lamb we have had hanging from a tree for the past week (when butchering meat needs to age by hanging for a bit - something that works well as long as the weather remains bellow freezing as it has until today). It took him until 8:30 to get that job done and he gave some to Jarred and Pete for helping him. (Jarred taught him how to butcher for the first time. Dave offered him half the meat in exchange for his help, but Jarred just took one leg. He said we didn't need to give him even that. He said he would have taught him for free. Dave said, "I know, that's why I want you to have more than that.") We now have some good lamb in the freezer along with our home raised pig and cow and turkey.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Wednesday December 13, 2006
Today started out at 5:30AM with Dave and I getting in the truck and heading down to town. My sister was sick and I wanted to hang out at her place and help her with the kids. Dave had a doctor's appointment in the evening, so we thought we would both go down and he would work from town.
We found out very quickly that the breaks weren't working right on the truck. Must have done something when we got stuck the other night. Dave had to use the transmission to keep us going slowly enough. It was dark and cold and we had our chain-saw along because of the high winds - figured we might need to cut some trees out of the road, but that turned out not to happen. In any case, we then realized very quickly that the truck was also almost totally out of gas (another result of the escapades the other night, I imagine). The whole way down the mountain, we had to go back and forth between using the transmission to slow us down on the steep parts of the road and putting the truck in neutral to save the gas.
We made it down the hill (much faster than usual considering the road conditions, but I guess that is to be expected since we had no breaks...) and we spent the day in town. Tonight we groceries shopped and didn't get to head home until 8:00 PM. The truck was still in the shop getting the breaks looked at, so Karl Tyler Chevrolet gave us a loaner - a one ton dualley truck. Apparently dually are very good for hauling heavy loads but really, really bad for snow. Or so we found out.
The temperatures were rising fast on the mountain (between 40 and 50) and the road, which had been 6 inches of hard packed snow and very good for driving, was now hard slush with 6-8 inch ruts. We could hardly move. Spun our way up the mountain at about 2 miles per hour, swerving all over the road. Took us over an hour to get home. Then we had to feed in the dark and finally we were able to come in. Now we are warm inside and getting ready to climb into bed (hopefully for the rest of my life - I have been exhausted this week!). The wind is blowing so hard the house is shaking, but all in all we are doing well.
We found out very quickly that the breaks weren't working right on the truck. Must have done something when we got stuck the other night. Dave had to use the transmission to keep us going slowly enough. It was dark and cold and we had our chain-saw along because of the high winds - figured we might need to cut some trees out of the road, but that turned out not to happen. In any case, we then realized very quickly that the truck was also almost totally out of gas (another result of the escapades the other night, I imagine). The whole way down the mountain, we had to go back and forth between using the transmission to slow us down on the steep parts of the road and putting the truck in neutral to save the gas.
We made it down the hill (much faster than usual considering the road conditions, but I guess that is to be expected since we had no breaks...) and we spent the day in town. Tonight we groceries shopped and didn't get to head home until 8:00 PM. The truck was still in the shop getting the breaks looked at, so Karl Tyler Chevrolet gave us a loaner - a one ton dualley truck. Apparently dually are very good for hauling heavy loads but really, really bad for snow. Or so we found out.
The temperatures were rising fast on the mountain (between 40 and 50) and the road, which had been 6 inches of hard packed snow and very good for driving, was now hard slush with 6-8 inch ruts. We could hardly move. Spun our way up the mountain at about 2 miles per hour, swerving all over the road. Took us over an hour to get home. Then we had to feed in the dark and finally we were able to come in. Now we are warm inside and getting ready to climb into bed (hopefully for the rest of my life - I have been exhausted this week!). The wind is blowing so hard the house is shaking, but all in all we are doing well.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Sunday December 10, 2006
Got up and about around noon. Dave and I started by feeding the animals near the house, then put chains on the Chevy. Hooked up the trailer. Loaded in Flicka and Cami (time to wean Flicka and Cami would really prefer to be with the other adults). Drove them over to the far pasture and backed the trailer down the Cabin Road just past the gate. Fed in Ryder's pasture so those horses would not crowd the gate, then unloaded Flicka and Cami into that pasture.
Shut the gate at the bridge and the blue gate to Mill Creek to keep things contained. Then backed the trailer up as close to the middle-20 gait as we could. Let Celica, the last pony, slip out. Needed to get her in the trailer to take to her new home, but knew she would be hard to get near - rarely been touched. Worked for an hour trying to get her into the trailer with food, but she was not willing. She is a horse who will charge you rather than run away if threatened, so its hard to corral her. Finally let Nefertari and the two babies with Nefertari out. Led Nefertari in and tied her in the trailer, letting the two babies jump in behind. Now Celica felt safe enough to jump in and we shut the door. Fed the middle-20 (only Sox and donkeys left) and got on the way.
Went down the road on the Arlee side. Rough road. Good thing for chains. Took chains off at bottom and drove about 1/2 hour to deliver Celica. Very pleased with her home. Think that is a great match for her.
On way home we made a mistake. Decided not to chain up - was cold and I had not brought my coat. Didn't want to mess with it. Bad decision. Got stuck 1/2 way up. Tried to put chains on then, but couldn't get them hooked right because of how the truck was positioned. Broke one chain as we tried to use them unhooked.
Had to unload trailer to make it light enough to pull out. Worked at first, but soon couldn't go any further with weight in the trailer. Then we got the trailer suck for real and it wouldn't budge. Decided I had to go home for the Dodge (which is chained up on all four right now). We were five miles from home.
I pulled Nefertari out of trailer and let the babies loose (they'll follow wherever she goes). She is an Arab (usually quite spooky) and has not been ridden in 2 years (except for 1/2 an hour by me a few months ago to evaluate her training). Had no idea if she had ever ridden in the dark or the snow. Saddled and bridled her and climbed on. Set out to ride her five miles, through the dark woods, to get me home, babies following.
She was amazing. Rarely so impressed with a horse. Never once balked. Not afraid of the flashlight wobbling all over, casting shadows. Never got tense or even nervous. Did everything I asked of her as if we had done this every night of her life.
Flashlight died about 1 mile in, but we could just make out enough of the road by the dim glow of the moon through the clouds. At one point, we came to a cattle guard the horses couldn't cross. Asked her to leave the road and go up an embankment, through drifted snow and into the woods to find the gate I knew was there somewhere. Wound her through the woods, unable to see anything, until we found the road again. But the babies didn't follow. They were standing at the cattle guard crying that they couldn't come across when we reached the road again. We had to go back through the woods and to the road, and down the embankment to get them. Led them with us that time.
Took about an hour and a half to get home. I sang at the top of my lungs, all my favorite songs. Mostly I did this to ward away any mountain lions (have seen some in our area this winter and didn't want to surprise any) but also to keep a focus. It was dark enough that we couldn't see very well and it was easy to become disoriented. Also, easy to start focusing on shadows and dark objects all around, or on noises in the woods. Didn't want to do that - was afraid Nefertari would get scared if I got nervous. So I sang and we both stayed calm and focused. Worked great.
Got home and put Nefertari in big barn with youngsters. Gave her a bunch of hay and a big bucket of grain and told her she was the best horse in the world. Put the babies in and got in the Dodge and headed back to Dave.
We had to get a tow strap hooked from the Dodge to the Chevy/trailer. Used the Dodge to pull the Chevy and trailer all the way home. Got home about 11pm and dropped into bed.
Shut the gate at the bridge and the blue gate to Mill Creek to keep things contained. Then backed the trailer up as close to the middle-20 gait as we could. Let Celica, the last pony, slip out. Needed to get her in the trailer to take to her new home, but knew she would be hard to get near - rarely been touched. Worked for an hour trying to get her into the trailer with food, but she was not willing. She is a horse who will charge you rather than run away if threatened, so its hard to corral her. Finally let Nefertari and the two babies with Nefertari out. Led Nefertari in and tied her in the trailer, letting the two babies jump in behind. Now Celica felt safe enough to jump in and we shut the door. Fed the middle-20 (only Sox and donkeys left) and got on the way.
Went down the road on the Arlee side. Rough road. Good thing for chains. Took chains off at bottom and drove about 1/2 hour to deliver Celica. Very pleased with her home. Think that is a great match for her.
On way home we made a mistake. Decided not to chain up - was cold and I had not brought my coat. Didn't want to mess with it. Bad decision. Got stuck 1/2 way up. Tried to put chains on then, but couldn't get them hooked right because of how the truck was positioned. Broke one chain as we tried to use them unhooked.
Had to unload trailer to make it light enough to pull out. Worked at first, but soon couldn't go any further with weight in the trailer. Then we got the trailer suck for real and it wouldn't budge. Decided I had to go home for the Dodge (which is chained up on all four right now). We were five miles from home.
I pulled Nefertari out of trailer and let the babies loose (they'll follow wherever she goes). She is an Arab (usually quite spooky) and has not been ridden in 2 years (except for 1/2 an hour by me a few months ago to evaluate her training). Had no idea if she had ever ridden in the dark or the snow. Saddled and bridled her and climbed on. Set out to ride her five miles, through the dark woods, to get me home, babies following.
She was amazing. Rarely so impressed with a horse. Never once balked. Not afraid of the flashlight wobbling all over, casting shadows. Never got tense or even nervous. Did everything I asked of her as if we had done this every night of her life.
Flashlight died about 1 mile in, but we could just make out enough of the road by the dim glow of the moon through the clouds. At one point, we came to a cattle guard the horses couldn't cross. Asked her to leave the road and go up an embankment, through drifted snow and into the woods to find the gate I knew was there somewhere. Wound her through the woods, unable to see anything, until we found the road again. But the babies didn't follow. They were standing at the cattle guard crying that they couldn't come across when we reached the road again. We had to go back through the woods and to the road, and down the embankment to get them. Led them with us that time.
Took about an hour and a half to get home. I sang at the top of my lungs, all my favorite songs. Mostly I did this to ward away any mountain lions (have seen some in our area this winter and didn't want to surprise any) but also to keep a focus. It was dark enough that we couldn't see very well and it was easy to become disoriented. Also, easy to start focusing on shadows and dark objects all around, or on noises in the woods. Didn't want to do that - was afraid Nefertari would get scared if I got nervous. So I sang and we both stayed calm and focused. Worked great.
Got home and put Nefertari in big barn with youngsters. Gave her a bunch of hay and a big bucket of grain and told her she was the best horse in the world. Put the babies in and got in the Dodge and headed back to Dave.
We had to get a tow strap hooked from the Dodge to the Chevy/trailer. Used the Dodge to pull the Chevy and trailer all the way home. Got home about 11pm and dropped into bed.
Saturday Decmeber 9, 2006
Last few days have been without incident. Fed myself and moved the momma and daddy bunnies into the house. The bunnies aren't doing so well with the one watering I can give them outside per day and their water freezes within about half an hour, so if I don't feed more than once, they only get the one drink. They wont make it that way, so I am moving the two parents indoors and we will slaughter the others soon. Parents are in separate cages and are loving all the scraps of vegetables and dinner left overs they get by being right here.
Also, was offered four peacocks who needed a home. Took them in and put them in the little greenhouse until I get the big greenhouse closed up tight (there is a hole in one wall and these guys need to be enclosed until they adjust to the area or they will go away). 2 1-year-olds and 2 6-month-olds. Very pretty. A male and female of each, I think. I really like them.
Also, was offered four peacocks who needed a home. Took them in and put them in the little greenhouse until I get the big greenhouse closed up tight (there is a hole in one wall and these guys need to be enclosed until they adjust to the area or they will go away). 2 1-year-olds and 2 6-month-olds. Very pretty. A male and female of each, I think. I really like them.
Wedensday December 6, 2006
Back to feeding myself today. Had to be in town early and spent the day with my nieces, so we ended up feeding in the dark, but Dave helped so it wasn't too bad.
Monday, December 4, 2006
Monday December 4, 2006
Jarred's feeding yesterday and today. Trying so hard to stay on our strict budget, but two days of hiring help wont kill us. I have to rest. Flue is gone and lungs don't hurt as bad, but I am really weak. If no crises today, I can just rest in the house.
Sunday December 3, 2006
Woke up 7am sick. Can barely move around the house. Flue maybe. Also, am weak and my lungs hurt when I breath. That's the CFS. Hasn't been this bad with my lungs in years. I guess I should have expected this kind of pace to catch up to me. My body can't do this. Going to call Jarred and see if I can hire him to feed for 2 days. No way Dave can do it - he just has to stay off that foot if he is ever going to get better.
Sat. December 2, 2006
This day has gone true to form for the last few weeks. I don't know if I can keep up this schedule - am very surprised that my health has held out. Maybe I am finally getting better again?
Got up 7:30am. Unhooked trailer from car. Took off chains from tires. In car by 8:30 and headed to Humane Society to drop off 2 cats for spay/neuter clinic. Came right home, getting here about noon. Hooked up trailer and put chains back on truck tires. Road is really bad today. No making down without the chains.
Went to get ponies at back of land. Got flat tire on trailer and changed it. Trying to keep Dave from helping - his foot is finally beginning to heal and if he doesn't stay off it, it will be right back to swollen and unable to walk again.
Took 2 hours to load ponies. Never want to work with unhandled horses again. Dave had to help a little. Damn.
3:30 by the time we left the ranch. (Suppose to pick up cats at 3.) Took us over an hour to get down. Even with chains, truck slid all over. Went 5 miles an hour most of the way. I drove because Dave's foot is hurting so much now.
Louie and his new friend, Brinkley followed us all the way down the road. We kept yelling at them to go home, but we had to go too slow to loose them. Finally stopped and put them both in the cab of the truck. Can't let them run around in town or on the highway. Guess we're taking them with us - the cats should love that.
Got to Humane Society just after 5pm. They had cats - now all our rescued cats are spayed and neutered. Put both cat carriers on Dave's lap. No other room because of the dogs in the back seat. We went on to drop off Ponies. Got there around 6pm. Dark already. Dropped off ponies then tried to put Louie and his friend in the trailer. They got loose and went romping all over the ranch we were at. Finally caught them and got them in the trailer. Moved the cats off Dave's lap and into the back seat.
Stopped for dinner about 8pm and got home before 11. Tomorrow is the first day in weeks I have nothing but feeding on my schedule. This entire week has been as hard as today was. I am going to sleep for the rest of my life.
Got up 7:30am. Unhooked trailer from car. Took off chains from tires. In car by 8:30 and headed to Humane Society to drop off 2 cats for spay/neuter clinic. Came right home, getting here about noon. Hooked up trailer and put chains back on truck tires. Road is really bad today. No making down without the chains.
Went to get ponies at back of land. Got flat tire on trailer and changed it. Trying to keep Dave from helping - his foot is finally beginning to heal and if he doesn't stay off it, it will be right back to swollen and unable to walk again.
Took 2 hours to load ponies. Never want to work with unhandled horses again. Dave had to help a little. Damn.
3:30 by the time we left the ranch. (Suppose to pick up cats at 3.) Took us over an hour to get down. Even with chains, truck slid all over. Went 5 miles an hour most of the way. I drove because Dave's foot is hurting so much now.
Louie and his new friend, Brinkley followed us all the way down the road. We kept yelling at them to go home, but we had to go too slow to loose them. Finally stopped and put them both in the cab of the truck. Can't let them run around in town or on the highway. Guess we're taking them with us - the cats should love that.
Got to Humane Society just after 5pm. They had cats - now all our rescued cats are spayed and neutered. Put both cat carriers on Dave's lap. No other room because of the dogs in the back seat. We went on to drop off Ponies. Got there around 6pm. Dark already. Dropped off ponies then tried to put Louie and his friend in the trailer. They got loose and went romping all over the ranch we were at. Finally caught them and got them in the trailer. Moved the cats off Dave's lap and into the back seat.
Stopped for dinner about 8pm and got home before 11. Tomorrow is the first day in weeks I have nothing but feeding on my schedule. This entire week has been as hard as today was. I am going to sleep for the rest of my life.
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