Monday, August 31, 2020

AC Central

We had a good walk this morning with mom and Aunt Jinnie making it all the way to the barn and Diane's house then back. My next job was to take each of the weanlings one at a time into a stall for a treat of grain and just a little extra handling.  Anna came as soon as our airbnb people left to get the apartment ready for the next guests coming in this afternoon. Kensley came first to help me here in the house then she and Braelyn went to the lake to get more cattails to spread more fluff in their tree fort in the pine trees.
When Anna finished I took the time to listen to AC Central. I was pretty thrilled to see Doyle spoke in Bluffton, Rick spoke in Chicago and Fred spoke for BOTH of Wolcott's services. I was able to listen to Doyle's and the first service of Fred's but ran out of time saving some for tomorrow. Each Monday is the day I rest and recuperate from the weekend and I can relax and really listen to Spirit inspired messaged that seem to be just for ME!
At 3:00 pm the weanlings were brought back in and worked with again. They will be leaving in the next couple weeks and I want them leading, loading and standing quietly in a trailer.
This evening Mark and I listened together to David's message from Sunday afternoon. It is wonderful we have the chance to listen a second time. There was much we missed on Sunday. I'm SO very thankful for AC Central. What a blessing that the church has this service.
Another booking came in for the apartment and the review from the guests that left. Andrew writes: “Great hospitality! We really felt welcome! When we ran into some trouble and got delayed, Judith kept the lights on for our arrival and, after we had left, sent a few forgotten items out in the mail the same day. The apartment is is just as advertised and the horses are friendly. You won't find better if this sounds like your cup of tea.” 
"Thanks for keeping the lights on for our late arrival and sending out our forgotten clothing. My only regret is that we were just passing though and didn't have more time to spend. Best of luck!”

Sunday, August 30, 2020

Perfect

Mom, Aunt Jinnie, and Diane rode to church with us. We took mom's car though to make it easier for her to get inside.  Tim Funk had the 9:00 am service and David had the 11:00 am service. Both messages were inspired and both are already posted on AC Central. If you would like to listen to them. For those with just phones click HERE for the AC Central link, or if you are on a computer there is a link here on this blog under great website links click on AC Central, then click on Sermons then just scroll down to Peoria. Beth is in Gulf Shores and sent pictures taken today AFTER Hurricane Laura.  The picture below shows how the storm surge took away the beach and eroded the dunes and is taken in front of mom's condo.
The picture below is taken in front of Diane's condo, you can see her Townhome complex in the picture.
The beach is GONE and to think this was MILES away from where Laura made landfall.
Karin, Magda and Isaiah worked with all 3 weanlings again, bringing each into a stall, picking up hooves, tying and handling them. I am SO grateful for their willingness to work with them and their owners will all be pleased.
After church I started cooking for our Sunday dinner which we decided was going to be a picnic at the playground and any one that wanted to come was invited.
Below the kids are running to the trampoline. Notice the cloud of dust in the background. We have had no rain so each time a car goes by the dust flies.
The kids spent hours decorating their fort in the pine trees with cat tail fluff. They spread it on the ground in front of their fort, up into the branches and made, as they called it, a WONDERLAND!


They were very proud of their hard work on ripping up the cattails and pulling the fluff out to decorate. Of course fluff was flying everywhere.We had a good group come. After supper the volley ball games went on quite late. Below Dan is giving Diesel a drink.
There was plenty of action on the court and off the court. Rhoda took some the grandchildren over to round pen Jury. Each one got the opportunity to learn a little about training, even the youngest, Abe.
We were having a beautiful sunset while they were hard at work.

The weather was perfect, after the games a fire was started. Rachel and Dan played the guitars and so we sang around the campfire, at least those that could sing.

The fire was perfect for s'mores.
If you would like to see the rest of the pictures click HERE. What a beautiful day with a perfect ending.

Saturday, August 29, 2020

Old Dog's Don't LIKE to Learn

I needed to go to Aldi this morning and wanted to be there right at 9:00 am but ended up not making it there until quarter after 9:00 this morning. By the time the groceries were bought the store got crowded as did the parking lot. When I got back Karin, Magda and Isaiah were here working with the horses. Below Magda is bringing back Valiant after a very successful training session.
 Isaiah was working with Jury, Rhoda's mare. 
 Magda came back with Evan and took him into the outdoor arena to work with him while Isaiah was working with Jury in the round pen.
 Our airbnb guests came out to watch and the kids had to love on Studly Karin's dog.
 When Jury was put away we brought out Lily's colt Prins Alexander for some round pen work.
 This colt has the usual BIG movement all of Lily's foals have.


 Indy's colt was taken into the stall where Isaiah worked with him. He got a tying lesson, all of his legs picked up and more leading practice.
 Magda had Oksana's colt in the other stall working with him.
 It is so good for these boys to be handled by different people.
 Lily's colt was brought in for Karin to work with.
 After the weanlings were put away everyone left. Philip, Taegan and Kensley came over to work on the volley ball court and brought Pax with them.
 The court was being tilled to make it softer for the volley ball players. We have had no rain for a long time and everything is getting rock hard.

 Taegan tried to run the tiller but it was just a little too powerful for her.
It was a lot of work and we only got about a fourth of the court done before running out of gas.  Phil loaded the car then called for Pax who came running.
Mark needed a hair cut this evening. I wanted to post the pictures taken today of Lily's colt on the Horsemeister Facebook page but with the new layout couldn't find where to make a new album. Finally it was just posted on my personal page then shared on the Horsemeister page. I don't know WHY Facebook needs to change things around, we old dogs don't LIKE to learn new tricks. We had a beautiful day for outside work and now I'm too tired to do inside work and have company coming tomorrow. I'll need to get up early.

Friday, August 28, 2020

Old Family Films

On our walk this morning we came upon Mike giving Sheena's filly basic instructions and more. Below are a few pictures.




After the walk I left for Steve Staley's visitation.  Stephanie met me there with the cookies she baked for our airbnb guests.  When I got back the cookies were put in the apartment and the barn cleaned up. We had another really hot humid day so instead of working outside, laundry was done inside while listening to AC Central. This evening we went to mom's to watch old movies. Matt was running the projector.
We were enjoying watching mom and dad's trip to Puerto Rico with Howard and Nancy Herman, then Lake Gerard in 1957, plenty of Jone's beach videos and deep sea fishing then the raft trip down the Colorado River.  When the reel was over Matt looked down and saw this:
The film had broken.  Matt spliced it together and was able to get it all wound back up.  I left then to go meet my airbnb renters, took them on a late golf cart ride to introduce them to the horses then show them where the playground is. I think they are going to have fun these next couple days.

Thursday, August 27, 2020

Hay Day

At 7:00 am the man I bought square bales from called to report he would be delivering them mid morning. I had only asked for 20 bales but he talked me into taking the entire rack of 82 bales.  I'm just too old to be unloading and stacking 82 bales all by myself so sent out a couple panic texts. One to my sister Beth asking if any of her grand children could help and one to my sister Karin asking if any of the summer riders could help.  On the walk Joan said she would also come help. The hay arrived earlier than expected but Shaeya's mom had just dropped her off so she and I started.  Joan was sent a text and drove her 4 wheeler over to help and then Karin arrived.
 With all that good help we had the job done pretty quickly even though it was VERY hot and humid.
 The hay rack was swept off and all the loose hay was put in a wheelbarrow and taken to the weanlings. They LOVED it.

 Karin took Shaeya home, Joan went back to her house to work and I drove to Meisters to pick up Braelyn, Taegan and Kensley. Anna is taking Amanda's place this week at Meisters as she is with her sister Crystal at Mayo Clinic.  We picked up fried chicken for our lunch then after lunch the girls played inside while I put the bale speer on the skid steer.
 Chuck arrived with the first load of round bales and those were stacked in the barn.
While we were waiting for the next load the girls came with me to help throw down one of the new square bales.

 The bales are huge, tightly baled and very heavy. I just wanted to make sure they really were completely dry inside so decided to open one.
 That bale was cut open,  and the horses all given some. They all liked it.  Taegan found that big moth under the tramp. She stuck it in her hair like a fancy bow and of course I had to take a picture.
 The second load of hay arrived and after that was stacked in the barn we went back to the house to cool off again. These 3 sisters really play well together and have such good imaginations. 
Anna picked them up after she got off work.  We had left over chicken for dinner then Mark went over to work on Joan's beach. I went to mom's house for games. Ruth, Joan and Rhonda also came and played. Aunt Jinnie worked on her needle point.
Diane and Mike were at Middle Grove. We had a fun evening.