Along For the Ride

 Up at 5:00 am so a couple mugs of coffee could be downed before going over to start getting the barn ready for the guests coming in at noon. Mark drove Berlica and Mackenson to Co-op at Joan is in Gulf Shores. She made it by 5:30 am stopping a couple times to sleep. Ruth is with mom. At 11:00 am I had finished with everything but setting up the fire pit, hauling wood for burning and hot dog forks. Instead of doing that I drove to TSC to pick up 5 way vaccines for the 4 yearlings, 6 bags of grain and also 6 better boy tomato plants. I went straight home to put the vaccines in the fridge, unload the grain and then stop in at mom's. She wanted 3 of the 6 plants. Ruth went to her house to get some pots, Rachel came over to help plant but stopped first to give mom a bouquet of flowers picked from her yards. 

Only then did she repot the tomato plants.

Mark was busy grading the driveways when I was working on the firepit.

We had both finished and was back in the house when our airbnb guest drove up. He was not feeling well and wanted to go to a hospital. Mark, well the Tesla, drove him to St. Francis.

His wife met him at the Emergency room so we drove home. This was a first for us and what is pretty scary is he and his wife AND their 2 big dogs need to check out tomorrow morning as we have a new guest coming in. I just talked to his wife and they are still waiting at the ER. I contacted Airbnb to see what I should do if they can't get out of the apartment before the new guests arrive and the answer basically was you will have to deal with it. Although later they came back with another message with phone numbers to call if that happens. I went out to tease and cover mares. Valerie was teased first and is still in. Evan was very glad to cover her. When Mike got back from taking Diane to the airport at Belleville, IL he came over to help get Blueberry covered by Valiant. Both were successful covers  Missy and Cookie were out grazing in the big field, I went out to call them in for the evening when Mike arrived on the 4 wheeler with Roseberry in tow. 

She went first to greet Cookie.

She actually did well as this was the first time she was asked to leave her companions and go into the outdoor arena and then back to the cabin field.

I followed them back to the cabin. She was put away and Dahlia brought out for her turn. She also did well going away from her companions.

I followed them back again and the last yearling worked with was Shadow. Shadow doesn't actually turn a year until May 10th. 

When everything with the horses were finished Mark and I had the car take us out to eat and it took us straight to Wendy's. Well we might have put that info in the navigate part. This is a new Wendy's just 10 miles from our house near the 474 exit off Washington street.

Mark ordered the taco salad and I ordered the cobb salad.

Both were good, they are smaller than the salad's of old, you know the ones before covid hit but still tasted good and was enough. We stopped at Aldi to buy a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread before going home. Our foaling apartment guests are still waiting at the ER, the wife came back to let the dogs out but then went right back to the hospital. Our barn guests are having a good time and have the firepit going strong. We really are enjoying the Tesla, at our age we were not wanting to drive at night but now the car does the driving and it is safe and we can just go along for the ride even at night. 

Pitching Machine

 Joan decided she HAD to leave today for Gulf Shores to meet with the construction people that messed up the deck at Lani Kai. We told her she has to go as she can handle the conflict. I left mom's about 7:20 am as Mike was willing to help get a couple mares covered. When I got to the barn, Rosaleigh and her colt were out grazing in the pasture. 

We got Valerie covered by Evan and almost got Blueberry covered but ran out of time. She is still in so will try her early tomorrow morning. We walked at 8:00 am which is a little more convenient instead of 8:30. Breakfast wasn't cooked until after the walk. Right after breakfast I left to start cleaning the barn for the airbnb guests coming in tomorrow. All 6 bathrooms were cleaned as were the windows. Mark used the floor scrubber to do both the living area and the gym. While he was doing the floor I left for Sam's club to buy paper towels for the barn (we were out) the fruit for Saturday evening along with some food for our dinner tonight. I went straight to the barn to put some of the food in the freezer and refill the papers towels. The tables and chairs were put back in place then went to put the food away at my house. Mark went back to the barn to put air in the pitching machine tire but as soon as he put the air in, it would come right back out. We had to take the machine apart to be able to get to the tire. 

 The screws were lined up on the ledge so they wouldn't get lost.

Sadly it was the inner tube that had a big hole where the stem comes out. Walmart has them but not in stock at any store, they have to be ordered. I sent Phil a text to see if we could take the tire out of the old pitching machine. What I didn't realize was Anna brought it back here. It was in the garage. We took that apart, thankfully that tire held air just fine. We just had to put it all back together. Mark was making some shrimp for supper at mom's tonight so I took the tools and got it put together. It works perfectly.

This sounds like such an easy fix but I admit to panicking. The guests coming are a church group of senior boys and their counselors. I know they are going to want to use it. It took many trips up and down those stairs to get it in working order. 

Dinner tonight at mom's was a lot of fun. Sarah and Josh showed up to work on invitations. Sarah had on an ostrich shirt.

Mom took one look at those eyes looking at her and frowned. 

Wow did we laugh and when I showed mom the picture so did she! After dinner it was finally time to start on dishes here and throw in a load of laundry. 

Mike has been working with the yearlings now that they are in the cabin field. Sally and Rosalie are with them. He has a plastic bag on the hydrant which is near the automatic waterer. 

If they want to drink they are going to have to be brave. Sally and Rosalie have no problem with it so hopefully they will realize it is no big deal. 

Farrier

 Our morning was really easy, no stalls to clean, no stalled horses to feed and water. The 2 mares and foals did great outside all night. It was a very mild evening, night and morning, already 64 degrees when we left for the walk. We stopped to admire Mike and Spark's excavator that is still sitting next to the dam.

That really was the tool to use while clearing the trees off the side of the dam. That machine is huge. I needed to quit the walk a little early as the farrier was supposed to arrive between 9:30 am and 10:00 am. Each mare that was going to be trimmed was haltered and put in the breeding shed shelter as we were going to use the breeding stand for the farrier. The farrier was late but I got a lot of outside cleaning done, throwing away broken halters and organizing the lead ropes on the stand. Mike brought Blueberry over from the cabin field. 

Evan who was in his pasture at the time was VERY interested and for good reason.

She was in season. We got her covered by Valiant with no problem. She was left here as we will need to keep watch on her. The farrier arrived a little after 11:00 am. Cookie and Missy were both tied to the breeding stand when he arrived. He trimmed Cookie first. Below he is trimming Missy while Rosalie is tied up waiting her turn.

Rosalie was the 3rd mare trimmed. She was almost perfect for her pedicure.

About that time Mike came with his 4 wheeler bringing Sally for her trim. She was just let loose while Valerie was brought out. Valerie didn't do as well. This was the first time we have trimmed her as she has been living out at Middle Grove and wearing her hooves off evenly. She was ok with her fronts, the backs didn't need any taken off. Sally was last.

As soon as he was finished I paid him then left for mom's house. She and Diane were going to eat their lunch out on the deck and Diane needed a little help getting set up. When I got back to the farm Mark was mowing the pastures. 

I needed to move bales in. Evan was locked out of his paddock and I moved a bale in for him. Then two more bales were moved out, one for the paddock next to Valiant's and one for the middle paddock. The problem with those was the mares in them. I started moving the mares out of the middle paddock when Mark arrived. That made this job much easier. He got in the skid steer to move the bale while I kept the mares from running out of the open gate. 

By the time all of the bale moving was over it was time for mom to come back inside as it was really getting hot out in the sun. Diane left to help Mike on his barn while I stayed with mom and graded Bible studies.  Sarah arrived with swimmers.

This was the first swim of the year. They didn't stay in very long and soon went over to play with the foals. Sarah took the picture below.

Joan got home from play practice in plenty of time for me to go home and shower to get ready for church. We picked up Mackenson and Berlica. Mike Kaisner had the message tonight on David's preparations for the temple in 1 Chronicles 22. Click HERE to watch that. After church we drove to Culvers for a late supper. We were joined by a good group. Marie had 2 of her grandson's there along with 2 sons and one daughter in law. She ordered THIS for dessert.

For SURE she ordered those worms for her grandsons. It was a good productive day and I am very thankful!

Busy Tuesday

 I needed to go up to the stall barn early in order to get everything done that needed to be done. Rosaleigh and Star were both grained. While they were eating their water buckets were filled and the stalls cleaned. Rosaleigh and her colt were moved outside into the paddock right next to the stall barn. Filling the wheel barrow with hay was next. It took about 40 minutes to get everything done. After cleaning up I took the golf cart over to mom's. We left for the Berean office a little late but still made it before 9:0 am. Kathy couldn't come today so Skip was our only reader. Marvin was back and discovered another new rule on why we can't send a Bible to Michigan. Mom has been working on stamping the return address on the envelopes and we now have a whole box of them.

Shirley was in charge of the postage machine today. We got notice the postage rates are going up again next week. 

Vonnie, Shirl and Skip kept busy with studies and Bibles.

We didn't have an abundance of mail and were able to be done by 11:00 am this morning. We stopped at the Hanna City post office to drop off the Bibles and studies going out. Kathy, the post mistress came out as I was grabbing the very full post office box and offered to take it inside. Now that was service. Even after explaining it was very heavy, she lifted it and said, "no problem, I'm glad to take it in." Joan was home waiting for mom so I left to get some work done here. After changing my clothes Valerie was pulled out. She IS in season and Mike came over to help get her covered. She actually stood very well. She was taken to the round pen then left to graze a bit in there while I got the mares and foals out. Star and her foal were taken out to the outdoor arena while Rosaleigh was just let loose in the field with her colt. She was on high alert.

No one was going to get too near HER baby!. She soon settled down to eat, took a big bite then lifted her head to watch her colt as he was running circles around her.

Star's two day old filly stuck close to her mom.

Valerie was worked about 10 minutes in the round pen. She remembered everything we had done yesterday and I was pleased.

The yearlings were locked in their paddock so Evan could be turned out into his pasture.

Mike got the cabin field ready for the yearlings. He took Disco/Cabo with his 4 wheeler, I took Dahlia with the golf cart while Shadow and Roseberry were just left loose to follow. Below is Dahlia checking out the flat bed trailer. 

I don't think they remembered being in the cabin field and were very excited to be there but not quite sure what to do. They were given some grain. Mike took the 4 wheeler back over to bring back Sally. They all rushed to the gate to watch her coming.

Once they were settled I went back to turn the 2 mares with foals out in the pasture. Each was curious of each other but not enough to get close. They felt they must protect their foals. I watched them for about 40 minutes to make sure there were no squabbles. Rosaleigh went over to check out Evan.

Star took her filly into the paddock giving Rosaleigh the entire field.

The mare that was most upset today was Blueberry. After Mike to Sally to the cabin field she called and paced back and forth at the fenceline until Mike took her over to the cabin field and then all was well.

I needed to be at mom's by 6:30 pm. Her flowers are really beautiful right now and her yard sweet smelling.

It was a beautiful evening, Mark got weed whacking done while I was at mom's. The lights were on at the barn when I got home. The Airbnb guests are using the indoor arena lights when they walk their dog. The picture below was taken from my drive looking up and over to the indoor arena and stall barn. The light in the sky is the crescent moon.

Feeling Thankful

 After the late night last night I didn't wake up until 6:00 am. I looked back on the foaling cam to see how many and how long the new filly nursed. She is a hungry little girl and is nursing sometimes for 8 or 9 minutes at a time then taking a small break and going right back at it. She is napping. By the time I got out to the barn Star had two empty water buckets. Those were filled first then her udder checked. She is producing and the more the filly nurses the more she will produce. She was given a good scoop of grain this morning and then again later this afternoon. She is really going to need the calories. Her stall was cleaned then her hay feeder was filled. I took a few more pictures before leaving for the walk. 

Faith came by while we were walking. She was drinking and driving.

After the walk Mark offered, well really I asked him kind of pleading, to go with me to Middle Grove to pick up Valerie and Izzy. Both need to come in for breeding. Valerie was not sure she wanted to come and walked away from the trailer but the rest of the herd surrounded us. Below are a few pictures.

Above is Haril and Jewel, below Holly is in the middle to the left is Aiken and I'm not at all sure who the mare is to the right but think it is Dancer.

Below is Dancer.

The herd split in two with some on the right and some on the left. 

Valerie was put in the front of the trailer and Izzy was put in the back and we were on our way home.

I needed to move some horses around before unloading. Sally was put in with the other riding horses, Rosaleigh and her colt were put in the outdoor arena, Blueberry was put in the middle paddock then the riding horses were let out in the pond pasture that now opens up to the middle paddock.

Valerie was put in the paddock next to Valiants.

She ignored him. Izzy was put in with the yearlings.

I thought she would be happy with them but she wasn't so put in with Valerie. The walkers came by just as I was pulling her out to tease. She is afraid of the stallions and wouldn't get near them.

Next Valerie was taken out and teased with Evan. She showed but I didn't get her covered today, will try tomorrow. Hopefully she is just coming in. She was taken out to the round pen and worked with. I'm really impressed with her mind. I took a short video of just a bit of her training session.

This evening Rosaleigh and her colt were put in the stall across the aisle from Star and her filly. Hopefully they will bond. As soon as Mike takes the yearlings and Sally over to the cabin field these 2 with their foals will be turned out into that paddock and field. It is plenty big that each mare should not feel threatened. The stalls were cleaned again, water buckets filled and two more wheel barrow loads of hay brought in, one for each stall. Below the 4 riding horses have just walked into the pond pasture.

This evening I stopped in at mom's for a few minutes but now I'm ready to crash. A good day and I'm thankful!