The Day Before

Today is the day before Easter, the day we prepare for company, and the day the eggs get dyed. Our morning started as usual around 5:00 am then as soon as it was light enough to see, Mark fired up the skid steer with the log cutting attachment and started clearing trails. The horses were all fed by 6:30 am. The weather was predicted to be beautiful so the trip to the grocery store was done next. Once back the food was put away and out I went to tease the mares. It has been 23 days since Indy was bred and she showed no sign of coming in. It has been 22 days since Emma was bred and she also showed no sign. We were hoping they both settled, their sonagram is scheduled for Friday.  Anna I'm still trying to figure out. She did not show to Valiant or Evan so was taken out of the breeding shed paddock and placed with the other fatties in the middle paddock where Killian lives. She showed to him but would not stand. Prissy and Holly are the mares in the breeding shed and both need extra grain. Prissy said no but Holly is now in her foal heat and was willing to stand. She was covered by Valiant then she and her filly were taken to the outdoor arena for a few pictures. The filly is 11 days old today and beautiful. She had her poor mom running around in circles trying to keep up.

Holly is so photogenic with her beautiful buttermilk buckskin color. 

Holly will be placed for sale as soon as she is confirmed in foal as a 3 in 1 package deal for only $3000.00. Next out was Zalena and her colt by Valiant. They were taken out to graze and the colt was so funny.
This was the first time he has been on grass, he saw his mom eating that green stuff, bent down to take a taste then stuck out his tongue as if to say, "yuck!"

After they were put away it was time to find and help Mark. I was amazed at how much he got done with his big machine. He was finishing up with the chain saw and clearing off the path when I arrived.

Karin picked up Nancy and brought her to mom's for dyeing Easter eggs.  Nancy loves doing that.

Notice the bird feeder in the upper right hand corner of the picture above. The birds in the pictures below were visiting that. At one point the bush below was covered with gold finches.

Above is a house finch and below a gold finch.

The red bellied wood pecker would land at the feeder than swoop to the tree next to the house.

 These geese were near mom's beach and tormenting the dogs but just staying out of their reach.

 Of course Studly, Emma and Heidi had to go swimming then we were blessed with the odor of wet dog for the rest of the afternoon.

Ruth and Fede butchered the lambs yesterday and gave mom a leg of lamb for dinner tonight. She invited Dan and Susan's family over. Karin, Ruth and Nancy took a golf cart ride with me so I could show Karin the newly completed trails. We will be heading to bed early tonight, we need to get up really early to get the everything done in time for the sunrise service tomorrow.