Friday's Activities

We had potluck last night at Harold and Imogene's and stayed much too long. The almost hour drive home was WAY past our bedtime and both of us were struggling to stay awake during the drive. We had plenty of outdoor active activity Friday that when we were finally sitting in a warm car driving home at 10:00 pm it was hard to fight sleep.
Yesterday morning right after the walk Mark and I split wood for a couple hours. With winter coming fast we want plenty of split logs. We have the lean-to filled and Mark started a second pile which he will cover with a tarp. The apartment needed to be made ready for our guests coming in. This is a couple with 2 daughters and the futon needed to be made up with the new sheets I bought at Aldi last week. I also picked up new bathroom rugs and then ordered a new entry way rug and new shower curtain rings online.  The other big job is to clean the stall area. Each time I have a guest the stall area is gone over to get any cobwebs down, the stalls given a once over and the floors swept.  Zalena's colt is taken out each morning and given his grain outside the paddock as the other foals bully him. Friday was a nice day with the sun peeking through the clouds every once in a while, so he was left outside with a bucket of water along with his bucket of grain.  At 10:40 I drive in to Hanna City to deposit a check then stopped at Phil and Anna's to wait for Kensley's bus. From there we drove right back up to the barn to check on Zalena's colt but he still hadn't finished his grain. Kensley led him around a bit but we decided to leave him outside so he could graze on the lush green grass.   Hours later when Karin arrived she called to report that I had a foal out.  By this time he was trying to get back in with the other foals. He is getting lots of handling and is a nice colt. Karin worked with both stallions. She started with Valiant and took him out on the trails by himself.

 He looked at a few things but was content to follow Studly and walk away from the herd. 

 Studly loves going on the trails and especially loves the creek crossing. 

 I met them at the field for a few gallop pictures.  This stallion is pretty much rock solid in his training. No shying, no bucking, he just wants to please his rider. 

 The only time I would worry is trying to walk by a mare in season while on his back. We haven't been able to test him on that as we only have pregnant mares here now. 

Mark had been out splitting wood all afternoon and had 2 decent size piles by the time we went through with Valiant. Below is the pile he has been working on and below that are the 2 piles of split wood.

 Valiant was put away and Evan pulled out.  Evan hasn't been worked with for a month or more so we weren't sure what to expect, but he did very well remembering everything from this summer.

He threw in a couple bucks but nothing huge before settling down to work.

Evan was taken for a walk over to Joan's house. Right about then my phone rang and the caller was asking about my insurance, did I have any anxiety or depression and did I need help.  I answered, "I'm much to busy to be depressed and yes I could use help cleaning stalls."  That was not what she wanted to hear and started in with the excuses that she is from Missouri and hung up. On the way back we had to get off of the drive as Mark had taken the log splitter off of the tractor, put on the road grader and was grading all of the drives.

As soon as Karin left we barely had enough time to get the vegetables made, shower and start the long drive to potluck.  We  had such a good time there and a delicious meal. Imogene is an amazing cook. Harold told us that and the meal proved it. Cleve and Kathleen were there along with Twila and Karen.  Craig and Jacki had to cancel. The time just flew by as we were feasting, visiting and laughing with each other that by the time we realized how late it was we were a little shocked. I'm truly thankful for this rotating potluck.