Outside the Park!

 We had a beautiful peaceful misty morning.  Lily headed down to the pond to get a drink and 3 foals followed her.  I didn't think to take a picture until she had left the pond and was heading up toward the drive grazing as she meandered. It was so peaceful with the birds singing I took a short video.

Soon both of the other mares joined their foals and Lily.

I took a couple pictures of Lily's filly for the website. 

Rosalie came down but stopped and talked to Valiant a bit. I thought she may be coming into season which I didn't want to see but nope she just wanted to say hi.

I checked on Jury then came down and made breakfast for Mark before heading to Sam's Club and Aldi. We really needed groceries. I found 3 nice Better Boy Tomato plants and paid almost $8.00 for all 3 plants. 

 After all the groceries were put away it was time to tease mares and work with foals.  Rosalie was brought up first. It is 20 days since her last cover so I really didn't want her to show and instead she screamed and struck out with an emphatic "NO!"  Next up was Soul, also at 20 days and she too emphatically exclaimed to Valiant, "I hate you."  These mares are so funny, when they are in they won't leave the stallions alone but when they are not they are quick to pin their ears, squeal, and strike out. Lily was last, it has been only 17 days since her last cover so probably too soon to tease. She predictively said no also. Lily and her filly were taken into the barn so the filly could get a haltering and tying lesson.  She was really easy this time, she remembered and stood when the rope was around her neck.

I really need a flower name for her and it needs to start with either a T, U or V.  It looks like I have the option of Tulip or Violet but not sure I like either for her. The buyer of Soul's colt sent the signed contract by email but the deposit check by snail mail. I'm sure they really did send the check but won't mark him sold yet. I'll just need to explain he is more than likely sold.  He was brought in next for a haltering tying lesson.  He wasn't quite as easy, he didn't want the rope on him so once he was haltered guess what he got.  Lots of rope time with it draped on top, under, around and even on his legs.  

Below he is looking over as if to ask, "how much longer do I need to stand here?"

While tied I also put my hands all over him, even on his belly and between his legs. He needs to accept being touched everywhere.  He did pretty well after the initial start.

After they were put away Tatiana was brought out, teased and covered by Valiant then they were put in the new barn field for some grazing time.

All was going well until she got full and went over to visit her dad, Evan.

There is no electric fence back there and didn't want him to accidently break the gate so she lost her grazing privileges in that field. Walking back I stopped to pull a weed.  This weed had a beautiful yellow flower but it doesn't belong in a horse pasture. 

Tatiana and her colt were put in the far paddock with the back gate opened to the pond pasture.  Lily and her filly came in to join her thinking I may have treats. This is the first time Tatiana has been with the other mares and foal since she gave birth May 8th so I had to stay and watch.  All went well and now all 4 mares with foals are in the pond pasture together. The mare paddock needed a new round bale and that always goes better with 2 people so I hiked down to the house to see if Mark would help with that. I was thanking him and he replied, "It only takes a few minutes". That is true if one has help, if I was doing it by myself each mare would need to be tied or moved so the gate could be left open then once done each mare untied or brought back. He saved me at least 15 minutes. These purple flowers are blooming by our house. I have no idea what they are, Mark bought over 100 bulbs, gave some away and planted a lot by our house and these are what came up. He planted all kinds of bulbs and these are the only kind that didn't get eaten by the moles.

Later this afternoon DLM showed up with another load of gravel.  This year we are for sure their best customer.  He is going to bring another load tomorrow. We have to build up the west side of the ground against the barn so we can drive the equipment inside.

Below is a video of the dump.

For supper tonight I made an open face bbq beef on toast smothered with sautéed onions, a few chips, salad with fresh spring greens, cottage cheese and carrots with peso dip. Below is Mark's plate AFTER he grabbed a big fork full of the beef with the onions on top.

It was a good combination and I will try that dish again at mom's. Mark really enjoyed it and I think mom and Karin would like it too.  After supper we went to work on the garden.

Above Mark is bringing 3 boxes we will fill with good aged horse manure for the tomato plants. Below he is finishing up loosing the dirt after I dug out the sod.

And below we are resting.  All that stuff to the left of the picture is the hydroponic stuff we took out of the basement. He is putting it together in the yard and we will be planting vegetables in that once it is up and running.

He is for sure over Covid and his quarantine will be up soon. He has been very productive these last few days working from home. He decided this week has been so productive that he should start working from home 3 days a week say Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The big news this evening was Israel made an outside the park GRAND SLAM at his ball game today. David caught it on video.