Northern Lights

 Mark and I had a breakfast date at the Hog Trough this morning and enjoyed breakfast with Pat and Darlene. We didn't know they would be there but they had just come from the Giant Goose Ranch and showed up at the exact same time we came.  Next week we will do it all over again with Ralph and Jamie. After getting home Mark went up to the apartment to measure out the small screen room he wants to put up around the door of the foaling apartment. 

Hopefully this will help keep the flies out and also give some protection from the rain. It should be big enough to include a chair or two if someone wants to sit outside. The sun was bright without any clouds in the sky but the weather was cool. That sun soon warmed everything up.  I moved a bale in Raven's old paddock then moved Leah and Oliver in that. Madiera and her colt were put in the outdoor arena so I could get a few pictures of the colt for the new website. He really is impressive.

After getting a few pictures they were turned out to graze.

Dan called about then, he and Mike were working on the mystery project in Mike's shop.

Mike really needs to build a bigger shop. 

Below are a few more pictures of the mystery project.

This can be used for camping but it isn't a camper even though there is a roof and cooler. 

I heard this evening that it is finished and taken to Middle Grove. Saturday I hope to see the finished project in use and will announce it then. Dan showed me the sling he made and sent a stone flying into the trees. He sent it high and I missed where it landed but it hit the tree he was aiming for with a loud crack.

The bride that booked the barn Dec 28th wedding asked to come to measure things at the barn today at 1:00 pm. I spent the morning cleaning there but was eating lunch at 12:55 pm when I noticed a black car at the barn. I went flying over on the golf cart, threw open the door and said very loudly, "glad you made yourself at home."  Then heard Anna say, "who are you talking to?"  The car was Phil and Anna's they came to put the volleyball net up as the bride getting married Saturday wanted all the sports equipment set up. As they were leaving a pickup truck arrived. Another car arrived at about the same time and the 6 people that came did LOTS of measuring and counting. 

Meanwhile Karin sent the two pictures below telling us mom is busy sanding down the porch swing and wants someone to stain it.

We are all amazed at the drive mom has. When she wants something done she works at it with her working right hand (she is left handed but that one doesn't work since the stroke). I think Joan is going to ask Berlica to stain it. 

I finished the game room after the family left. About then the campsite booked for 2 nights, coming in tomorrow and leaving Sunday morning. I'll have to explain to the campers about the wedding Saturday as the it is an outside wedding. It won't be near the campsite but the cars will be parked on the South side of the building while they will be parked on the West side of the building. The bride told me the ceremony will only be about 15 minutes around noon so it shouldn't be too intrusive. This weekend is going to be a little crazy as the foaling apartment is booked for Friday, Saturday and Sunday night all by different people and will need to be flipped each time. The Event barn has the wedding booked for Friday and Saturday and now the campsite booked.  Dan used his drone today and took the aerial pictures below of the farm. 

Above is the house in the middle, the drive going to the bottom of the picture is going up to the barn. Below are the paddocks. The paddock next to the drive is Valiant's, next to his is where we will put mares we are watching to see if they come into season, the third paddock is a double. That one has 3 shelters in it and we call it the middle paddock. to the left of that is the short shelter paddock. Not seen is the foaling apartment and big barn (indoor arena) where we store the hay and the campers in the winter. Right in the middle of that circle drive is the manure spreader and what used to be our lime pile. The lime pile (white circle) is now by the garage which is to the far right of the picture. The other white shed is what we call the breeding shed. That is where I store grain and that has a small paddock in front and a larger one behind. We use the small paddock if we are breeding a mare with a foal by herside. The foal goes in the paddock and the mare is tied to the breeding stand right outside the paddock. That way she can see her foal and there is no separation panic for the mare. 

Dan did not get any pictures of the indoor arena and foaling apartment but got the back of both and the fields with the outdoor arena and round pen in the picture below.

The last couple pictures are of the event building. 

This evening, after dark a delivery truck arrived with a big package for us. I was surprised and asked Mark, "what did you buy?" He told me nothing. We opened it and it was 12 massive rolls of Brawny paper towel.

The paper plates came yesterday and today paper towels. I sent a group text out to my siblings asking which one is sending this but we are only hearing, "Not me."  Again, whoever sent the plates and paper towels, a BIG THANKYOU! We go through a lot of those.

We had a real treat tonight as we were able to see the Northern Lights right outside our house. I took the pictures below with my phone.

I decided to try a video as they were fading and just then the coyotes started howling.

What a beautiful ending to a beautiful day.