Denim Deb Hay, hay, hay. Thank the Lord!

[Denim Deb]

Hubby doesn't want me to put up the garden fence by myself. We got part of it up a couple of months ago, but not the whole thing. He keeps saying that we're going to get it up, but keeps pushing the day back. And, I'm TIRED of waiting! I can't plant the garden until it's fenced in because of the ground hogs. Plus, I'm wanting to rake the yard and use the leaves for mulch. I keep weeding the garden waiting for him to get it done and I'm tired of waiting. So tonight, I started to weed 1 last time. Once I had a section done, I went and raked up some of the leaves, and put them in the garden. So, I FINALLY feel like I'm making progress.

In other news, I got out to the farm late again today. I was still tired, and went back to bed. I get there, get the horses and chickens fed then get what I need to scrub out my tank. It was looking yucky and there were wigglers in it! KN shows up and says she'll be back. She was going to pick up a surprise for me. I figure whatever, and get to work. I get the tank all scrub, then start to fill it. While I'm waiting for it to fill, I do some weeding. KN shows up w/my surprise, and for ONCE it was a good surprise! She brought my niece. (For those that haven't read my whole journal or forget, her late sister was my SIL) I was so happy to see her. She's run away a few times but for now at least is back home. She helped me w/the weeding until the tank was full. Then, she wanted to see the horses. She used to ride, but hasn't ridden in a few years, but used to ride Licky. Licky hasn't been ridden yet this year, and I'm not sure when she was last ridden. Plus, she can be a handful! So, we figured we'd just take her out and groom her.

Get her all groomed up and she looked really pretty, but there was no way I was going to let her ride her. So, she asked if she could ride Stormy. Stormy also hasn't been in a few years, but he was always pretty good about it, so I figured we'd try him. But, I did tell her that I was going to ride him first. Get him all groomed up-which isn't always easy-and put "her" saddle on him. Keep in mind, she's an itty bitty thing. The seat on her saddle is smaller than on mine. And, while I can ride in it, it is a bit small. Plus, her stirrups are much shorter. But, since I wasn't really planning on doing any heavy riding, I figured I'd be fine.

Well, he objected. After all, he's enjoying his retirement! I couldn't get him to stand still at first, but he finally settled down. I put my foot in the stirrup w/just my weight a couple of times to be sure he wasn't going to act up more, but he was fine, so I sat down and just let my feet hang. Walked him down to the one end of the arena, he was fine. Going back the other way was a whole nutter story! I had to go in a tight circle several times. He wouldn't go forward, but kept backing up or trying to turn around. There was NO WAY I could let my niece on him. I finally got him to stop fighting me, and walk good for me. Then I had KN hold him for just in case, and I got down. So, I need to work w/him ASAP. I want her to be able to come out and ride. It might give her an interest, and help keep her at home. She rode KN's horse instead, but can't use her saddle on that horse. And, KN's saddle is waaaaaaay to big for her.

I finally got the work done that I wanted to do-got the field picked and mowed. The section I seeded is really looking good, but has some weeds in it. I'm hoping if I keep it mowed, it will help get rid of the weeds.

Found out today that they still haven't hired anyone for the job I applied for. But, w/in the next week or 2, they will be. So, I might still get it.

 

[hqueen13]

Glad everything was ok with the horses. Amazing how quick they get used to not working! Storm and I had quite a discussion (several months of discussion, in fact) after he was mostly off while I was laid up after my knee surgery.

 

[Denim Deb]

I don't think it will take long to get him back in shape. My daughter used to ride him bareback in just a halter w/reins. I think he's mostly just buddy sour.

Oh, and I forgot to say, I got pine sap in my hair today! I got most of it out w/rubbing alcohol, but boy do I HATE to get sap in my hair.

 

[Denim Deb]

I got to the farm later than I expected to today and found out that the weatherman was wrong! It was way hotter than he said it was going to be-otherwise I would have worn shorts! And, I would have found a pair I could have worn to the doctors' offices. Instead I was in jeans and a t shirt, and I was hot! Didn't really do much today because I wasn't set up to get clean at the farm and w/how hot it was, I would have ended up hot, sweaty and dirty if I had done much.

After going to my appointments I came home, ate dinner and relaxed a bit. I've been riding my motorcycle w/a group from a local church on Tuesday evenings, so after dinner I headed out. I wondered if I was going to be warm enough, since it felt like the temps had dropped, but didn't want to turn around and grab a jacket, so I just went out. I was fine on the ride out for ice cream, but once I started heading home, I was cold! And, in order to get home from where we were, I had to go right past the farm. So, I decided to stop and get a vest out of my tack shed.

I pull in, and all the horses' heads come up. Then, they all start to look at me. Then, they all walk over to the fence line and look at me. Then, when they realized that I wasn't going to give them an extra feeding, those looks changed to dirty looks. I really don't think they were very happy w/me. I got my vest, got it on and came home. I was still a bit cold, but not as bad. I did hate to come in the house though, it's a nice evening out.

 

[Avalon1984]

Same here. I can't believe this weather....

 

[Denim Deb]

It is just way to hot right now. Yesterday we had an unofficial high of 103. Add the humidity to that, and it was horrible out. The farrier was supposed to come out at around 12:00. He call and wanted to know if he could come earlier. And since the only shade I have there is in the field at the front (there's a line of white pine by the fence), we tied the horses to the fence. I had the electric switched off, but had to take it and flip it over the posts. The horses were sure they were going to get zapped. so they were carrying on.

RU's paying my brother to do some carpentry work, so he and my niece came to the farm yesterday. And she's wanting to learn how to work w/horses. So, we took Licky and put her in the RP. I explained a lot of what we were doing and why and she did fairly well w/it. A few years ago, she had wanted to work w/horses, but didn't want to put the time in. But I think now she's matured enough to do better w/it. I hope she sticks w/it. She's quite petite and if she gets good at working w/horses and becomes a good rider, I think she could probably get work breaking ponies for people. It's hard finding someone who's small enough, but we'll see.

Having her there helped me though. She helped me pick my field and she opened gates for me so I could get hay out for my horses. Once we were done, I went home. I was going to do some house work, but was just too beat. I did take the chicks out. I was going to leave them out longer than I did, but checked on them and they were hot, so I took them back in.

I went canoeing last night at the nature center and that was quite relaxing. Not a lot of the volunteers were available to help w/it last night and I found myself staying w/an older woman who was basically doing her own thing. She couldn't paddle for long, so I spent a lot of time just drifting. But, there was a bit of a breeze blowing and I was getting wet from the paddle. It felt good.

 

[SSDreamin]

The tuber's were out in force here yesterday. I'm sorry to say, in all my years living in this 'water paradise' I've only been tubing once, and canoeing once :/ I remember them both being fun; I just tend to stick with land-based activity

 

[Denim Deb]

I've been tubing 1x, and while I enjoyed it, it's not something I "have" to do. However, I find if I don't get to spend time on/with my horse(s), and can't go canoeing, I start getting extremely irritable.

It's super hot here again today. Last time I checked the temp it was 99* and climbing. I'm hiding in my house now. I'll have to go out later, but don't really want to.

 

[SSDreamin]

Heat broke for us today - 74 and just enough rain to make my garden think it got something

 

[hqueen13]

I think its supposed to break here this weekend. I hope so anyway, because this is just excessive...