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

[Denim Deb]

I was kind of disappointed in the tour today. Normally, there's only a handful of people. Today, there were so many that they had to split up the group! And I was late getting there (I got a little lost on the way to the park), so by the time I got there, the first group was already touring the house. So everyone else was looking at the gardens. They did have a butterfly house set up, an that was interesting. Saw a ton of caterpillars. But, by the time I took the tour, I didn't have time to take a look at the battlefield (they've just found a cannon! http://www.archaeology.org/news/3643-150827-red-bank-cannon), nor take a walk down to the Delaware River.

By the time I got back to the farm, it was 1:00. I got Stormy fed, then finished cleaning and field, mowed, and fed the chickens. Then when Stormy was eating his dinner, RU came home. I had to talk to her. More about that later. I also needed to talk to LF-she's giving Stormy his lunch tomorrow, so I needed to be sure she knew what to do. Then I got the chickens rounded up and left.

At home, I got as much of the one area cleaned up as I can. Poison ivy sprung up in there, and I'm allergic to it, so I'm not touching it! Maybe I can get the goats to eat it. And I have all but 2 large pieces of wood cut up from the pile I've been working on. I'll get them done tomorrow. I've been splitting as I go, but I can't split some pieces, so I'll have to break out my splitter for them. I have one more small pile that needs to be done, but I'll be dragging my chainsaw and splitter to there instead of trying to get them up by the wood shed. But once I'm done all this wood, my wood shed should be at least 1/3 of the way full!

 

[Britesea]

If you drink the milk from the goats after they have eaten poison ivy, you will be getting a small dose of it. Might be a good thing if you can tolerate small amounts, but if you are really sensitive it could cause problems.

 

[Denim Deb]

They're only pets, so no milk. We got them for our DD years ago. She wanted to raise goats for milk and money. That didn't happen, and I don't know that I'd try to breed them now. I would like to get another couple for milk, but just don't have the room here. Plus, I don't have time to do all that.

Today promises to be another nice day. I hope they're right. They're calling for it to go back up in the 90s next week! And they're still not calling for rain. Today is the last park. This park has a couple of man-made "lakes", as well as a creek. This creek eventually empties into the Delaware. So, LK and I are going to go kaynoeing after the tour. Next week is back to normal work. So my list for today is:

1. Make brownies
2. Dishes
3. Housework
4. Normal animal chores
5. Tour and kaynoeing
6. Practice piano
7. Yard work
8. Firewood

I just need hubby to leave so I can get started.

 

[Denim Deb]

Yesterday was an adventure. First off, when I went to make my brownies, I only had 1 cup of sugar. The recipe calls for 2. So, I made a half a batch. Then I had to figure out what dish to cook them in. Finally found one I figured would work. It did and they're delicious. I just might do a half batch again. Hubby doesn't eat them-normally, so that should be plenty for me. I practiced the piano and got the dishes done while they were cooking. I didn't get as much housework done as I wanted to, but at least I got some done.

Since one of CL's horses is a slow eater, I had to wait for her to get done. While I was waiting, I got feed bagged for Stormy, then worked more on the fence line. I'm really starting to make progress on it.

We had a very bad wind storm back in June. There were many trees down in the park, and much of what had been growing along the lake is gone. It looked much different than how it looked last year. Most, but now quite all of it has been cleaned up, but there's still more that needs to be done. We had a larger than normal group again, but it wasn't too big, and we had a nice time.

I so wish I had taken a bucket w/me when we went kaynoeing. There were some wild grapes growing along the one bank. I don't know what variety they were, but they would have made an excellent jelly. If I had the time, I'd go back and get them. But since I don't, I'm seriously thinking of going out next year w/a bucket and picking them.

This creek was different than any place else we've gone. First off, I think it's tidal. We couldn't go the direction we'd planned on since we couldn't get under a bridge. So, we went the other direction. We went under 2 bridges B4 coming to downed trees we couldn't get around or across. The creek was also much wider, and muddier looking. I have a feeling the water was probably deeper than other places we've gone. We'll go again, just don't know when.

At home, I got a couple more buckets of weeds pulled, then worked on the firewood. I was able to get the 2 pieces cut and split, but it took longer than I was expecting. But I now have a large pile that's cut and split. I haven't stacked it because most of it is sassafras. I need to mix that in w/other wood I have. Sassafras burns quickly, so while it's fine for warmer days, I don't want a lot of it when it's really cold out. There's some small, dead trees out at the farm I'm thinking of cutting down and bringing home-walnut and cherry. That would be a good mix.

Today I don't have a lot planned. Hubby wants to do something, we just don't know what. I do have to do a load of clothes, but other than normal chores, I'm not planning to do much. He's going to be working a lot for the next few weeks, so we'd like to do something that's not only fun, but is cheap as well. I might go back to bed first, though. I woke up at 4:00, and couldn't get back to sleep. I think I can sleep now.

 

[Denim Deb]

I may be moving my horses! Not off the farm, but to a different field. I'm tired of being where I am on the farm. I have everyone going thru my field. My chickens get out and are hard to get back in. Plus, I'm right on the road. I talked to RU, and she's OK w/it-as long as the person I'd need to switch w/is OK w/it. I think she will be. My field has better grass (right now), is dryer and has the nice hay shelter. In order to make the other field as good, I'd need to do a ton of work, but that's OK. And instead of feeding CL's and KN's horses, I'd be feeding LF's. I'd rather feed her horses. And she'd rather have me feeding them. In a couple of weeks, I'll be talking to this other person. If it happens, it won't be until the end of October. I'd start doing some work down there now because I'd have to get an area really clean in order to move my chickens

 

[Denim Deb]

Today was not a good day. First off, I woke up at 3:30! And I couldn't get back to sleep for over an hour. I didn't really sleep good after that. And of course, since I was tired, I had trouble staying awake during church.

It was such a nice day that I rode my bike to church-or at least I started to. I got about halfway, went to stop at a stop sign and the clutch just didn't feel right. I stopped, and the bike shut off! The clutch cable went. I was in gear, so I couldn't move the bike! A guy coming the other way realizes that I'm broke down. I don't know what he did, but he was able to make it so we could move the bike off the road. He was in a truck, and offered to take me home, but I turned him down. He may have been OK, but I knew hubby would flip out. I called hubby and got no answer, so I called the neighbor so someone could go tell him I was broke down. Then I called someone at church to let them know I wasn't going to make Sunday School. I had to make church-I had special music! Finally get ahold of hubby, he called our DS and they came to get the bike. Hubby drove his Jeep, DS drove my truck. I took the Jeep and left the guys there. They loaded the bike into the truck. One thing about the guy that stopped, he buys junk cars, so he followed hubby home and bought our junk car. We didn't get much for it, but at least it's gone!

Got home, sat down to eat and the crown that I had reglued earlier in the year came out again! I am NOT happy about that. Now I have to go back to the dentist. I didn't want to go back to this guy, but don't have time to find a new dentist.

There was no church tonight, so I left for the farm early enough so I could get home B4 dark. My plan was to feed Stormy, take care of the chickens, then go to the bank, get gas and milk and head home. I get to the farm and realized that no one gave Stormy his lunch. So I fed him, fed the chickens, collected eggs then left. I went to the bank, then went in TSC-which is right next to the gas station so I could kill some time, then got my gas and headed back to the farm. I got Stormy fed and while he was eating, I went down to make some measurements. I now know how my shed would fit down at the other area.

Went back to my area, gave the chickens water, got them locked up, got set up for tomorrow, put Stormy back in the field and left. Stopped and got milk, then went home. Of course by then, it was dark. So I fed the goats and Thumper in the dark.

I hope tomorrow is better. I just wish I could ride my bike.

 

[Denim Deb]

We're back to the heat. It's going to be in the 90s all week! I was hoping we were done w/it. We could actually use the remnants of a hurricane right about now. It's been so hot and dry that everything is getting crispy. Hubby's been watering the yard and garden. We almost never water! I don't know that I'll be doing much w/the horses this week, but we'll see. It's going to depend on how early I get to the farm and how hot it is when I have the time to work w/them. But I'm also going to take advantage of the heat. I have a small pond. It really needs to be cleaned out. So I figure I'm going to take a break from the firewood-at least for today, and work on that. My list for today is:

1. Housework
2. Laundry
3. Dishes
4. Normal animal chores
5. Clean field
6. Work w/horses?
7. Work on pond

Now I just need hubby to leave so I can get started!

 

[Denim Deb]

I did some housework, but not a whole lot. There were just too many dishes to do! But, they're all caught up again. I got a load of clothes out on the line B4 I left, I'll put them away in the morning.

I got my field all cleaned and had given Stormy his 2nd feeding by around 12:30. And I had also cleaned some more of the fence line. By that time, it was hot! I wasn't sure what to do, but decided to work w/Licorice some. I put her head stall on her, then tried her w/the bit. She took it! So, I fastened it on the one side, then tried to get her to take it. No problem. I didn't attach it on the other side. Instead I tried to take it out of her mouth. No problem! So then I tried attaching it on both sides, then unclipping it on the one side. I didn't have a bit of trouble w/her!

Since she did so well w/the bit, I got out my DD's old saddle. It's the same size as mine, but since mine is set up for Misty, I didn't want to change it around any. Saddled her up, no problem. I then started messing w/the stirrup, bringing my foot up to it, etc., but didn't try to get on. No problem whatsoever. I'll be working her in the RP on Friday. KN is supposed to be there on Monday. She's the only one I trust to hold her while I get on. But, I think she'll do fine. So, I can start really working w/her some and hopefully my niece can also ride her.

It was still to early to give Stormy his next feeding and I didn't want to work Misty in the RP w/as hot as it was. She may have been OK, but I'm not sure how I would have done! So instead, I bathed everyone. Once they were all dry, I put fly spray on them. By then it was late enough to feed Stormy. Got him fed, got my tank scrubbed and refilled, took care of the chickens, got everyone put away and left.

I did work some on the pond. I haven't really touched it in years! It has an upper pool and a lower pool. The upper one was almost completely full of leaves and mosquitoes! That has been pretty much cleaned out. I was able to get the pump going, but had to clean the filter 2x. I didn't leave the pump running, but will continue to run the pump when I can. I may not have the pond done this year, but it's much better than it was.

 

[Denim Deb]

I took an allergy pill last night B4 going to bed. That's the best I've slept in a few days and I didn't want to get up! I may just go back to sleep for a bit. But if not, I'll get to work on my list. This is what I have for the day:

1. Housework
2. Laundry
3. Normal animal chores
4. Bible study
5. Appointments
6. Ice cream run
7. Dishes

It remains to be seen if I actually do anything this morning or not.

 

[Denim Deb]

I had a great day to begin with. I was doing good on my list, even tried to go back to sleep for a bit, but it didn't work. (Instead, I fell asleep at Bible study during the prayer, I now know what time I need to take the allergy pill so I'm not dragging the next morning.) Got to the allergist on time and didn't have to wait real long to get my shots. Had time to kill B4 the chiropractor, so I stopped at Lowes. I want to build a new house for the goats and the chickens I want to take home, so I got wood for that. Even w/doing that, I got to the chiropractor's on time.

Got out of the chiropractor a bit later than I wanted to, but still wasn't doing bad on time. Got Stormy fed, got chickens rounded up and was ready to leave when I realized that there were still 4 out. I tried to herd them in, but they were giving me trouble so I said forget it and left.

I planned on coming home, getting the goats and Thumper taken care of, then doing dishes. Well I got the goats done, then went to pull some grass for Thumper. I was getting it over where I'm cleaning the yard. Next thing I knew, it felt like my arm was on fire! I looked down just in time to see either a hornet or wasp flying away. I looked over and saw a couple more. So I gave Thumper what grass I had, then went in the house, called the allergist, then got an ice pack and sat down w/ice on my arm. So much for doing dishes. I waited about 20 minutes to be sure I wasn't going to have a reaction. Other than a bit of redness and swelling, I had nothing. So I went out for ice cream. I'm hoping I can get the dishes done in the morning. If not, I'll have to wait until the evening.