# How IS your winter recovery going?



## Performancemini (Apr 4, 2014)

Good idea. Fresh (meat?)-err, topic. Well, it's definitely not winter here anymore-but spring is sure playing games yet. Next week is looking good at this point. Supposed to get 50's with a couple 60's and 71 on one day! Yay-that's more like it.

I am still not able to do much outside and with the horses due to my recovering foot/ankle and hand-but I'm getting there. I see patches of white hair from the shedding grey minis. I also see grey minis that look like "black" and white pinto mud horses LOL! They sure like their sunbaths too. Only sometimes it looks like there's a pasture full of horses that have "kicked the bucket" LOL!

What I'm itching for is sunshine and warm enough weather to clean up the barn, sweep. air it out, etc.

We have been asked by one elementary school and the Library to bring minis for an educational visit. We enjoy doing those. Sometimes I get tired of the intenseness of getting ready for shows. The visits are more relaxing. Still have bathes and a minor trim. But that,s about it.

I know my husband is going to have to get into the sheds a dig out manure and hay from winter. Maybe (and I'm sure he can) he can borrow the neighbor's little Bobcat to do them.

How 'bout you all? What's doing?


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## jacks'thunder (Apr 4, 2014)

My recovery is going stinky! Literally! Hubby was finally able to get the tractor out of the back of the barn to get the spreader into the front of the barn so I could clean out stalls. Usually after I do nasty stalls like that I'm so sore but this time, nope, no soreness! I think because I have been carrying so much water and shoveling and chipping ice I'm in a pretty good place back legs and arms wise!

Yesterday I curled up in a ball and put my heating blanket on. It was so depressing out. Temp in the 30's rain/sleet. It was yucky. Today similar but I am determined to clean my bed room and dust off my exercise machine!


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## jyuukai (Apr 4, 2014)

We are doing well. We went up north for my father in laws funeral so coming hone again was like visiting a sauna.

Due to the baby it's been a shamefully long time since I looked in on my pony, but I know she's in good hands and we are having a blast getting plans together for her new home.

No garden this year. I just don't have the time anymore. Baby boy is high maintenance, and that's putting it mildly.


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## shorthorsemom (Apr 4, 2014)

Starting to recover slowly here. Haven't dug a bit of ground, no hay planted, hardly any manure spread...

On the bright side, my heifer that needed emergency surgery for a twist post calving is recovering so far and eating good.. my calves that were all sick were seen by the vet for the second time and given some fancy antibiotics and treatment and after hosing and giving probiotics and electrolites are actually getting silly they feel so good. The 40 degree or more temperature changes from day to night was tough on our cows and calves and heifers.

My yard looks like a few bombs went off. Working on it. My best friend who recently retired considers yard work a fun chore and bless her for helping me for so many hours try to find my yard again. She got poison ivy already but is still happy to come back and try again. The number of branches that came down in that ice and wind storm last month is daunting.

"special thanks" goes to those city folks who speed through our road in their big SUVs and toss out their beer cans and Mcdonalds trash for me to enjoy and clean up every spring and for all those special folks that think we are a recycling center for appliances and a place to toss their trash when they don't want to pay for garbage removal.

My three kids have been taking turns being sick for 3 weeks. The doctor says... "Your kids haven't been in for a sick visit since 2011. They are doing better finally. One got asked to the prom.. sigh, shopping for prom dresses not my cup of tea... I will try. I am such a nerd.

My friend planted a bunch of flower bulbs out front. I can't remember when is the last time I enjoyed flowers.

My stable is looking good and dry and my horses are shedding like crazy. Just had the farrier out for spring trims, need to get the dentals done soon.

My list grows longer. Need to worm goats, already did hoof trims. Cool trimming fainting goats, they stand real nice and still (stiff).

Anyway, it is so nice to take off the rubber pants I have lived in all winter and if it gets any warmer I might shed the long underwear. Time to go on a diet, can't hide any more.

Spring is here and summer is coming. I am so enjoying my daily walks with the dogs. I can't ever remember going so long without being able to walk at all. Thought the snow would never leave.

take care folks!

Sharing a photo of 4 swans that decided to visit our pond for 4 days during our hopefully last snow fall. I don't know where they came from or where they went, but they sure were pretty to look at.

Trout fish stocking the stream on Monday.


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## Marsha Cassada (Apr 4, 2014)

Gosh, shorthorsemom, that is a beautiful sight, swans in the neighborhood!

I hear you with the city folk throwing their trash out. I carry a grocery sack on my walks and pick up trash. And their animals--grrrr! My friend a few miles down the road had a stray dog (the 2nd in 2 weeks) come up. She already has 3 adopted strays. It bit her, so they had to send it off for rabies testing. It was emaciated, and they couldn't take a chance. Luckily, it was negative. Nasty bite, though. Toms have been under the leanto where we store our hay. I hate that smell! I hate when people drop their stray cats off: Oh, there's a nice barn and people in the country always like to have more cats, don't they?!

I am feeling more hopeful, beginning to see some green here. Mesquite are not budded out yet, but I plan to clip my horses when they do.

Desperate for rain here. Coyote packs are moving in from the south, as I believe it is much worse there. The Wildlife Dept killed 40 by helicopter recently about 50 miles south of me. They were killing newborn calves and coming up into yards in the daytime. People were afraid to let their small children out to play alone.

Killed our first rattlesnake of the year. I walked within a few inches of it several times, then it rattled. Yikes. It had 12 rattles. I had seen the chickens clustered in the area, but didn't pay attention. Need to be alert now.


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## Riverrose28 (Apr 4, 2014)

The weather is playing yo yo but is so warmer. Mud is every where and just when I think hubby has it smoothed out, it rains again. Plants are still in the window because the ground is too wet and muddy to plant. I'm afraid that when we do get the cool weather plants in the ground like broccoli and coliflower that it will get really hot and kill them. I did go to Lowes and get some flowers, they really cheer me up. The paddocks are still a mess, stalls are good but oh the paddocks are so bad it looks like I'm a neglectful owner. A couple of girls have dreadlocks as I can't seem to keep up with them all, the hair is really flying around here, even my farm help has been brushing, and he never helps with grooming. I got the tack room cleaned and the indoor, shame, I'm not showing as we have an indoor that is now vacant becuase of well so many reasons, but whatever. We are seeding two pastures this weekend, ground has been turned over and horses are crammed into a small drylot but they will survive and love it when the new pastures are ready. Still more to do but I over did it yesterday and now my knee is swollen, Dr. said when that happens to baby it till the swelling goes down. It is the knee I had replaced, stupid me, cuase I knew I was over doing it yesterday when my back started hurting. Oh well, I'll get over it. Have plenty of stuff to do without being on that knee, like volunteer work for Cancer. I'm just so happy the weather is warmer.


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## shorthorsemom (Apr 4, 2014)

Yikes, close call on the snakes Marsha!

We had coyotes move in here and they are not something that is normal for this area.

I think the brutal winter was what brought in the coyotes. They have been killing fawns here. I got a photo of one the other day in broad daylight.

I hate when folks drop off their stray cats here too. I got a rescue organization help me spay and neuter about 40 cats here and we were peaceful... then I noticed a new cat... and then she had kittens outside and they are wild as the dickens. sheesh, all over again. Now I have 4 more to neuter. Like I have that kind of money, its like draining the ocean.

My basset hound was dumped here and he came with a Labrador that I was able to find a home for. We get dumped dogs and cats all the time.

Trout stream fish stocking on Monday. Everybody wants to come to the farm and fish, but nobody wants to help with the stocking. same story every year. We didn't stock first pass this year, they brought around the fish truck when we had 6 inches of snow on the ground.

It is a big production to get the tractor and wagon and the fish buckets across the field quickly and get the fish put in the stream. Last year the only help we had was a guy with stage 4 liver failure and a guy that had just had a triple bypass. Reminds me of that kids story about nobody wanting to help to bake the bread but everybody wanting to eat it...

We try to give back to the community but hate being taken advantage of at the same time.

Anyway... watch those snakes!!!!

We have snakes but none that are poisonous.

Out to feed goats.. nice thread... getting some activity on this back porch after all. smile.


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## madmax (Apr 5, 2014)

The story of the Little Red Hen, tell me about it!

Paddocks are drying up but still a chore to clean up, but dry enough to be able to burn downed limbs, but rain is predicted tomorrow; oh great news.

But....I saw a butterfly today, a beautiful yellow swallowtail, so spring must be here and we have lots of pollen everywhere. The baby wrens in the nest on my back porch fledged yesterday and the hawks are screaming and soaring and I did see an eagle fly over. Shedding hair everywhere!


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## bevann (Apr 5, 2014)

got bridle paths trimmed today and worming done on all.farrier comes Tuesday and he will help give 1st shots.My knees(all 3 of the replacements)have been giving me fits for the past 2 weeks-painful every step and even at night in bed.haven't done much since I'm in terrible pain after gettinf barn chorse done in the AM.Lots of sitting.Called ortho guy's office on Monday to get an appointment-got the run around,I'm scheduled to see his assistant on April 16.I'm going in with a NASTY letter about patient after care. IMO he's either greedy or too big for his britches and wants to see how many he can do.He's 1 of the best in this area and waiting time for his surgery is almost 1 year.Got on the internet and self diagnosed.I think it is bursitis of the knees.Got out the DMSO and smeared it on both knees.My thinking-if it's good enough for the horses it's good enough for me.It is working -lots less pain-better movement.Terry-give it a try.Have to get if from equine supplier.Tried my pharmacy-no luck.I feel like dancing-I'm so much better.


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## jacks'thunder (Apr 6, 2014)

I HAVE WATER!!!!! Woo Hooo!!!!!



Last night I turned it on and it took a few but _OH YEAH _I have barn water!!! Today will be grooming and hoof trim day. Maybe sweep cob webs just do some spring cleaning. As long as it's warm and I don't have to wear my snow suit I'm super happy!

I just wanted to say I did have 2 good things come from this nasty winter. I got a new hot water heater and a new(reclaimed) kitchen floor! Both in March! Hubby must have been feeling the yuck of winter too! LOL!


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## Riverrose28 (Apr 6, 2014)

Oh Bev, so sorry to hear you are having problems with your replacments. Yes it is my knee that was replaced years ago, and the doctor tells me it's just one of those things? I have bursitis in my hips, what a pain, mostly at night cuase I can't lay on either side. It's heck getting old isn't it, but sure beats the alternative if you know what I mean.

Got the garden turned over again yesterday, should say hubby did, some plants in the ground and fencing up for peas. I got some worming, grooming done, one stall stipped that had been neglected, shame on me, and finished my mailing for cancer society. Hubby went out and bought us subs for dinner, yeah. We got our stallions hooves trimmed and he was a pain for worming you would have thought I was trying poison him, he is also out of his outdoor paddock so it can be turned over today, for freash planting. Speaking of which, dang pastern seed is getting exspensive. Sun will out all day today but rain tomorrow so out I go.


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## bevann (Apr 6, 2014)

My fake knees are so much better now that I'm using horse liniment on them.(DMSO) It's working great.I can now get a few things done that don't require my sitting on my behind.Got the heated water buckets out of the pastures,scrubbed them good and put out to air dry.Will put them in the tack room tonight until next winter comes.Put out clean red muck buckets and filled them in pastures and run in sheds.Plan to dig up a few more Iris from a spot where they didn't do well.That small field will get lambs when they are weaned.I love spring-my favorite time of year.New babies of all kinds and things get green and start growing.Now if I can just get my crummy back to feel better I will be ready to take on the world.My mind says I can still do things and my body says"NO WAY BABE-WHAT ARE YOU THINKING CRAZY OLD WOMAN!!"


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## chandab (Apr 6, 2014)

Its a little early, but we are warm enough, so I drug out the summer water tubs today and filled them with water. I was getting tired of hauling little buckets of water every day. Also got out the water trailer, so I can more easily haul water; can't leave water in it, its still too cold, but I can haul a lot more with it over buckets. Started cleaning corrals and found a layer of snow/ice under the manure, so its going to be a job cleaning the corrals. Pooped out after 4 cartloads, so will do more tomorrow.


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## candycar (Apr 6, 2014)

I'm doing the happy dance! Spring is here in NE KY. There may be a few more days of cold, but I'm not fazed. We finally got into our new farm, (1 week today) and all the critters are settling in.

I actually got to mow my own pasture today! Knocked down weeds and wild onions. (makes me hungry LOL!) Grass is growing like crazy. Mowed the yard too. We let the minis out in the pasture for the first time yesterday. Like to never got them back in. Today I hand walked them. Will do until they get used to the spring grass or come when called. I'm not chasing them all over 5 acres again!

Now to get the old home ready to sell in between working on the new one. Hope it goes fast! I am so done with that part of my life!

YEAH SPRING!


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## lucky seven (Apr 6, 2014)

*We are overloaded with water from melting snow and there is more rain on the way. The horse stalls need new roofs because they leak. When I can get to it, fencing for a new pasture is going up. We couldn't cart the manure away from the barn with all the snow so we have a winters worth to move. I look at it as future dirt for my garden. *


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## shorthorsemom (Apr 6, 2014)

I raked all day. I have a tractor trailer size load of crap raked up and so much more to rake and my dump cart has a flat. sigh. On the bright side ... it is looking a little better out there.

My mom sent me a message and says she is visiting on April 24th and my brother and my niece and her new baby are coming too. How funny, I didn't invite anybody.. snicker.... YIKES. I have no hope of getting things looking good, I will just settle for not Gross. Don't you just love when the relatives come calling. This was the most brutal winter ever here and we are so far behind and things look positively awful. oh well.

My dear friend came over and brought me some pansies and put them on an old stump out front. Haven't enjoyed flowers in forever. How sweet.


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## Charley (Apr 6, 2014)

Things are starting to look good in the yard.

The horses are shedding and our farrier is coming this next week. So we are making progress. We got some ivy down off the house today and 3 cable dishes taken to the trash. I wish those companies would pick those things up. Got some stone bricks put around the front flower beds.

I bought seed for my herb garden and raked it out today. Thinking of doing my larger veggies in containers this year and the Guinea coup needs repairs on the attached yard.

Tomorrow it is supposed to rain so will get things caught up in the house. Then will be back to picking up fallen limbs and trimming bushes. We have around the house taken care of so it will be time to pick up out in the fields and walk the fence line to see where it needs repairs. I do see a few small pines that need to be snipped off. There is always loads of stuff to do. Loving the temperatures and the breeze was perfect today.


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## Marty (Apr 6, 2014)

My place isn't really a mess because I spruce it up pretty good before winter hits. But I really want to put a fresh coat of paint on the barn and inside this summer and I have to overhaul the tack room which got very messy over the winter. I have a planter in the front and back entrance and need to clean them out and add some new bark chips and lay my manure down for my pumpkin patch and that's about it. The horses have finally began to shed. Yay for that.


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## Debby - LB (Apr 7, 2014)

Saturday it was close to 90 and I got sunburn at the grandsons ball game, yesterday the high was like low 50's and I had to put my flannel shirt and boots back on. Spring in middle Ga. is some weird stuff LOL. Today is 50's with some really bad weather moving through, we're under tornado watch all day.


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## Jenny (Apr 7, 2014)

The snow is just starting to melt here and it's staying about 2-3ºC in the day. The pasture still has about 2 feet of snow and that probably won't be gone until May. No mud, though! We have absolutely no dirt here as we covered everything with gravel or grass. I'm so excited for summer to finally arrive! I have lots of things planned for Breaker and I such as driving lessons, a three-day driving camp, a two-day de-spooking clinic and hopefully go watch my first CDE! Ugh... it's hard to write about warmer times while looking outside at the frozen, snow-covered lake. Oh well, spring will come soon enough.


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## jacks'thunder (Apr 15, 2014)

Ah we just got SNOW! It's April 15 and we just got over an inch of SNOW! It has been beautiful outside. In the high 60's low 70's F. I have been cleaning out my flower beds and just cleaning up the yard enjoying the spring warmth. But now we have SNOW!!!!!! AGAIN!!


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## jacks'thunder (Apr 15, 2014)

This is what I'm waking up to! My poor Irises!


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## Jill (Apr 15, 2014)

CRAZY here. Our grass is long enough to mow AND we are expecting snow tonight (I guess goodbye to our pending apples, plums and peaches).


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## Marsha Cassada (Apr 15, 2014)

We were due for 25 degrees overnight. Spent a couple of hours trying to cover everything. Expected to lose the cherries and peach. It's 7:30 and the temp is 36! Yay!! Even if it drops down now below freezing it won't be there long enough to harm anything. Maybe the moon had something to do with it...


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## shorthorsemom (Apr 15, 2014)

After a taste of spring.. It has been raining and BLOWING for two days. My Tibetan Spaniel Bonnie hates the wind. She would crawl up my pant leg if she could. Too much rain, washing rivers everywhere Now tonight it is going down in the teens in temperature tonight. Brrr Glad I didn't take the heated mattress pad off the bed yet. I covered what plants I could. sheesh, thought we were done with this crappy weather. My goats have been hiding in the hut.

One heifer calved yesterday, 3/4 Jersey calf, cute as the dickens and big brown eyes and huge eyelashes chocolate brown with white spots. AWWWWW. too cute. Glad to not be checking her momma tonight.

awww, shucks, now it is snowing. ugh. Need sunshine.


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## Riverrose28 (Apr 16, 2014)

I'm totally confused, yesterday the temp. started dropping fast, I brought in my potted flowers and took mason jars and covered the tiny baby plants that had popped up over the warm weekend. We didn't bring in any fire wood so of course I'm freezing, thank goodness I have a hubby and dogs to keep me warm at night. I've been taking alergy meds for three weeks and still sneezing and eyes running even after the heavy rain, oh and it was sleeting last night.


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## atotton (Apr 16, 2014)

The winter recovery was going great almost 60cm of snow gone within a few days. Until today.... There was an ice jam and the river let go. The damage is horrible, luckily we are ok. Our property is on higher ground. The damage down below has been devastating to roads, farms and businesses alike. The current is so strong in some places that they can't even send boats across. http://bigcountry969.com/spring-flooding-in-red-bridge-new-brunswick/


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## Marsha Cassada (Apr 16, 2014)

Oh my! That is terrible!!

Why O why can't we somehow even out all this moisture. We are desperately dry here. After the cold snap night before last, the area wheat is ruined. Farmers will be plowing it up, and waiting for rain to try another crop.


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## jacks'thunder (Apr 16, 2014)

OMG!!!! That's is horrible! Thank goodness you guys are alright!! I feel bad for the rest of your area!


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## atotton (Apr 16, 2014)

They had to evacuate about 100 people, but there are still people stranded. The water is slowly starting to go down as of a couple hours ago. I have never seen anything like this, and I have lived here my whole life. A lot of farms ended up underwater, they had to rescue a the livestock. We are currently housing a few horses that were flooded out. Many of the other animals are staying at other local farms until the water resides.


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## shorthorsemom (Apr 17, 2014)

Oh my word alotton... that is really scary. Bless you for helping your neighbors and glad you are ok. wow.. too much rain or too little rain. Seems like there is no balance anywhere.


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## Riverrose28 (Apr 17, 2014)

Oh my. how terrable, makes me feel lucky and so I'll stop complaining. Poor people.


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## Shari (Apr 18, 2014)

I thought winter was over.... so planted some cool weather crops... and of course.... we have three nights of below freezing temps.... 
Will have to go out later today and see if the Veggies lived.

Weather here is bi polar...


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## Minimor (Apr 18, 2014)

I haven't been watching the news so haven't heard about the flooding in NB. What a mess!

Here--It warmed up, then turned cold again--Wednesday MN got 12-15" of snow, that missed us & all we had was the cold. Now it's warming up again and later today/tonight the rain is supposed to start (no fun, not when the temperature is barely above freezing, that's going to be a darn cold rain!) There is a heavy snowfall warning issued for north of here, just 40 miles, or less, from us. To the west just over the border in Saskatchewan they have a freezing rain warning for today. In all honesty, as cold as it is today snow would be preferable to rain.

I already have some sick horses--coughs and snotty noses--and I'm concerned about how they are going to stand up to cold rain tonight.





Crappy weather almost everywhere it seems.


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## madmax (Apr 18, 2014)

a few beautiful warm sunny days and now cold again and more rain, it is supposed to be spring I think. I do have some iris blooming and wild lilies here pop up in the grass, they are very hardy.

Happy Easter everyone.

I just read attton post - so sorry and so terrible - I feel for all those in the flood path, people and animals, something is really amiss here with the weather.................


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## chandab (Apr 18, 2014)

Our temps are rising, slowly, but now the wind is howling. My main project outside at this time is to pick a winter's worth of poop from the corrals, and that isn't happening on a windy day, I have no intentions of aggravating my allergies with poop dust. [That fine stuff is just horrible swirling in the wind.] I could be trimming a couple horses, but no energy to do that today.


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## Reignmaker Miniatures (Apr 18, 2014)

chandab said:


> Our temps are rising, slowly, but now the wind is howling. My main project outside at this time is to pick a winter's worth of poop from the corrals, and that isn't happening on a windy day, I have no intentions of aggravating my allergies with poop dust. [That fine stuff is just horrible swirling in the wind.] I could be trimming a couple horses, but no energy to do that today.


*DUST!!!* good heavens, I am so jealous! We are weeks or months yet from any dust except inside the barn. I haven't even begun spring cleanup ... all that stuff from dogs and horses and the chicken house and... Oh my. Our weather _has_ improved but we had so much snow this year that I've still got probably a foot of the stuff in the fields and we won't even take about all those banks that got pushed up when we were clearing driveways and parking areas (and spaces for the horses to move around) . I expect it to be June before some of these piles go (lets hope I'm exaggerating



) But... we haven't had to deal with bitter cold for over a month and any snow flurries were wet and more like rain, didn't stay for more than a night, so I won't complain. I feel so bad for the people who keep seeing a recap of the winter or all that flooding. Hang in there every one, remember global warming, _*not*_ another ice age!


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## chandab (Apr 18, 2014)

3-6" layer of mostly dry dusty poop on top, 1-4" layer of ice, and then either another layer of poop or ground level. That would be the mare pen. The gelding pen and other group pen are much wetter and deeper; its been longer since they've had a deep cleaning.


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## vickie gee (Apr 19, 2014)

Finally a beautiful sunny day reaching around 80 degrees here. Perfect for Easter! Happy Easter everyone and hope you are blessed with decent weather.

We will be repairing fencing at our elderly neighbor lady's house. Hopefully we have a win/win situation going on. Her brother comes from New Mexico to here in Texas a few times a year to bush hog their family place and do maintenance there. He will be in a few days. We are going to put the "the boys" in their pasture. Last week we got the fallen limbs up to make it easier for his bush hogging. She is a really good neighbor. She gives me fresh garden veggies and I give her wheel barrel loads of poop for compost.

Week before last on Sunday I was in shorts and a tank top. Woke up the next morning needing heavy coat, toboggan, and gloves. Glad winter is over and hope we have some spring before getting hit with the inevitable summer heat.


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## shorthorsemom (Apr 30, 2014)

It has rained buckets all day. We were at 6-8 inches of rain at supper time and it has rained hard ever since. Roads and pastures flooded and the stream is way over its banks and into the fields. looks like a raging river. I have no idea how many inches total this will be but it hasn't flooded like this since hurricane agnes. YIKES. So glad we have not had time to plant hay or corn as yet. Those farmers are surely crying with all this flooding. Many will have to replant as the fields are washing something horrible. Wind from weird direction, old house dripping... goats haven't come out of the hut all day. Horses don't seem to mind. I am going batty trying to convince the dogs that it is a good idea to go potty outside. I am ready for a real spring. had frost 2 days ago. ugh. Need to buy some grass hay and nothing is growing.

Ok... done whining... down to barn to finish cows and hay feeding. Hope we keep our power.


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## chandab (May 1, 2014)

We have a touch of winter again, a bit of snow and rain, and now mud and slop.


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## lucky seven (May 1, 2014)

My recovery is going very slowly, it just keeps raining and adding to the mud. Wish the sun would shine for more than the 5 minutes at the end of the day.


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## bevann (May 4, 2014)

Removed the last of the heated buckets from inside the barn and finished scrubbing them today.Put away clean so they will be ready when cold weather gets here.Now if I can just get Mr.Procastinator to get the sheep buckets cleaned and put away before he starts raising mosquitoes in them.(killed my 1st 1 yesterday).He has his own time schedule.Our grass looks like it is ready to be baled for hay.Maybe this week he will get around to it.I'm not even going to say anything.


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## chandab (May 4, 2014)

We have a near white-out blizzard today; ok, so not quite that bad, but its been coming down all day and there is at least an inch of snow out there.


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## Shari (May 5, 2014)

chandab said:


> We have a near white-out blizzard today; ok, so not quite that bad, but its been coming down all day and there is at least an inch of snow out there.


Good grief its May! Think Mother Nature in your area, needs a reminder it is spring!


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## chandab (May 5, 2014)

Shari said:


> Good grief its May! Think Mother Nature in your area, needs a reminder it is spring!


Yes, a reminder is probably a good thing. Much of the snow is gone this morning, but it's still only like 35 degrees out (well it was 35 like an hour ago, so I'm sure not much warmer). Back to winter coat and boots for chores for a day or two.


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## Riverrose28 (May 5, 2014)

It's really nice here today, yesterday was nice too. Last week we had four days of heavy rain, lotsw of flooding, and the roof leaked i8n my quest room, it is an addition and has a flat roof. More money out with the rain. So it was dry enough yesterday to cut grass, and I bathed two mares, got them rough clipped this morning, will rebath them tomorrow so they will be squeaky clean and dry faster so I can clip them properly. Mean time they are in the indoor, stalled, blanketed at night, in the round pen during the day. These are older mares and I wormed them, and now that the woolies are off I can see they need more groceries. All the rain sent me muskrat troubles. One was in the back yard yesterday and one in the front today, I cought them and turned them loose in the pond in the woods, we have several ponds and are only two miles from the river, so sometimes when there is alot of rain we get some strange water critters running around. I would hate for them to get in a fight with one of the dogs, nasty bite.


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## MountainWoman (May 7, 2014)

Well, it's no longer below zero but this morning we are at 31" and still having flurries from time to time and cold drenching rain. No buds on the trees, no grass on the ground so winter is still here


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## Charley (May 7, 2014)

Looks like it might rain today. Yesterday was perfect for working in the yard and we were out with the tractor and trailer cutting out dead limbs and cleaning vines off the fences. We were gone from the farm for 8 years while our daughter and family took care of our horses. I would come back in the spring and fall each year to mow the fields but a lot of things didn't get kept up. So we are not just recovering from the winter but from our absence.

The horses are older so more mellow. They love the attention that they get now and I love my time with them. My daughter fed them but very seldom groomed them. I fit that in and the farrier visit when I came down for a week to mow in both spring and fall. The tack room is organized and a new feeding schedule is in place. The horses look good and healthy. I keep looking at my carts and miss not having a trained pony. Hubby thinks I can train our mare to the cart but I don't really know where to start. The farrier offered to take her and train her but I just got back and don't want her to leave. Sometimes I think it would be better to purchase an new horse already trained. I am keeping so busy with the farm right now that it is not a priority yet.

So far we have the front yard back to looking good (mowed and bushes trimmed, bricks straighter around flower beds) but our land on the other side of the road is only started. We have some trees down that need to be cut up and moved and the trees need to be trimmed so the tractor can be used to mow under them. The fields have been walked and trash that has blown in has been removed. In two fields out of five we have started cutting unwanted little trees and bushes and have moved the horses off two of the fields. They may need to be reseeded.

We are collecting the rocks and stones that have surfaced and are moving them to where we will be putting in a stone drive to the barn. We are filling in a few holes in the yard with dirt from the horses and will be putting some on the flower beds. So much to do.

The good thing is we can see the difference where we have worked and will be taking it one section at a time. Since we have only 3 horses now hubby is converting one five stall building into a workshop and one two stall barn into lawn equipment storage. We will be removing our back yard fencing so it will be easier to mow and cross and making two of our fields into one field by removing another section of fencing. We are debating having a pond put in that field.

Inside the house we have been busy painting and had new carpeting put in. My husband has remodeled the half bath and is now working on the full bath. They new shower is tiled and he is ready to move on to the flooring.

I am finding time to read in the evenings and early in the morning I am able to sew. The granddaughters come over every now and then. So life is good. It is nice to be back home.


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## Tab (May 20, 2014)

I think that our visit to TN helped us to start feeling Spring. The reason why it goes too fast is because we are all so busy having fun as long as the weather holds. I feel great. Sleep is great, soreness = happiness. Whereas in the Winter it's just physical pain! Horses are getting played with lots and lots! It took until the end of May to really feel Spring here. We've had lots of rain but no complaints, it just makes the sunshine days more glorious. Hubby cleaned out the garage so I can tie horses in there and groom and trim hooves even if it's raining. It accounts for some great fresh air and bonding time with the horses!


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