# Thistleblooms Rambles



## thistlebloom (Dec 6, 2019)

I've been reading around on BYH for awhile and am so impressed by the gold mine of knowledge here and the members depth of experience. Also everyone is so friendly!
I don't expect to add anything to the knowledge base, but it might be pretty handy for me to have my ramblings in one spot., to refresh my own memory of events.

To introduce myself, my husband and I live on 10 timbered acres in north Idaho, 70 miles or so south of the Canadian border. Our kids are grown but not too far away, each of them about 30 minutes away, one north, one south. We have animals, but I will not pretend that I do anything close to farming.
I raise a vegetable garden, keep a few hens, a couple of dogs (Bernese Mtn. dog and a Australian Cattle dog) two horses and a miniature mule.

To pay the feed bills I have a garden maintenance business. I work in the town 20 miles south of us, taking care of landscapes during the growing season. One of the reasons I love winter is because that's when I am not taking care of landscapes.
We have four seasons, the longest is winter. Our growing season is fairly short so we have to grow short season crops, or use season extenders.

I always wanted to be a farmer, and do come from a farming heritage. My great grandparents homesteaded and raised sheep and potatoes in the eastern part of the state, near the Tetons.
Many relatives on both sides of the family farmed and family reunions were often on one of their farms. My cousins were marvelously fortunate in my estimation to be living the life I admired.

We love where we live and wouldn't trade it for anywhere else.

Here's some random photos that I just pulled up in no particular order.

Riding my old guy in the State Park near me.




Our Kid#1 and my cattle dog on a hike we took on the day of the eclipse (whenever that was, I can't remember...) It took my knees weeks to recover from hiking back down. Ugh, I am so old!


My girls, left to right, Wren, Larka,  and my mare Syringa.


My 21 year old gelding Luke,  and my 4 year old mare Syringa. This was last winter, we don't have snow yet.



Huckleberry the little mule with a neighbor buddy.



My main squeeze with our new bikes. We've mountain biked for years, but this is the first winter season with fattys. We're excited to be able to snow ride this year.



A visitor in October.


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## Baymule (Dec 6, 2019)

I'm really glad that you joined BYH, what took so long? As always, love the pictures!


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## Beekissed (Dec 6, 2019)

Thistle, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the pics!!! That one of Luke and Syringa is magazine quality!   I also love to see pics of your place and area....simply lovely country!   

So glad you are here!!!


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## thistlebloom (Dec 6, 2019)

Baymule said:


> I'm really glad that you joined BYH, what took so long? As always, love the pictures!



Hah! I know right? I don't know what's the matter with me?




Beekissed said:


> Thistle, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the pics!!! That one of Luke and Syringa is magazine quality!   I also love to see pics of your place and area....simply lovely country!
> 
> So glad you are here!!!



Thanks Bee! Better late than never!


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## Baymule (Dec 6, 2019)

thistlebloom said:


> Hah! I know right? I don't know what's the matter with me?



I do, but I'll keep your dark secret...…..


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## thistlebloom (Dec 6, 2019)

🤣 Bwahahaha! and I'll keep those checks comin'!


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## thistlebloom (Dec 7, 2019)

Today was a drizzly sprinkly wet day all day. I had hoped for a dry spell earlier so dh and I could get a fatty ride in. Back when we were made of tougher stuff a little rain wouldn't have slowed us down, but I'm afraid I'm turning into a sissy.

So to make myself feel like I could still be useful I brought the two borrowed western saddles in, and my endurance saddle to clean. Set them on a sheet in front of the fire to warm the leather up and got to it.


The little borrowed one will go back to my neighbor tomorrow, and the bigger one that actually fits my mare will go back when the saddle I'm having built is finally done.
I was hoping to have it by now, but it looks like maybe not till the first of the year.

Meanwhile I am planning on getting Syringas first ride in sometime this week. I don't want to keep putting it off, waiting for her saddle to get done.. My round pen doesn't have good footing and I'm not craving a horse laying on me, so one of our neighbors told me to bring her down to their little arena. They just spread a load of arena sand and it's ready to go. I'm committed to this plan now....since several of the neighbors have heard the news already.  No secrets around here, haha.
For the first few days I will just take her down and do groundwork, see how her mental attitude does, then when she  is settled into being there I'll throw a leg over and pray like crazy. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and I can make it happen.

Backing up a bit, Syringa is a 4 year old mustang I have had for over a year. She was a wild one, defensive, extremely reactive, wary , snorty , blowy, the whole enchilada. We have established a great relationship and mutual trust and she has come a long, long way. I'm very proud of her and love her to pieces.

After I finished the saddle cleaning I had cabin fever so called my neighbor up and we messed around on her obstacle course with our horses. It was soggy but felt good to get out and Syringa did well, she was a little sassy at first but did settle down and listen to me.


Well, looks like the pizza dough is raised and dh is making hungry sounds, so I'll get up now and make dinner. Not supposed to rain tomorrow so maybe I'll get a ride in on the old guy (Luke). Not to be confused with the other old guy (dh).


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## Baymule (Dec 7, 2019)

I sure hope you have someone there taking pictures of your first ride and possibly your attempt at flying.    I don't recommend the flying part, you won't go far before crashing to the ground--and it hurts.  You can't back out now, it has spread around the neighborhood and you have announced it on the internet.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 7, 2019)

Oh yeah, the neighbor whose arena I'm using is a former nurse and paramedic. Pretty handy I guess.  
I will also press her into service as photographer, lol.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 11, 2019)

Looks like we got some sticking snow finally. About 1" according to my finger meter. Just enough to practice seeing it, but not so much to be brutal. It's actually the third snow of the season, but this one I think is planning on staying. Predicted to be getting a little every day, like an inch each event. Maybe it's good to go gradual so all the nincompoops can start driving like it's really winter. That probably won't really happen though.

I practiced shoveling off the patio and taking it off the vehicles, just in case I couldn't remember. Yep, I still have the technique down, lol. The Bernese dog loves snow, lives for winter and was squirrelly and overjoyed to run around in it when I let them out of the dog run. The cattle dog is not so excited, but it does usually mean she comes in the house with me when my chores are done, so that makes her happy to see it.

The two new barn kitties get kicked out of the house every morning so they can learn to be outdoor cats (they will still always be inside at night, I hate to lose these two to coyotes as they are such personable funny characters) and they actually seemed to like the snow. They scampered and leaped and attacked it. Tomorrow is a big day for them as they are going on a field trip to town to be separated from certain parts of their anatomy.

I couldn't wait to try out my new fat bike in the snow, so the dogs and I took a spin around the gravel roads of our neighborhood. 
It's much easier to handle in snow than my old standard mtn. bike, even with 4" wide tires, or maybe it's because of the 4" tires. 
The snow gave some rolling resistance but not too bad. We'll see, but I don't think this girl will be pedaling in untracked deep stuff. Not unless I ride with someone who knows CPR.
Fortunately our local State park has a fat bike trail system that they groom.


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## Bruce (Dec 11, 2019)

Do you have the optional snow blade for the front of that bike?


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## Beekissed (Dec 11, 2019)

T, I'd never heard of this "fat bike" but it sounds like it was made for me, being fat and all.    Googled a pic of it and never even knew those existed!   How cool!   Are they easy or hard to pedal?  They look like something we could even ride back here, on this rough terrain.


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## Bruce (Dec 11, 2019)

Actually, I used to work with a guy whose wife started a business making bikes for heavier people. Don't think she called it a fat bike though


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## Baymule (Dec 11, 2019)

Bruce said:


> Actually, I used to work with a guy whose wife started a business making bikes for heavier people. Don't think she called it a fat bike though


Hefty bike?


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## Beekissed (Dec 11, 2019)

"Get on your bikes and ride!" ~Queen, _Fat Bottomed Girls.  _


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## Bruce (Dec 11, 2019)

Baymule said:


> Hefty bike?


 

Uh, no. I can't find it on Google.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 11, 2019)

Bruce said:


> Do you have the optional snow blade for the front of that bike?


Ha! I'm so happy those haven't been invented yet! You sir, are ahead of your time. 




Beekissed said:


> T, I'd never heard of this "fat bike" but it sounds like it was made for me, being fat and all.    Googled a pic of it and never even knew those existed!   How cool!   Are they easy or hard to pedal?  They look like something we could even ride back here, on this rough terrain.


 
Bee, you are so funny! This bike is easy to pedal and very responsive to handle. It's a 10 speed, with a pretty low lowest gear. The fat tires are run at a lower pressure so they absorb jolts, and I am loving how it eats big rocks and roots like they aren't even there. I got a killer deal on mine, I bought it from the manufacturer (FramedBikes) and paid about half of retail.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 15, 2019)

My little eunuchs.


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## Bruce (Dec 16, 2019)

Nothing like a nice wood stove fire to warm the cats!


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## thistlebloom (Dec 17, 2019)

Yes, they love that particular spot. These are my "barn" cats  🤣.
The orange one, Finnigan, was found on the side of a lonesome highway in Wyoming by my sons GF. She can't have pets where she lives so I took him. Had to get him a buddy so checked CL and found Angus. They are best pals, pretty much inseparable.
They were too tiny to live outside so they will be house guests until spring. They spend the days outside and nights indoors. They have a nice box with a kennel heater in it inside the hay shed if they need to get warmed up, but spend most of their time climbing trees, wrestling, and stalking the horses tails.
I have never had house cats, but these guys have been pretty well behaved. They aren't ever loose in the house without supervision though, because they are cats after all. And I must admit that a purring bundle of cat in your lap is pretty nice.

Had a little excitement yesterday afternoon. I came in from doing chores and was sitting by the fire with my laptop. I looked up to see my mare Syringa acting very animated and looking toward the house. I stood up to see a big cow moose, hackles raised approaching my BMD who was tied out on her cable run (long story, bad dog!). Fortunately Larka knows better than to bark at moose, so she was backing up mouthing the words -somebody help the dog! and glancing sideways at the house.
I jerked the slider open and yelled hey! at the moose to distract her. My husband had leapt up off the couch when I said 'oh crap a moose is gonna kill Larka' and told me not to go out there. No duh.

Well the cow sort of ambled away from the dog, still looking threatening, then decided to go around the mini mules pen and give him a heart attack. I raced out , unclipped Larka and let her in. Close call. Larka will no longer be tied out during moose season. She will be with me when I'm outside, in the run, or in the house for short visits. She can not be trusted to stay home. Not a trouble maker, just a social butterfly who loves to visit all the neighbors and see if they have any unattended cat food sitting around.


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## Bruce (Dec 17, 2019)

Close call!


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## Baymule (Dec 17, 2019)

That was a close call! Larka almost got Schmoosed!


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## thistlebloom (Dec 19, 2019)

It has been snowing all day, except for about a two hour break this afternoon. Great time to take the girls out for a run with my fat bike.   It is no doubt a workout going through just 4" of snow, but it was super fun and did I mention I love this bike?
I did not cheat and ride in the tire tracks, I rode through the untracked stuff. I did however choose the route that didn't have any hills. I'm no dummy!


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## Beekissed (Dec 21, 2019)

What a lovely ride!!!   You should get those dogs onto a bike joring line and let them help.   The Bernie, at least, will love it...they are made for pulling.  

I'm envious of the snow....we've not had a good one yet.  Dogs LOVE snow. 






turn off the sound for this next one....it will drive you nuts...


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## thistlebloom (Dec 21, 2019)

Thanks Bee! We have talked about it, dh actually had her pulling the kicksled last year. Sort of... She's a draft breed but really not that into running LOL. She does a lot of flopping in the snow when she gets ahead of me. Dh has a kick_ bike, _basically a grownup scooter that he can't kick anymore due to foot pain, but he wants to train Larka to pull it. The cattle dog is a runner, but at 20ish pounds really too small. We could hitch them inline.... 🤔

I already have one of those thingys the gal in the first vid mentioned... a Walky. I used to connect Larka to it when I pedaled around the loop here, but she's obedient and good at staying with me now. I thought that was a great idea attaching it to the handlebars to run the line through.

Oh and all that snow died. It rained all day yesterday, booo! It's still out there but a sloppy mushy mess. Still warm and rainy.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Dec 21, 2019)

Miss @thistlebloom,

Just found your journal and am now following along.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## thistlebloom (Dec 21, 2019)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Miss @thistlebloom,
> 
> Just found your journal and am now following along.
> 
> Senile Texas Aggie



Hi @Senile_Texas_Aggie ! Thank you, and if you have insomnia it should be just the ticket.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 23, 2019)

Friday morning I had a horse incident that has me sporting a big colorful shiner on my right cheekbone. In more than 6 decades I believe it's the first black eye I've ever had. It was a very discouraging event and pretty much shattered my trust and grieved my heart. Also fired me up and set my resolve.

I was longer than usual in my feeding routine Friday a.m., mostly because I had to mend holes in the horses hay nets. Syringa (the mustang) was impatiently waiting when I finally got to her. I always feed her last anyway to teach her some patience. 
She is all about food.
I hung her net and was leaving her pen, she was standing back waiting for the okay, as I have trained her to, and as I approached on my way out I reached forward to rub her forehead as per usual. I may have been preoccupied and not been focused on her body language, but I'm pretty certain she wasn't exhibiting any pissy attitudinal posture. Next instant I have a closeup of bared teeth lunging toward my head. She hit my cheek, but didn't grab any flesh and leapt away as I hollered and swung. I missed the 3 second "kill 'em if you can" window since I had no tool to use and she had jumped away so fast.

I ran and got my stick and string and moved her around me in her pen at a canter, changing directions, stopping,  backing etc for at least 5 minutes. I was looking for an ears forward, "yes ma'am, anything else I can do for you?" posture which she finally gave me. She spent quite some time tied to a thinking tree after, and getting moved a lot on the line before I finally unhaltered her and gave her permission to eat. I came in and showed my husband my prize fighter shiner. We discussed how big a hole our neighbor would have to dig with his backhoe. I will not pass a dangerous animal on to someone else, no matter their level of experience or commitment.

After giving it deep and serious consideration I have determined where my mistakes have been. She is a dominant testy mare that doesn't like to be told what to do. She has come a long, long way from the wild defensive thing she was when I got her, and that is encouraging. She also has made huge progress in becoming compliant and willing. Every now and then she does have the pissy ears- leave me alone attitude.
 I believe that has been my greatest fail in working with her, and I just realized it. When asked to do something new, she sometimes protests with ears back and a tail swish. I have stopped asking when she exhibits the proper response ( moving her shoulders, moving her hindquarters etc.) *But not addressing the attitude she does it with. *So in her mind, and this is critically important, I haven't released the pressure because she obeyed, I released the pressure because she threatened me long enough. I have basically been training her to be threatening and go for the Boss Mare position. 
So the new game plan is a No Pissy Ears campaign. I will increase the ask pressure until she puts her ears forward and does the movement I asked for. Back to square one. 

I started the new plan Friday and she really took a lot of convincing that I would accept nothing less than obedience with a pleasant attitude. But I see some light out there at the far end of the tunnel. Yesterday I only had to work slightly less long and persistently before the yes ma'am. My sweet husband surprised me with his encouragement. He reminded me of where she and I started, and didn't think I should give up on her. I have to always keep in mind what she's capable of and not get sloppy and complacent. I really expected him to vote for the hole in the ground because he's very protective of me. 

I'm glad I learned my error, and remembered what horses can do. It was a wakeup call for sure, and I'm earnestly pursuing a complete turnaround in both my handling of her and her attitude to pressure. But if it happens again she won't get any more reprieves even though it will crush my heart severely to have to make that call.


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## Bruce (Dec 23, 2019)

I hope you've got her number now! I don't know much of anything about horses, your description of "horse posture" is quite informative.


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## Baymule (Dec 23, 2019)

She asserted herself as lead mare and you missed it. Little by little, she "pushed" and you saw it, but you didn't SEE it. I'm sure glad that she didn't bite a hunk out of your face. By comparison, a black eye ain't so bad. It was a wake up call, glad you answered the phone! LOL The REAL Lead Mare just woke up and is slapping the herd back into shape.

My 32 year old Tennessee Walker mare Sparkles,  is, and always has been the Lead Mare. Horses have came and went, only one time was she challenged, by a 17 hand, built like a tank, big bossy mare named Rocki. Sparkles went after Rocki, teeth bared, head snaked out, ears back, whirling around to kick and driving Rocki away. Again and again, and again. I fed Rocki well away from the herd, but Sparkles ran Rocki away from her feed and wouldn't let her eat. I turned over a bucket and just watched it all play out.

@Bruce, horses never pick up a 2x4 and clobber each other, only ignorant idiot people do that because they don't speak "horse" and are too stupid to even try. @thistlebloom speaks horse fluently and knows how to get Syringa's attention just like a lead mare, but without biting and kicking. A mouthful of hair probably wouldn't make much of an impact anyway, except on thistlebloom. LOL

So when a member of the herd needs correction, the Lead Mare chases that individual away from the safety of the herd. Being a prey animal, a horse alone is vunerable to predators. So when Sparkles ran Rocki away, Rocki desperately wanted back in the safety of herd. She could have gone anywhere on 36 acres, but suddenly, the 20 feet or so of proximity to the herd became the most important desire of her life. Sparkles didn't let up, chastising Rocki again and again, it went on for a couple of weeks. Rocki finally submitted to Sparkles and was allowed to join the herd. Thereafter, it only took an ears back, nasty bite or two for Sparkles to keep Rocki on her best behavior.

Syringa has had a bad attitude, with her ears back, swishing her tail, (think an eye roll from a rebellious teenager) clearly telling thistlebloom that she was complying, but didn't WANT to and it was only a matter of time before she challenged the Lead Mare for position in the herd. What thistlebloom is doing now is making Syringa "move her feet". Even in the confines of a pen, she is running Syringa away from the herd. Because she is in a pen, she can't run away, but must keep moving. As long as she has a bad attitude, thistlebloom makes her keep moving. When she changes her attitude, ears up instead of annoyed laid back, her reward is to stop. That is the pressure thistlebloom is talking about.

I hope you have a better mental picture of why posture, tail swishing, ears alert or laid back makes such a difference. That is horse language.

Thistlebloom I hope I have explained that correctly, feel free to add to or explain it differently.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 23, 2019)

Nope, that was a perfect explanation Bay. Thanks for making it easier to understand. 

I don't want to make excuses for bad behavior ,but Syringa has been on edge for a few weeks. The moose are a source of concern to her. Not so much when they are here and visible, but they hang out in the woods across the road and she spends a lot of time staring and on alert watching. Some times you can see her legs tremble. 
We are working things out.  She's a pistol for sure! Love that darn horse.


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## Baymule (Dec 23, 2019)

She would probably come unwound if you were riding and came upon one. Not a good thought!


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## thistlebloom (Dec 23, 2019)

Baymule said:


> She would probably come unwound if you were riding and came upon one. Not a good thought!


 That is always in the back of our minds whenever we ride. Luke would be manageable. Syringa needs a lot of hours in a moose free arena until we get solid. Looks like the first ride is going to be pushed back until I have more confidence in her willingness to be my deputy and not the Sherriff.  🤣 Watching a western right now...


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## Bruce (Dec 24, 2019)

I wonder if a LGD or two would make Syringa feel more comfortable and safe from the moose and whatever else is outside the pasture.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 24, 2019)

Yeah, definitely need an Armenian Gampr in my yard. Soon as I get the several thousand to fence the whole 10 acres I will jump right on that. 
I seriously would love a Gampr though. Syringa loves dogs. (My good neighbor doing line work with her, at my other neighbors Gampr riddled property).


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## B&B Happy goats (Dec 24, 2019)

So sorry to read about your Christmas  shiner, could of been worse for you ....and your horse if you had found something  to beat the snot out of her when she got you. 
Glad you are ok , happier that you got a handle  on your girl now


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## Bruce (Dec 24, 2019)

thistlebloom said:


> at my other neighbors Gampr riddled property


Well if they have THAT many they probably wouldn't notice if one or two disappeared   
Maybe they wouldn't mind if you took a couple over to your place since you would be paying for the food.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 24, 2019)

I'd definitely need permission since it could be hard to disguise them as sheep.


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## promiseacres (Dec 24, 2019)

Glad you're ok. Even my sweet Richie has taken the time to remind me he is a horse and to stick to his language at times.  Some are much more forgiving than others.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 24, 2019)

B&B Happy goats said:


> So sorry to read about your Christmas shiner,



Well at least it's a festive red and green!


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## B&B Happy goats (Dec 24, 2019)

thistlebloom said:


> Well at least it's a festive red and green!


I bet it is, !   take care of yourself🐴


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## thistlebloom (Dec 30, 2019)

Saturday dh and I took the fat bikes over to the State park for some riding. We had planned a long route but ran into several trail closures due to logging. I think they are removing beetle killed trees. Anyway after trying a few alternate trails unsuccessfully we headed back to the truck. We did get a good workout in though. Immediately after starting out my sweet husband tried to kill me with a long climb. We weren't even properly warmed up and I was seriously sucking air. I beat that hill though, pedaled to the top.
Yay me.

The Bald eagles are fishing for Kokanee salmon right now so a lot of bird watchers are milling around watching them. Dh saw several (eagles) but I didn't see any. I don't like to take my eyes off the trail that long. I did stop and get a few pictures before we got back to the truck though. Not of Bald eagles, just lake and mountains. You can see we don't have much snow yet.










We are supposed to be getting 200" this year. I'm sure it will all come in one big event, right at the cusp of spring, just when we are thinking we didn't have to work so hard this winter.


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## Bruce (Dec 30, 2019)

thistlebloom said:


> We are supposed to be getting 200" this year


That is a lot of snow 😲


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## Baymule (Dec 30, 2019)

200 inches of snow? At your house? What do you do, dig tunnels?


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## thistlebloom (Dec 30, 2019)

Baymule said:


> 200 inches of snow? At your house? What do you do, dig tunnels?



Oh yes. We turn into big hairy snow gophers.

Fortunately it doesn't come 200 inches at a time, so it does sort of compress and compact, and we have time between dumps to move it around. Again and again....
It's almost as exhausting as picking those ginormous steroid induced Texas weeds! 🤣


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## B&B Happy goats (Dec 30, 2019)

.....thistlebloom you crack me up ....


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## Mike CHS (Dec 30, 2019)

We might get 3 inches over a winter and that's more than enough considering we get enough freezing rain to shut us down for days with our hills.


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## Baymule (Dec 31, 2019)

Mike CHS said:


> We might get 3 inches over a winter and that's more than enough considering we get enough freezing rain to shut us down for days with our hills.



Some winters we don't even get that much!


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## Baymule (Dec 31, 2019)

I want a picture of you as a big hairy snow gopher.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Dec 31, 2019)

Miss @thistlebloom,

You ought to take some videos of the snow clearing when you do it and post them on YouTube.  That way we could feel your pain -- and for us Southerners be glad we are not having to deal with it! 

Senile Texas Aggie


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## Bruce (Dec 31, 2019)

Mike, snow is not bad, freezing rain is wicked!!!


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## thistlebloom (Dec 31, 2019)

Bruce said:


> Mike, snow is not bad, freezing rain is wicked!!!



Got that right. I will take the 16' of snow over ice and freezing rain any day. I won't be thrilled, but I'll take it.
We are supposed to get 8" today (here at my house in the "snow belt" we will get several more inches than that probably) then rain tonight and tomorrow.
It would be nice if the weather would just pick something and stick to it.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 31, 2019)

Baymule said:


> I want a picture of you as a big hairy snow gopher.



Big hairy snow gophers are sort of like Sasquatch -hard to catch in action - but we'll try.


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## Bruce (Dec 31, 2019)

At least you'll have some snow to soak up the rain so it doesn't become freezing rain.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 31, 2019)

Upper 30's and mid 40's are forecast for the rest of the week. No freezing temps any time soon. So there goes the snow. The ski mountains around are having a rough season.


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## Bruce (Dec 31, 2019)

We are supposed to hang just below and just above freezing through Thursday, then rising to just below 40°F through most of Saturday.


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## B&B Happy goats (Dec 31, 2019)

I feel for both of you, so happy to be in Florida and not dealing with that weather anymore...


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## thistlebloom (Dec 31, 2019)

B&B Happy goats said:


> I feel for both of you, so happy to be in Florida and not dealing with that weather anymore...



Ohhh, you're sweet Barb, but I wouldn't live anywhere else.


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## B&B Happy goats (Dec 31, 2019)

thistlebloom said:


> Ohhh, you're sweet Barb, but I wouldn't live anywhere else.


That's  awesome  that you love where you live, I miss the New England people, mountains, and sea shore....but just can't  do the cold weather anymore.....it is 49 degrees outside right now, ...the heat is set at 77 and I have a shirt and sweatshirt on  I have become a weather wimp !


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## thistlebloom (Dec 31, 2019)

I know what you mean, I can still rely on my hot flashes for reliable warmth. 🤣


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## B&B Happy goats (Dec 31, 2019)

thistlebloom said:


> I know what you mean, I can still rely on my hot flashes for reliable warmth. 🤣


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## Baymule (Dec 31, 2019)

thistlebloom said:


> Big hairy snow gophers are sort of like Sasquatch -hard to catch in action - but we'll try.


It's called a selfie. Duh.



thistlebloom said:


> I know what you mean, I can still rely on my hot flashes for reliable warmth. 🤣


Those aren't hot flashes, they are power surges!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 4, 2020)

Sunshine today, after a gloomy start. It's windy though, with 45mph gusts and a steady 15mph breeze. I should be outside but I didn't sleep well and I hate wind, so I have (temporarily) parked myself next to the woodstove.

 Dh went for a bike ride without me, but I am going to go out soon and ride the bike and take the girls for a run around the neighborhood.
Supposed to snow tonight... about 41 f right now, and we are virtually snowless, except for the shady areas. Such weird January weather.

I'm happy to report that I have declared Syringa, giver of black eyes, Not Psycho. Which is a relief to me. 
We have been concentrating on the basics again, and she is making progress in the ears forward, whatever you say ma'am attitude. Not huge progress yet, but I can see the wheels turning as she finds me being persistently consistent in my requests and adamant about her responding with an ears forward_ I will do that_ posture. Today I think we will just take a walk and keep the training pressure to a minimum. My head is a little achey anyway, probably because the humidity is pretty much non-existent.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 4, 2020)

Sure hope you are feeling better


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## thistlebloom (Jan 4, 2020)

Dh came back from his ride and said it was so windy that when he was out of the trees it pretty much stopped him. Yuck. Glad I didn't partake. Would have made me grumpy! 🤣 

I did run the girls around the neighborhood and for some reason that made my headache go away. Huh, can't figure that out, but I'll take it. My black eye is also fading. Now I  look like I was just slightly abused and have a little jaundice. 

Our neighbors, whom I truly love, except for nights like tonight, informed all of us horse owners that they will be setting off fireworks at their office party tonight. I guess it was a gesture of consideration, albeit, largely useless because there just isn't a lot to be done for a horse freaking out by loud colorful explosions overhead. I will go out and sit on the corral fence as that seems to give Syringa some comfort, and she will stand next to me. And quake. Luke gets anxious, but doesn't run around, and the little mule is pretty stoic about most things. Probably just keeps it to himself and grows ulcers. 
We get to experience fireworks pretty often in our neighborhood, this family operates a fireworks stand in Montana and like to celebrate with them frequently. So I have my insulated overalls and heavy coat stationed by the back door so I can go out and provide whatever sanity I can.


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## Bruce (Jan 4, 2020)

I think it was considerate of the neighbors to warn you so you could take whatever precautions you can. Better than waking up at 10 to the fireworks and animals going nuts.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 4, 2020)

I suppose. Honestly it gets a little old. And there aren't a lot of precautions you can take really, just stand there in case they get crazy and try to jump out...
We could all load up and trailer them off the property for an hour I guess, but that's a hassle.

Two years ago their own horses busted through the steel corral panels and ran wild in the neighborhood, in the pitch black, until they were caught. So it's not as though they aren't aware of the possible hazards.


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## Baymule (Jan 4, 2020)

Our dogs go nuts when fireworks are blowing up. Paris hides in her doghouse, Trip claws the back door to get in the house, Carson is in the house and Sentry is in the barn. The rest of our animals don't care. 

Your neighbors have the right to blow up fireworks, but does it make them unpopular in the neighborhood?


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## thistlebloom (Jan 4, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Our dogs go nuts when fireworks are blowing up. Paris hides in her doghouse, Trip claws the back door to get in the house, Carson is in the house and Sentry is in the barn. The rest of our animals don't care.
> 
> Your neighbors have the right to blow up fireworks, but does it make them unpopular in the neighborhood?



Yes. But they are the nicest people otherwise. I love their 4 kids, they were all in my garden classes for 4 years. It's really the dad who has the "explosive" personality, LOL He just must be addicted to loud booms.
I can overlook this, even though it makes me say bad words when it's actually happening.
They do have the right, and I respect that. But it doesn't mean it's the right thing. 
Once a year, sure, but 6 or 7 times is exhausting.


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## Baymule (Jan 4, 2020)

Bummer. It's too cold to hang out outside trying to keep a horse  calm with explosions going off. Since it happens so often, maybe some day your horses will get used to it.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 4, 2020)

Yes, that's what the rest of us say. Desensitization!

New Years Eve I sat out on the corral in the rain. It really only goes on for minutes, but seems like hours.


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## Bruce (Jan 5, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Once a year, sure, but 6 or 7 times is exhausting.


I agree! I have no need or desire to hear explosions nearby even that one time a year but once is not unreasonable. Those times that I've gone to 4th of July fireworks shows I have to have my fingers in my ears for the ones that are small white BOOM type and of course there are many of them all in a row.

There are a few around here who hunt so there is the requisite fall "sighting in" of the 30-06 rifles. One guy down the road is a machinist and gun maker, he has a range out back of his house. I don't know what all guns he has but when his having fun just target shooting one of those guns sounds like it could take down an elephant. But he is far enough away that you hear it without an associated cringe. I don't think I'd want to be standing behind him when it goes off. I suspect the rounds for that are pretty expensive, he only fires a few when he uses that gun.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 5, 2020)

Last night the fireworks show began at 9:30.  All 3 equines, even the little mule, were agitated, heads up, eyes rolling, Syringa was trotting around quickly, and made worried nickering noises. I sat on the fence and tried to soothe them with my presence. I don't know how helpful that was, but at least I was on hand for any immediate action, whatever the heck that could have been.
There was no way I was getting in their pens with them in the dark.
I hung out with them afterward until they began breathing deeply again.

Went to bed at 10:30. At 11:30 DH's phone got a spam call, at 12:00, just as I was sleeping again two big* booms* from the neighbors woke us up. Just in case he hadn't trampled our goodwill already I guess. I lay there fuming, then went and got my headlamp and a book and read to us to get my mind off all the revenge scenarios I was playing in my head., lol.
Early bed tonight hopefully, and uninterrupted sleep.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 5, 2020)

I wish there was something  that you could do about your inconsiderate  neighbor....without any retaliation  coming  your way.  Doesn't  "disturbing the peace law" exist  where you live ?


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## thistlebloom (Jan 5, 2020)

B&B Happy goats said:


> I wish there was something  that you could do about your inconsiderate  neighbor....without any retaliation  coming  your way.  Doesn't  "disturbing the peace law" exist  where you live ?



I know they would not retaliate in any way. They really are decent people, they just have a rather large blind spot in the fireworks department. They enjoy them, all the friends and family they invite over enjoy them, (the fireworks are always accompanied by whistles and cheers from their guests) so they probably think it's not a real big deal to anybody else. They also lack that animal common sense that we more animal oriented folks take for granted.

I texted him last year when Syringa was still quite wild and new here. It was an angry text that I just blurted out in my fury.
I wish I had been more circumspect and not hit send so quickly. He did back off and we had peace for several months, but we seem to be back in to it again. A reasonable calm conversation is due.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 5, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I know they would not retaliate in any way. They really are decent people, they just have a rather large blind spot in the fireworks department. They enjoy them, all the friends and family they invite over enjoy them, (the fireworks are always accompanied by whistles and cheers from their guests) so they probably think it's not a real big deal to anybody else. They also lack that animal common sense that we more animal oriented folks take for granted.
> 
> I texted him last year when Syringa was still quite wild and new here. It was an angry text that I just blurted out in my fury.
> I wish I had been more circumspect and not hit send so quickly. He did back off and we had peace for several months, but we seem to be back in to it again. A reasonable calm conversation is due.



You are way more patient  than I am ....😇
Do they think that just because they are up late that they can wake and disturb  the neighbors?   A few times a year I could live with, but that often would put me in a very "unfriendly " neighbor mode "


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## thistlebloom (Jan 5, 2020)

We live on a dead end and I think as neighbors go we are kind of unique. There are 6 families on our street and we have pretty solid friendships, helping each other out and getting together for cookouts and potlucks. The kids are all under 13 and play with each other and come hang out here with me occasionally. I used to teach weekly garden classes for the neighborhood kids during the summer. We did that for 4 year and I love all the kids.
 I should be able to express my points in a friendly conversation, but I can't do it while I'm ticked off.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 5, 2020)

B&B Happy goats said:


> You are way more patient  than I am ....😇
> Do they think that just because they are up late that they can wake and disturb  the neighbors?   A few times a year I could live with, but that often would put me in a very "unfriendly " neighbor mode "



You're right, it does make me feel unfriendly, and I am not the only one affected, or annoyed. I probably am the most likely one to be confrontational though, haha.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 5, 2020)

Well then you may need a glass of your favorite beverage, get your friendly calm going...and have neighborly talk....even if you could come to a agreement that no fireworks after 9 or 10 pm....so you can get some sleep without being woken with your heart racing to BOOM, POP, SIZZLE ...and wanting to take a cannon to them for a real big bang ...


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## Bruce (Jan 5, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Went to bed at 10:30. At 11:30 DH's phone got a spam call, at 12:00, just as I was sleeping again two big* booms* from the neighbors woke us up.


There is _*ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE*_ for blowing them off that late. Just after sunset and never later than 10 PM would be reasonable. If you think other neighbors are also bothered by it, you might go forth as a group and have a nice chat about how MOST PEOPLE are in bed asleep when they blow off their fireworks. Just unconscionable.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 5, 2020)

Oh believe me, I am in total agreement with that. I will be talking to two of the neighbors about it and see what each wants to do. If they don't want to approach them with a compromise, say 4th of July and New Years only, then I'll be talking to them myself.

I'm looking up our county noise ordinance. But I think it will probably be what you suggested Bruce, def not after 10.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 9, 2020)

Today was sunny with a high of 32, last nice day for I don't know how long. I guess winter finally looked at the calendar and decided to lower the hammer and snap us back to reality. Lots of snowstorms piled up waiting to roll over us, and the temps are going to plummet to singles and negatives.  We've been spoiled with temps in the 40's and alternating snow and rain, so we haven't had a lot of accumulation.

I took advantage of the sun and spent the day outside taking care of snugging everything up. Filled everybody's water, the chickens got fresh bedding and an extra layer of loose hay I raked up from the hay shed. Everyones pens were cleaned. With all the snow coming I won't be able to find any fresh piles out there. I took Lukes blanket off and let him wander around the property. He enjoyed a roll in the crusty snow and trotted around with his tail up snorting and blowing like the big man, Lol.

I have 8 hay bags total so loaded up 4 with Lukes alfalfa and 4 with Syringas grass mix. Now I have 4 feedings for each ready to grab and hang which will be nice if it's nasty out. Huckleberry gets free fed timothy behind a CP, so he just gets a visual check every day to make sure everything's ok in his shelter.

I guess it will be a good time to focus on some indoor projects. Need to get my tax information organized, and sort through my garden seeds. There's some sewing projects too.


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## Baymule (Jan 9, 2020)

A high of 32 is a nice day? Here, that is called WINTER. WINTER is COLD.

Single digits and minus?   I like my winter much better!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 9, 2020)

Awww, you big baby!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jan 10, 2020)

We Southerners are sissies when it comes to cold and snow!


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## Bruce (Jan 10, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Awww, you big baby!


Yeah and in the summer she will tell us how hot and humid it is and how one really can't work past noon. So we let the southerners tell us about their more temperate climate in the winter and we return the favor in the summer   

We had 0°F yesterday. Supposed to make 40°F later. Tomorrow rain  and a high of 47°F. Sunday high just around freezing with 1/2" of freezing rain


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## thistlebloom (Jan 10, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Yeah and in the summer she will tell us how hot and humid it is and how one really can't work past noon. So we let the southerners tell us about their more temperate climate in the winter and we return the favor in the summer
> 
> We had 0°F yesterday. Supposed to make 40°F later. Tomorrow rain  and a high of 47°F. Sunday high just around freezing with 1/2" of freezing rain



You guys are all over the place with your weather! Sorry about the freezing rain, I'd rather get a foot of snow.

The up and down weather we've been having has made the snow on our mountain slopes unstable. There was an avalanche at a ski mountain east of us that killed three. They were not out of bounds and there had been avalanche mitigation earlier. So sad. My Kid#1 snowboards in the back country. He does carry an ELT and avalanche poles, and thankfully he goes with experienced friends who are ski patrollers and have avalanche dogs, but it still concerns me.


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## Bruce (Jan 10, 2020)

Geez, I hope he boards with a scuba tank attached to his back!


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## promiseacres (Jan 10, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> We Southerners are sissies when it comes to cold and snow!


haha you kind of are... LOL I've challenged myself to work/spend time with my horse EVERY week. I did it Wednesday. Temps were 20's.  DH says, "You realize the day you choose to work with your horse is the coldest this year so far?"  He agreed though it didn't feel bad.



thistlebloom said:


> You guys are all over the place with your weather! Sorry about the freezing rain, I'd rather get a foot of snow.


 Me TOO! but we have rain predicted... then freezing rain/ice tomorrow night.... bring on the snow!


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## Bruce (Jan 10, 2020)

promiseacres said:


> Temps were 20's. DH says, "You realize the day you choose to work with your horse is the coldest this year so far?"


Darn near a heat wave!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 11, 2020)

I stayed in bed an extra hour and a half this morning. No rush, no worries... the horses got bulging hay nets for dinner and I knew they would still have some left, so it was nice for a change to just lay there and watch the snow fall out the window by our bed.
Got up and dressed, came out to the kitchen to start the coffee and looked out the window. OH MYLANTA!  What the...?

The snow which has been falling continuously since yesterday a.m. collapsed the Shelter Logic 12x12 shelter we put at one end of our cattle panel hay structure. My little Farmall cub lives there, as well as about 12 bales of alfalfa that didn't fit in the packed out "hay tube", the cats insulated kennel with heater and their food, and a barrel of chicken feed.
So much for a relaxed morning. I geared up and started dealing with the mess. Had to get on the ladder so I could shovel the snow off the shelter so I could safely get inside and start removing the cats house, filled hay nets, feed barrel etc.
My husband had to help me dismantle it and take the cover off, which is now draped over the Cub to keep the snow off.
Such a mess.

I shouldn't have ignored my rule of "do as much as you can when you can". Maybe if I had removed the snow off the hay shelter yesterday afternoon I could have saved it. Or if I got up at my usual time and gone out for chores. I don't know when it gave out, but that was some stinkin' heavy snow.

We were out dealing with snow for 6 hours today. DH cleared the driveway and the vehicles, then blew all the paths, while I got up on the horse shelters and took snow off the roofs. 
Dh is planning on getting up on the house roof Monday and clearing it. It makes him nervous when it gets a couple feet deep and is wet snow.
I dread roof clearing. I am stationed below as ground crew and shovel what comes off the roof out of the doorways and off the walkways. It's grueling, heavy, stupid snow work. Did I mention grueling and heavy?

We finally came in, I changed out of my soaking wet insulated overalls, threw all the wet clothing in the washer and made some coffee at last.
Then I remembered that I took a picture of the collapsed hay shed and thought I'd forward it to Kid#2 as a reminder not to trust the rickety carport at his rental house. OH MYLANTA#2! I left my phone in the top pocket of my overalls which was then on the rinse cycle. 
It is now in a tub of rice, hopefully getting all the water sucked out of it. 

I do like winter, but right now I'm trying to remember what part that was. Is. Whatever.


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## Bruce (Jan 11, 2020)

Oh man, that is NOT a good day. I hope your phone can be saved. Last year the snow turned my upside down U shaped cattle panel support over the blueberry bushes into an M shape. I had it covered with chicken wire so the wild birds couldn't get to the berries in the summer. Even with all those 1" holes, the heavy wet snow apparently formed a solid "floor" and all the snow that piled on top of that pulled the panels down in the middle. Probably would have done even worse if the panels weren't attached at the base and 4' off the ground to T-posts.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 11, 2020)

It's amazing how snow clings to bare wire and accumulates. I have a CP trellis over my chicken coop that I grow clematis on for summer shade, and even in the winter when it's bare I knock the snow off just in case. 

Next year we are dismanteling the CP hay tube and building a permanent hay shed. I am so looking forward to that. The CP "tube" (32'x 8' or 9'ish) and about 8' tall has done a very good job of keeping the hay dry and is such an improvement over tarping 10 tons of hay. But I have to remove accumulated snow daily.


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## Bruce (Jan 11, 2020)

You will love having a permanent hay shed!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jan 12, 2020)

Holy moly, Miss @thistlebloom!  That is not a fun way to start the day.  I hope your phone turns out OK.  I guess you can sympathize with Miss @babsbag because her metal barn/shed collapsed from snow early last year!  We had almost 6" of rain Friday night and Saturday.  I would hate to think what would happen if that were 6" of snow!


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## Baymule (Jan 12, 2020)

Shoveling snow is so far off my radar that I can't even begin to imagine. That is tough about your collapsed shelter. I hope Janie didn't get all scratched up. 6 hours of shoveling snow! Bless your little heart!  And you were touting Idaho as a place that @Ridgetop should consider moving to! Somehow from shoveling sunshine to shoveling snow...…..I don't see her making the move.

I know you had a bad start to the day, but I can't help but poking fun. That's what we do to each other.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 12, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Shoveling snow is so far off my radar that I can't even begin to imagine. That is tough about your collapsed shelter. I hope Janie didn't get all scratched up. 6 hours of shoveling snow! Bless your little heart!  And you were touting Idaho as a place that @Ridgetop should consider moving to! Somehow from shoveling sunshine to shoveling snow...…..I don't see her making the move.
> 
> I know you had a bad start to the day, but I can't help but poking fun. That's what we do to each other.



Thanks for the sympathy Bay  you know I appreciate it. Actually in the scheme of things it wasn't a disaster, just a darned inconvenience. Janie is fine. She kind of held up part of the roof but is already covered with a heavy canvas tarp so no new scratches to add to her patina.
Here's Janie for those who haven't met.






As I was getting tired and using a little vocabulary I did think of a Texas winter. The snowless ground, sunshine,  high heat and humidity (I know, not in the winter), puckerbrush, giant weeds, poisonous snakes, man eating hogs, and tornados were almost appealing! 🤣 Yep I got close to that edge but didn't fall over it.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 12, 2020)

Ohhhh, she is a pretty ole gal ..gotta love a farmall


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## farmerjan (Jan 12, 2020)

YES on the Farmall.  I have a super H that I use to rake the smaller fields with due to it's maneuverability..... but mine is a narrow front end  -- Tricycle -- and not near as pretty as yours.  Pretty weather beaten but still runs like a top.  Nice thing is not much goes wrong with them.


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## Bruce (Jan 12, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Yep I got close to that edge but didn't fall over it.


Wow, sounds like it was pretty darn close! Do you have a snowblower to clear paths rather than shoveling?


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## thistlebloom (Jan 12, 2020)

Oh yes. We have a mid size Ariens. Dh was already wishing we had got the bigger size last year when we bought it, but it's better than the old Craftsman that we used for years and about wore out.  We also have a quad with a snow blade on the front, but yesterdays snow was so wet and heavy it was too much to push. We have to shovel places the blower can't go, and unfortunately when the snow is as deep and wet as it was yesterday the friction drives are not very powerful. So I had to shovel out all the gates and some pathways that I trudged through earlier and packed the snow down enough that the blower refused to go forward without a bunch of coaxing.


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## Baymule (Jan 12, 2020)

*I did think of a Texas winter. The snowless ground, sunshine,  high heat and humidity (I know, not in the winter), puckerbrush, giant weeds, poisonous snakes, man eating hogs, and tornados were almost appealing! *​
Sounds like a fair trade for no snow!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 12, 2020)

Baymule said:


> *I did think of a Texas winter. The snowless ground, sunshine,  high heat and humidity (I know, not in the winter), puckerbrush, giant weeds, poisonous snakes, man eating hogs, and tornados were almost appealing! *
> 
> Sounds like a fair trade for no snow!



I wish more people had your snow phobia Bay...


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## thistlebloom (Jan 13, 2020)

More hours of shovel work today cleaning up the snow dh took off the roof. But I was thanking God for a break in the snowfall. No new snow today and a few sun breaks to boot!  
Then Kid#1 dropped in with his own shovel to surprise us and help out.
That was so sweet of him. My husband and I had stopped for the day and were drooping over the furniture when he walked in. 
He set to work on a giant berm I was saving for tomorrows winter fitness program and man did he make that snow fly! He demolished it in about 15 minutes and it would have taken me at least an hour. 10 years as a winter lifty on the ski hill has really paid off! 🤣 That's the difference between a pro and a rank amateur, lol. He went on the hunt for more roof berms and even shoveled the little mules pen so his stubby little legs could get around easier. Love that kid of mine. 

Knowing that shoveling snow was way off @Baymule 's radar I did some just for her. About 45 seconds worth because I didn't want to wear her out.
And speaking of shoveling, this is for @B&B Happy goats .


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 14, 2020)

QUOTE="thistlebloom, post: 635280, member: 19978"]
More hours of shovel work today cleaning up the snow dh took off the roof. But I was thanking God for a break in the snowfall. No new snow today and a few sun breaks to boot! 
Then Kid#1 dropped in with his own shovel to surprise us and help out.
That was so sweet of him. My husband and I had stopped for the day and were drooping over the furniture when he walked in.
He set to work on a giant berm I was saving for tomorrows winter fitness program and man did he make that snow fly! He demolished it in about 15 minutes and it would have taken me at least an hour. 10 years as a winter lifty on the ski hill has really paid off! 🤣 That's the difference between a pro and a rank amateur, lol. He went on the hunt for more roof berms and even shoveled the little mules pen so his stubby little legs could get around easier. Love that kid of mine. 

Knowing that shoveling snow was way off @Baymule 's radar I did some just for her. About 45 seconds worth because I didn't want to wear her out.
And speaking of shoveling, this is for @B&B Happy goats .

View attachment 68857
[/QUOTE]

Lol, I did my winter shoveling in Massachusetts  and New Hampshire, Florida winter shoveling is a breeze ...and yet people do complain about it


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## Baymule (Jan 14, 2020)

It’s been too warm here for shoveling snow. It did snow in Dallas a week ago, I saw it on the news! Does that count?


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## Bruce (Jan 14, 2020)

Baymule said:


> It’s been too warm here for shoveling snow. It did snow in Dallas a week ago, I saw it on the news! Does that count?


It does if you got worn out thinking about shoveling the snow 



thistlebloom said:


> Then Kid#1 dropped in with his own shovel to surprise us and help out.


Must be nice to have a kid that is not only willing to help but volunteers AND he doesn't even live there! 



thistlebloom said:


> 10 years as a winter lifty on the ski hill has really paid off!


Hmmm, DD2 is on her 3rd winter as a lift attendant. I'll have to ask if they are called liftys. The little kids in ski school are called vesties. I know she sometimes shovels snow but I seriously doubt she's built up any skills or power.  She couldn't even scrape the ice off her windshield the other day. It was upper 20's, she gave up and just sat in the car with the defrosters on. I scraped the ice off my car about an hour later, same temps. Wasn't a big deal. 



thistlebloom said:


>


Hey it is real in Vermont too! I "get" to shovel winter AND summer. And the summer shoveling is a real PITA, not nice big leaves but pine needles that drop ALL summer.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 14, 2020)

Bruce said:


> She couldn't even scrape the ice off her windshield the other day.


Oh dear.  


Bruce said:


> Hey it is real in Vermont too! I "get" to shovel winter AND summer. And the summer shoveling is a real PITA, not nice big leaves but pine needles that drop ALL summer.



But the pine needles are so light Bruce! 
I'm a year round shoveler too. Snow is my "winter vacation" shoveling, and spring, summer, fall, I do landscape maintenance.
I have those shovel muscles every girl dreams of!


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## Bruce (Jan 14, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> But the pine needles are so light Bruce!


Hah! Light yes but they stick to the walls, stick to the solar cover and there are a ton (not literal) of them every day.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 14, 2020)

They don't move sometimes even when you have a blower on them! One of my jobs (real for money job) has a decorative rock dry creek bed. Maintenance headache. Some of the pine needles blow out but most stick their heads in the rocks and won't budge. I have to get down and crawl around to groom it. That property has lot of 200 year old Ponderosa pines. Looong needles.
It's job security.


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## Bruce (Jan 14, 2020)

I was going to suggest vacuuming instead of blowing the needles until you got to "long Ponderosa Pine". I have no doubt they'd clog the hose in no time.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 14, 2020)

What kind of pines do you have that the needles stick to your walls? Must be something pretty small. My favorite pine needles of those I am around are White Pine. They're so soft and not pokey at all. 
I think I'm veering into weirdness now, telling you all about my favorite pine needles. 🤣


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## thistlebloom (Jan 14, 2020)

Bruce said:


> I was going to suggest vacuuming instead of blowing the needles until you got to "long Ponderosa Pine". I have no doubt they'd clog the hose in no time.



I can just picture it....walking out the door with the old Dirt Devil vacuum...
DH-what are you up to?
Me- Oh, just doin' a little yard work hon.


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## Baymule (Jan 15, 2020)

We have pine needles here too. They carpet the ground under the big trees. No grass grows there, it gets smothered out. The back half of our 2 1/2 acre so called horse pasture that isn't a pasture (yet) is pine trees. I would love to thin them out and leave only the big trees, but we are back to BJ saving every tree. Pine beetles are making the decisions for him, we have two more dead pines by the horse barn that have to come down soon, one of them is a big one.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 15, 2020)

We have a lot of beetle killed trees also. My husband was a big tree saver when we bought this place.You have that tendency when you come from a dry deserty climate where trees are a boon. But ours are dog hair thick, and it's not usable land or healthy for the trees either.
Our old house fell out of escrow and he had to go back down to take care of it until it sold. The dust hadn't settled in the driveway when I gathered up my chainsaw and my two bondservants (Kid#1 and #2) and started thinning like a mad woman.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jan 15, 2020)

Miss @thistlebloom,

I hope you take pictures as you thin out the trees.  We have the same problem on our farm, and have been thinning them out around our place.  Do you remove the cut trees from the woods?  If so, what do you use to remove them?  So far, we have been thinning along the edges of the trees, so getting them out hasn't been hard, as I can pick them up with the grapple on the tractor.  But as we start to go deeper, I am considering buying a winch to pull them out.

Yesterday I thought of you (along with Mr. @MtViking, Mr. @Bruce, Miss @rachels.haven, and others) while I was watching several videos of snow removal.  The one put out by GP Outdoors, who resides in central Ontario, shows him using 2 different snow removal tools.  Do you have something like these to help?





Senile Texas Aggie


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## Xerocles (Jan 15, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I think I'm veering into weirdness now, telling you all about my favorite pine needles. 🤣


Are we talking "pine porn" here?
In S.C., we don't mind the needles so much. They make pretty good decorative mulch as "nests" around trees and shrub beds.  But the POLLEN! If Dorothy tried to "follow the yellow brick road" around here in April she'd be totally confused because they're ALL yellow. Yes, the north has snow shovels, we have pollen shovels.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 15, 2020)

@Senile_Texas_Aggie ,  the bulk of our thinning took place in the earlier years here, and we have about 5 acres in back that need it desperately, but will realistically have to be done by somebody with equipment to handle it. We have done it all by hand so far, cut a tree down, limb it and haul it out by hand or quad. Sometimes my husband has been able to get the Jeep in close enough to drag the bigger stuff out. Once in awhile we use my little Farmall Cub, but she smokes a lot and needs a rebuild, so I hate to overwork her. Fortunately we haven't had to deal with any real large trees this way. We have concentrated on the smaller, 20' to 30' foot ones. They are skinny since they grow so close together. But it is for sure a labor intensive way to do it, and we're not spring chickens anymore. 

Last spring our awesome neighbor took out a lot of trees for us to open up space for a 60' round pen for working the horses.
My husband and I were thrilled and completely amazed at what he accomplished in a few hours that would have taken us months to do by hand.
He used an implement (I don't know what it's called, I'm sure you do) that grabs the trunk and lifts it out of the ground. It was a thing of beauty! We didn't have to deal with stumps. Then he gave the area a rough grading, taking out all the buck brush and willow shrubs. I'll see if I can find a picture...





As far as snow removal we use a snowblower and the quad with a snow blade. Sure would be handy to have a tractor, but right now we're content to pay our neighbor for the heavy work that he helps us with.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 15, 2020)

Xerocles said:


> Are we talking "pine porn" here?
> In S.C., we don't mind the needles so much. They make pretty good decorative mulch as "nests" around trees and shrub beds.  But the POLLEN! If Dorothy tried to "follow the yellow brick road" around here in April she'd be totally confused because they're ALL yellow. Yes, the north has snow shovels, we have pollen shovels.



We don't have many hardwoods here, it's almost completely pine country, so I know what you mean about the pine pollen. Yellow clouds of it every spring, and yellow vehicles, yellow dust on the furniture etc!


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## Bruce (Jan 15, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> But as we start to go deeper, I am considering buying a winch to pull them out.


Good plan. I am assuming you are talking about a winch like people mount on vehicles vs a much more expensive  logging winch? Where do you plan to attach it to the tractor?



thistlebloom said:


> He used an implement (I don't know what it's called, I'm sure you do) that grabs the trunk and lifts it out of the ground.


Looks like @Senile_Texas_Aggie's "Stump bucket" though it doesn't grab the trees so maybe it is something that just looks similar.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 15, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Looks like @Senile_Texas_Aggie's "Stump bucket" though it doesn't grab the trees so maybe it is something that just looks similar.



It's like a giant pair of pliers that grips the trunk.


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## Bruce (Jan 15, 2020)

Different then. Must have some pretty darn good up pressure with that loader to pull them straight out of the ground, does he cut the side roots first?


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## thistlebloom (Jan 15, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Different then. Must have some pretty darn good up pressure with that loader to pull them straight out of the ground, does he cut the side roots first?



No. These are not deeply rooted trees. Probably mostly due to the overcrowding. That area in the picture was thick enough previously that you couldn't see the road which is that light strip you can see in the background.
It was a big shock though when our house was exposed to the road.  I'm used to it now, and in the summer I have a couple big Beautybush that block the house when they leaf out.


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## Baymule (Jan 15, 2020)

Beautybush leaves make good bug repellent.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 15, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Beautybush leaves make good bug repellent.



Yeah? That's good to know.  
I'll send you a crate for all your Texas bugs!


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## Baymule (Jan 15, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Yeah? That's good to know.
> I'll send you a crate for all your Texas bugs!


I already have it here growing on our place.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 15, 2020)

I love it in bloom. Smells so good, and it's a tough long lived plant too. I'm going to pick more up this spring and plant them strategically.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jan 16, 2020)

Regarding the tree removal tool that was on your neighbor's tractor, I have never of nor seen such a tool.  I will look into that and see what I can find out.

Regarding the winch, Mr. @Bruce, sir, I am leaning toward getting an electric winch for the Gator.  I considered getting a PTO powered winch, like the ones on Outdoors with the Morgans and GP Outdoors, but I liked the idea of having an electric winch on the Gator, as I could use it to help get the Gator out of mud holes if I needed to as well as pull logs out of the woods.  Red Tool House put one on his Honda side-by-side and it worked great.


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## Baymule (Jan 16, 2020)

I found this a little late in the season, but when the beautyberry plants sprout back out, I'm going to try it.









						This Natural Bug Repellent Is As Effective As DEET! - The Grow Network
					

A natural bug repellent that's as effective as DEET and defeats mosquitoes, ants, and ticks? That's the beauty of our beautyberry insect repellent recipe!




					thegrownetwork.com


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## thistlebloom (Jan 16, 2020)

Baymule said:


> I found this a little late in the season, but when the beautyberry plants sprout back out, I'm going to try it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Darn.   That's Beauty_berry_, (Callicarpa), I have Beauty_bush_ (Kolkwitzia). That's the trouble with common names. And I was getting all excited. Last year we had an invasion of nasty little biting black flies all over the horses that NOTHING worked on. They get in your eyes and ears and mouth, and they leave lumps where they bite. Miserable things.

edit: I read the entire article and it said that mint could be substituted (may not be as effective) so I will try that. 
Thanks for sharing that info Bay.


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## Bruce (Jan 16, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Regarding the winch, Mr. @Bruce, sir, I am leaning toward getting an electric winch for the Gator. I considered getting a PTO powered winch, like the ones on Outdoors with the Morgans and GP Outdoors, but I liked the idea of having an electric winch on the Gator, as I could use it to help get the Gator out of mud holes if I needed to as well as pull logs out of the woods. Red Tool House put one on his Honda side-by-side and it worked great.


I believe there are 2 functional differences between a frame mounted winch and a logging winch.

Length of cable. 
The logging winch sits on, and digs into, the ground; kind of acts like an anchor, plus it is pretty heavy.
I suspect there is the possibility of pulling the Gator to a heavy log rather than the other way around. Maybe you could chain the other end of the Gator to a big standing tree. 

On the other hand, a frame mounted winch is a WHOLE LOT cheaper! 



thistlebloom said:


> edit: I read the entire article and it said that mint could be substituted (may not be as effective) so I will try that.


Be aware that mint is an invasive PITA, spreads through root runners. Plant it outside a pot and you'll find it taking over the area. It also doesn't seem to mind sub zero F temperature, comes back every year.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 16, 2020)

Bruce said:


> I believe there are 2 functional differences between a frame mounted winch and a logging winch.
> 
> Length of cable.
> The logging winch sits on, and digs into, the ground; kind of acts like an anchor, plus it is pretty heavy.
> ...



Oh, I am familiar with mints subversive ways, LOL. I have a lot of it. Apple mint, pineapple mint, spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint (not very hardy) and my very, very, favorite, orange mint. It's not terribly invasive and most of it is planted by the front walkway in a bed surrounded by concrete sidewalks. But if it gets out of hand I just rip it out, Ain't skeered! Haha.

You know what I do have that I find obnoxiously invasive is Lamium maculatum. I went a little crazy when I first met it and bought five different varieties of leaf and bloom color. Aarrrgh. It is everywhere I don't want it, and that I do rip out by the wheelbarrow full.


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## rachels.haven (Jan 16, 2020)

Google images tells me what that is. 
It's the mystery plant out back behind our barn. Well, what do you know. Have you been planting stuff behind my barn?


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## thistlebloom (Jan 16, 2020)

rachels.haven said:


> Google images tells me what that is.
> It's the mystery plant out back behind our barn. Well, what do you know. Have you been planting stuff behind my barn?



Bwahahaha! Yes! Ninja gardening!


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## Baymule (Jan 17, 2020)

Lamium maculatum - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org
				




Pretty plant, but you keep it, I don't want any. I research stuff to death before I plant anything that I might be sorry for later. It's so darn hard to get something that I actually want, to grow in my sand, that I don't need some "easy to care for" obnoxious pretty plant taking off and taking over the world!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 17, 2020)

It's survivabiity and spreading habit seems to be variable. I have a friend who can't seem to grow it, and I've given her starts of mine.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 17, 2020)

Yesterday was a snow relocation day .My husband was working a long day, till dark, so I spent 3 hours behind the snowblower, clearing the driveway and parking area then making my animal tending paths better. I widened the driveway on each side, and the blower did good even though the berm was higher than the auger housing- cowl doodad. It has been cold enough that the most recent snow was nice and powdery.

I made an Autobahn expressway out in back for my stall cleaning path. Dragging the Otter sled full of manure out to my dump site is work enough without having to scrape the sides of a narrow trail with the sled. That was a lot of work because the snow was higher than the snowblower and had no previous trail through it. But it's kind of fun using the blower. Mostly because I'm not using a shovel. 
Dh does good keeping up with the snowblowing when he has the time, but he's a little stingy on my backyard paths, only making one pass through. I like them two blower widths at least so leading a horse is easier and dragging the sled is smoother.

I messed up big time on Tuesday. Having killed my phone on Saturday, and three days of rice treatment could not resurrect it, I missed the notification that my farrier was coming. I also missed his texts and phone call letting me know he was on the way.
He is an excellent barefoot trimmer who has done wonders with Syringas feet. When I got her she had old scars of former abscesses in them and her hooves had grown out deformed, probably from the pain of not being able to walk on them properly. Anyway, my trimmer has a day job and does his horse trimming at night after work. The doorbell rang Tuesday night (dark out) and I opened the door to Jim standing there with a perplexed look. Yikes. Felt like an idiot.
So he came again last night (got a new phone Wed.) and we got everybody taken care of. I gave him extra for his wasted time and gas on Tuesday, and promised to write the next appointment with a PEN on a PAPER calendar to remind myself.

The real reason for this windy post is how pleased I was with Syringa last night. I brought her home from Montana in July 2018, and she got the first trim of her life in October 2018. That one went reasonably well considering her defensive nature.


 First ever trim

 She wasn't okay with having Jim do her feet each successive time after by a long shot. And when trimming days rolled around I was anxious over the tussle I knew was coming. Jim is a real patient guy fortunately, and he was willing to work with her and give her time. Fast forward to last night- and keep in mind that we do this in the winter dark, in the driveway, and the shadows from the lights are disorienting to her probably. I have desensitized her some with being handled in the dark with headlamp and flashlight, but there are still unseen boogeymen out there in the dark that concern her.

But she was outstanding, and only tried to pull her foot away a few times,  Jim hung on and went with her and she stopped after a few steps.
She was tense, the muscles in her neck were tight and she had that inward look in her eye, but she complied nicely and that is huge! Thank the Good Lord.
When I took her back to her corral and took her halter off, she heaved a deep breathy sigh and leaned her head into me. I felt the same and gave her a hug and a kiss. 

Last nights trim.


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## Bruce (Jan 17, 2020)

I guess it will get easier every time from here on out since she now seems to trust Jim.


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## Baymule (Jan 17, 2020)

I know how HUGE that is! WHOOP!!! Good girl Syringa!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 17, 2020)

Yes, this has been a long time coming. She's getting more familiar with Jim, and I'm just happy that he's willing to work with her. A lot of farriers wouldn't be willing to put the extra time in, and I don't blame them. They aren't getting paid to train your horse.


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## Baymule (Jan 17, 2020)

I had a farrier like that at our old town. He put up with Joe leaning on him, spent lots of time correcting my donkey's curled up hooves (we felt sorry for him and bought him) and was always kind and gentle. I always tipped him. He said I was his only customer that paid him more than he asked. He was worth it.  Then I got lucky and got a great farrier here too!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 17, 2020)

Jim is priceless.He's so kind and patient with all of them.
 Huckleberry my little mule is crippled, someone broke or dislocated his shoulder before I got him, when he was 4 and he can't stand on his bad front leg to have the other trimmed. We run a hammock under his belly and lift him with the engine hoist so he can be trimmed. I used to have a different farrier who was not patient. He came one day when I wasn't home because he had postponed on me a few times and we were having a hard time finding a day that worked for both of us.
I don't know what took place but Huck was definitely very lame in his bad shoulder after that. Couldn't prove anything but that farrier was not welcome back. That was almost 3 years ago and little Huck has never been the same.

Here's Huck in his sling


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## Bruce (Jan 18, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> They aren't getting paid to train your horse.


Perhaps not but I would guess that if a farrier wants work, they have to work with the animals "provided". Best to be patient and teach them (and their owners) how to get their feet done properly without a fuss.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 18, 2020)

Getting work doesn't seem to be a problem for farriers here. But some people just won't work with their horses, and they expect a farrier to show up, catch them and work on them without their help.
 I've never expected my farrier to catch my horse and work on it without me holding it. I want to hear their feedback on what if anything might be going on with their feet and I want my horses to be easy to work with. That's my responsibility to put the time in to train them to be that way. 
Now, I do put the time into Syringa, but she's not a store bought horse and came with her own issues. I can pick up her feet all day long and pull them forward and backward and tap them and any other weird thing that could happen when my farrier is working on them. But she trusts me. It's a different deal for her having a stranger walk up and pick up a foot. That's her escape mechanism and she just took a long time to give that fear of being trapped up.
I still say it's not a farriers job to train a horse. It's a dangerous enough occupation without having to put up with somebody's spoiled pet.


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## Bruce (Jan 18, 2020)

Oh I agree it isn't their job to train them solo and that an owner has to be 100% invested in the process. But if *I* were to get a horse that wasn't easy to work on, the farrier would need to train both of us. I guess there are people who think "you are the professional, I'll be back when you are done" but I can't imagine being such a person and yeah, I'd refuse to work on their animals after the first time.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 18, 2020)

We are on the same page then, lol.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 18, 2020)

Pictures of the past few days around here....

I decided the snow should come off the garden shed.

Before...                                        During.....              After...
  

The garden. Snoring.






Had some company, following my snowshoe tracks...

  




Today, I let Luke out to frolic. Huck was keeping Syringa company in her pen for a few hours. That never makes Luke happy. He's very possessive of his little mule. He won't go far from wherever Huckleberry is, so I don't worry about him taking off.








Our dog eating cat Finnigan daring Larka to pass.





Larkas narrow escape!


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## promiseacres (Jan 19, 2020)

Fun in the snow!  It's 5° here today but just had rain yesterdsy, a few flurries. Wish it would snow if it's going to be so cold.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jan 19, 2020)

Miss @thistlebloom,

You certainly have a beautiful place!  I imagine you feel quite lucky!

Senile Texas Aggie


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## Baymule (Jan 19, 2020)

I am always present when the farrier comes and I hold them for him. We are totally in agreement!


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## Bruce (Jan 19, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I decided the snow should come off the garden shed.


I take it you don't have a roof rake, given your snow it would be a good investment. Safer, easier and more effective than your (quite innovative) shovel on a pole. They aren't very expensive. 

Love the animals in the snow pictures. My chickens don't go out in the snow. We got 6" last night, the alpacas only went out their door far enough to be out of my way while I scooped poop. I don't know what our cat's would do if they were allowed outside though the cat across the road comes to check the property and upper barn area pretty much every day. No evidence of him today though.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 19, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Miss @thistlebloom,
> 
> You certainly have a beautiful place!  I imagine you feel quite lucky!
> 
> Senile Texas Aggie



Thank you @STA. Yes, we do love it here and feel so blessed to have all that we do. I confess there are days when I get winter weary, but when the sun shines on all that glory I can forgive the aching back and know that it is brief enough. If 5 months is brief enough, lol.




Bruce said:


> I take it you don't have a roof rake, given your snow it would be a good investment. Safer, easier and more effective than your (quite innovative) shovel on a pole. They aren't very expensive.



I know. We are usually behind the curve of progress here.  Like that innovative shovel? Haha. Dh uses it when he's up on the roof to push blocks of snow off. I use the garden rake upside down to pull snow off when I'm on the ground, or in this case on the ladder (in snowshoes, please don't tell OSHA) The poleshovel added a little umph to get under the snow and break it up.

However, given the slow wheel of progress around here, we are the new proud owners of an Avalanche snow removal slip-n-slide dealie. It still doesn't reach the peak of the roof, but if we can get most of it without my husband getting up there I'm happy. Probably should have ordered the combo with the rake included.


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## Bruce (Jan 19, 2020)

I saw those when I looked at roof rakes thinking I might post a picture in case you didn't know what they were. I guess as it rolls up the roof it is supposed to cut into the snow and the snow then slides down the plastic (onto your head    )??
What happens if the snow is heavy? I would think the wheels would ride up on the snow rather than staying on the roof. 

Snowshoes on a ladder? I'd likely kill myself as the triangular gripping part got caught on the rungs.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 19, 2020)

The Avalanche works really well as a matter of fact. It's best to do it before the snow is higher than the cutter opening, the wheels help protect your roof and don't ride up on the snow, and sometimes you may get avalanched, lol. 
I think the steeper your roof is the more likely that may be. 

We borrowed the neighbors to make sure we liked how it worked, but dh still got on the roof because the 17' handle doesn't quite make it to the peak. It will give your shoulders a good workout, especially if it's wet snow.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 20, 2020)

I just ordered the Avalanche rake. I'm able to pull better than push overhead, so on days when dh is working I can get ahead of the snow accumulation with the rake. Also it will be easier to use from the ground on the animal shelters. 
I don't mind getting up there, but walking around on them doesn't seem like the best plan for roof longevity. 
They are metal roofs, so if it's wet snow they get a little slick which makes it more thrilling than I like.


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## Bruce (Jan 20, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> The Avalanche works really well as a matter of fact. It's best to do it before the snow is higher than the cutter opening, the wheels help protect your roof and don't ride up on the snow, and sometimes you may get avalanched, lol.
> I think the steeper your roof is the more likely that may be.
> 
> We borrowed the neighbors to make sure we liked how it worked, but dh still got on the roof because the 17' handle doesn't quite make it to the peak. It will give your shoulders a good workout, especially if it's wet snow.


You could lash it to a long pole, similar to the fance shovel extension  I would guess that if you got even 80% of the snow up toward the peak off it would be good enough with respect to snow load. Plus the sun (if you ever get any) would heat the metal and maybe help the upper part decide it should slide down on its own.

One of the things I like about my rake is that it has a bend in the handle up rear the rake. Seems like without that you would need to be on a ladder anyway or the handle would just ride up on the roof edge and not touch the roof at all. The wheels do seem like a good idea if you have a metal roof improperly installed with the screws in the ridges instead of down on the deck.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 20, 2020)

The horse sheds have metal roofs. The house has asphalt shingles, so no sliding snow going on there. 
I saw rakes with an angled head, they were described as for motorhomes and big rig roofs.



Bruce said:


> You could lash it to a long pole, similar to the fance shovel extension



We like that fancy stuff!     Our neighbors came over Saturday and borrowed two extension poles from our brand new unit to make their pole longer. One of our poles developed a little crack (they are replacing it for us). Probably because the weight of the extra 10ish feet was a little much.

Looks like we'll be getting more snow, and hopefully not rain, so I can play with it a little.
I agree with what you said about getting 80% off being sufficient, but my OCD better half is a hard one to convince of that.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 23, 2020)

My rake came today, but the tv weather says if we're hoping for snow we're going to be disappointed. Looks like the warm temps and rain are sticking around into February. So I may not get to play with the rake much this winter. 
I said once that the 200" of snow would probably happen all at once and I'm still betting on that. 
I bet 5 bucks it comes on my birthday in March when we think we're out of the woods.. Yay. Happy Birthday me. 😬


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## Baymule (Jan 23, 2020)

Snow in March?


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## thistlebloom (Jan 23, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Snow in March?



You are so funny! Yes, and even April is not unheard of. So when you're out there picking tomatoes I'll be snowshoeing. 
The past few years the local ski resorts have got their best snow in April after they've closed.


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## farmerjan (Jan 23, 2020)

Snow in March was pretty common in Ct when I was growing up too.  Plus we often would get snow around Easter;  of course that occurs anywhere from March to April on different years.  We have had snow here in Va in March too.  Not the past few years, but one year when I was still working part-time at the grist mill, we got snow the friday before Christmas, and never saw bare ground until April.  Had a snow "event" almost every weekend.  It was kind of a joke because my son never had a weekend off from VDOT for 10 straight weeks.  I think we had most 4-8 " snows with some melting inbetween, but never real warm to melt it all off.  Probably had a total of over 80" snow that year , probably more because we had a couple that were in the 8-12".   Still, even with some snow, I prefer the shorter winters here in Va.


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## Bruce (Jan 23, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Looks like the warm temps and rain are sticking around into February.


Sure BECAUSE you bought the roof rake! If you hadn't you'd be climbing out the second story windows.



Baymule said:


> Snow in March?


Um, yeah what of it? That is normal, always get a bit in April as well and occasionally May. Actually I'm a bit worried about sap season this year with the temp yo-yoing around freezing this early, going to confuse the trees something awful.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 23, 2020)

Given your latitude @farmerjan , that surprises me that you get that much snow cover for that long.
I don't think we've had snow as late as May here, @Bruce , at least not here in the valleys. Maybe up in the higher elevations. We have hiked in the mountains in late July and found snow pockets. Larka was delighted! She bellied out in the snow and was so sad to have to leave them to continue on our way.

We used to be able to pretty much count on snow by Thanksgiving, and not seeing the ground again till March. But the seasons seem to shifting to later snow, and slower springs.


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## farmerjan (Jan 23, 2020)

There is a guy here who taps about 15-25 trees that already has his lines out.  I think he is way too far ahead, but he's a bit a of a know it all..... I haven't heard how things look in Highland County where all the serious sugar camps are. We had all that super warm weather too, and you can even see the little bit of a reddish tint on some of the trees where they were almost ready to start "spring"..... This week we have had night time temps in the teens and every thing has frozen pretty good.


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## farmerjan (Jan 23, 2020)

The last few years here we have also been later to get "winter weather, then it is up and down then colder in the "springtime", with very little spring but maybe a week or so,  and then going right into nearly summer weather.  We had hay ready to cut the 2nd week of April last year which was crazy.  We seldom ever start before  early to mid - May.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 23, 2020)

Traditional hay cutting season here used to be July 4th. Last year some farmers cut in June.


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## Baymule (Jan 23, 2020)

Do you only get one cutting? Here farmers get 3 or 4 cuttings.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 23, 2020)

No, seems like orchard grass gets two, and alfalfa gets two. Last year some farmers cut alf 3x.


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## WildBird (Jan 23, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Actually I'm a bit worried about sap season this year with the temp yo-yoing around freezing this early, going to confuse the trees something awful.


Don't worry about nature, it's the humans who'll be confused!


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## farmerjan (Jan 23, 2020)

Ours varies, if the weather gives us a drying window, we can get 3 cuttings of orchard grass, but most often it is 2. Alfalfa is usually 3 and some dairy farmers get 4 if they irrigate.  Many chop first cutting for haylage/or roll it for baleage.  The stems are much more coarse for first cutting.  We don't grow it, but will buy it if it is 2nd or 3rd cutting for the  sheep and the nurse cows with calves.  Some years we have had a hard time getting 2 cuttings made if we get constant showers every 2 days or so.  And then if it is a drought we have only gotten 1 cutting too.


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## Bruce (Jan 24, 2020)

Welcome @WildBird ! Do you know where you are relative to @thistlebloom ?



farmerjan said:


> There is a guy here who taps about 15-25 trees that already has his lines out.  I think he is way too far ahead, but he's a bit a of a know it all..... I haven't heard how things look in Highland County where all the serious sugar camps are. We had all that super warm weather too, and you can even see the little bit of a reddish tint on some of the trees where they were almost ready to start "spring"..... This week we have had night time temps in the teens and every thing has frozen pretty good.


If the trees are starting to get red on the new branch ends, the guy is way too late. Nasty flavor maple sap after they start that. Sugar season starts whenever the trees say it does. Historically it would be in March though has sometimes started in February. I THINK last year some people had a week or so in January before the trees went back to sleep. Pretty much need to have nights below freezing and days above freezing to get the "pump" running. Once it stays above freezing, the season is over. 

Around here the lines are left up year round, way too much time needed to run them all plus, if you have a big snow year, no way you could trudge through it to get all the lines set up before the trees start producing. Of course there is also work to make sure the squirrels haven't chewed the lines. Most serious producers up here now use vacuum to draw out the sap and reverse osmosis to remove a fair bit of the water from the sap before boiling.


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## farmerjan (Jan 24, 2020)

Sorry, I didn't specify that it wasn't the maples that were starting to show a little reddish color, it was a couple of other trees that I drive by on my way up to the nurse cow pasture (snyders).  Those trees always show color earlier than others, but I mentioned it because it was WAY TOO EARLY for ANYTHING to be thinking spring.  Don't know what kind they are off hand.

The squirrels do a number on the lines here too.  The commercial guys do leave their lines up all year, and do have to spend time walking them to check them.  Right here we have had trouble with the bears tearing them up. I think that this guy is tapping a different group of trees this year because the lines are in a different section than they were last year.  He just does it for their own personal use I think. 

There are a couple that use vacuum  to draw the sap, and there is one that I know of that uses reverse osmosis also.  In fact, in Highland county, there are about 6-8 that do it commercially and there are several different styles done.  Because sugaring is such a HUGE draw to Highland County, drawing an average of 50-80,000 visitors in the 2 weekends, with craft shows/sales, and other things, there are several that do it differently in order to have something "unique" to draw people to their particular sugar camp.  It is the biggest money raising activity for the whole county, with the different fire depts having pancake breakfasts, trout dinners, all the churches and kiwanis and every school has food or something.  Highland is over an hour off the beaten path here.   2 lane roads in and out and over a mountain to get there from most anywhere.  It is called "Little Switzerland" due to the "microcosm" of the growth/temps etc.  That is why the sugar maples do so good there.  There are no commercial operations in any other part of Va that I am aware of.  The Highland Maple Festival is now in it's 61st or 62nd year.  I've been to about 30 of them I guess, I've been in Va since 1981 and have missed a few years.


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## WildBird (Jan 25, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Welcome @WildBird ! Do you know where you are relative to @thistlebloom ?


I'm in western Idaho. I live in a neighborhood but often visit my cabin the the mountains. It's so beautiful up there!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 27, 2020)

Got out for a walk in the neighborhood with all the girls Saturday evening. The mountains and sky were so pretty I wanted a picture. Syringa wouldn't pose, her feet just wanted to move, but I took a couple anyway.






My little Bearded Sweet Potato.


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## Baymule (Jan 27, 2020)

She looks happy !


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## Mike CHS (Jan 27, 2020)

They all seem to be loving the cold weather.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 27, 2020)

It's been awfully warm and we are losing snow fast.   The ground is no longer frozen. We need a good snowpack to recharge the rivers and lakes.


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## High Desert Cowboy (Jan 28, 2020)

We’ve barely had any snow on the ground this year but our snowpack on the mountain is at 95%.  How high up the mountain are you?  And there’s still plenty of time for snow to fly, the last few years we’ve had almost nothing until February then it comes down enough to actually hang around for a few weeks in the valleys.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 28, 2020)

I'm in a valley.  2479' or something like that. I can never remember those last two digits, haha. I don't know the percentage of snowpack in the mountains. It's probably not too far from optimum. The weather people were saying we might not see any snow through Feb. with these warm temps and rain. But that's a WA station, what do they know? 😬
Our seasons have been doing the same, slow to start and slow to stop. Last year we got smothered in February. I anticipate that will probably be the case again, a late huge dump of snow.
It's actually snowing right now, huge half dollar flakes. Yay! Covers up all the coffee grounds I've been tossing on the flower bed out the front door.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 28, 2020)

We are 7 feet above sea level  here and 35 miles inland from the gulf ...do ya all get nose bleeds up there ?


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 28, 2020)

B&B Happy goats said:


> We are 7 feet above sea level here


And I thought we were low at 22ish....


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 28, 2020)

frustratedearthmother said:


> And I thought we were low at 22ish....


I've been trying to tell ya all...we moved to where the bottom feeders live, trash and all..lol


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## WildBird (Jan 28, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Got out for a walk in the neighborhood with all the girls Saturday evening. The mountains and sky were so pretty I wanted a picture. Syringa wouldn't pose, her feet just wanted to move, but I took a couple anyway.
> 
> View attachment 69328
> 
> ...


Your place is beautiful!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 28, 2020)

Thanks @WildBird !
@B&B Happy goats that's some flat ground!

The highest I've ever been was backpacking in the Sierras at 12,000'. We didn't spend enough time acclimating at the trail head which was a lower elevation and I got some serious headache and puking the first day out.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 28, 2020)

I do miss the mountains of New England and living in a higher elevation for sure, but the warmer weather  is hard to beat....
1200 foot elevation  would give me a headache if I was hiking for sure....puking on top of the headache...oh my  ☹


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## Bruce (Jan 28, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> The ground is no longer frozen.


And I need frozen ground with little snow to collect the logs I already cut for next winter's warmth.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 28, 2020)

Bruce said:


> And I need frozen ground with little snow to collect the logs I already cut for next winter's warmth.



What's your snow looking like?
We still have a few feet on the ground, it's getting heavy and slippery with all the rain we are getting. This mornings snow turned to rain, but I got the fat bike out, and the dogs and I took a spin around the loop while it was still fresh untracked snow.
Dh told me he would be home early and he would take care of clearing the paths and driveway, but I don't think the blower is going to be throwing this stuff. It might just come out the chute and ooze down like a slushy.  😄

I don't have pen cleaning chores at least. The snow mercifully covered everything. I was out there for 2 hours yesterday hauling wet sloppy horse manure on my PooBarge. The sun came out when I was done as a thank you, haha.


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## Bruce (Jan 28, 2020)

Most of it had melted last week but then Sun night we got 3" of super wet snow. I didn't even dare get the tractor out for fear of packing it into ice. It was slick enough where I used the pusher shovel to clear the entrances to the parking area. It is supposed to go down to 0°F Thursday morning (High tomorrow 21°F), might go above freezing again next Monday.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 28, 2020)

Those temps should help your ground firm up.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I would like some 20* weather for a change. Not for a real long time, but a couple of weeks would be nice.


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## Bruce (Jan 28, 2020)

That's what I thought the last time I went up to collect the wood!! It had been down below 0°F, I figured that would harden  up the low spots and the ruts in the "track" in the woods. Nope, it was just around freezing. I squished through water in the low area between the pond and the natural wetland downhill of it but the pond isn't over flowing at the moment. And there was water trickling down the track, good thing I wore the insulated rubber boots instead of my work boots that I wear when I am actually cutting trees. Could be there are springs I don't know about in a couple of places.


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## Baymule (Jan 28, 2020)

It’s really funny to hear y’all complaining that it isn’t cold enough. That’s sorta like me complaining in August that it isn’t hot enough. LOL LOL


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## High Desert Cowboy (Jan 28, 2020)

5,666+ feet, and it’s been in the 40’s for the last several weeks.  But I like rain in the valleys and snow on the mountains, means we’ll have water for growing come summer but I don’t have to break any ice right now!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 28, 2020)

High Desert Cowboy said:


> 5,666+ feet, and it’s been in the 40’s for the last several weeks.  But I like rain in the valleys and snow on the mountains, means we’ll have water for growing come summer but I don’t have to break any ice right now!



What area of Utah are you in? Considering your elevation, that's_ really_ warm.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 28, 2020)

Baymule said:


> It’s really funny to hear y’all complaining that it isn’t cold enough. That’s sorta like me complaining in August that it isn’t hot enough. LOL LOL



Nooo, not quite the same thing  but I do admire you trying to relate!


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## promiseacres (Jan 29, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Nooo, not quite the same thing  but I do admire you trying to relate!


We need the ground to freeze too... getting hay today...DH won't let me drive it out to the pasture with the truck... so I will bring it home then I will load 5/6 bales on my garden tractor trailer...  which will make the process take 3 times as long.


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## High Desert Cowboy (Jan 29, 2020)

@thistlebloom Beaver county is considered central Utah but we’re the southern part of that central.  5,666 ft is the elevation for Greenville, I’m up in the bench above that looking down on Beaver, the county seat which is at 5,902 ft according to Wikipedia so we’re probably a little above that.  Our first few winters here it was below zero and snowy from November on.  Now it doesn’t come around until February.  As long as we get needed moisture to grow and it keeps hay prices down I won’t complain.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 29, 2020)

I've been through your neck of the woods many many times.  Pretty country.
I've driven up and down I15 between San Diego and Idaho since I was a baby. Not actually _driving_ when I was a baby of course.


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## Bruce (Jan 29, 2020)

Baymule said:


> It’s really funny to hear y’all complaining that it isn’t cold enough. That’s sorta like me complaining in August that it isn’t hot enough. LOL LOL


Oh SO not the case! Nothing good happens in your area when it gets hotter in August. I'm not asking for 0°F and colder temps (though that is what we will have in the morning) but the constant bouncing above and below freezing makes a heck of a mud mess. Mud season is supposed to be late March/early April, not all winter long! There are things one can not do when the ground is a mud pit and driving on it just makes the mud pit worse. 



promiseacres said:


> We need the ground to freeze too... getting hay today...DH won't let me drive it out to the pasture with the truck... so I will bring it home then I will load 5/6 bales on my garden tractor trailer...  which will make the process take 3 times as long.


I hope the GT doesn't get stuck!


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## Xerocles (Jan 29, 2020)

B&B Happy goats said:


> We are 7 feet above sea level  here and 35 miles inland from the gulf ...do ya all get nose bleeds up there ?


I'm not quite as close to sea level as you, at abt 700'. But if the sea suddenly rose to the lower edge of my property, I'd walk to the other edge and STILL be 3 times higher than you are now. Potatoes are easy though. Just dig 1 hole at the bottom of the hill and they all roll out.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 29, 2020)

Xerocles said:


> I'm not quite as close to sea level as you, at abt 700'. But if the sea suddenly rose to the lower edge of my property, I'd walk to the other edge and STILL be 3 times higher than you are now. Potatoes are easy though. Just dig 1 hole at the bottom of the hill and they all roll out.



Well that's the best use of a garden hill I've heard yet!


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## thistlebloom (Feb 1, 2020)

This mornings sunrise was a stunner. The wind was really whipping and the clouds were flying in the sky.







My two "barn" cats like to do everything together. Here's the dynamic duo in an apple tree.





Other than that things have been pretty dull here. The good news is it's getting colder again and there is some actual snow in the forecast (as opposed to the daily rain we've been having).


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## Mike CHS (Feb 2, 2020)

It's pretty but the view made me go put on a long sleeve shirt.


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## Bruce (Feb 2, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Here's the dynamic duo in an apple tree.


I see they are both eyeing the chickens, maybe trying to decide if they could get lunch by working together.
My chickens don't come out in the snow. Likely because they have the barn alley to hang out in and there is nothing to eat outside anyway.


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## thistlebloom (Feb 2, 2020)

Bruce said:


> I see they are both eyeing the chickens, maybe trying to decide if they could get lunch by working together.
> My chickens don't come out in the snow. Likely because they have the barn alley to hang out in and there is nothing to eat outside anyway.



Yeah, they sometimes seem to be stalking the chickens... I may need a mean rooster. In the meantime I keep an eye on them and barrage them with snowballs if they get into mischief of the unsavory sort.
My hens like to pick the undigested grain out of the horse poo. I don't watch too close.  They can get around easily right now because the snow is hard. I can walk on it and not leave tracks.

 whut, us cause trouble?


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## Bruce (Feb 2, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> whut, us cause trouble?


That is worthy of a POW entry!


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## thistlebloom (Feb 8, 2020)

Today my husband and I took our fattys out to the park for a ride. No fresh snow but it was good to get some pedaling in.

 In the bikemobile.





We started out on our regular trail but the snow was deep and lumpy so we backtracked to the more open areas where the snow was lighter. 
Here the snow was light, but very wet and squishy when we rolled over it. Crossed a lot of deer and turkey tracks.




If warm butter and snot had a baby, that would be what we were riding through. I went down four times. The front tire just slid sideways going downhill and there I was, laying down. Resting. 😁

My Carharrt and Sorel wearing bike buddy.  No sissy spandex there!





It was a good day. We had fun.


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## Baymule (Feb 9, 2020)

Y’all are really enjoying those bikes! It’s a good form of exercise, it will keep you in shape! I dunno what shape, but some kind of shape! LOL


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## thistlebloom (Feb 9, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Y’all are really enjoying those bikes! It’s a good form of exercise, it will keep you in shape! I dunno what shape, but some kind of shape! LOL



Trying to avoid pear shape!
Dh and I are bike buddies from way back. We have ridden together since we were just dating. I thought I was so much faster because I was always out front.... found out the real truth quite a bit later.


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## thistlebloom (Feb 12, 2020)

I was on a roll this morning. It may have been better sleep or more potent coffee, but I was full of energy and ready to tackle everything. The sun was also shining so that was helpful. 
I rearranged the living room (must be close to spring!) decluttered and got rid of an old end table. It had some sentimental value, but I was feeling ruthless. The living room is so much more spacious feeling and usable. It's been bugging me for an embarrassingly long time, don't know why I didn't try this arrangement a long time ago.

     Then I had to go into Big Town to do some errands.  Stopped at my biggest job to take a look at conditions there. We still have a good foot of snow at home, but there was _zero _in town. it's like another planet or something, haha.
That property is just waiting for me to show up with my tools and work it over. That really got me excited! Hopefully next week I can start some spring cleanup. Haven't started cleanups in February for years! 
This way I can ease into work and not be crunched for time and kill myself.  Oh, and start making money again. Always a welcome event.

Also, in other news Syringas saddle should be finished by the 26th.  I'm very excited about that. It's taken 3 months longer than predicted. Then I can get down to serious business and start riding her. Yay!


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## Baymule (Feb 13, 2020)

I can't wait to see her all dressed up in her new saddle! I have a thing for saddles. One of these days i'll finish my feed and tack room, drag out all my tack and get it organized. Then it will be time to take inventory and see what else I need. It seems that when it comes to tack, more is always better. 

You have a good job, outside, making beautiful things happen, satisfying work. You get to see the results of your work, instead of hours of time in front of a computer where your work disappears into cyberspace. Then in the winter, you don't have to battle the elements to make it to work on time, you are not bound by the clock. I'd have to say that you are pretty darn brilliant to have carved out your own niche in what you love to do.


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## promiseacres (Feb 13, 2020)

What kind of saddle are you getting for her? (You probably mentioned it...)


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## thistlebloom (Feb 13, 2020)

Baymule said:


> *I can't wait to see her all dressed up in her new saddle! *I have a thing for saddles. One of these days i'll finish my feed and tack room, drag out all my tack and get it organized. Then it will be time to take inventory and see what else I need. It seems that *when it comes to tack, more is always better*.
> 
> You have a good job, outside, making beautiful things happen, satisfying work. You get to see the results of your work, instead of hours of time in front of a computer where your work disappears into cyberspace. Then in the winter, you don't have to battle the elements to make it to work on time, you are not bound by the clock.* I'd have to say that you are pretty darn brilliant* to have carved out your own niche in what you love to do.



I can't wait either! I gave the borrowed saddles back, so she hasn't been saddled for a few weeks. I guess I could throw Lukes endurance on her, I kind of forgot about that.... maybe today we'll do some saddling.

Yes, more tack is always better! We may not have a closet full of nice clothes, but our horses don't go lacking!  😄
You should get your tack room all spiffy and take a picture. 

Thanks for the work compliment Bay. I do love that I'm independent and get to work with my hands outside. Brilliant maybe, broke for sure! Could be something to do with all the hay transformers hanging around in the back, lol. I keep hoping to get a sponsor. You know, I'll wear your logo on my t-shirt when I ride and you send me a check! So far I haven't had any takers. haha.


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## thistlebloom (Feb 13, 2020)

promiseacres said:


> What kind of saddle are you getting for her? (You probably mentioned it...)



It's a lightweight Wade western. It's not double skirted and I had him leave off the back cinch for weight. It should be around 30ish pounds. I'll post pictures when I get it.


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## High Desert Cowboy (Feb 13, 2020)

Good choice, I love my Wade!


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## thistlebloom (Feb 13, 2020)

Have I ever told you guys how much I love all my neighbors? 
The young couple next door recently approached me about doing some preschool work with their 4YO daughter.  She has been attending a preschool but hasn't been too happy there. Apparently she says it's boring and some of the little girls won't let her play with the baby dollies. It's kid drama, but I have watched her now and then when her grandma wasn't available and we did a little phonics practice for grins. Her mom noticed that she seems to be learning more here than at school, and would rather have her with someone she knows who is also right next door. They will pay me what they were paying the preschool. That's nice for me since there is no income from my job during the winter. (That would be because I don't work in the winter   😁)

We officially started today, just laying some basics of alphabet names and their phonetic sounds and some fun hands on projects. She's really easy to be around, she's got horse fever and just lights up whenever we talk horse. Her grandma is my good friend and riding buddy and Brooke gets to have horsemanship lessons on one of her older horses. It was totally enjoyable for both of us. 
Anyway, that is what I'm doing for 2 and a half days a week from now to June. Things are going to get hopping around here and there will be no more hanging out on the computer with a third cup of coffee like I've been doing for the bulk of the winter.
How embarassing.
Between Brooke, work gearing up, and increasing training time with Syringa, as well as my own gardening and the usual housework etc. I'm going to be a busy girl. Goodbye sweet laziness! I won't miss you too much.

Brooke teaching Larka the alphabet today. 
Because you know what they say... give a dog a book and she'll just chew it up, but teach a dog to read and you improve her vocabulary for life.


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## rachels.haven (Feb 14, 2020)

...that goes for kids too-all those darn drooly, chewy kids.


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## Bruce (Feb 14, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Brooke teaching Larka the alphabet today.
> Because you know what they say... give a dog a book and she'll just chew it up, but teach a dog to read and you improve her vocabulary for life.


It won't let me "Like", "Love" AND "Laugh". I'm sure Brooke will do very well with your personal attention and lack of Kid Drama. She'll be more than ready for kindergarten next fall.


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## Baymule (Feb 17, 2020)

Grandma practice! You need to tell your boys to stop dithering around and get married and have kids! No, I don’t mean goats, I mean real human kids!! LOL 

Sigh...... is there any hope for bachelor boys? My son is 37, never married and nothing on the horizon.


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## thistlebloom (Feb 17, 2020)

Yes. Kid#1 has had a steady girlfriend for .... let me think... 7 or 8 years? Wow, time has flown! We love her to bits, and he would marry her, but she is the unwilling party. Her parents got divorced a few years ago after living as hostile room mates for 20 something years. You can't blame the car for driving into a tree, it's the drivers fault. But she wants to blame the vehicle I guess.

Kid#2 is like your son, nothing on the horizon. They are both such hard working, decent men too. I think they would be a great marriage partner, ( but we would expect that from a mom).

My husband was 28 when we married (he says he had to wait for me to grow up) so I kind of expected them to move a little slower. But now it seems like they are pretty much set.


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## thistlebloom (Feb 22, 2020)

Have a couple funnies to tell on Syringa.
I took her out for a little line work today in the little field across the road, where the sun has melted most of the snow. We walked through the deep snow on our property to get there. As we got to the (muddy) road, she decides she wants to lay down and take a good roll in the snow right at the edge. So I let her lay down and she rolls with her neck and body in the snow but her head on the roadside.
She finished and started to get up, and while she was still on her knees with her butt in the air she notices last years soggy mashed weeds growing by the road right under her muzzle. Hey! Looky! Food! So she knelt there like some kind of stink bug munching away.  🤣

Once I got her upright like a horse again we made it across the road and did a bit of groundwork. She was doing pretty good, and then I added backing up into the mix. She started alright, but started getting irritable when I asked for a little more enthusiasm and not the half baked slop she was giving me. So we backed quite a ways waiting for a little attitude adjustment. We ended up backed pretty much into the trees when she finally gave me the forward ears and soft eye with a yes maam. Just in the nick of time because I wasn't sure how backing through all that thick timber was going to work out. While I stood waiting on her to relax a bit she discovered her bottom was touching a short whippy little pine and she began wagging her bum back and forth itching it.  She kept that slow sway up until I was teary eyed from laughing. Then she was all - okay mom! that was great, what's next? 
Sometimes that mare is a hoot!


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## Beekissed (Feb 22, 2020)

I love it that you are teaching .....what an amazing teacher you would be!!!  Wish my grandchildren lived next door to you so you could start a little school.   My DIL has a teaching certificate but still can't seem to homeschool the girls to the point where they are learning at a steady rate...or at all.   

Love also hearing about your horse and love the pic of your student and your Larka.....a lovely child and a lovely dog!


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## thistlebloom (Feb 22, 2020)

Thank you for the sweet compliment Bee!


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## Baymule (Feb 22, 2020)

She is like having a teenager. So sweet, smart, loving, then a smart alec little snot! I enjoy how much she and you are growing together. You are teaching her, but she is teaching you too.


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## thistlebloom (Feb 22, 2020)

Baymule said:


> She is like having a teenager. So sweet, smart, loving, then a smart alec little snot! I enjoy how much she and you are growing together. You are teaching her, but she is teaching you too.



So true. She has the advantage of a young brain, my poor little gray matter is slightly atrophied, lol.

Took her out this afternoon and walked her down the road in front of the property doing.... something I can't remember the real name for... see brain comment above... anyway, it's an exercise where I walk forward with her slightly behind on my right and ask her to pass me, go ahead of me in a semi circle and around on my left to walk there, slightly behind, all while I continue walking forward at a moderate pace. Walk several steps more than have her pass on my left go forward ahead of me and around to my right side. Repeat. My goal is her softness at a forward pass and calmly moving ahead and around. Eventually I will just have her moving from side to side without the pause of several steps between the passes.

She is not a fan of this exercise, and gets rushy and a little 'tudy about it. She has been making progress though, and she has always been very soft and responsive on the line. But this afternoon she seemed to think that she had done it enough and as she passed me from left to right she let out a little kick and tapped my hand. Now this was obviously not a kick intended to damage, but I immediately got all up in her stuff and backed her rapidly down the bank off the road into the snow and kept her moving fast. The snow is about halfway up her cannons, she was moving backward so fast she was nearly sitting down. The look on her face was priceless. Hahaha! I kept her moving back for about another 100 feet around my garden shed and down the driveway then we went out to the road and tried again. She was humble and after two more "nice" passes we stopped and did something she enjoys more. Love that darn mare.


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## Baymule (Feb 22, 2020)

Oh she tries you!! I laughed at that! Talk about a sullen teenager response! Hahaha! I guess she found out MOM means business! LOL LOL


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## thistlebloom (Feb 27, 2020)

I've been doing more of the "over here over there" exercise I described above with Syringa. I figured out the key to getting her to do it calmly was just to keep going farther down the road until it was just an easy smooth movement and she settled into the rhythm of it. I think we both had fun doing it.  
I also sat on her bareback off the fence, which I haven't done all winter. She was calm and hardly noticed, just turned her head to sniff my leg.  I think the first ride will be uneventful.

 Her saddle is now supposed to be done by this weekend. All of the delays are wearing me out. I was supposed to have it mid November, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. I know they had difficulties this winter. I'm very excited to be getting it soon, and get riding my mare at last.

Today was a beautiful bluebird day, and by all appearances we are going to have a decently early spring. I saw a Robin yesterday at dusk! First one of the year for me. Little Miss and I had a great time together. She is catching on to her pre reading lessons well. We spent a lot of the day outside in the sunshine. She loves Huckleberry, my little mule. While I pruned the apple trees she led him up and down the driveway. I'm teaching her to tie a Highwaymans hitch when she grooms him. 








Everybody needs a little advice on pruning from their cat.


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## Bruce (Feb 28, 2020)

Mom, cut THIS branch


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## thistlebloom (Feb 28, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Mom, cut THIS branch



He's so nosy. I had to be careful with the loppers because he kept climbing over to the side I was working on. Don't want no three legged cat! 😄


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## B&B Happy goats (Mar 1, 2020)

Happy Birthday tommrow


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## thistlebloom (Mar 4, 2020)

Syringa is a risk taker. The sign says "Warning!! Do not scratch your itchy rump on this sign!!" 
I guess I need Brooke to start working with her on the alphabet.


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## Baymule (Mar 4, 2020)

Love that picture!


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## rachels.haven (Mar 4, 2020)

Does that illustrate her regard for the rules?


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## thistlebloom (Mar 4, 2020)

rachels.haven said:


> Does that illustrate her regard for the rules?



Yes,  😄   at least some of the time.
 She's a pistol. But very quick minded and "feely". She has tempered my own tendency to go in quick and hard with an ask, and to ask more subtly and soft at first. We are training each other for sure.


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## High Desert Cowboy (Mar 5, 2020)

Remember slow and steady wins the race.  Quick and hard turns to a rodeo, and unfortunately there’s no 8 second buzzer or pick up men handy!


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## thistlebloom (Mar 5, 2020)

High Desert Cowboy said:


> Remember slow and steady wins the race.  Quick and hard turns to a rodeo, and unfortunately there’s no 8 second buzzer or pick up men handy!



Yep  
That's why I've been taking my time, going slow. I've had her 20 months and am just about ready for our first ride.
The last few months I've been waiting on my saddle getting finished. Got it Sunday, now am just waiting on some good days.


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## High Desert Cowboy (Mar 5, 2020)

Saddle pics?


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## thistlebloom (Mar 5, 2020)

High Desert Cowboy said:


> Saddle pics?



Oh you betcha! I took about 400 yesterday  😄. But I have to download and resize. Got my little student coming soon, so it will be this afternoon most likely.


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Mar 5, 2020)

High Desert Cowboy said:


> Saddle pics?


I want pictures of her!!


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## thistlebloom (Mar 5, 2020)

Duckfarmerpa1 said:


> I want pictures of her!!



She's my avatar.
Be careful what you ask for! I can be  like a proud mama with a stack of photo albums. 😴


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## thistlebloom (Mar 5, 2020)

As promised, saddle pictures. I will spare you and not show all 400. Unless you insist.

How it began... my bare tree. Wood and rawhide.






Getting the foundation started.





And a little more progress...


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## thistlebloom (Mar 5, 2020)

There's more!

This is built on a Wade tree using Hermann Oak leather. Hides from American cattle, tanned in St. Louis MO.
Originally I had requested no rigging for a back cinch as I didn't anticipate dragging cows around and wanted to cut weight where possible.
He went ahead and double rigged it and even threw in the back cinch for no extra charge. He also rigged it for a crupper and britchen. I think it was a way of making up for the 3.5 month delay. But even with the extra rigging and back cinch it's only 33 lbs.






 The back cinch.









My sunflower  










And the inspiration for the tooled sunflower on the cantle came from the blingy headstall I bought for her a year ago.





I never get tired of looking at it. It's currently enthroned in the living room where I can gaze at it. 
I will probably shed a few tears when the first scratch goes in.


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## thistlebloom (Mar 5, 2020)

For @Duckfarmerpa1 .
She likes to help me garden.


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## High Desert Cowboy (Mar 5, 2020)

And you will never forget that first scratch.  8 years ago Bro tried to go under a metal crosspiece of the barn while I was saddling other horses and caught the cantle, put a big scratch right on the front.  You’ll tear up and curse and then won’t even think twice about the collections of scratches it collects afterwards.  Beautiful Lady Wade Who made it?


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## B&B Happy goats (Mar 5, 2020)

Awwww    Thistlebloom...I'm  so happy you love you sunflower saddle  , it sure is pretty ...


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## Mike CHS (Mar 5, 2020)

I know nothing about saddles but that is a piece of art work.


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## thistlebloom (Mar 5, 2020)

High Desert Cowboy said:


> And you will never forget that first scratch.  8 years ago Bro tried to go under a metal crosspiece of the barn while I was saddling other horses and caught the cantle, put a big scratch right on the front.  You’ll tear up and curse and then won’t even think twice about the collections of scratches it collects afterwards.  Beautiful Lady Wade Who made it?



Thank you, it was made by Clay Ensley of Bayview ID.  C&S Saddlery.

Yeah I know that once it gets some wear love I'll get over the "new car" paranoia, and be able tor relax. I'm just not in a hurry for that first insult, LOL.


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## B&B Happy goats (Mar 5, 2020)

Does it have a" new saddle smell " with the leather ?


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## thistlebloom (Mar 5, 2020)

B&B Happy goats said:


> Does it have a" new saddle smell " with the leather ?



Oh yes! No sweaty horse aroma yet.


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## High Desert Cowboy (Mar 5, 2020)

And it’ll creak and squeak for the first hundred miles!


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## thistlebloom (Mar 5, 2020)

At least! It would be nice if it fit both horses, then I could break it in a little faster.


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## WildBird (Mar 6, 2020)

Mike CHS said:


> I know nothing about saddles but that is a piece of art work.



Same here! But I love it, it is definitely the most beautiful I've ever seen!


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Mar 6, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> As promised, saddle pictures. I will spare you and not show all 400. Unless you insist.
> 
> How it began... my bare tree. Wood and rawhide.
> 
> ...


Oh my gosh..that’s beautiful!M. I had no idea there was wood in a saddle!!


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Mar 6, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> There's more!
> 
> This is built on a Wade tree using Hermann Oak leather. Hides from American cattle, tanned in St. Louis MO.
> Originally I had requested no rigging for a back cinch as I didn't anticipate dragging cows around and wanted to cut weight where possible.
> ...


Oh my goodness...I really have never seen one like that, and never seen all the details!!  It’s just amazing!!


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## Baymule (Mar 6, 2020)

That is one fine saddle. It is guaranteed to make your butt smile!


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## thistlebloom (Mar 6, 2020)

Baymule said:


> That is one fine saddle. It is guaranteed to make your butt smile!



Well for sure the cheeks on my face will be beaming! 😆


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## thistlebloom (Mar 18, 2020)

Today I made up a double batch of fire cider. I like having it on hand and finally remembered to pick up some horseradish and turmeric today. I had left out an important tax form when I dropped my packet off at the CPA's Monday and had to make a return trip today to drop it off. 
  Town felt weird. A lot of parking lots were empty, and there was traffic, but not as congested as has been usual the last few years with all the new arrivals moving here. 
Thanks to @Baymule  sharing the TSC's CEO's email I stopped off there, and found they had plenty of the feed I need for Luke. I bought two extra bags (not hoarding! ) just in case I can't get back for whatever reason. I have six months worth of hay left, so no worries there. Unfortunately I forgot to pick up dewormer, I seem to be a little unfocused lately when I'm in stores. 

My tomato and pepper starts are doing pretty good. I didn't set up my lights this year. I just have them in a south window. Simple seems to be my theme this year.

I've saddled Syringa with my new saddle 4 times, but the round pen is still bad footing so no actual getting up on her yet. There is a little covered arena I can trailer too, but with my little tutoring job, and garden work starting up, time is kind of tricky. I did put it on Luke and rode him around the yard just to see how it felt. It's lovely and balanced. Too bad it doesn't fit him too.

I need a new batch of layers this year, and almost did an impulse buy at TSC, but came to my senses.
 Instead I'm going to keep an eye out for started pullets as I don't need very many to keep us in eggs.

So here's the fire cider. One jar anyway. It's doing it's magic in my dark pantry right now.


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## Baymule (Mar 19, 2020)

Recipe? I know I can skip over to SS, but i'm lazy. haha


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## thistlebloom (Mar 19, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Recipe? I know I can skip over to SS, but i'm lazy. haha



Everybody has their variations, but this is how I did this batch (I split the ingredients between two half gallon canning jars) :

Horseradish - 1 pretty big root, 2.5" x 8" ish
Turmeric- 2 good sized roots
ginger- 2 large almost palm sized roots
2 heads of garlic
2 mediums sized onions
4 big jalapenos
2 big lemons
2 oranges
2 heaping TBS of ground cinnamon
2 qts of raw unfiltered ACV

Everything got a really good scrub, and this time I didn't peel anything, (except the onion) just coarsely chopped all the roots, smashed the garlic, sliced the peppers and citrus thin. Pack it all into your jar and cover to the top with ACV.
Let it infuse in a dark cool cupboard for 4 weeks. Give it a shake once a day.
Strain, add honey if you want (I use one cup).
Pour into a clean container and refrigerate. 
I have found that it's fine to just store in a cupboard, but we use ours up within 6 months.

I am going to send one jar with Kid#1 when he leaves on his fire fighting assignment. We probably won't see him again until fall. Kid#2 thinks this is a crazy thing to ingest so he's not a fan, but I'm working on his tiny closed mind, haha.


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## thistlebloom (Mar 23, 2020)

Took a few pics of Syringa all dressed up in her new saddle. Dh drives the pickup and I sit on the tailgate holding her lead. We trot her around the neighborhood (dirt roads) about 2.5 miles to let her stretch her legs and get the wiggles out. It was hard to get a full body shot since she wanted to be so close to the tailgate. She did real well with the stirrups swinging and tapping her sides. Got a little bucky for a few strides, but that was just joy I'm sure. 



The latigo is way long, got about 3 miles of it even with 3 wraps around the cinch ring. So I marked it after 2 wraps and took it over to the saddlemaker's and he removed the excess.

Before the latigo trim *







My little sweet potato.





In other events, I worked today at my smaller job, pruning the redtwig dogwoods and raking out a few beds.
The rest of the week is devoted to my big estate and I hope it doesn't rain because I intend to work anyway.
I used to work in the rain all the time before I turned into a sissy. Just gonna have to find the old tough me. 😄
It's all good with quarantine type standards as the owners don't come to stay until June, so it's just me on a few acres.


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## Bruce (Mar 24, 2020)

Yep, no reason you can't go work on the estate! Certainly no C virus floating around out there in the bushes.


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## SA Farm (Mar 24, 2020)

Loved reading bits and pieces of your journal. I totally did a walk down memory lane with thoughts of my own horses and training them back in the day. I miss having them. I still hold out hope that I’ll have one - or more  again someday


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## thistlebloom (Mar 24, 2020)

SA Farm said:


> Loved reading bits and pieces of your journal. I totally did a walk down memory lane with thoughts of my own horses and training them back in the day. I miss having them. I still hold out hope that I’ll have one - or more  again someday



Well hold on to that dream! You're still young, that season will come around for you again. I don't think you're ever too old. I'm 63 and starting a mustang from scratch. Being old doesn't always equal being smart though, haha.
I'm always happy to talk horse if you want to reminisce about your favorites.


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## thistlebloom (Mar 25, 2020)

~
The sky was so beautiful on Tuesday when I was coming home I had to pull over and take a picture.





Tuesday was a very spring day. Sun, hail, rain, snow pellets, sun, wind...all chasing each other.
Another day at the office.






 A few minutes later the mountains disappeared.



Sun ... then the clouds let go. Makes work interesting.


 


Found out my clients will be back in residence in  May, a month earlier than usual. I'm going to take care of things as usual, until I hear different.


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## Bruce (Mar 26, 2020)

I think you should take care of things by living there until they get back, to make sure no people fleeing the  Coronavirus decide to squat


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## thistlebloom (Mar 28, 2020)

Thursday I decided to prune a tree that has been bugging me at work for 2 years. It's a sambucus and was just a horrible mess.
Should really come out as it doesn't add to the landscape, but I will wait for my clients to make that decision. I would love to replace it with a Cherokee Brave dogwood.

Here it is before the attack.





And the aftermath...





I took so much off!  There were two dead trunks in there along with all manner of crossing twisted branches and waterspouts.
I could have kept going because it's all congested up higher, but then I would have ended up with a matchstick, lol. Poor old ugly tree.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Mar 29, 2020)

It looks a whole lot better.


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## Bruce (Mar 29, 2020)

TONS of watersprouts! I'm sure it will look better and be healthier this year than it did last year. 
Does it fruit? There are some who swear by Elderberry syrup for health purposes.


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## thistlebloom (Mar 29, 2020)

We'll see what happens when it leafs out. I know there will be a lot of exuberant growth where I made all the cuts, so in June I'll have to get back in there and rub them out. No, @Bruce , I've never seen it bloom, and there are definitely no berries on it ever. Do they make fruitless elderberries? 🤔


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## Bruce (Mar 29, 2020)

You would know that better than I!!! I only know it is elderberry because I had no idea what sambucus is.


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## thistlebloom (Mar 29, 2020)

I looked it up and cannot find a fruitless elderberry. I know there are a lot of ornamental fruit trees that have been bred to be fruitless, but doesn't seem to have happened in the sambucus lines. Maybe the thing does bloom, but I am sure there have never been berries, unless a neighbor has been sneaking in and harvesting, LOL.
This landscape is fairly low maintenance so I don't spend a lot of time there in the summer. It is the "guest cottage" to my big job.


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## Bruce (Mar 29, 2020)

Wouldn't it be nice to have enough money to own a summer place with a guest cottage?


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## thistlebloom (Mar 29, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Wouldn't it be nice to have enough money to own a summer place with a guest cottage?



I'm pretty certain I'm not up to the complexity of being wealthy .
But it is interesting being in an outer orbit of that lifestyle.

 Don't know if I mentioned it before, but this big job is my favorite.
I used to have 18 accounts back when I started this business 14 years ago. Kids #1 and #2 helped me a fair bit back then, but these days I'm down to two accounts, plus a handful of little spring and fall cleanups for a few favorites. And except for a bit (small bit) of help from dh and occasionally my boys when I whine enough I'm on my own.
This "big job" as I always refer to it, takes me 3 or 4 days per week. 

The property is beatiful, very park like in the summer when I have it whipped into shape and since I spend so much time there when no one is living there it feels like my personal garden space.
The house was built by the former occupants whom I worked for first. It's timber frame with a slate roof and copper trim. The window frames are all copper and all the materials are the highest quality. The lower story is granite stone with cedar board and batten above. The new owners purchased it 4ish years ago and inherited me as gardener.
They just purchased the property in front two years ago (the "guest cottage") so the grandkids wouldn't have to sleep on airbeds in the (beautiful, finished, walk out ) basement. Poor little grandkids! I'm sure it was a tough two weeks for them!

Anyway the guest cottage is a mere 4000 sf, and they remodeled the exterior with the same granite and cedar as the big house so they complement one another. I cannot even begin to imagine how one deals with that degree of wealth, and personally I'm not envious in the slightest. In fact I kind of feel sorry for them.
But they are very nice people and are always friendly to me and treat me well. Which has not always been my experience gardening for the super wealthy. I have been treated as a non entity by a few, and they are in the rearview mirror now.

I forgot why I got off on this tangent, except it's a rainy day and I've been indoors most of it. Sure got verbose there!


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## Bruce (Mar 29, 2020)

Sounds truly beautiful, do you suppose they would mind if you posted pictures of the exterior and the grounds? 



thistlebloom said:


> Anyway the guest cottage is a mere 4000 sf


 Probably 99%+ of the people in this country don't have a permanent house that big!!!


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## farmerjan (Mar 29, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Wouldn't it be nice to have enough money to own a summer place with a guest cottage?



Surprising, no I have no interest in having enough money to own a summer place with a guest cottage.... especially if the guest cottage is bigger than alot of houses.... 
I just don't get the whole thing of the rich having houses here there and everywhere.  Where is "HOME"  after while????
And I grew up in an area in CT where there were alot of people with money..... seems like most were not any happier than us poor folks.... just had problems that were fixed with more money being thrown at them.  Which mostly didn't fix anything in the long run.


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## Baymule (Mar 29, 2020)

If I were super wealthy, I'd just have a big ranch. Living the dream, I dang sure wouldn't need a summer house--or any other house for that matter. 

Thanks for the insight into your work. It sounds lovely, what an environment to work in! 

Syringa looks proud of her new saddle, it's perfect. She's perfect. And what a perfect day.


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## thistlebloom (Mar 30, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Sounds truly beautiful, do you suppose they would mind if you posted pictures of the exterior and the grounds?



I don't think it's a problem.  

This is an old photo. The former owners lived here year round and in the fall we would take the annuals out of the containers and make a winter display. That was always fun. Nobody is there in the winter anymore so I don't get to do that now.




 

This is also not recent, it's the back side of the house.














Fourth of July dinner party on the lawn. There are fireworks from a barge out on the lake.
There are a lot of those drystack stone walls on the grounds that you can see in the picture below. I put up hot wire every fall to keep the winter deer traffic off them. The deer jumping up and down breaks them down and erodes the banks.





Guest cottage remodel finished with landscaping designed and installed by me. Everything is much bigger now. It's been longer than I thought.


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## rachels.haven (Mar 30, 2020)

Wow, fancy. Beautiful landscaping!


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## B&B Happy goats (Mar 30, 2020)

Nice place to work or call home ...


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## Bruce (Mar 30, 2020)

Lovely place. Someone does a nice job taking care of the landscaping 



farmerjan said:


> Surprising, no I have no interest in having enough money to own a summer place with a guest cottage.... especially if the guest cottage is bigger than alot of houses....


But Jan, if you had that much money you could buy the farm of your dreams!! No one says you HAVE to spend it on an "estate"


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## thistlebloom (Mar 30, 2020)

Looking at the dates on those pictures I got whiplash. I have been gardening there for 9 years! It will be 6 for the "new" owners this summer. Oh. My. Lanta.
How did that time warp happen?

I also thought I should point out that I have nothing to with lawns anywhere. Except my own house. I'm beds and borders exclusively, leaving the lawns to the army of mow blow and go guys.


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## farmerjan (Mar 30, 2020)

It is a beautiful place. And you do nice landscaping.  

Yes @Bruce , if I had alot of money I would buy a farm that we could really work and enjoy and really "farm".... but it would never be some sort of show place that is for sure.  Maybe have someone to do some of what I don't like doing, like mowing grass, and as I have gotten older to do fencing and some other stuff.  But the idea of having that much money to have estates and guest cottages bigger than most houses just doesn't get it. Although, a housekeeper wouldn't turned down since I would rather be outside than inside.....


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## Xerocles (Mar 30, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I also hought I should point out that I have nothing to with lawns anywhere. Except my own house. I'm beds and borders exclusively, leaving the lawns to the army of mow blow and go guys.


That struck me as wryly funny, and immediately brought to mind the opening scene from one of my favorite movies, "Sabrina"-(the Harrison Ford one, not the original one with Audrey Hepburn). While panning the estate, the narrator is saying "there was an outdoor gardener and an indoor gardener, an outdoor pool man and an indoor pool man, an outdoor tennis crew and an indoor tennis crew. an arborist and a tree surgon on retainer, and one man who tended the koi."
Now that's a paraphrase because I haven't seen the movie in some time...it disappeared in my move.
I can just see someone (not you @thistlebloom ...I'm certain you would never be so petty) saying "oh no! I'm BEDS AND BORDERS...you have to get someone else to rake those few leaves off the lawn."
Sorry, even I worry about my sense of humor sometimes.


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## Baymule (Mar 30, 2020)

That is a pretty place. Sometimes I see an old farm house up close by the road and off in the distance is a MacMansion, leaving the old house empty and lonely. To me the old farmhouse has the charm, the love and the fun that makes a home.


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## thistlebloom (Mar 30, 2020)

Baymule said:


> That is a pretty place. Sometimes I see an old farm house up close by the road and off in the distance is a MacMansion, leaving the old house empty and lonely. To me the old farmhouse has the charm, the love and the fun that makes a home.



Me too. My house is little and boringly samey, but it's where everything I love is. Small as it is I have impressed on my kids that they will never have to live in their car as long as we have a roof to share. I think that's incentive enough to keep them working hard, haha.
No, I don't want to be rich (good thing as that is as remote as flying to the moon ) but I do realize that without wealthy folks I would probably be working at a mini mart or something. Who else can afford a gardener? And a lot of them are really very nice people.

@Xerocles , I worry about your sense of humor too. It's very similar to mine 🤣, we should both be very afraid.
You weren't too far off there, although I do a bit of lawn raking, those guys had better stay outta my beds and borders!


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## Mike CHS (Mar 30, 2020)

Of course I only know you from this forum but I have found you to be very wealthy in those things that matters.


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## thistlebloom (Mar 30, 2020)

Mike CHS said:


> Of course I only know you from this forum but I have found you to be very wealthy in those things that matters.



Thank you Mike, that is significant coming from you, and what I know of you from this forum also.


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## Baymule (Mar 31, 2020)

If he says it, he means it.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Apr 1, 2020)

Miss @thistlebloom,

Were you, Miss @WildBird (and one other whose name I can't recall), impacted by the earthquake in Idaho yesterday?

Senile Texas Aggie


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## thistlebloom (Apr 1, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Miss @thistlebloom,
> 
> Were you, Miss @WildBird (and one other whose name I can't recall), impacted by the earthquake in Idaho yesterday?
> 
> Senile Texas Aggie



I thought I heard a rumble, but didn't take much notice. Kid#2 texted me and asked if I felt it. Of course I didn't see his text until a few hours later, but he said it shook his desk chair. Other than that nothing that I have heard as far as damage up here.
@CrazyAboutAnimals lives in the Treasure Valley, where the quake was centered. Are you ok CAA?


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## Jesusfreak101 (Apr 1, 2020)

One thought on the guest house is three times the size of our current home    just think of the cleaningi want a larger house but seriously thats massive. It's like 600+sq foot per person in this house hold thats like your own one bedroom apartment size thats just huge!!!
It's beautiful you do good work. I would be afraid my kids would ruin all that work they love to pick flowers and dig holes.


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## thistlebloom (Apr 1, 2020)

Jesusfreak101 said:


> One thought on the guest house is three times the size of our current home    just think of the cleaningi want a larger house but seriously thats massive. It's like 600+sq foot per person in this house hold thats like your own one bedroom apartment size thats just huge!!!
> It's beautiful you do good work. I would be afraid my kids would ruin all that work they love to pick flowers and dig holes.



Yeah, the yard is not really designed to be a kid friendly hangout. The guest house is really only used 2 weeks a year and the grandkids are all in college now. Past the hole digging, playing in the dirt stage, if they ever had one.
It's like viewing life on a different planet, interesting, but not personally appealing.
But I am grateful for the work and the type of work it provides. I feel hugely blessed to be able to work outside, be solitary, and not be micromanaged on every decision. I  certainly don't expect everyone to be like me, or want to live my lifestyle.


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## B&B Happy goats (Apr 1, 2020)

Hey T bloom, I was at my neighbors today and saw my first thistle bloom,  I never realised how beautiful  they are, what a awesome piece of eye candy !


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## Bruce (Apr 1, 2020)

You have thistles blooming NOW??? They don't bloom here until almost fall. 

Pretty sad to have a house that size sitting idle and slowly degrading, used only 2 weeks a year.


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## thistlebloom (Apr 1, 2020)

B&B Happy goats said:


> Hey T bloom, I was at my neighbors today and saw my first thistle bloom,  I never realised how beautiful  they are, what a awesome piece of eye candy !



Why thank you!  



Bruce said:


> You have thistles blooming NOW??? They don't bloom here until almost fall.
> 
> Pretty sad to have a house that size sitting idle and slowly degrading, used only 2 weeks a year.



Degrading? Are you kidding? The maintenance on both houses and properties boosts the local economy greatly!


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## Bruce (Apr 1, 2020)

They have people go into the "guest house" regularly to keep it up?


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## thistlebloom (Apr 1, 2020)

Bruce said:


> They have people go into the "guest house" regularly to keep it up?



Oh Bruce! I can tell you've never been endowed with more money than you could ever possibly spend! 😂 That's actually refreshing...
Yes, the house gets cleaned regularly, polishing the polish you know. Not as often as the main house, but many housekeepers (is that politically correct, or are they called something else now?) will not be employed at snowbirds homes unless they are also employed at least part time through the winter. 
The property manager has all the systems checked regularly, and everything is maintained in such a manner that it could be lived in at a moments notice.


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## Bruce (Apr 1, 2020)

Housekeepers = domestic engineers? 

Um, no I don't suppose I'll ever have more money than I could spend. Unless of course I win one of those sweepstakes or lotteries I never entered and send a few thousand dollars to cover lawyers fees


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## CrazyAboutAnimals (Apr 3, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Miss @thistlebloom,
> 
> Were you, Miss @WildBird (and one other whose name I can't recall), impacted by the earthquake in Idaho yesterday?
> 
> Senile Texas Aggie


I was. It was crazy!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Apr 4, 2020)

CrazyAboutAnimals said:


> I was. It was crazy!



Miss @CrazyAboutAnimals,

I hope things turned out OK.  Sorry that I couldn't remember your name.  I just remember you posted on a thread that was something about Idaho, but I never located the thread.  Thanks for posting, and thanks to Miss @thistlebloom for remembering your name.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## thistlebloom (Apr 5, 2020)

Yesterday was a great day! Woke up to a clear sky, and below freezing, but that promise of a rare sunny day more than made up for it.
Got everybody fed, had my 3 cups of coffee 🤪, then my husband and I took the bikes over to the state park for a little trail riding. Nothing like a little heavy breathing to start the day, lol.

When we got back I hauled Syringa out of her corral and we took her for a trot behind the truck. She was a mud clod, but I put my hood up so nobody would recognize me 😉. Then everybody got a deep clean kind of grooming, and I turned old Luke loose to roam the property and find what little sprouts there are out there to nibble.

Syringa got saddled, and she was perfectly calm about it which is great progress. She sometimes gets nervous and wants to move her feet around. I don't tie her for the saddling,  just hold her line and turn her in a small circle if she needs to move, until she settles again. We did some ground work review then I took her in the round pen for the very first mount from the ground she has ever had. Correction, I have stood up in the stirrup and leaned my weight over her back, but not thrown a leg over for a full mount.
I have also sat on her from the fence bareback a bunch and with Lukes English saddle (because Syringas wasn't finished yet). It's all in the prep. I don't want any surprises.
It was exciting to be on her, but also a little anticlimactic, which is what I was hoping for.

Checking her softness to lateral flexion from the ground.






















She flexed laterally both directions nicely, and moved a her feet a few steps. I was prepared to do more, and ask her to move forward, but my neighbor had just ridden her horse out to work in the field across the road and Syringa was a little distracted, so I stopped there and dismounted. I didn't want an audience (I'm so shy) and I was happy with what she had done. No need to mess up the success and have to do more to undo any backsliding.

I took her for a little walk down the road (on foot) then put her away and started cleaning pens.
The sun came back out after hiding behind clouds and it seemed like a nice time to sit on a muck tub and hang out. Angus the barn cat curled up in my lap, Larka the big dog sat on my feet and leaned against my knees, and Syringa stood over us, licking the dog and cat and resting her head against my leg with her eyes half closed. It was perfect bliss and contentment. We were all in a little bit of a sun stupor. 









This is Syringa the day I first saw her at the BLM adoption event. # 4223. She was in the last chancers pen. I got home and told my husband about her and he told me I had to track her down. I love that man!





And yesterday, 21 months later after a very happy day.


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## B&B Happy goats (Apr 5, 2020)

that's one lucky girl you adopted , so happy she is flourishing  under you care and love


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## Baymule (Apr 5, 2020)

Wow, that is a huge accomplishment. I don't know if I am more proud of you or Syringa. I think I'll choose Syringa. You have brought her along and she is blossoming under your care and teaching. She is your life partner.


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## thistlebloom (Apr 6, 2020)

I'm proud of her too. To me it's a very huge deal. Been a long time in the works. Like about 18 months longer than most people take on their mustangs, but the time it has taken has been good for the two of us.

Can't wait for the day when I just saddle up and go for a ride on the trails.


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## thistlebloom (Apr 6, 2020)

Got my second ride in on Syringa this afternoon. 
She was so calm, even though the neighbor kids were tearing up and down on a quad and a distant neighbor kept shooting what sounded like a cannon. I got her to move her feet by bending her neck, encouraging her to move and then releasing her, hoping she would line out and keep walking. She would take a few steps then stop. Bend, move , release, stop. That's ok. She'll figure it out. 

Woohoo!!!


----------



## thistlebloom (Apr 7, 2020)




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## thistlebloom (Apr 7, 2020)

Today was a work at the home garden day. Our Kid#1 needed to come pick up some mail and use dads tools to replace a part on his truck so I opted for home work over dollar work. We were all very socially distanced and stayed outdoors. No hugging... !
It's funny to see your kid be so parental and careful with his old folks. Love that kid.

We may not get to see him for several months. He's leaving for his wildland firefighting job Saturday, and HQ is six hours away. They get one day off every 14 days so he won't be driving back and forth. We will try to go down and see him for his birthday if it works out and he's not on a fire at the time. 

He's on a Helitac crew again this year. This year he's working for the Feds, not the state, so the season will be longer and they go farther away if needed. He loves this job and I can personally not see the attraction, but he's so happy the season has started. So I'll be happy with him even if it makes my hair grayer.





In the garden I planted sugar snap peas and rolled out some porous weed cloth that someone gave me to see if it will warm the soil. I would really love to get a ripe melon for like, the first time ever. Melons produce, but so far haven't found one that is short season enough to actually ripen before fall frost cuts them short. I checked the soil temp before I rolled it out and it was 42*. A couple hours later I checked again under the weed cloth and the soil, at 4" deep was already 5 degrees warmer. Seems like I may be on to something.  The peppers would probably appreciate some warmer soil too, maybe I'll get a bumper crop!
I still haven't up potted my tomato and pepper starts. Maybe tomorrow. 

Didn't get the 3rd ride in on Syringa either. After I finished in the garden my knee was hurting and I was tired so I threw her an extra flake as a consolation and came in for keeps.


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## Bruce (Apr 8, 2020)

Its nice that your son has a job he loves. And an important one at that. But I do understand those gray hairs, it is a dangerous job.


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## Baymule (Apr 9, 2020)

I know you enjoyed your kid #1 visit. 14 days, 1 day off, sounds like my son's work schedule. He's not working now, everything is shut down. With oil prices in the dump, refineries are not doing anything. He runs cranes. 

Social distancing with your kids is not easy. Our DD cautioned her little ones, but that went out the window practically the minute they got here. I don't care if they are little germ sponges, I'm gonna love them. LOL


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## thistlebloom (Apr 9, 2020)

Got a good 4 hours in at work with dh's help today. I haven't got my gardening stamina yet and I  was hurting. After coming home and putting my feet up for half an hour I was recovered and energetic enough to go back outside and play horse. 

Got the third ride in on Syringa today. Yay me! She was great again,very calm and relaxed. She started getting the hang of walking forward and we made some progress in taking more steps each time. This is so much not what I had expected. I was thinking she would be very forward and I would have to bend her to a stop from trotting or loping. I'm hopeful we can at least move into a trot by the weekend. I'm certainly not complaining, I'll take calm and slow over reactive and anxious any day.

Also got Luke out and groomed and did some groundwork with him. I love that it's light later in the evening. It's my favorite time to work the horses. I told my husband my goal is to have dinner made by 4, then I can get outside until dark and not have that hanging over me, lol. Cooking is not my favorite activity.

Work again tomorrow. I need to take advantage of my husbands help for as long as I can exploit him.


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## WildBird (Apr 9, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Miss @thistlebloom,
> 
> Were you, Miss @WildBird (and one other whose name I can't recall), impacted by the earthquake in Idaho yesterday?
> 
> Senile Texas Aggie


This is a little late cause I haven't checked into BYH for a while, but I did feel the earthquake. It wasn't strong and was halfway over before I realized what was happening. It knocked over a rake that was leaning against my chicken coop wall but no other "damage" was done.


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## Baymule (Apr 10, 2020)

Your whole adventure with Syringa has been slow and steady. She is reacting in exactly the same way, slow, steady and most of all, calm. You have earned her trust, she is not fearful and feeling her way along with this new thing you are doing. Well done.


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## thistlebloom (Apr 15, 2020)

This evening I got the 5th ride in on Syringa. And we trotted!! She now seems to have the hang of walking haha, we made several circuits of the roundpen. I asked for a trot and kept asking (double cluck) until she broke into it. She only went a dozen strides that first time, but each succesive time I asked she responded more quickly and trotted farther. Best of all she was very calm, with just a single head toss the first time. I am over the moon! It's so exciting for me to get to this point finally. I know I already said all that but really, I'm so excited! Whenever I would imagine her first rides I expected something of a more reactive slightly explosive nature. I'm feeling very happy and thankful for her progress.😊


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## farmerjan (Apr 15, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> This evening I got the 5th ride in on Syringa. And we trotted!! She now seems to have the hang of walking haha, we made several circuits of the roundpen. I asked for a trot and kept asking (double cluck) until she broke into it. She only went a dozen strides that first time, but each succesive time I asked she responded more quickly and trotted farther. Best of all she was very calm, with just a single head toss the first time. I am over the moon! It's so exciting for me to get to this point finally. I know I already said all that but really, I'm so excited! Whenever I would imagine her first rides I expected something of a more reactive slightly explosive nature. I'm feeling very happy and thankful for her progress.😊




I think  it is great that you are doing so well with her.  Congrats!!!!!


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## thistlebloom (Apr 17, 2020)

Another sunny day and maybe up to 60. Sun sure helps the attitude and the corrals are finally dry. We had a little blizzard Saturday, went from partly sunny and near 50 to 39, howling wind and snow in about 2 hours. So weird.

I have my husbands help again at work today, he's going to finish pressure washing the driveways and patios and I am planning on cleaning a few small beds while he does that, then we'll leave when he's done so I can have the rest of the day and more energy to focus on work at home. This work stuff sure gets in the way of life!

My "dinner by 4:00" plan has been working well. It's nice to have dinner out of the way and the kitchen cleaned up so I can be out until dark, which right now is 7:30ish. I'm hoping to get some tomato starts out in the garden in the Wall O' Waters so they can get some better growth on them. Typically we can't put anything out until after the middle of May. The water tubes do a great job of insulating and heating so the tomatoes get a little jump on the season.
The soil is already pretty dry so things are already going to need water, but that's pretty normal for here.


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## thistlebloom (Apr 23, 2020)

Worked today at my 92 year old clients garden. She calls me every spring for a cleanup, and I always get a little apprehensive this time of year when I'm expecting her call. It makes me so happy when she finally does call, and I can breath a sigh of relief that Anna Mae is still with us. 💝 She's so cute in her jeans and flannel shirts.
She apologized today for not keeping up with the weeds. Every other year she has been out puttering around in her yard, but the past few years her back hasn't allowed her to do much. This year I could see the difference in her. After I got her garden cleaned up she made us coffee and we sat on her back porch and chatted. She also made chocolate chip cookies and told me to take the 3 extras home for my husband. I laughed and told her they would never make it that far,
 I was right. I enjoyed them on the drive home, but I did tell dh that Anna Mae had thought of him. 
I love that lady. I hope she continues to be healthy and living in her own home for many more years.

And I'm getting more rides in on Syringa which makes me happy happy!


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## Bruce (Apr 24, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I enjoyed them on the drive home, but I did tell dh that Anna Mae had thought of him.


You are a BAD girl!!!


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## thistlebloom (Apr 24, 2020)

Dh was very indignant!


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## CntryBoy777 (Apr 24, 2020)

Ya can "smooth it over" if ya make him a whole batch of his own....


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## thistlebloom (Apr 24, 2020)

CntryBoy777 said:


> Ya can "smooth it over" if ya make him a whole batch of his own....



Oh I'm sure that would work!
I had his best interest at heart when I ate the extras. He's pre-diabetic and should be careful of sugar. So you see, it was really a sacrificial thing I did. I just know he'll thank me, one of these days. 😄


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## Baymule (Apr 25, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> This evening I got the 5th ride in on Syringa. And we trotted!! She now seems to have the hang of walking haha, we made several circuits of the roundpen. I asked for a trot and kept asking (double cluck) until she broke into it. She only went a dozen strides that first time, but each succesive time I asked she responded more quickly and trotted farther. Best of all she was very calm, with just a single head toss the first time. I am over the moon! It's so exciting for me to get to this point finally. I know I already said all that but really, I'm so excited! Whenever I would imagine her first rides I expected something of a more reactive slightly explosive nature. I'm feeling very happy and thankful for her progress.😊


This is wonderful. She is definitely your heart horse.


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## Bruce (Apr 25, 2020)

I bet next time you go to Anna Mae's he will volunteer to help.


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## CrazyAboutAnimals (Apr 27, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Miss @CrazyAboutAnimals,
> 
> I hope things turned out OK.  Sorry that I couldn't remember your name.  I just remember you posted on a thread that was something about Idaho, but I never located the thread.  Thanks for posting, and thanks to Miss @thistlebloom for remembering your name.
> 
> Senile Texas Aggie


Your welcome, thanks for remembering in the first place. Sorry I haven't replied for so long, I have been busy and haven't been on in a while. And, yes, I was ok, it didn't hit me too hard.


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## thistlebloom (May 1, 2020)

Now that it's May it's feeling definitely springy!  
The sun is shining more, we haven't needed the woodstove for several days, and there are blooming flowers popping out. There's still quite a lot of snow on the mountains, but that's good for the lakes and rivers. My vegetable starts have been spending nights outside. No lower than 40 so far.

Here's a few of the earliest blooms. They've been blooming for a few weeks, I just never remembered to get a picture until tonight.

Glacier lily





Buttercup



 Teeny tiny little violets





Spring Beauty



The tulips are just beginning to open.





I saved the best for last. This evening was Syringas first ride outside of the round pen. I saddled her, did a little groundwork, mounted her in the round pen and walked her both directions checking for her light response to  a circle to a stop.
Then dh drove the truck while I sat on the tailgate holding her lead rope and we took her for a little trot around the neighborhood to get all the wiggles out. About a half mile from home we stopped and I got in the saddle. We walked home uneventfully. She was calm and walked with a level neck and her ears flicking back listening to me. I guess to morrow I'll start her from home and probably not trot her behind the truck first. Yay Syringa! And me!

Here she is eating some dessert after our good ride.


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## Baymule (May 2, 2020)

Beautiful flowers. They are a welcome sight in spring. That is awesome, riding Syringa out of the round pen. She is so beautiful, healthy and her coat shines. What a wonderful accomplishment.


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## thistlebloom (May 2, 2020)

Went for a little ride around the neighborhood on my girl today.
This is the view I have been hoping to have for a long time. Have to pinch myself that we have arrived at this point.


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## Beekissed (May 3, 2020)

Wow, she's pretty!!!  That's one gorgeous horse and I love your view between those ears, Thistle....just gorgeous!  She shines like a new penny....whatever you are doing, it's doing her well.  

Love all your flower pics too...especially the tulips.  Aliza and I had planted a "secret" patch of princess flowers(pink tulips) and when they came up, the sheep got to them several times so we never got to see them bloom.   

Spring has fully sprung here too and all the flowers with it....I just gaze in wonder and thank God for the sight to see another spring, to get to smell the fragrant air of spring.


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## thistlebloom (May 3, 2020)

Thanks Bee! I think she's beautiful too, but of course I'm strongly biased.  😄

I'm shocked at the rudeness of your sheep, eating tulips like a common goat, for shame! I had to put netting over mine that are planted near the road in front of the vegetable garden. The deer were mowing them down. They (deer) don't usually come too close to the house.


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## thistlebloom (May 3, 2020)

I completely forgot to mention the hummers are back. They arrived at our house April 29. I had the feeders out early, because according to the migration map they were spotted in town 20 miles south a week before.

So far we have Calliope and Rufous. You can tell which ones are regular customers here year after year because they aren't shy. The feeders are hanging in front of windows, the new ones are skittish if they see movement in the house. Dh went out to collect the feeders for a refill and a little Calliope male was drinking from the feeder as he carried it. Then he kept impatiently buzzing the hanger until it was brought back out. We look forward to seeing them every year. They are such amazing little creations.


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## Bruce (May 3, 2020)

Yep, that bird is pretty comfortable all right!


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## Baymule (May 3, 2020)

What a view! Your heart ought to be busting out of your chest with pride! What a special moment and many more to come!


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## thistlebloom (May 3, 2020)

Baymule said:


> What a view! Your heart ought to be busting out of your chest with pride! What a special moment and many more to come!



Oh you can't imagine! She and I have logged a couple hundred miles together as pedestrians, walking walking walking... now she'll be packing my hiney (which is pretty good incentive to drop that 10 lbs. of winter weight ) and that means new trails and longer distances and faster gaits!


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## thistlebloom (May 3, 2020)

I had a thought of trailering over to the park and riding Syringa in the arena  today. Checked the weather, and it was calling for dry conditions. I looked out the window and it was sure looking like it could rain. Told my husband my plan and he said it sure looked like rain. 
Oh don't worry I said. The weatherman said it's not!
Pulled her out of her corral and started grooming her. A few hail pellets turned into a torrent and we took cover in her shelter. My husband opened the back door and yelled 'don't worry! the weatherman said it won't rain!'


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## Bruce (May 4, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> now she'll be packing my hiney (which is pretty good incentive to drop that 10 lbs. of winter weight )


No need, she can carry way more than your weight


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## thistlebloom (May 4, 2020)

Bruce said:


> No need, she can carry way more than your weight



Ha! Well she may be able to, but I don't want her to have to. The ratio is about 20% of the animals weight, including saddle and gear. She's not very big, I've never taped or sticked her, but she's probably not much over 14 hands (4" per hand), maybe 14.2 hands, and her weight is probably not over 900 lbs. So with the saddle and me, we are very close to 20%.
I ought to measure her and find out all those details.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (May 5, 2020)

I'm sure your 120 lb weight is light enough!


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## thistlebloom (May 5, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> I'm sure your 120 lb weight is light enough!



That's a sweet thought STA, thank you. I'm afraid that reality is not so kind.


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## thistlebloom (May 6, 2020)

Yesterday was sunny and warm, my husband was my sidekick and we spread four yards of compost at my smaller job. Four hours later we were happy to be done. Lynn doesn't bake so we didn't score any cookies.  

Today is cool and rainy. We have a fire in the woodstove. Not strictly necessary, but it does cheer up the gloomy day. We are ordinarily done with wood fires by this time of year.

I have been looking for a good deal on firewood and found one on CL the other night. $800 for a log truck load of birch, our favorite firewood. Approximately 12 cords. Had it delivered today and I enjoyed watching the process. 

Big truck = worried horse.









I went in the corral with Syringa and walked over to the side closest to the truck. She followed me, but stayed right behind my back. She finally let me step back by her shoulder, but immediately hid behind me again. Silly horse!😄





I took a video too. When I reviewed it I realized I got one second of truck unloading and 6 seconds of manure on the ground. Guess I was so fascinated by the log truck I didn't pay attention to where I was aiming, lol.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 6, 2020)

That's a bunch of wood!!....but sure cheaper than cut&stacked cords......  .....guess Syringa wanted to "unload" for ya...ya was so "smitten" with the truck "uoading".....


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## Bruce (May 7, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Four hours later we were happy to be done. Lynn doesn't bake so we didn't score any cookies.


Clearly DH needs to do more research before he signs on to a job. 



thistlebloom said:


> $800 for a log truck load of birch, our favorite firewood. Approximately 12 cords.


Nice price per cord! I have no idea what logs would cost here. If that cheap it would probably be a better use of my time to do other projects instead of cutting my own trees since it is a lot of work and takes a lot of time.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 7, 2020)

@Bruce there should be some local stick haulers up there....when ya see one hauling logs, look at the driver's door for company name and give them a call....surely they can point ya in the right direction....


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## thistlebloom (May 7, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Clearly DH needs to do more research before he signs on to a job.


😂 I'm not going to pass that on. I think he may have forgiven me for the Anna Mae incident, but I hate to reopen the wound.



Bruce said:


> Nice price per cord!



I neglected to add that there was a $600 delivery fee, which brings up the price per cord, but $1400 for 12 cords of birch is a pretty hot deal. It has been going for $350/cord here lately. We're willing to do the extra work to cut and split, having more time than money generally.
And you're right about how time and energy consuming taking down your own trees is. We use some of ours for firewood, but all we have is pine and it just doesn't have the BTU's to keep up when the weather gets really cold. I imagine you must have hardwoods?


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## Bruce (May 7, 2020)

I know they exist, I've just never looked into it. After all there is about 17 acres of woods in the "backyard".


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## CntryBoy777 (May 7, 2020)

Yeh, pine sure isn't a burnin' wood...it spits and spues....most nut tree have a pleasent aroma and burns much better....


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## CntryBoy777 (May 7, 2020)

Bruce said:


> I know they exist, I've just never looked into it. After all there is about 17 acres of woods in the "backyard".


Maybe ya need some beaver to give ya a hand....🤣


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## thistlebloom (May 7, 2020)

The pine is fine for early fall and late spring when we just want to take the chill off the house. The most attractive thing is the price. Just a little sweat 😄


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## farmerjan (May 7, 2020)

Pine is great for a quick fire, and hot for a very short period of time.  Gotta watch the chimneys though, alot of pitch to make creosote on the liner and cause chimney fires.  We always used it to get the fire started quick.....


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## Baymule (May 7, 2020)

Now that's the way to buy firewood! Great deal on that!


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## thistlebloom (May 8, 2020)

Took Syringa over to the park for our first "trail" ride. Did a few little exercises in the arena, then headed out across some fields and down wide trails. She did super! She did want to follow a group of 6 horses, and got a little testy when I said no, and she found a few large boulders a little too suspicious to walk past easily, but I can literally feel her confidence  building. I could see that she was enjoying this new aspect of getting out immensely. Me too! I think we'll go again tomorrow morning.


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## CntryBoy777 (May 8, 2020)

She may have a reason to be cautious going past big rocks....could be obscurring a sizeable predator or rattler....ya just never know....  
Glad things went well and ya had a Good day!!.........the last time I was up your way....I was sitting at Black Canyon waiting for chain law to be lifted across the Snake River, Ladd Canyon, and Cabbage....headed to Portland....I didn't have a Good day....
When I went down Cabbage I couldn't feel pavement under the tires...I held my breath and had white knuckles on the steering wheel.....🤣


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## thistlebloom (May 8, 2020)

Good point about her being cautious. It's a different kind of confidence she has to have in me when I'm up on her, than when I'm on the ground walking her. She's crazy smart, and the most observant horse I've ever had. She notices if a wheelbarrow is left in a different place in the yard.
I've never been to Black Canyon. Good fishing there apparently.


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## promiseacres (May 9, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Good point about her being cautious. It's a different kind of confidence she has to have in me when I'm up on her, than when I'm on the ground walking her. She's crazy smart, and the most observant horse I've ever had. She notices if a wheelbarrow is left in a different place


  sounds like she's well on her way to being quite the trail horse.  really enjoying her progress.


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## Bruce (May 9, 2020)

CntryBoy777 said:


> Maybe ya need some beaver to give ya a hand....🤣


Only if it knew which trees to cut! 



thistlebloom said:


> She did want to follow a group of 6 horses


Probably heard about the "social distancing" requirement.


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## thistlebloom (May 19, 2020)

I Have some exciting news! Exciting to me at least. We are having two metal buildings put up in 4 to 6 weeks. One will be a 20x25 hay barn and the other a 20x30 garage with a 12' leanto. I won't know what to do with myself next winter not having to remove snow daily from the CP and tarped hay "tube" or the CP and tarp wood shed.
Dh has been working on the pads. We had 24 (?) yards of 3/4 minus rock delivered yesterday and he spent a few hours *distributing it.

One of our excellent neighbors was driving by Saturday and saw dh out working on the pad, seeing how much out of level it was with his old survey transit. He pulled in and offered his laser level, and also said he would bring his *tractor over for dh to use moving the rock. They are incredibly generous and it has saved dh hours and hours of work with a wheelbarrow and shovel.
Wow is all we can say, and thank you Lord for such caring neighbors.


Kid#2 will be here in a minute to work with me so I need to go, but I'll be back! I haven't even told y'all about Syringas 16th ride, and I know you can hardly contain yourselves waiting for the blow by blow description of that!😄


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## drstratton (May 19, 2020)

I'm currently reading through (on page 11) and I was so engrossed that I had forgotten that I'd turned the stove on under my cast iron pan!  My son walks in, looks at me and points to the pan on the stove...it's smoking and the air has gotten quite smokey...he just shook his head at me and turned it off...I didn't even notice... 😂 We get some snow, but I'm glad that I'm not as far North as you!


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## Bruce (May 19, 2020)

You need to practice "safe computing"!!!! 
Glad it was a nice heavy cast iron pan instead of a light aluminum one that might have warped if not melted some.


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## drstratton (May 19, 2020)

Bruce said:


> You need to practice "safe computing"!!!!
> Glad it was a nice heavy cast iron pan instead of a light aluminum one that might have warped if not melted some.


I was sitting less than 10' away...I would have caught on eventually... 😂


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## Bruce (May 19, 2020)

You mean like many years ago when DW (before she was DW) and a roommate were sitting in the kitchen and the 3rd roommate came in and FIRE!!!!! 
?


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## drstratton (May 19, 2020)

Bruce said:


> You mean like many years ago when DW (before she was DW) and a roommate were sitting in the kitchen and the 3rd roommate came in and FIRE!!!!!
> ?


Oh my goodness, that's crazy...I would like to think I would have caught on faster than that... 😂


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## Beekissed (May 19, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I Have some exciting news! Exciting to me at least. We are having two metal buildings put up in 4 to 6 weeks. One will be a 20x25 hay barn and the other a 20x30 garage with a 12' leanto. I won't know what to do with myself next winter not having to remove snow daily from the CP and tarped hay "tube" or the CP and tarp wood shed.
> Dh has been working on the pads. We had 24 (?) yards of 3/4 minus rock delivered yesterday and he spent a few hours *distributing it.
> 
> One of our excellent neighbors was driving by Saturday and saw dh out working on the pad, seeing how much out of level it was with his old survey transit. He pulled in and offered his laser level, and also said he would bring his *tractor over for dh to use moving the rock. They are incredibly generous and it has saved dh hours and hours of work with a wheelbarrow and shovel.
> ...



Wow!!!!  How nice to get new buildings put up....and to have such a nice neighbor!


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## Baymule (May 19, 2020)

Two metal buildings! Awesome!


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## drstratton (May 19, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I Have some exciting news! Exciting to me at least. We are having two metal buildings put up in 4 to 6 weeks. One will be a 20x25 hay barn and the other a 20x30 garage with a 12' leanto. I won't know what to do with myself next winter not having to remove snow daily from the CP and tarped hay "tube" or the CP and tarp wood shed.
> Dh has been working on the pads. We had 24 (?) yards of 3/4 minus rock delivered yesterday and he spent a few hours *distributing it.
> 
> One of our excellent neighbors was driving by Saturday and saw dh out working on the pad, seeing how much out of level it was with his old survey transit. He pulled in and offered his laser level, and also said he would bring his *tractor over for dh to use moving the rock. They are incredibly generous and it has saved dh hours and hours of work with a wheelbarrow and shovel.
> ...


@thistlebloom   I have absolutely loved reading through your journal! What an awesome job you've done with Syringa! Your place is lovely! Congratulations on the new buildings that will be so much nicer for you!
My husband surprised me at lunch and was wondering why I hadn't mowed the lawn yet, because I told him I was getting ready to do that several hours ago...I told him I had gotten busy with something else, but didn't elaborate... 😂 I'm looking forward to hearing more about your journey!


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## thistlebloom (May 20, 2020)

Rainy day again today. I managed to fiddle around long enough to make driving into town to work in the rain an unwholesome idea, so I'm still home, but making myself useful with laundry and small house chores.

With the new buildings coming we have rearranged things that were previously stored in the CP wood shed with the firewood, and sitting on the pad area where the garage will be going. We also had several trees pulled where the two buildings will be going and so there are an additional two huge piles of trees that will need delimbed and cut and split along with the big deck of birch logs.

There are now tarped hulks of split leftover firewood, quad, log splitter, snowblower, etc sitting about. Kid#1's Blazer that he didn't get sold last fall, an extra tractor, my Janie tractor, and the tarped hay tube. I will celebrate long and hearty when all the tarps can be removed and folded up and everything will be under a permanent roof! Oh, and Kid#1 sells his car and it's gone. 


@drstratton , you and I could be twins!  😄  I have been known to get distracted and smoke a few cast iron pans. And as I was reading this a.m., sitting right here at the counter, making toast with the toaster that has to be manually popped, I neglected to pop it in time and burnt the toast.

I had a good time working with Kid#2 yesterday. He makes me laugh. I miss the days when my boys worked with me more regularly. There's something about being trapped in a vehicle with your mom that makes them open up a bit more in conversation. And he is such a huge help on a job, always going above and beyond my instructions.
We came home and had the chili that was simmering in the crockpot for dinner. During the meal dh speaking to kid#2 mentioned that I had probably told him about the rides I'd been getting on Syringa.
Yep, he said a little wearily. 😅
I said I had told him about all sorts of things he wasn't interested in. 
And, I said, every time a car passed he would look out the window and mouth "help me! I'm being kidnapped!"
"No I didn't". he said. "I wasn't that quiet." Then he gestured wildly and cried out "HELP ME SOMEBODY!!" 😂
Ohhhh.... good times around the table.


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## Bruce (May 20, 2020)

Good times Thistle!!!!


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## drstratton (May 20, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Rainy day again today. I managed to fiddle around long enough to make driving into town to work in the rain an unwholesome idea, so I'm still home, but making myself useful with laundry and small house chores.
> 
> With the new buildings coming we have rearranged things that were previously stored in the CP wood shed with the firewood, and sitting on the pad area where the garage will be going. We also had several trees pulled where the two buildings will be going and so there are an additional two huge piles of trees that will need delimbed and cut and split along with the big deck of birch logs.
> 
> ...


Time with our children is so precious! I truly miss having all of mine home...but it's such a good feeling to see them happy in the lives they are living now! What a fun day for you! 
Burnt toast...yep, I've been known to do that too...I'm convinced, we must be twins...😂


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## thistlebloom (May 24, 2020)

Yesterday was gloppy gloom again. Dh and I got out early to do property stuff. He worked on the garage pad. I held the story pole for him when needed so he could check the level of the pad, and I had shovel duty piling rock against the outside of the forms so they didn't bow out from the interior rock.

 I love that guy and would never tell him this, (but I will tell the internet world  )... I think he is being waaaayyy too OCD about the pad.  I appreciate the fact that he is a tile and stone man and driven by square plumb and level necessities on the job, but he is making this pad level enough and smooth enough to be a billiards table.
He is actually screeding it. Oh. My. Lanta.

While he worked on killing himself obsessively, I got to work in the weed patch affectionately known as The Garden. After killing my tomato and pepper starts I bought 7 big healthy tomato plants and put them in Wall O' Waters to protect against our fluctuating temps. My poor little frozen starts had started tiny little growth in the leaf axils a few weeks ago, or whenever, can't keep track of time - I'm a busy woman , so I snipped off the dead stuff and they actually pushed out new leaves. So yesterday I put the best 15 out in the garden to see what they'll do. The sugar snap peas have been up but not growing very fast, they haven't latched on to the CP yet.


I took the scuffle hoe and sliced the heads off all the weeds. That was just a cosmetic gesture for sanity. They'll be back, but no way was I going to crawl around hand pulling them all.

The recent rains have turned the horse corrals back into slop. Syringa hasn't been worked for nearly a week due to my work load and the unfriendly weather. Poor old Luke is on the semi retired list and hasn't had much time out either. So I felt soory for him yesterday, put his "grazing" halter on and turned him loose. He is ordinarily content to hang out and browse  near his buddy mule or graze on the lawn. While working in the garden I looked up and he was across the road in the little field. I walked toward him pretending I was going to catch him and he kicked up his heels and headed back home (that's my reverse psychology in action). A bit later two neighbor boys came along on their quad, paused to wave and say hi, then asked if I knew my horse was loose. Yes, I said, then looked around. There Luke was, down the road a little further grazing on the side of the neighbors driveway who has the exact same weeds that we do. That darn horse! I hollered at him to come home and he made me look like a training genius by actually trotting home. Haha.
I went back to weeding. The next time I looked around for him he was just exiting Dh's carefully leveled and screeded garage pad. 
Why why why. He never goes over to that portion of the property.
Fortunately he was only walking so didn't dig huge craters out.
I put him away and confessed to dh. Lets just say that Luke is not on the favored horse list today.

But today the sun shines! Yay! Taking the sweet potato over to the park and letting her stretch her legs.


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## Mike CHS (May 24, 2020)

I had to show this post to Teresa.  She just smiled and didn't say anything other than "I can relate"


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## thistlebloom (May 24, 2020)

Mike CHS said:


> I had to show this post to Teresa.  She just smiled and didn't say anything other than "I can relate"



So Mike, does this mean you might be a tad bit OCD about some things?
 Cuz I'm pretty sure you don't have a contrary minded horse 😄.


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## drstratton (May 25, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Yesterday was gloppy gloom again. Dh and I got out early to do property stuff. He worked on the garage pad. I held the story pole for him when needed so he could check the level of the pad, and I had shovel duty piling rock against the outside of the forms so they didn't bow out from the interior rock.
> 
> I love that guy and would never tell him this, (but I will tell the internet world  )... I think he is being waaaayyy too OCD about the pad.  I appreciate the fact that he is a tile and stone man and driven by square plumb and level necessities on the job, but he is making this pad level enough and smooth enough to be a billiards table.
> He is actually screeding it. Oh. My. Lanta.
> ...


Just tell your husband that a new pour always needs a handprint or hoofprint in it!!! 😂 Our cat walked across the last section of sidewalk that we put it, but I truly can't imagine a horse!💞


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## Mike CHS (May 25, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> So Mike, does this mean you might be a tad bit OCD about some things?
> Cuz I'm pretty sure you don't have a contrary minded horse 😄.



I have to admit that I am a bit OCD.  After I retired from the Navy, I worked for engineers for the next 30 years so I guess some of that mind set rubbed off.  At times, I could probably make a contrary horse look well great


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## Baymule (May 25, 2020)

What? No pictures of the "Walk of Fame?"


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## thistlebloom (May 25, 2020)

No, no pictures Bay. I didn't have my phone on me. I could show you a guilty face after the fact...

@drstratton , we aren't pouring a slab, it's just going to be a rock base. That's why I think he's gone over the edge with a perfectly level, screeded surface.  😄


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## Bruce (May 25, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I love that guy and would never tell him this, (but I will tell the internet world  )... I think he is being waaaayyy too OCD about the pad. I appreciate the fact that he is a tile and stone man and driven by square plumb and level necessities on the job, but he is making this pad level enough and smooth enough to be a billiards table.
> He is actually screeding it. Oh. My. Lanta.


Hey if you are going to do a job, might as well do it right! 



thistlebloom said:


> The next time I looked around for him he was just exiting Dh's carefully leveled and screeded garage pad.


Ruh Rho. So if you aren't pouring a slab, just a rock base, what is there to screed if it is just rock? I am SO CONFUSED!!



thistlebloom said:


> So Mike, does this mean you might be a tad bit OCD about some things?


Have you seen some of his wood work? It doesn't look that way without great OCD care


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## thistlebloom (May 25, 2020)

Bruce said:


> So if you aren't pouring a slab, just a rock base, what is there to screed if it is just rock? I am SO CONFUSED!!



If you are OCD enough you can screed rock. 
It's 3/4 minus and has some sand in it also apparently. So the smaller particles pack in around the stone. The part that was finished and got rained on looks more rocky than the fresh stuff.
I took a pic but haven't transferred it yet and I'm being lazy right now. I'll post it later.


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## thistlebloom (May 26, 2020)

There's the first load of rock, 12 yards.Looks more like sand in the photo, but it is rock. We had 24 yards delivered, and dh used it all up on Saturday and needs at least 12 more. I told him to get at least another 24 because there's always places to use it.
He's feeling pressured because they may be here to construct the buildings in 2 weeks and he is putting in full days on a tile job. 
So thankful for the neighbors loan of the tractor.


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## Bruce (May 27, 2020)

He could use some of the extra to fill in that low wet spot


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## thistlebloom (May 27, 2020)

Bruce said:


> He could use some of the extra to fill in that low wet spot



I'll put it on the list!


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## thistlebloom (May 27, 2020)

We got another 36 yards yesterday. One load for the garage and two loads for my HAY BARN!!! 🎆
I can't believe I will have an actual dry building that is not composed of cattle panels and tarps. We got a date today. They will be coming to work on them June 16. So dh has 19 days to get his butt in gear. Hahaha. Just kidding honey.

I thought I'd share a picture of him screeding rocks, since some of you were having a hard time picturing it.





And a closeup of what a screeded rock surface should look like. 





And this one is just because. Because I love my little sweet potato, and because the sun was shining!


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## farmerjan (May 27, 2020)

He does real  nice work.  I'm jealous.  Would he want to come south for a week to do some nice work like that?????? I'm thinking a nice pad for a 2 vehicle garage.... and maybe a small but functional barn for a milk cow and 2nd floor hay storage....


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## thistlebloom (May 27, 2020)

farmerjan said:


> He does real  nice work.  I'm jealous.  Would he want to come south for a week to do some nice work like that?????? I'm thinking a nice pad for a 2 vehicle garage.... and maybe a small but functional barn for a milk cow and 2nd floor hay storage....



Well, I'll ask him.... maybe if he survives this project, haha.


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## thistlebloom (May 27, 2020)

I don't rmember if I mentioned it, but when we first started discussing a permanent building for hay storage he was thinking of building 3 shelters the size of the one he built for my gelding, 12'x16'. (Three so he wouldn't have to worry about a long roof span and snowloads.) They would be for hay, firewood and my Farmall and mowers. The total for those would have been well over $3000. Plus all his labor which would have been substantial and he's 70 now.  I don't like him working on ladders and roofs.

Our neighbors have put in 3 horse shelters and a 30x40 carport building using this company and they are pleased with the workmanship and quality. When we checked into it we were surprised at the price comparison to a wood structure. For only a few hundred more we are getting a 20'x25' metal building, installed in one day. The fact that dh wouldn't have to kill himself building it was the clincher. It will be less square footage, but all under one roof, and way less maintenance.


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## farmerjan (May 27, 2020)

@thistlebloom.... will have to talk to you about the type building for future reference if I get this house..... maybe the same type building done by another company?  Sounds like a good deal for you and it will be so n ice to have a building to get into in the winter to do chores without all the make do.  Too bad it seems to come as we get older, when we could have saved ourselves so much work just surviving and making do when we were younger.  I'm too far away (haha) for them to come all this way to Va....


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## thistlebloom (May 27, 2020)

I'll definitely share any info I can. This outfit is based in Oregon. When they get enough jobs in one area they load up a big trailer and head out to do them in one shot. My neighbors said the guys actually run!
You can have nearly any configuration you want. My hay barn is three sided with no door, but will be so much easier to load hay into than my CP tube.
So they get your dimensions and the particulars then weld all the units up and put them together kit form, on your prepared pad.


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## thistlebloom (May 27, 2020)

farmerjan said:


> we could have saved ourselves so much work just surviving and making do when we were younger.



Surviving and making do is what we do though isn't it? I guess if life had always been cushy we all wouldn't have so much character and fortitude, right?
These projects are a result of my FIL leaving all his kids a little money when he passed away last year. My husband figured it would serve us better improving the property than devaluing in the bank. Grateful to his dad for considering us.


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## farmerjan (May 27, 2020)

Yep, making do and pushing is what we do when we are young..... but if it wasn't so hard on the body, just think that we could enjoy this "older age" without so many aches and pains and maladies..... I don't mind years of work, just wish it hadn't been so hard on the body.... the joints especially....


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## thistlebloom (May 27, 2020)

We had the drive and the energy to push, and bodies that took the punishment better. We just lacked the foresight to temper all that get-to-it with a little more patience.  😄


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## drstratton (May 28, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> We got another 36 yards yesterday. One load for the garage and two loads for my HAY BARN!!! 🎆
> I can't believe I will have an actual dry building that is not composed of cattle panels and tarps. We got a date today. They will be coming to work on them June 16. So dh has 19 days to get his butt in gear. Hahaha. Just kidding honey.
> 
> I thought I'd share a picture of him screeding rocks, since some of you were having a hard time picturing it.
> ...


Thank you for the visual!  Your husband is as particular as mine is!  The end result always turns out fantastic because of that fact!


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## thistlebloom (May 31, 2020)

Yesterday was a good productive one, even if my list didn't all get checked off, lol.
After all the work I took Syringa over to the state park for a late evening ride. *This will be more of me blathering on about my horse, so you may want to plug your ears here (if you're reading aloud) or close your eyes and  skip to the rest farther below, if there is anything else I can think of talking about.
We had the most pleasant time. The park was empty, we were the only ones there. Not even a mountain biker or hiker around. I guess everybody trailered in early in the a.m.. My neighbor rode at 8:00 and said it was super busy. Everyone trying to beat the heat and the coming thunderstorm I guess.
I didn't check the weather before I left, so thunderstorm or not we were going!
She just calmly steps into my old two horse straight load now. Hard to believe it's the same anxious mare that I spent hours with, working on loading. The day she finally got all four feet in was a huge day in my book. Then more hours of getting the back door shut, etc. Yep, she has turned the corner for sure! I wish the mustang TIP trainer that haltered and tied broke her could see her now. She was described as "rank" by his wife, and he said if she didn't work out for me I could exchange her for another within a year. (BLM rules)
I know they were highly skeptical about her turning into a good riding horse. Fortunately I'm as hard headed as she was, and we make a great team now, haha.
Back to yesterday, we rode down the wide dirt  roads to begin with, then turned off on a single track. She gets some anxiety in the closeness of trees on both sides, but she went ahead and trusted me and  we rode along in there for a bit then popped out on a more open double track. I was real happy that there were no deer lurking in the trees to blast off and startle her. But her confidence is growing each time we go out. She's got a nice swingy forward walk and a real smooth trot. She's soft as warm butter on the reins ( most of the time) and overall a lot of fun to be with. I love that darn horse.
Coming home around 8 p.m. the western sky was black with some really beautiful cloud patterns. You could just barely make out Mt. Spokane in the distance because it still has some snow on the top. There were flashes of lightening going off in the distant dark clouds. Got home, fed everybody, and was just putting the last bit of gear away when the storm arrived.
It was one of those enjoyable thunderstorms that are just exciting enough and not too dangerous. Still raining today, so I suppose no garden work for me. Just a nice lazy day. But if it seems to clear a bit I may sneak back over to the park for a quick ride before we go to church tonight.

I guess I couldn't think of anything else to say!


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## drstratton (May 31, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Yesterday was a good productive one, even if my list didn't all get checked off, lol.
> After all the work I took Syringa over to the state park for a late evening ride. *This will be more of me blathering on about my horse, so you may want to plug your ears here (if you're reading aloud) or close your eyes and  skip to the rest farther below, if there is anything else I can think of talking about.
> We had the most pleasant time. The park was empty, we were the only ones there. Not even a mountain biker or hiker around. I guess everybody trailered in early in the a.m.. My neighbor rode at 8:00 and said it was super busy. Everyone trying to beat the heat and the coming thunderstorm I guess.
> I didn't check the weather before I left, so thunderstorm or not we were going!
> ...


So awesome that you can reap the benefits of all your patience working with that beautiful girl!

We had the same storm go through our place! Winds were crazy and tree branches were flying everywhere!


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## Baymule (Jun 5, 2020)

You ramble on about your horse all you want, I totally understand. You have put in the time and love into this beautiful mare and she is the joy of your life. I love her color and how the sun reflects and shines and sparkles on her coat. You two are lifetime partners.


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## thistlebloom (Jun 5, 2020)

Thanks Bay! We think alike! Kinda scary....


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## Baymule (Jun 6, 2020)

Hahaha!


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## chickens really (Jun 6, 2020)

I absolutely love reading about your mare. 
Once you have that connection with a horse the bond lasts a lifetime. My Arabian Gelding is my very best friend and our partnership is unbreakable.


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## thistlebloom (Jun 6, 2020)

chickens really said:


> I absolutely love reading about your mare.
> Once you have that connection with a horse the bond lasts a lifetime. My Arabian Gelding is my very best friend and our partnership is unbreakable.



Thanks CR! I have had a few Arabs. Loved their faithfulness and their go. I did some competitive trail riding, endurance and Ride &Tie with them. They've got beauty and brains, and not crazy like some people think.


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## Bruce (Jun 6, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Thanks Bay! We think alike! Kinda scary....


Only KINDA scary?


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## thistlebloom (Jun 7, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Only KINDA scary?



Okay, you're right. It's terrifying!


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## Baymule (Jun 7, 2020)

*BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!!!! *


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## thistlebloom (Jun 13, 2020)

Ride#21.  The farthest we had ridden so far and included a trot up a long hill.
I have been resting her about half a mile from the trailer, taking off her bridle and letting her graze for several minutes, then leading her back in.

Thursday evening we had our first ride with another horse. My friend met me at the park with her mustang and we did another  semi long one. Syringa and Zoe were both captured in the same roundup, from different herd management areas, back in 2016, and stayed at the same holding facility in Palomino Valley NV. Zoe had 60 days start by a mustang trainer, and has been ridden for 2 years, so is not so green as Syringa.
I am really proud of my girl though. She is doing so remarkably well and seems to love getting out and being ridden. I love how she's very patient and gracious with my clumsy mounts. Sometimes my messed up knee doesn't want to cooperate and lift me all the way when I get on. Not a pretty sight, me getting on, haha.

In other local news my husband has the building bases finished. He rented a plate compactor last weekend and went over them, then readjusted the forms for level, and rescreeded. Our buildings are going up Tuesday  !!
I'd like to be here, but have so much work that I will probably have to miss the action. 

The property manager at my big job stopped by yesterday and mentioned that my clients might come today. Well, dang. That's a week early and I don't have everything buffed out. Some of the beds that were finished have weeded up again. Kid#2 is coming to help me Wednesday. Hopefully they will stick to the original plan and not arrive until the 22nd.
But it is what it is. It would be nice for Mrs. Client to see her peonies in bloom, and not just disintegrating blossoms as is the usual scenario. And then they can also see some of the transformation from slightly disheveled beds to beautiful.
I had to take down all my electric fence there yesterday after I got the news. 
That was an hour and a half of a change of direction when I had planned on working on other stuff. I hope the filthy deer don't strip the cutting garden now. I did spray repellent before I left, but it rained shortly after.
We'll see what's happening Monday. Sure could use some sunshine and a break from clouds and rain for awhile.

My cattle panel fabricated peony cages are working out. Had to tweak the design and size a bit, and ideally they should have been constructed and set up month ago. As it is, I put them up one side at a time, leaning each side down low and gently threading the stalks through as I tip it up. A few of the bushes were already prostrate so they look a bit deformed. I was hoping that in a weeks time the leaves and bloom stalks would readjust and look more normal. But the cages will come off as soon as they are all finished blooming. I bought a few round cages at the nursery yesterday for the smallest peonies, because they don't need a heavy duty affair. I couldn't believe the price. $20 for a little cage, and a 16' cattle panel costs the same.
My CP cages will last far longer.

Lots of work in store today. I got up at 4 because it's light and I love the early morning. The days will begin getting shorter soon enough. Kid#2 sent me a text that I have permission to get pallets from his work. I will probably do that this morning first thing, then do yard work and hopefully ride this evening.


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## chickens really (Jun 13, 2020)

She is definitely a good looking mare. I love your tack too! Happy trails!


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## chickens really (Jun 13, 2020)

Alberta, Canada has Wild horses and genetic testing has proved they have been here as far back as 1700s. Our government argues that they are feral horses so must be eradicated. 
Our First Nations people have a strong spiritual connection to the wild horses. Sundre, Alberta has a nice sized population of horses.
When I die I want my family to spread my ashes where the wild horses are. They are a magnificent animals and beautiful. 
I had a mare named Esther. She was part Mustang/ Arabian/QH. A very sturdy girl with fantastic feet. Only 15hh but a power house and stubborn. Sold her a few years ago and sadly the lady sold her 6 months later to auction! 🙁😕


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## thistlebloom (Jun 13, 2020)

That's the tough thing about selling a horse, or any animal, you are never guaranteed they will live well. 

My husband and I took the cargo trailer and picked up a load of pallets from Kid#2's work this morning. I was going to be fussy and try to get uniform sizes and only pallets with narrow spacing between slats because I hate having a foot fall through or get stuck. One out of two ain't bad I guess. They are definitely not uniform, But the slats are close enough together to not trap a foot. I hope. With dh and Kid#2 helping load I was suddenly easier to please and got increasingly less particular as they waited on me to find the ones I wanted.  😄

Weird weather today. Thursday it was 80. Yesterday it was mid 70's. Today it's cloudy and blustery and 52. I was weed whipping while it misted and exhaled a big breath - it came out as a vapor cloud.  It didn't seem that cold.

The garden is languishing with this ridiculous weather. I discovered that I planted antique squash seeds. Yep. I collect classics . I guess it's probably time to go through the seed stash. I got the squash planted, then looked at the packet to see the DTM and realized they were packed for 2011. Which really wasn't that long ago, unless you are a squash seed.

Riding this afternoon doesn't look promising, but maybe Syringa and I will take a neighborhood walk. Not going to get my saddle rained on.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 13, 2020)

My mom kept all her seeds in the freezer of the egg refridgerator...she never let seeds be wasted.....when we cleaned it out we found seeds from 1986 that she bought when she first moved there...we cleaned it in 2013....nothing in the freezer except seeds anx extra spices for the kitchen.... 🤣


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## thistlebloom (Jun 13, 2020)

Did you check them for viability? They may have germinated!

2013 was a sad year for me. Mom and dad passed away 57 days apart.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 13, 2020)

Mom passed in Aug 2012, she was 88....Dad in Dec 2017 at 95....we had them, but when we were forced to move we trashed them....then wouldn't have done well in storage and we really had no clue as to "what was ahead"....


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## thistlebloom (Jun 13, 2020)

CntryBoy777 said:


> Mom passed in Aug 2012, she was 88....Dad in Dec 2017 at 95....we had them, but when we were forced to move we trashed them....then wouldn't have done well in storage and we really had no clue as to "what was ahead"....


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## Bruce (Jun 14, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Sometimes my messed up knee doesn't want to cooperate and lift me all the way when I get on. Not a pretty sight, me getting on, haha.


Maybe you need to get those running boards with the retractable step 



thistlebloom said:


> My CP cages will last far longer.


And support far better.



thistlebloom said:


> 2013 was a sad year for me.


Not that great here either. My aunt died in Jan, so did DW's uncle (can't be TOO sad though she was not quite 93 and he was 97) and I got laid off in July.


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## chickens really (Jun 14, 2020)

@thistlebloom 
I have a Billy Cook barrel saddle with roughed out fenders. I need to clean it again and wondering if anything other than a wire brush works better to remove dirt, sweat and refluffs the leather?


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## thistlebloom (Jun 14, 2020)

chickens really said:


> @thistlebloom
> I have a Billy Cook barrel saddle with roughed out fenders. I need to clean it again and wondering if anything other than a wire brush works better to remove dirt, sweat and refluffs the leather?



I think a brass brush is recommended for suede, but I haven't had any suede tack for a long time. Oh, have to take that back, Lukes endurance saddle has suede knee rolls. I bought it used and use it for a trail saddle only. It could use a bit of work if I ever feel ambitious.

Found this on cleaning suede - https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/54935-cleaning-a-suede-saddle-seat/


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## thistlebloom (Jun 14, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Maybe you need to get those running boards with the retractable step



😄 
I was thinking some sort of boom lift on the back of the saddle ...


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## Bruce (Jun 14, 2020)

That would work as well!


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 14, 2020)

Hang a rope ladder on the horn.... 🤣


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## thistlebloom (Jun 16, 2020)

The two metal buildings are going up right now! Poor guys are doing it in the rain. It's just a crew of two, which I think is amazing. I'm making them a pan of brownies and a pot of coffee.


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## Bruce (Jun 16, 2020)

I bet they will appreciate that! Very thoughtful of you. They probably work faster in the rain


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## farmerjan (Jun 16, 2020)

That's a real nice "touch" for them.  Guys will appreciate things like that and it goes a long way.


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## chickens really (Jun 19, 2020)

Good morning. 
I am just wondering if you ever seen this DVD or not? It called Wild Horse, wild ride. 100 days, 100 people, 100 mustangs. It's an amazing show. If you haven't seen it I definitely recommend you find it and watch.


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## drstratton (Jun 19, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> The two metal buildings are going up right now! Poor guys are doing it in the rain. It's just a crew of two, which I think is amazing. I'm making them a pan of brownies and a pot of coffee.


That's so exciting!!! Are they up or still being worked on? I'm sure they appreciated the brownies and hot coffee on a cold rainy day!


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## thistlebloom (Jun 19, 2020)

chickens really said:


> Good morning.
> I am just wondering if you ever seen this DVD or not? It called Wild Horse, wild ride. 100 days, 100 people, 100 mustangs. It's an amazing show. If you haven't seen it I definitely recommend you find it and watch.



Oh yes, I've watched that. It is amazing! I cringed in a few parts where a trainer was using techniques that I wouldn't recommend. And I cried when the two brothers weren't able to keep the mustangs they trained. Those two kids were awesome. Good show though, I should watch it again.




drstratton said:


> That's so exciting!!! Are they up or still being worked on? I'm sure they appreciated the brownies and hot coffee on a cold rainy day!



They're up!  
I will post pics, I have to transfer and downsize and right now I feel like a vegetable. Probably a rutabaga. I worked over 9 hours on my big job today and still didn't get everything on my list checked.

They'll (clients) arrive Monday, so it is what it is. Mostly it looks gorgeous though and I'm happy with my work. If it weren't for all the rainy days when I opted to not drown I would have it completed.


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## drstratton (Jun 19, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Oh yes, I've watched that. It is amazing! I cringed in a few parts where a trainer was using techniques that I wouldn't recommend. And I cried when the two brothers weren't able to keep the mustangs they trained. Those two kids were awesome. Good show though, I should watch it again.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Congratulations...it's going to be so much nicer for you! 
 Sounds like you deserve a good rest!


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## farmerjan (Jun 19, 2020)

chickens really said:


> Good morning.
> I am just wondering if you ever seen this DVD or not? It called Wild Horse, wild ride. 100 days, 100 people, 100 mustangs. It's an amazing show. If you haven't seen it I definitely recommend you find it and watch.


Have heard of it, on my list to watch once I get situated in the new house, have the knees done and have to spend time with them up inbetween exercises and such next winter.  Good to know it will be worth it.  Thanks


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## chickens really (Jun 27, 2020)

Oh my goodness. I send you my heartfelt condolences today.   
Jake is running and waiting for you on the other side of Rainbow bridge. He is painfree and vibrant.


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## thistlebloom (Jun 27, 2020)

Thank you Shannon. I'm glad I don't have to make that decision very often.
Hard, but I think a good call and I'm satisfied that he won't hurt anymore, and he was in caring hands at the last moments. I need to put together a few pics and do a little memorial post.


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## thistlebloom (Jun 27, 2020)

Luke was mine for 4 years. He came at a time in my life when I really longed for a good horse. I've had horses since I was a kid, except for a ten year stretch after I had started my business. Spare time was very seldom had then, so I sold the gelding I had and everything else horse related. Trailer, corrals, tack... everything.  I didn't think it was fair to keep a horse that wasn't getting used.
I was memorizing all the horses on Craigs List, that was how I entertained myself in the evenings.  I showed my husband Luke's ad and he asked if I wanted to go look at him. Naturally I brought him home. I owe my husband a lot for his enabling. (He's also the reason I have Syringa... another story)

I found a few pictures of my sweet old gelding to share, in memory of the good times he gave me. Thank you Luke for the unselfish friend you were.

Not long after I bought him.




Luke checking behind him for ninja moose.




Good buddies.




A great ride with friends on a brisk fall day. Luke and me on the right.
The horses were steaming from a gallop.






Lukes smoochy muzzle. I'm going to miss the feel of that on my face.




Maybe the Lord will keep you in His stable for me, waiting for a reunion.


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## Beekissed (Jun 27, 2020)

Awwwwww, Thistle!!!!    Luke was a beautiful horse!!!  That pic in the snow is one of the most beautiful horse pics I've seen on these forums.  I'm so very sorry....I can't imagine losing a good horse I'd had that long.   It's one thing when the horses are just pasture ornaments, but you had a working, playing relationship with Luke and that has got to leave a HUGE hole in your life.


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## Baymule (Jun 27, 2020)

I know you will miss Luke. He was your friend and buddy. Horses have so much to give, you were Blessed with Luke.


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## farmerjan (Jun 27, 2020)

I feel for you as I know that it hurts.  I got my mare at 1 1/2 yrs old when I was 14,  from my 4-H leader.  Black filly, sire was a trotter on the race circuit, dam was a quarter/arabian mix.  She was the devil incarnate and my 4-H leader said if anyone could get through to her, I could.  Aptly named "Satan"s  Jinx"  she and I went through our youth, teenage years and older age.  Had her 27 years.  Have had others here and there, but she was it.  Used her for barrel racing, pole bending and gymkhana games in my 4-H days.... went through my marriage, my son, had a couple foals, was as steady as an old rocking horse with children on her but still could kick up her heels when we would go out and have a real ride....and retired to the farm with the cows.  She died free and loved and I still miss her to this day.  She has been gone for over 20 years.


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## drstratton (Jun 27, 2020)

So sad for your loss...I'm glad that you have so many good memories of him!


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## chickens really (Jun 28, 2020)

What beautiful pictures of him and the wonderful memories you have. ❤️
Have a great day. 👍🤠🐴


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## thistlebloom (Jun 29, 2020)

We have been rearranging things on the property once again  . Four years ago I downsized, sold the goats, and now keep fewer chickens. So that meant some pens came down, the chicken coop became my tack room and dh built a smaller coop for the handful of hens I now keep.
Then I got my mustang, which meant more corrals went back up, tack room got moved to a different spot, and Luke and Huckleberrys corrals got relocated and rearranged.
Now we have the two new metal buildings, Luke is gone ( ) , Syringa has moved into Lukes corral and bigger shelter, her old shelter (originally the goat shed) is the new woodshed, and her corral and round pen panels are going to be set up for a bigger turnout area for her and Huck adjacent to their current location, south of the house.

I hope you're keeping up with all this.  😄

Anyway, this will probably be the last rearrangement. Oh wait, the garden area will be in the old roundpen area next year (all day sun), and the current garden area may become a space for the dogs to be in when we aren't home, which is roomier than their dog run, it's out in front so they can see what's going on by the driveway, and is better than keeping them tied out. The problem with the current garden spot is the maple whips I planted along the driveway 15 years ago are now Very Large Trees. So too much shade in the garden and a lot of root competition. And dh doesn't want to cut them down .
Yes, I may have suggested it. Hey, building good garden soil takes a lot of time!

So there will eventually be some pics of the final arrangements here.

Meanwhile, here are some pictures of our fantastic new buildings.

Before the hay barn...
The corral panels next to the red shelter are down as of this last weekend,
the trailer attached to the tarped tractor is holding the treated wood for the base of the hay barn. Behind the tractor is the former chicken coop, now tack room. The CP arch over the little red hutch type object is the chicken coop/run, and the CP supports clematis and hops for shade in the summer.
Then the big tarped thing is my CP hay "tube".
The four posts in the foreground are the corner markers for the base




After. Tada!



We moved the old hay into the hay barn this past weekend, and the tarps got pulled off the tube. Next weekend it will get dismantled and the panels will then get a new job as garden fence. My new hay will be delivered and STACKED in August, delivery and stacking will be about the same cost as a new hay tarp that the tube would have needed this year. I'm thrilled about that!  The delivery and stacking is a gift to dh. He's allergic to grass hay and it just makes him miserable, plus we both get the hay lung dust cough for a week after.



 

And my husbands new garage. The door was back ordered, but should be here soon.


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## Mike CHS (Jun 29, 2020)

That has to make you folks happy!


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## chickens really (Jun 29, 2020)

That looks fantastic!


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 29, 2020)

Everything looks really Good!!....I keep thinking that I'm working on my last fencing "project", but for some reason or another I'm always doing another one, it seems....  .....sure hope ya have better luck with your "final arrangement" than I do....


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## B&B Happy goats (Jun 29, 2020)

Looks wonderful,  congratulations  on your new metal buildings


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## Bruce (Jun 29, 2020)

I think it is good that Syringa is in Luke's stall. It would be awful hard if you had to pass an empty stall every day. 

Was the gravel for the hay shed and garage properly screeded??


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jun 29, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> the maple whips I planted along the driveway 15 years ago are now Very Large Trees.



Maple trees in Idaho?  Boy, my ignorance of biogeography is really showing, as I somehow got the impression that any deciduous trees west of the plains were trees like cottonwoods and aspens.

I agree with everyone else -- your place looks great!


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## rachels.haven (Jun 29, 2020)

Dang, that will be nice this winter for you when snow flies! Congrats!


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## farmerjan (Jun 29, 2020)

Very nice and I am sure that you will really enjoy the ability to move and do things in a more useable manner.  We do what we have to until we can do better.... great that you now have this as you have wanted.


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## Baymule (Jun 29, 2020)

Those are really nice buildings!


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## thistlebloom (Jun 30, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Maple trees in Idaho?



STA, we even have magnolias! Not native of course, and not the southern type, but still quite a few different varieties.


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## thistlebloom (Jun 30, 2020)

The building projects have consumed a lot of time usually spent on other maintenance, and created a new set of chores in moving things around, dismantling, organizing, etc. My husband still has a huge deck of firewood logs to process, plus two additional stacks of trees that were removed for the buildings. The weeds have been going wild while we have been distracted and the garden and flowerbeds are sad. Good thing the days are long!
Too bad we have to leave for work and can't concentrate on all the chaos here. But it's all good and we'll just inch the list down as we can.
Next year I'm looking forward to more organization, more regular maintenance time and a tidier property.



Bruce said:


> Was the gravel for the hay shed and garage properly screeded??



Haha! Yes indeed. The guys who put the buildings up were very appreciative of the level surface, and also that they had plenty of room to work around the perimeter because we had close trees removed.
I guess dh was right, and I was wrong in thinking he was going to unnecessary lengths to make good bases.

I led Syringa into the empty hay shed when it was finished to check it out and she left HOOFPRINTS 😱 !
I mentioned it to dh that she had been in there and he said he noticed. He raked the hoofprints out, hahahaha! At least she didn't leave a pile in there!
Now he knows how I feel when I get the floors cleaned and he walks in with muddy shoes.  😄


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jun 30, 2020)

Miss @Thislebloom,

Have you ever considered starting a project list the way that the folks at the YouTube channel "Our Wyoming Life" does?  You could even post the list here on the forum, then as you get items completed, you could mark them off of the list.  Better still, why don't you make YouTube videos of your own and post them in your own YouTube channel.  I for one would be sure to watch them!

Senile Texas Aggie


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## thistlebloom (Jun 30, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Better still, why don't you make YouTube videos of your own and post them in your own YouTube channel. I for one would be sure to watch them!
> 
> Senile Texas Aggie



That's so kind! I would certainly need to get better at videoing before that could happen. Just an example - Saturday evening I trailered Syringa over to the park to use the big arena. I took her halter off and turned her loose. She was having a great time galloping and bucking around, and she looked so beautiful I videoed it. I made about 4 short ones as she circled around me.

When I got home I reviewed them and got a lot of dizzy footage of my boots trudging through the sand, and a fleeting glimpse of horse now and then.
I'm pretty sure that's not what you were suggesting, haha.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jun 30, 2020)

That would be perfectly fine!  But seriously, think about it.  I'll bet that many of the YouTube channel folks didn't start out as video experts, but they learned.  You can, too.  It would be nice to see Syringa and you riding, or see her romping in her field.  Mr @Bruce even made a few videos of his place after I heckled him enough!


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## Bruce (Jun 30, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> You could even post the list here on the forum, then as you get items completed, you could mark them off of the list.


Then we could all "help" by making suggestions as to what else you need on your list, the best way to do them, etc


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## thistlebloom (Jun 30, 2020)

Oh! I could make a Fantasy List! You know, like fantasy sports teams...
It could be very elaborate and challenging and I would feel very heroic in checking them off . And yes, we could argue  converse about the best methods!
Heck yeah, who needs real projects?


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## Bruce (Jul 1, 2020)

Let's see, we'll start with high priority tasks.

breathe
eat
sleep
pee
You can add from there


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## thistlebloom (Jul 1, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Let's see, we'll start with high priority tasks.
> 
> breathe
> eat
> ...



Woohoo! Got them all checked off already! Some I've done several times! I'm on a roll  .


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## Bruce (Jul 1, 2020)

Heck, checking 4 things off the "to do" list might be enough for a whole day


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## thistlebloom (Jul 9, 2020)

It's a home day for me today. I think if I put in a couple of grueling days I can have Thursdays off. Yay!
 I'm meeting a friend for a ride this afternoon. We haven't had a ride together for a long time. Probably since last summer, so we'll have a lot of catching up to do. It will be the first time she's seen Syringa under saddle too, so I hope she will show off her best behavior and not get silly. She's turning into a dependable little mountain pony though, so I'm pretty confident she won't do anything embarrassing, haha.

We have been getting things straightened up around here. We took down all of Syringas corral panels, and the roundpen, and reset them up into a turnout area for her and Huckleberry mule. Syringa now lives in Lukes old corral, next door to Huck, and both of their pens open into the turnout.  

Dh is getting the deck of firewood logs lowered. Syringas former shelter is now the wood shed.

Here he is, splitting away, declaring his Fashion Independence. He cut his Carrharts off into shorts (note the uneven leg lengths) the baggy socks and 30 year old shoes. Yep. His shirt says it all. 






I need to mow weeds today, and restack the load of pallets we got from Kid#2's work. I rifled through them "organizing" into similar sizes, then my husband decided to make hay platforms from OSB and treated skids, so now the pallets aren't needed. Anybody need a bunch of pallets?

I also need to clean out all the pallets from the old hay tube and stack them. I have successfully procrastinated that job for a few weeks, but it needs to get done sooner rather than later. There will be mice  . Then all the CP's need to be dismantled and stacked.  

A neighbor boy ( 11YO) approached me about doing chores, so he's coming Saturday. We'll see how it works out. He's not famous for his work ethic, but maybe he'll put some effort into working for someone besides his parents. I'm going to get him started on the new garden area, picking up big rocks. It's where Luke is buried, and the hole unearthed tons of giant rocks. I don't know if it's weird to make my garden over his grave, but it's a good spot for sun, and I don't think he'd care.

The garden needs attention today too, but it's not my priority. As long as it doesn't interfere with my ride time it may see me today.
Better get out there and get after my chores!


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## chickens really (Jul 9, 2020)

Your husband looks fantastic! Very rugged! 
Have a fantastic ride today. I wish I could come along too.


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## Bruce (Jul 9, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> He cut his Carrharts off into shorts (note the uneven leg lengths) the baggy socks and 30 year old shoes. Yep. His shirt says it all.


The legs of the pants aren't uneven, he's standing with one hip held high  And what is wrong with 30 year old shoes if they are still in good shape? Any holes in those socks? I did toss a bunch of Puma brand socks with no holes, talk about bad "stay up" ability! Now you might want a little input if he's going off the farm 



thistlebloom said:


> then my husband decided to make hay platforms from OSB and treated skids,


I would think that a bad idea. Don't you want/need air flow under the stack rather than sitting on a solid surface?



thistlebloom said:


> He's not famous for his work ethic, but maybe he'll put some effort into working for someone besides his parents.


DD2 will work for money. Other people pay her money. Apparently room and board do not count as money.


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## thistlebloom (Jul 9, 2020)

Bruce said:


> I would think that a bad idea. Don't you want/need air flow under the stack rather than sitting on a solid surface?



I know. That was my thought too. However, my neighbor has a solid surface (pallets, but a solid top) under her hay with no issues for years, so I hope it will be okay. Dh made these platforms while I was not attending him 😄 so I didn't get to state my case. Then he had the 17 leftover last years alfalfa bales stacked on them... and some things I'm not going to push.
We have talked about it after the fact, but he thinks they'll be fine. I'll report back next year!
His problem with the pallets, and I agree, is the unequal sizes and heights. It makes stacking awkward at best, and if your foot slips through the slats it's good for a fall. I started out being picky when we picked pallets up from Kid#2's work, but quickly discarded that in favor of expediency. In other words, there were two men waiting for me to pick through and make up my female mind. I sure would hate to lose the bottom row of hay though. But on the bright side I have enough hay ordered to take me well past next years cutting, so while waste would be expensive and um, wasteful, I'm not going to get into a picky debate with something my husband kindly did for me.


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## Bruce (Jul 9, 2020)

I can see the uneven height problem! If they are all the same height and "depth" I wouldn't guess it would matter if they are different "lengths" once they are all placed in the storage building.


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## thistlebloom (Jul 9, 2020)

Finding good pallets is getting harder than it used to be, and trust me that there is a ridiculous amount of variation in height, depth, width, slat spacing and materials they are built from. I did score a few oak, or some kind of hardwood with really nice slat space and the wood spacer dealies that separate the top from the bottom slats is real wood, not particle board stuff. Those I'm going to cover with plywood and make a training bridge obstacle for Syringa. Even though she crosses real bridges with no problem. 

I would love to be able to ride with you too Shannon! We had a great ride today with my friend Leslie. She rides a nearly 17 hand OTTB (off the track thoroughbred) and I'm on my dinkydink maybe 14.2 mustang. Mutt and Jeff.
We even cantered and Syringa did well, nothing dramatic or exciting there. Whew! Only our third canter ever. I'm so proud of my little sweet potato. Great attitude and so willing.

I got nothing done that I had planned, except a bit of weed spray in the gravel areas that are terrible to weed whip. Well, I did wash a lot of bedding and throw rugs. And I rode, so at least I've got my priorities in order.


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## chickens really (Jul 10, 2020)

That's so awesome! I thought about you out riding yesterday and I sure wished I was there. I'm glad she was preforming well and was able to canter along without getting too excited. 👍❤️🐴
She sounds like she is learning quickly and will become a great confident partner.


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## Baymule (Jul 10, 2020)

I don't think Luke would mind your garden being over him. I lost my favorite ewe and we buried her in the garden gate. 

Your husband's attire is called Farm Fashions and he is obviously achieving Top Designer status. LOL


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## thistlebloom (Jul 10, 2020)

I actually liked the idea of having Luke in my garden. Wasn't sure who I could admit that to. I miss him and it will be a pleasant place to think about him.
We have dogs and favorite chickens and cats buried in different places on the property. Most of them are out in the woods. Jetta, my 10 year old Australorp hen died in her sleep a week ago. I buried her under an apple tree out front.


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## Baymule (Jul 10, 2020)

Hens don't usually attain old age around here, at a certain point, they are slaughtered and new chicks move in. But I had a special hen, a black sex link named Robin. She lived to age 7, even made the move from Livingston to here and ruled the roost. She is buried right inside the garden gate, to the right. Yeah, i like it that my two special gals are hanging out in the garden with me. See? You aren't so weird after all. Hmmmmm......... Or maybe you are-and I am too!


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## thistlebloom (Jul 10, 2020)

I think it's the latter, but it's nice knowing I'm in good company. 😄
Jetta was special. She saw a lot of chickens come and go. She was a keeper.


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## chickens really (Jul 14, 2020)

It's not crazy. I also have pets buried in my yard and around my property.   
We had our old Pug cremated and kept her ashes. When our little chihuahua had to be put down we put the box of ashes into the dog bed with Tinker so she wasn't alone. Then when Mutsy was put down we buried her beside them. My Son built a really cute little cemetery in our backyard area. The three amigos are together again. ❤️
I also have a Duck, chickens and a Guinea pig buried out in the trees.


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## thistlebloom (Jul 14, 2020)

My laptop crashed so I will be scarce until I get it repaired or replaced. 
I have  discovered just how dependent I have become on it. Banking, emails, forums, general info... aaargh. The good news is more projects will get whipped out, lol.
This phone typing and reading is not so enjoyable.


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## chickens really (Jul 14, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> My laptop crashed so I will be scarce until I get it repaired or replaced.
> I have  discovered just how dependent I have become on it. Banking, emails, forums, general info... aaargh. The good news is more projects will get whipped out, lol.
> This phone typing and reading is not so enjoyable.


My laptop died two years ago so I now use an iPad. I hate using my phone too. Enjoy your time away getting all your stuff done..👍🤠


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 14, 2020)

I've buried plenty of animals, but no longer have access to any property they are buried on...but I carry the memories everywhere I go....  

I don't know any difference other than a phone...eveything I do with the internet is done on it.......


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## promiseacres (Jul 14, 2020)

My laptop is down too...it sucks. Have a tablet but the tablet is old and won't upload photos.


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## drstratton (Jul 14, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> We have been rearranging things on the property once again  . Four years ago I downsized, sold the goats, and now keep fewer chickens. So that meant some pens came down, the chicken coop became my tack room and dh built a smaller coop for the handful of hens I now keep.
> Then I got my mustang, which meant more corrals went back up, tack room got moved to a different spot, and Luke and Huckleberrys corrals got relocated and rearranged.
> Now we have the two new metal buildings, Luke is gone ( ) , Syringa has moved into Lukes corral and bigger shelter, her old shelter (originally the goat shed) is the new woodshed, and her corral and round pen panels are going to be set up for a bigger turnout area for her and Huck adjacent to their current location, south of the house.
> 
> ...


That all looks so amazing...super happy for you guys! 💞


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jul 16, 2020)

Miss @thistlebloom,

I have been off the forum for a few days and am just now getting caught up.



thistlebloom said:


> I know. That was my thought too. However, my neighbor has a solid surface (pallets, but a solid top) under her hay with no issues for years, so I hope it will be okay.



Miss @farmerjan,

You know a lot about making and storing hay (as well as a lot of other things ).  Can you add anything to the conversation?  I would imagine that the storage of hay in Virginia with its heat and humidity would make it harder to keep hay fresh compared to Idaho, but still I think that a good bit of it would be the same.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## thistlebloom (Jul 16, 2020)

Yay! Kid#2 came over yesterday and magically restored my laptop! He couldn't figure out what the actual problem was, but did some mysterious techy stuff and - tada! I'm back!

And now I'm dumbstruck and don't know where to start, haha.

Ditched three days of work this week (with my clients blessing) but will pay for it tomorrow and next week. Monday I went in but just watered containers because Dh and I were heading over the border to pick up five POL pullets a guy was selling super cheap. They are healthy and beautiful and I can't believe I got such a deal. He raised them from day olds and wanted under $10 for each. I've been keeping an eye on CL for POL pullets but everybody is asking $20 - $35, which is too steep for me.
I need to work on enlarging the pen which is now possible since the hay tube is coming down.







Had an old young friend and her three kids visit Tuesday, yesterday the weeds were too burdensome to tolerate another day so I spent some hours behind the line trimmer, and today is my usual planned day off and I'm taking it guilt free.

Going riding!


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## rachels.haven (Jul 16, 2020)

Lovely australorp. They are so pretty.


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## Baymule (Jul 16, 2020)

You have to take time to ride!


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## thistlebloom (Jul 16, 2020)

Baymule said:


> You have to take time to ride!



You better believe it! 
Had a great ride with a friend at a trail head and up a mountain Syringas never been to. What a great mountain horse she's becoming! And her namesake flower was blooming. Just a gorgeous day.


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## farmerjan (Jul 16, 2020)

Chickens look real nice in the picture. Always nice to be able to get out and ride.  I sure miss it.  But can't have everything I want, and maybe in a year or 2,  I will be physically mobile and can do a few more things.  The no-pain ankle has been a great start. 
Don't know what to add about the hay storage.  You @thistlebloom  probably know as much as I do.... gotta be made right to start with.  Then stored off the ground on pallets, wood floor or something.  It will draw moisture from concrete and such and get moldy or musty on bottom.  and it does need to be rotated some or you will get some musty smelling just from it being stored for long periods of time.... the old style barns with the haymows were the best because there was no chance of any dampness from the floor/ground.... and there was more air movement....even on a wood floor, the underside of the wood floor would get air currents and keep the temps more even.  In a mow, it also would stay dry and you could store for several years before seeing much quality loss. But it is a pain to put it up there and not for big round bales.  Some do store big square bales up there, but it can be dangerous getting them up there unless you have a bank barn and can drive into the different levels to load/unload and stack.


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## thistlebloom (Jul 16, 2020)

Thanks for the hay storage thoughts Jan. We are typically very arid here, so that makes some difference. The footing in the hay barn is packed gravel. There is wicking under the walls when it rains and runs off the roof, but it dries out pretty quickly. My concern was the wood wicking that moisture into the hay sitting on top of it, but dh has waterproofing he uses on shower walls before he tiles them tthat he said we could paint on the bottom of the OSB. It will be sitting off the ground on skids anyway, so my worry may be over nothing. The soil around here is rocky and drains incredibly fast. We hardly ever have standing puddles unless it rains for days.

I hope you get to ride again one day Jan.


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## thistlebloom (Jul 16, 2020)

rachels.haven said:


> Lovely australorp. They are so pretty.



The guy I bought them from called her a Purple Majesty Marans. A new variation of Marans apparently. But I picked her because she reminded me of my 10 year old Australorp that died a few weeks ago.


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## thistlebloom (Jul 17, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> The guy I bought them from called her a Purple Majesty Marans. A new variation of Marans apparently. But I picked her because she reminded me of my 10 year old Australorp that died a few weeks ago.



Hmmm. Looked it up and seems like she might be a Midnight Majesty?
At any rate whoever she is, she's a pretty hen and her feathers have a purply iridescence in the sun.

Or maybe she's a regular Australorp. I don't really care as long as she's a healthy egg layer.


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## Bruce (Jul 17, 2020)

Does she have feathered legs? She should if she is a Marans.
Found this on BYC with Google
"Looks like the _Midnight Majesty Marans_ are Black Copper Marans that have been selectively bred for dark eggs, large, eggs, and many eggs."

Looks like you might have quite the colorful egg basket there. 



thistlebloom said:


> This phone typing and reading is not so enjoyable.


I've done that and you are right. Reading isn't as easy and typing a post is very laborious. No way to type with 10 fingers on a phone!


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## thistlebloom (Jul 17, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Looks like you might have quite the colorful egg basket there.



That would be fun, but I'm happy as long as there's eggs in it.  
I did deliberately pick 5 different breeds. It's just easier to remember their names, haha. Not like they care that they have names, but it gives me something to yell when they escape.


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## thistlebloom (Jul 17, 2020)

This is from Country Max hatchery (or Countrymax, I dunno...)

"_Midnight Majesty Marans Chickens has black plumage and most hatch with feathered feet, but some do not. Deep browns show up through their down feathering underneath, making them a mix of beautiful dark brown and black plumage."_

I think she has shaved recently. I'm just gonna call her an Australorp, haha.


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## Bruce (Jul 17, 2020)

Until you see her eggs! If they are dark brown, she isn't an Australorp. 

I have a variety of breeds as well and it helps a lot in knowing who is laying (only SIX today from 16 that I expect to be laying, lazy things) and figure out who is missing when I do the coop close up beak count. Last night it was Gretel, she's gone broody AGAIN! 13 months old and she's gone broody twice already this year. Based on history with other girls she'll keep it up annually as long as she is laying.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Jul 17, 2020)

Oooo can i steal Gretel lol i need s brood hen i only have one this year the others are laying we can trade😁


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## thistlebloom (Jul 18, 2020)

Bruce, have you ever considered letting a broody hatch out some chicks?
I'd keep a rooster and do that if I had more space, but letting them free range all day doesn't work here with all the dense woods and predators lurking. And dh isn't crazy about 3 a.m. crowing. Silly man.


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## thistlebloom (Jul 18, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Until you see her eggs! If they are dark brown, she isn't an Australorp.



I've had a few BCM's, and the eggs are gorgeous, but the temperament of mine were horrible. They didn't die of old age.


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## Baymule (Jul 18, 2020)

I had Delaware’s that were horrible and mean. I was actually happy to slaughter  them.


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## thistlebloom (Jul 18, 2020)

What a lovely Saturday I'm having! 
I contacted a few friends yesterday about a ride this morning but didn't get any takers. I may have scared them off by calling it a Crack O' Dawn ride, and leaving horseback from the trailhead at 7 a.m.  But that's okay as riding alone is also very enjoyable. I ended up riding at the State park because Dh wasn't comfortable with me riding the other State forest trail alone. I'm okay with it and think I would be fine, but I don't like to make him worry. 

I did the forestry ride Thursday with a friend and had a great time.

Here's a blurry pic (I thought she had an Iphone, but maybe she has downsized, because the pics Iphone's take are pretty awesome).






I would have loved to reciprocate and take blurry pictures of her with my cheap phone, but I thought I lost it on the trail or left it in the truck, because it wasn't in the holster. Turns out I was sitting on it in my back pocket the whole time. I discovered that after I searched through the truck, then got in to peer between the seats. Yep, that lump I sat on was my phone. That's why I get the cheap ones folks.

But anyway, that's me and the sweet potato. Notice the sunflower yellow saddle blanket? We be stylin'.

So yes today was fun and relaxing. It paid off taking 3 days off this week, because I did a lot of yard chores. And because yard chores breed and you are never finished, I will let them get a little further ahead of me and just take it easy right now. Summer is short and shouldn't be all about weeds and sweat and dirt and weeds. 
Syringa and I did a long loop with some good challenges that she hasn't done yet. A really long steep grassy downhill where she had to take care with her footing, and then an equally long and steep matching uphill, where at almost the top a tree had fallen over the path forcing us into some big rocks we (she) had to pick through to get around. She was really sucking air, but never quit or faltered. 
We trotted a fair bit and cantered (woohoo!!) a lot. She's getting more comfortable carrying me at the canter, but still flicks her ears back and forth when I ask to make sure that's what I said, haha. What I love most is she is so sensitive that when I sit and relax she slows down. I hardly have to cue her with the reins at all, She is also getting it when I give her a leg aid for turning just before using the rein. I think it won't be long before she will ride mostly off my seat and legs.

I ran into a gal I had met at the park and rode with occasionally with Luke. We may get together this coming week for a ride.

Now that you're all Syringa'd out I will go out and do a few chores that shouldn't be put off.


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## Mike CHS (Jul 18, 2020)

Even the blurry picture had enough detail to make you want to see a better one.    It sounds like a good day was had.


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## Baymule (Jul 18, 2020)

You sure have beautiful places to ride. Feast for the soul.


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## thistlebloom (Jul 18, 2020)

Baymule said:


> You sure have beautiful places to ride. Feast for the soul.



Yes we do. My soul is quite fat and sassy right now.
But we have to shovel snow for 6 months to earn it.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jul 19, 2020)

Is that Lake Pend Oreille in the background of the picture?


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## thistlebloom (Jul 19, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Is that Lake Pend Oreille in the background of the picture?



It is an undisclosed location near my home.  
I'd name it but then all the durn Texans would be flocking up here to swim, ride, and shovel snow.


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## Bruce (Jul 20, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Bruce, have you ever considered letting a broody hatch out some chicks?


What a view!!!!! Sounds like you and Syringa are a good pair.


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## thistlebloom (Jul 20, 2020)

Yesterday evening Syringa and I met friends for another ride. It is an extremely challenging trail that I have only done a small part of a few times.
 I must have done the least technical part of it on Luke a few years ago. When it was mentioned as a possibility I said sure! Oh blessed ignorance!
Then my friend asked if Syringa was good crossing water and climbing rocks. I said she wouldn't have a problem... Hoo boy! 😲
I haven't done a trail that tough since my endurance racing days. 

Things at first were just normal trail riding, crossing meadows and picking through logged over areas that were pretty much a solid carpet of big sticks. Then we reached the bottom and had a creek crossing. It was not deep, but fairly wide. The two friends leading just stepped right in and let their horses drink, then wandered out. Then it was our turn and Syringa said uh uh. Nope. Not stepping in there.
Many minutes later, I hadn't changed her mind so I got off and led her in. She'll follow me just about anywhere. I remounted in the creek and we went in and out several times no problem.
We headed out again and almost immediately hit the single track switchback trail that climbed about 100* miles through the trees. That's 100* miles straight up over exposed granite boulders and so narrow that you're in danger of leaving knee parts behind on tree trunks. Syringa was a trooper and had no problem sorting out her footing in the tricky parts. I pretty much let her decide where to clamber up.
So, we climb, the sound of horses huffing and 16 hooves on rock. At one point the two lead horses stop and my friends dismount. It was a rock face on one side of the trail and a good drop on the other. I couldn't see my friend in the lead because she was around the turn. They explained we had to dismount in order to make it under the tree that is like a roof beam over the trail. It's not high enough to pass under mounted, and the angle the trail crosses under makes it dangerous to try. My friend behind me was glad she hadn't brought her almost 17 hand gelding because she would have also had to unsaddle him.  And probably grease his back.

The trail broadened out some but was still steep and we were passing through thimbleberries. Some were ripe and we reached grubby hands out to grab some as we passed. They sort of squish when you pick them but are so sweet and wonderful they are worth licking your fingers for. You try not to think about what all you are licking in addition to berry smush.   I wish I had taken pictures as we rode, but I was kind of busy riding.

At last we reached the top and could see the lake far below us. It was getting close to sunset and they discussed hanging around at the top to watch it. I was mildly alarmed, I didn't sign up for a trail descent through the woods in the dark y'all. But good sense prevailed and we started off again, down the other side. If I thought the ascent was steep, the descent was at least as steep. But it was mostly dirt, much fewer rock outcrops to negotiate. The shrubs growing along each side did have a tendency to rip your head off if you didn't duck backwards in time, your little noggin bouncing off your horses rump. Haha.

The steepness of the trail made my saddle ride up onto Syringas withers which must have been uncomfortable for her, but there wasn't a good place to fix it until we got lower and there were some wide enough spots in the trail to get off and fiddle with it.

Finally we made it back to the trailers at the trail head. My little mustang got huge compliments from my three friends. She handled herself like a seasoned trail horse and never once faltered or offered to quit. She ate the trail up and was looking for more. But she was tired, as were all the other older mares who have many years of trails under their belts. I'm very proud of my girl. I checked her this morning and she was fine. No heat in her legs or back soreness. Yay Syringa. 

* not literally 100 miles of course. 😉

At the top. Happy to have survived. 🤣


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## Bruce (Jul 20, 2020)

That trail   I'm not sure I would even walk that on my own 2 feet.
Great job both of you.



thistlebloom said:


> My friend behind me was glad she hadn't brought her almost 17 hand gelding because she would have also had to unsaddle him. And probably grease his back.


Yeah I suppose most horses aren't real good at crawling on their knees or doing the limbo.


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## farmerjan (Jul 20, 2020)

Quite a compliment to you for the job you have done training her.  That sounds like a ride for experienced horses.... so real good job.  Bet it was beautiful.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 20, 2020)

That was "breath taking" just reading about it....I have "dreamed" of such while watching many westerns as I grew up, but never had "what it takes" to make it a reality....  .....Clint Walker as Cheyenne Bodie was my favorite....


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jul 21, 2020)

I'm so happy for you that you can enjoy riding the trails on a horse you love!


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## thistlebloom (Jul 21, 2020)

Bruce said:


> That trail  I'm not sure I would even walk that on my own 2 feet.
> Great job both of you.





farmerjan said:


> Quite a compliment to you for the job you have done training her. That sounds like a ride for experienced horses.... so real good job. Bet it was beautiful.





CntryBoy777 said:


> That was "breath taking" just reading about it....I have "dreamed" of such while watching many westerns as I grew up, but never had "what it takes" to make it a reality....  .....Clint Walker as Cheyenne Bodie was my favorite....





Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> I'm so happy for you that you can enjoy riding the trails on a horse you love!



Thanks all. Sometimes I am just amazed and in wonderment at the quantity of blessings that overflow my cup. Not just my horses and living where I can enjoy spectacular rides, but all the other elements of my life at this point. After I showered the night of that epic ride I started counting my blessings....clean hot water on demand, a clean towel, a house with four good walls and a roof that keep us comfortable in all sorts of weather, a good man that loves me and takes my good and bad generously, two kids who like to hang around with us....well, the list is endless. God is good and merciful and loving, all good things are from Him and I am so grateful.


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## promiseacres (Jul 21, 2020)

it sounds like a fun ride!


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## chickens really (Jul 24, 2020)

I just have to tell you and thank you for getting my interest into riding again peaked. As soon as I can get my leg up in the stirrup and up into the saddle Kupid and I will be off on well needed ride. ❤🐴


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## thistlebloom (Jul 24, 2020)

Yeah, get out there and ride! 🐎
(did you notice the emoji horse is a bay?)

How's your back doing these days Shannon?


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## chickens really (Jul 24, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Yeah, get out there and ride! 🐎
> (did you notice the emoji horse is a bay?)
> 
> How's your back doing these days Shannon?


Oh it's way better. Still hurts by evening and hard to sleep a full nights sleep. I find myself trying to do more than I should be and pay for it later. 😕 Thanks for asking. 👍


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## Baymule (Jul 26, 2020)

That sounds like an awesome ride. Go Syringa!


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## thistlebloom (Jul 29, 2020)

We are making progress around here. Incremental maybe, but at least it's the right direction 😄.
The hay tube is history. Dh and I got the CP framework all disassembled and the CP's stacked. A few days later I cleaned up the pallets and stacked the keepers and made a stack of the beyond hope burnables. I only found one mouse when I lifted the pallets up. Those two cats of ours are certainly earning their keep and then some. Last year I would lift a pallet, mice would explode out, I would scream and then stomp. I can't help the screaming, it's completely involuntary. But when they charge all directions and run over your feet..._.shudder... _

Saturday my goal was to use 3 of those cattle panels to expand the chicken pen. Hopefully I will be done upsizing, then downsizing, then upsizing again for the rest of my life. My awesome husband volunteered to help me and we added three sides to the existing pen, expanding it by a 16'x16' square. We cut a small hole out of the panel on the side where the new area was so they can go back and forth. It was kind of funny, the chickens were loose to range while we were working on it, but some of the new ones were still hanging out in the pen. After the hen sized hole was cut, a few were curious and stuck their heads through, looking around then stepping through like they had discovered a secret escape hatch.
We put an arch in on one side so I can grow hops on it like I have over their coop. It will give them another shady place to hang out next summer.

After that was done, and an extra gate installed for the new area (didn't figure I would enjoy squeezing through the hen hole), dh asked if I wanted to fence in the new garden area. Wow, I wasn't expecting to knock out two projects in one day! We got that done too, and it will need quite a bit of soil work and de-rocking before I can plant next year, but the fence is up.
We started at 7 a.m. and finished around noon. Not bad!

I should say here that my chicken pen and the garden are hot redneck messes 🤣. Mr. Square Plumb and Level doesn't have a problem zip tying fencing together and jerry rigging pens when needed. He's so versatile! 😂
The beauty of it all was that we got a bigger chicken pen and a 32'x32' (ish)
garden space and didn't spend a single nickel. All those repurposed materials have been used for chicken pens, dog runs, goat pens, and a hay tube. Hopefully we can let them rest for a bit where they are now installed and I won't mind if they stay that way for a very long time.

The log deck continues to shrink. There are 2 and a half cords split and stacked. The shed will hold 3, and the deck probably will yeild between 10 and 12. We burn one and a half to two cords a year so we're set for a few years. Dh would like to get it all at least cut into rounds and put up on pallets before winter. The stuff that won't fit in the woodshed that is.

Lets see...  the blueberries are starting to ripen...





Have to keep them picked before the robins discover them. And my bad hens are not allowed to range loose again until they are finished. I witnessed them hopping up and plucking them off. Sorry girls, those are mine, all mine!

This is what I found on the trail after a ride last week when I was leading Syringa back to the trailer to cool her out.




There were two more handfuls after that. It seems like someone deliberately scattered them on the trail over about 200'. Maybe more, that's just when I started noticing them. Somebody doesn't like horses and mountain bikes.
Syringa was hoping I was holding out a treat for her, haha.

And I'll leave with a shot from today's glorious ride.


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## chickens really (Jul 30, 2020)

Goodness. I'm glad you noticed all the nails before your horse picked one up in her hoof. 
Very nice pictures you posted 👏🏻 My husband also can slap something together but look out when it's permanent. He is way too plumb and level for my nerves to watch him when he is working..😩😂


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jul 30, 2020)

Holy cow, Miss @thistlebloom, about the nails!  I hope you can get them all picked up before Syringa or someone else gets injured.  Would you kindly post pictures of the work you did for the garden and chicken area?


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## Bruce (Jul 30, 2020)

Though not your responsibility, those nails are a serious danger to you and others. Do you have one of those rolling magnet metal picker upper things? You could borrow mine if I wasn't 2,000 miles from you.


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## thistlebloom (Jul 30, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Though not your responsibility, those nails are a serious danger to you and others. Do you have one of those rolling magnet metal picker upper things? You could borrow mine if I wasn't 2,000 miles from you.



No, don't have a picker upper dealy bob. Maybe you are in need of a vacation with a little refreshing volunteer work at a scenic western location Bruce. 
Next time I see Ranger Dave or Jim I'll mention it. Maybe they have a magnetic roller.



Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Holy cow, Miss @thistlebloom, about the nails!  I hope you can get them all picked up before Syringa or someone else gets injured.  Would you kindly post pictures of the work you did for the garden and chicken area?


Well maybe. It's not really impressive right now. Maybe it never will be come to think of it!


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## Baymule (Jul 31, 2020)

Plumb and level never happens on any of my building projects. Put enough screws in something and it won't fall down! I do love deck screws and usually request boxes of them for my Birthday. LOL 

Rusty nails=BAD! Glad you saw them and picked them up.


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## thistlebloom (Jul 31, 2020)

Went riding yesterday morning bright and early with 3 friends. We swap trail positions regularly so no one horse leads all the time. Here it was Syringa in the lead and there was a deadly burned out tree stump on the left. They are known to leap up and attack horses. Maybe you weren't aware of that problem but Syringa was! Being lead mare her guard was up. She stopped and didn't want to go forward so I had to work her a bit. 
The friend behind me said -'what is it?'
Stump! I replied.
'Skunk!? Let's turn around!'
No, stump! Like in tree!  😂






It was a good ride mostly. One of the group is a trainer and was on a clients 3 YO gelding that came to her with some issues. He did well, but when we were getting close to the trailhead he came unglued over something and started bucking hard. I didn't see it, I was quite a ways ahead and around a bend, but I heard the commotion and stopped. Her horse came galloping down the trail but fortunately slowed down and I was able to dismount and grab him. My friend was fine, she's young and knows how to land.
That little gelding will be getting some lessons on the thing that started his personal rodeo. I was happy that it ended well and nobody got hurt.

It's been hot here. Supposed to be super hot today. I'm afraid to look at just how hot they are predicting because no more hooky for me. I have to get some work in today.


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## drstratton (Jul 31, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Yesterday evening Syringa and I met friends for another ride. It is an extremely challenging trail that I have only done a small part of a few times.
> I must have done the least technical part of it on Luke a few years ago. When it was mentioned as a possibility I said sure! Oh blessed ignorance!
> Then my friend asked if Syringa was good crossing water and climbing rocks. I said she wouldn't have a problem... Hoo boy! 😲
> I haven't done a trail that tough since my endurance racing days.
> ...


Lovely picture of you & your beautiful girl! 💞

I truly miss my horse... the trail you just went on sounds a bit terrifying...but, I would've been game to try!


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## drstratton (Jul 31, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Thanks all. Sometimes I am just amazed and in wonderment at the quantity of blessings that overflow my cup. Not just my horses and living where I can enjoy spectacular rides, but all the other elements of my life at this point. After I showered the night of that epic ride I started counting my blessings....clean hot water on demand, a clean towel, a house with four good walls and a roof that keep us comfortable in all sorts of weather, a good man that loves me and takes my good and bad generously, two kids who like to hang around with us....well, the list is endless. God is good and merciful and loving, all good things are from Him and I am so grateful.


Amen to all of the above! He is good all of the time! 💞


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## drstratton (Jul 31, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Went riding yesterday morning bright and early with 3 friends. We swap trail positions regularly so no one horse leads all the time. Here it was Syringa in the lead and there was a deadly burned out tree stump on the left. They are known to leap up and attack horses. Maybe you weren't aware of that problem but Syringa was! Being lead mare her guard was up. She stopped and didn't want to go forward so I had to work her a bit.
> The friend behind me said -'what is it?'
> Stump! I replied.
> 'Skunk!? Let's turn around!'
> ...


I'm glad your friend was okay!

It's been over 100 at our place most of the week. We're at our sons place in Clarkston right now & on the way here yesterday we went through an area were it was 115! We don't see that very often! Stay cool!


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## thistlebloom (Jul 31, 2020)

I don't do heat as well as I used to. 115 is ridiculous, who thought that was a good idea?  😄



thistlebloom said:


> The log deck continues to shrink. There are 2 and a half cords split and stacked. The shed will hold 3, and the deck probably will yeild between 10 and 12.


I got that wrong (math not being one of my strong points, haha).
The shed will hold *SIX *cords, which is more reasonable.

I went to work this morning and forgot the arborists were scheduled there today. They were taking out 3 cedar trees when I arrived, and I had to park at the guest house since their boom truck and the big chipper were blocking the main driveway. I did some deadheading and watered all the containers, but the tree guys had several teams working in different areas and I didn't want to be in the way, so I opted to leave early. It sounded like a real plausible excuse to me anyway. 
Going back to my truck I was checking out where the cedars had been removed and talked to the boom truck guy for a bit. I was coveting all that cedar wood and said so. He said if they'd known I wanted it they would have loaded my truck up. Darn! A day late and a dollar short as usual!

Well maybe if the boss lady decides to take out the one remaining one that she wanted left I can nab it. That makes some dandy fire starting wood.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jul 31, 2020)

And, to me anyway, it smells wonderful while burning, too...


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## thistlebloom (Jul 31, 2020)

CntryBoy777 said:


> And, to me anyway, it smells wonderful while burning, too...



Yes, it does! Oak and maple are nice too, but not common here. Birch isn't bad, I like it anyway, and I think pine is wonderful, but we only burn that real early and late in the season, just to take the chill out of the house. A real good firewood is locust, but I think it stinks, so not something we go out of our way to find.


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## chickens really (Aug 2, 2020)

My husband buys Tamarack wood and Spruce I think? We also burn our Poplar trees here on our property. I'm no expert on wood. If it burns it's all that matters to me..  
fantastic picture of your ride as usual. Glad your young friend knows how to fall and wasn't injured..


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## Baymule (Aug 2, 2020)

I quit riding rough horses. It hurts too bad when I hit the ground. I used to spring right back up, my spring is broken now.........   

Looks like a great ride, it must be nice to have friends to ride with like that.


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## Bruce (Aug 2, 2020)

Tamarack and spruce are softwoods. They burn but they burn faster than hardwoods. Of course one has to burn what grows locally.


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## thistlebloom (Aug 6, 2020)

We are in the mid-summer slow down for my gardening business now. Mostly just maintenance and cosmetic chores. So I'm taking advantage of it and riding the hide off Syringa! Not really, but I have been trailering out about 4 days a week and loving it. The garden and yard show the effects of my distraction, and that bugs my gardener side, but not enough to squelch the rider side, haha.

Taking a ride with a friend this morning. We're doing a trail that we aren't "allowed" to do alone. Two years ago we were riding it together in the fall, me on Luke and she on her mustang, and I was excited about doing it the following year on Syringa. It took a year longer than I thought for it to happen, but it was a year well spent.

We had visitors Sunday morning. Syringa will usually give me an early wake up whinny if she thinks I'm slacking on serving breakfast, but Sunday she whinnied earlier and more often than typical. I figured something was up, so dutifully went out to give Her Majesty her hay.

There was a cow moose and two twin calves out front eating on the apple trees. Moose make horses a little anxious, so that was Syringas early warning system at work. The babies are late, they are usually much bigger by this time of summer. 
(That is the new garden space btw @Senile_Texas_Aggie )






I would have preferred them to stand in a more photogenic area of the property but they chose the burn pile and there is no arguing with a moose.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Aug 6, 2020)

You have a beautiful place, with beautiful scenery all around.  On top of that, you have quite interesting animals as well.  If we are lucky, we will see an opossum or armadillo. (well, OK, maybe a few more animals...)


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## thistlebloom (Aug 6, 2020)

A neighbor a half mile away reported black bear poo on her property.
I wondered how she could tell it was black bear and not grizzly 🤔   
We have them both, but blacks are more common.

Had a super ride with my friend. Got some unexpected rain showers, and the temps were perfect with the cloud cover. We did the usual trail then decided to do some bushwhacking on the way back. She had done this particular off roading a few weeks back with another friend who knows that area like her own living room. Julie and I on the other hand are sort of trail emus. But we voted for adventure and struck out through the untracked hills. We actually found our way back to the trailers after only a little back tracking, so congratulated and awarded ourselves another imaginary Trail Merit badge. The Bushwhacking Master one  😄.
Met a couple hunters in the woods at one point. elk cow season just opened, so we will be wearing our orange from here on out.
Our horses of course were the real heroes, they were steady and picked their footing well, even through belly high grass and brush with lots of logs and logging debris unseen on the ground.

Now I'm considering making myself useful and going out for some yard work.


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## Bruce (Aug 7, 2020)

Maybe horses are nervous about meese 'cause meese are BIG even compared to most "pleasure" horses.



thistlebloom said:


> I wondered how she could tell it was black bear and not grizzly 🤔


Bigger bear, bigger poop? 

There are black bears all over the place here, even in areas with more population than you would think a bear would find enough habitat.


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## thistlebloom (Aug 15, 2020)

Woke up at 2 a.m. and that was that, so got up at 4. I'm trying to be quiet while I wait for daylight. Listening to my new rooster, he has a nice crow. One of my neighbors offered him to me, she got two in her pullet order. I wavered, dh isn't crazy about listening to the crowing up close, but I don't mind. I like  hearing the neighbors roosters yelling at each other, but they are just a distant sound. He's a young guy, still growing his tail, but he's very polite with the girls. The minute I put him down in the pen he found them some treats and did his little rooster dance. We'll see how it goes. I consider him on probation for the time being.

I had some neighbor kids over to do a little work. That was a ploy to get them over since I hardly get to see them anymore. The 5 boys took the limbs off four small pines our neighbor pulled. One (pine) was dead and the other three would potentially shade the new garden in the future and this is the last time I'm moving it.

(neighbor Vic pulling trees)





 Then we had popsicles. I intended to pay them, but they all declined, saying the popsicles were payment enough. I'm sure their mom instructed them. The youngest 7 year old looked disappointed, he's from a different family and loves to work over here. All kids would rather work anywhere but home, LOL. I'll give him a little $ next time he does something for me.
He is actually useful, loves to use tools and I don't need to hover over him but can do other projects while he's working.


Today is a garden attack day, trying to make up for my neglect. Then this afternoon I'll ride over in the park and dh will take his mountain bike and go with me. Should be interesting. We've done that before and he had no trouble keeping up. That was with Luke, Syringa is quicker, and I go at a faster clip with her, but I don't think I'll be able to shake him, haha.

That cow moose with twins has been hanging around the neighborhood a lot. She hasn't discovered my alfalfa yet, but has been stripping leaves off the apple trees, and dropping a lot of apples in the process. It's not shaping up to be a big apple year anyway, but I was hoping to make some applesauce.

Our farm cat Finian is quite the hunter. But even he can be a little over ambitious.




That moose calf got annoyed and spent some time stomping bushes. I think I heard Finn laughing...

Last Tuesday's evening ride. The world is upside down and inside out, but out there I can let it go and just enjoy the present. It's a gift I won't refuse.


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## Beekissed (Aug 15, 2020)

That's such a beautiful pic, Thistle!!!!  I can just feel the sun and smell the ride.


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## Baymule (Aug 16, 2020)

Cat stalking a moose!    That's a P.O.W. winner for sure!


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## thistlebloom (Aug 16, 2020)

He's quite a character, keeps us laughing all the time. Yesterday I watched him chase a grasshopper down the driveway, across the road, back to our side and then a final flying leap and he had it. He eats everything he catches, and I'm pleased to say we have no more gophers in the lawn. Angus, his brother from another mother does his share of hunting but is not the fanatic that Finian is. He certainly would not be caught stalking a moose.
I named him Finian, dh calls him Finnigan, so it's morphed into Finnyinagain.


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## farmerjan (Aug 16, 2020)

Yeah, loved the picture of the cat stalking the moose....


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## chickens really (Aug 17, 2020)

Fantastic pictures of the cat and Moose calf. That ride picture was serene..❤️🐱🐴


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## Bruce (Aug 17, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> All kids would rather work anywhere but home, LOL.


Ain't THAT the truth!



thistlebloom said:


> Our farm cat Finian is quite the hunter. But even he can be a little over ambitious.


Fancies himself a mountain lion I guess.


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## thistlebloom (Aug 17, 2020)

The barn lions, enjoying a couch siesta.


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## thistlebloom (Aug 18, 2020)

I rearranged my work week so I could have today free. The hay farmer was planning on arriving here with my 6 tons of brome between 12 and 1ish. 
I figured I could skedaddle over to the park and get a couple hour ride in while it was still cool, and get back in plenty of time to be here to pay him. Got to the park unloaded, saddled up, rode out a couple hundred yards and my phone rang. I thought it might be dh so answered it and it was my hay guy, at my house ready to unload. Shortest ride ever. Seems they had also rearranged their delivery schedule. Syringa seemed mildly confused when I unsaddled her and loaded back up, lol.
I got home as they were stacking the last few bales, and it was so hot, poor guys were dripping. The total with delivery and stacking was $150 less than I had planned on. I got thinking about it and texted him to make sure he had charged me for delivery. If he gave me the correct total than I am even happier than I was when I saw all that pretty hay stacked neatly and dh and I didn't have to do it!

Saturday morning we got out real early. Dh to cut and split wood, and I worked on chipping the pile of pine limbs the kids had taken off the 4 trees we had pulled. I also limbed up the maples on the driveway and had a huge pile to run through the chipper.
Working along steadily and the pile was shrinking when the shredder stalled. It still had gas so I restarted it and it stalled again.  I checked for a blockage but it was clear. Started it back up and ran a limb through and it stalled again. It also had a little plume of smoke from the engine which I figured was a pine needle scorching. I'm sure you've guessed by now that I forgot to check the oil and it was empty. Seized that engine right up. 😭

In other news, our planned bike/horse ride Saturday turned out to be a non event. We drove separately, just in case and dh rode over to the trailer parking area as I was just unloading. He went on his way alone, then later as I was warming her up in an open area out on the trails, he ran into us again. (not literally). We rode along together for a mile or so, Syringa trotting happily behind, and he looking back nervously now and then. Syringa loves him you see. She wasn't doing great on listening to my cues, when I asked for a change of tempo and kept wanting to get close to dh. Real close, haha, so we agreed to separate again.
 I got a good ride in, lots of miles, lots of gait changing and leg yielding exercises on the trails. It was good for her to be solo, I've been riding a lot with other people and she has gotten too used to following and not having to think real hard.


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## Baymule (Aug 18, 2020)

Hay in the barn! Wealth! It's life's simple things that make me happy. LOL


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## thistlebloom (Aug 18, 2020)

Yeah. I like to just stand and gaze at it. 🤣

I love my hay barn and now it's even sweeter when it's full of hay !


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## thistlebloom (Aug 18, 2020)

Hay man texted back and said he undercharged $81 and we could just tack it on next years hay bill. I think that was very generous of him, but also not fair to his work this year, so I'll be sending him a check. He charged 6.50 / bale instead of $7. I think $7/ bale a good price for lovely clean hay and am more than happy to pay it.


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## thistlebloom (Aug 18, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I'm sure you've guessed by now that I forgot to check the oil and it was empty. Seized that engine right up. 😭



The really sad thing about this is that I've had that Troybilt chipper for almost 30 years, and it has been very reliable. Only had to have a new carb kit once, and I think a new gas tank, but that might have been the tiller. Fortunately we have another one, same exact model that the neighbors sold me for $100 when they moved. We'll just use the one I ruined for parts.


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## chickens really (Aug 19, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Hay man texted back and said he undercharged $81 and we could just tack it on next years hay bill. I think that was very generous of him, but also not fair to his work this year, so I'll be sending him a check. He charged 6.50 / bale instead of $7. I think $7/ bale a good price for lovely clean hay and am more than happy to pay it.


NothIngs as comforting as knowing you have quality hay before winter sets in and the snow flies! 👍🏼..That's a good price for hay.


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## Baymule (Aug 19, 2020)

You have to take care of those who take care of you. A stack of hay in a new barn sounds pretty awesome to me.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Aug 19, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I forgot to check the oil and it was empty. Seized that engine right up. 😭



I know what that is like!


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## Ridgetop (Aug 20, 2020)

Reading my way through your posts.


thistlebloom said:


> The steepness of the trail made my saddle ride up onto Syringas withers which must have been uncomfortable for her, Our trails here in the "foothills" are all so steep that I routinely used to ride with a breast collar and crupper on all my horses to prevent saddle slippage.  The ly places left to ride are mostly steep mountain trails which are getting clogged with mountain bikers who don't look ahead for horses and sometimes little gas power mountain bikes too.  They don't listen for the horses and having one f them burst out onto the trail is not fun!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Ridgetop (Aug 20, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Though not your responsibility, those nails are a serious danger to you and others. Do you have one of those rolling magnet metal picker upper things? You could borrow mine if I wasn't 2,000 miles from you.



Bruce where do you buy one of those rolling magnet things?  Not matter how many I pick up, our field, driveway, and entire property are continually turning up old rusty nails, tacks, and staples.  They are hard to see against the dirt.  I have been wanting one of those rolling magnet things.  Even the 7 year old granddaughter could roll one of those around to pick up nails and earn herself a little money.


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## thistlebloom (Aug 20, 2020)

Ridgetop said:


> Reading my way through your posts.
> ................ Our trails here in the "foothills" are all so steep that I routinely used to ride with a breast collar and crupper on all my horses to prevent saddle slippage.



My saddle is rigged for crupper and britchen, I may have to see about going that direction. She's got good withers. My cinch is alpaca and I think it stretches some when it gets warmed up and sweaty.


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## Ridgetop (Aug 20, 2020)

Breast collars and cruppers are that much ore to do when saddling, but it can make a difference on a steep mountain ride.  I hate the feeling of a saddle slipping under me.  There is no imogee for falling off a horse!  LOL


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## thistlebloom (Aug 20, 2020)

Don't need no stinkin'emoji! Been there done that!


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## Ridgetop (Aug 20, 2020)

In England and Ireland where I first learned to ride they say it takes 100 fall to make a horseman (or woman).  Of course the ground there is a little softer than our hard clay, shale, and granite land here!  Falling on the moors in Ireland is like falling on a mattress on that peat!  

I have way more than 100 falls now though, so does that make me more of a horsewoman or less?  Are you not allowed to fall after you reach the 100 mark?  Do more than 100 falls mean you can't stay on a horse?  I'm not sure but when I go to the Rodeo, I can feel every bone jarring beat along with the riders.  It doesn't stop me though, I just congratulate myself on my cleverness in having nice well broke horses for these old bones!  LOL      I guess I can use this imogee for some of the crazy ways I have fallen!  LOL  Luckily nothing broken so all good.

My current mount is a 16.3 hh sorrel gaited mule.  Wonderful girl, but my next horse will be 13,hh.  Maybe I can get up on it without amounting block!  I didn't consider size when replacing my 32 year old 14.2 pinto mare with a 16.2 TWH.  The mule actually belongs to DH but he no longer rides.  

Here is a hint - as you get older buy smaller horses!!!


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## thistlebloom (Aug 20, 2020)

I'm not too sure on those mathematics of falling 🤣, but my advice is to stop while you're ahead!

I'm hoping Syringa will take me into my dotage and be the last horse I train.  I haven't sticked her, but am guessing she's 14.1 or .2. I agree, the older I get the shorter I like'em! If we can both last twenty more years I'll be in my 80's and she'll be mid twenties, so a respectable age to pasture us both.


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## Ridgetop (Aug 20, 2020)

I bought my TWH mare from a woman who had shown both in the heavy booted style and later in the flat style that so many TWH owners are going with.  Much more humane although perhaps less flashy in the ring.  I don't believe that you need to sore a horse or cut the tail muscles in order to produce a flashy going TWH.  The good ones are wonderful all on their own without any of that cruel stuff.  

However, back to the seller.  She had stopped dong anything but flat walking since she had decided it was too cruel  She brought her first mare with her to California in the 60's and bred her several times. She then broke all her own horses and showed them natural.  My mare was the last foal delivered by her original mare at age 20.  I bought her at age 18 because the owner was looking for a person to take this horse.  She no longer rode having reached the age of 88.  She was concerned to find a good home for Camalen before she and her husband could no longer take care of her.  Mrs. Lenhart was only 4'11" and weighed about 90 lbs!  LOL  She couldn't reach the top of the horse to saddle her anymore and no longer could fling the saddle up onto her back so her husband had rigged a pulley system by which she would raise the saddle in the air, walk Cammie underneath and lower the saddle onto Cammie's back!   

DH ran into her at the vet where he had taken a goat for an ultrasound.  She was picking up  lotion for Cammie who had allergies to fly bites.  They talked and DH having just bought his first TWH told her all about his new love.  He mentioned that I was also looking for a TWH so we could ride together.  Long story short - we met and 2 weeks later went home with Cammie.  I tught her to go through water which she had never encountered in all her life.  Cammie and I had a few discussions about trails and returning to the barn but she was a fabulous mare who could trace her pedigree to the first studbook.  She was a hoot to ride and had been beautifully trained by Mrs. Lenhart.  Cammie and I went beach camping with our local horse club each year, camped in the mountains, and had a  lot of wonderful trail riding experiences together.  She lived out the rest of her days with us and died naturally in the pasture at the age of 32.  

I am very fortunate to have had 2 wonderful mares - Dazzle the pinto and Cammie the TWH.  Josie the mule is also a good mount and loves having her ears rubbed.  Having a good horse (or several) makes all the difference in our lives.  Falling off is a small price to pay for all that pleasure.  And usually it was my fault not the horse.  It's always the rider!  LOL


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## promiseacres (Aug 20, 2020)

Lol...I have always appreciated a shorter horse. Helps being 5'3"...& a lightweight so I can ride ponies all day. Lovely story @Ridgetop  good horses and good dogs sure help make life bearable.


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## chickens really (Aug 21, 2020)

I must be a fantastic rider now too. I am thinking I must of fallen 100 times off a horses in my lifetime riding them. The worst horse/pony I ever rode was my uncles welsh/Shetland Flicka. He would saddle her up and my cousin Coleen would ride Paint another little cross pony. All the adults on their horses and we would go trail riding. Well these two ponies were great heading out but on the way back they would bolt for home. Flat out running and once we reached the barn they would stop dead in there tracks. Coleen and I learned how to fall. My uncle always said cowgirls don't cry so we sucked it up and learned quickly..😂


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## Ridgetop (Aug 22, 2020)

Yes, ponies are very naughty.  In England where i learned to ride. every child starts on ponies.  These ponies range from 10hh to 14.1hh so are sized to the children so they can use leg aids properly.  Our western saddles with all the leather are not as suitable to that, and our western mustangs (original cowboy mounts) are not very big horses.  DH couldn't understand why these large tall cowboys at rodeos had small cow ponies for ropomg, etc.   I explained that if you are roping cattle, then dismounting to doctor, brand, etc., then remounting all day long, you don't want a super tall horse to work off.

In that tradition I mounted all of my children on ponies.  They had to take care of them, groom and saddle them, so I figured it would be easier for my kids to do that on smaller ponies.  By the time they were 8, each of my kids could catch, groom, pick hooves, saddle and bridle, and ride off on their own with no help.  The only family member needing any hel with their mount was DH who had to be overseen at all points.  

DH adored the horses but was not really a rider.  He was more of a sitter onner.  But his favorite thing in all the world was to ride out on a Sunday afternoon (almost his only time off work) with the entire family mounted and riding with him.  His horse was a large paint who looked like a carthorse crossed with an Arab.  Pretty dish face and great big hairy footed body!  LOL  Rusty was a wonderful horse that even the smallest child could scramble onto and ride safely.  This was a good thing since DH could never grasp the idea of tightening the girth one last time before mounting, leading to some memorable moments in the yard as we raced to rescue him.   

But back to ponies.  If you can ride a pony well you can ride anything!  They can be contrary, rambunctious, bossy, disobedient, etc.   This is because there are not many good riders small enough to school a pony and teach it manners.  By the child has learned to control his naughty pony they can get on anything and ride it fearlessly.  When we were looking for our ponies as each child grew old enough for his OWN HORSE (pony) we ran into some doozies.

"Child Safe"  - the pony is only able to carry a tiny child due to some injury.
"Bomb Proof"  - the pony is so old that it falls asleep and doesn't notice the child is even on board.
"Needs work"  - so green that it has seldom seen a saddle, let alone worn one.  
"Experienced rider"  -  so rank that it is practically an outlaw.
"Has been shown"  - Either didn't do well or is now crippled.
"Child's pet"  - unbroke pony bought as a present for a baby who is now 2 years old and "tired of it".  This pony was                             an actual ad that I clled looking for a pony.  The owner did not have any other horses, did not ride,                               and had bought this pony as a foal for his newborn son so "they could grow up together"! 

Of course, these for sale terms are also applied to all larger horses as well.  My uncle was a professional cattleman and rodeo cowboy back in the day.  He bought and sold a lot of horses and always warned me to *"never trust a horse trader"*. 

A really well trained little pony with no vices is worth twice as much as the same horse in standard size due to the impossibility of finding one.  We finally found 2 that our children grew into in turn.  These well broke little ponies took all our children through lessons, gymkhana, parades, trails, and all the crazy stunts that children on ponies or horses get into when out on the trails alone.  Like all our horses they remained as pensioners and died here of old age in their 30's.  Can't wait to see them again and ride across the morning sky with all our beloved dogs at our heels.  I may put the mini dachshund in the saddle bag. or she might have doggy wings   ? and be able to keep up.


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## Bruce (Aug 23, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> that I forgot to check the oil and it was empty. Seized that engine right up. 😭


 
Does that earn you a Zinger™ award? I think it does! 



thistlebloom said:


> Yeah. I like to just stand and gaze at it.


And the animals like to just stand and graze at it.



Ridgetop said:


> Bruce where do you buy one of those rolling magnet things?


I don't remember where I got mine but Lowes, Harbor Freight, Home Depot, Amazon all have them. It is amazing how many nails, screws and odd metal bits were found in the dirt barn alley. Even more amazing that more seem to grow up out of the ground in there!


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## Mini Horses (Aug 23, 2020)

Ridgetop said:


> Falling off is a small price to pay for all that pleasure. And usually it was my fault not the horse. It's always the rider! LOL




One of the things this cowgirl taught her rides was to brake when they felt me dismounting.   It has sure saved me a number of times!  

The worse fall I ever had was a total flip up & over the head of a horse who braked from 60 to 0 in 5 seconds of slide!   WOW...wonder I didn't break my back & get a concussion.   That was 60 yrs ago....I did get up and back on.    Sure loved that boy and it wasn't his fault -- or mine -- things get in the way sometimes.


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## Baymule (Aug 23, 2020)

Amen on the short horses! Prince is 14.2 perfect size for this crippled knee ol’ lady! I had a 16.2 powerhouse of a mare when we moved here, I sold her because it was such a struggle to mount. Forget dismounting-that was kick feet out of stirrups and hope for a soft (not) landing. LOL


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## thistlebloom (Aug 24, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Does that earn you a Zinger™ award? I think it does!



Oh yay! My very own Zinger!


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## Ridgetop (Aug 25, 2020)

Yep, same on my 16.2hh horse and mule.  Sadly, my bad knees forget to keep me upright when they reach the ground after long rides!  My girls don't mind that I dangle from the saddle and mane until the knees remember to work!  LOL  Not riding anymore though.  Maybe eventually?  I miss it.


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## Bruce (Aug 25, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Oh yay! My very own Zinger!


Yes, something we all aspire to achieve


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## thistlebloom (Sep 10, 2020)

There have been a few things happening around here that are worth recording.
Most recently, after having a pretty much fire free summer, several local fires have cropped up. There are a couple to the west, (@drstratton , you probably heard about the fire in Stone Ridge) and one closer to us to the east. Our friends live near that one and were told to prepare to evacuate. They have horses so they got everything loaded and ready to pull out when the evac order was suspended because the fire shifted direction.
At the same time we had a horrendous wind storm on Monday. 60mph gusts and a steady 30-40mph wind. The power went out in the morning and wasn't restored until 11. The fridge coming on woke me. It wasn't too bad, we had been told to expect up to 3 days of no power, so that was actually a blessing that it was so short. God bless the linemen and all the people working in that wind to get the power back on.  

I worked yesterday [Tuesday actually] and had a huge mess at two properties from the wind.
While I was working at the smaller property, the lawn company at the other place got all the hardscaping and lawns cleaned up, so when I got there I just had to do the beds. That was a nice surprise. The lawn company has four bodies, so it goes much faster for them.

In the entertainment department, last week we (dh, kid#2 and me) did a touristy thing which is out of character for this family. Kid#2 suggested it, and since he is even more of a stick in the mud homebody than dh and I, we figured we better jump at the opportunity before he changed his mind.

There is an old retired rail line that has had 15 miles of it converted to a bike trail (not the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes if you're familiar with this area, although that is another good one, and one dh and I have ridden). It's called the Trail of the Hiawatha and has an interesting history. It was a passenger rail line that was started in 1901 from Milwaukee to the west coast, (Seattle maybe?) You can see my mind is a sieve because I did read about it before we went.
Anyway, the railroad was retired in 1980, and since then they have converted 15 miles to bike trail. You ride through 10 tunnels, the longest is 1.7 miles, and you cross 7 trestles.
It's on the MT /ID border. If you start at the top you're in MT, at some point in the first 1.7 mile tunnel you cross into ID. It's black as pitch in the tunnels, so a headlamp and flashlights are required, there is no other light source. The tunnels all curved also, even the shortish ones, so you can't see the exit until you have gone in a ways.

(Resuming this on Thursday...) So the bike ride seemed like a fun adventure and I packed a lunch and snacks. We drove nearly 90 minutes to the trail head and began. The lunch and most of the snacks remained in the truck. For some reason the emoji's are not working, so insert an eyeroll here.

Now, we had no real clear idea how we were going to finish, should we go to the bottom and ride back up? Definite no on that from Kid#2. There is a shuttle service back to the trailhead but at almost $20 per person we are much too cheap to go for that. So we thought maybe we'd go halfway and turn around to go back. This was semi reasonable as we were told most of the tunnels and trestles are in the upper section anyway. After starting out and believing, as we had read, that it is a mere 2% grade, we were astonished that a 2% grade sure looked a lot steeper than the 2%'s we were familiar with, and Kid#2 stated that he wasn't going to ride back up at all from anywhere and maybe he would just hitchhike home, leaving his dad and I to fend for ourselves. Haha. We had a stiff headwind, so no coasting happened. We felt a bit cheated.

 Yes, we really need to learn to discuss things and be decisive. I get sucked into dh's ambiguity and indecisiveness sometimes, but that's not fair and a poor excuse I guess.

So, moving along, halfway down dh suggests that either he or I ride the shuttle back up and bring the truck down to the bottom of the trail. That would still leave us with a 21 mile drive out on gravel forest roads, but seemed like a decent plan. Kid#2 was relieved that he wouldn't have to fight off any ax murderers that might pick him up hitch hiking. The trestles were amazing and very high too.


I volunteered to ride the school bus shuttle.
I left my bike with dh at the end of the trail and boarded the bus, waving goodbye to my family. What I didn't know was that the bus doesn't take you to the parking lot on the MT side of the long, dark, pitch black, long, wet, dark and very long tunnel. No. It drops you off on the ID side. But I still had my flashlights so started hoofing it at the fastest pace I could manage, being a gimp. It's actually not as creepy as I had thought to walk alone in the pitch black for almost 2 miles, water running in foot deep gutters on either side and dripping from the huge cavernous ceiling. The tunnels are really pretty amazing structures. I had a lot of time to enjoy this one. I got passed by occasional groups of smarty pants bikers who had brought their bikes back  with them on the shuttle to ride back to the parking lot. I think there were some holes in my research of this particular outing.

I successfully resisted the urge to yell WOOah-WOOOO! chugga chugga chugga! as I went. Kid#2 had discouraged this on the way down in tunnel number 4. But I did sing as there was no one to ask me not to. 
Finally emerged into the glorious sunshine and jumped in the truck, made my way down on an obscure feeling forest road whose number sign I couldn't find until doubting myself and almost turning around I saw it and turns out I was going the right way.
It's a windy narrow road and 15mph is about top speed, except for a few straightaways where I hit 25 briefly.
As I got near the bottom parking lot I spot Kid#2 pushing his bike down the road. "You gave up on me?" I hollered. Yeah. he said. Dh looked glum. We loaded the bikes and headed out on the forest road that spits you out 21 miles later in a residential neighborhood in a historic Idaho silver mining town. 
I guess my dear husband didn't expect it to be a two hour trip for me to get back with the truck. None of us had expected that I would be hiking part of that, and there is no cell service out there, so no way to contact each other.
His imagination is a little too vivid and he was wondering if I had run off a cliff, got lost or the truck had broke down. When he gets anxious he is not fun to be with, depressing in fact, so I was sympathizing with our poor kid.
For my part, I was not dilly dallying, but I certainly was enjoying the scenery, the beautiful weather, and listening to my music as I drove. I knew I'd get there just fine and we'd enjoy the drive home and pick up dinner on the way back. 
As a side note, my sis always says dh better die before me because he won't be able to live without me. 
Well, dh lightened up as it sunk in that none of his awful wonderings had happened and Kid#2 and I were joking and laughing, and we did enjoy the trip home and dinner. 
After some discussion we decided it was a fun day, so much fun in fact, that it's not going to have a sequel. It wouldn't be right to have that much fun twice in a lifetime. Haha.

I would have included pictures in my novel, but that function isn't working either.


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## drstratton (Sep 10, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> There have been a few things happening around here that are worth recording.
> Most recently, after having a pretty much fire free summer, several local fires have cropped up. There are a couple to the west, (@drstratton , you probably heard about the fire in Stone Ridge) and one closer to us to the east. Our friends live near that one and were told to prepare to evacuate. They have horses so they got everything loaded and ready to pull out when the evac order was suspended because the fire shifted direction.
> At the same time we had a horrendous wind storm on Monday. 60mph gusts and a steady 30-40mph wind. The power went out in the morning and wasn't restored until 11. The fridge coming on woke me. It wasn't too bad, we had been told to expect up to 3 days of no power, so that was actually a blessing that it was so short. God bless the linemen and all the people working in that wind to get the power back on.
> 
> ...


Wow, you guys had quite the adventure! I'll have to tell my son in law about that trail, he would love it!

I did see that there are fires near Stoneridge and was hoping that you were far enough away to not be affected. I'm glad to hear that they got your power back on quickly & you all are safe. We were supposed to go to Stoneridge in August but they closed because of a Covid outbreak in their staff. I believe they have opened back up now! I'm on my way to take care of my grandson for a couple of days...had a break & time to check in & say hi!


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## Baymule (Sep 11, 2020)

That does sound like a once in a lifetime opportunity to have a LOT of fun! Haha, At least you can get your husband on a bike, feel grateful. I can't even get my husband on a horse, he supports my madness and will even feed them for me, but get on one? Never!


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## thistlebloom (Sep 11, 2020)

Baymule said:


> That does sound like a once in a lifetime opportunity to have a LOT of fun! Haha, At least you can get your husband on a bike, feel grateful. I can't even get my husband on a horse, he supports my madness and will even feed them for me, but get on one? Never!



He rides every day. We are long time bicycle partners, but now he's pretty much on his own unless he can shame me into riding with him. I would rather be horseback.
(why don't my emojis work?) He won't ride a horse either, though a long time ago I bought him a mule that he rode bareback, haha. That little mule had his number, used to dump him then walk home in front of him, just fast enough to stay out of reach.


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## drstratton (Sep 11, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> He rides every day. We are long time bicycle partners, but now he's pretty much on his own unless he can shame me into riding with him. I would rather be horseback.
> (why don't my emojis work?) He won't ride a horse either, though a long time ago I bought him a mule that he rode bareback, haha. That little mule had his number, used to dump him then walk home in front of him, just fast enough to stay out of reach.


Rotten mule...lol! As to the emojis, have you tried restarting your device?


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## Baymule (Sep 11, 2020)

Haha, smart mule!


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## Bruce (Sep 11, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> The tunnels all curved also, even the shortish ones, so you can't see the exit until you have gone in a ways.


But there IS light at the end of the tunnel?

Sounds like a fun AND frustrating adventure. Obviously the people who brought their bikes on the bus weren't new to the experience.

I look forward to the pictures once you can get them up.



Baymule said:


> That does sound like a once in a lifetime opportunity to have a LOT of fun! Haha, At least you can get your husband on a bike, feel grateful. I can't even get my husband on a horse, he supports my madness and will even feed them for me, but get on one? Never!


Maybe he figures he wouldn't be able to get off once he was on.


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## Baymule (Sep 11, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Maybe he figures he wouldn't be able to get off once he was on.



I dunno. I gave up asking a long time ago.  Now his hip is crashing on him. He's scheduled for a MRI, headed for hip replacement. Sooner the better.


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## Mini Horses (Sep 11, 2020)

Baymule said:


> can't even get my husband on a horse, he supports my madness and will even feed them for me, but get on one? Never!




But he drives the "mule" -- doesn't that count??   😁 

I always look at the horse adds...never know!!  I used to love to ride.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Sep 12, 2020)

Baymule said:


> I can't even get my husband on a horse, he supports my madness and will even feed them for me, but get on one? Never!



BJ sounds like me.  The only horse I like to ride is a Ford Mustang!


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## thistlebloom (Sep 12, 2020)

Bruce said:


> But there IS light at the end of the tunnel?



Yes, and fortunately not a trains headlight. 



Mini Horses said:


> I always look at the horse adds...never know!! I used to love to ride.



I do too, CL horse ads entertain me. Some peoples ads are unintentionally funny. They sure can be proud of their horses!


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## thistlebloom (Sep 12, 2020)

I have logged off BYH and shut down my computer, but the only thing that seems to work on the toolbar is the gear icon "Toggle BB Code".
What gives?


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## drstratton (Sep 12, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I have logged off BYH and shut down my computer, but the only thing that seems to work on the toolbar is the gear icon "Toggle BB Code".
> What gives?


Did your computer or browser recently have an update? I wish we lived closer my son fixes computers just by sitting down in front of them...I swear they are scared of him...lol


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## thistlebloom (Sep 12, 2020)

It seems like I am constantly bombarded with notifications for updates. I usually click later, haha. This problem just became noticeable yesterday and I hadn't updated.

Oh mylanta! I just clicked that gear icon and the tool bar is functioning!


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## drstratton (Sep 12, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> It seems like I am constantly bombarded with notifications for updates. I usually click later, haha. This problem just became noticeable yesterday and I hadn't updated.
> 
> Oh mylanta! I just clicked that gear icon and the tool bar is functioning!


That's good!


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## drstratton (Sep 12, 2020)

How is the air quality in Idaho? It's bad here!


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## thistlebloom (Sep 13, 2020)

drstratton said:


> How is the air quality in Idaho? It's bad here!



Terrible! Went for a ride with friends yesterday morning and it was overcast, but didn't smell smoky. By the end of the ride the smoke had descended to ground level and visibility was about half a mile. It kept getting worse, vis was probably a quarter mile later in the afternoon. So gloomy and foreboding outside. We just hunkered in the house. I had planned to ride today, but not now. This will probably be around for quite awhile as I think it's coming from all the western fires. The local fires (local to me) have increased but are still under 1k acres, so they are slow growing.


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## drstratton (Sep 13, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Terrible! Went for a ride with friends yesterday morning and it was overcast, but didn't smell smoky. By the end of the ride the smoke had descended to ground level and visibility was about half a mile. It kept getting worse, vis was probably a quarter mile later in the afternoon. So gloomy and foreboding outside. We just hunkered in the house. I had planned to ride today, but not now. This will probably be around for quite awhile as I think it's coming from all the western fires. The local fires (local to me) have increased but are still under 1k acres, so they are slow growing.


Yeah, it's pretty much the same here! I just saw that a lot of the smoke in The Tri-Cities is from fires in Oregon, but there are plenty of fires in all 3 states to keep us quite smoky for a while! I saw that the fire near Stoneridge was 74% contained as of yesterday, but there are 2 more in your area that are 0% contained, hopefully they will start to make some headway with them soon! Stay safe! 💞


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## Ridgetop (Sep 14, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I do too, CL horse ads entertain me. Some peoples ads are unintentionally funny. They sure can be proud of their horses!



Or just big liars.  You have to translate the sale language, just like for houses.  

"Cute cottage"  Made for midgets no room for kids or DH
"Needs TLC"  Complete tear down.  

"Green broke"  Owner was able to wrestle the halter on  - ONCE!
"Babysitter"  Falls asleep on trail

LOL


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## thistlebloom (Sep 14, 2020)

Ridgetop said:


> Or just big liars.  You have to translate the sale language, just like for houses.
> 
> "Cute cottage"  Made for midgets no room for kids or DH
> "Needs TLC"  Complete tear down.
> ...



That's what I meant by proud, haha! I love the ones that say " only selling because I don't have the time she needs" 🤣.


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## thistlebloom (Sep 21, 2020)

Dh and I are going on our annual overnight on a mountain way out in the boonies tonight. There's a dirt road in to a small lake and 3 dry campsites.
Bring your own everything, although there is an outhouse.
 We are usually the only ones there. It's an odd feeling to lay in the dark, knowing there are probably no humans within 20 miles. 
We sleep in the back of the truck under the stars, and when it's clear the stars are incredible. Meteors and Milky Way and constellations I don't know the names of. 
It is also cold, so I sleep in two down sleeping bags. Long johns, hoody (with the hood up) gloves and knit cap too.
 Dh, being a tough guy gets too hot in his single down bag so unzips it and lays under it. I'm not too sure about him.

Food is minimal, sandwiches for dinner, hard boiled eggs for breakfast and what ever finger food snacks we take. Must have my morning coffee though so we take a small backpacking stove to heat water. I refuse to cook for a simple overnight trip.
We're taking the dogs, hopefully the grizzlies will be occupied with them, giving us time to get away. Haha. Just joking, sort of.

If I don't post again for awhile you can assume we have been recycled.
I'll take pictures. We're hoping for clear skies, though it may be hazy from fires.

The sky looks like this picture from the internet.


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## Bruce (Sep 21, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> It is also cold, so I sleep in two down sleeping bags. Long johns, hoody (with the hood up) gloves and knit cap too.
> Dh, being a tough guy gets too hot in his single down bag so unzips it and lays under it. I'm not too sure about him.


That might change! I used to be hot, DW cold. Now she's under a single sheet (when the room temp was 60°) and I have 2 blankets.


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## rachels.haven (Sep 21, 2020)

*gasp* I need to take my husband to a place like that before he goes blind. That sounds like a great camping trip.


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## farmerjan (Sep 21, 2020)

Beautiful


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## Baymule (Sep 21, 2020)

Y'all have fun and please don't turn into grizzly poop.


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## chickens really (Sep 22, 2020)

Hope you have a fantastic night..👍🏼😊
Definitely don't become TV dinners for Bears.


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## Ridgetop (Sep 22, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> We're taking the dogs, hopefully the grizzlies will be occupied with them, giving us time to get away. Haha. Just joking, sort of.



When the cougars used to come in to our neighborhood regularly, I taught my 4-H project kids to take their dogs out with them when they fed their animals.  It was hard to get them to understand that they should run for help and leave the dogs to deal with the cougar or predator.  They didn't understand that as soon as the dogs figured they were out of danger they would break off the fight and follow them to the house!  Dogs are smart!  

Hopefully no bears or cougars this trip!


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## thistlebloom (Sep 22, 2020)

We're back and had a great time. it was a short trip, but long enough to get filthy and tired. "Our" mountain has become increasingly popular   and the 10 mile dirt section up to the little lake is just about solid washboard. Took over an hour to negotiate that part. Our poor little truck shuddered it's way over the washboards and I hoped that no nuts were backing off any important bolts. (Aren't they all important?) We did lose a bracket off some sort of sensor on the muffler. We noticed the truck sounding a little more throaty halfway up. Could be what made the check engine light come on.

Once we got to the campsites, we were the only ones there, so that made it pretty wonderful. We did hear a car leaving from the lower lake, must have been day trippers fishing.  Then we really had the mountain to ourselves.

Dh got the truck set up for sleeping and we got a little fire going. The hammock was hung. We call them bear burritos,  .

Oops! A little too low.



 
 That's better!




My turn...




You can see we didn't have clear skies, so star viewing was limited. But now and then the clouds cleared off a bit and the stars shone through. 

We ate our dinner sandwiches, and I picked some huckleberries. It was a heavy year, but what was left on the bushes must have been the tiny late ripening ones, and the hordes of mostly out of state huck pickers that have been going up there in recent years got all the big ones earlier in the season. No matter, they were small, but still tasty. Took forever to pick a cupful though. Probably my faulty method. Pick one, drop two.




The girls and I took a little walk. It's never a bad idea to bring along some bear bait, haha.





I heated a pan of water over the fire and we had some hot cocoa with our book. We're re-reading "One Mans Wilderness" by Richard Proenneke.





The first time we read it I was impressed with his wood craft and building skills. This time I'm noticing more his self centerdness, his subtle arrogance and his bad attitude about women. His building skills are still impressive though.

It was a little hike to the vault toilet, (nice and clean and stocked with T.P., thank you Forest Service!) and they supply you with a little light reading in case you have to wait your turn. We didn't have that problem but I stopped for a read anyway.




We crawled into our bags at 7ish 🤣 and talked about the day and the beauty of Gods amazing creation, not just here, but all over the earth.
We discussed the wonders of the stars and galaxies and things way over my head (literally! haha) The clouds would shift now and then and we saw stars and a satellite or two. It was very pleasant to hear nothing, just absolute silence.
Just as I was drifting off I sat straight up remembering I had taken my phone out of my pocket and set it in a safe place at the vault toilet. 
So out of warm bags we crawl, fumble our shoes on and trudge back up the road in the dark. Fortunately no hungry predators greeted us.

We tossed and turned because our sleeping pads left a lot to be desired to old bones, but it did give us the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the night, the fitful clouds, silence, and remind ourselves that we were *camping,* and we weren't supposed to be comfortable! 
Finally dawn broke and we got up, We scrounged our breakfasts out of the cooler (pot luck style) I had some campfire coffee and we hurriedly started breaking camp and packing up when it began sprinkling.
Dh loading up.




The only wildlife we saw were chipmunks and a young muledeer doe.
We heard a robin chirping at dusk, and a crow in the morning, so it was a pretty tame adventure.


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## Bruce (Sep 22, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> but I stopped for a read anyway


I notice a lot of posters related to bears.



thistlebloom said:


>


Lovely picture!


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## Baymule (Sep 22, 2020)

That is some beautiful country. I'm glad that y'all went and enjoyed yourselves, but isn't is nice to be home and sleeping in your own bed!


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## thistlebloom (Sep 22, 2020)

Oh yeah! Key word is sleep.  Nothing makes you appreciate what you have like a little deprivation. Even a tiny bit of deprivation! 🤣


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## chickens really (Sep 23, 2020)

Sounds like a very nice trip. I loved the pictures. Thanks for sharing your awesome time.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Sep 23, 2020)

I am glad you two had a good time.  Thanks for the pictures.  Very beautiful country!  I can easily see why you love it there!


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## Ridgetop (Sep 23, 2020)

Tame adventures work for me.  Wild adventures are fine for movies, but tame is much more enjoyable for real life!


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## thistlebloom (Sep 24, 2020)

Today I actually got a start on my "annual" winter reorganization and purging project. How 'bout that? And it's not even winter yet, 😄
I say annual as if it's something I do every year. But it's actually *annual *because I have yet to do a complete job of finishing it, so it becomes a yearly projected project.
When my money jobs are finished in November I feel justified in not diving into a project for a week. Then a week gets a little longer, then it's Thanksgiving, and soon Christmas and by then I have snow chores and organization projects don't seem very interesting anymore.
But I cleaned out my old buffet today and got it back down to just holding basics again. Yay me. I have big plans for all the closets, AND the garage. I'll keep you posted. Feel free to nag me.

After that surge of responsibility I treated myself to a good ride! If you look at the mountain ahead of Syringas head you can see small wisps of smoke.







That fire has been going on close to 3 weeks. Some idiot started it on the windiest day ever when we had 60 mph gusts. It was too steep to use hand crews so they used air support, helis with water bags and planes that scoop water up. There is fortunately a lake at the foot of the mountain that you can't see in the pic. I posted a picture some weeks ago of Syringa and I up on top looking down at the lake. That's where this fire has been burning. It's 75% contained now, and the rain we are to get tonight and tomorrow will help a lot.


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## Baymule (Sep 25, 2020)

We are usually in burn ban mode all summer. Even when we ban burn we wait until after a rain and little to no wind. Surrounded by forest, we take no chances. Your fire starter should be sterilized so he doesn’t breed his stupidity. LOL 

Yay on winter chores!


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## thistlebloom (Sep 25, 2020)

Baymule said:


> We are usually in burn ban mode all summer. Even when we ban burn we wait until after a rain and little to no wind. Surrounded by forest, we take no chances. Your fire starter should be sterilized so he doesn’t breed his stupidity. LOL
> 
> Yay on winter chores!



This was arson.

Yes on chores! I don't want this to be another winter where I get into the spring madness and wish I had been more productive.


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## promiseacres (Sep 25, 2020)

People suck. 
So is that just a sidepull on Syringa?  We use one on our mini and pony. I've been thinking of starting Richie on it at some point... though he can be bullheaded about eating on trails.


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## thistlebloom (Sep 25, 2020)

promiseacres said:


> People suck.
> So is that just a sidepull on Syringa?  We use one on our mini and pony. I've been thinking of starting Richie on it at some point... though he can be bullheaded about eating on trails.



Yes. It's what I started her in with the idea I would graduate her to a snaffle, but she's proving to be so soft in it that there's no real reason to bit her. Except I bought a beautiful bridle a year ago that would be be lovely on her (sunflowers, so matches my saddle ).
I was riding with a friend and we had a conversation about bridles/sidepulls.
I told her it was a shame to not use the glammy bridle because I loved the sunflowers on it. She thinks I'm nuts. She said she would paint sunflowers on the sidepull if that would keep me happy!  She's a talented artist. It was a joke but maybe I should hold her to it, haha.


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## thistlebloom (Sep 25, 2020)

_Yes. It's what I started her in with the idea I would graduate her to a snaffle, but she's proving to be so soft in it that there's no real reason to bit her. Except I bought a beautiful bridle a year ago that would be be lovely on her (sunflowers, so matches my saddle )._
_I was riding with a friend and we had a conversation about bridles/sidepulls._
_I told her it was a shame to not use the glammy bridle because I loved the sunflowers on it. She thinks I'm nuts. She said she would paint sunflowers on the sidepull if that would keep me happy!  She's a talented artist. It was a joke but maybe I should hold her to it, haha. _

My pretty headstall  .


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## farmerjan (Sep 25, 2020)

Okay, looking at the side pull and th headstall with the sunflowers.... why can't you reconfigure the headstall a little bit and convert it?  Where you would attach the bit of your choice, put in a ring and add a nose piece and a chin strap, and the reins.... add a couple of holes in the headstall so you can shorten the side length since the top is not decorated you will not get it out of "eveness" on each side..... I think that you could play with it a bit and get it adapted quite well... maybe even get a "saddlemaker/leatherworker" to make a few adaptations....
I used a mechanical hackamore on a mare that was a little stubborn but who fought the bit terrible....Kept her from getting a hard mouth and she was a dream to ride with it.  Always preferred to not have to put a bit in a horses mouth if I could achieve control/cooperation with out one.


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## thistlebloom (Sep 25, 2020)

I considered converting the bridle... but not seriously enough to actually see how to make it work. But thanks for reigniting that idea @farmerjan ! I'll have to play around with it. I don't mind sacrificing the sidepull for parts, but would like to keep the bridle intact enough that I could use a bit if the need ever arose. I do think it's possible... 😊
That and my saddle are the most money I've ever spent on tack. Probably combined, in my lifetime!  

I have a $25 horse and a 2K $ saddle. But she's priceless to me, and the saddle was custom, I looked at a lot of used ones that were almost that much.
 It's getting a lot of use, that's for sure!


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## farmerjan (Sep 25, 2020)

Ask the saddle maker, since it was custom, if he has any ideas.... or a boot maker or even a shoe maker/cobbler... someone that works with leather... better if they have horse tack knowledge.   I really think that it is very doable....The places on the end where you would ordinarily attach the bit should be able to just attach a single ring on each side and then add nose piece and chin strap like is on the side pull... I really think that it would not be a big deal and would still allow the headstall to be changed back easily.  The side buckle would have to go up higher... make a few more holes in the non buckle piece over her head to raise the whole thing higher on her head to let the nose piece and chin strap fit where it should.  You would not have to sacrifice the side pull for parts if you didn't want to.... get a separate noseband, and chin strap  that can be put on a simple circle ring.  I think that if you sat down with them side by side, you could figure out how to make it work... there are enough tack suppliers around that you could find a nose piece and chin strap to match the existing headstall..... they get broken and even worn thin,  so I know that people replace them....


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## Bruce (Sep 25, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Your fire starter should be sterilized so he doesn’t breed his stupidity. LOL


Probably too late for that, just like the people that started the fire in California with their stupid "gender reveal" party.


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## promiseacres (Sep 25, 2020)

Check out twohorsetack.com they make a side pull attachment. They can customize about anything


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## Ridgetop (Sep 26, 2020)

The Bobcat fire in CA is now 61% controlled but the weather report calls for high winds this week so . . . .


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## thistlebloom (Sep 27, 2020)

Too many fires.  
Kid#1's crew have been sticking pretty close to base to get after all the lightening fires. He's hoping the recent rains have helped enough that they can get on the road to more distant locations. Our very local fires are now out or nearly so.


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## thistlebloom (Sep 27, 2020)

Went for a nice fall ride in the park yesterday. It was sunny and fresh after the thunderstorm that rolled through Friday. It was busy there with 10 trailers in the parking field. The great thing about that state park is that there is such a network of trails on the horse side that you can ride for a couple of hours even when it's busy and sometimes you never run into another rider.

That was not the case for me a week ago. It was funny actually...
I had just unloaded Syringa from the trailer when a group of 5 women came back to their trailers. We all said hi and then one of them realized at the same time I did that she and I had met a few weeks before at a high line demo at her ranch. She rides in the Cascades every summer and had invited my neighbor and I to come along next July, which I am TOTALLY up for! We all yakked horse for several minutes , then they went to unsaddle.

Then Syringa and I were moving out at a brisk trot down a single track when I saw a lady walking her dogs ahead of us. We slowed to a walk, said hello and a few pleasantries. This gal is there all the time on the trails, I bet she doesn't miss a day. As I was riding away she asked about my saddle, so we talked quite a bit more. She rides also, seems to be a very knowledgeable horsewoman. She was fun to talk with and we parted again.

A few miles later we saw some bike riders ahead and moved off the trail at a wide spot to let them go by. One of the men stopped to admire Syringa. He saw her freeze brand on her neck so we talked about that, then he asked if he could say hello to her. She sniffed him like a dog then began licking his hands  🤣. She is a somewhat friendly and licky girl.
We talked some more, then they continued on and we did too. I thought we seemed to be doing more talking than riding at this point.

Real soon we came up to the gravel road that runs through a section of the park. We were crossing it and going to head down a trail into a little valley I like. There was an older lady right there at the road/trail intersection on a big Paso Fino so we said hi. I complimented her horse and she started telling me his history. Then her history. Then her training history and credentials. Then some of her students and their horses. Then some training issues that people in general have and I was wondering how to extricate myself gracefully. In the meantime my little mare, after being a bit antsy at first, stood quietly, hip shot and waited for me to give her the signal to go.
I figured at least this was good training for her, to learn to stand patiently while I was mounted. Then after probably 20 minutes I looked at some dark clouds moving in and said maybe we better beat the rain. Whew, she continued on the road and we went into the valley.

I decided we should make some time so we swung along at a canter, then turned and went up a pretty big hill, still loping. At the crest here comes another gal on a pretty paint that I've seen around riding trails. We slow to a walk to pass and say hi. She  remarked at the busy trails that day and I agreed, then laughed about my last encounter. She exclaimed at that and laughed and apologized that I had run into _______.  
She apparently knows her.
Poor ______. I think she's probably lonely, and I'm not ridiculing her, but not everyone has that kind of time for  long conversations to a casual stranger while riding.

We made it back to the trailer without further meetings. That was a day like I have never experienced while riding, haha.

@farmerjan , I wanted to let you know that I jerry rigged a sidepull out of my nice headstall. I scavenged rings from an old surcingle, a throatlatch for a noseband off one of Lukes old bridles and the reins and chinstrap from the original sidepull. It worked ok, and now I know what I need to do to make it really work. The cheekpieces want to slide down under her jaw, so it will need a noseband that is Chicago screwed into position. Other than that it was fine. She worked real soft and responsive in it, in spite of it being kind of slipshod, so that's a gold star for her. Thanks for the encouragement to make it work!


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## farmerjan (Sep 27, 2020)

So glad you tried it.  Now you can fine tune it and then have your pretty headstall  too!!!!!


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## Bruce (Sep 28, 2020)

I guess everyone is a bit chatty being Covid isolated from others for the most part.


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## thistlebloom (Sep 28, 2020)

I don't think it's isolation related. Most folks around here aren't hiding indoors. I think it was all in the timing  😄.
Met a guy today walking his Airedale out on the single tracks. We had a nice chat. He grew up on a working ranch here. He said he's 74 and they worked draft horses, not because it was the eco thing to do, they just didn't have a tractor then.


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## Mike CHS (Sep 29, 2020)

Things have progressed so fast in such a short time that I think many have no idea how it was just a generation ago. I lived with my Grands when I was young and remember when Grandpa got his first tractor when I was around 6 years old.  Up until then he used a herd of huge mules (or at least they seemed huge to a six year old. )


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## Ridgetop (Sep 29, 2020)

Daddy (my FIL) was the son of a sharecropper.  His dad was crippled and the large family of boys had to do all the farming.  Daddy told me how he used to hitch up a pair of big black mules to the wagon and head out for the fields before dawn.  He would unhitch and plow all day with those mules then rehitch them to the wagon, and tie up the lines.  He would lay down in the back of the wagon and go to sleep.  When the mules got home, they would stop and he would wake up and unhitch!    He was one of the youngest and as each boy got to enlistment age they would go off.  Daddy had to drop out of his senior year in high school to do the spring planting.  In those days, responsibility for the family was paramount.


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## thistlebloom (Sep 29, 2020)

My great grandparents on my moms side and great -great- great on dads homesteaded. I have a picture of my grandma (mom's mom) with her siblings and their horses harnessed and ready to hitch for the days work. Or maybe they were unhitched and ready to unharness... 🤔 Mom grew up on the farm, I don't know how she escaped horse fever, but I think she was glad to have a daughter infected with it.


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## Baymule (Sep 30, 2020)

My Daddy dropped out of school in 7th grade because his Dad kept taking him out of school to work in the fields. His Dad was a sharecropper, they grew up poor. My Daddy was put to work at age 10, chopping cotton for 10 cents a day. When my kids were little, I planted cotton, maybe 8 plants. Oh! They complained when I made them go chop weeds with a hoe in the summer! They raised that cotton until it bloomed and bore cotton, then they "harvested" their cotton. We took a couple of bolls, pulled out the seed and drew out fibers, twisting into a crude "thread". Then they both took their newfound knowledge to school with a baggie of cotton bolls for show n' tell.


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## Ridgetop (Sep 30, 2020)

It is always good to remember how hard our forebears worked.  It helps us to recognize how easy we have it today even though we still work hard.  We just work differently.  I used to subscribe to a magazine that was geared toward homesteading.  Readers would write in about their dreams to buy a place "off the grid" with no electricity, running water  or sewer.  there they planned to "live off the land" and raise their children.   I finally stopped my subscription because while I enjoy raising my own food, canning, sewing, etc., I have no desire to go without indoor plumbing, indoor water, electricity, and labor saving devices like washing machines, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, etc.  I understand why farm women who worked 24/7 welcomed the introduction of these labor saving devices into their lives! 

Back in the day, women could not work outside the home since it took all their time just to clean their houseS, cook from scratch, haul the water from the well or pump, heat it, wash the clothes, dry them on the line, and iron them with a flat iron.  Not to mention the constant chore of mending and making the clothes, knitting and darning socks, then add the normal women's chores of milking and making butter, collecting eggs, feeding the chickens, the all day chore of caring for children, planting and harvesting the garden and canning enough vegetables, meat, fruit to keep the family all year, and it was a thankless job with no time left except to try to get some sleep at the end of the day!  

I love my HVAC, indoor plumbing, gas stove, electric oven, vacuum, microwave, washer and dryer, dishwasher, and all my other appliances especially my COFFEE MAKER!   

Not to mention having to do all that work wearing 10 petticoats, long skirts, and a corset!


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## promiseacres (Oct 1, 2020)

Yes we should be thankful every day for our modern conveniences. Gives us time to have too many hobbies....like trail riding and sewing for fun, raising critters, preserving foods. But they keep us in touch with our ancestors.


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## Beekissed (Oct 1, 2020)

Ridgetop said:


> Back in the day, women could not work outside the home since it took all their time just to clean their houseS, cook from scratch, haul the water from the well or pump, heat it, wash the clothes, dry them on the line, and iron them with a flat iron. Not to mention the constant chore of mending and making the clothes, knitting and darning socks, then add the normal women's chores of milking and making butter, collecting eggs, feeding the chickens, the all day chore of caring for children, planting and harvesting the garden and canning enough vegetables, meat, fruit to keep the family all year, and *it was a thankless job with no time left except to try to get some sleep at the end of the day!*



I think you view it as most of the world views it but for many women it didn't feel like a thankless job and it was their pride and joy to take care of their family in this way.   I know my Mom felt like that and I did and do too.   We moved to a raw piece of land when I was 10 and lived off grid...not in the fancy way they do now, with other ways to get power, but hauling water from a spring, kerosene lights and wood heat.  Lots of hard work to get and stay comfortable...no fans when it was hot, no AC, no cool or hot shower, no fridge for the first year but finally got an old Servel propane fridge...very tiny but better than cooling things in a spring or ice chest.  

We lived that way for 9 years, Mom was around 48 when they started that, with 4 kids still at home and another 5 coming and going from their failed adult pursuits.  We lived in a 2 room log cabin that was so small I could reach out and touch my parent's bed and my brother slept on the bunk above me and my sister.  Washed our clothes by hand, lived off the garden and the woods, and walked almost a mile to catch the school bus...and yep, it WAS uphill both ways, as that's just how WV is styled.  

Mom didn't feel like she was overworked and had no time for herself and my grandmother raised 8 kids in much the same manner before she moved where they had modern conveniences and she didn't feel like her life wasn't her own either.   They were both very proud of being a mother, of providing for their families with their own two hands and they felt proud of their skills in doing so.  When you are canning a thousand...and I do mean a thousand...jars of food on a wood cook stove in the middle of August, you are working hard for your food.  I never once heard Mom complain...to this day she has never complained, but looks back on her life with pride and joy in what she and they and we accomplished.  She's 86 now and was on a ladder most of the day yesterday, bleaching the outside of her current log cabin with a garden sprayer.   She wouldn't be able to still do that if she had lived a life of ease all those years....her sisters did and they are invalids...or dead.  

Don't get me wrong....I now LOVE having a washing machine and dryer and also love a hot shower(to this day, every single time I climb into that shower, I thank God for the water, pure and clean, hot and with pressure...until you've lived a long time without it, you never truly appreciate the pure luxury of it!), but even though Dad worked us like slaves and we were bee stung, bug eaten, calloused, sunburned and frostbit from working outdoors in all seasons and weathers to grow our food and keep warm there, to me it still never seemed  as bad as my siblings thought it was.   Yeah, it was hard, but we were young and healthy and we were doing what no one our age was doing, learning things they weren't and learning to appreciate all the things they took for granted.  

I think we all get a picture of how hard homesteading was back in the day and it was, much harder than we had it, but those people didn't know anything else, so had nothing to really compare it to and so didn't feel as put upon as we women today would if we had to do all of that in a day's time.  Anyone that has ever read Farmer Boy from the Little House series would get an eye opener as to how hard their mother worked...but she enjoyed it and didn't feel she had no time to herself...she was by herself a lot when she was spinning, weaving, sewing clothes, etc.   My mother enjoyed hard work and so do I.  There are many, many people and were back then, especially, for which work is not a 4 letter word and doing all the things a woman does to grow and preserve food, keep a house and family together, and keep life going isn't and wasn't a curse or a drudge, but something they were designed to do, a job given to them by God to do and so they did it as if unto God, which brings joy and gratitude for the body you have and the health you have to even do such things.  

Those chores were not thankless, not by a long shot.  Not if you had your head right.  Every time your family sat down to a good meal that didn't come completely off a store shelf...or at all from a store, showed up on a Sunday for church or went off to school with neat, clean clothing and clean bodies, every time you and your husband laid down on clean sheets for the night...all those things were the only thanks a good woman needed.   The joy and satisfaction of having worked hard and having it mean something at the end of the day was and is enough if you've got your mind in the middle.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 1, 2020)

Surely there were some women who did all that work and viewed it as drudgery and a burden. But I think @Beekissed has it right. It's where your heart and mind are. Gratitude to God is such a foundational place to start.

Bee, I love your mom and her attitude, she's such a good model to emulate.
I have huge respect for the women on this forum who are such hard workers
(and the men too!) and don't back down and don't complain. And the young moms taking care of their kids and husbands and the myriad of work that comes with families and livestock.

We don't all have ancestors that eked out a living off the land with their own two hands, but it's an extra blessing to those that do, to have known them and witnessed a part of their lives.


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## Beekissed (Oct 1, 2020)

I bet there were a whole slew of women who hated every minute of it, just like there are now!    I know more women who hate work than those who don't, especially in the younger generations.  

It just comes down to what you value in life and what you are willing to do~cheerfully, day in and day out~to get it.    I love work but reared three sons who do not and will do most things to avoid it.   Got a DIL who thinks a few Veggie Straws and a handful of pepperoni slices constitutes a meal for a child....every meal, several days hand running.  It's a different world out there.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 1, 2020)

I fabricated my sidepull with my blingy headstall today. I cannabalized one of Luke's old bridles. Took the crown piece off, which had cheekpieces that came up from the bit about a third of the way.  I used the crown piece for the nose band. I attached it to the new headstalls cheekpieces with Chicago screws. It was a little tricky, the bulk of noseband and 2 nickel rings made it a tight squeeze to screw back together. I didn't want to cut the crown piece in case I would like to put that old bridle back together, for whatever unknown reason. I was able to use the existing holes for the screws in the noseband, I just overlapped and lined them up.

Drilled new holes for the Chicago screw fittings (don't have a leather punch) and will have to turn the breadboard over to the other side so dh doesn't notice the hole I put on the one side. Oops .
Then I had to shave down the leather around the new fitting holes so I could get all that leather to screw together. Messed with it for 2 hours, yikes. Probably made six trips out to Syringa to try it on and check measurements. (Yes dear I actually measured!) Every time I came out she walked up to me. I think she was trying to figure out what was wrong with me- put the bridle on, fiddle around, take it off and walk away. She was practically scratching her head, lol.

I don't like the clunky way the noseband sticks out after the place it's attached, but it will do for now.

Just need to hang the reins. Oh and clean all the old parts, they're dirty


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## Beekissed (Oct 1, 2020)

Thistle, that is really beautiful!!!  And a great pic up against that red barn!   Do you ride bitless?  If I ever were to get a horse again, I do believe I'd be going bitless....I've read and seen so many good things about it.


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## farmerjan (Oct 1, 2020)

I knew you could do it......Looks good.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 1, 2020)

Beekissed said:


> Thistle, that is really beautiful!!!  And a great pic up against that red barn!   Do you ride bitless?  If I ever were to get a horse again, I do believe I'd be going bitless....I've read and seen so many good things about it.



Yes, I started Syringa out in a sidepull. I don't have an issue with using bits for horses, but she is so soft and responsive with just the sidepull that I see no reason to change.

 Bitting is for higher education and more "feel" although I would say that most riders don't use them right, and don't even know the purpose for all the different styles of bits.
A horse can be mishandled just as easily in a bitless setup.

I tried riding Luke in a bitless bridle, but he had so many issues from his past that he just handled better in a dog bone snaffle.


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## Mike CHS (Oct 1, 2020)

I'll echo the others.  That is some beautiful work.


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## Baymule (Oct 2, 2020)

Thistle, your side pull looks nice. You done good!

My Mom was the kind who loved her luxuries, abhorred dirt, didn't like kids, and never wore a pair of blue jeans in her life.  She said she didn't know WHERE I came from! 

I don't want to go live off grid. I could if I had to, but i do like electricity. Washer/dryer, refrigerator, stove, freezers, hot water, running water....... notice how my list is appliances? LOL


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## Beekissed (Oct 2, 2020)

I don't desire to live off grid either but it's nice knowing I could if I had to do it again.  It's not as tough as it sounds if you have routines and good methods for doing the every day stuff.  Hot showers and laundry facilities are the most desirable luxuries when off grid.


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## Bruce (Oct 3, 2020)

Baymule said:


> My Mom was the kind who loved her luxuries, abhorred dirt, didn't like kids, and never wore a pair of blue jeans in her life.


My maternal grandmother never wore anything but a dress until she was in her 80's. Then she occasionally wore a pantsuit. If my maternal grandfather ever owned a pair of jeans I never saw them. My paternal grandmother NEVER owned anything but dresses (and she was a farm wife). They were all born in the 1890's.


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## Beekissed (Oct 3, 2020)

Bruce said:


> My maternal grandmother never wore anything but a dress until she was in her 80's. Then she occasionally wore a pantsuit. If my maternal grandfather ever owned a pair of jeans I never saw them. My paternal grandmother NEVER owned anything but dresses (and she was a farm wife). They were all born in the 1890's.



I was just talking about that yesterday, Bruce.  My grandma never wore anything but dresses until her 80s also, then she moved out of the farmhouse and gave it to her youngest son.  She moved into a trailer on the land, started wearing knit pantsuits and cut off all her hair and put a perm in it.   I remember crying the day my mother cut her long, beautiful hair...seeing it fall to the carport floor was like the end of an era.  She used to wear all that hair in a long braid that was wound around a bun on top of her head...I always thought it looked like a hair do a queen would wear.  

All that work she did over the years was done with a dress and apron on, never any pants.  Same with my maternal grandmother...all dresses, no pants, hard work.   I can't even imagine that!!!  No bug spray back then either, so all the bities could fly up there and chaw a gal up!


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## thistlebloom (Oct 3, 2020)

I remember my maternal GGma in nothing but dresses. They raised sheep and potatoes on their Idaho dry farm (no irrigation). But my maternal grandma, her daughter wore overalls in all the farm pictures I've seen. She wore dresses and pantsuits when I knew her in my growing up years. Her sister, a farm woman always wore dresses, bought heeled womens shoes then went home and knocked the heels off . I can't imagine how uncomfortable that must have been to walk and work in.
My favorite memories of my mom are in her blue jeans, sweatshirt and bright red Keds. Miss you mom.


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## Baymule (Oct 3, 2020)

I can't imagine life without blue jeans.


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## Baymule (Oct 3, 2020)

There is a T-shirt ad on the right. It says;
Don't piss old people off
Time is short and 
life in prison isn't a deterrent


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## thistlebloom (Oct 7, 2020)

A friend and I trailered 65 miles south last Saturday to ride on some different trails. This was the farthest I have hauled Syringa in the sardine can. My friend offered to haul her in her nice slant load, but the last time we loaded her in it she panicked and set back hard as soon as I had tied her. It was not a fun experience for her or I, and I blame myself for rushing her. There will be an opportunity in the future to take her over and take my time to load and unload and let her stand tied in my friends trailer, but I haven't done it yet and so we just hauled separately. But Syringa was a star. We had to go through town with about 12 traffic lights and busy streets, noisy motorcycles and some ridiculously loud diesel trucks idling next to us at the stops.  She may have been anxious, but she didn't blow up or have a melt down. I didn't feel her shifting around at all. Yay Syringa. 😍

The trails we rode were mostly single track switchbacks. It was steep heavily wooded country. We came up and out of the trees at a nice overlook where we took a break, loosened the cinches and took the horses bridles off.
In all we rode for 4 hours, and though it wasn't a lot of mileage, and the trails didn't allow for much more than a walk, except for a very few places we could get some trotting in, the horses were whupped by the time we got back to the trailers. All that steep up and down stuff uses a lot of muscle.

At our break stop. My lovely girl.





My good friend, neighbor, and riding buddy on her mustang Zoey.





Zoey broke into song - "The hills are aliiiive... ". Haha.

Syringa and Zoey are the same age, came from adjoining BLM Herd Management Areas ( that's Bureau of Land Management, to avoid confusion), and were captured in the same roundup and held at the same holding facility in NV. So it's possible they were acquainted before we each got them. The difference is, Z was picked by a mustang trainer and trained for 60 days when my friend adopted her. Syringa was on her last chance for adoption when I saw her and was totally untouched. 






As well as being an awesome mountain pony she is turning into a pretty fair garden helper. I turned her out loose on the property to graze and she wandered into my new next years garden plot. She volunteered to prune the sunflowers. And she even did a little fertilizing.


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## farmerjan (Oct 7, 2020)

Beautiful scenery where you were riding.  Always nice to have someone to ride with and the similarities in the animals also makes for lots of interesting comparisons and conversations.  Congrats on a nice day.


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## Baymule (Oct 7, 2020)

I think you need to take her with you to work. She could really be a great help to you with all that trimming!


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## thistlebloom (Oct 8, 2020)

Baymule said:


> I think you need to take her with you to work. She could really be a great help to you with all that trimming!



Right? Who knows, she could have a real flair for re-landscaping!


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## Bruce (Oct 9, 2020)

I bet she'd be great at re-landscaping (though I suspect the property owners better not be real picky about their plantings). 

Lovely ride, it would be interesting to know if the horses remembered each other.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 10, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Lovely ride, it would be interesting to know if the horses remembered each other.



Yes it would. I have a lot of curiosity about their experiences at the holding pens, and trips to adoption events, her herd life before capture, what her dam and sire looked like, etc...


So today fall blew in at last! It started raining this morning and is supposed to continue into tomorrow, with at least Monday and Tuesday continuing with intermittent showers and thunder showers. The rain is much needed, we have been very dry. The trees seemed to color up very quickly last week, and with today's strong breezes they are already losing their leaves. 

But we still haven't had a killing freeze. We had a little frost in September, which dismayed the tomatoes, but didn't kill them, and my peppers were in muck tubs which seemed to be enough protection that they didn't skip a beat. The prolonged summery weather was welcome, but I have found myself getting antsy for some winter.

I think we're ready. The woodshed is stacked with enough wood for 2 or 3 years, and there's enough left in the log deck to keep us in wood for a few years beyond that at least.
My hay is stacked in my new hay barn (I love saying that!) and I have enough to take me into next fall. Next year I would like to buy enough for two years (thank you @farmerjan for planting the idea). Then I will always have enough under shelter in the event of something unforeseen happening to get by for an extra year.

We have room this year for all the vehicles to be under cover, and that will be huge. All the animals have snug dry shelters, and best of all the dog run cover is the only thing I will have to be taking snow off daily this year.
 I will probably wind up fat and lazy.

Yesterday I moved my few raspberry and blackberry plants into my new garden space. They got hammered by the chickens this year. Now they are in a fenced in area. I haven't been excited about my vegetable garden for several years, but I'm starting to get a better attitude and motivation for next years season. The new plot will take a few years of soil work to get going good, but with increased sun and no tree root competition it should be more productive.

Heard from Kid#1, he and his crew have been sent to Utah to fight fire. He was ready for a distant assignment. They were staying close to base fighting lightening fires for several weeks. This rain should be a big help to those lingering hot spots. His season will end with October, then he moves back up north here, and we'll get to see him more often.

Now that it's blowing hard, raining cats and dogs, and getting dark I guess I should go feed and tuck in the animals.


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## Baymule (Oct 13, 2020)

Getting back into garden mode is always good. Nothing takes the place of fresh veggies from the garden. Moving the berries out of reach of the greedy chickens is a good move too. Before I got my chickens years ago, I thought they would be more civilized about eating goodies--NOPE! They tear through a garden like kids in a candy store. No saving some for later with chickens. It's all EAT IT NOW!

That's good news from Kid #1, just hearing from him is good news. Getting to see him more often will be welcomed, I know.


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## Ridgetop (Oct 13, 2020)

Beautiful riding country.  Also good training occasionally for long trailer rides.  Never know when it might be a necessity and having the horse used to it and not trying to kick their way out is a good thing.  LOL


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## thistlebloom (Oct 13, 2020)

Ridgetop said:


> Beautiful riding country.  Also good training occasionally for long trailer rides.  Never know when it might be a necessity and having the horse used to it and not trying to kick their way out is a good thing.  LOL



Yes, it was good to find out how well she traveled that far, about 4x longer than she's been used to. She sets back periodically still, when something overwhelms her fight or flight reaction, but it's getting infrequent. Thankfully she's not a kicker or pawer.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 13, 2020)

I'm having an issue with my 9 YO heeler female. She's never been a stock chaser, in fact we got her from a little farm because she did not earn her keep with herding the cattle. 
For the past two years she has once in awhile gone into Syringas corral and yapped at her heels. Syringa happens to like dogs and has ignored it. 
Now the strange thing is that she has only ever done it when I'm not home. Dh has caught her at it a number of times and put her in the dog run.
 Yesterday he saw her at it again and was frustrated enough to call me at work and tell me.

I'd like to catch her red handed, but she's smart enough to know if I did she'd be wearing her butt in a sling. 

She only does this to Syringa, and only when I'm gone. 
Dh said Syringa was kicking at her yesterday, and it appeared that Wren was snapping at her heels. Syringa has no bites on her legs so Wren didn't connect. I wouldn't mind if my horse kicked her over the moon at this point, but I think she's holding back. Syringa has never shown any aggression toward the dogs.
In the meantime she's jailed in the dog run unless I'm out there with her.
It's frustrating. I don't want to keep her locked up, because then what's the point of having a dog? But I can't trust her to mind her business when she's loose either.
If I could set her up and use a e-collar on her that might make enough impression, but so far it's been a random event. Maybe she's getting weird in her maturity.
I'm open to suggestions.


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## Bruce (Oct 13, 2020)

Since she does it when DH is home, he could zap her good with an e collar as soon as she approaches Syringa. Just let her think that there is a painful forcefield around the horse, best to stay clear.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 13, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Since she does it when DH is home, he could zap her good with an e collar as soon as she approaches Syringa. Just let her think that there is a painful forcefield around the horse, best to stay clear.



Ohhh I would love that believe me! Since it is so seemingly random and infrequent it would be difficult to reinforce I think, unless I just set her up in the collar and spent a day watching secretly from the house. I could drive off and park, then sneak home on my bike while dh distracted her in an area she couldn't see me arrive and scoot indoors. 
I'll have to do some noodling on it. 
Or she could just be jailed until I'm outside and can supervise her.


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## Ridgetop (Oct 14, 2020)

How old is she?  Our second Weimaraner, Rascal, was really good around our chickens and rabbits.  We bred him and he was obedience trained and field trained.  We had a terrible earwig problem when we moved to this house so we let the chickens run free and just shut them up at night.  Several years later, when he was around 12 or so, he killed our chickens suddenly.  At the sound of shrieking and chickens and our younger Weimaraner bitch, Lady, barking hysterically, we ran out to find the ground littered with bloody, lifeless corpses and old Rascal systematically butchering our chickens one after the other.  We figured he must have had a stroke or something to suddenly change like that.  His health deteriorated rapidly after that.  I had to put him down a year or so later due to kidney and liver failure.  He had never even "gashed" a bird, alive or dead, that he retrieved during field trials.  It was a real shock.  

Possibly the fact that Syringa is kind and moves away for Wren instead of kicking or biting her encourages Wren's "herding" behavior.  Wren may be bored and is entertaining herself this way.  I have heard of herding dogs doing this with their charges before.   Usually though it is dogs with a heavy herding background and drive.  While Syriga kicking her may break her of this, you don't want Syringa or Wren injured.  And you certainly don't want Syringa to learn to be aggressive to dogs and start kicking at any dog you may meet on trails.

Hope you can break Wren of this behavior.  Let us know what you do and what works.


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## Baymule (Oct 14, 2020)

Use one of those buried invisible fences. Crank it up and Wren won’t even get near the corral.


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## Bruce (Oct 14, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Or she could just be jailed until I'm outside and can supervise her.


I don't think you want to sit outside all the time waiting for the dog to misbehave, far too many things to do! I still think the "secret zap" is the best choice. Otherwise she might just learn to be on her best behavior when you are around.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 14, 2020)

To be more clear, Wren never has done this when* I'm* home, and never when anyone is outside with her. She has always been completely trustworthy with the horses and chickens, and she's not aggressive toward other dogs other than a little rumbly growl if they come on the property. No herding drive, but she'll retrieve balls until she collapses.
Oh, she will chase our cats if she thinks we aren't looking, but if they stand their ground she just casually veers off.



Ridgetop said:


> How old is she?


She's 9, not really old by cattle dog standards. but we have had a few dogs that changed personalities when they started getting old.



Ridgetop said:


> Wren may be bored and is entertaining herself this way.


She may be, although she gets a ball thrown for her morning and night, gets to go for walks with me and is generally loose in the yard all day, because unlike Larka she doesn't go on visiting excursions to the neighbors. She gets lots of personal attention.



Baymule said:


> Use one of those buried invisible fences. Crank it up and Wren won’t even get near the corral.


I actually have one that I bought for our JRT but never installed. That's a possibility.



Bruce said:


> I don't think you want to sit outside all the time waiting for the dog to misbehave,


No, certainly not!  🤣
What I meant was she would only be let out of the run when I was outside. I'm certain she won't herd Syringa when I'm home and even more sure that she would not dream of doing it when I'm present outside doing regular chores.

I wondered why it has only been Syringa she targets. She never went after Luke, and she doesn't try to work Huckleberry around. One possibility may be that I have spent a lot of time in the past 2 years working Syringa in the roundpen, moving her and working her, and also have spent hours just standing with her building the foundations of her trusting me. Maybe Wren is jealous?

Thank you all for the suggestions, they are all good points, and I appreciate you all helping me think of a solution.


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## chickens really (Oct 15, 2020)

You might have just answered your own question as to why the dog is moving the horse. She feels it's her job to get her moving when your not home or out in the yard. Is the dog always present while you do ground work? Have you changed the frequency of time spent on ground work? I don't think anything is wrong with the dog? I think she is intelligent and thinks the horse needs to be moving.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 15, 2020)

chickens really said:


> You might have just answered your own question as to why the dog is moving the horse. She feels it's her job to get her moving when your not home or out in the yard. Is the dog always present while you do ground work? Have you changed the frequency of time spent on ground work? I don't think anything is wrong with the dog? I think she is intelligent and thinks the horse needs to be moving.




She is intelligent, which is why she chooses to do it when I'm not there to catch her. 
I haven't been doing as much ground work since I've started riding Syringa, but Wren did this on infrequent occasions when I was working her daily.
She was "present" in that she was not in the run and loose on the property, but the dogs aren't allowed in the roundpen when I'm working.
She shows zero interest in Syringa otherwise, no observation, or herd stare, no slinking around the perimeter. Nothing. And when we go on a group walk with the horse and dogs are free to run around and sniff there is no following behind the horse or any sort of action that would be seen as her attempting to work or help.

Whatever the reason, I know how to keep it from happening, and that is to keep Wren from being able to access the horse corrals when I'm not home.
Not a big deal in the long view I suppose, nobody has been hurt and I'm going to keep it that way. Just annoying.


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## Bruce (Oct 15, 2020)

chickens really said:


> I don't think anything is wrong with the dog? I think she is intelligent and thinks the horse needs to be moving.


Oh, Wren is a horse trainer!!!! Maybe you need to let her have the lunge line so she can do it properly.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 15, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Oh, Wren is a horse trainer!!!! Maybe you need to let her have the lunge line so she can do it properly.



Of course! Why haven't I realized that before? Lol.
Get outta the way human, let me show you how it's done!


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## thistlebloom (Oct 19, 2020)

I was a mountain goat today. My big job is located on the shore of a lake and has a substantial drop and steep bank down to the water. There are stairs down to the dock, and even though I seem to count them every time I come up them I still can't remember exactly how many, but I think it's 70, or 72. It's steep and makes me huff.
...Not to get off the subject but does anybody else find themselves counting a lot? I catch myself counting things that don't need counting - the scoops of manure to fill a wheel barrow - the number of firewood logs I'm loading -  the pairs of white socks dh has that I'm folding .
It probably means I'm losing my grip and will soon be insane.

Back to the bank. I avoid getting involved if I can. It's not "landscaped" just planted with a variety of mature shrubs and native plants to hold the soil, which is sand basically. So it doesn't need maintenance, just a little attention now and then. Last time it needed help I hired my teenage neighbor boys, and everybody was happy.
But I missed the window of opportunity on that this year and now they aren't available.

There has been scotch broom growing insidiously on this bank the past few years, and it's getting big enough now that it has been disturbing my peace of mind and interfering with my sense of responsibility.
🤪 (that's me, counting scotch broom, lol.)
Scotch broom is an invasive, and apparently the seeds can remain viable for 50 years.

So today I pulled up my socks and tackled the darn bank. Did I mention that this is a steep bank? I cut down, dragged up the hill and loaded my truck, cab high, (mashed down and squashed into submission and held in place with criss crossing tie downs) with a load of just broom. I wouldn't have guessed there was really that much, but I think I got it all. And I didn't tumble down the hill and land in the lake, but there were a couple slide episodes when I was frantically grabbing for anything to stop me..

So I'm feeling a little heroic. Cleaned up the invasives and lived to tell about it! Yay me.

Nine (!) years ago. It's grown in totally now. I feel old.


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## chickens really (Oct 20, 2020)

Wow! That looks really pretty. Is that at your house? Those stairs look expensive and well maintained 👍🏼😊


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## thistlebloom (Oct 20, 2020)

chickens really said:


> Wow! That looks really pretty. Is that at your house? Those stairs look expensive and well maintained 👍🏼😊


 
Haha! No not my house. It's a property I do landscape maintenance on.
 I couldn't afford the property taxes even if I gave up eating.
The bank pic was from 9 years ago, it's all covered with shrubbery now, you can't see the dirt.


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## chickens really (Oct 20, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Haha! No not my house. It's a property I do landscape maintenance on.
> I couldn't afford the property taxes even if I gave up eating.
> The bank pic was from 9 years ago, it's all covered with shrubbery now, you can't see the dirt.


Oh I get it now! 😊👍
Very nice place though..


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## Ridgetop (Oct 20, 2020)

You are not OLD!  Old is when you can't climb all those stairs.  And especially can't climb all those stairs with all that brush you cut!

    I say again - YOU ARE NOT OLD!       Tired maybe, not old!   

Just be sure to put those future cutting dates on the calendar so you won't be caught without those hefty teenage helpers!)


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## thistlebloom (Oct 20, 2020)

Thanks Ridgetop, I'll keep repeating that!


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## Ridgetop (Oct 20, 2020)

Remember - you are in your prime.  My prime moves with my age!


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## Bruce (Oct 20, 2020)

Glad you managed to stay out of the lake. Also glad that those are nice stairs, I was envisioning a rickety wreck that would be dangerous for most anyone to use. I'm guessing that is the same house you've posted pictures of before? If so, nope no worries about them having crappy stairs to the lake.


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## Beekissed (Oct 20, 2020)

T, you are truly heroic to pull brush off an incline like that!!!!    Let alone a whole truck full! 

And, yes, I find myself counting things lately and for no good reason....it's weird!  Never heard of this being a part of aging, so not sure what it means.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 20, 2020)

Ridgetop said:


> Remember - you are in your prime.  My prime moves with my age!


 Exactly! Old people have now been moved to 85 or so. That gives me about 20 years before I'm just out of my prime. Right now I'm still cuttin' teeth!



Bruce said:


> I'm guessing that is the same house you've posted pictures of before? If so, nope no worries about them having crappy stairs to the lake.


Yes, same house. My favorite place to work. It's empty again until next June.
So it's all my very own  little kingdom.



Beekissed said:


> And, yes, I find myself counting things lately and for no good reason....it's weird!  Never heard of this being a part of aging, so* not sure what it means*.


It means we're losing our grip and will soon be insane.   😂
But maybe not... my dad confided in me once that he was constantly counting things. It bothered him a little. But he never went insane. 
Insanity does not run in my family. Crazy does, but not insanity.


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## Bruce (Oct 21, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Exactly! Old people have now been moved to 85 or so. That gives me about 20 years before I'm just out of my prime.


I'm right there with you! 50 years ago someone who died at 65 or 70 seemed normal. Now if I see someone that age has died I think they went far too young.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 21, 2020)

Miss @thistlebloom,

I stumbled across a YouTube video about there being record snow in Billings Montana.  While I know you are a ways west and a bit north of there, I am wondering if you got any snow.  Also, Mr. @MtViking, while I haven't seen you on the forum recently, did you get any snow?  And I also heard about there being snow in Iowa.  Since that is your home state, Miss @rachels.haven, do you know anything about it?

Senile Texas Aggie


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## rachels.haven (Oct 21, 2020)

There was snow in Iowa this week. It is October, after all.  I think it's still melt off time. It will start stacking up later, maybe November or December (in dry years, think very early January).


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## farmerjan (Oct 21, 2020)

Several years ago there was that horrendous freak blizzard in Oct that killed all those cattle because they were still out on summer pastures....
I may be from up north, but the older I get the less I like the snow.  We have had a few dozies over the years here, but nothing much in the last few years.  They had more snow in NC and even over in the eastern part of Va a couple years ago.  We are due for a real winter.....


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## thistlebloom (Oct 21, 2020)

@Senile_Texas_Aggie ,   We have had snow on the mountains already, but not down here in the valleys yet. They're predicting snow Friday a.m., but only one or two inches. Since it will be in the 40's next week it won't stick.
Last year we got snow in the middle of September. That was a weather oops, and it melted in embarrassment. Snow in October is not unusual in Montana at all. Montana is a higher elevation.
We traditionally get a good sticking snow by Thanksgiving, but the past couple years it's been almost Christmas for the first sticking snow that stays until spring.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 21, 2020)

Stayed home today so I could meet with the forester assigned to come out and check on our Forestry Stewardship progress. I guess we get to keep it for another 5 years, and I'm glad for that, it gives us a reduction in our property taxes which have been rising yearly.

Did outdoor stuff and tried not to get too squirrel brained about the plethora of chores and projects calling to me. Got Syringas stall mats in her shelter re-laid. I've been putting that off all summer, but it wasn't as ugly as I thought it would be dragging six stall mats around. 
Got a few other pressing gotta-get-done  before it snows chores accomplished, then the sun came out and I decided that the spoiled hay should be spread in the new garden spot. The sun felt good and I took a minute to sit on a bale and just enjoy the feel of it. Got some help from the chickens.
Some time tomorrow or Saturday I'll be pulling all the heated water tubs out and laying my cords around. Saturday morning I think it's supposed to get down to 8 degrees F. Brrrr!


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## Baymule (Oct 22, 2020)

8 degrees. Nope. I’ll keep my Texas heat! LOL


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## thistlebloom (Oct 22, 2020)

Idaho is a terrible place to live. Please spread the word.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 22, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Idaho is a terrible place to live. Please spread the word.



That sounds to me like someone who is trying to keep the state from getting overcrowded...


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## Bruce (Oct 22, 2020)

Sadly we are almost 2 acres shy of what we would need to get reduced taxes. Must have a minimum of 25 acres PLUS 2 acres for the "homestead".


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## thistlebloom (Oct 22, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> That sounds to me like someone who is trying to keep the state from getting overcrowded...



Much, much too late for that I'm afraid.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 22, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Sadly we are almost 2 acres shy of what we would need to get reduced taxes. Must have a minimum of 25 acres PLUS 2 acres for the "homestead".



The Forestry Stewardship program is to encourage people to keep their woodland, not clearcut it. I don't know if there is a minimum acreage. We have 10 acres. They expect you to work on thinning and improving the health and diversity of your forest and they come check up and review what you have accomplished. We don't get a huge tax break, but every little bit helps.


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## Bruce (Oct 23, 2020)

Here it is a "farming" program, also intended to help keep larger parcels intact. "Farming" can include what most would consider traditional farming but also managed timberland like your program and "sugarbushes" ie, maple trees in a forest setting for the purpose of "farming" maple sap to make and sell syrup. Vermont very nearly makes more syrup per year than all other states combined. And then there is the Province of Quebec which makes Vermont's production look like a pittance, they produce about 9 times what Vermont does.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 23, 2020)

Starting to snow. They said it would start at 10 and they were only 20 minutes off. I still haven't cut down the perennials, but there will be other days. I'm pretty confident this won't be our stay-until-spring snow. At least I hope not because I can think of a dozen outdoor chores I'd like t finish up first. All that riding I was doing really cut into the chores! That's okay, it was worth it. 

Maybe I can get a ride in tomorrow. Or at least we'll take a walk around the neighborhood "loop" today. She needs to do something, she's getting a little squirrely with this cold weather, and sitting for a week.


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## Ridgetop (Oct 23, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> All that riding I was doing really cut into the chores! That's okay, it was worth it.



Tsk!  Tsk!  I would scold you for not doing your chores first, but riding comes first!  You will need those memories during the long cold winter as your horses look at you reproachfully!


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## thistlebloom (Oct 23, 2020)

As long as the footing is good I'll be riding still!


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## thistlebloom (Oct 23, 2020)

They weren't bluffing when they said it was going to snow today.
I said phhhffftt, when I heard it, imagining 4 flakes drifting out of the sky.

Larka's happy about it. (She's lying down).






!0 F tonight, then some sun tomorrow and up to freezing. I think this will be gone next week and I can race around getting all the loose summer ends tied up, before we hunker down. Yay for a hay barn full of hay and a stuffed wood shed!


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## farmerjan (Oct 23, 2020)

WOW    You sure did get some snow!!!!! Please keep;  it there is no way I want to see that stuff anytime in the next 2 months....!!!!!!!


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## Mini Horses (Oct 24, 2020)

Me either -- don't want any.    _*Normally * _we don't get that until Jan/Feb.   @farmerjan  may get some a little earlier, as she's a couple hundred miles NW of me and  higher elevation...but Jan/Feb is our traditionally worst weather.   Being coastal, I do get a little less of cold & snow.   Don't want more.    I have my heated tubs at the ready but not time to set them up for a while.  Last year didn't need and had to break ice a little, added hot water.  Only one week of "daily" as I remember.  Griped and moaned the whole time.    At least hearing and seeing others doing for weeks & months brings me reality.  

The worst of the heated tubs -- cost of electric to run them.   Got to find those temp cubes for plug in....or buy new.   They do help.  Often I can just run the tubs at night.   Tried to buy some of the timers like you see for holiday lights....most don't work for what I want.   Hmmm, need to make a couple new boxes to set over/surround those tubs.  Helps block wind, thus the cold temps.


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## Baymule (Oct 24, 2020)

Texas is HOT!!! Please spread the word.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 24, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> She needs to do something, she's getting a little squirrely with this cold weather, and sitting for a week.



Hmmm....  That seems to describe me.  Maybe my wife needs to ride me for awhile...

The pictures of snow really are beautiful.  Please help me remember -- do you or your DH have to drive somewhere every weekday (such as an outside job), or are you both work-from-home types?  (You may not want to answer that due to security reasons -- "Yeah I reside at 123 Timber Lane and I am gone from my house from 6 AM to 5 PM every weekday."  essentially inviting burglars to pay a visit.)  The reason I am asking is to understand how much you have to drive in snowy / icy weather.



Mini Horses said:


> I have my heated tubs at the ready but not time to set them up for a while.



Miss @Mini Horses, when I first read this I thought you were talking about a hot tub for yourself, but now I think you are talking about heated watering troughs for your animals.  Is that right?

Senile Texas Aggie


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## thistlebloom (Oct 24, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Please help me remember -- do you or your DH have to drive somewhere every weekday (such as an outside job



We are both self employed so work days vary. Since I am a gardener by profession I have winters off. Not much going on in the landscape when everything is frozen. I do make checks on my jobs and spray deer repellent
when needed, but winter is my off season. And it's a good thing because some years moving snow is almost a full time job at home. This year will be much more relaxed since we have the hay barn and new shop so no snow removal off vehicles or hay tarps. This new development makes me giddy!

Winter is off with a bang though. It was 16 degrees F this morning and the wind was howling out of the north last night. Yesterdays snow was moist, perfect snowman making snow, but it froze to the trees so even the wind didn't knock it off. We got 5 or 6". All the deciduous trees still have their leaves so we will probably get some broken branches from all that weight.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 24, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Texas is HOT!!! Please spread the word.


 
Yes it is! But as you say Bay, heat is better than the frigid snowy conditions up here in the frozen wasteland. I'm handing out your cards and sending everyone to the sunny south!  🤣


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## Bruce (Oct 24, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Larka's happy about it. (She's lying down).


Phew! At first I thought you got a LOT of snow.


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## Baymule (Oct 25, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Yes it is! But as you say Bay, heat is better than the frigid snowy conditions up here in the frozen wasteland. I'm handing out your cards and sending everyone to the sunny south!  🤣


But Idaho has so much more to offer! Snowman! Snow Angels! Snowball fights! Ski slopes! Cool summers (compared to Texas summers) Beautiful scenery! And lets not forget a cup of hot chocolate in front of a fireplace, nice and toasty warm!

On the other hand, Texas heat is great practice if you've been bad in life and expect to go to He!!


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## Mini Horses (Oct 25, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> but now I think you are talking about heated watering troughs for your animals. Is that right?




Yes, that is correct  -- water tubs with built in heaters to keep water from freezing.   The temp cubes I mentioned are thermostatic and go between power source plug and the plug on the heated tub.   So, it disrupts electric unless air temps go to certain low, goes back off if air temps rise.   But with a timer, I can specify 8PM to 5AM -- etc.   Too warm and they don't want to drink it, so thermostatic works well outside.  

Ahhhh, but, I had a hot tub for many years.   Not now, sure would like to soak in one sometimes!  Don't think I haven't considered on of these tubs.   😁  But they don't get to temps I like.


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## Mini Horses (Oct 25, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Hmmm.... That seems to describe me. Maybe my wife needs to ride me for awhile...



  Maybe TMI but, have fun!!


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## thistlebloom (Oct 25, 2020)

Baymule said:


> But Idaho has so much more to offer! Snowman! Snow Angels! Snowball fights! Ski slopes! Cool summers (compared to Texas summers) Beautiful scenery! And lets not forget a cup of hot chocolate in front of a fireplace, nice and toasty warm!
> 
> On the other hand, Texas heat is great practice if you've been bad in life and expect to go to He!!



Nice try Bay, but you can't wriggle out of Texas superiority, lol.
Multiple crops of corn! Wonderful sunshine! Friendly people! Beautiful scenery! No snow shovels! Beach sand even when you're not at the ocean!
Sunshine! And did I mention sunshine?


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## Baymule (Oct 26, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Nice try Bay, but you can't wriggle out of Texas superiority, lol.
> Multiple crops of corn! Wonderful sunshine! Friendly people! Beautiful scenery! No snow shovels! Beach sand even when you're not at the ocean!
> Sunshine! And did I mention sunshine?


Extremely HIGH air conditioning bills$$$$$$$$$  Bugs! Cockroaches that invade your home, up to 2 inches long!


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## Mini Horses (Oct 26, 2020)

Sounds like you can add free chicken feed to the list!!  They love bugs... 😁


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## Baymule (Oct 26, 2020)

Mini Horses said:


> Sounds like you can add free chicken feed to the list!!  They love bugs... 😁


The pullets are busy in the garden, catching grasshoppers. Don't have cockroaches, but sure have battled them in other locations. HATE those things!


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## thistlebloom (Oct 26, 2020)

Idaho has high heating bills for 7 months of cold weather! Brown forests from bark beetle kills! Extreme fire danger! Short short growing season!
ummmmm.... we have to *buy* all our chicken feed!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Oct 26, 2020)

Miss Thistlebloom,

This will give you an idea of what the weather is like in Texas and the rest of the South.  (You're welcome.)


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## Beekissed (Oct 26, 2020)

Don't forget the additional charm of humidity....


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## Bruce (Oct 26, 2020)

Baymule said:


> On the other hand, Texas heat is great practice if you've been bad in life and expect to go to He!!


Um, Bay, are you trying to tell us something about yourself and your future? 



Mini Horses said:


> Yes, that is correct -- water tubs with built in heaters to keep water from freezing.


I get by with a heated bucket for the 2 alpacas and a heated dog dish for the hens. Both have ambient temperature thermostats. Pretty much all I need to take down each day is about 2.5 gallons of water. 



Baymule said:


> Extremely HIGH air conditioning bills$$$$$$$$$  Bugs! Cockroaches that invade your home, up to 2 inches long!


And poisonous snakes, don't forget those!


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## thistlebloom (Oct 26, 2020)

Those Southern Thing vids are funny! I just  wasted spent a lot of minutes watching a bunch.  😂

Bay, I've even been educating myself in case your great Texas sell job takes and I move down to be your neighbor!


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## Baymule (Oct 26, 2020)

@thistlebloom, when all those burned out Californians arrive in Idaho with insurance money in their hot little hands, buying up everything in sight, come on down to Texas. I'll buy you your own personal window unit. (that's an air conditioner)


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## thistlebloom (Oct 27, 2020)

Baymule said:


> @thistlebloom, when all those burned out Californians arrive in Idaho with insurance money in their hot little hands, buying up everything in sight, come on down to Texas. I'll buy you your own personal window unit. (that's an air conditioner)



It's here now. The county north of us just grew by 70k. I don't even want to know what our county has grown by. I was coming home through our little town (pop. 643 when we moved here almost 20 years ago)  last Friday afternoon, and the traffic from the train crossing was backed up a half mile 😩. A busy day used to be 3 or 4 cars. All the woods are now being carved into subdivisions, the "prairie" used to be farmers fields, hay, bluegrass and mint, and now it's a sea of roofs.
Winter in Big Town was usually low traffic when all the tourists and snowbirds left, but now you can't make it through a green light there is such a backup. That's year round.
We just had a snow event, 6-8 inches all over and the amount of traffic accidents was horrendous, people don't know how to drive.
You can spot most of the newcomers. They're driving shiny pimped out vehicles and riding your tail, or racing by and cutting people off.
And now they all think they live in the boonies and are hunters, after they take their on-line course.
Whoa! You hit a nerve there Bay! 😄


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## thistlebloom (Oct 27, 2020)

Went riding today with dh. First snow ride ever with Syringa. She loves snow, likes to munch it. She was swiping bites as we went. Even at the trot she'd put her head down and scoop some up. (Not because she's thirsty, just goofing off). Pretty day and we were the only people on the horse side. I love that.


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## Baymule (Oct 27, 2020)

Same thing here in Texas. Population boom. People aren't happy where they are, so they leave and go somewhere else. That window unit offer is still good.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 28, 2020)

Syringa and I hanging out, telling knock knock jokes.


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## Baymule (Oct 28, 2020)

She is such a personality!


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## Mike CHS (Oct 28, 2020)

I think she is complaining about all of the white stuff on the ground. She is pretty though.


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## thistlebloom (Oct 30, 2020)

Tuesday's ride in the first snow of the year, with my sweetheart.
And my husband.  😄 Joking! He _is _my sweetheart, patient man, who else would put up with me?

It's blurry I know. Syringa was fresh and seeing boogey monsters in stumps and snowy bushes, I was worried about dropping my phone.




After a storm last week.

 

Same storm, took Syringa for a hand walk around the neighborhood and it was so windy that it was unpleasant, the wind would push me around every time I stood still. But I thought the clouds were beautiful.




Barn cat break on a sunnier day.


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## Bruce (Nov 5, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Syringa and I hanging out, telling knock knock jokes.


Yours must have been really funny! 

Great pictures.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 10, 2020)

Looks like work is over for the season. I have mixed feelings about that. November is my last dollar making month until whenever spring decides to show up and I would have liked to get another week in. On the other hand I am free to attack inside projects and shovel snow  🙄.
Doesn't sound exciting to me either. I'll go in every few weeks to check the deer fences and spray repellent.

It's currently snowing lightly, about 4" so far. The apple trees still have their shriveled, dried up leaves stubbornly holding tight. The moose make use of them, so that's alright. They do sometimes break a few small branches, wish I could train them to just break the waterspouts. Good help is so hard to find!

I got a 90 minute ride in on Saturday. I cut it short since I got a late start. She hadn't been out for almost a week so had a bit of sass. Asked for a canter from the walk (working on canter departures) and she just trotted. 
Back to the walk...ask again...trotting faster. Rinse, repeat, so finally I tapped her hiney with the dressage whip and she gave me an opinionated buck.
Sorry sister, wrong answer. Start again with an ask then a tap, got another little buck. She is so opinionated!  Haha, but finally she agreed and we cantered down a broad grassy road, she going sideways at imagined boogey monsters in the trees, from one side to the other.
As long as she stayed in the canter I just rode and didn't fuss with her. She was fresh, the day was cold, and I try to keep it simple and forward. I love that darn horse.
We have a lot of refining to do (both of us) but there's no rush, and I sneak training moments in along the trail as we go.
I hoped to get a ride in on Sunday so left the trailer hitched, but it was cold and a stiff breeze made the woodstove extra inviting, so I just groomed her and hung out with her for a bit.

Yesterday was my last workday apparently. I spent 4 hours at my small account and got chilled to the bone. I haven't switched to my winter brain yet and didn't wear enough layers. But I made my good client happy by cleaning up and leaving the yard very tidy. Her leaves haven't all dropped yet either, so I'm sure it only lasted for 10 minutes. I told her to take a picture so she could remember it got cleaned.
They are in their 80's and have been my clients for 14 years. If I could only manage to have one job, it would be them. I just found out that the husband has Alzheimers. I'm so very sad for them.

Now that it looks like we will have snow until spring I'm able to use the sleds for feeding and watering. I put the hoses away for the winter so am hauling water in 5 gallon buckets out to the heated tubs. A few years ago I bought a very expensive heated hose and treated it gently, but it only lasted two seasons. Not spending that kind of money again.
Hauling hoses out to fill the troughs, then blowing the water out and keeping them in the laundry room was more work last year than I want to deal with this year, so I haul water on a sled. No big deal, just another way to get exercise so when work starts up in spring I won't be in traction, haha. Plus, I have the time now. 

Our Kid#1 is finishing up the fire season this week so will be home soon. Can't wait to see him. He's been gone six months, except for a one week break where he came back up and we got to see him briefly. We had to share him with his GF. Sadly she broke up with him shortly after. She couldn't take the long separations the job requires. It's hard to see your kids hurting. Even when they are grown men.

Well, I made a list for the week. I am getting after one room at a time, organizing, cleaning and dejunking. I usually make a season long list, but now that I know myself so well, I realize that I am kidding no one. 🤣


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## Bruce (Nov 10, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> Sadly she broke up with him shortly after. She couldn't take the long separations the job requires. It's hard to see your kids hurting. Even when they are grown men.


That's a tough one, not much of a relationship when one half is gone for 6 months. Of course we have a lot of military families that have to work through that. One more reason to be grateful for their service.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 15, 2020)

This is one way we know it's winter...






Mom and sibling were working over the apple trees on the driveway. They have been harder on the trees this year than the moose in general ever have before. More broken branches overall. They seemed to always just tip prune before. Maybe it's because the leaves are still stuck to the branches and they reach further in to eat them.

There were tracks right up to the open end of the hay barn. They are only interested in alfalfa, which there is still about 12 bales of in there, the rest being brome. And I did pick up two panels to gate the front off, but they are not attached yet, just leaning, so I'm glad they didn't challenge the barrier and learn they could knock them down. 

They are fat and healthy and I'm happy to share the apple leaves with them. If winter turns out like last year they won't have it tough at all with living off the forest browse.

Syringa was interested in watching this calf, but not alarmed and went back to eating her hay after a few minutes. A good change over last years fear.


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## Baymule (Nov 15, 2020)

I like your signs of winter! 

Signs of winter in Texas...... the air conditioner doesn't come on as often.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 16, 2020)

What you don't see here is the abandoned vacuum cleaner standing in the living room, and the wet towels in the washer. It was a little sprinkly this morning and I was being a grownup and cleaning house. Then the sun peeked out for about 3.5 minutes and I sprinted out the door, loaded the horse up and zipped off to trail ride. That sunshine was a trap! Lol.
 The drizzle turned into rain and we got a bit soggy. But it was worth it! I left the trailer hitched and am plotting another escape tomorrow. 
I promise to be a grownup for the rest of the week because the weather will disintegrate and get miserable.

Today we had a nice gallop. Syringa has been good at picking up the canter, but it's always been a surgy type of canter, on the muscle. Today it was very forward, but softer and more cadenced. A nice breakthrough. 😍


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## Baymule (Nov 17, 2020)

You are right, I don't see the abandoned vacuum cleaner or soggy laundry. All I see is a beautiful ride and food for the soul.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Nov 17, 2020)

Miss @thistlebloom,

Miss @Baymule is right!  That is a beautiful scene.  I can understand why you would want to take a break!  Getting out in nature is good for a person's well being. So bravo to you!

Senile Texas Aggie


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## Bruce (Nov 17, 2020)

Must be hard protecting vegetation from moose.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 17, 2020)

For their size they really don't do a lot of damage. I have had more damage from bucks scent rubbing on trees. The apple trees get pruned hard in the spring ( by me ), they don't break the main scaffold branches, so it's not a big inconvenience. It would have been nice to have the leaves fall off the way they're supposed to though. Much less attractive to browsers.


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## promiseacres (Nov 17, 2020)

@thistlebloom someday I'm going to load up Richie and come out and ride with you! It's probably good I'm in Indiana. We'd probably be leaving the dirty houses more often than not to go ride if we were neighbors.


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## Baymule (Nov 17, 2020)

What a great community us BYH'ers would make!


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## thistlebloom (Nov 18, 2020)

promiseacres said:


> @thistlebloom someday I'm going to load up Richie and come out and ride with you! It's probably good I'm in Indiana. We'd probably be leaving the dirty houses more often than not to go ride if we were neighbors.



That would be awesome!  😍 Do it! We have plenty of room for extra horses, and trails enough to last for months! Oh and a spare room too!

I am in a wonderful season of life right now as an empty nester and blessed with a self employed job that gives me wiggle room. Plus a husband that says "go ride!" I admire what you are doing in your season of life right now, you have so many responsibilities but are still able to squeeze horse time in there. Good job on all of it.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 18, 2020)

I had a really difficult decision to make today. The sun surprised me this morning by shining brilliantly, but rain predicted by 1:00. The snow has all been killed off by the rain and warm temps so it's feasible to go to work and finish the fall cleanup at the big job. But I had no time to waffle on my decision because the dry conditions weren't going to last.

So I went riding!!  









Since I was on State forest land I took the girls with me. A very rare treat for them. They were good trail dogs, and stayed right with me. They had a blast. 
And just as predicted the clouds moved in and it poured down rain by 1:00.
Not sorry.  
So far this week I'm three for three. Yay me. Supposed to rain tomorrow until 1:00. I'll just have to see if I can make it four for four.

Yeah, I know I was going to do all those organizing chore things, but I'm pretty sure, this being winter, that there will be plenty of miserable weather that will be conducive to getting after all that boring stuff. You just can't pass up a gift like we were handed today.


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## Mike CHS (Nov 18, 2020)

I love those views where you can see several miles off in the distance and we all know the chores will get done at some point.


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## Baymule (Nov 18, 2020)

No point in being a responsible adult........


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Nov 19, 2020)

Don't feel guilty, Miss Thistlebloom!  You have a beautiful place to ride.  Like the others said, you have had a life of responsibilities, so while you are still in good health, enjoy it!


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## Bruce (Nov 19, 2020)

You have the entire cold and snowy winter to organize things! Enjoy the riding season.


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## chickens really (Nov 20, 2020)

What breathtaking scenery!


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## thistlebloom (Nov 23, 2020)

Last weeks update: Got the garage cleaned out, organized, boxes all labeled and shelved, and there are now two vehicles parked in there. They're small vehicles, but it's a small garage, so just room enough to squeeze into the drivers seat to back out. That will also mean if I need to get anything off the shelves a jeep or truck will have to get moved out of the way.
Not ideal, but it made dh happy, so it's worth it.

More importantly I rode 5 out of 7 days   !
Today is yukky, so I'm organizing my office/spare room/girl cave/ storage facility. I hope nothing in here will need a home in the garage or it will upset my previous organization. I'm boxing up some books to donate, so that will make space for things I need shelved. And brutally evaluating what's necessary and useful and what is just a "shiny".


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## Baymule (Nov 23, 2020)

Feel like visiting Texas? I like your organizational skills!


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## thistlebloom (Nov 23, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Feel like visiting Texas? I like your organizational skills!



I'd love to! But probably not in the summer. What day did you say winter was?


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## Bruce (Nov 24, 2020)

You can come here then! In winter if you like.


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## Baymule (Nov 24, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I'd love to! But probably not in the summer. What day did you say winter was?


We are currently running a campaign on that, first results are in and one day in mid February is in the lead. Also expecting a surge of mail in ballots 3 days after the initial tabulation for a day in late January.......


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## Mini Horses (Nov 24, 2020)

Are these late ballots from validated live residents????   😁


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## thistlebloom (Nov 24, 2020)

Mini Horses said:


> Are these late ballots from validated live residents????   😁



That reminded me of the last election when we were all in line and chatting. One of the guys said he saw a picture of a gravestone with an "I Voted" sticker on it and he didn't get it. 🤣 It was a Washington cemetery.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 24, 2020)

Todays agenda includes further sorting in my office. I did get it past the bomb went off looking stage, but it needs more hours of file sorting and stay or go decisions.
"File sorting" sounds like I actually have a system  😄. It's a loose system, which means important stuff goes in one of two file boxes. They start out with neatly labeled folders and everything behaving nicely, then degenerates into cracking the lid and pushing the important stuff in the general box it should go in.

I am also getting Thanksgiving dinner organized, making anything I can ahead and writing a time list of what happens in what order. Without that I'm easily distracted when the boys get here and we start talking.
I am blonde after all.

Last night as I was turning off lights and heading for bed Wren gave her moose alert bark. Three shrill yaps then silence as she disappears into her doghouse. I opened the back door and shined a flashlight and saw one of the yearlings heading toward the back of the house. She stopped when the light hit her and hesitated, I "shhhhished" loudly and she turned and trotted away then came back, making that soft moose sound "ma... ma..." disappearing behind the house. I looked out the front door and she had joined her sibling and Ma. What I saw was three fawn colored moose rumps in a row, with six glowing green eyes as they all looked back toward me.  Comical.

They probably bedded down in our woods. This morning they were wandering around by the apple trees. Ma must have been back in the woods still because the two yearlings came galloping by and went around the back. I always miss the action shots!


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## thistlebloom (Nov 28, 2020)

Thanksgiving was great with the boys here. I sent all the leftovers home with them, plus some extra pumpkin bread loaves I had made for them. I kept the turkey carcass and turned it into broth. 

As we sat around talking I asked just what it was about playing games none of them liked. Kid #2 just sighed deeply, dh remained non committal, even though he has made it clear he can't be cajoled or threatened into game playing and Kid#1 said_ he_ liked playing games. 
Kid#2 said, there ya go, play with him!  🤣
  But he likes those cerebral strategy games which make my head hurt... no, those aren't the kinds of games I meant. I meant those games you don't need a brain to play, that rely on pure luck, hilarity and the possibility of cheating when no one is paying attention...
I had dreamed up a possible game for us based on charades. I thought we could all pick an example of a memorable incident one of us had starred in and act it out while the rest of us tried to guess who and what. I had the perfect one picked out, the time dh tried out his Jeep on stair climbing at the school the boys were taking martial arts classes. It involved a security guard... 
Or the one when one of my children (best to remain anonymous) challenged me to a bike race, and when he pulled ahead decided to show off and steer with his feet. Had such a fat lip he couldn't eat properly for a week. 
I didn't get any takers.

Talk turned to coffee drinking, Kid#1 was surprised to learn that his little brother doesn't drink coffee. Then he said there were a couple guys on his fire crew that were weirdos like that. He and I are the only caffeine addicts here, which then led to examples of bad decisions we had supposedly made that were likely due to the influence of supposedly over indulging in coffee. Haha. Non coffee drinkers aren't very funny.

So another traditional family Thanksgiving has been marked down in the calendar. Looking forward now to our next all family gathering on Christmas day.


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## Baymule (Nov 29, 2020)

Sounds like a perfect Thanksgiving.


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## thistlebloom (Nov 30, 2020)

Pictures of recent rides...

Friday with friends. It's hunting season so we try to stick to forest roads and Syringa has a little goat bell on the cinch.
The mountains in the distance are in WA.





This is looking north. The snowy mountain in the far distance is the ski hill Kid#1 worked at for 10 years. This year he is just a season pass holder.




Right after this picture we were walking down the road and Syringa put her head down to the snow. She loves snow and will scoop it up in her mouth. I gave her enough rein to do that, she started walking slower and one of my friends said, Look out, I think she's going down!
Yes indeed. She had sweated up a bit from the climb and was itchy so that seemed like a good place for a roll. I kicked my feet out of the stirrups just as she hit the ground and climbed off. I'm not very nimble these days and my knees were stiff from cold, but I managed to get off without getting a leg pinned. I was actually more worried about her busting my saddle, but having  a leg pinned was floating around somewhere in my head. Fortunately she didn't actually go over, I strongly encouraged her to get back on her feet before she could do any damage, lol. Silly horse.

No pics of Saturdays ride, but it was brilliant and cold, we were by ourselves and had a great time. 

Sundays ride was another beautiful day. In the 30's but sunny. Lots of riders in the park, but we didn't meet anyone on the trails other than a couple of guys walking their dogs.
I like to take her off trail through the deadfalls. I love watching her pick her footing, she's very handy and smart about where she puts her feet. Off trail riding isn't exactly sanctioned by the rangers, so mums the word.





We had snow today. I switched it up to a bike ride with dh. It had actually stopped snowing and a check of the hourly forecast said no snow showers until late afternoon, so we loaded up and left. It stated snowing again as we pulled out. But it was fun, dh kept it short for me, so he wouldn't have to listen to me whine, haha.
The snow was wet so we got pretty soaked even though it wasn't a very long ride. I had two pairs of long johns under my bike pants so I was toasty.
I can't believe he wore shorts. We are complete thermal opposites.


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## chickens really (Dec 1, 2020)

I love reading your riding adventures. Now that we have a nice base of snow up in my pasture I am going to be riding up there once Kupid has a fresh trim. 
Your an inspiration to me! 👍🏼❤️🐎


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## Baymule (Dec 1, 2020)

SHORTS? In the SNOW? On a MOUNTAIN?   

What's he got for blood? Antifreeze???


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## farmerjan (Dec 1, 2020)

It cracks me up to see guys in shorts, and having a winter jacket on, gloves and hats.  Yeah, so many of them have a different thermal metabolism.


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## Bruce (Dec 1, 2020)

There was a guy at work that wore shorts 365 days a year, even when he was out helping another that had a Christmas tree farm as a side, then retirement, business. Yep that guy was out cutting trees in shorts in whatever winter threw at him.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 1, 2020)

My husband says if his head, hands, and feet are warm his legs don't get cold.
The combination of Sorel boots and shorts is sort of a fashion statement. 
I haven't decided which sort... 🤔
Northern Old Guy maybe, lol.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 1, 2020)

Today's view.






I'm sure you have all figured out by now that I am nearly incapable of taking a picture without pointy brown ears in it.
My apologies for the sameyness, but that's just the way it is.


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## Bruce (Dec 1, 2020)

Very alert pointy brown ears! Enjoy the rides.
Probably safer to take pictures from a moving horse than a moving car.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 1, 2020)

Bruce said:


> Very alert pointy brown ears! Enjoy the rides.
> Probably safer to take pictures from a moving horse than a moving car.



That, and who wants a picture of a steering wheel and a road? 😄


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## Baymule (Dec 1, 2020)

Pointy brown ears are a nice view!


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## Mini Horses (Dec 2, 2020)

You have lovely trails and views to enjoy.  Not so here.  I'd ride there, too!!  I do enjoy those pics and the ears just make it better.   I like that buckskin -- great color on it.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 2, 2020)

Mini Horses said:


> I like that buckskin -- great color on it.



That's Fancy. She's a doll, sweetest horse ever.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Dec 2, 2020)

Beautiful picture!  Don't worry about the sameyness!  You have beautiful scenery, a beautiful horse, and you are enjoying life.  What more can anyone ask for?  BTW, in the picture, is that snow falling from the trees, or steam rising from the snow?


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## thistlebloom (Dec 2, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> Beautiful picture!  Don't worry about the sameyness!  You have beautiful scenery, a beautiful horse, and you are enjoying life.  What more can anyone ask for?  BTW, in the picture, is that snow falling from the trees, or steam rising from the snow?



The sparkles on the trees are melting snow and the steam is Syringas breath.


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## Bruce (Dec 2, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> or steam rising from the snow


It is steam from the engine she's riding!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Dec 12, 2020)

Miss @thistlebloom,

Are you still riding Syringa?  We haven't seen any pictures of you and her and your beautiful scenery lately.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## thistlebloom (Dec 12, 2020)

Oh yes, definitely haven't put her away for the winter!  😄

I may trailer out today, haven't made a firm decision on that yet.
Right now my truck is at the tire place with dh having new tires and rims put on. My Christmas present. So I can't go anywhere with Syringa until he gets back anyway. They may be very busy with everyone rushing in to get their snow tires on.

I have plenty of stuff to do in any case, as soon as I finish my 3rd cup of coffee.

Here's a project with a history.
.


 

Twenty five years ago the boys and I traveled to MO to visit my sis.
We had such a great time! Sis and I garage saled and I found this little footstool with bun feet for something like $1. 
She loaned me a suitcase to haul all our treasures home (that was before they wanted your first born to pay extra luggage fees).
I tore all the old upholstery off, and stripped the feet, then got busy with all the million other things that I had going on in those days.
So it sat. I got rid of many things when we moved cross country, we moved with the biggest UHaul truck they rent, but it was limited space for a household of four. It somehow made the cut and came along and has done a lot more sitting in the garage for nearly 20 years. One of those "winter projects" .

It's not anything fantastic from a furniture perspective, but it is loaded with memories of the good times with my sister and kids. 
So now it's sitting in the house, where I can trip over it and remind myself that it needs finishing.  I have a few options for covering it. My original idea (for years) was to cover it with leather. I have two half hides that I could choose from. Turns out that I have used more of those hides than I remembered for other projects and now there isn't enough.
The challenge for me is to not spend any money on finishing it, but to use what I have available here already.
I'll keep you updated. And now I will_ have _to finish it since I showed it to you all.


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## Bruce (Dec 14, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> And now I will_ have _to finish it since I showed it to you all.


Very true! And we WILL hold you to that. 



thistlebloom said:


> Oh yes, definitely haven't put her away for the winter! 😄


Don't forget to plug in the trickle charger when you do, wouldn't want her battery to run down.


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## thistlebloom (Dec 24, 2020)

Had a fine day today. High was 32F. Snowed a tiny bit yesterday afternoon, then cleared. The stars were brilliant, Mars can be seen close to the moon. 
Cold last night, down to 20F, but sunshine this morning. ☀ I do love it when the sun shines.
Perfect day to get out in the woods for a ride. Went to the state forest and rode on logging roads and game trails so the dogs could go with. We had the best time! Syringa and I haven't had a good long ride for a few weeks I think. The trailer is still easily accessible and handy to hitch so I went for it. Once we get a lot of snow it will be too hard to get in and out so we'll be stuck riding on the gravel roads around here.

Today's views....

I had planned just to go to the lake overlook and turn back for home, but hung a right instead and went further up the mountain.  Syringa suggested I let her catch her breath here, so we stopped for a pic. The trail we're on is behind us, but she thought there was something she needed to look at over there so that's what we're doing. I'm sure there was something she knew was there that I couldn't see. We saw elk tracks in the fresh snow, so it could have been that.
You can't tell from the picture because it's washed out, but the mountain behind the trees is across the bay and it was burned 8 or10 years ago. It was one Kid#1 worked, and I was new to the worry of being a firefighters mom.
I still worry about him, but I'm more used to it now. Probably better at it.





Nothing special here, just a gratuitous shot of Syringas profile. I was trying to get the dogs in a picture but they kept milling around. This one Wren is actually visible. I got a lot of pictures with dog bums heading out of the frame.





The top of the road . Not the top of the mountain, we'll head up there and explore that third road that forks off on the far left side when the days are longer next summer.
The road to the right, by the snag, is the top of one my friend and I dubbed Heart Attack Hill.



We were down below on the road  one day heading to the lake overlook. We had talked before about exploring that "new" road that went up the hill but waited until we had more time. We decided we had time that day. 

Before we turned up it and as we were looking at it's ascent up the side of the mountain my friend, said "looks pretty steep. Think the horses can handle that?'
Oh yeah, I replied, no problem!  

It started out reasonable, turned a corner and got steep, turned the next corner and was nearly vertical, and kept climbing. Last summer there was an arson fire on the mountain started down by the lake where the terrain is too steep to even get a hand crew after it. This road was cut by a dozer during the fire fighting efforts and I don't believe I've ever been up a steeper one on a horse. Now I know that it wasn't actually intended for a road, it was a fire break. Oops.

My friend dismounted and led her horse up. She was worried about her mare who is not as fit as Syringa. We kept chugging away, but Syringa was making her way up in a zigzag (her idea, she's a smart mustang) and I had to ask the Lord to help us stay safe. If a horse got silly going up there it could be a very bad thing. We finally topped out and rested by that snag. 
I haven't had the nerve to try it again. But we'll do it again next spring. I'm going to train Syringa to let me "tail" her up. For those who aren't familiar, that's when you dismount and follow your horse up a hill holding on to their tail, letting them help pull you up. Easier on the horse, and a great assist for the pedestrian rider.
We continued on the straight ahead road in the above picture and started descending.

This is where we got off the logging road and headed down a game trail to get back to the road that goes back to the trailer.
It was steep enough, but no comparison to old Heart Attack.
You can see the road we're aiming for down at the bottom. The top of this ridge we're on is maybe 20' wide and drops off sharp on either side. It is a descending series of three humps, with a small bit of level ground between each one. You can see our trail to the right of Syringas ear.




So that was our wonderful ride story for today. I probably have more things to talk about but my two fingers are tired of typing, and you have probably fallen asleep by now.


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## Baymule (Dec 24, 2020)

Thanks for taking us along on your ride. Spectacular scenery!


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## chickens really (Dec 24, 2020)

Speechless!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Dec 24, 2020)

What beautiful scenery, Miss @thistlebloom!  I am so glad you have Syringa to enjoy!  Anyone who has read your journal knows that you have worked hard for what you have, and it is so wonderful that you have the chance to enjoy your time riding your wonderful horse!  I did not fall asleep at all, but hated to see the story end.  Please write more when you can.


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## Palomino (Dec 24, 2020)

What a beautiful place to ride with a beautiful horse!


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## thistlebloom (Dec 25, 2020)

We had a nice Christmas get together with the boys this morning. Shared gifts, stories and a few good laughs. Low key, like us, and I loved every minute. So nice to have a meal and time with our kids.
Now it's just DH and I, sitting by the fire, snacking on leftovers and remembering earlier years with the family and good times.

I hope you all had a good day to tuck into your memory stash. One you can pull out later and smile about.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Dec 31, 2020)

_Happy New Year, Miss @thistlebloom!_


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## chickens really (Dec 31, 2020)




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## thistlebloom (Dec 31, 2020)

Senile_Texas_Aggie said:


> _Happy New Year, Miss @thistlebloom!_





chickens really said:


> View attachment 80033


Thanks STA and Shannon!


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## thistlebloom (Dec 31, 2020)

Last day of the year today. I thought I'd post a bunch of pictures. Can't get too far behind on those or they will feel outdated and I won't get to them.

DH used the Avalanche roof tool today. I bought it last year towards the end of winter but we didn't use it. _Could_ have used it but Dh got on the roof and shoveled . Sometimes he's just a stubborn old guy like that. 😄
Today's work convinced him that going on the roof is over rated, haha. He said it would have taken him about 8 hours up there with a shovel, but todays work was about 3.






I hitched Larka up to the hay sled yesterday evening. She is not impressed with being a working dog. She'll get used to it, I just need to remember to load my pockets with treats. She responds very well to praise, and she will walk through fire for a goody. This was just for fun and experience, as it's actually faster when I do it myself. And I don't even need a treat!





A few days ago, before we got a lot more snow, Syringa and Huckleberry were having a great time playing out in the big paddock.
It rough out there, we just did some clearing before we paneled it. So far they have done well, they know what to avoid.





That little mule can move! He is hilarious as he runs and bucks and kicks out at Syringa. I think she is amused by him also. Wish I knew how to share a Youtube. He is a total crack up.










And lastly, Crazy Angus the barn cat. He is my faithful companion when I'm outside. His favorite thing is to walk right in front of me, then collapse so I have to do some mad gymnastic moves to avoid stepping on him.





Had to go into Big Town today to drop a return off at UPS. On the way home I stopped at my local market and bought 20 avocados! At .68 each I couldn't pass that up. Gonna make and freeze guacamole. I see lots of Mexican food dinners this winter.


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## Mike CHS (Dec 31, 2020)

You didn't need a video since your pictures showed all of the motion.


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## Baymule (Dec 31, 2020)

Love the picture story!


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## chickens really (Jan 1, 2021)

Fantastic!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jan 1, 2021)

Miss @thistlebloom,

What beautiful pictures!  I agree with Mike, you don't need a YouTube video, but if you decide to post one, I can explain how to do it if you would like for me to.  It's fairly easy.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## thistlebloom (Jan 1, 2021)

Don't you have to have a YouTube account to upload your vid to?


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## farmerjan (Jan 1, 2021)

Love the pictures.  You can feel the horses joy with the snow....


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jan 2, 2021)

thistlebloom said:


> Don't you have to have a YouTube account to upload your vid to?



Yes.  It doesn't take long to do.  However, you understandably may be reluctant to provide even more info to Google than you already do.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 5, 2021)

Just to show that not every picture I take has pointy brown ears.
I processed 24 avocados into guacamole. It better snow soon so I can get some shoveling exercise in or I won't fit through the door.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 5, 2021)

I have a suggestion for your footstool, you can keep an eye out for a leather couch or chair and skin it to repurpose the leather for the footstool. Even if the sitting part is all messed up, there's usually plenty of material from the back or sides where it was against a wall and protected.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 5, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I have a suggestion for your footstool, you can keep an eye out for a leather couch or chair and skin it to repurpose the leather for the footstool. Even if the sitting part is all messed up, there's usually plenty of material from the back or sides where it was against a wall and protected.


That's a great idea!


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## Baymule (Jan 5, 2021)

Often times the sides and back of sofas and chairs are matching vinyl, not leather.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 6, 2021)

We had a dry pocket yesterday between rain events (rain in the winter is just wrong, but I won't whine about that here) so Syringa and I hustled over to the park for a good ride. There may not be too many more opportunities this winter so we need to be poised for action when there's an opening in the weather!

The horse day use area has been gated off for the winter but there is still trailer parking at the multiuse area. They groom trails in the winter for snowshoeing, X-country skiing and fat bike riders.
There is a sign up that says no livestock is allowed on the groomed trails in the winter, I get it and respect that. Since the rain had obliterated the majority of snow and many trails had big dirt gaps I didn't have a conscience issue riding the trails we regularly ride.

What I started noticing though was that there wasn't a trail I rode that hadn't been groomed when the snow was workable. So I guess that effectively shuts down my idea that I could trailer over periodically and ride on ungroomed trails. They apparently don't exist. 

This park is divided by a highway, the south side is exclusively everything but horses, the north side is horses AND everything that is allowed on the south side. 🤔

Here's a tiny rant- this park has a high percentage of horse traffic so why can't they reserve at least some areas in the horse side for winter trail riding? Everybody else has everything else at their disposal...
Oh and another thing is the attitude you get from some certain other users when they encounter horse and riders. I figure they are mostly newcomers and resentful that horses are allowed _anywhere _in the park, since they are required to yield to them. And they are probably highly offended by the clumps of fertilizer. 😄 

I can't speak for other riders, but I always yield to bikers and hikers when I see them, just pulling out of the way into the brush if possible. I like to be friendly anyway and it's good training for my horse to stand quietly.

So anyway, we had a lovely ride, it was just so good to get out and moving! Syringa was happy and forward and I couldn't stop smiling.
We even got a few sun breaks to bless us. 

Syringa wanted a closer look at this sign. 😄
I think she even noticed the discrimination, lol.
 Where are the Fat Horse trails?




.
.
.
.


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## Bruce (Jan 6, 2021)

thistlebloom said:


> DH used the Avalanche roof tool today.


Raking is definitely safer and easier than shoveling.


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## promiseacres (Jan 6, 2021)

I think where ever you ride you'll get the "us vs them" problem. It's too bad many of our trails are horses and hikers only. And they bikers will have their own separate trails. State lands have very very little allowed ATV/motorized  trails. But you still get the them vs us... even though we have a very very active and helpful group of trail riders that volunteer and are constantly cleaning up and improving trails.


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## High Desert Cowboy (Jan 6, 2021)

Aren’t bikers and hikers supposed to yield to horses?  Or is it different in Idaho?


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## thistlebloom (Jan 6, 2021)

High Desert Cowboy said:


> Aren’t bikers and hikers supposed to yield to horses?  Or is it different in Idaho?



Yes. But I don't mind pulling over for them if there's a spot to do it safely.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 13, 2021)

I wanted to relay an experience that some friends of ours had at the rally in D.C. last week. We saw them and spoke with them this evening.
I don't regularly partake in current political discussion on the forums I visit, but since this is my journal spot I will take a minute to make an observation.* If you don't agree with or like what I say feel free to go to a different thread.* I don't mean that rudely, but there are plenty of other places on BYH and related forums where these things get hashed out repeatedly.
Our friends J and K own a business across the border in Washington state. Their business has been severely impacted by all of the closures, extended closures, and extensions on the extended closures.
When they were told they would have to remain closed an additional period of time they made a quick decision to to attend the rally. They have always wanted to visit the Capitol anyway and tour the historical sites.

Their experience at the actual rally was nothing like what was portrayed on mainstream media. Since I don't watch mainstream media I am relying on what I have heard about what was shown to the American public by people who have watched it.

This is what they actually encountered there. Families. Families with their kids, elderly people in wheelchairs, and walking with canes. Regular working people. Calm pleasant people, most of whom that they had conversations with described themselves as non political, but were there because they were concerned about what they saw happening to our country.
They met a young woman with a 4 month old baby in a front pack, walking with her other young children. Her husband is in the military and deployed. As the crowd walked and stood in the long line to get to the Ellipse they talked to each other. People were calm and orderly.
 I'd like to emphasize that. 
In order to enter the area where the speeches were taking place they had to go through security and no one was allowed to enter with a backpack. K said there was a mountain of backpacks at the entrance. She thought it was significant that when they came back out they found their backpack in the pile, nobody had been stealing or destroying them.
That's a testament to the type of people in attendance.

They weren't near the front of the pack when the capitol building was entered, but they did hear the flashbangs going off. They had much to say about the general atmosphere, and said that they personally did not see people walking around in helmets, tactical gear, or weird outfits.

Overall they related that there was a definite subdued spirit replacing the one of cautious hope they had witnessed earlier.
The mayor issued an alert that the city was shutting down at 6, so they decided to turn back and go back to their hotel in Alexandria, so they wouldn't get caught without a way to return.
On the Metro ride back they said evrything was calm. They walked the mile back to their hotel on nearly deserted streets because the mayor of Alexandria had issued a curfew because of all the "rioting". There was no rioting going on.
They said most businesses were permanently closed and out of business, but they did find a restaurant that was open. The chairs were all up on the tables and there was no eating in. When J asked the cashier why he said "Because of all the demonstrations". J told him there were no demonstrations, everything was quiet and the cashier said, "order of the mayor!"
Back at their hotel they ate their bagged dinner and tried to warm up. K said there was such an air of oppression in the area that it was palpable.
Our friends are solid people. Not dramatic, just honest folks. 

The reason I'm relating this, and I know this is a very long post, is just to get a different perspective of what happened in D.C. last week.
We are lied to constantly, and the ones who have the greatest control of information dissemination are twisting and spinning truth. Truth has taken a beating lately and I don't think _*any*_ network news can be trusted any longer.

I don't think this is a great job of relating what personal friends of mine told us tonight, but I think it's very important to be suspicious of what the news reports. And why.


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## Beekissed (Jan 13, 2021)

I think it's an excellent job and concurs with other people's accounts...people who were actually there.  Yes, we are being lied to constantly about everything, from politics to health issues.  Those who want to believe the lies try desperately to suppress those telling the truth, so it compounds the lies.  

But...this is not something new.  It's been going on for a very long time and growing more evident each year.  Those who pointed it out down through the years were called "conspiracy theorists" and mocked about wearing tinfoil hats.  Mocking has become the most prevalent ~and unimaginative, I might add~ way of trying to make people shut up about the truth they see with their own eyes.  That alone could tell you what age we are living in... "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers..."   

I'm willing to bet your friends will go home and try to tell people what they saw and will be called liars, will be scoffed at and many will try to suppress what they have to say.   It's a spiritual battle, my friend...you can see and feel it, it's of such a great magnitude.  It's like trying to fight a great fog that has taken over the minds and hearts of so many.  

Thank you for telling the truth.


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## promiseacres (Jan 13, 2021)

@thistlebloom this is encouraging and what I have heard from first hand accounts.


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## Mike CHS (Jan 13, 2021)

I strongly that both of you have hit on what appears to be going on.  A couple of years ago I started browsing the news medias web sites and it was pretty obvious they were all using the same play book so I quit watching.  I literally don't believe anything I read on the net unless I can get a reliable confirmation but even then I'm skeptical so I guess that also makes me one of the "conspiracy" folks.


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## Baymule (Jan 13, 2021)

Thank you. We need to hear the truth.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 13, 2021)

Thank you all for the replies.
We had a windstorm last night and today and haven't had power since 3 or 4 a.m.
They say it may be off a few days. I'm using my phone to post this but can't type well on it. I should save my dwindling battery. I'll get on when possible.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 14, 2021)

Yesterday was a pretty wild day. Power outages for miles around. Happily we have the woodstove so no worries about heat, and the stove is gas so cooking works fine. Can't bake though because the oven igniter is some kind of electric glow type thing.
Bucket baths and kerosene lamps last night, then for entertainment I read aloud to us by flashlight. The power company predicted it could be out for two days, but happily it came on at 3, while I was lying there awake wondering how long the frozen meat would last in the chest freezer.

Unfortunately the wind toppled a tree over the corner of the dog run, smooshing  it. The dogs were not in it at the time, and I had just pushed a wheelbarrow full of firewood past where it landed a few seconds before. 
Makes us give some thought to possibly removing the fir tree at the south east corner of the house. It's a lovely tree and I have a nice shade garden under it. It cools the house on a hot summer day, but I'd rather have a hot house than a smashed roof.

You can see there's not a lot of root mass on these pines. With the copious rains and above average temperatures that thawed the ground it's no surprise we lost some trees to wind.










Maybe this should be posted in "you might be a redneck if..."
your dog run is roofed with tarps over tree stakes and a ridge pole of sapling. 🤪
 We have intended making a proper metal roof over it, in fact that was the loose plan for last summer, but I'm very glad now that we ran out of summer before we got to it.


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## Baymule (Jan 14, 2021)

Good thing it was the dog kennel (with the dogs not in it) and not your house! So I guess it is chainsaw party time?


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## thistlebloom (Jan 14, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Good thing it was the dog kennel (with the dogs not in it) and not your house! So I guess it is chainsaw party time?


That's exactly what I said, even though it's not really an either or thing.Very very thankful it wasn't both!
I was in the drive through teller at the bank today and the fellow in the truck next to me was telling the teller that he had a tree go right through his roof yesterday. He and his wife have their 5 grandchildren living with him. I felt terrible for him.


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## Baymule (Jan 15, 2021)

Having had the experience of a hurricane dropping a massive oak tree on our old house, I feel terrible for him too. I hope he has good insurance.


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## Bruce (Jan 15, 2021)

thistlebloom said:


> This is what they actually encountered there.


Glad to hear they were with the "normal folks" and not up in the Capitol. 



Beekissed said:


> Those who want to believe the lies try desperately to suppress those telling the truth, so it compounds the lies.


True and those spreading the lies should provide proof of them. And would, IF there is any proof to be shown. And those believing the lies should ask themselves why they believe the lies when those telling them provide no proof.



thistlebloom said:


> Can't bake though because the oven igniter is some kind of electric glow type thing.


Can you light it with a match or other flame or is the stove "smart" enough to not turn on the gas until the igniter is functioning? My 1931 gas stove is so non technical that the ONLY way to start it is with a flame to each burner. 



thistlebloom said:


> Unfortunately the wind toppled a tree over the corner of the dog run, smooshing it.


Oh, that is sad. Agreed it is good there were no dogs inside nor any expensive metal roof to destroy. The already downed tree that I cut a couple of weeks ago didn't show any more roots than your pine. Based on the bark and how it split I THINK it was an ash. Not sure why it went down, the Emerald Ash Borers arrived only very recently.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 15, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Can you light it with a match or other flame or is the stove "smart" enough to not turn on the gas until the igniter is functioning? My 1931 gas stove is so non technical that the ONLY way to start it is with a flame to each burner.


The answer to that is I don't know.
I could probably light it with a match to get it started, but since there is apparently no pilot light it would be impossible to know when to relight it when it comes back on to maintain a certain temperature, if that makes sense.


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## Bruce (Jan 15, 2021)

It might be worth watching the oven when it is operating to see if it ever actually goes off then relights itself to maintain temp. It MIGHT just drop to a very low flame. Could be useful to know for future power outages.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 15, 2021)

I looked it up. It is highly not recommended to mess with it. Seemed to be the general consensus for pilotless ignition stoves manufactured after 1999.
It doesn't matter much to me. Unless the power went out for a couple of weeks....


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## thistlebloom (Jan 15, 2021)

I peeked under the oven at the burner tonight when I was baking cornbread. I probably didn't time it right, I was busy with several dinner tasks, but you might have a good point Bruce. I'll try harder to catch a look at what's going on down there when it's reached baking temp and before it reignites, or whatever it does. The little glow coil or whatever it is was glowing both times I looked.


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## farmerjan (Jan 16, 2021)

Some states don't allow for gas stoves to be sold that do  not have the all this "new fangled" pilotless ignition.  Va is like that, the only ones you can buy new are piloteless ignition.  BUT Pa sells gas stoves that can be lit by a match, and it is legal to have them here... just not buy them here.  So for anyone that wants a gas stove that does not rely on electricity for ignition, any place like Lehman's or other states with a decent Mennonite or Amish populations, should be able to find more "manual type stoves".   Mine is like yours @Bruce; ancient type that lights with a match....reliable... simple.....


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## thistlebloom (Jan 16, 2021)

My last gas stove had an oven pilot, but the burners were electronic ignition.
I never thought to check when I bought this one. Got it at the ding and dent store so there wasn't a lot of gas stove selections.


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## Bruce (Jan 16, 2021)

Jan, I think if we were to send our stoves out for total refurbishment they would come back with ignitors of some sort. 

I believe mine ORIGINALLY had a pilot under the stove top and would have had pipes leading to each of the 4 burners. Each burner has 5 "arms" and the hole closest to the center of the stove in each burner has a screw in it rather than being the same size small holes in the rest of the burner. There is a shutoff under the top near the front of the stove where the pilot pipe connects to the common rail. There would be no way to light the pilot other than to take the top out, no access hole. I don't know if it was professionally modified or if someone got tired of having the pilot on all the time, especially if it ever went out and had to be relit, and did the modification themselves. It would be interesting to see what the pilot to burner pipes looked like.


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## farmerjan (Jan 16, 2021)

My old gas stove has no pilots, for the burners.   You turn the knob on for each burner a 1/4 turn and hold a match close to the round center piece where the flames are,  and it lights.  There is a hole in the front on the bottom of the oven, which is on the right looking at the stove,  where you hold the match.  Mine has a broiler on the left, with a hole  at the top to hold the match when you turn the knob on.  It is an odd brand and I am having trouble finding a couple replacement knobs that broke.... they are a hard plastic type material that fits over a metal piece that sticks out from the stove.   There is an amish farmer that a friend of mine knows in PA that may be able to do a refurbish job... he specializes in non-electric stuff for the old order amish up there....  I really love this stove.....One burner does not work the way it used to and that is why I am wanting to get it redone if at all possible.  It seems part are not available anymore even for this amish guy to get.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 16, 2021)

When dh and I were newlyweds, we rented a small place that had an old three burner stove with a lid that closed down over the burners. It didn't have pilots either, you just turned the gas and lit with a match.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 16, 2021)

This is how we spent the day. My husband cut, I hauled. We have two big piles in the burn area now.














There is a silver lining I guess. 4 of the 8 panels are usable, a fifth one is a little skewywampus but dh thinks it can be straightened out.  I can buy another panel and we can set it back up.  But not there. We think it will go next to the woodshed, which gives the dogs a better view of the driveway. And no more tarp roofs!! I will be happy to not use a tarp for the rest of my life.
It's only for them to sleep in at night, during the day they will be kenneled in my old garden spot when we aren't home. (The other three seasons, not in winter). I'll just need to plant grass in there and make them a small shelter. 
Now I can see the corral area much better from the house. And honestly, it was a bit of an eyesore with that tarp roof, lol. Not so much in the summer when the hops completely covered it and it was just a green wall.
I didn't take an after picture, but it looks very different with the run down and the tree gone. I will need to find a different place to park the classic wheelbarrow collection. Or maybe not. We'll see what my OCD does this winter.

I'm glad we got it done and all cleaned up while it was dry. May be getting snow tonight. Larka is kenneled in the hay barn  at night, and Wren has become a house dog of sorts. But she's old and has very good house manners. Larka just gets too hot in here, plus she's large, smelly and has an overabundance of hair, and did I mention she's smelly?
I appreciate my hay barn more every single day. What did I ever do without it?


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## Bruce (Jan 17, 2021)

Lemonade from lemons TB!


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## Ridgetop (Jan 17, 2021)

farmerjan said:


> Some states don't allow for gas stoves to be sold that do not have the all this "new fangled" pilotless ignition.


The house in Yelm has an old wood cooking stove with 3 "burners" and an oven that I was going to donate to a museum or heritage collection.  Now I might keep it and install it in the new place in Texas in case of a power outage. I brought home a large box of MJ's old kerosene lamps several years ago.  They are stored in the old milk shed.  I guess we will bring it home with the old pot belly stove from the bunkhouse.  We noted that these were personal property in the escrow.  We are planning to buy a large propane generator for emergencies, but this woodstove would work for cooking.  Also heat in the winter.  I will put it in one of the shop buildings.  It is in perfect condition and has all the parts so will work just fine in an emergency.  Of course by the time I learn to bake in a wood stove oven (it does have a thermometer gauge to show the temperature of the oven) the power outage might be over!  On the other hand, if Biden and AOC do away with fossil fuels her way I might need this wood stove.  Just need to make sure there are enough woods on the property to be able to get fallen limbs and dead trees for the stoves.  Good thing I did not throw the kerosene lamps out!

DS3 said to buy a propane generator instead of a gas generator.  Apparently propane can be stored without any problem for years, unlike gasoline.  He has a large propane generator in Nipomo for his freezers and well pump.


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## farmerjan (Jan 17, 2021)

Propane generators and any propane fired things is the way to go.  Everyone here is going to propane, from cooking to any type of furnace/heat to generators.  As long as the tank is good, the propane is supposed to keep indefinitely from what all I have been told.  All the big commercial poultry houses here use propane for the heat... brooding the baby chicks etc.  It burns alot cleaner than oil.  The problem that I see is that nearly every single tractor made in the last 50 years is diesel.  

Did anyone see where Bill Gates is the largest PRIVATE landowner of agricultural crop land.......???? Makes you wonder.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 17, 2021)

Doesn't make me wonder! - wealthy liberals also have large investments in fossil fuels, tobacco, etc.  They are all mouth like Biden.

If we don't have propane on our new ranch whenever we find it, I will see about having a tank installed and getting a propane stove.  I considered keeping MJ's propane stove which is only 4 years old, but too much trouble.  DS1 installed the conversion kit on hers, so he can do it again if we convert from electric.  I wonder if a propane dryer would be a good idea too.  Electric dryers really suck up the electricity, and you can't dry everything on the line all the time.


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## farmerjan (Jan 17, 2021)

I have not used a dryer for over 20 + years.  I dry everything on the line.  Used to haul the washed clothes home from the laundromat and hung out.  I do laundry on days it will dry ... they can stay out overnight if need be.  I have a propane dryer in the storage trailer at DS property..... ain't seen it in over 20 years.... they operate efficiently and are easier on the wallet.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 17, 2021)

I took a look at my oven burner tonight @Bruce , it doesn't have a flame once it's reached operating temperature, just that glow wire doodad.

@Ridgetop , you should for sure take that old cookstove. A family heirloom at least, and a very useful thing to have in the event of power outages. You could/should start a woodlot at whatever property you buy, unless it's already abundantly wooded.


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## Alasgun (Jan 18, 2021)

@thistlebloom i hope you’ll allow me a single comment on “the wood cookstove” advice!
While on the ranch in the Dakotas 40 years ago we were dirt poor and for a couple years heated the house with a grand old cookstove. We shut off all the front rooms, bed rooms etc so we were actually only heating the kitchen and bathroom. Then we moved the kitchen table to the side and brought the big bed into the kitchen and because the kids were still quite small, we all fit in that bed!
due to the arrangement, i could reach the firebox door and add wood without getting out of bed.
back then i took a 2 man saw and welded a sucker rod along the spine so 1 man could use it pretty well. We were only breaking down old fence post so it worked, sorta.
Then on that glorious day that i got my first chain saw i cut a months worth of wood in 5 minutes!
lot of fond memories from those hard times!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 18, 2021)

@Alasgun ,you are more than  welcome to comment anytime you like. You have great stories to tell and I enjoy reading them. I can tell you're a been there, done that, kind of fellow in the school of practical wisdom. 

Those old cookstoves don't have such big burn boxes, so I can imagine it's like feeding a baby bird to keep a house warm with one. The picture of you feeding it from bed made me smile.
Tools that decrease the labor and increase the payout are priceless!
We don't own a tractor, other than my little Janie, an old Farmall Cub and she doesn't have any implements. Pretty much just a trailer puller.
When our good neighbor offered to come over and pull some trees out of an area where I wanted a roundpen to work my horse we happily agreed. What he got done in a couple hours would have taken my husband and I a couple of months at least with chainsaws and loppers, and then we would have still had all the brush and stumps to contend with.

Back to heating with wood cookstoves, 40 years ago we visited  friends who had just bought 40 acres on a hillside in WA, above the Columbia river. We met their neighbors who were living in a teepee. They heated the space with a wood cooker and said that one of them would take night duty to keep it going. Rough living for sure. Our friends never actually moved on to their property. The view was spectacular, but the property was steep and impractical.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 18, 2021)

There is a trick to "banking" the fire in those old stoves so they never really go out since they can be hard to start in the morning when your tongue is hanging out for a cup of coffee!  Same thing to "banking" the fire n the fireplace or woodstove at night so it keeps the coals alive for morning.   God forbid the fire went out and you had to strike flint to light it in the middle of winter!!!  The firebox is small, and the ash bin needed to be emptied every day.  The oven is not very big either but will do in an emergency.  

when we first married we needed a stove and fridge  We got a stove that stood in 4 kegs off the floor.  It had a lift up shelf on the top above the burners to keep food hot or warm plates.   With its TWO tiny ovens it must have been a big seller when it first came out.  Probably one of the original gas stoves made.   Our first refrigerator was only about 4' tall.  Also one of the first ones built and had been in the old lady's house all that time in use!  They were very cheap, still worked great, and the old lady was excited about getting her first "modern" appliances!  LOL  We replaced the stove with an old model Gaffers & Satler range with 2 ovens, separate broiler, griddle, and a burner with a timer that I loved!   You just set the timer and the burner shut itself off - no forgotten pots or burned food.   Loved that range too.  

I think we will bring that old stove home even if we have to store it with the old wood stove until we move to Texas.  We are leaving the larger woodstove that my aunt used to heat her house.  The buyer wants it.   The woodstove we are taking s a small one that was used in the old bunkhouse.  It is a genuine antique and works like a charm.    

I love the convenience of new appliances but if you lose power, no heat of hot food.  We can go out in the 5th wheel and cook and heat with propane, but it would be hard to fit everyone in that space.  LOL


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## Bruce (Jan 19, 2021)

farmerjan said:


> Did anyone see where Bill Gates is the largest PRIVATE landowner of agricultural crop land.......????


Apparently owned by a non profit foundation he and Melinda created to "provide small farmers in certain countries with the tools they need to produce more crops and adapt to climate change."

Gates Agricultural Innovations
Of note, their 242,000 acres pales in comparison to BIG land timberland and ranch holders
"While these holdings sound massive, they are small compared to large land holdings that include timberlands and ranches. In _Land Report_'s Top 100 list, Bill and Melinda Gates only rank 49th, while Jeff Bezos of *Amazon* (NASDAQ: AMZN) comes in 25th and Ted Turner ranks fourth. Top honors go to John Malone, who owns 2.2 million acres of land that includes ranches in Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico."
(From the same article linked above)



Ridgetop said:


> DS1 installed the conversion kit on hers, so he can do it again if we convert from electric.


You probably didn't mean to suggest you could convert a given electric stove to gas/propane 

The conversion is easy (other than the contortions necessary). The NG dryer we bought came with instructions and the part that needed to be replaced. As I recall the only real difference between the two forms of gas, with respect to the machine, is the diameter of the "pipe". I don't know if NG or propane uses the smaller flow diameter.


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## farmerjan (Jan 19, 2021)

Note that I said "agicultural CROP land.  I am well aware that there are many others with more total land ownership.... the timberland and the mountainland will not do much for producing any of the row crops... or human food row crops.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 19, 2021)

I got a ride in today. The weather has been boring. Cloudy and cold but dry. Took Syringa and went up in the mountains to ride on state land so the dogs could go with me.
The sun came out a little, very hazy but I'll take it.

Today's view.





This was an exploratory section we did. It's a continuation of the cut the bulldozer made for the recent fire last year. It's the opposite direction from Heart Attack Hill, and went down then back up and around this knob. We did a bit of bushwhacking. There is no snow to speak of so the going is pretty visible. We came upon this clear area and went down the next hill. There is a lot of possibility for exploring this spring. This wasn't a good day for following game trails, and I should probably not ride alone when I do.

I followed the bulldozer track back and retraced my trail back to the logging road. Played around with panorama on my phone. I think I better keep practicing, lol.


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## Bruce (Jan 20, 2021)

You can have some of our snow. Mr NOAA lied again. He claimed we were getting 1". I ignore that amount of snow. But it added up to more like 4 or 5", had to get the blower out.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 20, 2021)

I'll take it!
We may get some weather action this weekend and into next week. I'm not holding my breath.
The trouble is, we get little dribs and drabs of snow and some pretend winter and start getting used to it, like it's the real thing. Then when we are lulled into weather complacency, bam! it's February and we suddenly get winter and we are in a pre-spring stupor and have forgotten how to deal with the genuine article. I don't like sneaky winters.


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## Bruce (Jan 21, 2021)

We are getting another 4" between now and Saturday. Which means another 2 days of no solar production! 2/3 through the month and we haven't generated even half of what we made last January (which wasn't anything spectacular). Then it gets cold again, down in the low single digits to below 0°F.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 24, 2021)

Remember my footstool project? I amazed myself and finished it.
 Of course it did take me about 25 years  😄

Before.  (story on page 75)




Dh cut some knotty alder we had left over from putting base board in, and pin nailed it to the old (unsquare) box.
I stained the feet and glued the dowels back in. I just gave it a simple beeswax and oil finish.

After.







Then I made a leather foot pad with my 44 year old Singer Stylist home sewing machine. My machine wouldn't have been able to stitch through the multiple layers of leather, so I made an inner pillow from leftover fabric, stuffed it with down stolen from a bed pillow, and put it into the leather sleeve, then used snaps on the ends as closures.
I would do it differently, now that I know a little more, but it works ok for now. Probably needs a fatter inner pillow and more snaps.
Yes, it does indeed look like a ravioli, thank you Kid#2 for making that observation. 😆






So I met the challenge of not spending any money on finishing it. Except for buying leather needles for my machine, but they can be used for a lot more projects.

It's a handy height for holding a mug of hot cocoa in the evening too. 
A mini coffee table, haha.


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## SA Farm (Jan 24, 2021)

That is amazing and looks great! Aren’t you glad you kept it 😉


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## thistlebloom (Jan 24, 2021)

Thanks, and yes! 
I told my sister and she has no memory of me buying a footstool with her. 🙃
Not surprising since at that time she was a crazy woman, buying old furniture at garage sales and refinishing it to furnish their 100 year old house. She got some fantastic bargains on antiques that way, but it was hard work and she got a little burned out taking layers of paint off furniture to reveal the wood.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 28, 2021)

Bruce said:


> You probably didn't mean to suggest you could convert a given electric stove to gas/propane


No, the propane conversion kit is for a gas stove.  You have to buy a gas stove then install the propane conversion kit yourself or pay several hundred dollars to the installer.  DS1 did it in an hour.  1/2 hour was spent in adjusting the flame.


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## Bruce (Jan 28, 2021)

thistlebloom said:


> After.


It looks great!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 29, 2021)

Thanks! Now to keep the momentum going and finish some more projects before the spring insanity of my life begins. 🤪


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## thistlebloom (Jan 29, 2021)

The windstorm a few weeks back that took out our dog run did some damage at one of my clients homes.
The property manager sent me a few photos.
That busted off trunk on the right was a 100ish -+year old horse chestnut. A large Ponderosa pine across the street came down on top of it and snapped it off. It just grazed the left side of the roof and tore off the fascia and some roofing.









It crashed on the patio and took out a few Japanese maples, but somehow missed all the windows.

About a dozen mature rhodies were destroyed and some smaller shrubs.
I'll be busy with re-landscaping a portion of the front yard this spring. Went from shade garden to full sun garden.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 29, 2021)

Gives you an opportunity to design something new for a sunny spot.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 29, 2021)

Yes!
Design and installation are my favorite things. Some of the destroyed landscaping was old and tired anyway. I heard from the owners (snow birds) and the Mrs. asked me to not remove the rhodies in hopes they would recover.  
Not really my call at this point, the tree company did all the cleanup and they are gone. Fortunately. Sometimes I think having oodles of dollars makes some people very impractical.


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jan 29, 2021)

thistlebloom said:


> Yes!
> Design and installation are my favorite things. Some of the destroyed landscaping was old and tired anyway. I heard from the owners (snow birds) and the Mrs. asked me to not remove the rhodies in hopes they would recover.
> Not really my call at this point, the tree company did all the cleanup and they are gone. Fortunately. Sometimes I think having oodles of dollars makes some people very impractical.


Wouldn't they have fried anyway, going from full shade to full sun? Bummer the trees fell but glad it didn't hit the house.


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## Bruce (Jan 29, 2021)

Just shows that Mother Nature doesn't care how much money one has. 

Do you not like the Rhododendrons?? If they are too big for that spot or something, maybe the owners would like them moved?


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## Ridgetop (Jan 29, 2021)

Since she loved her Rhodies (my mother did too in Seattle) maybe you can incorporate some of the newer varieties to keep her happy. They might not do as well in full sun, although I am not familiar with Idaho climate and growing.  My main experience was with Rhodies in western Ireland where they grow wild and rampant like a forest all over the lower slopes of the Bens.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 29, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Do you not like the Rhododendrons??


No, I like rhodies!
The point is there ARE no rhodies to salvage. The trees crushed, obliterated, and wiped them all out.

My comment about my clients request to try to save them was twofold.
  A. If there were even any parts to salvage they would take careful  pruning to try and make them look halfway decent. Add about 3 to 4 years before they grew new branches out and looked like a purposeful part of the landscape. Also not all rhodies have latent buds on the branches that will sprout into new growth when pruned.
  B. All that time that they pay me for that would be spent on plants that were questionable, plus the years of waiting for them to maybe grow back into an attractive shrub could be side passed by spending a fraction of that labor cost on new vibrant healthy plants. 

They bought this place, in front of their main house and property, as a guest house for their kids and grandkids to use when they visit. Other than the front portion which I re-landscaped after they renovated the house, all the rest of the landscaping is pretty ancient. 
Lots and lots of rhodies and peonies at the main property.


Ridgetop said:


> Since she loved her Rhodies (my mother did too in Seattle) maybe you can incorporate some of the newer varieties to keep her happy. They might not do as well in full sun, although I am not familiar with Idaho climate and growing.  My main experience was with Rhodies in western Ireland where they grow wild and rampant like a forest all over the lower slopes of the Bens.



Oh I will definitely keep her happy! That's what it's all about.
There are some varieties of rhodies that do good in sun.
The thing about that is they generally don't come to live at the house  until the rhodies and peonies (another of her favorites) are bloomed out for the summer. I get to enjoy them though. 😊


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## Baymule (Jan 29, 2021)

thistlebloom said:


> Sometimes I think having oodles of dollars makes some people very impractical.


Somehow I think you are right about this.


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## Beekissed (Jan 30, 2021)

thistlebloom said:


> Remember my footstool project? I amazed myself and finished it.
> Of course it did take me about 25 years  😄
> 
> Before.  (story on page 75)
> ...


T, that's beautiful!!!!  I didn't know you were so handy with woodworking!   Now, I would have slapped those feet on it and called it rustic or shabby chic but you brought that to a whole other level of elegance.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 30, 2021)

Since their family don't come to the house until summer, when the rhodies are done blooming, I would do up a landscape plan that you and the client like, that will be practical, and give them color when they do come.  If the rhodies were old and large, the client probably liked them as large scale foresty looking shrubs that filled in a lot of area without needing much to keep them looking good.  You will give her something that will be even prettier, and throw in some new rhodies as large background plantings (once they are grown).  Having a completely clean canvass to work with will be much more fun that trying to rehab badly destroyed rhodies that won't suit the client in the long run.

Have fun!  You have the rest of the snowy winter to plan a great garden for her.  How about a couple fruit trees in the background for the grandchildren to pick fruit from when they come?  If the grandchildren live in town picking fruit might be a thrill for them.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 30, 2021)

Beekissed said:


> T, that's beautiful!!!! I didn't know you were so handy with woodworking!


Oh Bee! You bless me!  I am NOT handy with woodworking. That's my husbands idea and work. It's perfectly imperfect because the original box wasn't square but I insisted we use it because of it's heritage.
He came up with the idea of using base when I had rifled through my fabric stash and came out with a couple of burlap coffee bean bags and an old foam cushion I had saved from an upholstered chair. He can only do so much shabby chic. 🤣 He's pretty quick on his feet though, and without insulting my idea inserted his. 🥰
I'm responsible for the fabulous stain job on the feet and gluing the dowels back into the box. My skills are stunning! 😄


Ridgetop said:


> Having a completely clean canvass to work with will be much more fun that trying to rehab badly destroyed rhodies that won't suit the client in the long run.


Oh, you hit the nail on the head there Ridgetop! I have had to go along with many clients wishes in situations just like that, where they want to nurse some ugly plant along, when it would be so much more effective and attractive to pull them out and start fresh. They're plants not puppies after all.


Ridgetop said:


> How about a couple fruit trees in the background for the grandchildren to pick fruit from when they come?


That would be fun. Except the grandkids are all in college now. 
And all I'll say about that is that except for one they are a snarky, unappreciative group of humanity.

I have so many ideas! It could be a traffic stopper! Unfortunately I have to deal with deer,   and in this neighborhood they are an omnivorous group, ignoring deer repellents and consuming everything on the "deer resistant" plant list except barberry and boxwood, and a few select other plants. So my design parameters will be very constricted.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 30, 2021)

Never mind the fruit trees!  Too much upkeep for you!  Although you could get the benefit of the fruit!  Oh, wait, YOUR kids are grown too!  

Just have fun planning a fabulous design.  It's a good thing those tree clearance folks took out the rhodies after all - and the client can't blame you for it!


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## Bruce (Jan 30, 2021)

Do whatever it takes as long as their money trickles down into your bank account


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## Ridgetop (Jan 30, 2021)

Preferably FLOWS!


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## thistlebloom (Jan 30, 2021)

Got a ride in today! We are still in phoney winter mode so trails are still accessible. Got about an inch of snow last night and warmer temps today (37f) so the footing was excellent.
I met two friends, we ride together frequently. All mares and they all get along and like each other. We were trotting up a hill, Syringa and I were third, she wanted to lope, I said nope. Well that turned into an abbreviated little rodeo!   She was fresh, the day was young and her friends were getting away from her. She snaked her head back and forth and gave it a shake, then a huge leap in the air with a double kick out at the top. 😅
Good thing my britches were glued to the seat, haha.
She was heading in a straight line so no worries about unseating me, like she could have if she went sideways and got silly. But she wasn't trying to lose me, just letting me know her opinion of being held in. 

Today's view. The lake was like glass. Not a breeze stirring.


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## SA Farm (Jan 30, 2021)

Gorgeous views! Glad you managed to keep your seat!


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## Baymule (Jan 30, 2021)

That's beautiful, no wonder you want to go riding in the snow. Syringa thinks she's a Lipizzaner with "Airs Above the Ground!"


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## Ridgetop (Jan 31, 2021)

I love it when my horses offer an opinion!  As long as I stay in the saddle!


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## Bruce (Jan 31, 2021)

Great view! I guess you and Syringa need to come to common ground on what she should be doing.


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## thistlebloom (Jan 31, 2021)

Bruce said:


> Great view! I guess you and Syringa need to come to common ground on what she should be doing.



Haha, yeah... mostly she is a steady ride, but secretly I enjoy her occasional little swerves into Miss Sassy Pants. Keeps our rides interesting.
 So long as she doesn't make it an ambition, we're golden. 😇


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## chickens really (Feb 1, 2021)

Good morning..
I thought you might get a little bit of a chuckle out of this..😊
I sure did..


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## Ridgetop (Feb 1, 2021)

My old pinto mare (long gone at 32 years old) used to prance and curvette when out occasionally.  Gave me such a feeling of being an accomplished rider!  lol  Particularly when neighbors used to admire her.  Having a bit of spark is a lot of fun.


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## thistlebloom (Feb 15, 2021)

Well,not much of anything going on around here, so I thought I'd talk about it  .
I haven't ridden Syringa for a week? Two weeks? I forget, the weather hasn't been horrible, but the footing is treacherous with the partial melting of the snow we had, then sub zero temps to turn it into polished granite.

In other news, some of my canned goods in the garage pantry have started to freeze. I don't know where my head is. We've had such a wimpy winter that I got lulled into nincompoopcy. I usually put a light bulb in the pantry to keep it from freezing, but didn't think of it with this recent temp dive. Some days I'm part emu and must relearn basics. 

I started a new hobby this winter. I bought a leather wallet kit to make for my husbands upcoming birthday and enjoyed it so much that I want to start making stuff. Evenings are now spent watching leather making videos. I'm getting pretty good at little coin wallets now 😄, you know, the size that can hold 3 quarters. Which is about all I usually have. Haha.
My two youngest neighbor kids are coming over Friday to hang out and we're going to make them something to keep coins in. I'll even donate a couple of my quarters. 

Lets see... finally finished up the apple box (with apples) that the neighbors gave us. I turned it all into applesauce. It seemed like a years worth, but dh has been burning through it for after dinner snacking.
I hope my own trees make a decent harvest this year, Last year was abysmal, and the moose knocked most of them off long before they were ripe.

Snowing real snow here at last. Not so much that we'll have to move any, just clear the cement side walk to the house and the sattelite dish. Maybe it will keep up and I can get some exercise. That chocolate cake I made for Valentines Day (was going to abbreviate that to VD, but that didn't look right lol) was enough for 8 generous portions and we (mostly me) have polished it off already. Yikes. Should maybe start shopping for bigger jeans.


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## thistlebloom (Feb 28, 2021)

We got some sticking snow at last! Makes me happy to see that clean white cover out there. It also means it's not yet time for my business to start up and that also makes me glad. Poor, but glad.  😄

Here's Syringa enjoying a good snow roll. It's one of the first things she does when I get her out. Right after looking hopefully for some straggling weed sticking up that she may have overlooked last time.












We got still more snow a few days ago. Makes me happy. Looks so clean and beautiful, and I even put some time in on the shovel before I completely atrophy away. I was wondering why my elbows were sore the next day and my husband reminded me. Goes to show how quickly I can lose muscle. Spring cleanups are going to murder me this year .

We have a mountain lion in the neighborhood. The neighbor across the road and diagonal to our property saw tracks behind his barn.
And yesterday a coyote jumped our other next door neighbors Springer Spaniel and put teeth into her fanny. Our neighbor was right there but not prepared at that moment to take care of the matter. We're keeping little Wren close and not letting her go into the woods.
 The little coyote hors d'ouvre. 

Right now I'm making that buttermilk chocolate cake that is so very delicious. We're sharing a meal with some friends and celebrating all of us March baby birthdays. This is just practice. I'm making it again for my actual birth DAY, and since I'll probably celebrate for a few weeks there are sure to be more. Oh yeah, we also have a 43rd anniversary in March so there's a reason for another. 😄


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## Bruce (Feb 28, 2021)

thistlebloom said:


> We have a mountain lion in the neighborhood. The neighbor across the road and diagonal to our property saw tracks behind his barn.
> And yesterday a coyote jumped our other next door neighbors Springer Spaniel and put teeth into her fanny. Our neighbor was right there but not prepared at that moment to take care of the matter. We're keeping little Wren close and not letting her go into the woods.


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## Baymule (Feb 28, 2021)

43rd anniversary! Congratulations on finding someone to put up with you that long! LOL LOL 

Beware of the big cat, they are not afraid.


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## chickens really (Mar 1, 2021)

Love the pictures of Syringa enjoying the fresh snow. 🥰😌
Here it lasts too long and my horses just wonder when all this crap will disappear! 😝🤪. We got more snow over the weekend and no fun from my animals. 🙂


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## thistlebloom (Mar 1, 2021)

chickens really said:


> Love the pictures of Syringa enjoying the fresh snow. 🥰😌
> Here it lasts too long and my horses just wonder when all this crap will disappear! 😝🤪. We got more snow over the weekend and no fun from my animals. 🙂



We usually have it November to Marchish, but this has been a scanty year. If it's going to be cold anyway and way too early for a legitimate spring I'd much rather have snow than ugly bare ground.


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## thistlebloom (Mar 1, 2021)

Baymule said:


> 43rd anniversary! Congratulations on finding *someone to put up with you *that long! LOL LOL


Got that right!
Have you been spying on me? 



Baymule said:


> Beware of the big cat, they are not afraid.


Yep. I keep my head on a swivel as they say.
I think they are here a lot more often than we're aware. It's only when  they leave tracks in the snow that we think about them more.
There is an occasional sighting, but if they don't want to be seen they won't be.
Hopefully they find the deer easier and more attractive than the stock.


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## chickens really (Mar 1, 2021)

thistlebloom said:


> We usually have it November to Marchish, but this has been a scanty year. If it's going to be cold anyway and way too early for a legitimate spring I'd much rather have snow than ugly bare ground.


Yes. I hope for a slow melt this spring or all the moisture just runs off my pasture.


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## chickens really (Mar 20, 2021)

A little horse humour..🐴


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## Baymule (Mar 20, 2021)

That’s a good one! Haha!


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## Beekissed (May 21, 2021)

Hey, Thistle!!!!  Where you at, girl????  Miss you greatly around here.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Jul 8, 2021)

Thistlebloom havent seen a post from you in a long time. Miss hear from you.


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## Ridgetop (Aug 7, 2021)

No posts since March!  Are you ok?


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## Ridgetop (Aug 7, 2021)

*Are you keeping safe from the fires up there?*


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