Sunday, February 10, 2008

the "family"

As much as I hated to bother them... I just HAD to get the piggie cage cleaned. I have this "thing" about keeping my animals as clean as possible... and even though Mama piggie had done a pretty good job about cleaning up after the arrival of the little ones.... I just felt they needed a nice clean home to start out in.

So, since they were out... here are a couple shots of Mama and the little ones... (I think I already have a favorite.. and so hope that she is a girl, then I can keep her with her Mama)....

They're doing great and even though they are just about 24 hours old, they are running about the cage and checking out the food....


doggies in snow

I am often asked "how do you handle so many dogs in your house?" Well the truth is, I "don't" because when you have a "few" dogs, they do a lot of their own entertaining...

This morning, Cooper, Cocoa and Tazzy spent "hours" out in the new snow...

I just brought them in for "brunch" and they are all snoozing, (drying!!!) and quite happy to be back in....

More than one dog..... MUCH easier

in my opinion!!!!




doors....

Yesterday, while Miss Franka was delievering her own little surprise.... I went up to the barn after teaching my morning classes. Ed and Ken have been working great guns on the big barn doors.

Anything that "my" Ed does, he does well.. and these doors are no exception. They are BIG and they are sturdy... but, on the rollers that he bought, they slide with the pressure of a finger. No horse will be leaving this barn when the doors are closed... to be sure!!!

I plan on painting them red to match the roof... the barn itself will be a light color that is hard to explain in words... it's not a white and yet not a cream either... but, it's very pretty and I can't wait for good weather so that we can get it done....

The nice thing now, is the downstairs is closed to the weather, next week's project will be the hayloft doors, and then the building will be weather tight (course now that the worst part of winter is done.. the guys finally have an "indoor" space!!!)

The snow continues to pile up... but being February.. it doesn't seem as "strong" as it does in December and January. Even today... the snow we got last night is melting.. course with temps in the 40's (at the moment) that helps. The trick is to move it when it's soft, for colder tempertures are sure to appear and if you don't move it... it will stay for awhile...

The guys are planning on doing the shed roofs once the weather is back on their side... I think I am as excited about those as I am the barn itself.... I can just imagine the horses hanging out under the sheds.... and it will make snow clean up so much easier with it not piling up in front of the stall doors.

That is one great thing about boarding all these past years... "I" have "lived" in three different barns ( have examined many others) and formed this "list" of things that were great ideas and things that I didn't care for. All that planning has gone into this barn, and I dare say... it is going to be an "easy keeper" (as we say in the horse world!!!) which will be a good idea since we are keeping horses later in life than "sooner".....

I hope Ed will take a day or two off next week, Ken would like a little time for himself, and I would like Ed to go "barn shopping" with me. All winter I have been saving my money and though it might be a tad soon, I would like to start getting my buckets, and such. They have good sales this time of year, so it's the time to shop......when spring comes, and it's horse weather again... you don't often find such good prices.... so now is the time to go, and I can probably find a little corner to tuck them in......