feeling like a holiday...

Today began with going to church. Dare I say that we haven't been in almost a month!!!! with dog shows, Mother's Day, open house.... it seems as though every Sunday has had "something" going on.... so, today, I was anxious to get back to church. It was a nice service in honor of Memorial Day, and after church, there was a little town memorial service that Ed and I stayed to watch. I was so wishing I had my camera with me.... the little girl scouts with a veteran raised the flag and did a wreath placing ceremony. We sang some songs, and listened to a couple of wonderful speeches.... just the perfect "small town" sort of thing.

Then in the afternoon we had a small cookout with friends. We have been trying to get together with Kelli and Rick for quite sometime, and I was so happy when they were able to come. And then we got a phone call for another couple of good friends, Cindy and George. They had invited us to their camp, but with plans already made with Kelli and Rick.... I invited them to our camp instead.

It was such a nice afternoon, we ate out on the deck and enjoyed the lake, the good weather and the excellent company. Things like this are things that I plan to do a lot more of this summer!!!! There is just never enough time to spend in the company of good people!!!!!

The "lake" has been busy this weekend. Just about every camp on the road has people this weekend. Cookouts are happening all over the place, and you can hear happy voices everywhere. It would appear that our "renters" are having a great weekend... the weather has been a bit "off and on" with showers here and there, but when the sun pops out, it's almost hot. Tomorrow we head back to our "old hometown" to celebrate Memorial Day there and see the parade and all. We have to be on the road early, as the parade is at 9:00 am.... so that will make for a busy morning.

Sadie and I took some time yesterday and finished planting the garden. We have all sorts of "yummy things" planted...so I guess we'll see how it all comes out in the end. I saved a patch to plant tomato plants and a few other things, that I was going to pick up sometime next week. But, when Kelli and Rick came this afternoon... they brought me some goodies for the garden... several different tomato plants, pepper plants, summer squash and watermelon to name a few.




When Ed and I went down this evening to feed and bring the horses in, we got a new plants in the dirt and gave them a good drink. We will need to get the fence up around the garden this week... we already know we have some bunnies around, and we don't want them helping themselves to our goodies.

I know that I already posted the video of Duke in his cart yesterday, but here are some "stills" to go along with it. I started the "lesson" out with some ground driving. It's good for the both of us, he is still getting used to my driving "skills" and I am still getting used to working with him. He has some "flaws" that need work... one being simply standing still.... he likes to move, and getting in and out of a cart, you need a horse to stand well. I know what to "do" to fix it... just a matter of "doing it".....

Because the ground driving went so well, I got "brave" and pulled out the fore cart. At first I worked with it and didn't have the seat in place. I also asked Ed just to monitor us and be that "extra pair of hands" in case things went amuck.... but they didn't....

and then we put the seat on the cart, and away we went. I know it's just a matter of practice and work and we will be doing this on our own. I get better each time I do this, and I can see my own improvements. Come fall, we should be able to drive all over the place!!!!!

ps... Silver is just fine after his night of "partying in the alleyway".... whew.....

biker chick.....

Ed took his bike out this afternoon, and almost immediately had a fan....

Or maybe it was this "fan" discovered something else....

like.... "what a handsome guy I am!!!!"

what we did today......

the video says it all........ :-) by the way, this is Duke!!!!

and me without a camera...

Just came in from the barn...... what a MESS!!!!! "somebody" didn't latch Silver's door last night, and he had a grand time in the alley way!!!! Nearly ate an entire bale of hay!!! pooped everywhere, knocked things over and I can only imagine the way he got everyone else up set....... I will have some chores to do a little later!!!! WHY do they do things like this on a holiday weekend??? If he has tummy troubles, finding a vet won't be an easy task....... will keep you posted!!!!


(took this photo last weekend... not bad looking for a horse that is 31/32 years old!!!!)

too busy to blog.....

I know there hasn't been a blog all week, but honestly, dear readers, we have just been too busy!!! OR, by the time I do have time to sit and write, I am simply too sleepy and doubt the blog would have made much sense. So, here's a new one for you!!!

With the open house behind us and Memorial Day weekend ..well... almost here!!! It was time for Ed and I to focus our energies on the camps. So, we (wisely) took a week off from house work, and moved into yard work!!! The mess caused by the winter storms was "amazing", and we spent three full days of raking, picking up sticks, trimming back broken trees and mowing. I am glad we gave ourselves amble time, we worked at a pretty steady pace without "killing ourselves". Both the "gator" and tractor were put to good use, and what a blessing that turned out to be!!!!

But, when you wake up in the morning, and the lake view is this... who has the right to "complain" about work!!!

I have had a couple of emails and the like with questions about the "camps"... because it is sort of confusing as to who and what that's all about. So, for those of you who might be interested, the story goes like this. Ed's (and Bill's) parents bought a small fishing camp on the lake back in the 1950's. They used it as an escape from work and home, and moved into it during the summers while they rented out their home on the ocean. (this helped them pay taxes and such) For the better part of growing up, Ed lived at the lake in the summer time. Naturally he has many fond memories of that, escept for Labor Day weekend, when it meant moving "back home and going back to school". When we started dating and all, Ed and I spent many weekends at the camp, and then the girls came along, we were there often.

In the '80s, Ed parents decided to take the fishing camp down and build a house that would be more suitable as a "retirement house", that way they could spend more of the year on the lake... the little fishing camp was really not suited for cold weather!!! Sadly, Ed's Dad passed before he had much time to spend in the new (big) camp... but Ed's Mom was able to spend a number of summers there.

In the early 90's, the camp beside "Kay's" and another camp "behind "came up for sale.(both camps were being sold together as a package) Since we were spending so much time at the lake, Ed and I decided to buy those camp and have one of our own and one to rent out. Like Kay's old camp, the one we bought on the lakeside, was in bad need, and we decided to take it down, and build a new one for ourselves... the "little" camp, as we call it. As you can see, these two camps are very close (as are all the camps on the lake), so it's important that you like your neighbor!!!

As life made it's way along, and Ed and I began to talk about "what we would do when the girls were grown"..and it turned out that we would like to have a farm. I have dreamed of living on a farm since I was a little girl, anyone who knows me, knows that animals have been a HUGE part of my life!!!! Because we had the camp, and knew that we would need to "tend a farm and still be able to have time at camp"... it only made sense that we try and find our farm near the camp. After a couple of years of searching, we found the land that we have now.... and slowly began to make plans to change our lives over and move. (And, if you have been a blog follower, you know that the move happened last summer.)



We moved here last summer, even though our farm house isn't done, for a couple of reasons - one being, we wanted to be "around" with the house going up... and driving back and forth (an hour each way) wasn't practical. And two, with Kas and Nate getting ready to start their lives outside of the military, they needed a home to live in, our old house seemed like the perfect answer. The fact, too, that our barn up was, also meant that we could bring the horses with us, and save quite a bit in boarding fees as well. So, it made good sense to make our move.



All winter, we have lived in the "big" camp, which actually is a nice sized cape and is just two miles from our farm. It has worked well, with 6 dogs, 3 cats, guinea pigs and Titus. But, in about three weeks, we need to move from the big camp and back into our little camp. After Ed's Mom passed a few summers ago, we began to rent out the big camp, and we have it rented pretty much the entire summer this year. I am a little "worried" about living in the little camp.... it's really little, and we already know that Titus can't be with us (there is NO room for his tank) and the "piggies" can't be with us either, so we are looking at places in the barn or even the house for them to live. And with ANY luck, we will be in our new house before the fall.......so, that is pretty much the "story" in a nutshell.... and what we call "the big camp" (Kay's), the "little camp" (ours) and the "back camp" (the rental)......





For the holiday weekend, I was able to rent both the "back" camp and our "little" camp, thus the reason that we needed to "get it together" and have things picked up, opened up and ready to go.

Last night, Dave, Nate and Sean came to help Ed get the docks back in!!!(thanks guys, we couldn't do it without you!!!!) It's so very nice to see them in the water once again!!!!

And "this" will be "home" for the summer... certainly not a bad spot to be in!!!!!

And here is the "back" camp, .. it's isn't on the water side, but we have pretty good luck renting it out. The people who do rent it, just have a short walk to the lake, and a grand view from their "perch" on the hill..... the lawns look so much better now!!! (wished I had take a before picture)

Goodness, you'd think they had done all the work!!!!!!

Another summer season is just beginning.... I don't even want to think of how quickly it will go by!!!!!

only here....

Mocha made me a little nervous when I pulled up to the barn the other day...

Laying out in the sun, but so still, that for a moment I had to wonder if she was OK....

After checking to make sure she was breathing... and then taking a couple of photos... I called her name...

she seems a bit annoyed that I woke her up!!!!

And I still can't figure out if Charlie was visiting Titus... or if Titus was visiting with Charlie!!!!

leave it our animals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"horsework"

Breakfast is over, the "childred" have now gone out to play.....

Dishes are done.........

Beds are made........

Sweeping completed.........

Everything in its proper place.......

And now it's time to do "housework"!!!!!!!!!

the open house

Today was such a fun day on the farm, being our open house and all. Well, actually it was "Timberpeg's Open house", but we took advantage of it and invited as many people as we could think of!!! The great thing, is, many of those people showed up!!! The "bad" thing is, it's very hard to visit with everyone, so we did our best to spend time with everyone (and if I missed out on you... I'm sorry and want you to come back again!!!)

We set the dinning room up with some snacks... the first of many meals to come in this room!!!!

And we tried to make sure that we had chairs for people to sit.... not too fancy, but they worked. We also had the woodstove chugging, because the day was cool, and several times I saw groups of friends hanging around our stove.... again the first of many I hope... there is nothing like seeing friends hanging around your woodstove!!!!!

Course, the "open house" turned more into an open farm, because some of our friends had not seen the barn in a long time.... so there were several "barn tours" as well. The horses thought this was pretty grand... they love company, and if they were outside, they would come running in to meet the next group of folks that were "touring" the barn.

I have "no problems" with dogs visiting our barn. I like it when my "students" bring their dogs!!! This is Kathleen and Bob, they are the folks that raise "service puppies" (ie:Posie) so today when they popped in, they brought Harvey with them. Harvey was very excited to meet the horses, he especially liked Mocha, and offered her a play bow.... I don't think he could understand why Mocha didn't come out and play with him!!!

And then another surprise guest..... this is Scott and Cooper!!!! If you read back about a year ago, Cooper was a foster dog we had, and Scott adopted him. Well, Scott actually grew up in our town (he lives far away now) but he was visiting with his family this weekend, saw the "open house" sign and thought he would pop in and pay us a call!!!! Cooper didn't remember me, but that's OK... he is just totally in love with Scott!!! (what do you think about that Aileen!!!)

Just as it should be.... friends in the dining room, enjoying good conversation and snacks!!!!

(the "gentleman" waving in the back ground is one of the "Ds!!!!!)

We posed for one family photo (minus Kas and Nate :-( to show off our "farm" shirts and mark this happy day!!!!

The first of many, many parties in this house... a great omen!!!!

spring things...

Thursday was a busy day about the farm. Ed was finishing up last minute projects so the cement can be done on Friday. I had an appointment in the morning, but hurried back to the farm as soon as I could.

Spring is in full force here and I am loving it. I still don't know what kind of bird this is... I am thinking it is a Blue Indigo and not a bluebird. But either way, it's very pretty and must have quite the nest of babies, because the noise they make when the parents are around is quite loud. The parents are always running to and fro, keeping this new family fed is a full time job for both of them.

Living in the "heart of apple country" and seeing all the orchards in full bloom is amazing. As far as you can see, are these beautiful white and pink blossoms. In a couple of weeks, the flowers will be gone, and all those pedals will blow in the wind.... a spring "snow fall"........

Our good friend Rick arrived, he has been wanting some manure for a new garden and asked if he could take some of our pile. I am thrilled to get rid of it. We are going to move the pile to a new spot (I hate where we have it.... it looks awful) and I had been looking for someone to take it away. But between Rick and a few others that have asked about it, I think we can find a new home for most of it.

while Ed was loading up Rick's truck... Rick brought his boxer puppy, Gus, out to meet the horses. Our horses are great with dogs, they are curious and very gentle. At first Gus didn't quite know what to make of these big guys, but it didn't take him to long to feel quite comfortable with them. I always think it's great for dogs to know horses... after all, there's a good chance you'll run into one or two of them while riding or driving, so the more horses know about dogs (and visa versa) the better.....

Another big day tomorrow with the cement scheduled to arrive, and then the open house over the weekend.... the days are going to fly........

"sea-ment" :-)

Bright and early Friday morning, the cement trucks were lined up on the road!! (I think it was the Beverly Hillbillies that called it "sea-ment!!!") After all the rush in getting the radiant heating tubes in place, Ed's hard work paid off, because he was already for these big trucks to arrive.

The crew began in the cellar. We were a bit worried about how the cement trucks would fit behind the house (avoiding the septic system), but the drivers got them in there. The guys started at the far corners and worked themselves out the door. I cant believe how quick they were.

And what a huge difference it makes!!! My kennel area is getting closer all the time!!!!

Then they moved up the garage. Again, those cement truck drivers just put their trucks and shoots in the perfect spots.... somehow I think they have done this before!!!!

And as easily as it came down, the guys just brushed it into place. They make it look so easy, but there is a real art to leveling cement!!! It took the entire day, brushing it out and making sure the pitch and such was just right. 24 hours later, we can walk on it (just in time for the open house) and within the week, we can move the cars in!!!!






Now, I consider myself as a "blessed" person verses a "lucky" person... but I found it so interesting that as I was walking across the field, I picked up a clover leaf in my sneaker...

a four leaf clover leaf...... what do you think of that????

Duke's turn...

Dusty popped by today for another photo shoot. This one was based on "barn chores" (or something to that effect). Yet again I had to be away during her shoot, but she said that it went well.

Duke was the one in this photo.... he is very happy now... because that means all the horses have had their moment of "picture fame with Dusty!!!" (Duke told me he felt a little left out that his "brothers and sister" had the photos professionaly done!!!!)

no keets....

after such a happy day on the farm yesterday... today has proven to be different. I went to check on my "sitting hen" only to find that the nest is gone and so is she. "something" of the night must have found her last night and everything is gone...just a bunch of feathers that I found near my round pen. I am quite sad... I was looking forward to having some little "puff ball babies" around the farm. Wished I had at least tried to move that nest yesterday... but life is full of "should have's" and one can't dwell on that. Poor "Mr."guinea hen looks kind of lost today, he's the only bird left........

what a day!!!!

What an amazing day it was on the farm!!!! We started out with a visit from the farrier to trim the horse's feet. Everyone was quite good and stood like "gentlemen" to have their feet done. The only complaint that I get with the drafts, is that they can be "lazy" and like to lean on the farrier!!! Holding up a few hundred pounds can be hard on the back!!! so, there is the occasional "elbow in the ribs" to get them standing on their on three legs!!!!

Just to give you some idea of how big Duke's feet are!!!!

and just how tiny Mocha's feet are!!! we certainly have variety on the farm!!!!

I've been watching my bird houses pretty closely these days. Today I found out for sure, that both houses have "tenants"... because you can hear the babies chirping when the parents arrive. I think that I have a bluebird family in one house and a blue indigo family in the other house. Both birds are bright blue, but one set seems to have a reddish underside and the other (in this picture) has a bright white underside. I keep hoping that I can get a real good close up shot and see for sure what we have. But, it's fun to watch them go in and out.....

Today, we "took the day off from house work" and just did some chores around the farm. One which included turning over the manure pile and cleaning up the paddock area. I am so thrilled that we have this tractor...it certainly makes short work of it all... I don't know where we would be without it.

As Ed was turning over the pile, he called to me and said... "you might want to save that little fellow from getting squished"... and I looked and say this very handsome toad!!! So, I scooped him up and took him to a safe location... but not before getting some very cute photos of him!!!!

I can't tell is he is happy with his new place or just posing for a picture.... I really don't speak "toad"......

Now, there has been a great mystery around the farm with regards to the guinea hens. We are down to two, and I have been wondering if they were a "couple". For over a week, we have only seen one bird around and only one coming in at night. Just when I think that something must have happened to the other... "she" shows up for a little bit and then disappears again. Today, when I spotted her, I was determined to find out "where" she was going.....





And we have discovered that she is sitting on a nest!!!! It is so clever where she has made it... along the stone wall that boarders our field. When she is on the nest, she looks just like one of the rocks in the wall. I was a little mean and poked her with a stick just enough to see how many eggs she has... a quick count, I think I saw about 14 of them.

As much as I would like to take the nest and bring it in where it would truly be safe, my bird friends say "don't touch it"... so, I will leave it for now and just check it every so often. If we do get some "keets"... then I will catch them and bring them inside. This is very exciting...so stay tuned for baby guinea hen updates!!!!!

And if the day wasn't already filled with exciting things... this evening Ed was heading down to the fire station, and not two camps away from us...

this big cow moose crossed the road in front of him. Fortunately, he was able to get this picture with his cell phone... he said when he first saw her, he thought she was someone's horse and it took him a minute to realize what he actually saw!!!!

ahhh... a "real day" of living in the country...... wonderful!!!!!! and that dear readers should catch you all update on the news.... I know, I know... it's been a few days, so you would expect some "news"!!!!!!

buggies!!!!!

Yesterday my little fly predators arrived in the mail!!! If you remember, I had ordered them one day last winter and they said that once the good weather came, they would be shipped.

Now, these little predators eat the fly lava that is in manure piles and the like and are suppose to reduce the fly population. I have talked with several people who use them, and I guess they make a big difference around your barn and animals... so I am anxious to try them out.

The funny thing is, you can't put them out right away... actually you have to keep them warm and in their package for a few days... because they need to hatch. What you see here are the fly predator "eggs" (the black specs) and they have been shipped in saw dust.

You have to watch for "movement" in the package, and then take them out and sprinkle them around your manure pile, area of your paddock etc....

so... we're waiting for hatchlings!!!!!