Random Friday

1.  A few weekends ago, Brett was out of town and I was on my own with the animals.  Of course, before he left, Brett stacked hay in the cart, filled Jackson's water trough and the chicken feed bins, and generally had things set up for me.  The weather was warm and Jackson drank more than half of his water.  I decided to fill it while I was mucking out his roundpen.  Brett had the hose ready to go, it ran from the outside faucet up the outside of the wall, over the top, and then dropped into the black rubber trough.  I turned on the water and went to work; then went into the house for my breakfast.  When I came back outside, Jackson had a lake covering a good portion of the roundpen.  It took more than a week to dry so I had to admit to it.  Brett shook his head and said, "Good thing we've had a lot of rain and the well is full."

2.  Other than a few light showers last weekend, the weather has been dry and warm.  The ground is hard and dry so, on Wednesday, I moved Jackson out to the donkey pasture.  He loves Lucy but she herds him and Pistol around all day.  Pistol is benefiting from the exercise, looking trim and healthy, but Jackson is gimpy on his best days so it isn't good for him.  Tex is also big on herding Jackson around so Jackson is stuck with Tuffy and Finessa.  I slipped the halter off and Jackson dropped his head to the grass and began eating.  I sat in a chair and watched him for a long time.  He was so happy, it made me happy just watching him.  Tuffy walked over to say hello and Jackson tossed his head and snaked it at Tuffy who promptly retreated.  A small brown bird rode on Jackson's rump for awhile and the geese watched him from a safe distance.

Jackson is loving life -- with the geese, donkeys and ducks.

3.  We lost a chicken last weekend.  She was one of our new hens, only a year old.  I found her laying beside the feeder inside the hen house when I opened the door in the morning.  There was no sign of trauma and she had been acting absolutely normal.  Sometimes chickens die for no apparent reason at all. We are putting this loss in that category.

My snapdragons are going nuts.  One of my favorite flowers.

4.  "I know you are going to hate me, but please no riding for the next five weeks until I see you again."  My doctor looked at me with something between a plea and an order in her eyes.  "I haven't ridden since March 28 when the pain started."  She sighed.  "Good."  Until I see her again, I've been subjected to a battery of x-rays, ordered to take my pain meds ("I know you don't like taking them, but its important") and sent to physical therapy.  We won't have a definitive diagnosis until she has a chance to review the x-rays, but I most likely have a compromised disk or two in my lower back.  And the injury that started it all?  Winston dumping me twice out on the trail a number of years ago.  The ground was rocky, hard and unforgiving.  I took the pain pills the ER gave me without complaint that time.  Lucy is going to have to make do with the massages I give her every night when I'm in the pasture picking up poop.  I'd rather scratch her belly, (or withers or neck or butt) than pick up poop.

5.  Last week I switched out my closet from cashmere sweaters and wool jackets to cotton and silk; I took the duvets off of the beds and replaced them with summer quilts; the pond in the donkey pasture has shrunk to a puddle; we've added fly masks and fly spray to the morning routine; and this morning the Canada geese were gone.