Wednesdays with Tex: Splish, Splash

Another thing that happened last week while I was at work...

Brett replaced another section of fence in the boy's pasture; the front pasture; or pasture number 3.  It has many names (also known as the swamp in the spring).

While he was working on the fence, he put Flash and Tex in with the donkeys, in their pasture.

Funny, how a new location can be exciting.  Tuffy loves to run.  Finessa not so much.

So most of the time Tuffy runs by himself, or not at all.  Tex loves to run, too.  So, they raced around the pasture, leaving deep divots in the mud.

Then Tex discovered the pond.  He waded into the middle and pawed at the water, splashing himself with the icy water.  Then he added running through the water to his race course in the pasture.  There wasn't much water left in the pond by the end of the day.

...and both he and Flash were covered in mud.

Me and the Shedding Blade are Popular

The horses are starting to shed out their winter coats.  That coupled with unseasonably warm weather this weekend, has made the horses itchy and hot.

When they see me with the shedding blade, they follow me around like I have candy.

While I run the blade over Lucy, she grooms Pistol on the withers.

When I turn my attention to Pistol, who is shedding huge handfuls of white hair, Lucy prods me with her nose.

None of them want me to stop.  --except Mufasa who can't decide if he is scared to be touched with that metal weapon or thrilled with the feel of it scratching away the itchy loose fur.

Even the donkeys enjoyed a turn.  As I was working on Jackson, I felt a nudge against my lower back.  I turned, and there was Tuffy's butt, right up against me, waiting to be scratched.

A Little Drop of Rain

Last night, as Brett and I headed upstairs to bed, lightening lit up our room and thunder crashed.  We were surprised at Kersey, who sat looking at us with her tongue hanging out and her usual happy grin.  Sedona was absolutely undone by thunder, ripping screens on the windows to shreds in an effort to get inside.  It was really the only time she wanted to be inside and, even then, she would sit on my foot and whine pathetically.  Unlike Kersey who wasn't going to let some pyrotechnics interrupt her beauty sleep.

We hoped that there would be enough rain to counteract any lightening strikes and to help the firefighters working on the King fire.  This morning we woke to cloudy skies and a few hundreths of an inch of rain in the rain gauge.

It was just enough to turn Lucy into an appaloosa.

In the mornings, the horses get their vitamins and supplements.  Kersey is always happy to clean their bowls afterwards.  There isn't much left, just a few crumbs of low starch supplement with a bit of glucosamine mixed in.

While I got to work mucking the donkey and mare pastures, Brett doles out hay to the goats, donkeys and horses.  He takes care of the hay because I am allergic to it.  If he isn't home and I need to feed hay, I wear long sleeves and gloves and hold my breath a lot.

The sun was just peeking over the hill as we finished up.

We didn't have nearly as much smoke today; just a faint whiff of it in the air.  After church (first time Brett has been able to sit with his knee bent long enough to get through a church service), we went to the nursery and picked up more gopher repellent.  Yep, they ate three more plants.  I bought two big bags and plan to use it liberally -- its organic and won't hurt the plants or Kersey.

Brett's knee is doing well.  He walks with no limp at all (unless he's tired).  He's trying to make it through the night without pain pills and that's going okay.  The knee wakes him up and he tosses around a lot, but he doesn't want to be dependent on the pills for sleep.  Starting tomorrow, he will have full morning chore duty by himself.  I have been going into work late so I can help him but my five weeks of doing so are over.  I'll be heading down the road as the sun comes up instead of heading out to the barn.  (I'd rather head out to the barn).

The rain overnight helped the fire and the lightening doesn't appear to have caused further fires.  The King fire is 17% contained tonight.  There have been ten homes burned to the ground and 22 "other structures."  There were some displaced people in church this morning -- it really brings the tragedy of the fire home.

Have a good week everyone.  Fall starts tomorrow.  Yahoo!!

Hot and Snakey

It's been hot here, hot and still and a bit humid.  It doesn't cool down a whole lot during the night; and cool nights are one of the things I most love about living in the mountains.  Tonight we waited for the sun to drop below the ridge before doing chores.  It was still hot -- 92F.  Of course, that's better than the 108F it was at my office when I left but still... ugh.

I started mucking the donkey pasture first.  As I trudged along, pulling the muck cart, shuffling my feet in a weary slog with my head down, I noticed a branch under the oak tree.  A white branch.  Like a birch or an aspen.  My brain slowly wrapped itself around that thought and reminded me that we have grey-black oak trees here; not birch or aspen.

I walked over for a closer look.  Eek!  Snake!  ...headless snake!

No rattles...

Most likely a gopher snake.  A big one.

But what killed it?  Did the donkeys stomp on it?  And where on earth was the head?

I asked them to come over for a family conference.

They were all ears.

But not very forthcoming on details.

Brett tossed the snake in the garbage

and I starting mucking the mare's pasture.

Any theories on how the snake was killed from my readers?

Wednesday Evening

I love pulling into the driveway after work with almost two hours of light left.  Tonight, I flung the groceries onto the counter and ran upstairs to change into my jeans and a sweatshirt.  Brett had been busy painting the hen house today.  I love the color; so cheerful.

Brett asked me to help him bring the horses into the oak pasture for the night.  He let them roam around the ranch today.  Mufasa was already next to the pasture, ready to be tucked in for the night.

Flash was a bit further down, grazing underneath the tree house.

Jackson was the furthest away, chowing down on the green grass next to the dressage court.  His right front is brewing another abscess.  Poor guy.

Brett had both Flash and Mufasa in the oak pasture in the time it took me to move Jackson a few feet.  Once we got off the spongy grass covered ground and onto the packed dirt pathway, Jackson stopped and looked me with eyes that said he just couldn't make it all the way to the oak pasture.  We were right next to the donkey pasture so Brett opened the back gate and we put him in there.  He thanked me and got to work on the grass, which must have been very tasty judging by the way he was ripping at it with his teeth.

Tuffy wasn't too sure about sharing his pasture with Jackson.  When Jackson is sound, he enjoys chasing Tuffy.  Of course, he isn't in any shape to chase anything right now.  What is he doing in here??!

Are you listening to me?? I want him out.  Now.

Sorry Tuffy.  Deal with it.  Jackson is moving in until his abscess bursts.  Put on your big boy pants.

With the animals safely tucked in for the night, I headed into the house and made dinner.  Black rice with mangos, oranges, peanuts and watercress, all tossed together with a lemon honey vinaigrette.

Soaking up the Sunshine

Just to be clear, there isn't any sunshine today.  We have cold, windy overcast skies; an occasional raindrop and a possibility of snow flurries.  But, we did have sunshine on Friday.  Brett caught the horse relaxing in the sun after a therapeutic roll in the mud.  Spa day at its best.

Tuffy and Finessa

Mufasa and Jackson

Jackson -- doing great.  I removed his fancy booties today.

Flash

Flash and Winston (last day at home - for awhile)

Nobody naps like Flash.  

Sleep -- ahhhh, bliss.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

It's good to be back home.

Even if it's only for two days.

We're quite the couple, Brett and I.

I can't use my left arm without pain in my chest;

Brett's back is out of whack;

We hobble around like we're a hundred years old.

Even so, it's good to be together.

Sedona agrees.

I love that dog.

Winston, on the other hand, 

couldn't be bothered.

The muck cart was more interesting than me.

He wouldn't give me the time of day.

But he chased off Mufasa and Jackson if they came too close to me.

He is definitely not happy I was gone.

The donkeys were not at all stand off-ish.

They came right over and said hi.

But most importantly,

Brett is happy that I'm home.

Or, maybe, he was just happy to have a home cooked meal.

Donkey Discussion

 Hey, Tuffy and Finessa,

c'mon over here.  

I need your advice on something.

What's up?  We're all ears.

 I've got this Google+ comment dilemma. 

My blogger friends can't comment on my blog

unless they create a Google+ account

and some of them are concerned about privacy

and won't.

I miss them.

Tuffy: Get rid of Google+

But I have a lot of followers on Google+.

They leave me comments too.

I can't just delete that relationship.

And Google+ allows non-blogging friends and family

to comment.

I like that.

Finessa:  You have a problem, alright.

 

 Brett created a Google+ account last night.

It asked for his name and gender.

It wanted his birthday, but just month and day.

It didn't seem invasive to us,

but that's a personal decision.

My boundaries aren't the same as everyone else's.

I publish poetry

so I'm used to my name being out there.

Other people aren't.

Jackson: Live and let live.  People will do what is best for them.  Let it go.  

 

Thanks, Jackson.  You are a very wise horse.  I'll do that.