Fish Emulsion Mistake

 When I start seeds, I add a bit of fertilizer as an ingredient in my seed starting mix so I don’t worry about feeding the baby plants when they first sprout.  There is also a bit of fertilizer, some compost and worm castings that are added to my potting mix when I move the seedlings up to 4” pots.  Some of these plants will go to the Master Gardener spring plant sale (our big fund raiser for the year) and some will go in my garden.  Regardless of where they end up, I want them strong and healthy with a mass of white roots filling the pot.  So, after the plants have been in their pots for a month or so, I give them a little drink of fish emulsion.  

This morning was the day.  I fertilize on the 15th of the month — I have to pick an easy to remember day otherwise I forget.  Tomorrow, the 15th, we are expecting snow so I did it today.  I put a couple tablespoons of fish emulsion in my watering can and filled it with water.  The lovely smell of fish emulsion filled the greenhouse.  Think tuna.  Both Sage and Acorn appeared at my feet, noses twitching as they tried to locate the fish.  When I watered the little pots, both dogs stood under the bench and licked up the fishy water that leaked through.  

I still had some of the mix in my watering can so I took it out to the garden bed where I have parsley, turnips and bok choy growing.  The dogs were eyeing the planter bed with interest so I made sure they came with me when I left the garden, closing the back gate behind me.  

A few minutes later, I was busy mucking one of the pastures when I realized that Acorn was no longer with me.  I looked over at the garden and there he was — standing in the raised bed, digging like mad, trying to find that fish.  He had gone around to the front gate which was closed, but not latched, and let himself in.  One of the turnips was half-way out and the other plus the bok choy were flung to the side.  I stuck them back in the ground but I don’t have high hopes for their survival.  I think he chomped the roots.  Dang dog.  And stupid me for not latching the front garden gate.

Tex in 2021

 It’s been awhile since I’ve given an update on Tex.  The big red dun still owns the biggest part of my horse heart.  ...funny how so many people and animals can crowd into one heart without it feeling crowded at all.  

Some of you will remember that a number of years ago, when I first started working with Tex, when he became mine, I did quite a bit of liberty work with him.  We even spent a weekend in Sonoma County learning from a renowned trainer there.  At the time, Tex wouldn’t come near me and he was dang hard to catch.  Even with a bucket of treats, Tex was reluctant to come near.  And put on a fly mask?  HA HA HA.  No dice.  

Over time, he’s learned to accept a fly mask and he will come to me in the pasture to be caught.  I’ve made sure that most of the time getting caught means wandering around the ranch with me eating grass and carrots that I’ve hidden.  Its our scavenger hunt and Tex loves it.  In the past couple of years, Tex has come to enjoy being groomed and will stand quietly to be saddled and for the farrier.  When we (rarely) ride, he is relaxed and I always want to stop before he does.  We’ve come a long way.

Tex shares a pasture with Lucy and Luek.  When I am cleaning the pasture, Lucy follows me around begging for attention.  She loves having her withers scratched, or her butt, or her back, or her ears.  She’s big on hugs too.  Tex has always kept to himself.  He wouldn’t run off when I walked by, but he didn’t follow me around either.  

I used to get up at the crack of dawn and race around the pasture, flinging poop into the muck cart, and then racing back out the gate to get ready for work.  It’s taken me awhile to relax about chores, but since retiring I muck after breakfast when the sun is up and has taken the edge off the morning chill.  I enjoy the birdsong, the sunshine, and lingering with the horses.  In the past few weeks, after months of making a point to spend a little time scratching Tex’s withers and rubbing his neck — whether he wanted it or not — Tex has decided that he likes the attention.  Now, he is first to greet me and he follows me almost as much as Lucy.  A couple of times in the past week, he has walked over to me and stood at my shoulder like we used to do for liberty work.  We walked up and down and around a couple trees a few days ago and he never left my side.  He definitely took a bigger chunk of my heart that day.