Tuesday, June 2, 2015

One of those life updates



Our past weekend was a whirlwind of activity.  I sound like a broken record!  We picked up our fourth, and hopefully final ton of bedding pellets.  We've never used more than 4 tons in a year, so I should have enough to last through this coming winter and next spring. That would be wonderful!  I saved a total of $92.40 by buying them all now while they were on sale, plus I get peace of mind at not having to pick them up during inclement weather and a busier (ha!) time of year.  In case you were wondering, 4 tons of bedding pellets makes a mighty big pile!!

I got my small garden box weeded again, 3rd time this year already...I hate morning glories!  The bigger one isn't so bad for some reason, and I have about 2/3 of my garden planting finished.  I have two big tomatoes, a beefsteak and a heirloom variety new to me, my favorite ever cherry-sized tomato (Sungold) and a grape tomato.  Yum.  

I planted a row of strawberries, (a variety of types), some Walla Walla onions, Acorn squash, spaghetti squash, zucchini, lemon cucumber, cilantro, sweet basil, oregano and maybe that's it.  Anyway, I have more plants than I have space for planting.  *sigh*  I always seem to get carried away, and every year I try not to.  I bought a new rose bush (deep red) to replace the one that didn't make it from last year, 2 more lavender plants (cause I love them) and a couple of nasturtiums.  I've also got a couple of chrysanthemums and a flowering bush that I still need to find places for.  As usual, I'm putting the cart before the horse.  Some things never change!

I went over to Rachel's to watch her work with Eagle Sunday afternoon.  He is doing absolutely fantastic!  He is very pleased with his lessons, and I am immensely happy that he's so happy!  He's been on several more trail rides, and has added sidepassing to his regular routine.  She's been having him walk over tarps, open and pass through gates and going over the tippy bridge.  He's also learning to control his spooks.  Dealing with our irrational fears seems to be a challenge for many of us, animal or human.  But he's just doing great, coming along nicely and quicker than I'd ever imagined.  The footing in Rachel's outside arena is tiny gravel, maybe 1/4 minus or something similar, which is proving to be too rough on his feet.  He's wearing his boots on the front, and I'll be ordering a pair for his backs as soon as I get the measurements.  He goes barefoot in the hills and trails, doing just fine out there.  I'm really getting anxious to ride my horse - I've waited long enough!  But wait I will, until he's not quite so green.  When I ride him for the first time, I want it to be a successful ride for both of us.  Rachel agrees with me that if he was ridden at all, it was just people sneaking rides on him, he's as green as grass as far as "training" goes.  He's such a smart and willing horse though, he's coming along quicker than either of us had hoped.  :)  




Ladde and/or Missy, who spend their nights in the corral; broke a post which allowed the 6 ft gate to crash the other night, so we had to buy a new post and a couple new fence boards to make that repair.  I never know who to blame because Ladde likes to push down on the top of the gate, while Missy is a major butt rubber.  *sigh*  Those two!  They are a match made in heaven!!  Anyway, my hubby got that job taken care of while I worked in the garden.  No rest for the wicked...speaking of the Laddmonster, he had a bout of gas colic last week.  Scared the stuffing right out of me!  I'm cool and collected at work, offering sound advice for people to deal with a colicing horse...but when it's my horse - all that knowledge and know-how goes right out the window.  I am like everybody else. Scared and in need of help.  I administered a dose of Banamine and called my boss/my vet and he came out and gave Ladde an exam, took his vitals and determined that he thought he'd be alright.  Ladde was sweated all over and soaking wet, oozing mud from his very pores, so we sponged him off until he was cool, then put his blanket on for the night. He's recovered and since has had no other issues.  Grateful!  Thankful!!  Feeling blessed!!  Ack, how I hate colic!!

My hubs took the camper off our truck so I would be able to take more hay out to Eags when it was needed.  

My one really special treat (except visiting Eags) was having my toes done.  Oh my, how I love those pedicures!  It's just so relaxing and decadent to sit there and totally chill while somebody massages sweet-smelling oil all over my feet and calves.  My feet are silky soft and callous free, and my toes are painted a lovely coral color, perfect for late spring and wearing sandals.  What a treat that was!!  Now I just need to work on that suntan...

Our weather lately has been getting warmer and warmer, but we had a front blow in night before last and there was booming thunder, lightning and lots of rain.  It felt absolutely delicious after that 87 degree Sunday we had!  I just cannot tolerate the heat these days, zaps all my energy and unless I get into shade, I actually feel dizzy, then sick.  Time to get that swimming pool  back up in our yard!  It's only 12 ft in diameter, but it's big enough to get in and feel cool and refreshed.  I just love it! So, today is another cool, grey and drizzly day, but it's supposed to be heating back up again, with 90 degrees predicted for Sunday.  Oh well, better get used to it - here comes summer!  Less than 2 weeks away. I've really enjoyed this spring, a good mix of sunshine, comfortable temps and some rain mixed in for good measure.  I am so ready to spend time on the deck, in the pool, having friends over for BBQ's and the like.  I'm ready for more camping trips, horse back riding in the mountains and oh, just everything!  I want to be a social butterfly and eat ice cream, watch fireworks and spend time with friends, read a good book...just enjoy life.  Time goes by all too quickly for me and I just want to live without always having to worry about everything that needs to be done.  A good mix of work and play is perfect, but life is always heavy on the work end of the scales.  Just doesn't seem quite right to me.

Well that's about it for now...until next time,
blessings all around!
Lorie 


6 comments:

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

He's looking good! and I am probably one of the handful of people on the planet that does not like pedicures - don't like people messing with my feet. I know.. weird.

Michaele said...

It definitely is that time of year where there is a LOT of work. But that's what it takes to live a country lifestyle. I hope you can balance it out with some fun. It must be hard to wait to ride that horse but sounds like that too will be worth it.

C-ingspots said...

Thank you Karen Ann!! Guess we all have our things...not weird, we just don't like, what we don't like! I'll do double pedi duty for you okay? :)

Michaele, it is part of living in the country. I guess I really do think it's all worth while, just have to growl a little bit about it every now and then. And yes, I want to ride him soooo bad!! We're getting closer everyday though.

Grey Horse Matters said...

I know how you feel. So much work - so little time. But it's better than being stuck in the house with snow and cold (for me at least).

Eagle is looking fantastic. Glad he's doing so well. He's such a smart guy and a sweetheart.

T.L. Merrybard said...

Eagle looks great! So excited for you! You saying he is still green reminds me of a Parelli book I read once, one of his very early ones. Something in there about a horse not being really considered finished until he has had, like, a thousand hours of riding under his belt. Some long amount of time like that anyway. It really made me think and concentrate on getting those hours onto my horses. So many of our horses really see very little actual saddle time. Lots are probably still green their whole lives, unlike the ponies/horses most of us had as kids hey? We were never off them! No wonder they were generally quiet and unsurprised by anything we did!

That list of things you want to do more of looks pretty darn good to me. :)

IanH said...

Awe, you just ruined my mental picture of cowgirls with that painted toe bit! Annie Oakley would never have gone for that!