Animal R and R

Java sporting her new fly mask (which I still think looks stupid, but it works) and her new fly sheet. The flys are not bad, but I figure the less they have to worry about and swish their tails for, the happier they are. These pictures were taken yesterday afternoon. The dogs were not going anywhere, the just like hanging out in the back of the car. Mackie clearly is not interested in getting out. Bandy is just playing along. Danny was up top and Maggie was mowing the lower paddock. These guys are spending a lot of time outside and are loving it. Me too.

Oh, and we got more hay yesterday. Loft loaded again, and my hay guys loaded the loft for me, again. They are awesome! And, Java really likes the new hay. Danny and Maggie eat anything and don't care as long as they are eating something.

flymasks all around

I think to myself as I see these guys with their masks on: "What the heck am I thinking. These things are ridiculous."

Java: clearly not amused.
Java is definitely using profanity with that expression.




















Maggie: Clearly not amused:
Maggie: Oh My God, I cannot....





















Danny, always wanting what is on the other side of the fence, and always amused:. His mask is black because it is Java's first mask. Danny is trying it out to see if he wants is very own mask.














Horse Fly Masks:
Crazy looking: YES.
Like magic: YES.

Happy, non head shaking horses live here now.

Gnats, UPS and flymasks.

It's amazing what you can accomplish when you are sitting on the edge of your seat for your fly mask order to arrive: home made chicken pot pie, home made strawberry shortcake, sold manure to a local gardener, laundry, ate the remainder of the chocolate ice cream, ordered hay and curried Java about 30 times. Dan and Mags are body clipped and right now, lower maintenance.

Now, the wait is over! The UPS truck just pulled out of the driveway, and it's going to be a flymask party. We have gnats, they are gverry gannoying to the horses. Go gaway gnats. Dan and Mags are fly mask newbies, so I think they will love this new accessory. Dan will get to wear one of Java's and if he likes it, his mom will get him his very own. Maggie has tried out Java's and loffs it. And, Java got a new fly sheet this season. Reviews to come. Yes, I plan on being my usual critical self. :)

These pictures were from early this morning before the gnats woke up. The horses are back in right now resting from the buggers, but are about to go back out with the right gear for all day grazing! yeah!

Phase I of planting trees is complete

Wow, what a weekend:

Planted 25 trees, the whole row along the property line, some along the front and a few up top from here. I ran out of steam yesterday afternoon, and Mr. Java's Mom did most of the work.



























Java and Danny grazing as Mr. Java's Mom and the trusty John Deere 2305 on the way to get more mulch for the trees out front.


















Bandy and Java. Bandy is always on duty. Here she is letting me know that the herd is safe and wants to know if I am going to take her for a car ride as a reward for being so cute.

nice weather to be lazzzzzzzzyyy.

I'm exhausted from planting trees and the idea of finishing the installation of the rest of the trees. Mr. Java's Mom is doing most of the work... but... it's SO nice outside, I want to take a nap. Really. The horses are happy, soaking in the warm weather, happy and wonderful, it makes me want to relax... just one day, please? Nope, we're going to plant 11 trees today. The others are in, and look great so far. We will mulch them this weekend too. As soon as I find the camera I'll take some interesting photos.

John Deere 2305, white pine, white spruce and happy horses.

Friends ask, so, what are you up to lately. I usually keep it simple with, "oh the usual"...Like unloading 25 trees at 7:00 at night in the cold rain. Well, I was "supervising" (which means I was hoping that he would not tip over the tractor or hurt any of the tress unloading them) and Mr. Java's Mom was unloading with the tractor, the John Deere 2305.

Good enough, they're here. Now to get them into the ground. These little beauties will be the first step in getting our paradise back to our private little paradise. I think we'll need more trees, but at least it is a start. There are 25 total to start with, not all are in the photo.

And, the gang is wonderful, of course. Spoiled rotten and loving every minute of it. The mares thankfully suddenly came to their senses and decided that friendship and love are wonderful, but food is the best. Back to the usual horse behavior today. Yes!

Java looking beautiful:

Java with Maggie looking on from the top paddock in the background:

Mags with her mud:

Danny with his mud:

Mags and Danny would rarely be allowed to roll in the mud without a turnout on at their "other home". Well, they are on vacation, so they are allowed to be horses here. Mags almost has a guilty expression like: "sorry about the mud, I could not help it and it felt soooooooo good". I did watch her roll, she was loving it.

a not quiet day with the animals

Danny is Mr. ants in his pants. Feed me, groom me, love me, feed me. Wait there while I run, then I'll scream for the girls and get them going too.

Java just wants to eat. And Maggie. Well... Maggie is sure that she has a crush on Danny, but now also seems to have discovered that she likes Java too. Spring with mares. Always an adventure. Lot of whinnying.

a quiet day with the animals:

The gang, relaxing. Danny is wandering around up top during most of this, so he did not make it into any of the photos for this post. Don't worry, he's OK, living it up.

Maggie demonstrating her incredibly good manners by sharing the paddock for a minute with Mackie:

















Java, my trusty steed. We've had some awesome rides lately followed by curry comb shedding sessions.



















Bandy, keeping the herd secure:

















Maggie tasting the grass in the lower paddock. She approves of it's vintage and looks forward to future tastings.

Mags again, just because she looks so pretty:

warming up and the grass is starting to grow.

It's finally getting a little warmer here.

Danny discovered the other day that there is some grass here. He was too busy running and playing until yesterday to notice. And, he went out on the very grassy (very grassy for here) paddock for a little while and thought that was just the best spot of all! Of course I just have a picture of him in one of the smaller paddocks, but there will be other opportunities and I'm sure I'll get a better variety of photos for you soon, especially now that it is warm enough that I don't have to try to work the camera with mittens on.


















Java indulging in the "grassy" paddock. And as you might notice, the neighbor's lot is cleared of trees and currently has giant piles of dirt and sand. We are planting our privacy trees very soon.

the gang

Danny's day out without ear plugs went very well. He tried out the small barely grassy paddock and enjoyed it. Maggie kept him company from the top paddock.










Java watching Danny to make sure he's OK. Java went out after we knew Danny would be good.

Mags the saint:

This quiet horsey behavior lasted a few hours, then they all wanted in. Now now now. Mags and Danny are not used to being out for long periods of time, but they will eventually get used to it. Also, our weather has been cool and very windy lately so that is the perfect excuse for them to ask to come in.



Danny asking for a kiss on the nose after being tucked in:

Horse ear plugs

Photo of Danny ready to go outside for playtime with his girls cheering him on. One thing is missing... his ear plugs. Danny likes to find excuses to play (ie; run like a nut) and his ear plugs help him to feel more secure and in his own happy zone/place. Well, he got rid of them yesterday in the top paddock. They are brown. It took me hours and hours and hours to find QT's shoe, it will probably take waaaaaaaay longer to find two brown yarn balls out there. I think he will be OK. I'll be step up the helocopter-mom mode today to make sure he's OK.

Oh, and Maggie has a crush on Danny. These horses are very funny. I'm sure they will do something new today. The camera is in my pocket with battery fully charged.

Danny day 1:

Danny's first day was pretty good. Cold and windy, but good. He had a blast playing in the top paddock and was happy to come in at the end of the day and relax in his stall. Maggie kept Danny company nearby in her smaller paddock, and Java acted like an idiot while she was out so she spent most the day keeping watch over both Maggie and Danny from her stall. This is odd, horses are supposed to like being outside... but Java is like Mother Hen. She wants to make sure her peeps are happy, and with the wind whipping around, her stall was a nice quiet sunny spot where she could watch all of the action from.

Danny is amazed that he is allowed to put his head out the window.

He is barely putting his nose out here (see bottom left of the window frame):

Then, he is really liking the window (sorry about the blur):

Danny getting to know his pile of hay:

Danny is here

It's been pouring rain all afternoon, and I'm pacing like an anxious... something anxious... pacing like Java. The girls went out this morning and seconds before the rain started (love Doppler) they came in to spend the day inside sheltered from the pouring-blowing-rain eating hay all day and relaxing (Mags is not a true country girl yet and does not want to be out in the rain). Meanwhile, I've got my head poked out of the barn doors for 2 hours as every vehicle that sounds like a horse van has me transfixed on the road, calling out to Mr. Java's Mom, "I think I hear it!"... meanwhile, every vehicle is not a horse van. Well, finally it was a horse van...! Danny arrived. He's whinnying, pawing and very eager to get off the truck. A couple of treats and he knows I'm his new best friend, and he unloaded like a super pro, very patient, and walked up the path to the barn like he's been here 100 times before. Java takes a look, is like "oh hi Danny... Danny? The Danny I used to live next to... like 6 years ago?" Danny says, "sweet place you've got here Java... Oh, hi Mags". These guys all used to live at the same place. So after barely acknowledging each other's existence, they did this:



Danny:



























Java:



































Maggie:



























Bandy checking in at the door to see what the horses are doing... She is confused, the new horses are so calm. OH, this is simply the best. Tomorrow is a big day, I'll take photos.

QT has moved

QT moved to his new home today. QT is a wonderful pony who was here to keep Java company until more friends arrived. I thought it would be a while, but new friends found us pretty quickly. Danny will be arriving here for his vacation soon, so I had to make room. He will be very well taken care of and will be living only one street over keeping a horse company at a friend's house. He will have friends to play with and lots of turnout and really good hay. His new "nanny" adores him already and is excited to help him settle in at her place. I'm only a stone's throw away, so if QT needs me, I'm there! But... he won't.



QT looking at me funny, knowing that something is up:























QT ready to go:























QT's stuff (I wish I could pack that light!):
























One more look at the little guy. Java whinnied for him over and over... QT did not even care, he had already started on the hay in the trailer about 1.2 seconds after loading into the trailer.

beautiful morning here

We've been busy, and it's tax season. I do not do well with tax season and find it tremendously stressful. Next year will be much easier now that the "farm" is set up, but it's pretty painful to see all those numbers in the outgoing column. After biting a few nails (it was shocking that I had any nails, but spending many hours a day with manure will get you to stop biting your nails), I actually got my stuff into my CPA before April 15 which is early for me. Hey, I'm improving.

And... I've been spending what feels like every minute of the day with what is now a mess with QT. Hey, it's my blog, and well... I feel like being honest. QT was lent to me. That means temporary. Well, to put this simply, it's was a lot easier to get him in here than out of here. He's so cute, and such an incredibly good boy (aside from what he and Java think of each other), we want this to work out well for him. Danny, our incoming buddy is being very, very patient. It will all work out in the end, it always does.

Mr. Java's Mom built a little cold frame for me. We filled with with some semi-composted manure and I spread the seeds. And, after only a week, we have germination! They are radishes. Looks like we'll have a lot of radishes. Hey, it's a start.

All this stress about tax time, and QT, etc.... is all worth is for mornings like today. It started out as a misty morning, but a nice mild spring day. It felt so good out that the horses went out early and I got the stalls done by 9:00. That is awesome:

Maggie up top:

Java:

Then the sun came out and they sky became this beautiful blue, birds chirping, horses happy (QT is inside eating hay and poking his head out the windows). There was this peaceful quiet over the property for a minute as the trucks next door clearing the lot stopped for a little... (the food truck arrived) and all is well.