Wednesday, March 30, 2011

the new addition

The new baby, it's not our human baby, he's hopefully going to wait a few more weeks to arrive, but we had to get this new addition, now.

I used to have hay guys that delivered and loaded the loft.  When I got small loads or 50 bales or less to fill in between larger loads, I walked the bales up the loft stairs one by one.  My hay guys went out of busines.

Now that I'm pregnant, I cannot load 50 bales into the loft by walking up the stairs.  Mr. Java's Mom does not want to walk 50 bales up the stairs either, but it's not because he does not want to go in to labor.  It's because walking bales of hay into the loft is not nearly as much fun as using a hay elevator!

So, we did some thinking, planning and finally got this.  Our new baby.

Hello beautiful hay elevator:


This little beauty ran like a charm.  We tried to find a used one (for over a year), and finally bit the bullet and got a newborn hay elevator.

We went and go two loads of this:


We got a load of first and second cut.  Java likes both, but of course she does, she's my girl!  She is counting the days until she can spend all day out on the grass, and until then, picking through first cut is OK, as long as the neighbors are doing something entertaining.  She's hoping for some landscaping or home improvement projects to start with the neighbors.  But so far it's just been UPS deliveries.  Boring.

Monday, March 21, 2011

silly time

We have had the most gorgeous early spring weather lately... sun, chirping birds, the grass is eeking (let's pretend that's a word because I'm not totally sure right now) out some green color...

and then... this.  It's snowing.


Don't worry, the horses were already out for hours this morning.  Java clearly made her preference clear when the snow started that should would rather be inside for a little, so they are in the barn with the back windows open, eating hay and hanging their heads out to observe from their comfy stalls.  When the snow stops, they will go back out, to roll in the wet ground and enjoy the afternoon.  Tomorrow it will be sunny.

The horses also have a little spring fever.  This translates into silly time.  Luckily the boarder who's horse was on permanent silly time left last week.  Yes it was dramatic.  Not the actual departure, but leading up to it.  But nobody got short changed so it all ended well.  Java even seems to like this.  She has her little chestnut pony (boarder) all to herself.

I'm huge pregnant.  The help I hired has not been here for 3 days, so needless to say, I'm staying quite active.  Getting on the tractor is a tough one though.  Bending in general is pretty awkward.  The rest is all pretty good. 

So, as I'm looking for back-up barn help, a new boarder and organizing taxes, I'm trying to prepare for the human addition that is on his way!  Sounds hectic, but surprisingly it's not.  I think this is all going to work out just fine.  Pregnancy hormones are magic, it's the only explanation.

Oh, and the snow won't last.  It's OK.  :)