The club house

I'm sorry, but these guys crack me up. Mackie has somehow found a new goofy look and Bandy has a demanding stare going on.

With such tremendous efforts by the dogs I of course let them in the car, and they have been in there for hours so far today.

It's like their Club House. Maybe it's a dog's version of sitting on the veranda of the club house. I hope the initiation fee is not too high.

icing on the cake

There were a few things left to finish and perfect on the barn, and while the builder was here on Wednesday, they did me a huge favor and put our weathervane up (where is my camera when I need it, it was a challenge getting this up). The weathervane is a gift from my dad and his wife, I love it. Thank you Dad and Marie! It's currently shiny brass and I look forward to seeing how it weathers and gets coppery green with time. It's a Patchen Horse. I'll be taking many pics of it, and maybe a little video when we have a breeze to move it around. This photo is from this morning.

To me, it's icing on the cake.


You know what? I changed my mind: I'm going to tell you a little about how this weathevane got up here:
Builder came to fix barn doors and one window. The fixes are good, and well... good enough. I'm not going to obsess that they are not perfect. Java is perfect, that's good enough for me. Yes, I think Java is Da Bomb.

SO, the weathervane: builder (super nice guy, and good at his job) takes a look at the weathervane and asks if it came with instructions. Well, yes, but I cannot find them, so it went like this:
- printer for the first time ever won't print as I try to print the weathervane installation instructions. Finally, I get it printed.
- Then Mr. Java's Mom scoots home from work to see what trouble we are causing and he decided I should go to the hardware store for a few things needed to get weathervane up.
- Guy at hardware store tries to tell me the weathervane is messed up. I get all DON'T TELL ME IT'S MESSED UP, IT'S BRAND NEW, DEAL WITH YOUR ISSUES ON YOUR TIME. I get the parts I need, sweetly thank everyone for their help and hop out.
- I'm driving out of the hardware store parking lot (YES the dogs are in the car with me) and the store owner shouts as I'm on the road now, "hey, we just put one of those up on our new building, you should drive by" I for some reason say "hey, that's great, I'll drive by and take a look!". Like the builder is not waiting for me at the house for the parts I've got.
- I drive by the building the store owner referenced and up on this enormous building is a tiny cupola and a pre-weathered rooster weathervane. Looks dumb. I like that I drove by, I knew our weathervane would rock.
- Builder goes into cupola, with bees, and does not get stung.
- Drill bit will not go through what he is trying to drill.
- Builder drops drill, on my toe. I swear to god, I now have two identically bruised big toes. that I find to be some odd badge of farmer-ship and cracks me up.
- Then builder gets up on roof, ladders everywhere, and tries to drill from top. It's sunny, hot, poor guy is trying to now burn up and/or fall up there.
- Java meanwhile has noticed that a gremlin is on the roof of her house, and is completely distraught and getting all huffy in the paddock.
- Builder looks for super sharp drill bit in back of his truck, and finds it!
- Builder gets back up there, drills for a little, barely gets through what he's trying to drill, pulls the drill out and the bit falls out of the drill and falls to the ground.
- We are astonished at the chances of these blunders, but I'm just glad he has not fallen off the roof.
- Builder gets weathervane up on roof, goes to put it into the hole (flashing is in place, caulk gun ready, etc) and it goes in all of 1 inch. It's a 16 inch post. The poor guy spends what seems like days up on the hot roof twirling this thing around until it gets all the way in, or as far as it will go.
We agree, "good enough" and that's my icing on the cake!

Love it.

Mackie

Mackie is this cute every day. Yes, he arranged the pillows himself, just like this. And he got to go for a car ride.

All is normal:

Java is fine, no reactions at all to her vaccines, not even a little lump. That is great. The only difference when I walked into the barn this morning was the water all over the floor and in Java's stall. She killed her Jolly Ball (for the non-horse readers, it's a ball, horse size, I hang hers so she can scratch on it) the other day. It is out of commission. Maybe Java decided to use her water bucket as her Jolly Ball. The double end snap was bent and broken, and she did not have a drop of water on her. She must have tried to use the water bucket to scratch on. I'll be figuring out a way to get that Jolly Ball hung again, the mess was not too bad, but certainly don't want to be dealing with that daily. Of course she pretended nothing had happened, and Mags snickered at me.

The day started out gorgeous, then clouded over and is now raining. Good thing the horses got a great full morning outside grazing.

Danny nibbling:

Java grazing:

Maggie supervising before going up top:

Oh, and Mackie begging to get into the back of the car... again. You can also see half of the pines we got yesterday in the background.

He's working it pretty good this time.

the girls and their world

The weekend was great, but I am exhausted. We planted 27 shrubs. Mr. Java's Mom did 99% of the work, but I am exhausted. Having to make that many decisions (where to put them) was a challenge. Plus the animals kept me busy. Danny is still Mr. Perfect, and Maggie and Java are inseparable... except if I try to put them out together... which I did. It was bliss, happy mares, no ears pinned, no tension, they were awesome. Then, one must have said something like "your butt looks fat in that fly mask" and they decided to get physical. Hooves flew and I yelled at them. Java was confused and came to me, still no tension, no ears pinned on either of the girls. I exited the paddock with Java anxious to make sure they were both OK. Both girls are just as obsessed with each other as ever. Too bad that did not really work out. If I had left them in there together (this was in the large top paddock) it might have worked out, but I could not risk it. Both Maggie and Java are fine, a couple of little cuts each, but nothing a little boo-boo ointment can't fix in a couple of days. Oh well, I tried.

Today, It's mostly peace and quiet. Very nice.

Java grazing:




Danny hanging out in his giant play pen:

Maggie in her sleek and stylish black fly mask. She is whinnying at Java in this photo because she is obsessed with her. Or... she might have been trash talking: "My fly mask is more stylish than yours, and your butt is definitely HUGE in that grey fly mask".

The barn, with a few of the shrubs that we planted yesterday:

Java is getting her spring shots in about an hour. Mags and Danny already got their shots before they arrived here. The thing you worry about the most with spring shots is a "reaction". Java has only had a reaction once, and could not move her head and neck for two weeks, whatever, no biggie right? The vet thought they would try out a new vaccine that year. Yeah, thanks. The vets felt awful, and had to come to the barn (barn we used to be) about about 3X a day to see all of the horses that had parts that were swollen and sore from that one new shot. That was the last time they tried that. But I still worry (I'm a little bit of a worry-freak). I'll know soon enough if she has a reaction, and as long as her tummy is happy and her injection site is happy, I'm happy.

weather, fashion and horses

Yesterday the sun came out.


The dogs, well actually just Mackie, begged to go for a car ride.


I took them to the store. Mom is coming to the house for Mother's Day (I won't leave here, spoiled brat) and I had to get "stuff".


Indulged, because it was buy-one-get-one-free, and got two thingies of ice cream.


Came home, loaded up the fridge and freezer, and the power went out!!! hmmmmm.



Java is shedding like a wild buffalo with mange. Her new spring coat is so pretty though and silky soft, it's worth all the mangy shedding.


Danny as usual is adorable.


















Maggie did not go crazy and was wonderful. Her owner and I might have figured out why Maggie freaked the other day. The new grey fly mask is not Chanel. She will now be trying out the black fly mask. It is not Chanel either, but it is black, and Maggie feels that is a more elegant and appropriate look for her. Java agrees entirely. Java is more of a Barbour girl, Mags is definitely Chanel. Danny might be JCrew.




















It's raining again today. We have someone coming for manure (yep, we sell it, cool huh?) and Mom arrives this afternoon. Now that we have power back, I'll frantically try to make the house look clean.



Oh, and we went to a nice "event" for a local horse therapy center last night. It was great. I am now very aware of the deterioration of my social skills because I like to stay home as much as possible, but it was fun. I did not embarrass myself, aside from dropping food on my lap and staining my pants, whatever!! We were told about, and invited to, a little local "horse trials", which would be new because we would have to do cross county, dressage and stadium jumping. This will be interesting... It is in August, we'll start to get our butts in gear now. Not that I have a clue about anything outside of the hunter/jumper world, but we'll wing it. And, we'll be doing a low division, no need to scare ourselves. Jumping we can do, Dressage, Java can do, I'll just tell her the test.

mixed bag

Mixed bag of photos. It was raining yesterday, big surprise. BUT, the grass is loving the rain, so we are just fine with a little more wet...


Mackie taking in the scenery:

Java out in the rain:

















Danny tolerating a few drops:




































And, the new trees that we planted... I like to think that they are very happy at their new home. The birds love these trees (especially since all of the trees next door have been cut down, oops, did I say that?!), and they have new growth! yes, new growth. That translates to me (not a horticulturalist) that they are going to grow, be happy and establish themselves. Probably the only thing worse than planting 8 foot trees in the cold rain is pulling a dead 8 foot trees out of the ground in hot August. Not gonna happen here.


I'm proud of our trees and their new baby growth:

Oh, and Maggie was in the barn. She cannot do rain... yet. Someday she will understand that it will not harm her. Someday hopefully soon. She looked disappointed watching Java graze in the rain. I'll work on it, baby steps with Maggie in the rain. We don't need any monster beast episodes. Although, she is making up for lost time this morning, she is out (as I type it is not raining) and loving every minute, and she is sooo pretty to watch in the paddock.

we made it through the rain... almost.

We have had days of rain... and yesterday... the sun came out.

I was mucking stalls, watching the horses, shocked at the unexpected sunshine, and the Barry Manilow song with some words in it "I made it through the rain" was stuck in my head. Java was in the top paddock, alone, and happy. She has never been up there alone and happy before. Her best girlfriend in the whole world was right near by in the "pear tree paddock" (the one right outside the barn).

Then all hell broke loose. Maggie went into some tizzy, whinnying a deep unlady like whinny and demanding that I bring her in. I am watching the grass under her hooves get obliterated and decide that if she is going to rip up all of the grass she should come in too. However, she would now make herself impossible to catch: rearing at the gate, big mare close to the gate rearing, then, after I called her a little swear word, she turned around and bucked toward the gate (with precision, not hitting the gate). As I am still standing there with her halter in my hand she attempts to prance around in the only mud slipping and sliding and making these cow-whinny noises. All I can say is that one thing is clear: at this point the neighbors are SURE that we are not normal. Meanwhile, Java is utterly distraught that her best girlfriend in the whole world is upset (not that any of us know why she is upset aside that I am not fast enough at getting her halter on her while she is rearing and bucking). Java is watching Maggie from the top field, and I see her run and make a lonnnnnnnnnggggggggggg sliding stop... on her side. This of course did not make me appreciate Maggie's behaviour even more as she is still dramatically freaking out. I saw Java get up, and it looked like all four legs were moving without trouble, and I focused on Maggie. Finally, she allowed (got over herself) me just long enough to get her halter on after her spectacular freak show. I had one brief discussion with Maggie asking that she try to remember the manners that I am sure she was brought up with. Now I am sure the neighbors are watching. Man, I hope those trees we planted along the front and side grow fast.

Maggie calmed down, acted like a perfect lady and was put into her stall.

Java now is dying for me to come out and tell her what the heck just happened. She is looking me right in the eye as she has her head as high as she can stretch, and I want to see if she is OK. Danny meanwhile does not care what is going on.

Java is OK, nicely coated in mud after her involuntary slip and slide. It was an excellent gnat deterrent though. She stayed close to me in the pear tree paddock for a while.

Maggie went back out later, for hours, and was so happy and calm.

Danny got some bonus time out in the top paddock and later the popular pear tree paddock as a reward for being a good boy and not acting like a fruit loop (that particular day). I'm glad everyone is OK, and still happy!

floursecent green

We are still getting rain. The green on the trees and grass is as bright as it looks in the photos. The horses are glad about the grass that is growing!




















Mackie out back:


















Mackie with his swimming pond in the background:























Mackie coming up the fern path.
He's smiling like that because he is formulating a plan to get extra biscuits:





















Mackie sitting in the rain AGAIN insisting on getting into the car. I took him out for over an hour yesterday, he and Bandy loved it. But I'm not going anywhere today.





















Bandy, dampened, but ready for whatever is next:

getting green

It is a very pretty spring so far. It's also been raining. I took the camera out in the rain this afternoon. The horses were happily hanging out in the barn, Danny and Mags eating hay constantly, and Java keeping an eye on us (mother hen) when she could see us out her window. The horses were out this morning and it's been a nice quiet Sunday for them.... well, except for when we had to get the chain saw going, but the only horse that cared was Java. We had to clear a couple of trees to make way for more pine trees that we will be planting along the property line up at the top paddock.

The fern path:






















The other side of the property looking up from the pond.
The technique of this photo is called "crooked because I'm trying to not get the camera wet"





















The barn surrounded by more green:

And, the side of the property where we are planning some tree removal, tree planting along the road and another paddock. Eventually it will be a grassy paddock. This is what it looks like now. No, we did not plant those spruce trees too close and in the middle of the spot there. We only moved here a year and a half ago, and are working on it... :)

spring showers

Java taking a break from watching what Danny and Maggie are doing. Or, she knew that they were eating grass or hay and that she should try that too. We're getting a good dose of rain on and off.






















The hay in the loft... had to show you a photo of it, I'm so grateful to my hay guys. I thought to myself about this hay, eh, it looks OK. The horses love it. They voted it the "Best batch of hay so far".


















Mackie requesting, stubbornly, that I open the back of the car so that he can hang out in there. It is raining at the time of this photo. I call him in, he won't budge. I shake the biscuit box, nothing. I bring the biscuit box out in the rain and shake it about 3 feet from him, he will not move. Here we are in the rain, and all he wants is to hang out in the back of the car. Mackie is 7 years old, and has only picked up this back of the car obsession in the last year. Very funny nonetheless. I took a biscuit out of the box, brought it to his nose, then he perked up and came running inside with me. I decided he was so cute that he could have two biscuits. I meanwhile am thinking: did he really want into the back of the car, or was it a big ploy to get two biscuits? I love spoiling the animals. By the way, bandy got one biscuit, she's OK with that. her hair is growing out and she cannot see that well and probably does not know.

I'm now going to call back someone who wants to purchase some semi-composted manure. Love that.

Fun and Games

Fun and games here on the farm.

Java is busy keeping an eye on everyone lately (spring fever). She loves her buddies Maggie and Danny. All of the horses are very happy, this is down right great and makes me smile and wander through the day with a little happy glow.

















Danny sans fly mask. He does not really love the mask.





















Maggie with full gear on. She loves her fly mask and so far thinks Java's old fly sheet is great. It gives her peace of mind to that she does not have a lot of bugs around her. She likes things nice and quiet, with food.

















We have a strong demand for our semi-composted manure right now, and are loading up friends and neighbors a few nights each week.

Mr. Java's Mom on the John Deere 2305 with Mackie supervising. Not sure why Mr. Java's Mom's mouth is open in this picture...

On the way to the manure pile... The ferns are starting to come up along the fern path.

And, my ultimate action packed photo. A lot of other bloggers have really crisp photos, talk about their photos, lenses, blah blah blah. You know what? Unless all that stuff is free, I'll stick with the camera I've got and make the most of it for now. Yes, I have a little bit of yankee stubbornness in me. I go to other blogs for awesome pictures and try my best here. This one captured the typical late afternoon scene at the barn. The horses have had their dinner, Mr. Java's Mom and I are out talking about the next project, and the dogs are amusing themselves... and the horses.

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.