photos

Bin # 2 steaming and a giant spider web waiting for any flies that dare sniff our stuff. We're on to bin # 3 now and bin #2 is at 160* and full.


We're putting up the fencing for the 4th paddock.

First Mr. Java's Mom did some of this:



And we mixed concrete and struggled, and probably got poison ivy and I was very uncomfortable with the amount of sweat I was experiencing, but we then got this: (corner posts braced and set in concrete):

And now Mr. Java's Mom is digging out the holes that the auger could not do, rocks happen. We'll hopefully get the line posts done today.

And, I waited ALL WEEK for the professional photographs to be posted, and it's pretty funny, but the professional photographer took a photo of us over one jump... probably the tiniest one on cross country. There is one candid. No stadium, no dressage, nothing else.

Here we go:

http://judybosco.smugmug.com/gallery/9248220_Sm3ob#619328344_VfBik-A-LB

And:

http://judybosco.smugmug.com/gallery/9248220_Sm3ob#619256149_dhbTu-A-LB

The video of stadium hopefully will be posted next. If I can post it, should be entertaining.

Animals, Manure and...

Java is still perfect:

The beloved Manure Cabana. Bin #1 on the left, full. Bin #2 getting a Compostex cover adjustment by Mr. Java's Mom, half full. Bin #3 is not being used yet. Mackie is counting the minutes until he goes swimming with the koi.

My lesson (yesterday) has been delayed due to ... rain. Today we will lesson, it's sunny and gorgeous today. Mr. Java's Mom and I set up a faux dressage arena (put cut off fence posts with letters) in the top paddock so that I can practice... 5 whole days before the big Horse Trials event.

And, we might have found a ride to the event. The guy cutting down our trees has a good truck and trailer... for his cows. It's a stock trailer, as in for livestock. I personally think this is great, less for Java to get hurt on in a stock trailer. It has a new floor and apparently is in great shape, which is more than most people can say about their trailers. I'll go over later today and check it out. Mr. Java's Mom is worried that if it smells like cows Java may find this unacceptable. I'll let you know how it looks, and smells.

Bin #2 first temperature reading 152*:

We turned the manure in bin #1 again, with steam.
And the fern path. The paddock I've been rambling on about will go on the left. Trees (6 or 7) come down this weekend.

Bandy at the pond. It is actually very difficult to photograph her at the pond because she is moving constantly: running with stick, swimming, barking at Mackie with stick in mouth...

Mackie relaxing after his swim. He is saying "I feel so civilized after a swim with the koi".

Famous Java

Java is still living the same life of bliss, the only drama has been a nasty horse fly that got under her fly sheet and bit her several times. She will survive. Yes, I rushed to her rescue, and whisked the fly sheet off as she was thrilled to prove to me yet again that these silly human remedies like a fly sheet are sometimes counterproductive.

The Java Moment yesterday:

Mr. Java's Mom and I had finished our glorious late day grounds maintenance chores, and I was getting ready to go into the house. Java had just eaten dinner (routine is key for the little only-horse-on-the-farm), and she was looking out her window having a vogue cover shoot fashion moment.

This is no stretch of the imagination that Java loves to show off. She has actually been in a photo shoot, and her photo (with the portrait subject, totally not related to me aside from some 6 degrees of separation type thing) on display in a gallery on Park Ave in NYC. I was invited to the exhibition opening, and it was so exciting to hear people comment on the portrait, and I looked a little out of place, I did not have on fur, diamonds and am not a supermodel. That's OK.

Here are the other portraits done for the exhibition:

http://www.charlesruger.com/portraiture.html#

Here is her big deal shot:

http://www.charlesruger.com/exhibition/portraiture/8.html

And, here she was, yesterday evening looking for another photo shoot opportunity, but it was only me with the camera and no lighting, or make up, or stylist.

And, then the object that has her attention approaches. It's Mr. Java's Mom on the John Deere 2305. She loves Mr. Java's Mom, seriously, she is incredible around him. Anyway, as the only equine on the property, she has to know everything that is going on, and her ears do double time to keep up on the sights AND sounds as he approaches. Yes, I spend a lot of time home with the animals and think these things are amusing. Yes, I'm OK with that.


By the way, the photo of Java was from 2004. My mom has been bugging me for 5 years to get her a copy... this will open that can of worms. Mom, I swear I'll get to it... some day...

Bliss Mode

Wow, it's like being on vacation! Java is peaceful, relaxed, and doing very well. She will definitely be happy when another horse and eventually two horses join us, but she is tolerating her only-equine-on-the-property situation well. Extremely well.

She gets her choice of paddocks, hand grazing around the house, super extra extra attention, and we are riding too. As I look out the window now, she is in the paddock resting, enjoying a beautiful day, not a fly to be found (no fly mask today, yay!), sunshine and a light breeze, totally relaxed. Next door has been quiet for about a week as they are working on projects that apparently are not noisy. Wow, I love it here.


Over the weekend:

Java in the top paddock:


Java looking at the new neighbor's big new shed. Looks like a giant run in shed to us. Java and I like it. He is using it to store vehicles and it will eventually have a door.




With the whole place to herself, Java sometimes dines outside. Mackie cleans up any bits of grain.



Bandy says "I can't see real well, is that Mackie in the paddock, or did we get a mini?"



And, we had some trees cleared last week:

And, Mr. Java's mom is prepping the newly cleared property. We are making another grass paddock.

Java grazing, again. This one-horse deal is at least good for the grass in the paddocks, they are getting some rest!

I have had 4 stall inquires so far. One person needs three stalls and a less expensive place (I'm $475 to $525 depending on the needs of the owner/horse), one person wants a different part of the state, one person has not replied to my reply e-mail (HELLO), and one person is coming to visit tomorrow. Not bad for a little less than a week.

In the mean time, Java and I are totally enjoying our vacation.

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.

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.

The farm equipment

Java, Mackie and the John Deere 2305 all in one place. Java mows, Mackie mows (then barfs), and the 2305 does the rest.

Ghost tag thing - THE BABY GRAVE

Spooky things about the things and land around Java's Barn...

There apparently is a blog thing where another blogger "tags" you to tell a ghost story, say nice things about others, and then "tag" other bloggers to do the same. It's kind of cool because it may lead you to blogs that you have not discovered yet. And, 7MSN tagged me, so I feel pretty special since I'm a HUGE fan of her blog!! http://the7msn.blogspot.com/

Then I mention the ghost it forward thing: http://ghostingitforward.org/

and name 3 other blogs I like aside from http://the7msn.blogspot.com/ and say nice things about them. I follow a lot of blogs, and found some I really like. But, I've picked some pretty serious bloggers, like celebrities of the blog world, but I'm being honest here:

1. OK, so surprising, but aside from 7MSN, I visit the Martha Blog daily. Her photography is beautiful, I like the down to earth tone, and get ideas for our property since her property is so gorgeous. Go Martha: http://www.themarthablog.com/

2. Pioneer Woman. Serious blog with so much to it, all fun. So much to see, explore, fun, great blog: http://thepioneerwoman.com/

3. Wow, just found this one. really nice, and inspirational. Also makes me think I really need a new camera, and more time to read: http://blog.bedlamfarm.com/index.cfm/live-your-life

Please horsey friends, don't be upset I did not "ghost" you. These are blogs that remind me of all the great things we can share with each other, big, small and fabulous things, all different people. mushy.

Here's my ghost story...

THE BABY GRAVE:

The house we live in is super old, built in 1738. There is a good bit of land (for CT) with it, and we never know what we will come across.

Old bottles:

And, something else?...

Mr. Java's mom and I got most of the work done on the property ourselves with the John Deere 2305 and Gator TS. The top field had some (uh, a lot) trees that needed to come down. One was a large oak (no, not a spectacular oak, but a big, ugly un interesting oak leaning over the wrong way waiting to crush me someday), that before Mr. Java's mom perfected his chainsaw skills fell a little askew and got hung up on a cedar. This was this summer pre-blog so I don't have any pics. Well... I get some rope, and we rig the tree to the tractor (funny) and Mr. Java's mom starts directing me. "go that way, keep going, keep going, keep going" (this is to drag the oak off the cedar). I'm screaming "the tractor is sinking!!!". Finally he stops barking orders and looks at me and the beloved 2305 half up in the air, still attached to the tree (huge oak), and one wheel mysteriously sunken down a couple of feet into a rectangular hole. We got the tractor out no problem (used the front end loader to push it up and put it in 4 wheel and got it out of the hole.).

Then, I remember, there is an odd piece of cut granite that marks that spot for some reason... I now call it the BABY GRAVE. Yikes. Heck, with the house built in 1738, there could be someone buried here...somewhere. We filled the dent we left in the mysteriously soft rectangular patch of land with wood chips so Java would not fall in. Left the marker though... just in case.

And, the funky looking outbuilding in the below photo (just past Mackie) that I don't mention and try to leave out of all photos, I call it the Blair Witch Shed. I think it's an old chicken coop. The whole house and property have wonderful, good vibes, but I DO NOT like the Blair Witch Shed. It's creepy, and something seems to die in it frequently, yuck (how do I know some something had died in there some of you might ask, and yes, the answer is gross: because all of the sudden, when I have to go fetch a shovel or rake, it smells super rank and there are big black flies all in there!!!! EEEWWWWW).

Entertainment

Not all of the leaves have turned and fallen, but quite a few so far. SO, we are trying a new strategy: ongoing leaf cleanup. In theory we will make it easier on us to clean up each layer as it falls instead of waiting for them all to fall, then possibly get rained on and have to clean up tons of wet leaves in the freezing cold. Java and the John Deere 2305 are cool. Java checks in to see what Mr. Java's mom is doing with it and goes about her business. Not yesterday: this is one entertaining attachment. The Cyclone Rake. It is very spooky because it wheels around very quickly behind the John Deere 2305, makes tons of noise and the dry chopped up leaves makes a lot of dust that to Java may look like smoke. She is in her stall for a snack and nap (she hurt either her hoof or leg and being out all day straight is too much, so she came in to rest).

These two below are video of her watching, it's pretty funny, like a person eating with their mouth open watching something fascinating. Its VIDEO.

Java watched for HOURS:

fall activites

Mackie posing like it's a family portrait! what a ham.

John Deere with the backhoe in action for... more fencing!

Java stretching her legs.

what's next - must be more fencing!!!

barn, check.

fabulous horses, check.

happy and fabulous horses, check.

water, check.

electricity - tomorrow.

finishing painting - Tuesday.

Fencing - that takes a little longer...

so, the horses went out this morning and had a ball. Ran around like kids having fun, and settled in nicely to graze and enjoy the paddock. So nice. Then, I brought them in because they seemed a little cranky. Maybe they needed nap time. They were resting beautifully in their stalls dozing off. That's our window of opportunity - lets put up more fencing! We need more paddocks for the future, and we need barn containment in case something unexpected were to happen. Creme was doing a great job supervising Mr. Java's mom on the John Deere 2305 back hoeing a post hole.

The horses went out again at the end of the day, and at night check were the best I've ever seen them - totally relaxed, healthy and most importantly - happy. This is unbelievably awesome.

Dirt progress

No barn progress over the weekend, so you get photos of dirt. We made a lot of progress with one of the new paddocks. Using the John Deere 2305 and it's handy attachments and Jeremy's tractor driving talent in prime shape this weekend we cleared out roots and rocks, graded the soil, added mulch (wet, heavy, exhausting) then seeded. Seeding was like spreading fairy dust over dirt and mulch, and hoping that grass grows, please!! Then we spread some hay over the seed where we did not mulch. Oh, then we spread some new wood chips in path areas. We laid out rope and blocks to keep the carpenter off the grass that is spared so far, the carpenter seems to like to drive on the grass(!!). We're only about 2 weeks away from Java coming home, we are so excited!

Top paddock with Centaur fencing

The fencing and gates on the top paddock are complete. Now the tree guy is next to remove 4 more trees, and grind down stumps. Then the John Deere 2305 puts the finishing touches on this fab spot for Java (and some select friends) to enjoy. This is Centaur flex fence. We like it. It should be very very safe for her since it's flexible and has no nails. We worked very had on this field this weekend and it is so nice now! I've been riding on it so far and it's just plain lovely. Sappy, but true.

Kellogg's Alert - John Deere Fruit Snacks Consumer Shunned

Oh, the photo is of the special fence we just labored over for the last too-many-days-to-count weeks, and it looks good. No, it's not electric. Hate that stuff, I could probably use a little electric shock therapy, but not Java and her buddies.

John Deer fruit snacks by Kellogg's: Houston - we have a PROBLEM. No lie, I went to the store tonight (yes, I had much better things to do) and after gathering my groceries, went to the customer service (ignore the word service for this day)) counter and was almost laughed at for asking about my John Deere Fruit Snacks by Kellogg's that were ordered for me. TWENTY FIVE MINUTES while a lady who had not brushed her teeth this year to treat me like a podunk hick because the fruit snacks were tractor oriented. A dude with hard core piercings came up to me and even commented on my stealth patience, and that he would have lost it on those un-service-customer-service-people by this time. well, guess what Adam's IGA - I tapped another source for the goodies - my local country store: Wade's Country Store. He's ordering them, and ordering them big time. He knows that people like to be happy, and how can't you be happy when enjoying a tidy packet of John Deere fruit snacks from Kellogg's. Those "ladies" at the Adam's IGA almost had me in tears in the parking lot as I loaded my overpriced produce into the car as I felt defeated, and treated like a hick. RUDE. Well, guess what, that will get me pretty fired up, and I will find those darn treats to supply my happy barn crew with, and my local John Deere enthusiasts (which Wades is a major John Deere enthusiast hang out) will step up to the plate. Yes, I will call Kellogg's about this. I don't think I would have been shunned if I was looking for the strawberry shortcake fruit snacks. Grr.