Iced Friday

We woke up to ice everywhere on Friday. I had to slide down the hill to feed all the animals. Then got on a pair of ice cleats and life was better. Our cars were coated in ice, took an hour to clear them off. Had to clear them so we could deliver eggs in town. My Volvo does not do ice, so we took the Subaru and got the errands done. Husband got to play with 4 wheel drive.

Chiminea in ice.

My favorite seat on the farm, iced over.

The view from the back door.

Even the birds got iced.

Horse gate and post coated in ice.

Maple waiting for her breakfast.

More frozen gates

Horse tape still holding a charge even with ice.

Mice-roni Duck Treats

And the big drake goes down the field. He is being chased by the 

opposing quarterduck on the outside.

The teams heads for the 30 yard line and they have the goal in sight.

Touchdown! The winning duck gets to eat the frozen mouse I threw in the forest.

Yes, my ducks are well fed. But once in a while they get a 

frozen mouse caught in the water bowls. I guess everything likes mice, even poultry with no teeth.

Skunk Me Week

Zilla and Osa got sprayed for the last time. Osa got this 7 pound skunk after many nightly battles. 

She died with her skunk boots on.

You know a week is going to suck when on Monday you have to move a very stinky dead skunk in the freezing weather from your back door. You have to hide it from your smelly farm dogs or it comes back as a zombie skunk. Then you find out you have a very ill parent far away from you. Then a friend dies suddenly the next evening. Then you have an ice storm and have to do chores in the slippery pelting ice. The animals are miserable and wet like you are. I just want to curl up like this frozen skunk and take a nap. But you have to cowgirl up and get things done. Animals need you, friends need you and plans have to me made. Luckily I have my husband to drag me out of bed, make me lunch and get me going again. 

When there is good coffee,  I can deal. 

Farrier February

Does this truck make me look fat? 

Luna, our fox trotter, waiting for the farrier. All our horses are tied to 

our farm truck waiting. Luna can get fat on air. She is never grained and still gets plump on hay.

Taking a nap.

Luna and her son, Bean. Bean is a gelding of 2+ years.

Not the best confirmation nor neck. He is still growing and may fill out.

He is about 14.5 hands, easy to get on. He will be my horse since he is a short one.

Bean waiting and Maple digging to China. Maple is a very busy brained horse, like her Mom.

She loves to have a job to do. She is trying to rewire the truck then the horse trailer. So she was moved to a tree for time out. Poor tree.

Bean just waits. He does have a nice long red mane and tail, very showy. 

Decking Down Time

Zilla on our deck and Pepper in the door. Taking a break in the setting sunbeams.

Half a Dozen

My neighbors Boer goats gave birth again last week. They now have three girls and three boys.

Mama and boys

Boy's club

Mama and her two girls

A boy and an "oreo" cookie girl in the back.

Sowing Stones

There has been a lot of people around me that have died this year. And many have gotten close to death as well. Old, young, my age, some close and some far away, all part of my life here. Having moved so many times growing up, I never had to deal with human death. Funerals happened and then the person wasn't there. The family packed up and moved away. And I have been running away from death my whole life. But now that I have stopped moving, death has come again full blast. So instead of running from death, I look forward to the spring and life anew. Seeds mean plants and flowers this summer. I'd rather plants seeds for new life than dwell on the things that have died around me. I try to enjoy those living around me and my farm.  Knowing that one day they won't be there. Cherish the living and bury the stones under the ground.