Christmas 2010 at our Old Mill

These are photos of our recent Summersville Mill Christmas cookie and craft sale. We offer donated cookies and crafts for sale with funds going to restore our towns mill. We need to oil stain the exterior of the mill and it will cost a lot. There is no heat in the old mill so we used propane heaters. We even had an Ozark cousin of Santa visiting to listen to children's wishes. As always the cookies and sweets were a big hit. If you are interested in helping fund our old mill or would like a tour, please contact us: http://summersvillemill.org/

Green Treat

We had the pleasure of eating a healthy veggie dinner at a friends house. Her latest foodie has been the green smoothie. She made up a batch for my husband and I. It was a neat and healthy treat. I great way to drink your collard greens and kale, all high in vitamins.

Snow Me Something Mister

This was the busiest Sunday to date. Got up at 7am to feed the neighbors 20+ horses in the snow, gusting winds and 20 degrees. I dumped ice, filled grain and water buckets and gave out hay. Then my hubby came by to crack the ice for the outside horses. Hoses were drained wound and put in a heated room. Then home to find hubby's lost glasses, found inside the house. Then off to church, lunch in town then grocery shopping. Then home to unload groceries, feed the chickens. Then starting the woodstove, feeding our horses and dogs. Dumping frozen chicken waters and adding heat lamps to large coop. But I did get to enjoy the first snow of the Ozarks. It was clean and light and dusted everything like sugar.

Hard Working Rooster

Here is our adult rooster watching over his hens. He is making sure his girls get some bread for a snack in the cold weather. He is at least 10lbs and is the biggest bird we have at the moment. He is a great rooster.

Hay Jig

When you have horses you need hay for the winter. We purchased a round bale and square bale to see which the horses prefer. This means making room for our 2 grass giants. And hay is heavy, it crushes the wooden palettes we use to move them. Hay can only be moved with a tractor. Never dull in the Ozarks.

What a Splitter can do

Using a borrowed antique splitter we were able to make a lot of firewood in a fraction of the time. Even though it leaked fluid we were able to knock out several logs. And after all that work, Daisy was able to enjoy the pleasure of heat from the woodstove.

Antique Log Splitter

This was a homemade antique log splitter when it was purchased 40 years ago. After it stopped working it was put in the barn and left there. Then we came along and offered to try to get it running again for our neighbor. The VW bug motor was removed and new hydraulics gave life through the tractor. The VW tires are rotted out and useless. So the splitter has to be moved using the tractors. The splitter worked again. We were able to use it for almost 2 days before the gaskets gave out. We will need to replace those and it will run again. It saved us hours of ax work and was so worth saving.

Wood out of the Woods

Here are photos from the trailer ride into the woods, hauling out trees, cutting downed trees and the finally result, firewood. We helped a neighbor clear up downed trees on his property. We both got several loads of wood to keep us warm this winter.

Dolly's Feet

After 6 months of working with the farrier he recommended we get x-rays for our mare's front hooves. Today both were done with the help of friends who have a trailer. And we can clearly see her hooves are not growing normally and the coffin bone is turned. She now has "rocker shoes" applied to her feet after x-rays we taken. We wait for the next 7 weeks. Then she will need a new set of x-rays for comparison. She got a shot of Bute for the pain and she was feeling good today. She will no longer be a rideable horse but she will grow old in our pasture. Meanwhile, her weanling, Maple, will be trained and rideable in 2-3 years.

The Weaning Begins

Ok, it had to happen when you have baby horses. One day they need to be separated from Mom, it is called weaning. It is done starting at age 4 months. Our 2 foals are 4 and 6 months of age. The oldest foal's dam needs to go on a vet trip and baby can't go. This means confinement for both foals for the next 4 days without mom contact. Moms are around but they can't nurse. And foals can throw a major fit trying to escape from the stalls. Our stalls and buckets are taking a beating. But our moms are doing fine away from their foals. The next step is to take both mares away out of earshot for at least a month. So we will have 2 babies at home and 2 mares at a neighbors pasture. Going to be a busy month for us. At least my horse, Luna, will begin training soon and I will be learning how to ride a gaited horse.

Big Leaf

My husband found this huge sycamore leaf by our garage. I have not located the tree from where it came from. We have mostly oaks, cedar and hickory trees around us. And the only sycamore we have is a sapling. Perhaps this leaf traveled a very long way from here.

Fall Thanks

I am thankful for finally leaving the city behind and living my dream, rural farm life. Having horses, chickens and all the wildlife that crosses my land. I am thankful for my health and growing strength living out in the fresh air and clean spring water. I am thankful for my husband and all our farm/small town friends. I give thanks for my trees and garden; all providing us with food and heat. For these and more, I give thanks everyday.

Wonder Wheel

This is the poly hay holder we just bought to hold round bales. It is made for cattle but if you use it upside down, it feeds horses. My husband is busy strapping it down for the short jog home. It is strong and light and one person can move it. It is strong enough to take a beating from four horses as well. Much safer than the metal bale holders. We know this one has been in the hot summer sun for a year with no break down, no rust. Just a normal shopping farm run in the Ozarks.