Road Trip

Sunny Sunday, beautiful day for a ride! We met friends at the horsey club and rode to the historic town of Sykesville, Main Street. We had planned this ride, lots, but never made it. Got really close once, but didn't have time or enough direction to get there. Some of this ride ends up on the roadway - about a mile of blacktop. We are much better in traffic now, but KC still does not like white vehicles, parked or moving. Everybody was great about us riding in the road, we even stopped traffic while we led them across the short bridge and train tracks on Main Street. Sometimes I've motioned to drivers to slow down; not only do they NOT slow down they also blow their horns. That's just great, thank-you-very-much! Walked right on the sidewalk, Main Street, and crossed at the stop sign to E.W. Beck's Pub. What a gem! We'll have to come back, soon.

There is no place to tie up; we zig-zagged all over the parking lot, Police Station, Town Hall, ending up in the Public Parking lot, tied up to shady trees along the roadway. KC was very happy to have his halter on and immediately assumed the position of relaxed equine.

Weather Or Not

Once again the Weatherman was mistaken. We could use the rain, don't want it on the weekend. We had thought about camping out, too, but nixed that idea with the forecast. Saturday turned out to be a nice day, warm breeze, mostly cloudy, sunny sometimes. The rain did start around 6, but didn't get more than a smattering. He spent the day finishing up the installation of the new dual fuel water heater in the big trailer, I did my wifely duties around the house: laundry, changing sheets, cleaning the bathroom, kitchen, and like that. And playing with the puppy. When I went out for 'last call' it was raining. They were standing in the shed, brought them in to put their light jackets on because I didn't want to stand in the rain. By the time I had finished dressing them it had stopped raining. I put hay in the shed and put them back out. Overnight we hardly got any rain, not a 1/3 of an inch. The store-bought grass is coming in nicely.

Everything and the Kitchen Sink

Well, everything including the shower head. Darn it. Broken off at the wall. Thankfully we have a fully-equipped horse trailer that has TWO showers - one inside and one outside. Today my long-awaited house number sign will be delivered. We've gone back and forth, back and forth. To be honest he's argued his case and I've dug my heels in. Typical. Years ago he bought an old horse trailer. I think it was close to 20-years old when he got it. It's in fantastic condition, still is. We use it, lots. He replaced the running and brake lights to LEDs; I rust-proofed the undercarriage; replaced all the tires, including the spare; waxed and buffed yearly; upgraded the electrical system; installed loading lights; etc. It had fancy graphics on it and he wanted to scrap them off. I wanted to keep them because they are nicely done and unique. When we bought the farm I wanted to name it 'Twin Maples.' It was already on the horse trailer. He protested. His arguments were: 1. There is already a Twin Maples Farm 2. There are more than two Maples on the Farm 3. We should come up with our own original name As previously stated, I dug my heels in. No one on Earth can be more stubborn. I pick my battles wisely. The farm where the trailer originally came from is no longer, on account of a divorce. It was also in another state. The other one is in Washington STATE, about 3,000 miles away. Surely we couldn't be confused with that farm, right? There are about seventeen Maples just around the house, too many to count on the farm. Could two of them be twins? Sure. We never did come up with another farm name that satisfied either of us. There are plenty of named farms in the area, some are clever, some not so much: Merrifields, Barber's Grove, Waradaca, Big Meadows, Tahill, Millhaven, Soft Landing Stables, Misty Manor, Whispering Woods Farm, 2Bit Farm, High Horse Farm, Lucky Charm Farm, Windy Acres, A Bit Better Farm, Callithia. Our hay supplier has a farm name, too, but he dropped the 'farm' from it. Tom thought this was a good idea because he didn't want to announce to anyone that it's a 'farm.' Especially a 'horse' farm. Point taken. The sign arrived today.

I'll be anxious for him to install the sign plaque, which also comes with a solar lamp, but it will be more important to fix the shower head. He wanted to also move it but that will entail carving out more of the wall stud. I'll be patient, better than calling a plumber. And the replacement pieces for the harness has arrived! It's all good, down on Twin Maples Farm.

After The Rains

Cooler, but so GREEN - a great end of the Earth Day celebrations. March and April switched places. March was dry, sunny, blooming trees and flowers. April has been cool and windy, more rain than March. Our world is upside down!

Rainy Days and Mondays

Another rainy day, and cold, too. Points north and west of here got 6 - 8 inches of snow! We did not, but got a great soaking. The boys spent the night inside. The Orchard and Timothy grasses are doing well, finally! It's taken most of April to produce an April shower. We also received the 'fly predators' from Spalding Labs. The directions say to place them in manure piles, not near birds and not during rain. Guess what? We have both. Flies are emerging in the pack and can't let them out! Farming is hard, right?

Earth Day

Rain was predicted, however, the forecast was WRONG. Friday was stellar, Saturday was 'supposed to rain' with fluctuating, fluid time-lines for that. Eventually it did rain, but we were home after a very long ride. Sunday was supposed to be a rainy day. We are seriously looking forward to rain, having planted acres of Orchard and Timothy grasses. Since the planting we have gotten no more than a spit of rain. What happened to April showers?

Hubris, Much?

It’s a beautiful day, overcast and perfect temps. I’m not too sure it rained last night – but it did in the evening – I went to the grocery – and Tom stayed home to hitch up Lil Fred and take him for a spin. That didn’t work out very well.

Sprite interfered while he was harnessing Lil Fred – bottom line – the harness is broken and needs to be repaired, the cart was on its side with the wheel spinning and Lil Fred is all wigged out and freaking, even now this morning.

I had mentioned that Sprite was ‘furious’ with the doings and he didn’t put her in her stall like he should have. grrrrrr – now we have broken tack so can’t drive Lil Fred around.

He was too confident and didn’t take into account what ‘furious’ meant to a jealous sibling/mare. I do hate it when I’m right just as much as he does. I still don’t understand why he could not have grabbed the cart, the harness, Fred’s mane or something to prevent Fred from jack-knifing the cart, trying to run down the aisle, get the cart hung up on the lawnmower/manure spreader and break the harness. But that’s just me.