Saturday - Brrr!

It's chilly out there! But sunny, after a brief snowglobe moment or two this morning. Four-feets were happy to see me earlier than usual - or at least, they were happy to see FOOD earlier than usual!

The cows were napping.


For a minute I had the awful thought that the waterer had stopped working, and that's why they were collected right there. But no, it was fine. Who knows what goes through a cow's mind - I'd have thought they'd have preferred to do their napping in the sun. Guess not.

While the horses ate I got the gate fixed. The bolt wasn't jammed - yay!

And I managed to get the hay feeder readjusted, as well. I still need to do something about one of the sucker bar rods on the fence - the connector is stripped, and it won't stay screwed togther.

No kitten pictures. I called, but I don't think s/he knows to come to "Here, kitty-kitty" yet! I expect he's probably tucked up inside one of the barns with the sheep, where it's warmer. Maybe tomorrow he'll poke his furry little self out. If he does, I know I'll hear him! LOL.

These two are Misty (grey) and Sheba. Their people are out of town until tomorrow, so I stopped by to check on them and their water situation.
When I talked to C yesterday she was in Menards hunting for a pick-ax and/or a new heat gun to thaw out their water tank. The tank heater had died, and their tank was slightly more solid than drinkable. She had the new heater, but still had to get the old one and a bunch of ice out before she could get the new one in. Yuck - a very cold, wet way to spend a winter afternoon.

Thankfully, today all looked well with horses & waterer both. The water tank was steaming gently in the chill, with no sign of ice. The mares were munching their way into a new round bale, but came over to visit and snuffle up the treats I brought.

After that it was off to the grocery store and home to make supper. The rest of my evening consisted of dropping H & friends at the bowling alley, and then stopping at a friend's to borrow a phone & a phone book so I could call the locksmith. Yep. Locked myself out.

Slightly ironic, given the fact that I'd just had new keys made for H - who promptly found the ones she'd "lost" in the bottom of her bookbag. The new keys were sitting on top of the refrigerator. Mine were on the rest of my key ring in my purse which I ALWAYS take with me....

Luckily, the front door was deadbolted - in case you don't know (I didn't) button locks in the newer lever-style door handles pretty much have to be drilled out. So, door open & $40 to the locksmith later, I was cleaning up the supper debris when the doorbell rang. The locksmith.... He'd dropped the $40 I gave him somewhere in the yard (he thought) on the way back to his van. He just wanted to let me know he was going to be roaming around with a flashlight for a few minutes in hopes of finding it.

By the time I dug out the trouble light and had my boots & coat on he was pulling out, so hopefully he found it. I'll take a look in the morning though, in case not.

Such was my day.

Of Cats & Gate malfunctions

It warmed up all the way to freezing today!

Hooray!!!

And tomorrow I get to feed in the daylight, which is even better.

Can you see the eyes?

Tonight the dark was at least warmer, and since this is pizza night, cooking was fully as complicated as dialing Dominoes.

And best of all, it's FRIDAY(!)
and I don't have to work until Sunday night!

I couldn't even get too bent out of shape when I discovered that the 16' gate that bars entry to the upper lot was off its top pin. Sigh. It really needs a gate prop for the open & closed positions. I'm going to see about installing one tomorrow so it doesn't sag. I think the pin bracket has slipped down a bit, too which compounded the problem - it's only catching the bottom 1/2" of the pin. If the bolt isn't stripped, I can fix that problem at the same time - and if it is, well, there's always the "whack it with a hammer" method.

For tonight, I managed to get it the pin into the bracket for long enough to close it while the horses ate. Of course it popped loose as I hauled it back fully open again, but it's braced, so it should be okay until I can work on it tomorrow.

After I'd battled the gate to an open & upright position, and called in the pizza order to be picked up on my way home, the drop-off kitten reappeared and noisily announced that he was hungry and wanted attention. I need to take a closer look at him/her tomorrow, too. I think he's managed to either frostbite the very tip of his tail, or get it stepped on by a sheep. And I suppose a vet appointment and a name are in order. S/he's a real cutie. And in possession of a very good set of lungs. Pictures tomorrow - if he'll consent to sit still long enough!

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Friday Book Review: Old Bones the Wonder Horse

Today when you mention horse racing people mostly think of Barbaro, or maybe Secretariat, Man of War or Ruffian. (I always remember Secretariat, because he won the Triple Crown the year I was born.)

But growing up, one of my favorite non-fiction books - and there weren't many - was the story of a racehorse whose track record was simply amazing - no pun intended!

My mom once connived with my 6th grade teacher to only allow me so many fiction books per non-fiction book read. You'd think she'd be happy I was reading, but I guess when you're whipping through Zane Grey, Walter Farley, Dick Francis, Robert B. Parker, Nancy Drew & the Hardy Boys, and Louis L'Amour books at the rate of 20-30 a week, a few less fluffy titles wouldn't have killed me...

At any rate, I did have a few lapses into reality, and this book was one of them.

Old Bones, the Wonder Horse by Mildred Mastin Pace

The story of Exterminator, one of the most famous Thoroughbred race horses of all time - his life may not be quite the Cinderella story it's made here, but as told, it does make a good book.

Unprepossessing as a youngster, the gangly gelding came out of nowhere to win the Derby by a length. He went on to win multiple stakes races, and dominated the racing world for several years in the 19-teens and twenties, even setting a couple of world records. His career was shadowed, however, by another racing great, Man O' War, although the two horses never raced against one another.

Unlike many high strung and anxious Thoroughbreds, 'Old Bones' as he was familiarly known, was placid and laid back when not racing, and traveled easily, which may help account for some of his racing success. Accompanied by his favorite stable pony, Peanuts, Old Bones lived to the grand old age of 30 (very old for a large horse breed), and his birthday was celebrated every year with the local children and plenty of carrot cake -- at least that's how the story goes.

Old Bones was one of my favorite horse books growing up, and remains a treasured afternoon read. I once baked a carrot cake for my own pony in his honor, and loved the fact that this horse story had a happy ending.

Can't remember if Shan actually ate any of his cake or not (it was an eggless, sugarless, raisin-packed recipe - really yummy), but I sure had fun making it. And I'm guessing he probably did.

I have to say, my pony was quite the Hoover when it came to all sorts of odd people food. He'd practically beg for peanut butter & banana sandwiches or granola. Blueberry picking, he'd raid the filled buckets if I wasn't careful. And of course carrots & apples... Neither of which I can get Sunny to touch - isn't that odd?

At any rate, Old Bones has stuck with me through the years. I'll have to hunt down that carrot cake recipe, too!

Scenes from the peaceful part of my day

Munch, Munch, Munch

A thoughtful pause to contemplate?
No, I just caught her in mid-chew.

Tiny little stingy snowflakes - but they add up quickly enough.

The view down to the hay feeder. No gate hangers-over today.

There's something relaxing....

About standing in the semi-dark listening to the sounds of steady munching. Having said that, I suppose the relaxation factor does depend on one's perspective & position....

If I were, say, one thin plywood sheet away
from a mass of hungry army ants,
I'd be screaming my head off.

But in this case, leaning against a fence rail patiently waiting for the grain-eating four-feets to reach their bucket-bottoms, I have to go with relaxing. There's just something about capping my work day with the whole horse-feeding routine that's quite pleasant. It's cold - last night in the teens - thankfully above zero! - and fairly dark, especially down near the hay bale where the yard light doesn't reach.

But the horses are always thrilled to see me.

Moving around I make sure to talk to them, letting them know that yes, it is me and I have a pitchfork, so they need to move, shift, and not run me down. Grain now is enough of a routine that most of the lucky recipients are waiting at their buckets. The other four are still none the wiser, and don't venture up beyond the hay. Only Foxy, too timid to risk Sunny's teeth by waiting at the gate, needs to be collected and walked past the red menace - he won't bother her if she's with me.

And after the hay is spread across the width of the feeder - and set out besides in two distinct and distant piles to prevent squabbling - and the four getting grain have their rations... After I've spread hay for ther weanling calves in the next lot - when they can't reach their hay, they collect a the fence and stare at me with those big sad eyes while I feed the horses.... While I'm waiting for the grain to disappear so that I can open the gate and let the eaters out, I pull bits of chaff and twigs from manes and tails, fluff coats and de-mud, or chores done, simply lean on the fence listening to four sets of teeth contentedly grinding grain....

It's very peaceful.

Yes, I still have to drive home and figure out something for the rest of us to eat for supper, but I can do so knowing that all of the horses are healthy and happily buzzing through their hay. It's a nice feeling.