Wildflowers and Some Not So Wild Flowers

There are a few updates, thanks Linda and CCC for them, I like knowing what I am looking at out there :) This summer there has been so many flowers growing. Some bloom every year and some I'm sure I have never seen before.

This is a Poppy up at the barn where I ride.

This is some kind of Pretty blue flower that is not very clear, sorry

This I'm pretty sure is some kind of weed (CCC says Yarrow)

This is definitely a weed, but I thought it looked cool in the middle of all that tall grass.

This is not really a flower, but a long needled evergreen of some sort

This one is a pretty yellow flower that grows only in the shade

And another pretty purple flower(A Vetch, thanks Linda)

And a Prairie Sage Flower (oops actually a Scarlet Marrow thanks guys)

And a wild rose growing on a very small plant

This was a butterfly on the purple flowers up at Stettler

And lastly are what we call wild bleeding hearts, but I'm sure they have a real name(Linda says they are also called Old Mans Whiskers or Prairie Smoke as well)

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Wow is it ever hot out! Not that I'm complaining, I have been wanting summer for ever. I like hot weather most of the time. Mostly I just like not wearing a coat.

I guess soon I am gonna get the white boy back. I talked to Lane on Friday at the branding and he said he is ready, but Lane wasn't gonna be home for a few days and wondered if I would leave them a few days to keep the other little guy company. So unfortunately I wont get him till Friday or Saturday. But I'm sure it will be worth the wait. I am gonna be taking him to Jardis for a while and ride with someone around for a while then I might bring him home and just turn him out till March or so.

This morning I really wanted to stay home cause I was exhausted, but Lu said she was gonna bring a sour cream rhubarb pie, so I had to go. And it was worth it! I drove the trailer out to the pasture to get Bailey and they RAN to the trailer, it was really odd, usually they just wait till I get them, but they met me at the trailer. I couldn't figure it out till I got out of the truck. You almost had to swim through the mosquito's. They were so thick and there was no escape.

So I took Bailey and George and he just stood around away from all the bugs for a while. I'm sure he thought I was weird. I rode Bailey and she was really good, and afterwards we massaged her and she wasn't as sore as I thought she would be. At least they had a rest from bugs for a while. I put them in the corral at home and there is a shed so hopefully they use it for escape from the bugs.

Tomorrow my plan is to do absolutely nothing at all, I'm sure that wont happen, but I can try. I do know I have some plants that need to be planted, but otherwise nothing...I hope.

Monday, I think

Its been crazy busy around here again for the last few days again, not sure I can take all this craziness anymore.

On Friday, we went to a branding for the ranch I used to work for, its always a fun one, but busy. That evening I went to my Moms and scrap booked. I am soo close to finishing 2009, I think I have like 3 pages left. That will be nice to get done, I already have 4 albums for this year already and its only half over.

On Saturday morning i went garage sailing with my mom, and I spent all of 85cents. I got some canning jars, lids, 2 books, an embroidery hoop, and some tire sealant for Neil. Not too shabby I think.

When I got home, I didn't want to do anymore, but weeded some garden then went to bed. Yesterday Neils mom and dad came out and then that evening I went to a bridal shower, and trail ride, and Bailey was horrible. I guess that's what I get for only riding her like 3 times in 3 months, so I know its my fault and will try to get to her more now that she seems a little better.

Then today a neighbor asked us to help move his cows. It was a long 7 miles in hot hot weather. And I never thought to bring my camera, grr I hate that!

However before I left I went to check the horses, and was surprised to see Gypsy, Fly and Jazz in the corral. I was a little worried, but Jazz wasn't. On the other side of the dam, was Belle, Jamaica and Razz, just eating not paying any attention to anything else. It was weird, but I took advantage of it and took some pics of Jazz by herself.

Her and Fly were so cute eating out of the same pile

Until he chased her off, Like mother like son I guess.

And I just love the look on her face her, its almost as if shes asking me for help.

Sunday Stills- History

This week we have to take pictures with history, anything older than 60 years old.

So first is our old house up at our Stetler place:



And then there is the barn at an old rustlers cabin up in the wintering hills we went to on a trail ride a few years ago:



And lastly we have the houses where dead people live,lol. My nephew came out and was so intrigued by these houses we have sitting in the bull pasture. He couldn't fathom why they were here and didn't understand the people who lived in them were dead. So he always asks about the houses where dead people live.




Click here to see more Sunday Stills

Baby Update

The babies are growing like weeds, especially Fly. He is huge!

Jamaica is getting bulkier, but not so much taller yet.


Jazz is still pretty fine compared to the rest, but I think she will fill out too.

And they have figured out how to eat oats, its pretty cute, when they try to get Moms nose out of their way.

Gypsy takes over the only trough out there, so Fly knows how to eat out of it too, although it took a few days to figure how to lift his nose over the edge instead of under in.

Moving up North

Well we finally got to Stettler today. Wow I never thought it was gonna actually happen. We got up early, Neil run the cows in and said at 8 we will split them, so I go out at 8 and he's just leaving the corrals saying they are all ready to go! I guess he wants to get them up there as well. Our trucker cam early, so we loaded up and off we went. I tried something different with the dogs, I waited till the trucker and Neil left, then I got ready, fed the dogs and told them to stay home. Not sure they understand, but one can try.

We got to our place about 12:30 and unloaded and then decided to go to Donalda for lunch. We actually had breakfast and its always good there. And cheap. We each got a pan scrambler with toast, I had coke and Neil had beer all for $23. Not bad.

The grass up there is awesome! Its all tame but it just grow and grows. I am sure the cows just love going up there, not very far to move till they are full, and water everywhere as well. And trees to rub on too.

On they way home we stopped at the chiropractor to get all fixed up and we were talking about how the government doesn't pay anymore and Neil said ya its now $30 a crack. I laughed and he never even realized what he said, lol.

Sure was wet up there as well, the hutterites have a garden across the road from our pasture (and it sure looks A LOT better than mine!) but it was getting flooded, so they put an old door in front of the culvert to stop it, well the water was going over the road, so the county came out and removed it and now they have dug a huge dugout, but meanwhile our slough is super over flooded, but I liked how the clouds were reflected in the water, unfortunately it also means out cows won't get to the east side because they won't go through the water.

So all in all we got 46 pairs and a blind steer up there. Hope blindy does alright, he just seems to hang around the other cows and it might be easier where the pasture is smaller.

Rain Rain Rain

Wow seems like all I ever blog about anymore is rain. We had another 1 3/4 last night. So much for the weather forecast of 1-3cms, lol. Not that we really needed any or will for the rest of the year.

Anyway I went riding yesterday at the barn and got to ride Dot again. I sure like her. We rode out in the stubble fields and they are a little wet, but not too bad, not sure how they are today however.

We are gonna try and move our cows up to Stettler again on Thursday. Hopefully this happens this time. Would be nice to get them up there so they can eat down the grass that is prolly belly deep already.

This morning everything was looking a little drier, except the cat, lol. Not sure where he got so wet, but it was funny.

The Scenic Route

(This is for CCC, it's that acreage)

On Saturday we went to Calgary because it was my Grandpas 75th birthday. He is feeling so cheerful and happy its kinda weird. He was all depressed after his heart surgery and then my Gramma passed away, but now hes happy and its so awesome, but weird. We were talking about the 50 million and he says "what do you need money for, when we are all healthy?" So true, but just different. (a cool gate we came across)

Anyways we took some road across to Calgary that Neil says oh this one goes strait across, lets take it. Well not so much strait and not paved and very interesting, but it did get us where we wanted to go, although a little later than we thought, but that's okay.(the view of the valley)

We stayed overnight at my sisters because we watched the boys till she got home from work on Sunday, then we went to Princess Auto an on the way home finally. We got about half way home and Neil says again "wonder where this road goes?" So we take it and it didn't quite make it to the river, but sure some beautiful views from their, so we stopped and took pictures and seen buildings we never knew where there before. At one point we could even see our house. But no way to get to it from there. (a oil lease and cows, then across the river the pig barns)

Sunday Stills

This Sunday Stills had me confused for a while, I thought it was looking down, and here it is getting down and looking up. I had the perfect two pictures picked out and they were backwards. So I went and took a few interesting ones I think will work.

The first is looking up at the grain bin where the oats are kept. It isn't as big as it looks here, lol.


Then looking up past the dead grass to the old pump house and a corner of my wood shop.

Then the next one is looking up into the half dead tree on our lawn with the birdhouse in it.


And the last is looking up to the planter in the middle of the yard.

Check out more at Sunday Stills.

Rain, update and Jamaica

I went to see how the boarder is, and she actually did not break her neck, it is the t3 vertebrae I guess, the one between the shoulder blades where the second rib attaches. she seems okay, but gonna be real bored for 8 - 12 weeks. Its a compression fracture. She said she could feel something was wrong right away between the shoulder blades. Apparently the blazer had the visor smashed down to the center console. Scary!

Oh and looks like we had a total of 2.5 inches of rain, not near as much as places east and south of us, but still way more than we are used to. I went out and the horse pasture is under water, the horses are standing in water up to their ankles. At least the babies wont be afraid of water.

Oh and I was thinking of naming Belles colt Belles Jamaica. Does that sound to girly? It might be hard to call, but no more so than Dinero, lol. As long as no one calls him Jam.

Update

Well Sounds like there will be no surgery on her neck, she is in a brace for about 8 weeks and she should be alright after that. That's so good, I think I can sleep better tonight after hearing that. Apparently she is already home and just resting for a couple weeks at least.

And so far we had 1 1/2 inches rain, and its still coming down, although it does seem to have lessened somewhat.

Ranting (Sorry)

Wow I hate lazy people! We got up this morning hoping to move cows up to our place in Stettler, and it was raining. Well not a big surprise, as it seems like its been raining everyday this year. Oh let me start last night. We went to a fundraiser supper for one of the teachers at the school who had a baby at 27 weeks. He is only 12 inches long and 1.65 pounds. So tiny. But nothing wrong with him, so he just has to stay in the NICU for about 3 months till he is breathing on his own and everything. So Mom and Dad are staying at the hospital as much as possible and its getting hard to pay bills and stuff. Well that was good, we raised about $5000 for them, that will sure help them along.

(does this look like we should ignore the water and go back to bed??)

We get home and Neil says oh I can't see the cows, but there still there I guess. Never thought that since the trucker is coming at 9 he should be sure. Then the rain, and the trucker was actually here at 4:30 and slept in the yard. Neil goes to get the cows in and they have knocked down a gate and are in the creek. So he sends the trucker on his way and goes back to bed. I was so annoyed! Especially when the roof and the basement are leaking. Finally at 10:30 I can take it no more and start tearing down roof tiles to see how bad it is and he wakes up and says oh I guess I shoulda patched the shingles last week. Ya think! now we have to tear out the tiles, the wood and the rotten insulation in the roof before we can have a normal ceiling in the living room. Grrr, for a half hour of shingling we have now at least 2 days of work. If it ever stops raining it would be nice.
(the roof after the tiles are down)

Not sure what we are gonna do now, I sire want a new house and the more I find with this one the more I want a new one.
(the other wet spot)
This roof piece is right by the wall and as soon as I tore it down, I could fell a breeze coming in. The only thing stopping the hole to outside is a roof tile! Not impressed. Now I am wondering if I should tear out the whole roof and redo it all. Hmm people should NOT be allowed to build there own houses! Yikes it makes me wonder how the rest of the house is put together.

And yesterday we heard of another friend had a baby and it was so twisted in the uterus the did a c section and broke a leg getting him out. Hes fine, they sent him to the children's hospital to set it and it should be healed in two weeks or so. And to top it off, this morning we get a call from Jardi saying one of the borders hit a moose last night and broke her neck. She is at the hospital waiting for the surgeon. Yikes! I worry for her, I know they can do so much, but still a neck is pretty fragile.