Fruit

So this week on Monday I went and picked a bucket or so of chokecherries.  I love chokecherry syrup and so try to make some every year we have the berries.   I thought I didn't have time this week and it was too hot for the canning, so on Tuesday,  after riding with Susan and friends, I just boiled up the berries and out of 14 cups of berries (and some water so they don't burn) I got 8 cups of juice.  They were quite juicy this year you could almost eat them without choking. That will make a little more syrup than I wanted but then there is enough to give away too.

I also had a look at my crab apple tree and there is a lot of apples on it and they are almost to the point of where I have to pick them.  I want to wait a little longer if I can cause I want them as red as possible so the jelly turns out redder and prettier.   But since they cancelled my show this weekend, I may be out there picking apples instead.  Looks like there will be lots to give away of them as well.

Add that to all the saskatoons I picked and froze this year, and the apricots my Mom brought for me from BC and I will sure not have a shortage of canning to do this fall.  Which is nice cause I am missing having tomatoes to can and beets and carrots to pickle.  Oh well I guess there is always next year.  I sure do have enough zucchini from our neighbors though.  He didn't think we were home when he brought 4 in (normally gives us 1 or 2) but then was surprised to see us come around the house.  Oh well I won't complain cause we got the cucumbers and carrots as well.  We had some carrots on the BBQ the other night and boy oh boy were they ever good, might have to cook the rest that way as well.   I might end up giving a zucchini away to a friend cause I can only eat and freeze so much or all we will eat all winter is zucchini bread (which I have a few different recipes so I may have to try them all).

Last Night

So last night I was noticing how the sky looked so pretty and orange and thought I better get a couple photos of it.  So I did.

Then I turned around to go back to the house and saw the moon so thought I would get a couple shots of it. They turned out OK, but I shoulda had a tripod and they woulda been so much better.

Pretty cool lookin different directions though.

Fly Sheet Woes

So the other day I look out the window and see three naked horses.  Uh - oh that isn't right I must be imagining it.  But no Jessie has somehow gotten her fly sheet off.  So I go out there to find it and its all on the ground undone, except the front straps.  How she did it I have no idea.  Best I can figure one or both of the belly straps come undone and she musta stepped on it cause it had a pretty good tear in one side and then broke the snaps on the leg pieces and then somehow got it over her head.  They don't make them easy to come off.  She only ended up with one small scratch on her right hind leg.  So that I was glad of and she was pretty glad when I put another sheet on her.  Guess that's why its always helpful to have a replacement one.

I don't know what its made of, but I washed it in the washer and where it was torn it never frayed.  I thought it was just a mesh, but it mush be some kind that doesn't unravel.So I pinned it all together and will sew it back up.  Won't look as pretty as the new one, but should still be functional.

It is getting so cool at nights here I actually started putting a regular sheet on her at night and boy I sure like the fit of it better.  I think I am gonna have to look around for a better fly sheet for next year.  I think fit is all in the shape of the neck.  If its shaped right it stays on top of the wither instead of pulling back behind it.  But I am glad I used one this summer and I think Jessie is too.  Char used the wrangler brand ones and they are very stiff and quite indestructible it sounds like but I was worried with Jess it would rub her overly sensitive skin so I just stuck to the soft ones.  Although I think I still prefer no blankets at all in the summer, but if the bugs are that bad and Jess was pretty wimpy so it worked well for her.

Wordless Wednesday -- Bountiful Neighbors

Trail Ride to Creek

Today Susan come over and brought her nieces.  They wanted to see different country and have never seen coulees and creek like we have so it was kinda cool to see it through someone else's eyes.   We took the hill down the creek and crossed to the other side and rode over there for a while.  Then we crossed back and ventured out towards the other side of our place.  We stopped at the dam so the kids could ride in deeper water and they thought that was pretty cool.

We were out about 3 hours, and learned later the girls never walk when they ride so they thought this was kinda different.  I told them they shoulda said something earlier cause we sure coulda trotted or loped, but they said it was nice and relaxing to walk.  So Susan told them all we ever do is walk and visit.  They couldn't believe that.  I said when i ride alone I often trot and sometimes lope, but it is nice to just walk sometimes.  And tomorrow we are gonna go to my neighbors and try going through their creek, should be lots of fun too :)

Hayes Sale 2012

On Saturday I headed up to the Hayes Brothers horse sale.  The breed line bred Skipper W horses and have for many many years.  They are only about  1/2 hour from my house and they have cows and horses next to our pastures down here so I like to go up there.  I got my belle mare from there and also Razz came from there.  Although both of them were not raised and sold by the Hayes, they both were sold there.

I looked through the catalog before hand to have an idea of what they were selling and had to pick out a few I thought I liked even though I had no intention on buying anything.  There were about 6 I liked, both mares and gelding and so I wanted to watch the preview and see how they were in that. Sometimes there is stuff going on that lets me know I don't want a certain horse or there are others I skipped over that I thought were really nice in the preview.

First #3 Blue Eyes, he was so pretty that was what caught my eye at first.  But he also looked good in the preview, a little more lively than some, which is fine, I kinda like that.  He only sold for $1650, pretty good deal if I was looking.

And then #6 TSF Gun N Smoke, he was not there and so the Hayes boys put in one of their broke horses from their ranch string and he sold pretty good, for $4400.  I also had #12 that was not there either.  I guess that's why you pick a few cause no guarantees they will be there.

Then #15 Northern Royal Reed, he was also pretty and super duper quiet, I think he woulda made just a nice riding horse that coulda been used for anything.  He sold for $3000, so more reasonable price, they should all be bringing that I think.

Then I picked the last horse of the sale, #45 WG Ima Tedi Too.  She was very pretty and just nice, she sold for $3500, pretty good for a mare and the last horse of the sale.

While I was there I also saw a bay gelding I liked and he sold for $3500, pretty nice horse, woulda made an excellent ranch horse.  And a mare I really liked, she was a little hotter and not very good in the arena, she only sold for $800 I think she is who I woulda chose if I was buying, super cheap and I liked her.

They had 3 girls riding there horses this year and they just put miles and miles on them and so they seemed a little quieter and it seemed to work for them. I sure like going up there and visiting my neighbors as well.  It is probly the only horse sale I have gone to and made money at, lol.  I had some halters for sale and one neighbor wanted them so I brought them up and he took them all.  I was glad to get them out of my house and he was glad to be able to have some halters that aren't draft size.

Sunday Stills -- Cats

This week Sunday Still is cats.  We have 2 cats in our yard but only one is very visible.  Although I did surprise a badger in our yard yesterday but of course did not have my camera, but maybe he is the reason I do not have very many gophers this year, thought our cats were being super efficient.

For more go to Sunday Stills.

My Week

Yesterday I headed to Calgary to pick up my truck.  Wow what a big dealership.  not sure I would like to go there all the time, kinda prefer my small one in Drum better. But the service guy we talked to was really nice and helpful and remembered who we were right away which was nice.  I am so glad to have my truck back, boy did I miss it when I didn't have it.

(Sunrise on Tuesday as I was leaving home)

Like Tuesday I had planned to go to Olds with Susan and watch the cutting show.  I asked Neil if I could borrow his truck and he said that was fine, but I asked Susan to drive from Drum to Olds cause I don't like his stinky truck that much.  And it worked out fine, but such a pain, sure woulda been nicer to have my own, didn't realize how dependent I was on it.  And now it makes me want to go to another show.  There is one on the 1/2 of September in Airdrie and I dont know if I should enter.  Susan thinks I should go.  I would like to but probly not ready (although sometimes I wonder if I will ever be ready), and my mom has a scrapbooking that weekend and Char is moving and I told her I would help if she needs, but she says probly has lots of help.  So many choices and of course all happening in the same weekend!

(we took the Ferry to go to Calgary)

While in Calgary I stopped at my sisters and we headed up to Cross Iron Mills and had a few things we wanted to get there.  I was told to go to the Running Room for a pair of shoes, but the lady in there was soooo rude we just left, no way I wanted to give my money to her.  I ended up going to Sport Chek and talking to the lady there and she said there are so many preferences with runners that I should run a while and see what I want after I get into it.  I got a cheap pair and will use them till I know what I want and if we go to Great Falls this fall, lol.  I will find a pair down there cause they will certainly be cheaper.  We also got hotdog/marshmallow sticks at Bass Pro Shop and we walked by this picture my sister thought was really pretty and I go look at it and it was a doormat!  And only $6 so I had to get it too.  Was a good day, but long again.

Visiting Day 2

Well after we finally made it to bed, the boys stayed awake super late, but they were in the tent and it didn't bother us :)  But they come in the house about 6 and said they were tired and fell back asleep on the couch for a couple more hours.  Then we had breakfast and they went out to play on the bales again.  Jaret was too afraid to make it on to the top of the second bale the first day, but no problem the second time around.

Then since they been begging if they could ride the horses, I went and got Jessie out and first Jaret rode around the yard.  he was having a little trouble getting her away from her buddies but he finally figured that out and rode around the yard.  Then Tristan had a turn and he thought he should "run" (actually a slow trot, lol) And so that was pretty fun for him.  They were both really good and never pulled on her mouth, which surprised me.  The Jaret thought he had to try this trot, but the stirrups were a little too short for him and so he got kinda scared, but Jessie just trotted up to us and stopped.  He decided walking is better for him.  I wish I had a couple horses I would feel safe putting them on, but I don't right now, maybe if I had been riding Kali it would be different, but its been a while and she is pretty young.  And and arena woulda helped, at least be in a little more control.  (And yes I know they are in shorts and runners and no helmets, but it was all we had at the time and thier mother was Ok with it too)

While we were out there, the cops drive in the yard, I was a little surprised at that!  But I guess our phone had been calling 911 and they couldn't get a hold of anyone cause we left our cells in the house and Neil was in town picking up a baler.  So she came out to see if everything was OK.  It was but just worries me if something is wrong they will just assume it is a mistake.  I sure hope Telus can fix that problem.
My cat Nintendo was hanging around all weekend and the kids thought he was so funny cause he acts like you can do anything to him and then he will just warn you by a little scratch or bite but he never leaves, just sticks around for more, just a little at a time he can tolerate.

We were bored after lunch and so we thought we would go down to the creek and we walked, which might have been a mistake, but we made it and stopped at the crossing and saw there are lots of chokecherries for the picking, I might make some syrup.  It was super hot, I kinda wish we had drove down, but we all come in the house and had a nap afterwards.

Then we had another fire after supper and we made smores, boy were they ever good!  I love them and even if I end up all sticky it is worth it.  We tried to get a couple pics of the coals, but they didn't turn out real great, guess I will have to have more fires.

Then Sunday they thought they should go home and so we headed there and we crossed the ferry and about Strathmore my truck said it was overheating, so we stopped and looked and it looked like maybe a hose was broke so we put in more antifreeze and went slow, but just before Chestermere it said hot again so we stopped in a parking lot and called Neil to come get us.  While we were waiting we had subway and shopped at the Bargain store.  Neil figured it was probly the water pump, and we don't know how to fix that on new vehicles.  So he picked us up, dropped Heidi and boys at home then we decided we should call Dodge and see if it is under warranty and they come and picked up the truck and took it to Clagary.  It sounds like it was something I hit on the road pierced the radiator and so I need a new one.  It was not under the powertrain warranty but he called the Chrylser rep to see if he could make a deal, but we needed it fixed either way so he ordered the part and is ready tonight and we will go get it tomorrow.  I really miss it, didn't realize how attached I am to my truck till it got broke.