Gardening

Anyways back to the garden, planted most of it May 11, potatoes, corn, peas, beans, carrots, onions, lettuce.  Maybe a bit early for the corn specially but it was so nice out and so I took a chance.  Just started to sprout when we had a bunch of cold weather and rain this weekend. So no need to water I guess and now some sun and they should really grow.  As soon as it dries up a bit I will plant all my stuff I grew and I still have a few to buy mostly flowers and I was gonna go see Janice and her greenhouse but was planning to go with a friend and now shes there with her daughter instead, grrr, shoulda just went on my own.

(whole garden view, I just mowed before the rain 

probly needs to be done again already)

(peony that just grows)

(crab tree I trimmed)

(climbing red rose in garden)

(plants I grew)

(pretty bush rose)

(random maple tree that no one planted)

(ornamental crab, I don't prune this 

I don't even know where to start as it is almost a bush)

(love the blooms on the crab)

I had a bunch of tree trimming to do, the crabapple tree especially as it had a branch that was over the garden that wouldn't let the sprinkler get to the one corner of the garden.  I was gonna do it last fall but I read that fruit trees should be trimmed early spring well I was a bit late on that one so I only did one tree if no fruit on it I will still have the other tree.  I also trimmed up all the lilacs and the almost dead honeysuckle and the thorn tree.  Would like to do the bigger trees but I need a ladder and help and that's not as easy to do.

(yellow climbing rose in garden)

(more plants I grew they are getting so big, need the garden)

(plants from Cessford)

Today was the plant sale in Cessford that I always go to and I bought a random number of plants I'm sure there will be enough with mine to fill all my planters I just need a nice day and can get them all in.  We got 2 inches of rain over the weekend so it is soggy around here. Not that I am complaining we needed it but I want sun now. And a week ago started some pumpkins cantelope and squash and they are huge already, specially the pumpkins, I forgot how fast they grow

Everything At Once

Been working on the garden the last little while in between everything else.  We finally got our bulls tested, all 10 passed although we sent away for trich tests and they will take a week or so to get back but we don't think we will have any trouble.  One bull was so goofy he wouldn't lock his head in so put it sideways then sat on the pole we had behind him, looks so uncomfortable to me but he sat that way a long time, goof ball.  They sure all have different personalities some just take it some are wimpy and others try to fight the whole time.  They all settled down and it didn't take too long.

We also got a calf from the neighbor a week or so ago and he is well mothered and her with him but he wasn't looking full so while the vet was here he looked at him as well and decided he has some sort of stomach bug and just wasn't feeling well, maybe not enough colostrum or maybe got infection from his real mom, she had mastitis pretty bad.  Well after 2 doses he is lively can't catch him for nothing now :)

Still working on the deck although a bit slow for one reason or another.  Although I did get the old deck pretty well pulled apart and rounduped the grass and lilac bush where the new deck is gonna go.  I am kinda waiting on the neighbor to bring gravel as I want to put down lasndcape fabric and then gravel on top and maybe plywood on top of that  cause our deck will be 3-4 feet off the ground so might as well enclose it and store the lawn chairs and stuff under there in the winter time.  He is supposed to come anytime now hes actually bringing it for the garage base which should be going up anytime soon we are getting a quote right now.

While they were out talking about the garage our plumber/electrician was out and installed the AC (hoe nice!) and put a new breaker box in the old pump house where Neil stores stuff and in my woodshop and a new yard light and lights on the run in shed where my horses are, just in case we ever want to calve heifers again (I hope not) or whatever reason.  And wow are they ever bright, I used them when feeding after dark this week just to test them out I like them :)  And last fall I got a sprayer from a friend and gonna use it for the arena to water and its older so needed a few fixes so got working on that as well, turns out the pump doesn't work some electrical issue.  If I cant find anyone to fix it I will get a similar one, they are $113 at Peavey Mart which is still pretty cheap if that's all it costs me to fix it up along with the maybe $10 of other parts I needed.

(the sprayer system, not what I was wanting but I think will work really well)

(some cat likes to help all the time)

(and my new breaker in the woodshop,

 needs a new ceiling too but one thing at a time)

And the window seat is put on hold as I was looking at the plans to see the joists so I could nail it down and it looked like there was supposed to be a vent below the window, well there wasn't so I phoned the house lady and they are coming out next Tuesday to have a look and if its not there just leave it and if it is they will move it to in front of the window seat, so not all bad just made me have to stop when I was really getting going.

(sorta how its gonna look, 

opening in the front for baskets 

and gonna paint it to match the walls)

(but for now just waiting)

Also went to the Draft Horse Sale shoulda brought some stuff but maybe next year, although I feel like I say that every year.  Never bought anything was kinda looking for a pony harness hehe but only one was there and it was pretty light.  They did have a pile of carts/wagons/sleighs.  Even some pony stuff but the one I wanted was too short for Pally and I don't think she knows how to drive but I really want to.

(so many wagons)

(John Deere Pony cart, 

Pony dump sleigh 

and the red one I looked at but shafts are too low)

(stopped at my Moms afterwards to take her for supper 

and she made us take a selfie lol)

An then they had a big fundraiser in Brooks for the people from Fort Mac and so we stopped down there for a bit had supper and listened to the band, stopped in the beer gardens and bid on a few auction items.  Neil got 4 passes for golf he was pretty excited about that.  Not real well organized but they raised a pile of money anyways.

Running Sunday

So we entered a race in Calgary a while ago.  I have been meaning to get running regularly after winter and it just never really happened, me and S had made plans to walk once a week in Drum and we were fairly regular about it.  And I tried to walk a couple times a week at home or wherever I was.  But so little running.  Not sure I will ever really be able to run too many issues and running is hard on the body. But we were entered so away we went.

(the bracelet we got at the finish line, Id prefer a medal but oh well)

Got up early and they had parking at McMahon Stadium and shuttle buses to the park cause there wasn't much parking there.  We were running late (of course) and we got to the race and picked up our race package just as they were starting.  Good thing we al have individual timers so we got there and started walking.  Glad the S was walking as well, she said she did even less than me but shes in better shape all the time I think.  It was a good race, so pretty, along the bow river lilacs blooming and temperature was perfect.  We were not that fast but we finished!

(The bag we got and my number, 

we could pick what we wanted to put on it)

(all the goodies in the bag, 

I already used the Burt's Bees and the pedi lotion)

After the race they have fruit and sample juices for you to try.  And we got a swag bag with our bib number and boy the stuff in there wow more than worth the entry fee.  We kinda took our time and then got back to the truck and went for lunch at Peters.  Haven't been there in a long time and ordered too much food of course but it was sooo good!  I had a cheese dog, poutine and a pina colada milk shake, mmmm.

Then on the way home we stopped at Peavey Mart to look at pumps and got side tracked by roses, they were nice but we didn't buy cause looked dry but on the way out of the parking lot come across Rona and saw more roses so we stopped there and I ended up buying 3, wasn't planning on it but they were on sale and I want some in a couple years after I build my arbor and so am gonna plant them in the garden and see if I can make them survive.

(I love yellow climbing roses, they say will survive 

but I'm wary so I got a red one too, they seem tougher 

and I couldn't resist the yellow and red one)

(can tell the climbers for sure, they are tall)

All in all a good day and we are already planning our next one, either Canmore, Invermere, night run in Calgary or maybe even New Mexico......not sure yet

Riding Out and a Lesson

Well I missed out on entering the show today, entries closed Tuesday at 9 and we had company and didn't leave till 10:30.  That and the fact i was undecided if I should go so I didn't enter, apparently they are really good about late entries but I hadn't been riding a whole lot and no lessons for a month I decided I better not.  But I rode on Thursday and had a super ride.  Trying to get Easy out more and so I ride him in the arena, lots of trotting, some loping.

And then I grab Pally and pony her out.  I have ponied her in the arena before and shes obviously done it before she just walks up beside me and no big deal.  They are totally different, Easy is calm and relaxed in the yard and Pally doesn't like walking by stuff but out in the open Easy gets tense and Pally just relaxes.  Kinda works well actually.

We walked out about a 1/4 mile and back, not very far but every time I go a little farther and soon we wont even have to worry about it.  Hes been good so far, I just don't like the head up and stiff as a board feeling when I'm out there alone.

Then yesterday I went for a lesson, loaded both Pally and Easy and it worked well, Pally stood good at he trailer, called a couple times but not bad and had a fantastic lesson.  We worked 4 cows, 2 super slow hardly moving cows and 2 medium cows.  Yay I didn't forget everything I learned :)  As good as he was we totally coulda shown today.  Oh well there is more shows.

(hes so fun :) )

(dunno why its so dark, 

but they get to graze the arena after a ride,

 works good for all of us)

Oh and I dunno if anyone looks at the side bars but we got our branding date picked out and a few of the neighbors, got about 6 more to add to the list but so far looks like the first week of June is gonna be super busy, I'm still hoping the 11th doesn't get booked as there is a show that day too, Id go if we aren't branding but who knows so far.  I'm gonna try and go for a lesson a week and see how that goes too.  Also the people who were hosting the cowboy challenge last year are doing roping lessons so I might try do some of that, maybe with Razz she should be fun.

Testing

The day after I got my new lens I also notice the Saskatoon bushes were flowering so I thought I would go to the creek and have a look and see how many there are.  I took Bob and my camera and off we went.  Shoulda brought a water too it was hot but I sure liked it when I got back.  As soon as I got close to the hill I could see all the white flowers.  Sure enough lots of them.

(so many in this coulee, my favorite picking area)

(and here looking towards the neighbors, lots as well)

(this hill of trees looks white from blooms)

(even single sticks had blooms on them, 

I think we are gonna have a lot this year)

Then I got looking at some of our crossings, since Neil likes to drive bob around he wants crossing that work good for the side by side, me I prefer crossings my horse can cross, not always the same, he likes big rocks and I like smaller more gravelly.  We got quite a few crossings, I didn't get them all but all in this winter field.

(This used to be a really nice crossing 

and then the beavers built a dam

 now its way to deep to even try to cross, probly 5 feet or so)

(This ones OK, just south of the water for the winter)

(and this one to, looks muddy but its not and super shallow)

(this is OK, not for Bob so it stays nice for horses :) )

(this one has a big hole in it, we are getting it fixed this summer)

(and another with a hole, we collect rocks and put them in there)

(this one is kinda soft, not my favorite one but short so not bad)

(and this ones dry with a million big rocks, I hate it)

And then I finally come across some wildlife, a hawk of some sort, and some deer, thought I would see a lot more but I think Bob is too loud they hear him from far away.

(his head looks bent in half, 

he knows I'm there just not sure if I'm a threat yet)

And after I came back up to the top got a view of the creek looking down south and then back North to the pump house where we water in the winter, regular and totally zoomed in, works good :)  Shoulda brought the regular lens could see not zoomed at all.

(far away view, 55 zoom)

(closer view, 250 zoom)

(and the creek its so windy (not like wind but like curvey))

Then I saw a bunch of wildflowers, sure are pretty when it blooms out here.  Also had something purple on the other side of the creek but no pics today.

(cactus)

(closer cactus)

(dead Canada Thistle)

(buffalo beans)

Alll in all a good trip, I like going down there, I've ridden down there lots, that's always where the company wants to go so we do but not when taking zoom pics, need a pretty still horse for that.