CO Scare

Yesterday as I was testing out my dehydrator making apples and pears, I had a box of pears I got from a preschool fundraiser and wanted to make some jam but there was a lot and so I also canned some.  The vanilla pear jam soooo good! 

But since all burners and plugs were used (not quite but it seemed like it) I cooked us burritos in the oven, nothing I haven't done before.  But before lunch was over the fire alarm went off.  Well the microwave above he stove quit so that meant I had so exhaust fan either and I figured that's what it was.  Well turns out no.  It sounded weird so we listed and she was saying carbon monoxide warning.  Not good.  Well I guess you are supposed to turn off all gas powered appliances and let it cool and then test again.  Well lunch was almost done and the canning was done so off went the stove and oven and we opened the doors even though it was -22*C outside and we turned off the furnace.  The alarms went off and never went again so we guess it was good this time.  I turned back on the furnace and left the doors open a bit to circulate some air.

Then off to google I went to see what I could find.  Turns out all gas ovens vent into the house they say it is a safe level.  I noticed last couple times the fire alarm went off it was when the oven was above 400, below that it never bothered.  I think its a mix of the oven needing cleaning and no exhaust fan and Neil was in town and he said something to the electric guy and he said they go off a lot when its this cold out.  Makes sense we are not going in and out very much and its pretty sealed up inside.  So I guess as soon as it gets a bit warmer so I can leave the door/window open I will clean the oven, the second sounds nice.  And we have a new microwave with exhaust fan that I bought of a buy/sell group and we should put that in before I do much more cooking.  I was thinking I haven't had a microwave in a month I didn't need it.  But I guess I need the fan.  And I want popcorn lol.

Merry Christmas

We spent the 23rd in Medicine Hat at a funeral for a good friend,  She will be missed.  Cancer sucks.  But she is in a better place now and we will all see her again one day.  While we ere there we finished up our Christmas shopping and then had supper and headed home. 

Sunday we were on our way to Olds after Neil finished chores.  But first our neighbors come and we had coffee and Baileys with them, must have Baileys in all coffee at Christmas time ;)  Then the waterers were frozen so it actually worked well cause they were thawed by the time the neighbors left.  So we packed the truck and off we went.

(Jaret modeling his snowman glasses)

(Tristan modelling Santa glasses)

(Neil and his farmer shirts he loves)

(the sign I made for Jaret)

(Heidi so excited for her new camera)

(Tristan got a Denny's cup, best gift ever for him lol)

(my mom with her anchor socks, she LOVES anchors)

(Neil looking at a gift)

(my Aunt Shirley studying her gift)

(my mom and her knitting bowl)

(Neil with more presents)

(Heidi opening a birthday gift from my aunt, its an unfinished scarf lol)

Was a good day , we opened presents and ate and got stockings and visited and lots of laughing occurred.  I had most of my shopping done early and I really liked that it saved a lot of stress except what shoulda been easy was hard, t-shirts for a teenager, well last place we stopped at had the best ones and they were cheap!  We shoulda gone there first. 

(Cheyanne was pooped)

(Rupert not a fan of the noise)

(me and Neil by the tree)

(aunty Shirley)

(Tristan and Jaret)

(Tristan and Heidi and Jaret)

(my mom and Clint and Cheyenne)

(haha me in my model pose by the tree)

All in all a good day, I took a lot of pics, will share a few here.  Then on the way home we stopped to take pics at the John Deere and Case dealerships who always decorate some farm equipment its pretty cool. 

And then got home at 11 and it was -33*C brrr.  Good thing it warmed up a bit today lol -16*C but still too cold to go for a ride even if it was the first Christmas in my life I coulda.

Life and Christmas

Well I guess I'm here to post again, have been around reading blogs but not a lot to post about here.  I haven't rode in 6 weeks, probly the longest ever since I got a horse back in 2004.  Not sure I like it even though everyone says its good to take a break and its so icy out its pretty well impossible to ride unless I jump on bareback in the field they live in but I don't wanna do that and have 7 loose horses around.  I did get the farrier out to do their feet, hes pretty sure hes not gonna do Jess and Nita's feet next summer when they have foals on them so he plans on coming in late may for their last trim.  I think I can convince him to do them after that in July or August anyways.   Both are pretty good, we will see how they are then, I guess no use worrying about it now.  He also thinks I should breed Nita to his cowhorse/ranch stud.  I'm not sure, I either breed her back or I ride her and maybe sell her not sure which I should do yet.

(Nita is looking good still, I was a little worried about her)

(Jax is just so cute!)

(Rayne looks so big next to Jax lol)

(Happy herd, and glad way more snow has gone than this)

We had the craft sale, it was really bad, I sold $125 worth of stuff, less than half of what I usually sell (which is closer to about 300)  Because the lady in charge of advertising just didn't.  She was supposed to get posters up to all the mailboxes and call in for free advertising on the radio and she did nothing so no-one came besides the people selling and a few others.  So I don't think I will go next year and have started a Facebook group for selling my stuff, been looking around at a few other craft sales that only sell homemade stuff and there is a couple not too far I may try for next year.

(sunrise morning of the craft fair)

I went to a craft night where they were making Grinch trees.  What a fun thing to do :)  I love mine and when I got home I put on the battery lights and its even better :)

Otherwise just getting ready for Christmas, we are going to Olds for Christmas Eve and spending the day with my Mom.  I dunno what else but at least we got that much planned.  I have almost all the gifts done, tried to finish tonight on our way when we went to see the Holiday Train, which was super cool!

Neil is going next week I'm gonna send him with my last 3 items to get, hes trying to get me to go but I'm not sure I wanna.

Winter, Sigh

Not much going on here now.  Its winter we had about 6 inches of snow and its still here 3 weeks later.  I'm about sick of it.  I really need to do something about being stuck here all winter.  I make plans every year and think it will be fine.  But its not.  I hate being stuck inside and I cant go outside when its that cold cause I can't breathe.

(but we have partridges and they don't seem to mind the cold. 

 Or the grain Neil spills)

Paint class has been fun, we got one more class and then its over, I think she is starting up again in January and I will go then as well.  Might as well as I am just starting to like my pictures.  Also been going to craft nights at the library and that is good too, nice to get out and see a different crowd.

(we did trees, mine is the right side and I hate the round trees, otherwise its cool)

(Ha I painted this on the table, looks better than any canvas I have painted)

(and the latest one, still working on it)

Otherwise horses are turned out and will be probly till February or March now cause its so miserable already and I can't see it changing a whole lot.  Which sucks.  I tried to find a boarding barn nearby I could ride but no where within an hour and a half.  I could haul but when the high is -15 I have no desire to its just work.

(yay out!  Pally, Rayne and Jax)

(George and Jess making a run for it)

(Nita Razz and Easy last out)

(kinda weird having 8 horses out there, almost overwhelming)

Cows are all weaned, we are feeding already even though its way to early, we are gonna have to buy more feed.  Calves are all sold and in their new homes, we did something different this year and sold them ahead of time and it seemed to work OK, was nice no need to order trucks they just showed up. Even though they were about 40 pounds heavier than we guessed at.   Bulls are home and being a pest, specially when the gate is left open and they wander around the yard.  We are looking at buying cows again and sales are on Saturdays so hopefully sometime soon we will have a bunch of new ones.

Me and Jess and Neil and George helpin the neighbor)

(our heifer calves)

(the steers)

Our local craft sale in on Friday and so I have a bunch of jams and bath items and a few sewing and wood projects as well.  I'm hoping to sell out but I doubt that's possible haha.  Oh well gave me something to work on, although I wish I could use my woodshop more but its too cold in there cause when I work I gotta have the door open.  Another item for my wish list.  I did get business cards and they are so cool!  I really love them haha and I got a car magnet cause it was super cheap at checkout. 

My Birthday Ride and Rayne

Well it was my birthday today and so I got to do whatever I wanted. Since I was feeling a lot better today finally.  Turns out there was about 6 people who got sick after the party on Sunday, noone wants to say who was sick then and I don't blame them lol.   Did chores this morning and then waited till it got warm enough and thought I should go for a ride.  But I really needed to check the fence in the winter pasture before the horses move there Sunday or Monday.  So I took Jess and we went around it, no reason we can't do 2 things at once.  It wasn't bad, a spot where the bulls went through, a couple wires needed stapled up and a couple posts needed.  But all in all nothing my horses would go though.  The bull spot was covered in panels and Neil plans to fix that this week.  I will nail the staples in and he will pound the posts then I will put the staples in there too.

(Love adding photos to map my run :))

(found a cacti under her belly before I rode, 

glad I looked or I might not have had such a great day)

(Stinkin bulls go right through the fence when the gate was even open)

(I love riding her out :)  I'd like to think she does too )

I got a bike carrier for my birthday I love it!  I been wanting one for a while now so my bike doesn't just get thrown around in the back of the truck and this will work fantastic!

And Shirley was asking about Rayne, well I haven't had much time to do stuff with it being weaning season and all but after Wednesday I think we are pretty well done for the year.  I did figure out she has a lack of respect for space, but that's normal shes young and testing.  She got pretty upset at me the other day when I would not let her eat out of my oat bucket and kept crowding me and of course had nothing with me to chase her away with she eventually turned away and crowhopped.  Just frustrated didn't know how to deal, but not toward me to that is OK, she will learn.  And when she was near me and got chased away when I was opening the gate she ran into me....not acceptable that time I had a lead rope so I just stopped opening the gate and twirled the lead rope it hit her butt and she eventually moved away and I stopped and went back to the gate.  Slower than I normally do of course but I think she was thinking it through.  She is very sweet wants lots of attention so I been giving her a little, after next week I think I am gonna keep her and Jess in and get her ponying and then she can come out and see the big world.  I may take her out on her own as well we will see how much nice weather we get.

(you can see the bite marks on her side, 

apparently not that good at moving out of horses ways either)

(But shes so cute and sweet she will leave her oats to come see me)

I don't wanna do too much too soon but I think she is ready for more so I will probly get her saddled and bridled and long lining and stuff this winter, will wait till spring to actually get on her but lots of stuff to do before then.  I'd also like her to load better so I can haul her to Brooks when I go down there and ride.