Weather. And Horses

Monday before the plant sale, Neil was out farming and he messages me that Nita was out and heading east across the farm field.  Stinkin horse, maybe that's why she was for sale.  But anyways that's a couple miles away and I'm not walking that far so I get Jessie and figure Ill ride out.  Well I had her saddled and Neil says shes heading south in the winter pasture now.  OK that's the way I was gonna go out anyways.  I had a hunch she would come back to the yard anyways and sure enough just as I was bridling Jess she comes running in the yard.  So I drop my reins and corner Nita put a rope over her neck and lead her to a still in my arena.  Since Jess was all ready to ride I figured I might as well go anyways.  So instead of on a horse hunt we went south to look at our mismatched cows.  We got the cow with the twins out there and the cripple cow and the one we put a twin calf on after she lost hers.  They were all hanging out by the dugout and just happy so we headed back home, kinda short ride but I hadn't planned on riding at all so it was good.

Then I don't want Nita out again so I figured turn out Jess and Easy and keep Nita in with Razz, that was gonna be interesting when I went to the clinic Nita would be along, but I know she cant get out of the corral by herself and shes done it before, and she has ponies on the other side of the fence.

(George just want cookies lol)

 Well that worked well till after the plant sale I came home and Easy had himself just in a lather, what a nut, so I turned out Razz and Nita and so far all is good out there.  I have to fix the close fence so they can be where I can lock them in the corral in the daytime so I can ride and they don't get too obese.

And well it didn't matter about the clinic, they cancelled cause of the miserable wind and rain, or maybe snow over there I don't know.  Kinda sucks but not much you can do when its all outdoors.  Oh well he said he will give us a refund or we can do another clinic or he will come to our place to do a clinic.  Not sure what I want.  I was kinda excited about it but now I just have too much to do that I would rather my own thing for now, not sure I need a clinic on anything but driving and I don't see anywhere he does that so I will go elsewhere, maybe in July there is a clinic I think. Anyway before the storm we had the most orange sky it was so pretty.

(carraganas)

(also got flowers cause I had the camera out lol, the lilacs just opened)

And yesterday and today are just awful wind wind and wind, can hardly stand in the house never mind outside.  And we hardly got any rain even, maybe 1/4 inch but its been blown away for sure.  I was hoping for more rain as we just got the crop seeded so it woulda been perfect timing.  Really was hoping today was nice so I could get the rest of the plants planted but I guess maybe Saturday as I am going shopping in Calgary tomorrow.

Gardening

Well I got my garden all planted except for a few things.  So far there is corn, potatoes, beans, peas, carrots, and radish. I have too many tomato plants but slowly giving them away. hot peppers seedlings, cilantro, basil and lavender to still plant.  The lettuce and radish and garlic and onions are already coming up :)  After the clinic I will plant all the other stuff and hope its never gonna freeze until fall.

(plants sunning on the deck with me)

(onions and garlic in back and lettuce up front)

(radish, I always plant in carrot row but carrots are not up yet)

(I love the garden, probly better than my lawn lol 

trees and grass and the garden bench so perfect)

I went to a basket stuffing last weekend and got all the plants (maybe) for my planters.  I got some purple petunias, gazenias (cause they are drought tolerant lol), lobelia, the colored foliage stuff, and the 2 baskets I filled down there with hanging stuff.  Them and the stuff I ordered through the playschool should about fill up everything.

And I went to the plant sale on Monday at Cessford and I did buy some flowers, red marigolds and some neat euphoria?with colored leaves and white flowers, some purple basil and was given chives and garlic chives which I guess just grow and try and take over.  Which is OK cause I do like the flowers.

And Sunday on our way to Olds, we stopped at L and Ms and traded tomato plants, I had all small ones she had all big ones.  I gave her 4 and she gave me 8 (I didn't want that many lol but she also had too many)  and then she gave me 2 ice cream pails of irises and a pot of lillies.  Then Monday before the plant sale I went up to a neighbors and she had luck rooting pussy willows so I got a bunch of those (her leftovers lol) and I gave her a pail of iris and some tomatoes too.  She tried to give me a kitten too but luckily skipped that one lol.

(way more than I needed I don't even know where to put them all

 but I will plant them cause they probly won't all survive but they are so cool)

(close up, so fuzzy)

My crabapple trees and the ornamental are blooming as well, I sure love them when in flower, and oh the bees!

(I love this tree, hard to believe I shopped so much off last fall)

(got a bee in there)

(buzz)

 I wish more trees up here had flowers on, I sure loved that about California the flowering trees, but I guess that's what happens when you have summer all year round.

More Riding

Had a nice lady (a friend) come out on Thursday and try out Pally.  She hasn't rode in a long time and would like too and her granddaughter comes down and stays during the summer and she is quite the little rider.  So she was interested in leasing Pally for the summer, after branding season.  It will work well for me, someone to exercise my horse :)  Not sure she is interested 100% because I know they were sold a kid quiet horse and she bucked and bucked on them so she is really suspicious.  Which is understandable and it sucks.  Also why she wants a lease then if it doesn't work out she can return her.   I'm not really looking so sell her but if the right place came I would.  I don't mind even keeping her around just for fun cause I like her lol.  Nice to get on from the ground and she literally has done everything so I know I can do whatever I want on her. Shes not perfect but shes a good horse.

Then I rode Razz that evening totally confused her and me oops.  Forgot the gate to the hay corral was bad to Neil just permanently wired across it.  There is another one but I forgot and rode over to it, Razz musta thought I was weird when I made her go that way then turn around and come back.  Oh well not the craziest thing I've done with her.

(gotta ride in the arena first)

(then way out)

(and home, so green )

Also been taking Jess out randomly, last night we went over in the hay field, past the bulls and across the summerfallow field on the way back.  We were riding and then comes by Neil in his truck, just come back from the north place putting up gates.  So we visited for a bit while Jess got a break and a snack.

(our house, should get a front view with ears )

(bulls in the corner, worth looking at, but they didn't care about us, didn't even get up)

(Wide open prairie, under big skies)

(Oh there is Neil)

(funny view from GoPro looking down)

(and across the freshly plowed summerfallow, ready for seeding)

And today headed to Chars with Easy, Razz, and Jess and rode in her arena.  Perfect day for riding.  Although I am using Neil's stock trailer and its a bit different cause mine is in the shop, had a bent axle and it was under warranty so waiting for the parts to come from Oklahoma should be ready next week.  After clinic of course.  But will be so nice.  So no tack room on Neil's trailer and so they had to wear the saddles.  Something new for Easy, a stock trailer and carry your own saddle and bridle.  He was a pro I think he liked it better actually.

(Big Razz is in the way but everyone else is in there too 

if you look you see Jess ears on right side and Easy stirrup on left by Razz chest)

Tomorrow we go to see my Mom for Mothers Day and then 2 more rides till the clinic.  Should be fun I guess.  Hope hes a good teacher cause we are going back in July lol.  Its at Amazing Horse Country, Scott Phillips.  It sounds like a lot of fun but a lot of rules,  We shall see.

Moving and Cleaning

Well moved things around here and had a few hassles.  Turned out Nita with George on the North pasture and kept Razz in.  As expected no fighting, a bit of noise here and there but that's pretty normal.  Then I go out to do night chores and there is Nita standing by the others, not good.  So I catch her and put her back.  Next morning she is back.  So I catch her tie her up and go to put panels over the Texas gate.  Well as I am watching her she rears up throws her head up and breaks the lead rope.  She has done that before cause she wasn't upset just went right to grazing.  Then as I am on the way out there to get her cause I have only got one panel so far she jumps the Texas gate right in front of me.  She's done that before too cause she didn't even hesitate just walked up to it and jumped.  So I caught her put her in a pen where she can not see anyone haha she did not like that and I got the panels put up and after a while put her out again, after she settled down.  2 days and so far so good, even saw her out at the far end grazing.  She only has to bee out there a couple weeks till she goes to get bred then she  will be in the field right next to the other horses with no Texas gate.

(newly fixed up gate)

(George and Nita, seems all quiet)

I rode Razz for the first time this year and of course she was good but oh so fat and out of shape.  Not good since I am taking her to the clinic next week.  Its a progressive clinic and we get 1.5 hours a day to work on whatever we want so I really want her to move into a bridle.  She is good in the hackmore but I want more.  So that's my plan, not a lot of fast work just getting her to accept it and be happy about it.  Its too bad the forecast says rain and cold those 2 days, but I think there may be and indoor but Im bringing my slicker just in case.

(worked the arena with the tractor as old as me :) )

(Had to leave the horses in arena for a bit, Jess and Razz)

(Jess is fickle left Razz for Easy lol)

(and Neil cleaned out the shed, its been a few years was getting short in there)

Also been riding Easy on and off, plan to go to 3 central shows this year, starting the end of July but Id like to go to more lessons probly after branding season.  There was a limited show I really wanted to go to but its just at a bad time no way can I go after a full week of brandings :(  Oh Well I will save my money for next year I guess.  I think I have decided I am gonna leave him there for show season or try to board somewhere on the way its just too hard being dependant on weather trying to show from home until i get an indoor arena.

Crazy Weekend

Whew what a crazy weekend.  Friday I dropped off my trailer to get repaired and a few additions on, that went well I'm hoping  its done by this weekend so I can go do stuff, like a poker rally Saturday.  But I would rather it have everything done than pick it up early.

From there I headed to Olds to the Draft Horse Sale.  I love that sale :)  I purposely went for harness for Jax, a complete set, and I got one for $210, pretty cheap and its a nice one too.  Haven't had a chance to try it on him yet, maybe tomorrow.  I also bought a kinda worn out farm harness that will probly fit him, Its got a collar and some extras so I  hope I can make one good set out of it.  Really wanted to buy some Belgians there but I refrained it was hard though.  team of 2 geldings that had done everything from farm work to pulling wedding carriages in town, 3400 each, totally worth it.  And a Percheron team driven by a 10 year old they were so well behaved, they done everything too and went for 4800 each.  But no horses for me, I really like them but just soooo big.  So I will start with Jax and work my way up lol.

Friday night I stayed over at my Moms and we had a good visit, that was nice.  I went back to the sale Saturday that's when they sold the horses.  I didn't buy anything Saturday but I did want to get some prices for the wagons and stuff they sold afterwards, just out of curiosity, they had no pony stuff this year besides a team wagon for parades so I wasn't even tempted.

Came home and finally saw my ponies and Neil and had steak and baked potatoes for supper, mmm so goood.  Then Sunday had a 31 party at a friends.  We had made plans if it worked out we would ride after.  I of course have no trailer so I just brought my saddle and rode her horse.  It was supposed to be rainy and cold but by the time we rode it was beautiful out, perfect for riding.

Monday morning and I finally got to stay home!  I did chores then worked on getting the lawn mower ready and then decided to ride. When Lawerence was out he was saying something about the south dam.  Made me sad I hadn't been down there this got year. I usually ride out there once a week.  But I been riding in the arena so much and on horses that are unsure riding out alone that I just haven't so I saddled Jess and away we went.  Was so nice.  She gets a bit weaving the first 1/4 mile thinking we should go back but after that just walked out nice.  Gave me a chance to use my GoPro on my head, I think it does work better and I'm getting used to it, still got a few pics with my arm in but not as many.

Then C called and asked to borrow our truck they found a camper the like that was cheap and they have the wrong hookup so I went over and dropped it off and visited there with S who was there and got home at supper time.  Then went back today to trade back and of course had to visit with Sh in town and have lunch that was nice. And we toured to the Orkney viewpoint to try out her car she just got fixed.  I never been up there for some reason, So many tourist places close by I never go to.

Then came home and last night was more therapeutic riding so headed the opposite way to Brooks and did 2 sessions cause another lady never showed up again.  Next week its picture week that should be fun.  And today I am staying home and riding and working in the garden and maybe on Neil's birthday gift I need to get it done so I can do other stuff.

Bulls

Well things are happening around here.  It suddenly got hot out, yesterday was 28*C and today they forcast 30!  way too hot for beginning of May.  Especially considering Tuesday had rain and hail and cold weather all day.

But we got our bulls back to the yard from the spring pasture and tested them yesterday, sure not my favorite job but its got to be done.  We had one that never tested but he was 6 and almost lame so not a big deal, he will just go to town next week.  We bought 2 new ones this spring after the CFIA killed 2 of them and so with 26 less cows we will have enough.  The new ones are gonna come anytime this week so that will be good to have everything here.

I started a bunch of seeds in early April, about a month later than usual but the tomatoes were getting big anyways so I transplanted them and they have been outside the last couple days when its been so warm.  Its right off the deck facing East, super handy as I have them on the window seat overnight so its nice and close.

And today off to drop off my trailer so they can do some repairs/additions and then to the draft horse sale in Olds, still hunting for a pony harness and whatever other treasures there is.