Denim Deb Hay, hay, hay. Thank the Lord!

[frustratedearthmother]

They can clone sheep, lol. I think that's what you need - a clone of yourself! You do stay busy.

 

[Denim Deb]

If only. Then, the clone could do all the work, and I could spend more time riding, canoeing, etc.

I ended up partially covering my hay today after all. The horses didn't eat all the hay that I put out for them yesterday and then went and explored the RBs. The realized they could reach one w/out getting zapped, so they started to munch on it! So, I put up the one tarp in such a way that the majority of the hay is covered and it's completely covered on that side.

 

[Denim Deb]

This afternoon I got the new bar and chain on my chainsaw. Then, I tested it on that last log I couldn't cut from the last time I cut wood. It went thru it like a hot knife thru butter! So, I got out my generator and put that and the chainsaw in the back of my truck and went into the woods. I'm amazed at how much dead black cherry there is and most of it isn't that big. The biggest tree I cut down had a diameter of under 6"! I cut down several small trees, then came home, put the generator away and started cutting my wood up. All told, it took me less than 3 hours to cut down the trees, load them in my truck, then cut them up, get a fire going, and stack the wood in the wood holder in my basement. And, the wood holder is full! I won't add anymore to it until it gets empty again. Instead, unless it's raining out, I plan to go in the woods both tomorrow and Saturday and cut more trees down, cut them up and put them in the wood shed. Hubby wants me to buy another couple of cords, but I'm not sure that I want to. More often than not when we buy wood, it's not seasoned properly and we end up burning green wood. If I'm able to do it myself, I'd much prefer to. Then, I'll just tell hubby he can give me the money instead.

I'm trying something different this year. We've always split wood if it was over 3". Now, if it's less than 6", I'm not splitting it. Last year, I had a whole bunch that I couldn't split-even w/the log splitter. So, I'd make sure I had a good bed of coals going, then add the large piece. I'd add smaller pieces if needed, but that was it. The majority of the wood I get is dead already, so I don't need to split it to help it season faster. So, I'm not going to split it unless I have to. I'm hoping it will not only save time and work, but mean that I have to burn less.

I also managed to get my bathroom clean, iron a bunch of shirts and make brownies. They didn't come out right this time and I'm not sure why. Guess I'll have to make another batch soon to see if I can figure it out.

 

[Denim Deb]

They changed the forecast! Instead of the showers I was expecting for later in the afternoon, we got them during the morning. So, instead of taking the bike, I had to take the truck. I was so glad that I got the hay pretty much covered yesterday.

Yesterday, RU was working on a fence that adjoins mine and managed to short out my charger. And of course, Licky realized that the electric wasn't working. I realized it wasn't working when I saw her pushing on the wire to the seeded area. So, I got the charger out for the portable corral and got that hooked up. I warned her that she was going to get zapped, but she chose to ignore me. Next thing I know, I hear her snorting, farting and running away. She can't say I didn't warn her!

Because of the weather, I chose not to do wood. Instead, I went shopping. Got some stuff for Christmas as well as some food. Got home, got the animals fed, got a fire going, and do some housework. Now I'm sitting back watching Monk. Hubby's still working overtime, so I'll be up early again tomorrow and will do more house work then.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Don'tcha just love those "I told you so" moments, lol. There's nothing funnier than watching a critter get what's coming to 'em. (sounds cruel, huh?)

 

[Denim Deb]

Guess we're just a tad bit sadistic!

 

[mrscoyote]

Bad part is they never learn.

 

[Denim Deb]

I don't know if it's that she doesn't learn, or if it's that she's just hopeful. I can have up the wire and not have it on and Misty and Stormy won't get near it. Licorice would stay away from it for days. Then you get that day that she just has to check it out. :/

 

[Denim Deb]

I was just too beat to post this yesterday. We have a system hanging around and it's really dragging me down. My ears were hurting, I've had some ringing in them, and all I want to do is sleep. Maybe I can do that this afternoon since hubby's working.

Got to the farm yesterday to feed and found 2 eggs in the nesting boxes! So that was good. Got everyone fed, clean up some of the manure and left. I was supposed to be helping w/something at the Nature Center. Plus, I had told people that there was a display of model trains in the area I was planning on going to and if anyone was interested in going, they could follow me. Well, no one showed up.

I had promised KN I'd help her w/a roof for her horse's stall. RU hasn't finished it yet, which means if we get a bad storm, she had to move her horse into the barn. And, the horse doesn't want to be there. (She can't eat hay since she's missing teeth, so she's on hay pellets instead. So, she's by herself so she can eat them all.) I had part of the roll of tyvek left so figured we could at least put that up for now. Her plan was to be there later, but she and her hubby share a car so she could only come out earlier and didn't find out until then that that's when she could have it. So, instead of heading over to see the trains, I headed back to the farm to help her. We didn't have quite enough to cover the whole roof, so used part of an old tarp instead. It's not the greatest, but as long as it doesn't pour too heavily, at least she has some protection.

By this time, CL was there. She had feed for her horses. I let her borrow my wagon to take it to her feed stall. She was fine getting thru my field to the stall. But, when she was coming back thru, Licky was standing right by the gate. I was heading for the gate to help her (I know my bratty pony), but rather than wait for me, she opened the gate and tried to come thru. Well, she got thru, and got the wagon thru, but B4 she could close the gate, Licky got out and I didn't have the ropes up to close in the parking area. If it had been KN, it wouldn't have been a problem. She knows how to move a horse using body language. CL doesn't and there was too big an area for me to cover by myself. And of course, it took her all of 2 seconds to realize the ropes were down. So, she took off down the lane, across the road, around the neighbor's house, back across the road and down the lane.

She went down and visited w/KN's horse. W/where she was, if I had been able to get down there quick enough, I could have caught her easily. There were 2 people down there, one dove in his car-he's afraid of horses. The other was busy w/the horse she was leasing, so couldn't really do anything. By the time I got down there, she was out of that section and running down the lane to the back of the farm. PT has electric tape up along the lane there so she can let her horses in there to graze w/out having them get in the neighbor's field. But, it doesn't go all the way back. She has another length that she uses to block the lane at that section. So, I put that section up, then went around the lane far enough out to not put any pressure on her but be able to get back over past her and have her blocked in. It worked! She tried to get away, only to find that she was blocked in on 3 sides by either fence or electric tape and she KNOWS better than to try and get past me. It took me just a short period of time to catch her.

I only had a lead rope w/me, but she was too up for me to lead that way. CL came down w/a rope halter which I got on her and led her down where she belongs. We also stopped several times on the way so I could correct how she was leading. She knows how to walk properly, she just didn't want to. But, by the time I got her in where she belongs, she was leading properly.

Once I had her in, I had to go across the street and fix all the holes that she put in the neighbor's yard. Knocked on their door to let them know so they wouldn't wonder why I was walking around their yard and was glad that she chose the neighbor that I know and not one I didn't know! Got that done, got the rest of the manure cleaned up and went to put the chickens away. I found another egg in the nest box, so that gave me 3 eggs! I haven't had 3 eggs in a day since September. If I get another 3 today, I'll have 12 eggs from my chickens in the fridge! So that means, I may have some to sell soon.

I never did make it to see the model trains. I had gone to the store yesterday and forgot stuff, so I had to go back. I decided to go a slightly different way to see how long it took and was glad I did. This way took me past the state park that was closed after that big storm the end of June. Last time I had been past it, it was still closed. And while it's too late in the season for camping, you can now access the park. I saw people walking along the lake, saw people fishing, saw someone leaving w/a canoe in the back of their truck. So, that means the lake is now opened again. We get any nice days over the winter, I'll go canoeing.

Got home, got the animals fed and got the fire going. I was going to make chocolate chip banana bread and do dishes. But, I felt completely drug out. So, I ate some leftovers, waited until hubby got home and went to bed. And I'm thinking that w/the weather today, it might be a good day to take a nap this afternoon.

 

[Denim Deb]

I'm out at the farm and it's a mess out here! We've had off and on rain since Friday, so everything is wet. I'm having to wear my muck boots to feed. My cart is filled with manure. And w/as wet as it is, I couldn't drive the mower in my field, but had to take a bucket and manure fork in the field to collect it all. I had hoped to get some more of my RBs this week, but I doubt we can drive in the field.

Right now, there's not really anything I can do, so I'm hiding in my tack shed w/a cat on my lap. She tried to help me type, but I managed to get her to stop. At least it's supposed to stop raining some time today, so hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get some stuff done.