sunshine

oh what a beautiful day. Sun very little or no wind. all animals are doing well. One ewe has lambed a wonderful ram lamb, now 4 to go.

Sick filly is looking better and eating well. Visiting sister-dog "Murphy" is keeping her sister Shelby very busy and well exercised. They are all crashing to bed early when we finally retire to the house.

Winter to spring every other day/Clinic

Last week we got about 1 1/2 " of much needed rain and the grass is actually really looking green. Sunday was very cold and very windy but I had signed up for a Lexington Mounted Police despooking clinic for Sunday evening and All day today. We were fortunately in an indoor at Masterson Station Park as the wind, rain and cold was grim outside. All we did was ground work and that was very interesting with Friday as he was interested in everything except what I wanted him to do but perseverance willed out and he finally started crossing bridges, walking over stuffed "bodies" blue and grey tarps rolling ball and lots of other stuff. I was exhausted and he could have gone on for a long time.

Monday (today) we had an all day session with 3 groups going through 3 classes mounted and unmounted. It was fun and Friday did really well. The instructors were 2 Mounted Police officers and were really quite good instructors. Niece Martha was there which was fun to be with her. Jessica Brown was there as well and we had some good visit time. Friday crossed a teeter totter, walked on all sorts of plastic, pushed big and little balls around, pushed gates open with tarps hanging down, with his chest, crossed a water hazard (all better with me mounted than with me on the ground---although we did get them all done) and wallowed around with plastic orange highway barrier barrels. The weather was utterly wonderful with bright clear sun, not a cloud in the sky and no wind. We were only inside for one session and the 2 obstacle courses were outside and great fun. All in all I am nearly done in but the mule is more than ready to get back to work so I have no more excuses for not riding now that spring has sprung----at least for a day or two.

The hen's are paying their rent daily so I have fresh eggs and the makings for egg salad---a favorite on mine. The dogs are all doing well and Murphy, the visiting sister dog is blending in well and loves the runs we take and is playing hard with her sister Shelby who packed the suitcase for the last puppy last Sunday so she is happy to give up Motherhood.

The cats all seem happy and wander in and out at will and eat a lot.

The five ewes up in barn to lamb have not yet produced any babies yet but a couple are close. I love having lambs in the spring and when they go outside the "lamb watching" gets really fun as they run and play and drive their moms crazy.

All is well at Maryster Farm!!

update

Murphy has commandeered Ryker's squawky chikin and is thoroughly possessive of it. Last night All three created new sport of tug of war on the chikin!!!!! When nor relaxing on chair, Murph is playing hard with Sister Shelby!!!!

Rain in Ky today and tonight and I am off to give a talk on trail riding "where to ride, what to bring and how to behave" A first for me with a power point program. I can't wait to see how it all goes.

Sunday Pm and Monday I am going to a despooking clinic at Masterson Station Park another first for me. Not sure Friday or I need it but I thought it would be a good excuse to get on a horse/mule again

BTW----started a face book page-----we shall see how that works as I cannnot even keep up with the 2 blogs.

Happy Valentines Day.

Today was a bit busy and fun. A friend, Melinda and I went to Louisville to the annual Farm Machinery show. It was a lot of walking and after about 5 hours our joints were screaming. However it was a good networking day. Cory and some buddies were there too for the Tractor Pulls in the afternoon and evening so we crossed paths a couple of times. While there I bought a new interesting hay feeder that is really innovative. It is for a round bale and has a built in cover on it and is made of all round steel piping and a great base that can let us lower it for the sheep to use. It has an interesting lower half which allows the sheep to pull the hay out but not have the bale fall on them as they eat it and the horses can have it raised to their height, can reach in it to eat and still not be able to rub their necks on the top part. The ends can be opened to the left or to the right and the bale is completely contained. When I get a picture of it I will post it here. Cory and his buddies got it loaded into his truck and is bringing it home tonight so we can put it to use.
Hope everyone had a good Valentine Day.

Storms round three

We have again lived through the "Spring Storms" of mid February. All is well at Maryster Farm #1, KY division. The sun is out and the wind is not nearly as bad as it was yesterday. I took my truck into Lexington yesterday to be serviced and got in just before the wind and rain hit with a vengeance. The big glass windows in the room in which I was waiting, appeared to buckle and bend but none broke thanks goodness. The rain came in every crack and under the doors but we all survived and no apparent damage in sight of Freedom Dodge Commercial Show Room. Ran an errand or two going by PetSmart to get another load of puppy food and then headed home. At the Farm I have a big old snag that blew down below the pasture by the creek, but it did not do any damage, though it was close to the fence.

Water is running everywhere and everything is soggy soggy but the wind is helping to dry it all out. This morning I had to go on last minute notice to Frankfort to support HB 158 which is what is being called the "Slots Bill" as it was coming up for a vote in Committee and I had to be in and seated by 9 AM. It all went well and it was voted favorably out of committee, now goes to the Appropriations and Revenue Committee then on to bigger and better things I imagine.

Am looking forward to spring riding!!!

Winter to false spring

We are enjoying some warm weather but it is not destined to last. After the ice and snow storms which started the end of January and ended sort of last week, we now are into a few days of 60 degree weather and hopefully some drying out can occur. All animals and humans came through fine. No power at all for 3 days then a generator for the next six, helped us all keep body and mind together for the duration. It has been fun now that Elizabeth has started her Blog as well as this one so we can keep up a little bit. I sort of forget to post and to look but am learning.
Maybe it is a better way to keep up with family and friends with word of deeds and pictures of fun and not so fun stuff. Attached is pretty picture taken from home at sunset after the ice quit coming.

Puppy landmark.4weeks

On February 7th the litter of puppies reached the four week mark, and all the local, KY folk have been to see and pick out their choices of puppy to enhance their family. Folks from Louisville, KY and Lexington, KY have chosen theirs. A friend in Long Island, NY will get one, the owner of the sire of this litter will get one but it is going to a young man coming back imminenetly from Iraq, and will ultimately end up in San Diego, CA. One is going to Alaska to join her aunt from their MOM's litter. So it appears there will be 5 of the 8 puppies staying in three locations in KY and the other three spread from coast to coast very literally. One family in Lexington,KY is getting a second puppy that will be a half sister to the one they have.

All very exciting. After they all go I will confirm their final destination.