A Funny thing happened...

So like a lot of women I used to like going to the same person all of the time for cutting my hair. She had an idea what it should look like and usually followed my instructions. I've enjoyed her cuts for many years but as time goes on and on, getting an appointment with her is like pulling teeth.

Weeks out! Sorry hun, can't fit you in. I was a shaggy mess of nasty flopped over unruly outgrown short hair. 

I was desperate. I told her I might have to go to Great Clips where I could walk in. My hair girl gasped over the phone as I chuckled. My hair gal suggested I plan ahead and make appointments ahead of time. I laughed as she knows me much better than that. I am a spur of the moment person on many things.

I thought about taking offense to that, but she knows I wouldn't take offense to that...but I kinda did in a small way.

Our town has quite a few beauty salons that I could choose from, but all of them are over the top expensive.

I mulled that all over after that phone call while waiting for Danny the Farrier to arrive.

Danny showed up late which is never his fault when the appointment before me added two horses to be shoed instead of the two that were scheduled.

Here he is trimming Sundance [yeah, I have to trim her mane and take out the briars!] Sundance had just rolled in the mud so she'd be beautiful for Danny.

Siera showed some stretching of the white line, we are hoping that it is showing up from her episode this spring. 

Since her bout earlier this year, she has been pretty good unless I let her out into a lush pasture. So she is on crap pasture and is doing fine. 

We'll keep an eye on that line and see if it starts to heal or get worse. I'm optimistic, the fall pastures will be less full of sugar and with a winter of hay rations, she should lose more weight and I'll be better prepared to not only exercise her, but to keep her on a lot where I can control what she eats.

Danny and I finished up and I set up another date so we can keep her on a schedule where he can asses her progress. She was an honest to goodness perfect mule for trimming and walked off as if she had no issues or pain. Siera is 23 year old.

When we were done we visited and then I made a decision. I was going for a drive and I was getting a hair cut. Not one like my regular gal wanted which is so classic of haircuts for over 70 ladies.

I went to Great Clips. I walked in and waited for the first available person. Apparently you can make appts with certain hair stylists. All of these gals were young and so full of energy! Happy, pleasant...and cheerful.

The girl put a wrap around me and said, "What do you want to do?"

I said short short. She asked a bunch of questions and she was curious about how much off. 

"Lots and get that back like...almost shaved off."

She was so surprised and then began to chop chop snip snip. 

"How's this for the back? I can use a size 16 clipper and make it a bit shorter or ... what?"

"Let's go with that," I replied, "My hair does seem to keep growing back. Besides I don't want to mess with that mess in the back. I hike, I work out, I'm in the woods, hair is the least of my worries!"

She laughed and went at it with the clippers.

I was soooooo happy with the cut. Happier than I've been with hair cuts for the past few years! My old hairdresser's gasp of horror was obviously not warranted.

When I went to check out she gave me the total of $22 and then said, "You're not a Senior are you?"

I chuckled and asked if 70 was considered being Senior. 

"Well you don't look Senior." 

She adjusted a discount for the haircut. I handed her a nice tip because, well, I had a blast and she did a great job. 

Plus she behaved like I wasn't an OLD person! [A nice little lie, but it worked!]

I don't want to fuss with my hair. I've had it long, medium long, short, very short, long short, and everything in between. I wanted different and I got it.

It will work well with my baseball caps, riding helmet, and winter hats. After all most of the time, I wear a hat to keep the sun out of my eyes.

Oh I can smile. I just rarely do it for selfies because my smiles can be crooked looking. There I am feeling so relieved of all that messy hair.

I used to be a free wheeler and more of an adventurer pre Rich. Then I became a homebody because he needed me.

I took off on a whim and that felt quite nice. Today, I'm taking the pups to Kristi's while I ride with her then we scoot off to LaCrosse for the appointment for my car. Subaru and dogs.

My dogs love visiting the Dealership. Afterwards we may go explore a hiking trail or go to Pet Smart for some fun.

More off the cuff adventuring for fun coming later this week.

Someone took the chain and ball off my feet!

Catching up.

So a lot of this is 'news' that isn't worth news to some folks. 

Sunshine is doing well at Kristi's place. In April she will be 29 years old. She is showing her age in her face but not her attitude and willingness to go riding.

Kristi has given her a new pasture mate named Willow. Another mare and Sunshine is really quite happy with that.

Her gelding Cash, seems to be losing weight so she has moved him into an area where she can grain him and help him maintain a healthy condition.

We have finally figured out what is going on with Siera. Her weight and the great pasture I had was not kind to her.

I did some more researching about pastures and removed them from the back meadow. It is lush and has quite a bit of white clover in it. The high sugar content is not good for her. In years past, that back meadow has been grazed to the ground with 4 or 5 mules so it wasn't so lush and dangerous.

This morning I walked around and set up a plan to try and deal with Siera's weight [I know, I dropped the ball on this issue because she had been going through periods where she seemed 'cured'.]

Tomorrow I am making Sundance and Siera a smaller lot in this shady area. I can keep them there until Winter and they can be joined by Sunshine this late fall. It will be a dry 'lot' where I can monitor exactly what they eat and their condition.

Old photo from 5 years ago.

This morning.
What a difference a wet summer makes when you have only 2 grazers instead

of 5.

This area is on my list for a clean up project for next year. It won't take much but it will take machinery I don't have to clean up the fallen trees not pictured here from last August's windstorms.

Sundance is the youngest mule. She has been off and on slightly gimpy for quite a while now.  She has been diagnosed with ringbone in her right front. Otherwise she is perfectly healthy and full of herself. Ringbone is a form of arthritis. Treatment can include joint injections, special shoes, and special meds. She is a pasture pet and only shows slight discomfort once in a great while. 

Three older mules and an ancient pony cannot keep down our pastures so I have to consider doing something different.

The large meadow in front of the house will be brush hogged and one section will be bulldozed so I can mow it myself next year. The other half will be used as a winter pasture since it offers protection from the winds.

Photo from last year. Winter Pasture.

I'll keep mowing the back meadow because the dogs and I love walking there and in the winter it will make a nice area to cross country ski.

Little Richard is 35 years old and his teeth are worn out. He made it through last winter with flying colors. 

This summer he gained weight being staked out and having access to a small forested paddock. He is slowly losing weight again. I am fighting a slow motion battle that I will lose. It will pain me to possibly make a decision this fall with him.

I'm a realist. I won't keep animals that are in poor condition or in constant pain. I feel that is cruel. We set our long term plans in motion 10 years ago when Rich was no longer able to help with chores and maintenance. We kept the elder animals to give them a retirement. The young ones we had were sold. Over the years, the elder animals have crossed over. 

Charlie is recovering nicely. He has been bossing Hannah around and trying to steal her chew bones. Uffdah. I can't let him do that! He is back to ruling the household.

Hannah? She honors Charlie's space and cuddles with him when allowed to. She is also quite good at getting into trouble.

Here I ask her if she was in the shed digging under the old tractor.

Who...?
Me?

What shed?
What makes you think that?

It's August now and I'm finding it to be difficult to deal with so many decisions. It seems like that is all I have been doing for months now.

I'm even trying to plan out what I want to do once the large animals are gone. Some days I think I know what I am going to do and others?

I have no clue.

Snow, snowfall, Frank the Plow Guy

Saturday morning. We had 4 inches by 
chore time. 
How can I tell?
It was chest high on Charlie.

He is a reliable measuring 

dog.

Sundance during the 

storm.

We ended up with about 7 inches depending on where the wind blew. 
 

I stressed all morning wondering if Frank the Plow guy was still plowing this year and if he remembered to put me on his list.

ALL morning. I paced, I cleaned the house, I dusted, I must have put on  quite a few steps pacing.

I cleaned up my Lego Medieval Village and considered starting to take out my Christmas Legos. I paced some more and moved a large cabinet to clean behind it.

[I texted him and asked if he was still plowing this year and if he was, please not to forget me. He never really checks his texts, he is an old fashioned farmer/earth moving guy who has a gravel pit.]

He is just Frank. 

Around 1PM I gave up pacing and got dressed to go out and shovel another walk way. 

I heard the rumble of his ancient red pickup. There he was just a grinning away. We spent a few minutes discussing the weather and the passing of his brother and his father this past year.

With a big smile on his face [and one on mine] he continued to plow that long driveway hill of mine and I felt a peace come over me.

When I came back inside I announced, "Frank was back!" I knew the house was empty, but I also knew that I was telling this to my hubby.

A friend suggested I purchase a side by side and a plow and do it myself. I weighed the cost vs. paying Frank and decided I would never spend the price of a UTV in plow fees.

I just have to be patient because as Frank said. "Oh, I'll get to you eventually!"

Now to get out and enjoy some snow scenes and shovel an area for Charlie to do his business. The snow comes up to his nose.

Gun season ends at sundown.

Goodbye November.

Challenge Challenge...I like Challenges

My first 'new' challenge I made up was to only use the Lensbaby lens for walking around with Ariel on the evening of the 3rd and the 4th.

We headed past the shady garden and the late evening sun just glowed on the tall phlox. 

We walked out onto the ridge where there was a nice breeze. Ariel wanted to get in some walks while she visited. We'd set Grandpa up with a TV show or two and we headed out for our walk. It was still hot and muggy, but my 21 year old 'kid' walked with purpose.

This is something she has started to do for herself. Walking. What a great idea. I haven't been too motivated these past few weeks so it was a delight to have a companion to walk with.

Below is a Lensbaby shot of a hayfield getting ready for baling. It is being cut wayyyyy late this year due to the fact that this 85 yr old female farmer has to hire out for these jobs. Some jobs she can no longer do in a timely manner.

I've always loved this view though and on the 4th, it was stunning. We even stopped and visited with Olive for a few moments as she was out bottle feeding their new calf.

Ariel and I chatted about nothing important. I'm sure I sounded like an old fuddy duddy just rambling on about farms, skies, plants, bees, flowers, dogs, and life in general. But Ariel and I have been pals since she was 4 years old and started spending overnights with us on the farm.

I think even though I am not biologically her true grandma, I am her grandma [along with her two biological ones]. I'm the different Grandma. Which is cool. I play, I hike, I like the outdoors.

When we came down the driveway towards home. We admired the way the sun was going down in the sky.

I had to try a 'sunset' shot with this odd lens.

So.
This is considered an 'Art' lens. It was probably the cheapest ever lens I've acquired. It takes effort to use it as everything has to be manual. 
I never thought of it as being a landscape lens ... but then... I really loved the shots I found just walking with my granddaughter.

 Ariel had to go home and wanted to beat the incoming rains and storms. When she left, I felt. Well. Honestly? I was like Charlie...
I wanted to pout and look out the window too.

Eventually I decided to try some more challenges after I did my normal housework and cleaned up an accident by hubby. 

Funny thing. When Ariel visits, she has a quiet calming effect on me. I feel more relaxed with her around. There are moments we can sit on the bench on the porch and not say a word...just watch the clouds, the birds, and be content. Her company is comforting. We can just 'be' together and not impose on each other.

She even jumped up before me and assisted her Grandfather with little things.

She took these shots when I was doing a fly spray wipe and clean up of the mule gals.

In the distance you can see Lil' Richard grazing on the hard to mow hillside. Charlie is watching Sundance who is pawing impatiently.

When the rains moved in, I thought I'd try getting some shots of the garden while it was raining. I could squat under the porch roof and get some shots.

Not shot with the Lensbaby as I needed some reach to get out where it was raining.

Then I switched over and had some fun mixing a Lensbaby shot with a photo that I took of the same spot with my 90mm macro lens.

In essence, I made a double exposure from two different types of photos. I really enjoyed how it turned out.

I then took a double exposure with the Lensbaby ... this was okay...

There is such a subtle difference it is hard to spot. But the one below is made to be softer and more like an impressionist photo. I did that in my old plug in of Topaz Studio 2. 

This last shot was taken on the spur of a moment. I had some flowers I picked and arranged on a large wooden spool.

I don't know why, but I certainly loved the look. 

It reminded me that on these really hot and humid days, I could be practicing some more Still Life images with flowers, vases, and maybe not toys....

I'm digging the Lensbaby because if I get it right, there is nothing else to do to the shot. 

It also gives me a new way of looking at things and a challenge to do it well.

I like Challenges.

Mules and More

Well, I finally have acquired the strength and stamina through working out at the gym to handle my gas weed whacker which can take down weeds in their non woody stage. This section below was infested with Motherwort which the equine won't touch. They have flowers and the stick-ery seeds that are spread by animals bumping into the spines of seeds.

Last year I used a scythe, this year I used my whacker. It took me hours and several breaks to get it down. By the time the fence was fixed and the weeds were down, I was ready to let the gals into this area.

The other half of this paddock is one the girls love to laze about in. A shot from last year....
You can see the roof of our machine shed behind Mica the grey mule.

The noxious weeds were taking over the east side of this paddock and it annoyed me. I knew that eventually the Motherwort would just creep across the grassy area so I'm fighting it.

Motherwort from Invasive Plants of Wisconsin

Here is Sundance watching me from the winter pasture [before I let them into the northern summer meadow].

...and when I first let them into the summer meadow. 

There is always a bit of excitement, but they always settle in quickly.

I still need to trim mule manes, but I'll just have to wait until a good day to get that done. I haven't had the opportunity to ride yet this spring either. I guess that will wait also.

My flower gardens are mostly planted but I have one little section on the west side of the house to do. IF it gets done late, that is okay too.

I stuck with all seeds this year for flowers. I didn't purchase any plants at all. I am using all collected seeds plus a couple of new kinds of flower seeds just to see how they do. 

For this summer I am thinking up some more painting projects for my Captain's Chair I got last year at a rummage sale.

Right now I am figuring out how to move things around and get rid of a few things as we plan on getting a hospital bed for hubby. I may move the full sized bed right into the living room where my cot is currently. 

We are in for a stretch of rainy days which we need and these days will give me some time to rest and recoup from the last week of intense hard work. Perhaps I can even get back to doing some still life photography and toy photography!

I still have to complete my photos from the track meet last Monday night.

Many of the action shots are my favorite, but this one is my favorite favorite.

 

Uffdah. It is almost that time of year again.

That time of year when I am banned from the woods for 9 days total. As the little video shows above, the bucks are pretty silly with the rut season. This guy is a hoot and loves to stare right into the camera.

I've had a camera in this spot of my woods now for nearly 6 years. Over the years, I've spotted every creature we have in the forest using the trail near this camera. Coyotes, Bobcats, Turkeys, Racoon, Possum, and of course deer. The deer like to nap in this spot also. 

They don't seem to mind the camera at all.

Over the years, I've gotten some rather amusing photos.

I am not opposed to deer hunting at all. Their herds do need to be culled. On my morning walks now, I generally 'jump' up a herd of 6 to 10 does by just walking up my driveway. Farmers see them as pests, motorists see them as hazards. Insurance companies see them as headaches.

And then? I love to watch them. I love to photograph them. 

What a conundrum. I have a love/hate relationship with them don't I? 

Yesterday, revamped the fencing in area where I keep the equine during gun season. It is close to the house and we can keep a close eye on them.

Sundance is always curious no matter what I am doing. Yesterday she followed me around the winter pasture while I pulled t-posts and straightened them before the ground froze. 

What better time than the present to fix it?

Did you know that mules like pumpkins?

They do. Each year I've tossed my pumpkins before they rot into this pen. Immediately, it draws the girls in.
They demolish the pumpkin and tromp the seeds into the ground. Come spring, they have planted and fertilized my new pumpkin patch.

After I did winter repairs and set up the water tank heater, I headed up the lane to the meadow out back. Something, probably that large buck had torn hot wire down and busted six insulators. Ahhh, rut season, how do we love you???

I fixed everything and put the wire back up. 

In the valley, I often have to replace a lot of insulators in the spring. I don't keep the fence hot in the valley during the winter as the mules don't have access to that area.

I wonder how many more times I'll have to fix fence up in the lane this winter?

So this is the time of the year where I drag out a Lego build for the 9 day gun season which includes Thanksgiving.

This year we will be constructing the Medieval Village. 

Since we don't do anything for Thanksgiving [I make lasagna and we have pie]. I like to pick a project that I can do with hubby. I've found that hubby loves sorting pieces for me by color. He does look at the instruction booklet and sometimes he can catch mistakes I make.

Last year, we completed our Christmas Village. I'll take that out of the Hutch some time in December to decorate things for Christmas.

In the mean time, I have a few things left to do outside and in the forest before the hunters come on each side of us and begin the season of gun hunting.

Our property is 500 feet wide and 1/2 mile long. So the reason I don't dare go out is because our place is too narrow to escape stray shots. And believe me, on opening day I spend as little time outside as possible.

However, hubby used to be our hunter and he would always get one or two for us to supplement our table in years past. I'll never forget helping him put up a last minute deer stand the evening before the 2010 deer season. Link below....👇

A Hateful Woman or Stupid Man invented the Deer Stand

Pretty skies

  This year has been fairly plain when looking at sunrises and sunsets. Or perhaps I just didn't get my butt out there to watch them. Most of the summer was dealt with smokey or cloudless skies with no moisture as we went through a summer of drought and Canadian fires.

Thank goodness right now that has changed. The mornings and evening have been presenting us with a few glorious skies.

The 4 second video below is a time lapse of a sunset a couple of nights ago. I set up the camera on the porch while I filled the big stock tank and let the camera do it thing.

I had taken a still shot too.

Friday night wasn't brilliant but it was still worth seeing.

Another 4 seconds of the sunset. It is something that I am

fooling around with. It isn't brilliant, but

this way I can see if I am getting any progress

at all.

Hobby, my minifigure 'self' likes going out and watching the skies with me. Poor thing, she is getting quite worn from bouncing about in my pockets.

Sunrises!

I'm so happy for brilliant mornings and spectacular evenings. In the winter, I can watch both the sunrise and sunset from our porch. In the summer I have to walk out to the pastures to the north.

Sundance after our last snowfall. She'd just taken a snow bath and was watching deer while eating at the hay feeder.

Hopefully we get clear skies and I can actually get out on one of these nights to view the Geminids shower this week.

Mules and More

Our fuzzy girls.

Sunshine is 25 this year and still going quite strong. We call her our little red mule. She is out of my grade Arab/Quarter mare which was the first and last horse I ever owned. 

Sundance is Sunshine's little half sister. Same mare, different donkey dads. Sundance is 14 this year. I've ridden her under saddle twice but she is retired with Ringbone. I've had two offers on purchasing her but took a pass on it. She makes a good pasture pet.

Oddly enough Sunshine got the flaxen tail from her mom, while Sundance got the flaxen mane from her mom! Both are brilliant red mules. We often refer to them as the Reds.

Here is Siera, our Peruvian Paso mule. She is really quite a nice ride. She hates leaving home, and hates leaving her mates, but will go eventually. On the other hand, she is gaited and fun to ride. Once she relaxes, she is pretty calm. With another mule along she is literally lazy. 

The ones behind Siera are Mica the grey who is 25 and retired due to health problems. She was a reining fool in her day. She can sit and spin with the best of them! 15 is the horse. She is a pain in my arse. I won't even go into her story. Let's say she and I have agreed to dislike each other immensely.

The weather is bizarre, we have Red Flag Warnings, Flood Watches, and a Weather Watch for snow up to 6 inches on Sunday evening to Monday morning along with thunderstorms on Saturday afternoon.

Miss Ariel is here and yesterday afternoon we went out the the two Flea Markets in Readstown. They are both called Crazy Franks. We had fun browsing all the cool junk and other things. One of the places had a 40 foot wall of nothing but Ertl farm equipment and assorted tractors. I found a tiny tea cup and plate that would go nicely with my little teddy bear girls when they have tea together.

Another bluebird came by and gave us a moment of excitement. We hope they come around again this year.

With this streak of hot weather, the trees have been showing off their catkins with leaf buds soon to follow.
The Virginia Bluebells are emerging along with Dutchman's Breeches. 

Virginia Blue Bells

Dutchman's Breeches

Pussy Willow Trees

These plants always show up first in Tainter Hollow along Tainter Creek. I think the Trout Lilies and Wood Anemone will follow quickly.