Mules, Pigs, Apples, and Stars

Here is to hoping that Rich and Mica stay out of semi retirement from mule riding. Mica is about 21 years old and has always been a 'hard' keeper. However she had a hard job in her younger years. She was a 'heeler' and a trail mule. After we acquired her she was used for trail riding and team penning.

The view from Mica is different than any other mule I have ridden.

I could really like this view...a lot!
Mica gets a little grain in the morning and a little bit at night. None of our other mules really need grain. They can stare at a piece of grass or some hay and gain weight.

I plan on riding Mica much more this fall. She is tall enough to get me through those thick weeds in the valley. After she and I break open a trail, I'll rotate with Sunshine and Siera. Fred gets a break after all of his hard work training youngsters this summer. Although he will put up a huge fuss if he is left behind.

Apples.
After juicing the wild apples the old fashioned way.

I took the left over pulp and ran it through a food mill.

And viola! I had the makings of apple sauce or apple butter.
I put the apple sauce in the crock pot with some cinnamon and sugar to slow cook while I canned 4 quarts of apple juice.
Now common sense would say that it is less work and easier just to buy apple products, but there is some sort of satisfaction in making it yourself.


Pigs.
Swine.
Vernon County Fair.

Regarding Pigs. Hmm. Well we purchase our hay from a local farmer and have for 9 years now. I met this farmer through work. Rich and Ed hit things off right away and have been friends ever since.
Ed's daughters started to show swine at the Fair along with other projects.

This year Rich and I actually went to the Fair specifically to watch the Swine judging. Rich has not been to a Fair in a very long time.

I'd forgotten how intense showing an animal at the fair can be. Months of work are then judged in an arena with a lot of people watching. The judge looks over the animals and places them.

Learning how to walk a pig and show off your pig is really quite the task. Just say I was very impressed. I'd seen the farmer's girls raise these pigs and train them.

Stars.
Last summer Lily asked me if we could see the Milky Way. So I've done a bit of studying including using a program that would show me the location of the Milky Way on any given day.
I studied and practiced in taking photos of it too.

I wanted Lily to know that indeed the Milky Way does shine right above "Grandma and Grandpa's" house.

I obviously need more practice for 'shooting' stars, but as always, ... I love a challenge.

Of Fog and Wild apples

The morning started out with thick fog and a brilliant sunrise on the ridge.
I don't know if the extra color is because of the smoke from the wildfires out west or not. But the fog was thick and intriguing.

If I stood on our ridge and looked east just before the sun broke through, I could see where the other ridges peeked up out of the fog. I can tell where the Kickapoo River is in this shot. But only because I am familiar with the lay of the land.

September is a good month for sunrise photography and dewy wet surprises.

My idea yesterday was to pick some more of the wild apples from the pasture and make some apple juice. The trees are abundant with fruit this year and it would be a shame not to take advantage of it.

So far I've made 10 pints of pink apple jelly and 2 quarts, one pint of applesauce. So I thought I'd try making some apple juice. I've done it before and recall how pleasant it was to open up a quart and make some 'fresh' apple juice in the winter to drink.

I dragged a ladder out to the pasture and after so many trips up and down the ladder picking and gently putting the apples into the bucket, I decided that perhaps next time I'd take a canvas shoulder bag to pick into. It would save a lot of trips.

I got nearly a 5 gallon bucket full before I stopped.

I washed them and chopped the apples in half then put in just enough water to cook them for about 20 minutes at a slow simmer.

[Note...WOW, does that ever smell great!]

Strain the cooked apples next. Sometimes I use a cloth to get the purest of juice and squeeze it.
This time I just used the strainer and what didn't drip out with the pulp I transferred to another container to run through the food mill later.
This will become either applesauce or applebutter.

Somehow this would not have been a pleasant task in the old kitchen that had no counter space.

This harvest season is proving to be rather productive.

And of course it makes for a pretty nice Still Life display too.
Dried food and canned food along with tomatoes and zinnias.

Oh Morris...

Some days he can be found on 'his' couch resting like this. In fact this is most of the time now.

I took him with me to check the trail cam in the woods two days ago and we got to the meadow and he turned around. He looked at me and turned back towards the house. He ignored my calls and as I followed him he began to trot.

He went to the back door and sat next to it.

"You have got to be kidding me Morris!" I said.
He stared at the door and ignored me.

I let him in the house and with a sad heart walked away to take care of the trail cam and check on the cattle.

Yesterday afternoon I got out his leash and his collar with the tags on. He came trotting to me bright eyed. I brought his travel bowl and a bottle of water. We were going to walk with the neighbor to fetch her children from the bus stop.

Rich asked if I thought Morris could make the whole walk. I said if he didn't, I'd carry him. Off we went. When Morris saw Logan he was full of his normal Jack Russell self. A wagging tail and wiggly body.
He trotted with Logan for a bit before Logan ran back to help his dad do something.

My neighbor and I walked on. It is about 1 mile to the bus stop. She could drive to pick the kids up, but we thought it would be a great way to get a bit of exercise and conversation in at the same time.

Morris walked along sniffing and being just fine. I had one of those leashes that allows the dog to 'unwind' and walk out ahead. Morris was content, his little ears flapping and tail up.

We got to the bus stop just before the bus pulled up. Allie and Carson came out and we could hear Allie's voice as she departed the bus.

"MORRIS!"
Allie is one of the many of Mr. Morris's favorite kids. He perked up and his little stub tail literally vibrated.

Allie and Carson pet Morris and said hi to us. Allie wanted to hold the leash and off they went walking towards home.

Part of the way home we ran into our ridge neighbor, Linda. She stopped and had to talk to the kids and ask how Morris was doing. She inquired as to how old he was now. I said he was 13. She remarked at how sleek and bright eyed he was. I replied that he wasn't quite the young dog he used to be and was slowing down quite a bit.
Linda offered to give Morris a ride home in her 4 wheeler. I said he would be fine.

We walked on towards home and Carson took a turn at walking Morris. We stopped at one point to give Morris water and he lapped it up. He drinks a lot more water now and the vet said he could have issues with diabetes.

I must say for an elder dog, he still likes to go for walks especially when he can be with children.
When we got home, he got another long drink and then curled up on his spot on the sofa with a huge sigh.

Morris has trouble seeing some things we think, we know he is getting more hard of hearing...or he is more selective. When he asks to go out, it means right now...don't wait.

My neighbor asked what would I do if something happens to Morris? I'm always thinking ahead.
First my heart would break, ... terribly.
Then I would be so sad.

And then there would be Dixie to pick up the slack for hikes and walks. But eventually I would get another inside pet.

Nothing will ever compare to Mr. Morris.
I've had too many dogs in my life to even try and compare them.

They were all incredibly special characters in their own way.

I'm thinking of developing some sort of sling or carrier for Morris when he wishes to go with me on some fall hikes. When he tires I can carry him.

He still has very good days.
And I hope they continue for a very long time.

90 plus days later...

On May 6th Rich had a stroke. The professionals all said, "The first 3 months are the most important. You will see the biggest improvements during that time."

Speech is still an issue. Rich gets frustrated when he talks sometimes. Fatigue is his biggest enemy. Fatigue seems to short-circuit his ability to find words and express ideas.
Physically he is doing pretty good. We had a follow up with oncology last week and learned that his throat cancer had been a stage IV. When the doctor told us that I was rather surprised. I don't recall learning the stage. Perhaps it was mentioned but I guess we focused on treatment and not the diagnosis.
So far, 2 years after treatment and still no return of cancer which is another sigh of relief.

My plan for the summer was this. Keep Rich engaged. I saw how he reacted right after the stroke when people were around. I had to stay home now to help him.
My farm and home became something of a revolving door.

Grace and Evelyn for a week, Ariel for a week, Dennis and Ariel for a week. Visitors who came and stayed the weekend. Mule riding. Fishing.
But always time for speech therapy and rest too.

I posted this photo already once but feel it sums up so many things accomplished in 3 short months.

96 days ago he could speak only one word. He ate with his utensils upside down. He needed a nurse at his side to leave the bed.

We are still working with Speech Therapy to try to improve the effects of aphasia and are going to address the possibility of driving again with limitations.

I was asked if I missed my work place. Not really. I don't miss the hours at all. I don't miss getting up at 2am to work a 12 hour shift.
The garden has been productive. I have frozen, dried, and canned food for this winter. I have been able to dedicate some rather long days to 'putting up food' for the winter.

Rich helps with chores now. I let him take care of the cattle. We will be shipping several to auction before the winter and keeping a few prospects for 'processing' later.

Things are coming together. I am looking forward to the possibility of part time work as a teacher's aide at one of our local schools. We'll see how things keep progressing.

Winter is looming on the horizon and it will be a challenge to keep Rich engaged with activities through that time.

For now... things are peaceful. I still can't leave him on his own, but I don't mind being here for him either.
Through good and bad we keep chugging along.

Here is to the next 90 plus days...

Guest Blog by Ariel

 Shouldn't leave your laptops open when I am around. Word of advice.😆
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Ah, the Saturday morning before our parents arrive and that peaceful feeling of "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! MOM AND DAD ARE COMING TOMORROW." *Cough, cough* is in the air. The donks are braying for their breakfasts, ye olde Fred is busy with Sundance, and Fifteen is standing next to the catchpen while everyone runs around putting on cowboy boots and prepping for a nice ride in the neighbor's hay field.

Since the V had asked the R if one would like to join the V, A and D for a ride and the R had said "Sure". Everybody was in hustle and panic mode.

After gathering four leads and halters the wonderful catching of ye olde Fred, ye younger Mica, ye even younger Sunshine and ye youngest Siera. Then comes the fun part of tying everyone to the trailer and...

Brushing them out.

Dun, dun,dun.

Oh wait, we can't start just yet! Sundance decided to crunch the top of the catch pen! Now how did she think she could jump that five foot high fence of rails? On to the naughty tree you go!!  

*An hour and a half [or so] later*

Bridles, check (yes! Got Siera's on myself!), saddles, check, helmets, check, pants,check, Dennis, check.

"Let's go."

Up, up, up the driveway we go and cya later, Sundance!! Have fun on the naughty tree!!

(If you look carefully next to the catchpen (not the crunched one) you should be able to make out Sundance. That is why the picture is blown up so big.)

Onto the hay field we are.

We rode for a few minutes then discovered Scrawny (Dennis) cannot sit straight in the saddle unless you get after him...A lot....Also discovered he sits back too far in the saddle when trying to get Fred's head up when he's trying to eat. (Le sigh.)

After we got the 'minor details' out of the way, we had a grand old time. After riding the hay field in full, it was high time we went home and got lunch after putting everyone away!

Or so I thought.

We came home and I started taking Siera's tack off when Grandma comes around the corner and goes: "Nu uh! Hang Siera's bridle on her saddle horn, we're going to eat then head out again without the boys."

...OK, sure, why not?  We have an afternoon to kill, Grandpa's going to sleep anyway. So suuuuuuurrrrrre!!!!!

*Boring lunch sequence, watches Fred and Sunshine get put up, yada, yada, yada.*

"We're going down through the soybeans and into the woods, K?"

"K."

Little did I know, we were not just going down to the creek and back, oh no. We were going down to the back valley.

(Face of someone who didn't know we were going all the way back to the back valley.)

We rode down the ridge road and down next to the creek where we went left instead of right, hmm, I'm getting the sneaky suspicion this is going to be a longer ride today.

Going left we encountered the 'dreaded' creek, Grandma made Mica cross instantly while Siera...Stopped. Decided 'nope, not today' and I spun her in a half circle and made her try again.

"Ooh! You are not going to make me cross the creek? Sure! We can go home!"

"Don't let her go home!"

Spun her around again and tapped her on the sides and told her she would be fine. "Nope. Nada, zilch. Forget it! Not today! Not today!"

Next thing I know Grandma and Mica have crossed again (note: Mica doesn't like it either, but she still did it) and Grandma is doing everything she can to help without tying Mica up.

"I don't see any trees closeby I can tie her too."

So we kept working on Siera and I ended up in another spot entirely then...

"Keep her going! Keep her going!!"

She crossed but we ended up only halfway. Grandma hollering instructions and telling us to keep riding right. Sure. I can do that. Gets in knee deep mud for Siera. *Insert loud sucking noise and Grandma spins around in the saddle thinking Siera fell*

We walk up close and I nod. We keep going. However we had to bust brush as the weeds and Wild (dead) Parsnip were up really tall. Mica put her head to the side and walked forward, while Siera plowed through like it was nobody's business.

Sweet. We got through. Now what? More snowmobile trail? Sure!! Uphill? Why not?

We rode up through the woods and then we came to a cornfield. Can you say 'middle of nowhere?' I sure could! (I honestly had no idea where we were besides that we weren't too, too close to Awesome Creek anymore, I vaguely had a sense of where to go if I needed to get back myself though.)

(Note: While we were riding up said woods all of the sudden whoosh! We are in a hole and stumbling out.

"Oh yeah, watch out for the hole."

So helpful indeed.)  

We came to another mysteriously hidden trail head and were traveling downhill again. How nice it was to look down and see a really wicked steep looking drop off and seeing dirt and water below.

We rode until we came to a downed tree, we found a trail through the underbrush and went around it. Then we came to the ice cave. We stopped (first previous photo) and let our mules rest.

"Check your gear, ...Oh look at your pants."

I do not wear jeans so I had a bunch of those icky green things stuck to my hems. Eww. (Took an hour and a half to get those things off.) Time to consider a pair of jeans…

We headed back and no one had any problems. Siera crossed the creek without issues in round two and we headed back home.

We stopped at the head of the driveway to dismount and walk down the steep part of the driveway. It took two attempts for me to get out of the saddle. (That was my longest ride to date.) We walked back, tied Siera and Mica to the trailer and that was that.

What a nice Saturday afternoon.

Insomnia

I guess insomnia is good for some things. Like walking up in the middle of the night and peering outside. And then listening to the grand kids sleeping peacefully upstairs.
I stepped outside to admire the cool moon light and realized that there were actually moon beams shining down on the sleepy mules through the fog that hovered just above them.

I sat down on the porch and just listened to the night sounds. The crickets were about all I could hear.

I thought about the brilliant fall colors that would be approaching in the next weeks. I thought of the early misty mornings of the Driftless Region...how in some places there was already fall color beginning to show...

I tried to think of all the bird song that was now missing due to them migrating south.
I missed the Robins cheerful songs in the morning. I miss the wren scolding me when I went to fee the hound dogs.
And I miss the Orioles who entertained us from the front of the house in the Hickory Tree.
Sadly, I'd have to wait until spring to see them all again.

I watched the mists slowly flow across the pasture and thought of the past 90 days. Well, nearly 3 months since Rich's stroke and the fact that I now stayed home.
How was that going? I think it is going very well. I help him and he is slowly improving on all fronts.
I can't imagine how I could have managed while working my odd hours at work and tried to take care of him too.

However, the past 3 months have been so full of good things.

Teaching kids to ride. Fishing.
Adventures with the farrier and visiting another farm.

The kids both Dennis and Ariel and the Clausen girls adore doing chores and run out each morning to get them done.

If I wasn't able to be home full time, some of this summer wonder wouldn't have been able to occur.
I am happy and sad at the same time.

Was this stroke such a horrid thing? Well in a way, yes, but in a way ... no.

The man who knew he'd never ride again...rode again.
The mule who was retired came out of retirement and now looks forward to getting caught and used...

We have decided to review our priorities. After all he had throat cancer 2 years ago and we nearly lost him. Then the stroke.

How much time do we have together, why not enjoy each day together if we can? Do things that bring us joy each day.

It doesn't really matter if I don't sleep the best now. Years of having bizarre shifts have changed my sleep pattern.
But now I can use it to sit on the porch and have some very quiet time to think and ponder.

The kids are all going back to school and fall harvest is certainly on my mind.

The excitement of some fall colors are there too. I look forward to each season.

The moon will nearly be full again tonight. I wonder if I will be able to catch a shot of the 'orange' moon.
When it rises and sets now, it has an orange glow which comes from the Canadian and the other wild fires out west.

Here is to insomnia, may it never fail me for a great shot!

No Time to catch up!

Well, let's say that it has been busy around here...

And that should catch us up to today....