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.

Siera's Diagnosis.

Don't laugh!

She is fat. I wasn't paying attention. But Rich used to say that Siera could gain weight 

on

Hay Dust.

A couple of years of being idle haven't done her any favors. The nice lush grass in the pastures didn't help her either. She will be going to have to live in a dry lot. A grazing muzzle wouldn't work as she rubs her head against trees and walks through brush. I'd hate for her to get caught on something.

Sure. I take good care of the land and we have an amazing spring with grass and weed growth. Now I have to limit one good grazer.

My hope is to help her recover and gain strength. Her last lameness this week only lasted 3 days. So maybe on top of being Fat, she is a Drama Queen. Or she was lame from a tiny bit of exercise. 

There was the mention of possible beginning stages of laminitis but that is not a sure thing. We'll take all the precautions we can for her to live a good and health Senior Life [with exercise!!!].

We will see what happens. 

To me she looks pretty ordinary but a but chunky over her tail head. The red heads seem to be in much better physical shape than her. 

They are always on the move and doing things.

Chunky Monkey Siera [shhh, don't tell her that out loud]...

Maybe we need to go to the gym together.

The red headed girls below, Sunshine on the right. 

It will be an adjustment for Sundance on the left to adjust to her sister leaving the farm for a while.

Oh to be in charge of these three goofs. They are pretty sweet animals and I really do enjoy them. Feet trimmed, manes trimmed, and pastures mowed. Huh.

Siera just walked across the pasture out front of here with her long gaited strides just to thumb her nose at me.

Life in the slow lane.

Back in the saddle?

For the past few years, I've had almost no opportunities to ride. Most of the time, I just didn't go because hubby wasn't well and he wanted to spend time with me [and Charlie] on the couch watching movies or something on the TV.

I skipped evening rides because I never knew how many more times the two of us would sit together on the couch after supper.

Last year, my friend Kristine asked me if I'd bring one of my mules to her place and ride with her. We could pasture my mule with her horses.

This way, we'd ride together instead of alone.

The more I thought about it, the more sense it made. No board fees, just fun riding.

Since I haven't ridden Siera in two years [kids have ridden her in the yard], I thought I'd better make sure that she'd be ready to go and safe.

I chose Siera because the two red headed sisters have been together since Sundance's birth here on the farm. They are like a unit. Sundance has a temper tantrum if I take her sister... Sunshine out for a ride. They hang together and Siera is odd mule out.

Maybe if she hangs with Kristi's gelding Johnny Cash [he is a looker too!], she will find friendship.
 

I've been saddling up to get the mail and to explore the ravaged woods on my neighbor's land.

I haven't taken Siera out and down the road as I have 2 neighbors that allow their dogs to chase cars and everything else that may go by in the crop fields or dirt road.

I can't get over the view I've missed for so long from the saddle.

We went down one of the old trails that has a new monster in it. I thought Siera would hesitate or even balk at walking by it.

Nope. She didn't care.

We rode up to it and Siera dropped her head looking for some grass. 

She could care less.

Everything worked on her. Her right, left, walk, back up, and the all important 'stand still'. 

We sat for a while watching the evening light drift through the forest. I heard a rustle and Siera pointed out a hen turkey moving through the forest with her brood. 

I guess Siera did okay. She was quiet, calm, and stood quietly while I gathered our mail. The two mules at home didn't bray for Siera, in fact they ignored the fact that she'd left the farm.

As for training and tuning up, I just go out with Siera and ask that she provide me with a safe journey. She is a trail mule. She is to deal with wildlife and forest things. Perhaps she'll learn something new when I take her to Kristi's. But I'm wayyyyy okay with a quiet ride that just moseys along.

The saddle I use on Siera is a very old Stonewall saddle that was used in Endurance riding. I like this saddle because it is light and it is designed after the McClellan Saddle. 

It fits her so well and is very comfortable for me.

👇

Edit.
2 days later her lameness showed up again. This will take her out of the realm of summer riding until we figure out what her on and off again soreness and stiffness is all about. Equine.
So strong, so incredible, and sometimes so fragile!

Well, I did it.

I haven't thought much about riding now for two years. I've maintained my mules by making sure they are healthy and well cared for.

I didn't have much time to get back in the saddle and enjoy them.

Over the weekend, the gals got their classic spring haircuts.

Siera was the messiest one. But a bit of trim ....

Cleaned up her ears and mane!

Yeah--she didn't want me

to take her photo.

So yesterday I finally took her out of the pasture and saddled her up. She had some tail swishing but that could be because the flies were still after her or, she was unhappy about the prospect of working.

This mule is basically lazy. She won't do much of anything unless you ask politely. Get rough [my husband used to be rough with her] and she will do nothing. She will become a statue.

Hubby relented years ago that this mule was a lady mule like my mule Badger had been. She preferred my soft spoken ways to his growly gravel voice. Her name when he rode her was *goddammitSiera*.

I am the quiet one. I don't expect perfection every time I saddle her. I expect we get along and have a safe trip.

Anyway, there was no reaction when I mounted and rode her around the yard area. She did everything I asked of her.
Below is her listening to me to ask her to walk. The mule ears are like antenna, they point to what is interesting to her.

I then took her down through the neighbor's meadow and we took a short tour of some of the deer trails. I let her stretch her legs into a fast gait. 

It was a short ride that only lasted about 15 minutes, but she did everything I asked of her. Step out, walk, gait, stop, backup, and turn around.

Another crap shot, but here she is enjoying some yard grass while I put things away. Yes. She will stand in the yard and not leave. 

This is my mule that had never found her place with the other mules. She tolerates them but doesn't hang with them unless she is using their tails to swat flies.

When the Vet was here a few weeks ago he noted that she was a 'people' mule and that she preferred my company over her herd mates.

I like that.

But even more?

It looks like I'll be riding more and more. Siera will go to my friend's farm after June 5th. Then I will be riding with my friend and her horse Johnny Cash. 

Hopefully we will take lots of trail rides through her valley and streams this summer. She also has an indoor arena and outdoor arena. Maybe I can teach this mule a few new things.

I mean...wow....how did I forget how much I loved the sight of those ears from her back????

Hah. Siera you fooled us!

Here are a few photos over the past years of Siera. Her mom was a Peruvian Paso, her father a 'gaited' donkey.

Below, Siera's first ride off the farm when she was still green. Sooooo smooth!

Siera with kids.

Siera last year with a 10 yr old. 

Siera gets a bath after their ride.

Siera with another novice rider, my neighbor. 

Siera when she first came home to us in 2007.

In mid April I had Danny out for trimming and he did his usual. Four weeks later, Siera was barely walking as if all of her feet hurt. She was laying on the ground for hours and didn't want to get up. I took her vitals and watched her eat and poop. Her gut sounds were normal.

Everything was normal but her walk and attitude.

So I texted Danny and sent him a video. He came that afternoon and was surprised at how her toes had 'grown' out. She is one of those mules who grow fast during the warm months. She really gets long toes if you don't watch her.

Which I didn't because I was busy with the scrappers and a new puppy. My bad!

Danny trimmed her and tested her hooves for pain. He felt that her muscles and tendons were sore from the length of her toes. He said to keep him updated and see how she was doing in a week. 

For 4 days she didn't seem to get better at all. I called a Vet who had seen her before and he was able to come out on Friday. I stewed and worried and worried and stewed. Thursday I had a choice. I could sit on the porch and watch her all day or go hiking. I choose to hike to ease my stress. My watching wouldn't make any difference.

Friday morning, she was in the front pasture sleeping with the red heads. When they got up to head to the meadow, she followed. She looked normal. She looked as if nothing had gone on this past week at all.

I followed her out and watched her off and on all day. I kept wringing my hands. Did she have Lyme Disease? Was she going to be okay? She looked okay. Her vitals were okay. She let me pick her feet up just fine ... not like last week where she wouldn't pick them up at all.

The Vet arrived as I was bringing her out of the pasture. He stood and watched her walk in grass, then on the driveway, and then asked me what I thought the issue was. We talked about it and he concluded that indeed she had gotten sore from her long toes [mind you, they were not hugely long we can't think of anything else]. 

He suggested that she'd gotten frisky in the pasture [she did one day the week before!] and strained her tendons. The trimming strained them more and she was getting better.  OR---> she was showing lameness from Lyme Disease. 

He asked me to keep an eye on her and call the office on Monday with her progress. If she didn't continue to improve, we'd treat her for Lyme Disease.

Well.
Saturday came along and there she was, moving like herself with no signs of any issues. I caught everyone up and groomed them and ate a ton of shedding mule hair.

They then walked off in a line. Sunshine first [she is 29], Sundance second [17 yrs old], and Siera who is 23. Siera is almost never in the lead. She likes to take her good ol' time.

What a week. Danny was right last Saturday. I worried and worried and fretted and fussed. The Vet gave me peace of mind and Siera healed up.

I'm glad she will be back at it. This summer I'm taking her to a friend's farm so we can ride her land together. Better than me riding alone.

I have done so much with this mule and my other two, that I am grateful to have more time with her to have cool adventures.

I'm so happy to have my Goofy Girl back to normal...

Happy Trails.

Busy Day ~ Night Out

Another day with the scrappers, they filled the truck and the trailer from behind and in the little red shed.

The fella that sold this place didn't throw things away either. Imagine that. His old farm has old vehicles in the dry runs along with stoves, refrigerators, and various other things.👇

The scrappers felt they'd won the lottery. All those old mowers and mower decks... so many engines taken half way apart. 

All 'good' stuff. 

They actually dug down about 2 feet for some of the items. The sinks and toilets stayed.

 

Glen, the previous owner was a handy man that did remodel jobs as a business. 

Often the stuff he was to toss came home and landed behind the shed. I'm sure my husband did not collect over 40 mowers! Most of them were hidden in the dirt.

They found mowers, bed springs, couch springs, and buckets of big heavy bolts along with tranny covers and a few transmissions. Don was in heaven when he found a nice Pepsi sign and some 40 yr old truck plates. He will decorate his shed with them.

I worked around the house while they were mucking around in the old garage and the red shed. I did stuff that is boring but necessary to keep the house clean and clothes for me to wear.

The guys left around 12:30 and I decided to take the dogs out to stretch their legs. We hiked through our woods. 

We found that the wild geraniums were beginning to bloom.

I took these with my Lensbaby lens. I love the softness it produces.

Oddly enough, I did enjoy the little hike, but also didn't enjoy it. For years now, I've had low back pain on the left side. It is due to arthritic spurs on the spine. Normally I just get a bunch of twinges, but Wednesday it left me a bit breathless while standing up from bending over.

Hah.
I know better than to do that. I have to squat to avoid irritating that Uncle Arthur spot. Bending is not a good option ever for a back.

I hobbled home and got an ice pack out. The dogs and I sat on the porch bench and watched birds for a while.

I was surprised and please to see Siera following the red headed mules at her slow pace [she never really is in a hurry]. 

I called the Vet Clinic [this is a different one. Dr. Anderson had seen Siera years ago when she was not herself]. 

The receptionist said Dr. was pretty busy and I said it wasn't life or death, I just thought she should be looked at as she is not herself and either pulled or strained muscles and perhaps we'd need to give her some Bute if appropriate to help her move better.

Dr. Anderson saw Siera in 2014 when she 'tied up'. 

He is an excellent Vet. We had him out in 2009 when we nearly lost Cheyanne. He and his daughter treated her for dehydration with fluids until midnight. You can read about that here at: She's worth it. 

After all of that, we made out suppers. I wish I was like a dog who could just eat something simple like Kibble and get on with my day.

I made veggies with chicken and had ice cream for desert. Nothing fancy. Just eatable stuff.

I asked Charlie and Hannah if they wanted to go for a walk. They eyed me like...mayyyyy beeee....

I put their beeper collars on and we hiked out to where I am making my campsite.

We gathered sticks and made a little campfire. Charlie has been at a campfire before, but Hannah hasn't. 

This was a trial run to see how they liked hanging out with me in the forest.

Sniffing and digging seemed to be the most fun for them. The found spots nearby and dug. Hannah collected sticks to chew on. 

After that, they both wanted to sit in my lap.

Well. I will need a bench or a much larger chair. I think there is a folding camp chair in the trailer, so I'll grab that next time.

After much sniffing around and checking things out, they both wanted to sit in my lap.

My lap doesn't have much room for them.

But they were pretty content to listen to the birdsong, coyotes songs, owl calls, and hang out with me.

Smelling the forest in the evening is much better when you are on your master's lap apparently.

I intended to stay out after dark, but released that I had two black dogs that would be invisible on the walk back to the house.
Next time, I'll bring their collar lights.

This was probably the nicest evening I've had in such a long time.

The video is about 10 seconds long and includes the Eastern Towhee

singing its evening songs.

I ordered this for our next excursion into the woods to watch the sun fade and nightfall. 

This way, I can just use this pop up shelter to sit in with the pups. It is really for a beach or sitting outside out of the sun, but it is a pop up shelter. 

I think this will be easy to put up and take down. I even have a spot I can hang it from a tree limb so animals won't mess with it.

I am so incredibly happy that I had this Forest Mulching done. I plan to maintain the area. The mules can get to the pasture when the dogs and I aren't there. 

Here we are enjoying the evening. I set my little camera up with a self timer for this.

We are enjoying a bit of heaven in this world's chaos.

And yes, if you look, my hair is colored wild, just like me. I felt like doing something weird and unusual, so I did it.

We all fell sound asleep by 9:30. Hannah snuck onto my old jacket I'd dropped onto the bedroom floor. I let her sleep there. She surely is coming along nicely. I'm so very lucky to have these two friends to keep me company.

Well there you go...

Well, I thought that Saturday would be boring with planting seeds, moving some rocks, and perhaps mowing the yard. None of that was going to happen.

My Peruvian Paso Mule, Siera, looked gimpy and didn't want to lead at all when I groomed her early in the morning. Her walk was off or she refused to walk which is odd for her since she is very good on a lead rope.

I noticed yesterday that she'd spent time standing quietly or laying down. I checked for colic and her gut sounds were perfect as well as her vitals.

I texted Danny who has taken over doing the farrier work for us. His dad used to come with Danny when Danny was apprenticing with him. Danny has done farrier and blacksmith work since he was able to pick up the tools.

He learned from a very skilled AFA Certified Journeyman Farrier, his father. He can make specialized shoes right out of the back of his truck and pretty much diagnose leg/foot issues faster than a vet. He and his father are recommended by vets quite often in our area.

So my text went to him and he said he'd come out in a few hours.

One thing for sure, in the 4 weeks since her last trim she'd 'Toed out' meaning her toes grew fast and long [which is typical for her]...but never this fast! So she was walking rather stiffly and ouchy. 

Danny saw that right away and worked on her hooves. He felt a bit of swelling in her lower legs and I commented that she hadn't been moving much for the past few days. Maybe she was 'stocking up' from standing and not moving.

Well, we hoped so.

Here is Danny trimming and also doing a hoof test for any possible abscesses. None were found and nothing was 'ouchy' in her feet.

One thing to recall about mules especially Siera. When some mules have an owie, they get overly dramatic.

Let's face it, this gal is The Diva of Mules.

 

Just as we finished up with her, the 'kid' who purchased the 1992 Toyota 4X4 straight truck showed up with a buddy. They had come to claim their prize.

His hunting buddy came along to help and they borrowed Frank's [plow guy] trailer to put the little truck on and haul it.

I cannot say this enough. This generation of hardworking farm men [in their 20's] are so polite. I keep hearing how entitled and rotten this generation is and so far I haven't met one in my community. Let's say this is the way they have been to my face. These young guys are mechanics and farmers, they work hard and play hard.

Matthew's friend took a look at our old Country Clipper and offered me $100 for it. I started to laugh and replied that, no it was not for sale. He really admired it.

I never got Matthew's friend's name, but we enjoyed some time talking about hunting dogs. He has a Blue English pup, a Plott, and a Black and Tan hound. He showed me some of the training videos he has done with them. Ohhh, how I miss the sounds of hounds. I almost asked him if I could come over and see his hounds, but held my tongue. Old crazy lady!

Below is a screenshot from the security camera in the shed. Matthew is using a come-a-long to bring the Toyota onto the tipping platform. Once loaded and tied into place, they pulled out of the shed.

I'm glad that Matthew is experienced in hauling. He pulled out and backed up the driveway to the field where he could turn the whole mess around and head up the driveway.

One more piece of 'stuff' gone!

As for the shed? I'm almost ready for a dumpster to be delivered. But now that I am looking around at the equipment and tools I have left, it would be a good idea to organize everything first.

I may even look into learning how to make some shelving for putting things up instead of piled in buckets.

Could be a summer job for me when I am not doing anything else.

Hopefully the rest of the weekend goes quietly. No rest for a farm lady.