Promise me

Ugh the tail!

I haven't been doing much with Siera and unfortunately she has gotten into Burdocks. I don't like burdock and I like it less in horse manes and tails.
Siera has cultivated a lovely full length 'horse' tail which not every mule can do.

However, because I've been busy painting, purging out the dressers, moving boxes, and ignoring my best equine friend...she had a mess in her tail.

I hoped that I wouldn't have to cut burrs out as I've had to do in really tangled messes of tails. Last night I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.

I couldn't recall where I had put my Showsheen, so I grabbed some hair conditioner and put water in a little jug. I worked for a long time. Siera would munch a bit on grass and then stop and turn her head to watch.

A few times she wiggled a bit and stomped her foot. But we talked about her tail and her remarkable beauty. I told her this was in her best interest.

She agreed. Her tail and back end were her best parts. 

Who could not stop and admire her long flowing tail and her well rounded butt?

I had to use the scissors twice to cut knots. But in the end we persisted. I need to find the Showsheen to make the tail easier to maintain.

I asked her if she wanted it braided and wrapped. She turned her head and stared at her tail.

I received what amounted to a mule 'shrug'. As long as her tail remained beautiful, she didn't care.
She swished it to test it.

Much better than that lump of burdock.

Why don't we go for a ride so I can show it off?

Of course. Why did I not think of that? I grabbed her bridle and got a leg up from hubby.

We went for an evening ride and on the way back collected the mail.

We stopped and chatted with the neighbors as they were getting wood from their wood pile. Siera stood quietly and watched the kids as they ran back and forth. They'd stop to pat her on the nose.

See? I am The Good Mule!

Off course you are Siera. You are totally relaxed, even while getting the mail! 

It was a short ride and I led her into the pasture where I took off her bridle and halter. I dropped them on the ground to hook up the gate.

Leave these. We could use them again soon. Please?

I sighed. Maybe tomorrow evening?

Perhaps. When will you braid my tail? And do I get ribbons in it? Pink is nice.

I stood. Siera stood with me. She even stood at the gate after I closed it.

Promise me.

I promise.

Another whirlwind week

Well I did find out thanks to my neighbor what the mysterious plant was growing by our mailbox.
Lupine!
I think it should actually be in a sunnier spot, but I'm going to leave it where it is right now and see what happens with it.
We added some Veronica which likes more shade and should come up each year with purple blue spikes of flowers.

Some of the seeds are coming up now just barely a week later.  So we have high hopes for a semi decent mailbox garden!

The other night I made supper early and took Siera out for a 'sunset' ride.  She went willingly and we rode out to the black top and back.

Her mane is such a mess, it does need a trim pretty badly.  I hope to get to that perhaps tomorrow.  We'll see.

I rearranged the living room and packed up the old table we had for our computers.  I used some plastic tubs [see through kind!] and stacked them up and laid left over plywood pieces on top as a desk top.

When it comes time to move the 'desk' for remodeling, it will be easy to take apart.

Morris rather likes the ability to stand on the back of the couch and look out the window.

He actually doesn't do it unless there is someone out there that he can hear.  He just curls up on his end of the couch with his blanket and takes a nap.

He is handling the noises outside the house fairly well.  We'll see how it goes when the guys move to start the interior.

This is a shot of the living room and the stairway.  You can see the wall paper in the short hall has been peeled and the hole in the wall where we took out the small electric heater.

The doorway is to the bathroom and you can see into the eating area.

Our house is very small, but we do like it.  The extra room will be a blessing along with the storage.

I don't know why I didn't change the layout years ago. This makes more sense to me.

This morning I noticed the sky turned a very odd color while I was making coffee so I grabbed my camera and ran outside.

There was a rainbow!
At the break of dawn!

And then I noticed how fast the front was moving so I hit movie mode on my camera.

The rains came but no harsh winds.  I am happy about that.  We did need the rain, but it has turned our area around the house into a sink hole of muck.

Last but not least I'm getting closer to getting the scrap wood table top done!
Next step is gluing and refitting the pieces together.

I keep re-arranging the pieces.  I may even get it right so I won't have to saw any edges!

This will more than likely be an outside table for the porch.  I have also been sanding and painting some blocks for the 'toy' box.  
I bought a wooden crate to store them in.  Now I am torn between using the crate for something else.

Well if this morning's rain keeps away the construction workers, it looks like we'll have a quiet day.  

If it dries up there are things to do like lawn mowing, gardening, hiking, and cleaning up the construction site.

The guys have done an excellent job, but I am a bit more of a stickler.

I leave with a photo taken when I headed to town for errands yesterday. Ridgetop cropland as seen from Riley Road.

Morels, Mothers, Mules

Saturday promised to be a beautiful day.  After chores were done, I asked hubby if he wanted to take the 4 wheeler and go seek out some morels.
He thought the idea over.  
Our week had been busy between my work schedule and his dealing with the work being done on the house.

We had nothing going on for Saturday that was important.
We went searching for morels after chores had been done.

We used the 4 wheeler, not my first choice of moving around but Rich said it would be much easier for him to climb the steep trail out of the valley if we used it.

I agree, anything to make things a bit easier for him to enjoy the things he loves doing.
We rode down to our creek bottom and immediately ol' sharp eyes found morels!

I found ONE!  But it was the light colored kind.

However I looked for other treasures as well.  We found a beautiful tall wild apple tree with the sweetest of blossoms.

I also found a plant I thought I recognized but wasn't sure of what it was until I got home and looked it up.

White Baneberry.  In the fall it has white 'doll's' eyes.  

I ran across many Jack in the Pulpits, they are so interesting!

Our hike ended with just enough morels for a taste.  The forest was pretty dry and we needed rain.  Rain would be good for the crops and the forest, but not necessarily for our house remodel.

Sunday promised to be another nice day and I saddled up Fred and Siera.  I conned Rich into riding Fred.
He hadn't ridden since last year and had convinced himself that the stroke he had which affected some of his finer balance skills would mean that he could never sit on a mule again.

Well.
Pictures are worth a thousand words.

We rode Sunday morning and he said it felt a bit strange but it also felt nice.

After our short ride, I took Siera out again. I figured since she was already saddled, I may as well.

She did a great job.  We wandered the forest hillsides and deer trails without much of a fuss.  Annually she gives me a hard time about leaving home each spring, and as I ride her more often again, she settles in nicely.

And of course, when I got home I called my mother.  We had a nice long talk and she sounded wonderful.  

And that was my weekend of Morels, Mules, and Mothers Day.

Catching up.

Sunday morning the farrier, Dan Tesar and Danny Tesar from Tesar Horseshoeing Company, came out to trim 8 head of equine.

Both Dan and Danny work together here they are trimming our Jack Stud, Bob who stands as a statue.

Danny is in the maroon colored sweatshirt, Dan is in the green one.
I really dig their sweatshirts.  I should have one and add the words...."I like my Farriers!"

Thor our other Jack put on quite a show for Dan and Danny.  He is a very odd Jack.

After they left I took Lil' Richard for a ride to see how much he remembered.  He is the first equine I've ever had that did not want to return home.  He was all for the go go go, anywhere but back to the farm.  

However he was polite and stopped for the neighbor kids and let them pet him.  Allie helped Lil' Richard check the mail.

Now Lil' Richard is a small pony so we don't ride hard, we don't ride fast, and I get off and walk with him often.  
However I found him very useful while walking along the roadside to spot interesting plants.

It is so hard to get used to those tiny little ears that are mostly hidden by that incredible bushy pony mane of his.

On our way back down the hill to the farm, I found a Santa Hat that had blown into the woods.
Lil' Richard was more than happy to model it for me.

Apparently my neighbor thinks Lil' Richard should have it as she says, "It suits him."  I think it does.

Monday morning arrived and I walked up the hill to check on Valerie, who is one of our Dexter cows. I thought she was close to calving.  Rich said she was a ways off.

Hah!  

Welcome Buster!
Born on Rich's Birthday!

He still has milk bubbles on his lips from his first feeding.  I was concerned because the temps were only in the 20's and Buster was a bit cold, but in an hour he was running around the pasture driving his mom nuts.

I spent most of the day relocating perennials and dividing them from places that will be effected by the construction.  Our Contractor showed up with the Digger Man and it sounded like they were getting ready to break ground very very soon.

After they left, I grabbed Siera and put on her headstall.  I led her to a stump and she stood stock still while I climbed up the stump and put a leg over her.

Off we went for a quick ride. We went for a cruise in the woods just for fun.

She has either gotten over her 'March Madness' and being herd sour or she thought that bareback was more fun?  

Anyway we went to look at the fence in the Merry Meadow and see where the deer had broken the old electric lines.
Looks like some fencing work for me soon!

We then rode back to the 'farm' and checked on Buster who was sleeping soundly next to his mom, Valerie.

I had left a message with the neighbors to come down and see the new calf since they'd never seen one like this before.
It was time to put Siera back and get ready for company.

Since it was Rich's birthday, I made a family sized pan of brownies and after the calf viewing and playing on the dirt hill, we all went in for a treat.

It was a great couple of days.

What will today bring?

Between Siera's Ears

Every animal definitely has their own character.  Siera is one of those.  

We hadn't ridden off the farm since March 22, 2015 when hubby and I went looking for antlers last year after his cancer diagnosis.  I did take Siera for a short ride on March 29th of last year, but I've only ridden her two other times.
Once with Lily and Fred and once a few weeks ago.

Siera said NO, I am not going into the woods!
I said, yes, we are.
It took some coaxing but we headed down my hiking/riding trail.  

Siera stared at the logs that had fallen into the ditch.  She gave it a once over and then stepped across.  She kept turning her head and looking through the woods towards the summer pasture.  She twisted her head and shook it, nodding her nose up and down.

Siera was protesting leaving her farm/paddock buddies.  She was peeved.  Yet she moved forward.  I wanted to see if I could get her through a section of trail I'd just cleared this fall and winter.  
However she decided she was not going there.

NO
Yes.  Gently I asked her.

NO, I said NO, I mean NO, okay but under protest.

We were able to get through the mess of downed trees and to the first big ditch.  I was slightly surprised by the amount of water in the ditch.  The dirt was black and inky.

NO! Alert! Killer Mule Ditch, eats mules alive, out of shape fat molly mules named Siera.  NO!

Really Siera? However I just walked her along the edge of the ditch and looked around.  She began to sweat behind the ears and act irritated.  I let her stand for a moment before I turned her away.  I'd told my husband that I'd only work Siera on the eastern hillside section.  This path would take us beyond that.  And I could see that I needed to do a bit more trimming to keep the sapling branches from poking our eyes out.

I turned her away and we wove back up in the general direction of the farm.

Thank Goodness, Pony Woman, have you lost your mind and sense of direction? Home, yes, Home!

When we got to the up hill trail, the one I use often to go check for morels, wildflowers, and sometimes the round about way to the road and mail box...I turned Siera.

NO, you idiot.  Home is not this way!

Protest from my mule.  Head bobbing and shaking.  Her ears twisted back and forth and I asked her politely and then forcefully to take the trail.  And we went.
By the time we reached the top of the hill she was breathing hard but still flopping her head up and down and acting a bit homesick.
I decided to tie her up and let her calm down.
This is why I always ride with a rope halter.

I did an equipment check and then sat down on a stump and listened to Fred bray at home.  When in the paddock together he acted as if Siera was his mortal enemy.  When she was gone, he cried like a lovesick child.

Really? Tied to a tree Pony Woman?  Oh never mind, this calms me.  I can stand and relax.  I like this tree, do you like this tree?  It is a friendly tree. Hi nice tree, how are you?  

Siera seemed to calm down once tied to a tree.  Now I have never figured that out. If she is nervous, tie her to a tree and she'll just stand there.  Odd mule.

After she relaxed we rode my eastern hillside trails a few times, making a big circle.  Siera made a nice trail to follow so it will be easier once the leaves start to come back.  At first she tried to charge going down hill.  Each time she did, I turned her around and had her work back up hill.

YES, down down, let's go.  Home, home.  Uh-oh, NO! Not back up. Oh darn.
Okay, you win, I will walk like a sensible mule.  This is hard work and I don't like hard work.

We ended our ride on a very pleasant note, the last time we did the trail her ears were flopping and she was relaxed although a bit sweaty.
We went home.  I had to fill the stock tank and Siera had to cool down.  I tied her to the trailer and turned the hydrant on.

Then I went back and mounted Siera.  It was time for standing still while doing nothing with a rider on your back.

Boring.  I see grass.  Can I have grass? Please?  Oh you won't notice if I sneak forward and grab grass.  Oh darn you!

We had moved the Dexter cows due to give birth in the next few months out of their winter area and onto a grassy area.  I thought I'd ride Siera up between the buildings and up the narrow lane to check on them.
We got between the buildings and Siera froze.  At first I clucked and then tapped her with a foot.  She shook her head and backed up.

YOU idiot!  That could be a monster!  See that piece of nasty orange rusted metal? It could eat mules.  Let me look at it.  Let me look at it!

I sat and wondered why she was suddenly frozen and being obstinate.  I waited. Her head moved up and down, she sniffed.  I then did a slight kiss and she moved on through.

I'd forgotten the golden rule with Siera.  She needs to look some things over and convince herself that it isn't dangerous.  We walked passed Thor who ran and brayed in his paddock, she ignored him.  We went back to see the Dexters.  Siera acted curious.

Stupid cows.  You get the fine new grass pasture.  I get bupkiss.  I am still in a paddock.  Why are you so special?  What? Can't you talk? Dumb cows.  At least I am useful.  See? 

I sat on her and she watched the Dexters who watched her.  Finally we went around the other side to go check on their stock tank of water.

UH oh.  This could be a trap.  No, yes, no.  Maybe.  That black thing, it is a grill. Yes that is where they cook bad mules who don't behave.  Wait.  They don't eat mules.  Nice people don't eat their mules, right Pony Woman?

Siera had to stop and look at the grill that was in the driveway near the outhouse. She was not going to go passed it.  I sat and let her look the situation over.  We haven't done 'yard work' together in a long time.  

We finished all the chores that I could do, riding from one area of the yard to another and then I took her back to the trailer and curried her out.  She was dry and seemed to like it.

Nice lady, you are nice.  Gotta scratch right there, a little to the left please.  Oh much better.  Maybe I'll be good next time we ride together.  Maybe, a mule doesn't always make promises, especially if they are a molly mule.  We are known for having a female temper sometimes.

I turned her out and watched her find a dry spot to roll in.  I felt good.  I hadn't realized exactly how much I loved our forest adventures together.  I really needed to ride more.

Enjoying the Brown Season

Here is the view from the saddle.  Oh Siera, your mane is unruly and you look shaggy!

Thank goodness you have such big ears so that we can tell...almost that you are a mule!

Fred,  you and your most handsome rider appeared to be happy and very content on the nice easy trail!

We were supposed to be looking for antler sheds but I was enjoying just being out with Siera and my favorite riding partner.

We rode out to look over the back valley.

You definitely want a mule here that is not suicidal or crazy.  Last year I was barely able to keep Siera standing still in this area, nor was I able to get her down this steep trail to the point.

Fred and hubby are at a rock point and I think it could be at least 100 feet or a bit more straight down to the valley floor.

The view is incredible though.

Fred and hubby continued along the top.  Siera and I meandered around looking for things.

In the summer this area is so full of undergrowth and the forest canopy is so heavy that you can't see the other ridge.

I was pretty proud of Siera though, she and I took on a very steep and nasty dry run.  A year ago she would have refused and we would have had a fight on our hands.
But I've spent a lot of time building up her confidence and she has spent more time maturing.

It was muddy, slippery, and steep.
I got off afterwards and rewarded her with some loving while my husband laughed.

Siera is not like his mule.  Fred, after all has about 20 yrs more riding experience than she has had.

After a hard climb out of the valley we stopped to let Fred catch his breath. Siera being a youngster was ready to go.

But she also needs a bit more 'patience' training.

She has actually come a very long way since we started working together.  I think she is going to be an exceptional rider for me.
She has the speed when I want it and yesterday she showed that she can dawdle along at a nice slow pace if need be.

And thus we enjoyed the 'Brown Season', the time before things turn green again.

I have found Siera and she has found me...

woods

Hubby was set up to haul round bales of hay for the day.  I'd gone to the recycling center and grocery shopping...  so I decided to grab a mule ...

I saddled up Siera and decided to go exploring on mule back.

You have to understand.  4 years ago, Badger took me everywhere and anywhere, safely and quietly.  Badger got ill, very ill.  He died of equine COPD 2 yrs ago and ever since I have been searching for an equine I could ride solo out in the woods...all 2,000 acres of it that surrounds me plus the roads safely.

Siera picked me.  Hubby bought her and SHE picked me.  I bought her from Hubby so he could never sell her.

Siera and I have had our training issues.  There has been times when I decided that Siera was NOT it.

That she would not fulfill my needs...

But since last week, it has all started to fall into place.

We've been training together for 5 yrs.  IF anyone ever says they can train a horse or mule in 30 days...okay ... who are they kidding!

Somehow... today... Siera and I hit the 'button'.

WE have figured each other out.  And let me tell you, no two animals are the same.

She and I have finally hit the point where we 'get' each other.  She understands what I want and I understand what she really will do for me.

I rode her twice.

Once in the woods and along trails.

Then I brought her home, but was so enthralled with her that I saddled her up again with an English Saddle and took her out to visit neighbors and check out things that in the past freaked her out.

Today she was the Miracle Mule.  That very same mule who came to me 2 yrs ago when I was so sad.  The very same mule who stood guard over me for a night while I sat in the meadow and cried.

So yes.  This Siera mule will never BE Badger.  But she has taught me that I have a place in my heart for another 'kind' of mule love.

Siera's mule love.

Siera is intense about her people relationships

She will not even acknowledge my husband.  She sees me and no other human.

Tonight when I introduced her to some of the ridge-top neighbors who knew Badger ~~ Siera bowed her head to the kids ~~ then leaned her head into me as if to say.

I can love all of you.

And let me tell you.

Siera made me cry and sing at the same time.

Thank you Siera.  You entered my life when I didn't want you, but loved me unconditionally and helped me overcome the loss of Badger.  [Badger was a mule who only had eyes for me and always was good to the grand kids.  He was something so extra-ordinary that I was sure I'd never find another equine like him.]

Now Siera is showing me how special she can be.

Sure some say it that it is my training.

But I think not.

It is our 'connection'.

If you can connect like I have with Badger and Siera.  Then you will have a once in a life time experience.