I put Siera in the pasture in front of the house so I could keep an eye on her.
Siera did 'self - exercising' along the fence line.
Her reaction was to walk up and down and complain. Below is the view from the porch.
She was a bit better ----> and then this Monday morning with the cold temps a bit worse.
The issue seems to also be in her leg and shoulder. I guess time will tell.
Yes, I have someone coming to see her.
Update on that.
Best guess is that she is stiff and sore either from some tearing around the pasture, age, or a strained muscle. It isn't like she will tell us anything. Everything is normal with her stats and she is eating and pooping just fine.
The vet recommended to leave her in the pasture with her buddies. She can lay down when she wants, move when she wants. She is definitely off, but the vet wants her to move and not be confined. He feels that she will self regulate until she feels better. So it is a watch and wait deal.
I will probably then take Sunshine at the end of May to my friend's farm to ride instead of Siera.
In 2010 Sunshine had a pretty radical injury which involved tendons and her shoulder and knee. We did put her in confinement as she was a 3 legged mule. X-rays didn't show anything, but the vet thought she'd injured her collateral ligament.
The vet didn't think she'd come out of it but we gave her the chance. After she was able to hobble around we put her out with the foals and she started moving and improving, slow but sure. She self regulated and did her own PT with her little 6 month old half sister.
In 6 months after that, she was riding [gently] once more.
She is sound as ever right now 16 years later.
The mule pictured below is Sunshine who is 29 years old.
I will be giving them all mule haircuts and riding Sunshine. She is not frail or even achy. When she and her sister decide to chase and buck in the pasture, it is a wonder to see. She is still the quickest and most athletic mule I have.
She still has it. This shot is from last year when they all got crazy going to the summer meadow. Sunshine is on the left.
I guess I should say that I'm pretty close to her as I pulled the birth sack off her face when she was born as her mom was exhausted.
Photos of Sunshine:
The little mule that could and always has done a good job.
She is tolerant of almost everything. One of the reasons I love her. Even kids who have no idea of what they are doing.
So the Siera Saga continues and I need to give her time to heal and recover. The progress is slow, just think of how we feel when we pull a muscle and how we recover. Siera is good with kids also, she is gentle and quiet.
Yet one more reason to make sure she gets back to good health with lots of tenderness and care.
I survived the 9 hours of Jury Selection! 100 people were summoned, 80 showed. 14 were finally picked after a long day.
I am not discussing the case as it was disturbing.
I know there is evil in this world and one does not even have to watch the nightly news to discover it.
Instead I am going to turn to my Christmas Village tonight....
I put up my Christmas Lego Village and came up with a fun idea. I'm trying to take a photo a day of the Mini-me and Mini-Charlie walking about the village and taking photos of things going on.
The story is that the Mayor of the Village hired Mini-me to take photos of the Village for his Tourism Brochure that he wants published next year.
Whoops! I wonder if the Mayor will be happy with this one! [UM, that IS the Mayor in the outhouse!]
And of course the Village offers a groomed cross country skiing trail complete with very friendly polar bears.
The elves let me in on their secret of how they get SO much work done in such a short time. Why not have a Merry Alien to help decorate tall trees and move large packages!
I bet you thought it was all magical!
There is a skating rink in the Village that they are thinking of expanding for next year! Um I wonder if the snowperson was afraid Charlie would leave him with some yellow snow!
Mini-me and Charlie went to observe the local band playing and singing Christmas Carols in the town square.
[Do you see who showed up to the Caroling???]
You know. Life as a Mini-me is so much simpler and joyful.
Yesterday.... It was a regular morning. I had to rush around and get things done to get into town by 8:30 to check in for my Stress Test appointment.
I knew Eric who took me to the room along with Maddie to get me ready. You know, after a certain age and a certain amount of medical procedures, your modesty gets left somewhere else. Eric is a Cardo/Pulmonary person that works in the Heart Center. He helped hubby do his PT a couple of years ago.
Anyway, the putting on of all the leads and stickers on my 'ahem' bare chest went quickly with me joking about modesty of course. A base reading of my heart and BP was taken and then it was time to wait for the echocardiogram lady. The wait was long and Eric apologized a few times. I said I was happy just to sit and wait with no distractions. And that is what I did for a while. I didn't mind the wait at all.
I took my time as a 'time out' from other matters. I listened to the bells across the street at the big stone church ring. I daydreamed. I had a nice time out.
The echo lady came in and apologized for the wait. I shrugged. She said she had to take her time with her previous patient and it took longer than expected. I reminded her that I should thank her because she was doing a very important job. I was content to wait. Without her expertise, how would we get a good look at how my heart worked?
I think she was a bit stunned by my comment. You know, people can be rude when they have to wait. I really did appreciate the work this team was doing. I just wanted to get the go ahead for putting on my hiking shoes!
The bad part of the day was that hubby woke up with my upper respiratory infection showing its ugly face. But since he was going to sleep after having his breakfast, I wasn't too worried. I made an appointment for him in the afternoon to see someone in the clinic. With end stage COPD, you don't mess around with respiratory infections.
The stress test was pretty neat and yep, I got out of breath finally and asked to stop. My chest cold was still giving me grief. No one said a word about 'how' I did, but they are the techs, they can see things but they can't say things.
Off to home I went.
I told hubby I needed to get him something to eat and then we were heading to the clinic to have him looked at. I was met with a fierce NO. HE was not going anywhere, he didn't feel good. I couldn't help but then say, "Well, when you start having real trouble breathing, I'll just call the ambulance and you can ride with them."
I got a dirty look. I don't care. However, I did bring him his meds, water, and his nebulizer in the bedroom. I even made him lunch and then jello for later on. I know what that cold did to me and I am in pretty good shape.
I told hubby to mark this date on the calendar. "Oh that's right. You are being nice!"
I quipped over my shoulder. "I can't have too many Nice Days in one year. I think maybe 6 times a year?"
Chuckle and cough - cough - hack - cough.
I did quiet things. Folding laundry and piling it in the basket to put away. Then I got out a Lego figure and decided to try to have some fun with the Mime. I couldn't think of what to do so I lined up coffee cups plopped the Mime down, and dribbled coffee grounds around and on him.
Charlie and I sat on the porch and watched the mules sleep in the warm sun. Then I heard Robins. I don't recall if I've heard them this early in the winter before. Perhaps I have.
I watched the water coming off the hillside and running down through the pasture in a tiny stream. I did some mental calculations. The snow melt on the ridge must be finding its way down the dry runs to the creek.
I walked towards the edge of the fence and listened. I could hear water just faintly running. That meant it was headed for our valley.
I made sure my patient had his meds and Nebulizer on time, then tucked him in and made a mad dash for the valley.
I simply have NOT missed a snow melt in years. It usually happens a few times, so yes, I have had to work during one or two, but usually caught the second day of the melt run off.
I discovered it by accident in our valley. I mean I knew it happens, but I didn't know how to watch for it and listen for it.
Here is a short video I did with Morris a few years ago. Generally the big melts coming through the snow is more impressive, but I could literally hear this water coming down from 1/8th of a mile away!
2014 March 30th mini flash flood over rocks from the dry run into the creek bed with my Jack Russell Morris. 1:55 seconds long. It is a bit unsteady at first because I was climbing the boulders trying to see the first bits of water appear.
This morning, I can hear the water running in my neighbor's 'ditch' just down at the end of our winter pasture. I can't wait to go see the water, debris and mud.
I know. I am a strange one. But yesterday, I had some amazing relaxation time watching the water flow.
Yesterday was better! Yippee! Today? Not so, let's add a deep chesty cough to the mix. I feel like a surgeon walking around the house with a mask and making him and myself wash our hands every time we walk through the house. I woke up to.....
~~~~~ - 17 F just before it dropped to -20 F [-28 C]. There is no wind right here in front of the house and this will be were the equine ladies gather when the sun peaks over the tree tops.
Even Charlie thought it was a bit cold. He asked to borrow my over the glasses goggles to go out to do his business.
Now that the weather report is out of the way [cold, bitter cold], I can move on.
I was supposed to go in today and sign some paperwork for my insurance. I'm going to call in and do it tomorrow. I got sick of the company I've done business with only one claim in 30 years of raising prices and never saying a thing. The first owner -- now retired -- would call us and explain what was going on and how he could try and find better coverage for us.
This service hasn't continued with his son. So last week I walked into a local agency and sat down with my paperwork. The end result was a $700 savings overall with the same coverage. Yes, they will raise prices I'm sure but I know I can stop in their office and speak directly to them. I'm not dealing with a no face no personality person.
Yippee me. The cold is brutal enough to delay schools, shut down some schools, and convince me that making a drive to town that I postpone until tomorrow is smart.
I woke up to the news that Musk is now delving into Social Security. 72.5 million people's lives can be affected by someone who doesn't even understand how SS works. Especially if they don't understand the language of COBOL.
I wonder how the unemployment figures are going to look next month for all of the firings that have gone on. I wonder how many more planes are going to crash. I wonder how the price of eggs are doing. I wonder who will be picking produce. I wonder how many elderly are having their heat cut off. I wonder how much more we can take.
I don't think I'm supposed to talk about this sort of thing on my blog. You know with those goons running things, I feel like every word I say or type is being watched. Maybe. Maybe not. Is it 1984 yet?
*****************
So enough of that. I'm sick. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired and I am whiney. It's warmed up to -14, so I'll put on my gear and head out. Thankfully, the chores are not so hard.
I'm going to eat Chicken noodle soup and watch the birds at the feeder.
I don't DO driving in dense fog or freezing fog now that I don't have to punch a time clock. One time I had to drive home from work in dense fog like this. It was over 10 years ago. I rolled down the window on my ancient car and drove at idle speed so I could watch the center line below me.
That was simply the most exhausting drive I'd ever done. I'd gotten off from a midnight shift and once I hit the ridge I couldn't see past my hood. Now I avoid bad weather and I am glad I can.
So instead of complaining about the weather and the fog, I went hiking again and again.
These were short hikes of only about 40 minutes or so to explore the forest floor and look at the mystical ... magical ... fog that everyone dislikes -- especially when it happens for days on end!
At about 9 am yesterday, it lightened up when I went to for one of those walks and I thought I'd be able to run some afternoon errands.
It was quite pretty with the freezing fog on the trees.
But by noon we were socked in again with weather alerts about not being able to see past 25 feet or 1/4 of a mile in areas. I figure with my depth perception being nil, it was another good day to stay off the roads.
By this time I was going stir crazy staying home safe and sound. There were quite a few accidents but nothing major.
I texted Olive to see if she wanted to go for a walk on our road out to the blacktop road and back. She jumped at the chance. Everyone in her house is still recovering from after Thanksgiving Colds and croupy coughs and all those fun colds that come from pre-school and daycare.
This way we could get in a visit and walk at the same time in the mild temps and fog and avoid trading germs. [We are extra cautious for hubby.]
Picture below...walking through the 'neighborhood'.
Well here it is. The last day of the 2024 year. Rory turned 1 year old on the 27th, we got to do a live time video with her and watch her play thanks to her wonderful parents. We had only two visits to the ER for hubby and a pretty quiet year.
There are no plans to celebrate New Year's Eve. I did that when I was a youngster, now it is no more than just another day other than changing the calendar and remembering to end the date in 25 now.
I had absolutely no motivation at all. I didn't even want to cook meals [that's not new though, I hate cooking].
I spent the week seriously having doubts about everything in Life. I like to have my Ducks in a row and it seemed like someone went into the duck pond and tossed all of my duckies around and scattered them.
So, I went to the gym and did Mobility Class and then a one on one work out which was intense and exactly what I needed. When I get down and out or anxious about my Ducks [metaphorically speaking], I need to expend great amounts of energy to bring out the endorphins and shut down the Mental Gibberish.
Good friends of mine from a distance have talked with me via email too and I am thankful for their support and lending an ear --- or well, reading. Sometimes a worry isn't such a worry if you share and just get some input. However, we stoic older Midwesterners were taught that you don't share worry or burden others. [And then talking with a counselor, that is exactly what she suggests! In tough times, lean on your circle of supporting friends. Who'd a THUNK of that?😛]
Truth is, we are never fully prepared for things that are tossed our way are we? We think we are. Yet, thankfully, I have an incredible son who can speak calming and sensible words to me and show me how to start sorting The Ducks.
This is how you feel after talking with your loved one and trying to get them to do some hygienic stuff.
I can recall when I was a little kid. I tried negotiations with my mom regarding washing up and taking baths. Baths were a really UN-favorite thing to do. I once asked mom if we could just skip baths and brushing of the teeth. Maybe I could just do it once a month? I'd be a really good kid for her if she allowed this deal to go through. I mean come on, if I got washed up I'd just get dirty again so what was the point?
Yes, he doesn't feel good. Yes he has low energy, but ....
I leave it at that. Some battles have to be fought over and over before one gets a result.
Let's talk about the weather! It is in all the news.
Wild Wicked Winter Weather.
What a perfect time to be without a heater!
We saw Dan from a company called 608 Plumbing [&heating]. He said he could get a motor to fix the intake fan and inspected the heater. He says it is in excellent shape and it is too bad we got a bum fan motor.
He presented us with another idea. I'd never heard of a Mini Split before. I knew about Heat Pumps from years ago when my mom and dad built their retirement home and had one purchased for their house. At that time I think it was brand new technology. They had a heat pump and a furnace for those very frigid winters.
A Mini Split would probably save us gobs of Money over using our old window air conditioner that only fits upstairs in a room we don't use. We use fans on the stairs to blow cool air down on hot days. It has worked for years for us, but I've never felt it was very efficient.
However, the Mini Split would cool down the house where we actually live! And until it gets extremely cold, it would heat us too for far less than what we are paying for now.
A huge draw back is the price. However, I'm looking at rebates, efficiency, and tax credits [I am aware of the limitations on all of these--but hey, it is a selling point]. Plus this company will maintain the system.
608 Dan looked the house over and then made said this:
"Here is what I want to do for you Rich, I want to make you comfortable in the winter AND the summer and save you money in the long run. How's that sound?"
I laughed and replied, "That is a pretty good sales pitch. Make the man of the house comfy and worry free!"
So what about the weather? It is happening all right.
A good day to make soup and cut up my fruit for snacking.
Yum! Fresh fruit on a gloomy wintery day. Turkey soup with dried wild mushrooms along with dehydrated veggies and carrots.
The space heater is actually keeping the house nice and warm.
The snow this morning was ferocious. The winds on the ridge were wicked and several times we had some blowing snow down in our hollow. Charlie and I went to get the mail. He loves snowstorms! As long as the snow isn't too deep for him to bound out of.
This afternoon, it has alternated between snow, sleet, and rain.
The mules have been alternating between eating at the feeders ...
and standing way down in the woods with their mule butts to the winds....
The birds have been busy at the feeders and have been taking turns sitting in the pine tree or the hickory tree.
On the ridge, it looks like this.
Our dead end road:
I'm hoping the ice/sleet/rain that is falling doesn't cause us to lose power.
Well, February 2nd is my first Cataract Surgery. From what I understand it will take longer for prep and recovery from the mild sedative than it will for the entire surgery.
I've been told that colors will be more vibrant and white won't look beige any more. That is interesting as my brain is seeing snow as white, right?
Then I had this terrible thought. If my colors are all off, how has my photography in the past year or so been affected? I guess I will find out.
It has been nearly 60 years since I had eye surgery to help correct my vision. I am eternally grateful to my parents who made sure I had this eye surgery when I was little. By the time I reached 6th grade, I only had to wear glasses to read if my eyes were tired. I lived a childhood without being teased for crooked eyes.
So I won't be posting or writing on Thursday. My vision is supposed to be a bit blurry and of course I'll be goofy from the sedation which could last for about 24 hours. 😏
I'm writing this on Wednesday afternoon while waiting on a text for the time I'm to show up for my 'thing'.
So I will give you one more Lego indoor fun photo project to enjoy.
Items used. Blocks from our house remodel that I painted and put in a large tote for when children came over to play at my house. The little ol' fella from my Lego collection. I call him Rich...Oh and of course, his chicken.
And this is how it turned out.
Home Sweet Home
Have a great Thursday. I know I will.
Update: I have to leave the house at 5:30AM! Yikes!
Seems everyone does a 'year in review' during the last few days before a new year. [I just have to remember to write a new number on the few checks I do write]
Photographers on Instagram put up their top 9 photos. FB folk like to put up their TOP 10.
There is a photographer I've know for a very long time. We both took on line classes together. He is a pro dude. He does layouts for hotels and spas ... and such. His hobby is producing landscapes. His work is beautiful but he insists that he must go to certain very over photographed spots to find THAT photo. That's cool and I admit, I am jealous. I have to stay home and find cool amazing stuff.
But the top 10. Meh.
I love the one person I follow on Instagram that posted her TOP Fails from her year of hiking mountains and rough areas. Her boyfriend/husband/hiking partner helps out by videoing and photographing the places she goes. They are incredible and I like to view them because I like to dream. Her Fails were wonderful. Because she wasn't trying to say: Look how perfect my year was!
Me?
I start thinking of my review of the past year. Pfft. Not much different than the year before.
Good things did happen. I made a new friend! She was brave enough to hike with me in the Wilds of the Reserve.
I want to say all those fine things. Like. Hmmm, I grew as a photographer. What does that even mean? I didn't grow taller but I tried new techniques.
What were my accomplishments? Um.
What stood out last year? Um. Oh, I know! But I am not going to say it as it will jinx us.
I started Yoga and that is good, however Yoga doesn't work when the TV in the other room 10 feet away is blaring Football or Boxing. Sort of ruins the concentration.
Wait, how about Mindfulness. Here is a definition of Mindfulness: a form of meditation being aware of what you are feeling in the moment. That is a loose definition.
I think I flunked that. I start being Mindful and Meditating and my mind doesn't meditate it sort of floats off into a daydream.
It was another year of caring. Of being patient. Another year of being empathetic.
My year's highlight was to sit quietly on a rock and sip coffee while the world awakened below me.
And hopefully I end this year seeking out new ice caves.
Wednesday.... I just looked at all the weather alerts that I was getting.
Red sky in morning
Sailors take warning
A red sunrise can mean that a high pressure system has already passed. It may indicate that a storm system may be moving to the east. A morning sky that is deep fiery red can indicate that there is high water content in the atmosphere [or heavy smoke?]. Rain could be on its way.
Well, rain was on its way along with the possibility of straight line winds, heavy downpours, hail, and other great stuff like lightening. On my way home from CrossFit I parked and took a shot with the IR camera of the first wave of storms.
Infrared is pretty cool for showing cloud textures.
The Turkeys and Turk...lettes were headed for the woods.
The mules moved down into the wooded area for a bit.
And when the winds passed, they moved out to the pasture and went about their business. I can tell what is coming by how the mules act. If something nasty is on its way they literally run for shelter.
They were rather unconcerned with the heavy rainfall and fog that rolled through.
The rains came hard and then let up and came hard off and on for hours. The thunder and lightening continued to boom and shake the house.
Poor Charlie required a lap to sit in while he quaked.
Alerts went out as the County police and workers closed highway 56 in multiple places where water was coming over the road and tree 'parts' littered the highway.
Just another stormy day in Vernon County.
Charlie and I will head out to check the forest fences the creek after it gets a bit brighter out.
With this rain the fungi ought to burst forth in the woods too!
