Drink water

 

I took the 'boys' on a walk to the creek. Sven was happy not to be in his pen, he took the opportunity to stop and nibble at things as we hiked. Charlie tried to get him to run and play but I guess Sven was more interested in munching and looking around. 

I really hadn't had him out on as many walks/hikes as I should have been doing.
He seems to be very happy most of the time with Li'l Richard's company. 

When I did chores early Tuesday, Sven was shivering. I spent time after chores cleaning out his stall and putting in fresh dry bedding. When I tried to shut him in tonight he threw a temper tantrum. He couldn't see his buddy in the next pen. Pony Goat Love. Or something like that. When they are in the larger lot together Li'l Richard likes to chase Sven around. 

They really have become attached to each other.

I spent most of the afternoon working on brush piles and burning the last of the mess I'd made out by the rock outcropping. That is, until I get more Buckthorn cut down.

Working with a small fire nearby was nice and toasty. I forgot how cold it really was. 10 degrees.

I used the larger hand saw on a couple of the old hard dry Buckthorn trees. My little saw wouldn't do well on that hard wood. I'll have to go back and cover up the stumps a bit later.

The girded trees should die within in a year. Meanwhile I will use them to attach a blind to so I can have myself a Woman Cave.

I actually thought of putting up a bird feeder this winter and using the blind to stay out of sight and out of the frigid breezes. 

I don't know. I could be kidding myself. But it is a good project and will keep me busy. I am encouraged as it is looking pretty nice compared to what it had been.
When the snow falls I can still cut Buckthorn and cover the stumps to smother them.

It does wear a bit on me though. My hands kept cramping up tonight while making supper. Ever have a cramp in your hand that makes your fingers curl up tight? Wow!

I know I hadn't had water out with me. Bad me. Cold weather, working hard, and dehydration are more than likely the culprits. I'll take a thermos out with me next time. 

Last but not least. I created a Christmas colored Fractal for fun tonight.

I had forgotten how fun and frustrating this program can be. I did like this one though.

One of those days

Here is the crockpot soup pot. I'm leaning towards a potato soup. I started the morning by looking up recipes. And then decided to follow one sort of and add my own touches.

Shredded fresh carrots, shredded onions, and celery. Chicken stock, whole mini tators...cook all day with seasons. Add milk, cream of mushroom soup, and shredded cheese later. It was good!

I was waiting on a delivery that needs a signature. FedEx. I don't know if they can find my house. 

Through the Red Cross I signed up for Facebook Portal and they were going to deliver today.

That meant I had to stay near the house all day watching for the truck.

So I decided to try out the new fangled tool and go at the Elderberry trees that are crowding the wooded pasture west of the house.

First I picked up dead stuff. Then I went after the elderberry trees. Some people love them. Mules don't eat them so it is not pasture friendly to me. They grow and kill the grasses, they spread by seed and root. What a pain. Lovely to look at the flowers, but a pain.

The pile kept growing! I added boxelder shoots and dead branches. I even added a couple of busted up logs that I could pick up. This area of the pasture never got cleaned up after the 2007 storm. 

I hope I can burn small piles next to the large old logs this winter and burn up the old logs.

We shall see.

It is close enough to the house that hubby can open a window and holler at me if he needs my help.

That was fun! There was only 30 minutes between the first photo and the second one!

Love this tool!

I wore the battery out and decided that I'd better go ahead and burn a little pile before I let the mules back in this section. They would just re-arrange my burn piles for fun. Those mischievous long ears!

Both of those piles are gone this evening. There will be winds the next few days. So no brush burning for a bit.

It is a handy tool.

Friday is a day off I think. My friend Bill is doing much better from his hip and sciatica problems and we are going to meet up at the Reserve. I'm going to show him the trails to the Ice Caves.

Time for a break from all the work in the woods.

Oh.

The soup was great! We have enough so I won't have to cook Friday and we will have some to freeze too.

The warm homemade bread was a bonus also.

It was one of those days where I won all the way around.

The FedEx guy did show up after supper. 

He was a bit hesitant about coming down to our place, but I'd left lots of lights on so he could find us.