Charlie conquers the dealership again...

I went to get my 60K mile routine work done on my Subaru. I often take Charlie with me as the dealership offers a small doggy park and dogs are treated like royalty at the dealer's.

So Charlie wore his Christmas sweater which he hated. 

We ended up sitting on the floor of the campground display that the dealer had in the middle of the show room. 

Charlie and I preferred the Astro Turf over the chairs. When I did sit in a chair, I sat in the 'Ru Camp Chair Rockers. Sooo much more comfy than any of the waiting area chairs.

We ended up being there for 3.5 hours. I had figured on that. But since the dealer is 45 miles from home, I planned on staying. 

I had Charlie with and he can be very entertaining. He helps the time go by. Other customers come by and ask to pet him and talk to him.

Charlie knows exactly which salesperson has treats. He always makes sure we walk by his desk.

Another salesperson came up and sat down with us for a bit. He asked me to let Charlie off leash. I was hesitant, but then let Charlie go. At first he just wandered back and forth between Dave the sales guy and a customer who had come to sit with us.

He was getting all the loving he could handle.

Then one of the parts guys came out to make popcorn for the waiting room. Charlie took note and walked over to supervise.

He waited patiently to see if the guy bagging the popcorn would spill any for him. This fellow carried on a conversation with Charlie while he was putting the bags away and cleaning up. 

Charlie listened intently and cocked his head back and forth, ramping up the cuteness factor.

When this gent was done, Charlie strutted back to us. It was evident that he felt he owned the place by now.

He came back and looked up at Dave, the salesman. Dave couldn't resist and Charlie sat on his lap for a while.

Funny thing. Charlie preferred to be on the Astro Turf camp site to anywhere else in the place. He found a nice place to nap in the sun and just chill out. Probably because he rest of the floor was concrete and tile.

With the work done, I did get an answer to my question of concern. I got a hefty quote for more work which I sort of expected. I'll be coming back after the Holidays to replace struts and a ball joint in the front end.

When I showed hubby the estimate, he gagged and quipped, "I'm surprised you didn't just buy us a new one!" I winked and said, "Charlie and I thought the Metallic Autumn Green would be one we could live with."

I think the repair bill is better than a car payment right now. Merry Christmas to us?

Charlie and I will be going back to take over the dealership once more in January.

Whew...

We are -5 F with the wind chills at about -25 F. Looks to be a cold day with temps going up to 9 F!

Supervisors and trimmers

I drove out to take down a section of invasive thistles that were in a huge patch in the mule pasture.
This is the second patch I took down this week. The bull thistle is usually no problem as the mules will just keep plucking the blossoms off from them and it keeps the growth and spread of them limited.
However these thistles are different and grow in close dense clusters.

The Canada Thistle is from Europe and not Canada. I should be cutting them in June, August, and September. So I'll be out again and keep on fighting them in this section as well as other stands. Controlling them will be hard as the neighbor's land has them and that is only 100 ft away.

As I cut, the mules began to grab the wilted ones.

A delicacy! Soon everyone got in on it.
Sundance ever the explorer...decided that she'd have a go at the blossoms as I made it easier for her to eat them without standing in a group of them. Easy access.

Meanwhile back in the yard...

I had Sven tied on the sandy mound of leftover fill from the house remodel. Little Richard was trimming along the red shed...
and Charlie was
supervising their work.

Charlie is the little black dot on the left.

I took a shot of the thistle patch before I started.

I went at this by hand because there was too many low woody plants in them and the weed trimmer wouldn't go through it very easily.

And the end result of an hour's worth of work with a hooked 'machete' type of blade.

The supervisors approved of my work and walked around eating the wilted thistles and hunted for grasses underneath.

Well.
That job is done until late August. Then I get to do it again.

I worked with my supervisors and my trimmers and we all got along just fine.

The final inspection was rated 'good'.

Just before dark I went out to have a talk with them and did some grooming. Mica got her sweet feed and I had to use some spray on Sunshine's legs.
The flies always seem to gnaw on her cannon area.

Sunset...dew fall...
And then darkness.

All was quiet on the farm.
Peaceful.
I like that.

Yards and Gardens, Goat, Dog, Pony

I got the yard mowed again before I had to put pontoons on the mower! Well, I got most of the yard mowed. I left a section for the pony to clean up and did some manure raking by hand.
I couldn't mow the hill by the shed as it is steep and was still wet under the grass.

But my supervisors watched me carefully.

Charlie and Sven tied out so they can enjoy sunbathing 

together.

If Sven sees Charlie in the yard, he cries and Charlie

runs to be with him.

Charlie doesn't really need to be tied when he is with his Goatie friend. But since I had a huge mower out, it was a safety thing.

I have been calling Sven 'Goatie Goat' and he seems to not mind. I refer to Lil Richard as Pony and he doesn't mind. Charlie gives me a look when I call him Dog.

Later, my supervisors were bored...

An old picnic table top

serves as a place to

sleep.

Lil' Richard was in his area cleaning up around the machinery and the old Jeep which has finally been sold. I'll move him and then rake out the manure there. The next trouble spot are two places I can't mow. I could weed wack it. But I'll wack down the weeds he doesn't eat..

The mules moved to what will eventually... I hope, be a picnic area overlooking the ridge to the north. I just love to sit under the big old Box Elder and enjoy the view.

After my mowing and whacking, I decided to plant some flowers. I'd gotten marigolds for the right half of the porch and planted seeds on the left side with a mix of cosmos, zinnias, and sunflowers. Some of the sunflowers reseeded themselves so I will move them around when they are big enough.

I tried something different this year.

I picked up the logs from a tree that was cut down last year. It was hollow and I thought it would be fun to try planting stuff in them. I moved other logs to the Morris Garden to be used as holders for my pails with plants. It is fun to try and get a bit creative with plants and planters. 

I have one spot under the kitchen window that may need more color this summer. I may transfer some seedlings or pick up some more Marigolds. I never liked marigolds as a kid, but now they are fun and I love their late summer hues.

My bleeding hearts are doing well and as they fade out, the iris's will shoot up with purple. As the iris flowers fade, the Blazing Glories will burst into color.

After that the zinnias should show up along with the 4 oclocks.

I don't know that I will do a veggie garden this year. Seems I have a lot of vegetables left over from the abundant garden of last year. I still need to string the electric wire down by the creek. 

At least I am not running out of things to do.