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Monday, August 31, 2009

Fri, Sat and Sunday...



My weekend was wonderful! and while it was so good I am now in withdraws and having to settle down to my real world.

Some will understand my dilemma while others will simply call this a complaint.

I got a visit from a girl-friend I had not seen in over 15 years. It was as if we had never lost touch (computers can be a good thing). While I will try to post my weekend it is mostly a burrrrrrrrr as it went so fast!
Friday Jerry had to go to Atlanta to have the Duc serviced... I got most of my work done and was trying to figure out what Tabitha and I could do. She arrived just about the time I had to go and get the horses in, so that at least allowed her to walk UP the hill to the barn and stretch out her legs from the long drive.


I had to go pick up pieces at Rhino, which took us past a grocery store so we took care of both errands.

We came home and I started cooking hoping we would have a decent meal. Of course not.... (although not a bad word was spoken) The pork was too dry for me, I forgot to cook the squash (I was so excited and talking to her the entire time, I wasn't watching my clock) I did however get the cream potatoes done... as we all three like potatoes about any way you can cook them and cream potatoes is about one of Jerry's favorites. We sat and ate ( I had no idea when Jerry would get home) Then it was time to take care of the horses in, Jerry got home just about the time we got back from the horses.

While Friday was basically over, we sat and talked into the night for me.... well into 11pm WAY past my bedtime.

Up Saturday... Birds... up, Tabitha up, chat.... and Time to get the Horses out... Then I showed her my property, what I had left to do to get the pasture perfect... She admitted she had no idea it could be so demanding at first... grass ... who would have thought it could be such an issue! Mine is.. I was hoping to spray it again Sunday if it wasn't going to rain but... that too changed. Rain Rain Rain...


We walked what little area I am working on and open, the woods are covered in poison Ivy this time of year and not worth the adventure with out the right clothes. I was about to starve, she of course never said a word, never once asked even for a glass of water! I'm not used to people whom have no demands or expectations of me. How relaxing! We got something to eat! Of course I ate too much. But who could resist stuffing their mouth with wonderful food while you talk to a friend missed for so long.

Back to the house. We did sit down about 30 to 45 minutes, then... out again. Up to get a grease gun, I needed for the gravely ... for the rest of it's life. I have a flat tire on my manure bucket roller, so I got non flat tires for it! I got a few more bags of pellets, just because again it is that time of year... they will stop making them soon. Lime for the garden and two more bath mats because they were on sale for half price... saving me money in the long run.

Back to the house and this is when the ABUSE really started.
We took apart the OLD HUB because the parts are so hard to find I didn't in any way want to just throw the good pieces away after having gone through so much to get all this. While the part is simple and truly the design of a genius! It is simple enough I am learning I may actually be able to take care of the moving parts of this old thing.

In taking apart the old one, we looked like two grease monkeys! Barring grease all over me more than her BUT SHE did MUCH MORE work than I did...
The OLD hub sat on the grass because in getting the new one to even move the new one leaked oil all over the driveway, down my truck tailgate, and eventually in the grass. So the OLD one started off in the grass to make sure. I was astonished, old gaskets BRASS Gaskets in perfect condition... yes I saved them! But if you can picture it two girls not one of us over 140lbs... pulling with both arms bracing with both legs and the other (me) trying to steady the thing so we (SHE) could break loose the bolts. I could NOT have done this alone. We got the hub working in perfect condition, packing it with 2/3 of a bucket of grease.


The sun was getting low and I didn't want to start on the tiller, we would be working in the dark soon and besides I had to go take care of the horses...

We drove to the barn, helped Joe and Steve with two wonderful palms, threw out feed, hay and water for the horses and I was too tired to worry about mucking ....

Sunday Tabitha left early to get home to her own animals in need, and I started in on the tiller. I have NOT finished it but I am VERY happy I opened it up as it too is full of only OIL and in this case .... WATER>>>>
The teeth look ok, but I am NOT happy with the man I got them from, AT ALL!!!! this will be yet another post, the old man who tried to take advantage of my ignorance of machines. NOT a happy woman!!!!!
SEE OIL WATER RUST no grease... can you say PISSED!@!!!!!!!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Thursday...

Well it is that time of year again... I need to bushhog the garden and get it planted for the fall crops if I want anything to eat this winter.

I'll write later and let you know what is going on... Remember my Roto Plow broke in the spring and I haven't been able to use it sense... I purchased an OLD part I am hoping to adapt to it BUT it looks rather tattered and I am afraid it will fall apart as well. I'll let you know how it goes later or tomorrow.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Just another day.

Had the ferrier over for the shoes today. Their feet are doing well and he even said I could at any point take the shoes back off. I think I want to leave the shoes on till winter, allowing their feet a little more protection at this new angle for a little while longer, then I'll start taking the shoes off because no matter what you do when barefoot you wear their feet so much faster due to all the pavement I have to ride to get to the trails etc...

just another day, another bill, but better for the animals.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Typical Monday


it's only 10:30am and I've taken care of the birds, horses, gotten 30 bails of hay 15 bags of shavings 5 bags of pelletts, 3 bags of seed. Loaded and unloaded it all and need to get to work. WHY on a MONDAY.


Emergencies always happen on Monday.

The rain has been non stop, Today was suppose to be the ONE day with nothing expected... of course it's moving in a I type.

So everyday I tried to get hay last week it rained and rained.

I can't drive 35 miles out and get hay without pricing everything else.

Seed was cheaper in Mills River, they have the best shavings in all Western North Carolina and soon .... they will stop making horse pelletts so to make heating stove pelletts. so when it rains it pours. I was hoping what I had on the inside of the cab wouldn't fall over on me while driving these back mountain roads. I made it back safely


I need MORE hay but I'm only one person have only so much time and although I have a long bed truck... I need a larger one!


I'll get more of everything the next day it's not raining... and I'll catch you up in detail AFTER I get my work done....


You know typical issues from overseas... everyone wanting delivery today... from orders made after midnight last night... ha ha ha...


Saturday, August 22, 2009

Life/ Fun/ Responsibilities


While life gets in the way of having fun our business has been down for the last 48 hours; NOT allowing me to stray far from the computer so not to miss a sale being called in. But my dear husband has sense patched the debacle created by another company we rely on for assistance with our "carts".

While I am getting away MUCH later I MUST get out of this house, if I do not I will become as cold as this computer... so I am in the heat of the day planning to get the horses out one by one; if none of us gets too hot. It is not expected to be above 80 today, but there is also no flat land for easy walk, or riding in my area. It is too late to trailer to the Biltmore for easy trails, in doing so that would put us riding in the worst of the day.

I hope everyone else's weekend has gotten on the way earlier than mine. But I will still be more relaxed on the back of my lovely mare and the wild ride of a green colt than I would be if I had to stay here and create invoices on such a beautiful day.
The pictures are NOT mine... but I am not happy with my new camera, I am selling it on line; therefore Jerry and I are down to one camera again. Which we all know never works out... so instead of just boaring post I decided to add some of my liked pictures I keep as mood changers... for myself. Life at a computer can be so cold, seeing the works of artiest can brighten the day. I hope you don't mind my sharing some likes I have come across on line. ps... I do post names of artiest if I can find them.

Friday, August 21, 2009

My Plan.


I have not posted for a long time and I am trying to get back in the habbit but... there has been very little to discuss, as the rain is almost everyday here.


Many of the farmers have gotten only one cutting of hay this year due to all the scattered showers, they get it cut and it rains, or they get in the middle of bailing and it rains. While Hay in the rest of the world is back down to $3.00 a bail I am still having to pay between 5 and 7, for crapy hay. To get any alfalfa you are still looking at a good 10 dollars. BUT last year I was paying 10 for crap and 15 for good stuff... Think about that one...at a bail a day for my horses... After you stop laughing.... here is my current status.


The pasture on the estate is well 2/3rds crapy and 1/3 perfect. We have not hit 90 degrees here all summer and it's later part of August already. So the 1/3 of the pasture that I planted just this spring is almost perfect for what little I did. The other 2/3rds is as stated above FAR below what anyone would allow a horse on.


BUT ... Sunday is suppose to be my first day without rain, Monday is not expecting rain so ... My plan is to spray the weeds Sunday and go get more hay Monday. This way I will have the horses taken care of for a month and be able to bush hog the 2/3rds of the pasture in the next week after the spray takes effect and kills it down to the roots again. THEN,..... in the next week IF the rain continues I can put down a cover crop, allowing me time to plant a GOOD fall pasture in the next few weeks as rain is predicted. I am also putting down a new fall cover in the pasture where the horses are right now. If I put down winter rye it gives them something green to eat all winter AND airates the ground for the other grasses to take a better hold for the next year. It's all a good thing...


Nothing has happened on the barns. I have the area staked out, details down to an art BUT my lowest quote for a SIMPLE 24 x 24 structure only 1/2 way enclosed is running me 30 to 34,000 dollars. IF you know me ... you know I'm NOT going to be paying this much. SO... inch by inch is all I can say.


Pasture plans

Stall plans and dreaming of a real barn for later.


DREAM.... I will get it there, but I am only one person and I can only do what I can do.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Yesterday was a slow day so I got to give the little boy a bath. I brought him to the house just because we have better pressure in the hose AND perfect thick grass or pavement in the drive.

As you can see in this picture... he is a PIG... all he wants to do is eat!!!!







Jerry was having fun trying to decide WHO was taking the bath, me or the horse!!!! Navarre didn't care it was cool water but not the MOUNTAIN cold like the barn.


Someone had to take care of the dirty job....




I don't think I will EVER get that tail to be white again... but it has all kinds of clear coating protectant on it... it's just so think no matter what I do it is going to get dirty SEVERAL times a day.

Back from the VET today and the ULCERS are gone... we are back on the road for training... YEAHHHHHHHHH... I can not wait, this may mean he gets to pull the garden next year. wish me luck.



Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Long Time no posting.

I have not posted in a very long time, as our high season for business was underway and is just now starting to let up for the season.

Summer is like Christmas everywhere else and i have to concentrate on what allows me to live.

The garden is just about done.
I've had Potatoes, Tomatoes, Carrots and put up plenty of sage, Basil, thyme and gotten a new rosemary bush!

I have no goals lately, as work has over run the rest BUT I do hope to pull up some of the sun flowers and start in on my fall garden soon.

Horses have been fine, although the heat gets to the little one... I should say the paint as he is no longer so little.

The estate planning is at a stop! as the funds are just not there and in order for our business to survive everything goes right back into it while the economy is so slow. Which is fine... I've interviewed contractors and have it down to two. NOW its just scheduling and cost.

I need to spray the pasture again for weeds BUT I also get to plant the fall seeds for the pasture which will allow me to put the horses over there faster anyway, once I do have a structure built. At this point I am beyond expecting to get the barn done in the next two years, life dictates what happens and I'm ok with going with the flow. not perfect ( i never said as much) but I am ok with it!

I am not past getting a car port put up in order just to give them shelter. Then work on the stables and barn as time and money allow.

Just because I am putting off some of my needs does not mean I am not caring for my horses. They both have all the regular check ups, shots, shoes etc... i feed them the best of everything I can get around here and I watch them like hawks. Unlike most who around here tend to put a horse out to pasture and never feed it again till fall. Not to say one is any better than the other I just manage my animals differently.