I learned something yesterday--if I ignore the garden it will not tick along fine all by itself. I've been avoiding working out there during tick season, and with the deerflies attacking me as soon as I leave the house...
The tomatoes in in pretty rough shape. They are infected with a fungus, and it's gotten far too advanced. Next year I'll just have to suck it up and buy a bug hat and bug shirt, because if I'd been out there last week or earlier I could have nipped it in the bud, and had a little time to do some research on how to fight it. We didn't see anything like this last year.
It was good to get out there and make my hands turn green from working with tomatoes. The smell really is intoxicating. But I really wanted to be out riding...earlier in the day I thought I might go for bike ride, or drive to the trail and go rollerblading, but as the day wore on and I realized how bad the tomatoes were I didn't want to stop my salvage operation..then the evening was quiet and cool, and I was jealous of the woman I saw riding by on her slender bay mare.
I hope I can find a cheap saddle to fit Mr. Winston soon. He heard me getting grain for the sheep and came in from the field so I closed the gate just as jealous Oakley came galloping in. Winst was happy for the attention all to himself, but he was horrible when I tried to do his feet, and my back was screaming after all the gardening. I just haven't felt right since taking that time off to go back to BC. I
don't know why he's so bad with them, but I won't put up with it.
I have this weird feeling Lace is jealous of the attention I'm giving the new lambs...silly, I know. but she has felt extra needy lately. Maybe I'm just projecting. I went to her first thing this morning, before attending the calling lambs, and bent down to tuck her muzzle into my chest with my chin. she just stays there, while I pet her and talk to her. Tonight she was a little brighter, and I felt I needed to spend a bit more time with her, so we worked on 'heeling', and when I stop walking her first instinct is to jump up on me to get more grain, but she responded well when I gave her a quick reprimanding "AH AH!! . So if I can just make a habit of this...I'm hoping she will walk with me nicely before I try to start her with a halter. I've had the halter for over a month but just haven't found the time.
The lambs are getting frustrated with there quarantine stall, and are trying to break out of it when I open the door. I tossed some grain in their hay bin tonight to get them away from the door, and it turned out rather well, since while they searched for tidbits I was able to pick up their feet and then reward them for not struggling. Looks like Prince will need a trim sooner than later.
I'm missing G pretty bad and he's only been gone for a few days. I'd love to be seeing northern Minnesota with him. Even though it sounds like he's pretty frustrated with how his meetings have been going...But today he got to go bushwhacking to the site--a rare opportunity for field work for him, and probably the first time he's gotten to gorge on wild blueberries while avoiding moose droppings. It doesn't have to be glamorous you know. Novel is novel.
TRC tomorrow, then a lesson with Oak in the afternoon. Then hoping for some catchup time with my sweety
Does Winston have any special conformation issues that warrant a specific kind of saddle? Are you looking english or western or australian?
ReplyDeleteMy little Henry is so darn cute. I was telling JP all about him last night and he said "when are you just going to book a ticket to get out there?" When I get back from my trip I'm sitting down with the calendar! What does September look like for you? :)
He's pretty small--prominent withers and a bit of a swayback--nothing major just normal for a 24 year old--but definitely not muttoned like a TB...I was looking for a western with a round skirt, since he's got a really short back, have found a few on CL but since I'm so happy with my Aus saddle I figure I might look for another, which would satisfy the short back issue ( I don't want to have weight on his kidneys and or have the square skirt inhibit his hip movement. Aus saddles are only 150-250 on CL used whereas most of the nice western round skirt semi quarter horse bars are around 350+. Sept. looking good!! let's chat !! : )
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