Wonderful Day at Home

Joseph got to go explore our creek today for the first time.  The others watched on from a distance.

Our first stop was a place where it's usually easy to cross the creek, but this year the floods remodeled it in a way that made it a little scary to jump across.  The grass is incredibly tall and it overhangs the edges, so you don't know where the land ends and the water begins.  He would have been happy to jump to where I was standing, but of course I didn't think that was such a good idea.  He did think about crossing, without any prompting from me, but his feet slipped into the water and that shook his confidence.  Given my poor footing and the fact that we didn't need to cross, I opted to leave that area.

We went to another area where I didn't think we'd be able to go down into the creek, but I found a place that kind of stair-stepped down.  He was really scared.  Again, he wanted to jump on top of me because he knew I was on solid ground.

I almost decided it wasn't worth the effort, but then I realized if I let him feel insecure and give up twice in one outing, it wouldn't set a good example.  He eventually made it down the bank.

We wandered a little ways upstream until the grass was just too thick and I was feeling too closed in and it was hard to navigate.  He was so brave walking under an overhanging bank with the wind blowing the grass above our heads.

Then we found another area where it was easy to get down in the creek, and it was so nice and cool!  The water was gone, but the ground was still wet.  Just downstream the water made a large pool.

Blue enjoyed jumping up and down the bank.

Huckleberry did his "hangdog" thing.  I don't know, can dogs be emo?  I really lean toward thinking there's something wrong with him.  He's only 4 years old and he's like an old dog.  He often burps during an attack of the hangdogs.  I should take him to the vet.  But maybe he just ate a mouse that didn't agree with him.

He does cheer up nicely when you get his attention.

Next we headed farther downstream and into a pasture that hasn't been grazed this year.  Blue was a springy-sproingy mousing fool.

 

 

We hung out in one of the ponds and ate some of the wetland grass the horses like so much.  Well, he ate it, I just took pictures.  The pond is dry now but in spring the water would be up to his withers here.  I like how the sun rays in this photo are reminiscent of being underwater.

 Later on I took Joseph out again.  He hung out with me while I picked chokecherries.  I didn't even know until today a large hedge of bushes down by the creek are chokecherries.  Going to try my hand at preserving them.

Another lovely sepia photo of Pedro:

When we got back I sat on the ground under the fence and the horses gathered around.  It was like a popularity contest, and poor Bob was the awkward kid wishing he could be part of the group.

Joseph was the hottest guy at the party, and he knew it.

But it didn't stop him from having some quiet time with his compadres.

I titled this next photo, "Lovingkindness."  That's Bella, in one word.

Eventually I was so parched my lips hurt and the sun was making its presence known on my skin, so I had to go in.  I had a good time with the horses today.  Hope they had a good time too.

Just Hangin' with my Homies

Every day now I put Pedro out and bring him back in, and everyone else lives together 24/7.  It's fun to spend time with everyone all in the same area. Pedro came back with me with no halter one day, and found this fun game all laid out for him.  Sadly, I hadn't planned the game and there was nothing under any of the buckets.

I love the way my ass looks in the evening light. :)

Brotherly love:

Bob's sweet face.  I wonder if the grey blaze is an age thing or if he's always had it.

I love the way my ass looks in the morning light, too.

Sweet face.  If you look hard (click to enlarge) you can see Bob reflected in his eye.

Now that he's all shed out, I see that Pedro has a brand on his shoulder.  This picture doesn't show it clearly.  I'm not sure what it says but I suppose it doesn't matter.  Whatever it is, Bob doesn't have one, so they most likely didn't come from the same place originally.

This next photo was totally blah until I made it do this.  I like it!

All My Children:

We're making our second batch of blackberry jam tonight.  I squashed all the seeds out already, and we have about a gallon and a half of juice and pulp.  :)

This is my next project:

This is just one of our apple trees, the one that ripens early.  Think I'll start with apple butter.  We have 5 other apple trees and the bugs didn't get to them much at all this year.  Anyone want some apples?

I'm happy to report that Joseph has an uncomplicated mouth.  Everything is pretty much on the level, with just some minor ridges, sharp points, and the two wolf teeth that needed to come out.  Even though only one of his canines has come in, he has all of his other adult teeth, so she agreed with the BLM that he is likely 5 years old.

In the stocks:

Horses have weird mouths.

Problems pointed out:

Sleeping it off:

I made myself go to the doctor today, too.  My feeling like I'm going to pass out is indeed allergies.  I'm supposed to double my allergy meds and start a new one.  Joy.  I sure as heck hope it works though!  And I'd imagine I can go back to my normal routine once whatever it is that I'm allergic to dies off for the year.

Yesterday I went on a trail ride, got overheated, felt like I was going to pass out, and spent most of the rest of the day in bed.  This morning I woke up happy to find that I could (kind of) breathe through my nose, but I still feel weak as a kitten.  Motivation enough to finally go to the doctor.  I think I must have a sinus infection or something.  I guess we'll see.  I've been sick for 2 weeks now and I'm sick of it!

Bob is living with the horses full time now, and Pedro is spending the mornings with them.  They get a little rowdy sometimes.

Just a tree, and the sky.

Turtle!

And this is what happens if I leave the door open while hooking up the trailer.  Sneaky hitch-hikers!

Today Joseph gets his teeth done.  More on that later.  :)

Donkey hiking

This afternoon we finally, for the very first time, took the donkeys out to the forest to see how they'd do.  They loaded right up, but Bob refused to be shut in a divider.  Okay, no biggie.

We got there and unloaded and Bob was soaked with sweat.  Poor guy did not like the trailer ride.  From then on we had a great time, except for one part where I nearly had a heart attack.

First though, we ran into a creeping carpet of ladybugs

We headed on down the trail, through the old mining area.  Same place I rode Scout last.  Then the dogs ran too far off trail and we called them back.  But Blue wasn't with them and I heard a strange distant yip.  I am SO glad he called for help.  He wasn't distant, he had fallen in a hole.  I was thinking he might have been caught in one of those horrible old wolf traps.  Thankfully it wasn't that.  I was hurrying to tie Pedro to a tree when Katia said, "Hurry up, he could die here."  He had fallen in an old well and she was afraid he was going to fall farther in.  Together it was no trouble to pull Blue out of there, but I tell you the few seconds it took me to get there aged me a few years.  I don't think he was really in danger of dying, so long as we found him.  He would have hit water and floated.  But if  he hadn't yipped and we hadn't found him we never would have known why our dog disappeared.

 Isn't it supposed to be Lassie saving Timmy from the well?

Pedro waiting patiently during the rescue operation:

 All three dogs, happy and well behaved on the trail:

Bob placed his feet very carefully around obstacles:

I wasn't sure they'd think they could cross this log, but they did great!

Huckleberry loves to lay in the water when he gets a chance:

Hard to see, but here's Pedro crossing the creek.  The first time over, on a narrower section, he leapt right into the creek, but after that he crossed in a more conventional manner.

But he's not afraid of going the unconventional way if it will keep his feet dry.

Bob was none too sure about this wide crossing at first.

He just needed time to think, and to get tired of standing there.

We had a pretty tough time getting Bob back into the trailer.  He wasn't going to do it, and he was really scared.  I tied him so he was in position to load and let him think about it, thinking he'd go in on his own, but he just stood there with a lot of tension on the rope and pretty much mentally checked out.  I tried a butt rope, and that was not a good idea.  He set back against it and was obviously very scared by it.  I tried waving a plastic bag in the air.  Not scary enough.  I finally got the lunge whip out, worried he'd be afraid of it, but he wasn't.  A rhythmic tapping on his hiney, with well timed releases for the tiniest try, and he eventually stepped in.  I gave him a jackpot of treats.  When we got home, poor Bob's whole body was shaking for a little while.  Either I need to leave Bob home next time (which is seriously tempting because he's so slow) or do a lot of positive trailer training.

Pedro enjoyed himself quite a bit though, and I think he'll have no problem keeping up with Scout on the trail. One of these days we're going to have a big adventure!

Random stuff

Firstly, I got a new tire for the trailer for $30!  Yay for Craigslist!  I'll be out on the trail again in no time.

And now for some garden pics, just because it's so fun to find food in my own yard.

Squash!  And yes, we have too much zucchini.

 Brussels sprouts are weird looking.  I didn't realize they grew in the "armpits" of the plant.  :)

A different type of sprout.  It's a rare day when I get a natural looking picture of Liam.  He's usually irritated that I'm taking his picture.  Here he's soliloquizing about something or other.

Sugar snap peas a bit over-done:

My meager carrot crop.  I don't know what went wrong there, but oh well.  Next year I'm going to plant a sweeter variety.  These tasted a little like soap.  My Grampa's carrots were so much better when I was a kid, and it turns out it's because he planted sweet ones.

There's a tiny little red tomato in my garden with my name on it.  I think I'll go find it.  :)