Psalm 84:5 "Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage"..... and this is our journey together.......
Larry boiled the first of our own maple syrup this weekend. He worked all day Saturday and by late afternoon we had two quarts of our own dark, yummy maple syrup. It is wonderful and we are still getting sap from the trees. We had waffles Sunday to celebrate and even Hunter, cheap syrup
aficionado, absolutely loved it.
She is muddy and shedding but a beautiful roan underneath. I can't begin to tell you how happy I am to have her here. She is a Clydesdale cross about 15.3 hands and 6 years old. We are calling her Abbie for short. Just had to share her. It all went very well yesterday bringing her home. The spoiling has just begun....
STORY CONTINUED: I guess I never did explain her story here. Abigail was saved from a pen of horses being sent for slaughter for dog food in Canada. She had a colt with her and they had both been abused and starved. The colt was so ill it died shortly after rescue. Abigail was treated and fed until she was stable enough to be given to a new home, ours. She needs to gain a hundred pounds before we even think about riding her. She is doing very well and I am so sad to think her life almost ended before it began. I want to thank Another Chance for Horses for saved her and Jamie who fostered her for giving me the chance to get to know this wonderful horse and for giving this horse a chance.
Here is Summer, all ready for a day at Aunt Jill's shopping with Aunt Jill and her friend, Michaela. They went down and hung out at the mall and new plaza, pigged out at Pap's and spa'd out in the jacuzzi and sauna. They had a great weekend and came home exhausted and refreshed at the same time. Thanks Aunt Jill for hosting the getaway.
These are the shed antlers from the Breeder buck at the deer farm. amazing aren't they! The dogs were interested as you can see!
OK, Mom says 28 years but I know when I was promised at horse when I turned 12 by my dad, it was still several years out, so I say 30 years! I am getting my horse. She is a draft cross about 6 years old and a rescue. We went to see her today and she is sweet and ever so gentle. We fell in love but kept our heads until we were sure it would be an appropriate placement. Her name is Jazzmine but we are going to change it. Maybe Saint since we got her on St Patricks day. She will be here Saturday and I can not wait until we get her in the pasture. Thank you to my dear hubby who is willing to take (yet another) chance on me and an animal I said is perfect. (Remember we are getting honey bees too!)(This usually works out just fine.. :-)
For those of you who havent heard, Maggie had a false pregnancy. No puppies! I guess it is common in dogs particularly in the first breeding. But that hasn't kept us from adding more residents. Here are our newest little chickens. The gray ones are silkies and the dark ones are welsummers. They are supposed to lay dark brown eggs. The buff one is an accidental cross between a buff orpington and a welsummer that we got for free. They have all moved out tothe chicken compound with the others from last year. I am happy to report that we are getting three to four eggs a day now! The new ones should start laying in June.
Around this time of year everyone wants to get out. We decided to try making maple syrup from the sugar maples on the farm. We found a book called Backyard Sugarin that showed you how to do it without investing a ton on money in equipment and we are well on our way to our first gallon of maple syrup. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup but we are gathering full milk jugs all the time. We are storing it in an old pepsi keg until we can get enough to start boiling, probably this weekend. Hoping to have some on pancakes at Easter!
We have had a few really nice and sunny days here and the tackle boxes have found their way out. It started on Thursday by freezing worms on the thin layer of ice that was still just under the surface of the water of the pond. By Saturday it was thawed and open for both fishing and canoeing. It was wonderful to be out. Garrett learned to drive the 4 wheeler and was taking Hunter for rides for a while. Then Hunter decided he would rather drive so he went around with dad behind to keep him safe.
I have planted my usual too early crop of spring plants and have already had to transfer sugar peas and squash to bigger bowls. Usually I have killed the first batch by now and replant but due to my success ( totally unforeseen) I may have squash growing all over the sunroom before spring actually arrives. It is so nice to have a little green growing when its all white outside!
For those of you who havent heard, Maggie had a false pregnancy. No puppies! I guess it is common in dogs particularly in the first breeding. But that hasn't kept us from adding more residents. Here are our newest little chickens. The gray ones are silkies and the dark ones are welsummers. They are supposed to lay dark brown eggs. The buff one is an accidental cross between a buff orpington and a welsummer that we got for free. They have all moved out tothe chicken compound with the others from last year. I am happy to report that we are getting three to four eggs a day now! The new ones should start laying in June.
We have had a few really nice and sunny days here and the tackle boxes have found their way out. It started on Thursday by freezing worms on the thin layer of ice that was still just under the surface of the water of the pond. By Saturday it was thawed and open for both fishing and canoeing. It was wonderful to be out. Garrett learned to drive the 4 wheeler and was taking Hunter for rides for a while. Then Hunter decided he would rather drive so he went around with dad behind to keep him safe.
