The Castle Rock MARE-TERNITY WARD
Message Boards => General Discussion => Topic started by: Chanda on July 05, 2020, 11:10:06 PM
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We've been so quiet lately. So, where is everyone? And, what are you doing?
Well, we've been either rainy and muggy; or hot and dry, so hard for me to get much of anything done. I hate the heat, and it's hard to clean corrals in the rain or much of anything in the rain.
I did take a leaky 50 or 100 gallon water tank, fill it with dirt and planted potatoes in it. I put in 4 pieces of potato and I think I have 4 plants; 3 for sure. We'll see how it goes, as I typically have a black thumb.
We had a steer processed at a new place (well new to us), as our regular place burned down a year ago. Steer was a bit bigger than typical, as he had an extra 6 months or so of growing. Lots of fresh beef in the freezer; and he did a few cuts that we've not gotten before. We had fresh beef for BBQ, yesterday, and it was wonderful; well, I thought so, Shayne was like "it's steak". It was awesome steak.
I'll try to get more foal pics, I'm so bad about taking the camera out with me, so haven't gotten pics in a couple weeks, they are still little and cute.
And, I've lost my train of thought, so will go with this for now.
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Quiet for sure! But there are some of us old "die-hards" that will keep up the "noise" !! LOL
I always loved when the beef came in from the butcher. Our Angus were so tasty and so tender! I miss that. Now I'm stuck with grocery store beef, until the butcher place opens up again. They do the butchering for many of the big beef farms around here, so you can usually find a good piece of beef. But with the covid, everything seems to be closed, and the cows keep growing! LOL
Pictures will be nice, but we understand. Hope everyone is safe and being careful! Yesterday was a lonely day for me. I did watch "Hamilton" on Disney, which was fabulous! Then, went to watch another movie and fell asleep. Talked to the kids, but no one was going out and about. Too many new cases here in the County. So careful is the plan until numbers start decreasing.
Going to run by Jon's house later today to drop off some "grandma snacks" for the kids. I drop them on the front porch, and then watch as there is lots of clapping and laughter when they see what I brought them!
Take care everyone, and be safe! AND --- WE MISS EVERYONE!!
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cross your fingers, Say a little prayer, that Mother Nature holds off for a bit, so I can get my hay tomorrow, and it's going to be a flash trip to go get. Hay guy is going to test, and if dry enough, he's start baling, then call me, so I can go get immediately, as it's supposed to storm tomorrow night.
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Praying you are able to get the hay! It's raining here, of course. This is out rainy season. But then sometimes it pours rain with the sun shining and not a cloud in the sky! LOL
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Half the hay is still in the trailer, only got half into the barn before the deluge set in. Got soaked bringing Baybe, Che` and Tilly in from their pasture. Couldn't catch Baybe, but when I opened the gate, she pretty much ran straight for the barn and dry shelter. [The hay in the trailer will get a little wet, but hopefully not too much, the rain mostly came straight down; but will need to check bales as I go, and set aside any wet ones, and hope they dry laid out in the open part of the barn so I can eventually get them in the stack.]
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Got most of it stacked where it belongs. A few I stacked damp side up or out in the main stack, and a few are in a separate stack to be fed first. Wish I could get more, his price came back down a little more again; but right now, his current hay is mostly alfalfa and a bit too much rain on the bales, so not good for my little equines.
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Found an ad for hay delivered for $6/bale, sent a message. I could use some more hay, thinking a load for Topper, so I don't have to fight with round bales to get to his pen for feeding. Then I need to find some pallets and a tarp to store it. I know I have 2 decent pallets.
My hay storage area I built last year, the mesh panel and tarp catastrophe, collapsed, so I need to start over with that project. I could still store hay in that area, but it would need to be tarped until I could get the posts and roof up for more permanent storage.
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Sounds like even MORE work in your future! :-(
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Sounds like even MORE work in your future! :-(
They never replied to my inquiry, but my regular hay guy thinks he'll have some more grass hay in about a week (less now, it was a week to 10 days from when I talked to him).
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Found the same ad on Craiglist, wonder if that will work, since they didn't reply to my contact through the hay site.
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30 more bales from my regular hay guy. If it weren't so exhausting, I'd get more, this field was gorgeous..
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So sad you're so tired especially if you found some good hay.
Feel better and get some rest.
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So sad you're so tired especially if you found some good hay.
Feel better and get some rest.
Even when I have energy, bucking bales is very tiring. Hopefully, we'll get some decent home grown rounds that will be suitable for the horses; if not, I"m not sure what I'll do, other than supplement extra like I have the last few years.
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For sure!
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harvest has begun for us.
We mostly raise cattle, but also have some wheat.
I "get" to drive truck and put the grain in the grain bins. I hate it with a passion; I suck at driving truck and the auger scares me some (more than a healthy appreciation for the potential danger). Two loads in the bin, and one of the trucks broke down (we'll broke down for me, Shayne can/will fix it in the morning). Barely started and I'm already sick of it; but perhaps that is just a symptom of this year.
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I'm planning on spending my day bathing dogs and a mini tomorrow. The dogs have been bathed before....well, Monica has only had 1 bath. Hopefully, she won't mind too much getting her second one.
Tejano will be getting his first bath. I've sprayed him down in the paddock a few times on these recent hot days. He was loose though and could walk away whenever he wanted to. Tomorrow, he's getting a full scrub down because I have a BRAND NEW HARNESS FROM CHIMACUM to try on him!! Since it's the first time I've measured for a harness of my own and I did it alone, I want him as clean as possible in case I need to exhange something. Also, it's a dark harness. He's a blue roan(?) pinto possibly going grey and I don't want a bunch of white hairs all over it...again, just in case I need to exchange anything.
After 3 years of working on it (while living in a camper) the house has plumbing in (and has had it for 18 months) as well as the electric roughed-in last weekend. I'm going to pick up moisture barrier and insulation on Monday. Lord willing, I can get it put up correctly, have the inspector out, and be able to move in by 1 October. There will still be plenty to do. But I want to live in it while I finish everything else.
Gardening didn't go as planned this year. I let what was happening in my marriage keep me from focusing on getting seeds, bulbs and seedlings that I bought into the ground. I'll keep at it though. Sprouts I have now will be going into the ground this week, then I'll put hoops over them as it gets colder. I'll save whatever I can.
I'm moving my dog crates out of the barn/lean-to so that I can get hay in. I'm trying to decide if I should get 3 round bales, tarp them and fork off what I need, or stick with squares. The cost difference is significant. Rounds are $45, and are advertised as weighing 900 lbs. With just one mini to feed, three bales should be more than enough to last until next May. Squares run from $8-9 per bale and weigh about 40 lbs. I'd want 40 bales...which would be about $320, vs. $135 for three round bales. If I go with rounds I'd have to put them on pallets in the paddock and tarp them. Squares could go in the barn. I'll make my decision this week.
The dogs' crates are moving to the paddock closest to the house. I've had trouble with one dog who's had some major skin issues that started when I sold his friend Spanky. Someone suggested I move them out of the barn because I put down old carpet that I picked up from beside the road. (My floor is dust, and carpet face down is a great ground cover.)
They said it might have contributed to the itching. So I'm setting up a hoop shelter and putting the dogs' crates in there. Once I'm in the house though, my dogs WILL be coming back in with me. If other people don't like it....well...they can just stay in the camper. Monica wakes me up when I quit breathing (I have sleep apnea), so she needs to be with me, not outside. I got her to be a sevice dog. She's 13 months old now and I need her to help me.
I purchased another lot a couple of blocks over from the house. Since it sits on a main road, I'll be using it as my store front next spring. I'll be selling cut flowers and extra produce in addition to (possibly) a thrift store.
This autumn and winter I plan to stay busy and stop thinking. Thinking hurts my heart. Being busy hurts my muscles. My muscles are recovering, my heart not so much.
I'm focusing on praying, garden prep, training Tejano to harness, and getting moved into the house. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving. I'll decorate for Christmas. That's about it for this year
I included pictures of Tejano. One shows how flexible he is. One shows the goat beard he's growing for winter. One is him at his dinner bucket before I took the profile picture. The little frizzled D'Uccle bantam cockerel is his pal C.K.
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Pretty boy!! I had a mare once that looked almost like him.
But I LOVE that chicken in the picture too!!
Sounds like you have a lot going on -- which is sometimes really nice. You'll have to let us know how the harnessing went!
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Just checking in, again. It got all quiet.
If I remember to get a picture, I'll share what I've been upto the last couple weeks.
We did finish wheat harvest, so now just need to get all the hay hauled in, so I can pick a stack to test and see if it's suitable for the horse, or if I have to pick another stack.
I'll try to do a foal update, but not much going on there, they wear a halter during breakfast, everyday now, but no actual training. Quigley is more accepting than Rain.
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We have more than enough house cats, so he is NOT staying in the house; but...
During harvest, the barn cats started abandoning their late season litters, as they often do in the fall to make sure they (the mommas) survive the winter. I found a litter of three that had been moved to the hay stack next to the tack shed; perhaps I shouldn't have moved them, but it was going to be cold that night, so I moved them into the tack shed, well momma never came back to find them. They were younger than I thought, so one passed that night or maybe the next, after a couple days in the tack shed, I started feeding them KMR. The weaker of the two passed after a couple days, despite the KMR; but Beans (as in teenie bean) was feisty and kept coming for the KMR (could only feed a couple times a day during harvest). He was gaining weight and strength, but then got one gooby eye, so put meds in that, then got a second gooby eye and a snotty nose, so... I brought him to the house two days ago for medicating and hopefully time to gain strength, so he can go back to the barn and be a barn cat. He will be going back to the house.
And, yes, I've been working on fixing the barn cats, but when the local vet charges nearly $100 per cat for fixing, I can't afford to go to her for barn cats that may not make it. There is a low cost clinic that comes through once a year that is really cheap; where those that are fixed have gone, but I missed a couple clinics due to timing. And, now our favored vet that moved, comes back up once a month to do low cost clinics; but the pandemic kind of screwed up those sessions, so haven't made one, yet, but will. She charges $30/cat for fixing, rabies and I think dewormer.
Anyway, all that to introduce, Beans.
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Hello little Beans!! You're quite the survivor, and I'm sure enjoyed being inside a little. You look like a cutie!!!
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He'll be in for the next week, then must go back to the barn. 4 house cats and a porch cat, are more than enough to keep us busy.
[Plenty of barn cats too, and a few of them come to the porch.
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Hello everyone , I have missed u all. It?s been quite the year for all of us, one I?m ready to put behind me and jump into 2021. I?ve got one mare due this weekend , she?s still carrying really wide but progressing really well . I?m on my phone so not too sure how to post pics. My two mini mares are not pregnant , even my vet was confused by one mare. I?ve got the little stallion coming back early next month to try again. I had a feeling that I?d have to be ?really lucky? that they would both fall pregnant during there last cycle for the summer .
Hope u are all keeping well 😊
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After such a shit show of a year (like most of us) , I waited patiently for this little colt to arrive. Silver waxed up on Sunday afternoon, so I knew it wouldn't be too much longer. Whilst she was very agitated throughout the night, she was still as wide as a house. I did my morning feed run a little earlier Monday morning, and Im GLAD I did. She had just delivered as I walked into the paddock. She stood up straight away after delivering( I could not believe how quickly she stood up) . It wasn't until I got a few steps closer that I realized it was a red bag. Along with the help from Silver we got the remainder of the sack off him and he was up nursing in no time ;pray
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Yeah for perfect timing. Glad you were there to help. Can't wait ot see more pics.
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Poor little guy is fighting for his life in hospital. I said to the guy who agists at home and owns the mare and most of the foal ( I only own part of the foal), I just didnt think he was "Up and about" and "Bubbly" as he should be. I hesitated at saying anything but when I went out to feed my own yesterday morning, I could see he was declining fast.
Neonatal Isoerythrolysis is the cause unfortunately , We are that unlucky 1% that it could happen too.
Ill keep you posted when we hear from the hospital this morning ;pray ;pray ;pray ;pray ;pray
When is 2020 over ? >:(
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Hopefully, it was caught in time to give him some colostrum or a plasma transfer from a horse that isn't his dam. [And, milk the rest of the colostrum out of the mare.] Maybe he has a shot if it was caught in time.
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Oh, praying hard that he makes it through, and so glad that you were on it from the beginning. ;pray ;pray
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Made the heart breaking decision to lay him to rest last night. Unfortunately he just isn't getting any better. He has had 6 transfusions and whilst they were helping to perk up a little, he just goes back downhill. :(
Sometimes you just have to make decisions that are not always the ones you want to make. ;pray
What a year !!!!
The little stallion pickles arrived again over the weekend, so ;pray ;pray ;pray ;pray ;pray for my little ones to be in foal next year :)
What have you both been up too ? Hi Anna if your lurking but not posting :)
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Dealing with stressful family stuff, that then has election crap heaped on top, and screwy weather putting a wrench in fall.
Did get a weather reprieve, so getting most of the hay hauled; but one field still not good access, so we bought replacement hay from the neighbor, and the unhauled hay can be "insurance" for next year's needs (cow hay, it doesn't have to be perfect, they'll still eat it).
Got one election snafu fixed (they screwed up hubby's information in the system, so we couldn't track on-line, but his ballot made it to the ballot box).
Family stuff is ongoing, so is what it is.
Much go feed the starving hoard, so I can head to town soon for lunch with Mom and a haircut.
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Edited the title, we are now up to Fall 2020, almost winter; so, check-in and let us know all is well with you, or let us know the sh*t hit the fan, if that's how it is; but please check in.
Things are going here. We sold calves yesterday, we got through it, but that's about as good as it gets this year. Just glad they are somebody else's responsibility now. We need to test the cattle hay, since the vet suspected low protein was our issue last winter/spring, that cause calving problems. I tested two stacks for the horses; one was complete crap with only 5% protein and sky high Fe; the other will work, but will take some skill to balance as once again the Calcium phosphous ratio is very high, but the protein is decent at 10%, it has low sugar/starch, so that's good for these little ones that don't always do well on too high of sugar or starch in their diet.
I should have time to start doing more sewing, now; I have completed a couple tablerunners and table toppers (I think I put a couple in the sales section), I've finished the top on a twin quilt I started last spring, started a wall hanging or baby quilt (depending on where it goes), sold a quilt through my FB page (at least two people didn't realize much of the quilts I make are available for sale). Quilt guild is cancelled the rest of the year, as the Senior Center, where we meet, has decided to close it's doors indefinitely. [Guessing we may need to find a new meeting location, guess I'll find out later.]
Guess that's all for now.
Oh, foals are doing fine. They are both over 5 months old, so time to start thinking about weaning. Will probably pull the mares out soon, and move Quigley early, early spring, so there is no hanky panky between him and Rain or any other mare.
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Glad the calves sold, but sorry about the hay. I know you can work your magic on getting things balanced for the upcoming calving season. How many calves did you get this past year?
Sorry about the quilters group. I'm sure with the COVID everyone is distancing. So many meetings cancelled AND SO QUIET HERE!
We had a music teacher in one of the elementary schools test positive -- which meant quarantining 23 classes for the next few weeks, since the music teacher travels into the classrooms, so when she was tested positive, every class that had her was sent out on quarantine. Hopefully none of the kids tests positive. But, although there have been outbreaks, we haven't had a death in a long while. This is a small county, only 38,001 persons, and we've had 2,118 cases -- so less that even 1% (0.0031) with only 33 deaths overall.
I hope and pray others here are in like situations. Even 1 death is terrible, but our stats are much better than some areas. ;pray ;pray
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Working on this. Not sure what it is, baby quilt, wall hanging??? I just liked the giraffe print. Not sure how much outer pink border I'll add, but the 6" piece seems like too much. [The blue border is 4".]
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I just find i don't have much to say really. I havent done anything with the minis and realistically i don't really plan to do anything with them in future...id consider selling the youngsters but i would only ever want them to go to a good home and there are so many bad ones here so i would not even advertise them for sale. The older three will be with me until the time they need to go, which won't be that much longer really. I love the wee beasties but my heart really just lies with a bigger horse.
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I?ve been getting ready for summer . Now everything has just about dried out here , I?ll be on the mower for the next few weekends. I?m glad to be out of lockdown here , 6 months was a very long time. We are now 28 days with no new cases. I think I?ll start looking for a new riding horse over the Xmas break. My remaining TB is starting to show some wear and tear from his racing career, so he is more suitable for light trail riding these days.
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We've not had a full lockdown. How strict is that? Were you still able to go out and get groceries and necessities?
We had "social distancing" and masks; not sure how well a full lockdown would have gone over, might still come to that.
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Sorry I've been "lost". Had computer issues with the new computer getting things back where they belong, and had to resign into the group. DUH!
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Sorry I've been "lost". Had computer issues with the new computer getting things back where they belong, and had to resign into the group. DUH!
very glad you are back.
Sorry your new computer caused you problems.
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Making me a bit crazy. I have been working on 3 grants -- one due 12/3, one due 12/11 and on due 12/14. Don't have time for "issues", and I'm really thinking it isn't really MY computer, but the federal system that has an error. I spent almost all day on Friday with HRSA about their system, then they have been down for maintenance from Saturday morning at 8 AM until tonight at 10 PM, so just spinning my wheels and getting hot under the collar! LOL
They are trying to figure out why their site isn't responding correctly, but of course it's for the one that is due on Thursday, so running out of time. :o
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The full lockdown was probably better for me than most as I have a little more room to move around at home being on acerage. Only one person was aloud to leave the house at any one time and we were not allowed to go more than 5kms from home . Apart from supermarkets and essential services , everything was closed . No visitors at home in the beginning but that slowly increased over time . My mum , as she hasn?t been too well over the last few years , hadn?t left the house in 6 months apart from Drs appointments . How are the numbers fairing in the states ?
On a brighter note .... I?m thinking it?s about time to start looking for a new riding horse ;D ;D
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The full lockdown was probably better for me than most as I have a little more room to move around at home being on acerage. Only one person was aloud to leave the house at any one time and we were not allowed to go more than 5kms from home . Apart from supermarkets and essential services , everything was closed . No visitors at home in the beginning but that slowly increased over time . My mum , as she hasn?t been too well over the last few years , hadn?t left the house in 6 months apart from Drs appointments . How are the numbers fairing in the states ?
On a brighter note .... I?m thinking it?s about time to start looking for a new riding horse ;D ;D
Holy cow that's a serious lockdown, not near that strict in the states, and definitely not that strict where I live. Couldn't have abided by the 5km rule if I tried, since the closest decent grocery store is 65 miles (crappy little store a bit closer but costs at least 50% more than the further store).
I don't know actual numbers, but they seem to be increasing or static rather than decreasing.
On, the happier note, what type of riding horse are you looking for?
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It was definitely on the strict side of things , but I think it?s helped for a somewhat normal Xmas . Let?s hope the vaccinations work ;pray
I?m thinking maybe something with a little more comfort than a thoroughbred . I?ve been looking at a gypsy cob cross but it?s only recently broken in and really lacking experience , considering the price they are asking . There?s not a lot around at the moment unfortunately 😊
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Gee Ryan, I don't know when we'll even get to ONE day without a new case. 😔
Here in North Carolina, we're on a modified plan as of 11 December and until at least 8 January. We must wear masks in public and maintain 6 foot distance. No gatherings of more than 10 people indoors, although we can still have church as long as distancing is done. No outdoor groups larger than 50. No non-emergency outdoor activities between 10 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. No more than 50% capacity in businesses, and curbside service is highly recommended.
Our cases are still increasing rapidly, so I expect to see things tightened up after Christmas holidays end.
Today I received my annual update to the cut flower course I took last year. It came with a complete 1/10 acre garden plan that I can't wait to review!!
I've been gathering the items that I need for my 2021 vision board collage. I'm having a terrible time finding old magazines to take clippings from though. Our county offices are still closed, so no library without an appointment. Second hand stores don't accept book or magazine donations right now. I suppose I'll have to look through digital copies and see if I can print pages.
As an alumni, I can participate in the online course for life, and will be starting that again in January. I've even got a WordPress website started...though I have to correct the year. Below is a link to what I've started. The background is a Camellia bush of my friend's. I took the pictures while petsitting for her.
https://silvercityhf.wordpress.com/
Ryan, it's the second day of summer for you. How is it? Do you have your gardens in, or did you decide to go minimalist this year and concentrate on your search for a new riding partner? Oh, do please keep us in the loop on that! You, in particular, know how connected I am to your riding experiences. Though I've not been HERE much, I've been THERE in my imagination a lot. 😊
Not much planned for Christmas. I won't be attending any in person activities, as I've had a very bad cold the last couple of weeks. I'll do Christmas Eve service online. I found a new jingle stick last Friday when I snuck out for groceries at 0600, so I've been listening to Christmas carols and shake-shake-shaking it every day since.
Tomorrow I'll be doing a deep clean and sanitize in the trailer. Call to see if there are burn restrictions. Pack up all my stuff so I can transition into the house at the start of the New Year. And that's it for now. 😅
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Not really sure it fits here, but since it doesn't need it's own thread, here is where it will go.
Shayne got me a new monitor for Christmas.
Last year, I had to get a new tower, had to upgrade to Windows 10, I had a nice monitor, so only got the tower. New tower arrives and the monitor would not hook-up, the cables were screwy, so I dug an old monitor out of the closet, which was much smaller, but I figured it would do. Shayne was tired of me complaining about the smaller monitor, so got me a new one for Christmas.
I ordered from the same place I got my tower from last year.
The small monitor I had was about 15", my choices were more 15" or jump to 21", so I made the leap, but had no idea just how big it would be. Perhaps I'll need to keep my desk more clean from here on out.
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Awesome!!! I made the same leap to Windows 10 and added a 21" monitor, too.
CONGRATS on your new setup!!
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Awesome!!! I made the same leap to Windows 10 and added a 21" monitor, too.
CONGRATS on your new setup!!
Thank you. It's great on FB, I can now see the details on the horse group postings, especially the color groups.