Escape~

Just back from Omaha, while washing up, we'd both received calls from the farm.  Farah had somehow escaped & was loose on the road!  Our worst nightmare - now made real.  The truck was on the road in record time.  We crested the last hill to see Janice & Dean standing out in the middle of the road slowing traffic!  Farah was standing in the shade, on the west side of the road, grazing on the neighbors grass.  Relief flooded through us both - she hadn't injured anyone or been hit!  Butch went for the halter, I walked to her & put a hand on her fly mask.  Soon the halter was on.  As I started to lead her back across the road, she hesitated & didn't want to walk forward.  It was dark in the shade, but looking closely I could see that she had injured her knee.  I decided that if she'd made it that far, she could walk back...

The damage~

We couldn't at first see where she could have possibly gotten out?  But soon, Butch found hair at the top of the wire just to the right of the gate.  The worst possible place she could have chosen to make the jump, with a pile of rock & broken concrete on the far side that covered over an old steel hog waterer.

The jump~

The mare is scared to walk across a foot wide trickle of water, but has enough self-confidence to jump 5 feet of horse fence & clear a another four-foot wide pile of debris.  If she'd missed, she could have either impaled herself or broken a leg.

Janice had also called 911 & by the time the Sherriff pulled up, all the excitement was over.  He stood there looking at the corral, saying that he would have never believed that horse would jump it!  I asked if he was in the market for one - but he declined - saying that he had several of his own!

Landing with two inches to spare~

The Lord was watching out for us all on this day.  Janice & Dean had just driven down to the corner, on their way to Sidney when they saw Farah galloping down the road.  Janice jumped out to try to stop traffic & call Farah back, while Dean called us.  Farah did turn back & came racing toward her at a dead run.  Right on past & back to the farm, before she turned & crossed the heavily used road again, to stop in the shade.  By then, I'm sure the adrenalin had worn off & the pain had kicked in.

Butch bought miles of hot wire, I called Dr. Essex in WA.  He told me we'd need antibiotics etc., so I called Nebraska Equine.  The gashes weren't too deep, but I didn't want to risk infection.  NEVC was experiencing a Perfect Storm kind of day.  One Vet out for the weekend, a full schedule, then one emergency call after another!  They couldn't get to the farm until between 5 & 6.  I sprayed the wounds with Vetericyn to flush them out.  Butch worked out in the hot sun installing the electric fencing.  I washed Farah down, she was covered in sweat.  It was about the hottest, most humid day we've had so far with the heat index well over 100.  I scraped the water off as fast as it went on & she cooled out quickly. 

By the late afternoon when Butch was done, Dean had brought us all cold ice tea & I walked Farah up to the machine shed to stand in the shade with us.  When she saw Snowball (a beautiful 3-week old Charolais bottle calf) - she actually thought she just might spook.  We laughed at her expression & she gave it up.  The four of us had decided on dinner - after the Vet visit, but Dr. Frerich's truck had broken down just outside Council Bluffs...  She was going to make calls & let us know.

We decided to go to dinner, it was 7 p.m. by now.  Almost to Tabor, Dr. Thomassen, DVM called.  He was on his way.  He told us to go to dinner, he would handle it!  We were just heading back to the barn when he called to tell us he was all done.  He went on to say Farah was one of the best trained, nicest mares he had worked on & thankfully the injury was not as severe as it looked.  The cut on her chest was very minor & he'd wrapped the leg & given her antibiotics, bute, etc.  

All wrapped up~

By Sat., Dr. Frerichs, DVM was back on the road & came out to remove the wrap & administer more antibiotics.  She mentioned Dr. Thomassen had said Farah was needle shy, which was something I'd forgotten to tell him.  (After all these years, she likes to stand with her side against a wall for an injection.)  Swelling was minimal & Farah was walking normally.  We're cold hosing twice a day & I've been keeping the wounds covered with gauze & a light layer of vet wrap.  

Now, it looks like we're keeping a Giraffe at the farm!  There will be hot wire all the way around the pasture fence now, since we thought it would be fine at four feet.  A certain mare has, hopefully learned a hard lesson which could have been much harder...  

Free Again!

Sunday, dawned just the opposite of the day before!  Hot & Humid, with a Dew Point in the 70's & just pretty miserable for working out.  Butch had asked Linus if he would help & I was so thankful that he agreed!

What it takes!

Cold coffee, Casey's donuts & bug spray - breakfast of champions!  :-)  With one more heavy roll of wire to get up - Linus & Butch started to work.

Linus leads the way!

On the Home Stretch now, we were all motivated to Get It Done!   Even Farah was watching with anticipation as the guys worked on the final sections.  Soon, it was time for her to go out.  I'd hoped that she would take the walk-way on her own, but she remembered way too well - the horse eating trickle of water that she would have to cross to reach the pasture & turned back!

At the HUGE water crossing!  :-)

Butch got the halter & lead & here they came!  Butch did his very Best to get her to just walk across like a lady - but NO, it had to be the big huge jump!

Across to the pasture side!

Farah does Not like to make "Dad" mad & he was - but she was more than happy to be off the lead!

On her own~

We stood back & watched as she strutted off.  I was right - a roll was the first thing on her mind!   Going on two-years, it had been way too long!

A Good Roll!

I can't even imagine how good it felt to roll in the fresh cut field.

Exploring~

She jumped up & took off for the far end of the pasture.

Roaring back!

Then, came back like a golden brown tornado!

A Farah Explosion!

Of course we haven't been out riding for a few weeks now & both of us are feeling the strain.  All that energy, I missed the following burst into the air & strike out.  Dr. Essex had told me plenty of times that letting a horse blow off steam at liberty is a good way to get them hurt.  Another friend & horseman I've met here, John - said that horses are born wanting to commit suicide.  I had to laugh, but that statement rings too true to anyone who's dealt with horses over any length of time.

Photo by Linus~

She made another couple runs, so I wanted to be sure she'd calmed down & knew where the boundaries were.  Butch plans to build a bridge over the creek & hopefully things will eventually dry out enough that she & I can practice walking over it.  Linus said he didn't know which of us was happier, the mare or me.

In the shade~

It's been a tough spring for us both.  Farah dealing with the heat, humidity, bugs & an allergic reaction to the fly spray we'd been using.  Me with my vision changes & the ensuing depression...   Getting this done, was a huge relief & I'm so thankful for my husband & our dear friends who've made it possible~

Farah's Pasture - A Day Away~

Saturday was a total gift!  A cool day without the high humidity & a nice breeze.  We were determined to get the fence done at the farm!

Overgrown!

It was pretty disheartening to see how the weeds had taken over the pasture area.  With all the strong storms, a large Willow had come down & fallen right on the fence.

Willow down~

When we first walked the area, we knew that the trees would be an issue.  We went back for the chain saw.  Butch said it will probably be the first of the many that we'll have to clear as time goes on...

Wild Carrot~

I started in on the weeds...  Higher than my head & interspersed with Stinging Nettles, it was a jungle, full of bugs.  Water vascular - so very easy to cut down, even when the stems are a couple inches around.

Farah watches :-)

Butch had the weedwhacker & hacked his way up the walkway to the barn.  The west side still needed to have the wire put up.  The problem with all the fast growing vegetation is not only that it blocks the breezes, but also harbors every kind of biting bug.  Now that farmers are not supposed to disk the fields, pests like the Japanese Beetle, who lay their eggs in the dirt, flourish.  Last year they were bad, this year I think they are worse...

Farah on her ground tie

I brought Farah over to enjoy the seed heads on the Brome grass.  Since the Wild Carrot shade so much of the soil, there was very little grass.  Now that it's down, we hope to get it sprayed & allow the Brome to grow.  The vegetation on the outside of the fence will have to be knocked down too.  I think it could get heavy enough take the fence down over time.

Dean & the Tractor

Covered from top to bottom with bug spray - I was hacking away at the Wild Carrot & about half-way across the pasture, when I heard the tractor!  Dean to the rescue!  He'd driven by earlier, saying something about; "Too much work." That mowing blade made quick work of the rest of the field! With the sweat dripping into my eyes, even with my headband - I was more than ready to watch as it all went down!  I wish I'd know enough about the weeds here, to realize what a huge problem they would create.

I wanted to leave some of the Brome, but the guys said it would all grow back in no time!  Not the weeds! Please! One more day's work & the mare will have her pasture!

PT & Sherbondy's~

Really feeling deprived of spring - it was a relief when cooler weather & rain moved in.  This storm brought us 1-1/2 inches with many places receiving much more.  The cool down & release from the high humidity was so nice!

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Watching it rain~

I've begun Physical Therapy.  I know that sounds strange - some would ask why?  At least until you cover one eye & try to get through a day.  I bump into door jams, don't find things that are right next to me & feel dizzy & off balance when shopping.  I knocked over the cardboard display of DVD's at our local grocery.  Part of the therapy is designed to improve my Vestibulo-ocular Reflex.  This involves eye exercises & balance work on a computerized balance board.  I'm told that if I practice at home & go to therapy twice a week for a month - I will notice an improvement in my navigation skills.  :-)

Marigolds at Sherbondy's

Far from comfortable driving any distance, especially in traffic, Butch takes me & hangs out while I'm there.  After my second visit - he surprised me by stopping a nursery I'd heard a lot about - Sherbondy's.  This visit was especially nice, since I was wearing my new sunglasses!

Creative seating!

  I've worn Maui Jim sunglasses for years now, but it seems that bright light is now harder to deal with both for my good eye & the bad one.  My prescription had changed just a little too.  I called Maui Jim's to see if the frame & lens combination that I wanted was available in prescription.  Julie at Vision Specialists in Council Bluffs worked with me to place the order & could not have been more helpful.  When I called to have my prescription transferred there, it was Julie who noticed that they'd received one for my computer glasses, rather than for distance!  That would have been a costly mistake...  She also suggested the gradient lenses.

Fishy~

Maui Jim had them made & to us - in two-days!  The minute I put them on, I could feel my eye's relax!  The gray of the lens blended into my gray blobs & somehow made them easier to ignore.  At the nursery, I was seeing better than I have, since the eye went bad.

Dish Garden~

We came home with some new grasses to start on the big hill in the backyard & a Mighty Chestnut Daylily.  It's color is the perfect accent to all my marigolds that are starting to bloom!

In our wetland~

I love the Original Orange Daylily's that are growing wild in our wetland area.  The area between the higher portion of our backyard & the creek is somewhat of a wetland.  It's incredibly wet right now, but stays dry most of the time, unless we get the torrential rains that we have been.  Overrun with reed canary grass, about all I can do is keep it mowed down.

Tree down~

When I walked the creek yesterday, I couldn't miss the big tree that had pulled away from the bank & fallen into the creek.  It left a gaping hole in the hillside across from us.  Someone had put large chunks of concrete above where it grew.  I think the pressure of all that weight, contributed to the tree uprooting.  It gives you an idea of the sandy nature of the Loess Hills soil composition.

With July around the corner I have to hope for dryer weather, less humidly & some decent days to ride.

"Little Joe" Flies Away Home~

I have been a nervous wreck!   It's been almost a month, since I discovered that a female Cardinal had decided to build her nest just to the left of our front door.  We have been tip-toeing in & out for weeks now.  Each time we would come or go, she left the nest.

June 6th~  Female on the nest~

 She was such a devoted mother.  It was very hot the day I managed to get her photo.  I'd snuck around from the backyard & used the zoom from out on the lawn.  We bought black sunflower seeds & put them in a clay drainage dish on the rail right under her nest.  Within a day - those seeds were being enjoyed!

June 10th - baby chicks!

About the time I thought that the eggs wouldn't hatch - they did!  It was about 15-days since I'd first discovered them.  Pretty much on schedule.  Everyone told me that the male helps with the feeding of the chicks & sure enough - he appeared out of nowhere!  We watched over the next few days as the parents would fly out, then return with a bug in their beaks & feed the chicks.  We both figured it would be at least a couple weeks - before the youngsters were big enough to try their wings.

The Male comes by~

 A crew of men had been working along the west side of the abandoned house to our east & cut away all the weed trees & shrubs yesterday.  When we got home, there was no activity at the nest.  I started worrying that maybe the parents had lost their home, been scared off & abandon the chicks.  I don't think I slept a wink last night - peeking out the door to see if the mother had returned.  She hadn't...

This morning, as we went to leave, I looked up to see this tiny little chick sitting on the edge of the nest looking right at me!  I couldn't believe it!  At lunch I was telling our friend Joe about the chicks & suddenly the name Little Joe popped into my mind.  The perfect name!

June 15th - Peeping Joe!

We came home after lunch - I couldn't see him on the nest & thought he might be asleep.  I decided to get a fluffy towel & put it under the nest - just in case one of the fledging's took a tumble.  I had the towel & walked past the living room windows on my way to the door - when I noticed this tiny little guy peeking in!

Little Joe is very friendly~

I grabbed the camera, carefully opened the door & walked out to get a photo.  He didn't seem to mind at all.  Butch checked the nest & it was empty!  We had to leave again & I expected that Little Joe would be long gone by the time we'd return...

Today - 4 p.m. still on the porch~

Wrong again!  He was still here!  He flew from the top of the rocker to the rail, back to the deck, then to the wire.  All the time stretching his wings & chirping.  I stayed in the house & watched out the storm door.  Soon, the female arrived.  She tried everything to convivence him that he needed to fly away with her...  No go...  He looked destressed, but he was Not leaving the safety of the porch.  Soon - a bright flash of red appeared.  The male!  He too, tried & tried - no luck...  He flew up into the lowest branch of the Walnut watching & chirping at Little Joe.  Butch finally walked up & shooed him with the brim of his baseball cap.  Little Joe did not care!  

Finally - there was a flutter of tiny wings!  We both thought he'd hit the ground & went around to check.  I didn't see him?  Then - I looked up & there he was! 

Success!  In the Walnut!

Little Joe had made the longest flight of his life & was in the Walnut!  I couldn't believe how tiny & helpless he looked up there!  Within seconds, he was hopping along the big branch, glanced over his shoulder at me & disappeared into the leaves.

Daddy is So Pleased!

Daddy had been sitting up a little higher, but soon came down & followed Little Joe off into the upper reaches of the tree.  I felt So Proud!  Our first bird grandkids have flown the nest & taken flight off into the big, wide, wonderful world!  What amazing parents these two cardinals were.  I'm sure they'd spent most of the afternoon keeping an eye on him.  Never giving up on their last fledging until he'd made that all important first flight & joined the rest of his family!  We feel blessed to have played a small part in the drama of this little families life~

Pony Express National Museum ~

We'd both been curious to see St. Joseph, MO.  It was within a decent distance for a day trip & we were both ready for some away time.  The drive down was due south on Hwy 29.  We drove along what seemed like miles & miles of timbered hill county on both sides of the road.  I'm an open-space person, but can imagine that the parks must have some outstanding trails.  It was way too hot for that idea though & we wanted to visit the Pony Express Museum!

The front~

Seeing the stable now, it's hard to imagine how badly it fell into disrepair before the reconstruction.   Time & weather take a toll - but during the 1950's a portion of the Pikes Peak Stables was saved from extinction & became the Pony Express Museum.  

Down the side of the Stable~

In 1993, a second renovation took place to restore the structure to it's original size.  The color of the brick is so pretty.  You almost expect the windows to be open & hear the sound of horses munching on their hay.

Left to ruin~

Once inside, the depiction of that first rider heading out was pretty realistic!  What a thrill it would have been to witness the start of that first ride west!

Ready to ride!

Around the corner were the stalls.  Complete with a couple beautiful, very old, life size horse models.  These display horses are from the Wyeth Saddle Company, circa 1880.  Used to display saddles/bridles, both were much narrower in build than most of todays horses.

The stable~

The gray below was saddled & ready~

Saddled~

One of the most interesting features, was the old well.  The hand pump worked & Butch pumped water into the watering trough.  It was found & excavated in 1991 by the St. Joseph Archeological Society.  22-1/2 feet deep - it had been filled with trash & covered up.

Looking down through the floor~

In another area, below the floor boards was a look back into the history of the buildings foundation walls.

Under our feet~

The new Hall of Riders was fascinating!  Stories of the rides & photos of some of the men/boys who rode.

One of the Riders~

The saddle below, belonged to Mr. Stricklen.  Butch noticed that the saddle had a small seat, by today's standards.  Mr. Stricklen was much younger & smaller when he rode, than in the photo above.

Antique Saddle

We spent over two-hours touring, reading & enjoying the exhibits.  By mid-afternoon the temperature had climbed into the high 80's & we were ready to look for a restaurant.

Jakes~

Finding Jakes on a downtown corner, with an outside patio area, we went in!  Local beer, great food, a place we'll return to!

Butch finds a friend :-)

I would love to have the horse above in my yard!  All made from wire - a stunning piece of art!

Similar to the statue we've seen in Julesburg, CO

We toured around town, so many impressive old buildings.  I find it so sad to see them sitting empty & unused.  Some of the historic homes are in amazing condition, others could use a lot of help.  As we visit these mid-west cities & towns - I can't help but wish a Chip & Joanna lived in each...

If you enjoy history, St. Joseph exudes it.  The jumping off place for so many pioneers heading west - it still holds onto the aging glamor of a bygone era~

Swelterin ~

 Today was one of the hottest & muggiest we've experienced!  Temperature 90 degrees & humidity at 72% gave us a heat index of 107!  I only remember one time in WA that the index went close to 100.  We were at an endurance ride & if it had gone over 100, the ride would have been cancelled.

Farah grazing~

A horses ability to cool, becomes difficult even when standing around, let alone when they're trotting down the trail for fifty-miles.  Farah, always a Prima-Dona - is not happy!  The bugs alone are trying to drive her nuts.  We've used almost a gallon of Pyranha Spray - once in the morning & once in the evening & still they're on her when we arrive.  I'm told it's the spray that works best here, if anyone has any other suggestions, let me know!

At the edge of the shade~

 I put her at the edge of the soy beans, in a little shade, but the creek is near, so the bugs were worse.  Her tail is getting a workout & I'm sure she misses the six inches that she lost last year stepping on it when she had to exit her stall.  It's gaining length again - but I know it will be at least another year before I'm trimming it off the ground.

Dinner~

 After throwing a fit over her rear Shootfly Leggings, she's finally gotten used to them again.  How she manages to beat the rear ones up so badly - I don't know.  Soon we'll be buying another set.  I sure wish I'd thought of them!  We don't have power at the barn - so no fan. Butch is thinking solar, but I'm wondering if in the long run we'd be better off just running the power...

Hot~

Every day, I wish for another cool day, to ride...  I'd love to go to either Waubonsie or Pierce Creek - but I'm far from sure about the responsibility of pulling the trailer with only one working eye...  One of these weekends I'll have Butch go along on a trial run.  I won't feel as worried if he's with me to take over if need be.

It looks like I'm staring down my nose at more tests over the next two-weeks or so.   More Fun...  Not!