New Year's

I haven't posted much this past week. I was actually, enjoying some time with my lovely hubby. He had three days off, and that meant time spent together, as well as time to get some things done around the farm. In the last few months, we were never off at the same time, and since I quit my job (and haven't started substituting yet), we've had a few days together the past two weeks. I love our time spent together.

We used the last few days to put up/repair fence in a far pasture (that I didn't even know existed when we bought the farm!) that will give the horses a lot more room to roam. We aren't quite done, but I must say, I think we've done a pretty good job, having never put up fence on our own before. I'm excited to get the horses out to the pasture because they've been cooped up in the barn the past week and a half, and this pasture is HUGE. Lots of room to run around, and lots of things to explore. We can't put them back out in the pasture they were in because it is really torn up from all the rain we had the last two months. I'm almost worried it won't recover in the spring! Here's B leading my girl Sugar to the new pasture.



We were able to put them out a bit while we worked on the fence...they don't go far when there is grass (even if it is dead) to eat and as long as their buddies are around.

We spent more time with the animals, which I always love. Jackson and Chief pretty much go with us wherever we go on the farm. It has been a real treat for Jackson, who before we brought him to the farm, was locked up in a house most of the day (I'll post more about that whenever I write my profile of him). What makes me laugh about them is that if we forget something at the house, we take the four-wheeler back to get it...mind you, this happens a bit, so we have to go back and forth from the field to the house a few times. Every time one of us goes somewhere on the four-wheeler, the dogs follow. Chief will always be up with you (even going 25 mph!) and seems to have unlimited energy. Jackson gets worn out. He isn't used to running so much! The running joke is that we have to look behind us to make sure he is still coming...and he will be FAR behind! Here he is enjoying the sun we had.


Hopefully we get the fence done by next weekend. We'll see. We also had a little visitor in the barn...a raccoon, who was injured...something bit it in the neck. B and I gave him an apple and water and when we returned the next day he was gone...so we thought. We figured that meant he must not have been too bad off. Little did I realize that he was still in the barn, hiding in the hay, and when I went out to feed the horses yesterday, I almost stepped on him! I guess he seems to think he has found a home. Not sure how I feel about this considering we have barn cats, and I don't think cats and raccoons get along. Also, not sure if he is carrying anything. We've had a variety of animals in our barn the last few weeks...possums, raccoons...I wonder what will be next! And it seems that more and more cats keep ending up as residents of our barn. We had two, added two more from their kittens, and have spotted at least 3 more now. I'm hoping none of the new ones are females...we spayed the two females that were originally in there, but the two kittens are males...who we didn't fix...we don't want more kittens...

As an update to my post from earlier in the week, I did send my friend a quick email. It was difficult for me...but she did write me back and I'm glad she knows that I am here for her/thinking of her. Thank you for all the advice.

I hope in my next few posts to talk about some goals (NOT resolutions) I have for this year. I've never been much of a goal maker, but I think it is important to have some. So I've been thinking about them.

Happy 2009!!