End of May

It's the end of May, and the baby bluebirds have hatched. Mother and Father are diligent in their care of the hatchlings, but we fear for their lives, since Hobbes has discovered the nesting box.

We have a two yr. old immature Bald Eagle that is hanging around. Bruce read that it takes Bald Eagles 4-5 yrs. to gain the plummage we associate with our Nation's bird.

   This one has started getting a yellow beak, and white on his stomach and wings- a sure sign that he's a 2 yr. old.

Ferns are popping out all over, and

grass is green and thick.

We have several lovely Whitetail bucks around, as well as Mule deer.

They haven't quite "slicked off" yet, so they look at bit raggy.

I always want to just go up to them with a brush. :)

The Hummers are back

 and the wildflowers are beginning to bloom

along with the flowering trees

Spring is beautiful in Montana!

and so very welcome ;)

On a Mission

 Last Fall, when riding in the woods, Wynter stumbled on some barbed wire partially embedded in the ground.  I went back later, and couldn't find it, BUT on our most recent trail ride, it was Shannon's horse, Sheila, who pulled up the barbed wire.  This is SUCH a dangerous thing for horses.  I marked the area in my head, and vowed to go back to pick up the wire.

When I told Bruce about it, he agreed that we couldn't leave the wire in the woods.  He jumped on the tractor, and drove down to help me find it.

We found it, alright, and there was SO MUCH MORE than what we'd realized.  Apparently, long ago, there was a fence that divided this field.  The fence posts had rotted and fallen down, but no one had bothered to pick up the barbed wire.  It was two strands, sometimes embedded in the earth, sometimes hanging about an inch above ground- a perfect, and lethal trip wire to any animal running through the area.

We were shocked at just how much wire there was!  Bruce started rolling it up.

We had to periodically, cut it, wind it up, and wrap it around a high stump to get it safely out of the way. 

Frankly, I was amazed no one had been seriously hurt the other day.  We'd ridden all through this area. 

Just when we thought we'd found it all, we'd see another fence post, and find more wire.

As always, we were watched.  I wonder if the deer understood that the forest was safer for them now, too?

Finally, we coiled the last of it, and headed back home.  I know I'll ride easier when we take that trail again.

and I swear Wynter was saying, "Thank you!" too.

:)

Memorial Day

We are well aware that Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service.  And we take time to give thanks for the many who have sacrificed, often ultimately, for the many freedoms we enjoy.

That being said, Memorial Day was, also, a weekend Cade managed to get home.  Combine that with a couple of fairly dry days, and that equates to WORK.

First, Bruce had Cade help him by cutting out the sod around our trees, and piling in the mulch.

Not only does it look nice, but the mulch will keep the roots moist and cool in the Summer, warmer in the Winter, as well as acting as compost, adding nutrients to the soil.

As long as they were on a roll, Bruce wanted the sod pulled out of the flower beds.  The grass had creeped ever closer to the house, until it looked like our flowers were growing out of the sod.

This was a HUGE job. The sod had to be cut, and shoveled, and pulled up.  It was HARD work.

We have a lot of flower beds.

and this generated a lot of sod....

which got me thinking.

First, I took some of the sod, and put it down on plastic, for our baby chicks in the garage.  Oh! they made such happy clucks!

THEN, I started sodding the bunny enclosure!

You think the chicks were happy!!!  These bunnies thought they landed in 7th Heaven!

The flower beds look SO much nicer!

Now, all we need is landscape edging, and more cedar mulch... but that's a story for another day.

We took a break by driving the 45 min. to a nursery outside of Plains, MT.  There we bought more flowers and plants- in other words, more work.... :)  but I LOVE ambling through the nursery, and choosing from all those lovely possibilities!

Memorial Day dinner was grilled Soy Sauce chicken, potato salad, corn, and corn muffins with homemade raspberry jam.  Mmm!

You'd think the work was over, right?  But before Cade could leave the next morning, Bruce had him outside cleaning out the gutters.

Cade always says he LIKES to help out.

Bless his heart!

Hobbes says HE knows how to spend a holiday.

So, again- all you veterans-

THANK YOU

for securing our freedom to express our lives in the manner we see fit.

To work,

to play,

to grumble or rejoice.

I still believe in my country.  I would not care to live anywhere else.

First ride this year

The day after my last day of preschool, Shannon drove out with horses and kids, so we could go on our first ride of the year!  (well- first ride of the year for me. Shannon never stops riding her horses, so this was old hat to her).

There was Shannon on Sheila, her green-broke 3 yr. old Palamino, Kyle on Wynter, who was wild as a March hare, and threw Kyle when she started bucking before we even got out of the pasture! Dane on Latte, who rides hell-bent-for-election as only a fearless 10 yr. old can, and Alan on his green-broke mare, Nova.  He JUST started her a month before! 

So, it was no wonder that I was nervous, and Journey was jumpy.  We took our normal trail, through the woods, down by the river.  Shannon had me turning Journey in circles, backing up, circling trees, etc. which did calm her down a bit.

Until we came to the water.  To get to the resevoir, you have to walk, single-file, down a deer trail-one side is the hill, the other a drop off.  Kyle took Wynter first, and was wrestling with her to put her feet in the water.  Wynter does NOT like water. Then, Alan took Nova down, and she started dancing.  Shannon was there with Sheila, and Dane and I were coming down the trail.  It didn't look to me like there was any room for Journey and I to even get close to the water, but Shannon insisted.  Suddenly, Nova and Wynter jostled, and turned to bolt up the hill- Journey wheeled, and gathered to bolt, but a quick pull on the reins steadied her.  I wasn't going back down even after everyone else got control and headed back into the river, but Shannon insisted- so Journey and I, finally, ended up in the resevoir, where Journey pawed at the water playing.  She may have recovered, but I was a nervous wreck!

 The wind was blowing like CRAZY that day, bringing sounds and smells swirling around the horses. I'm sure this contributed to their feisty attitudes.

Once safely back at the barn, I was able to reflect a bit.  I HAD been in complete control of Journey at all times, and I take comfort in that thought.  She hadn't done anything wrong, and though it wasn't as relaxing as I'd wanted, it had been a great way to kick off the Summer!

Here's to many more safe rides!