"What can we do about the horse," I asked. "Not much," Pete responded. "Stomp around and yell and scream." It's a closed range here, but if an animal strays, your option is to corral it and then notify the owner. You can then charge him for the feed. Corralling and feeding livestock is not an option for us.
On Sunday, Mike said, "Monday will be a nice day, but then it turns cold and might rain." So, after yoga Monday morning, we packed up the Dakota (yes, still traveling in the Dakota and letting the new Jeep rest) and drove to the farm. As you know, I think that packing and unpacking is a day's work in itself, and yoga can be taxing as well, but we both had to work hard all day long getting ready for "the big freeze." But today, Monday, was lovely and warm. Shirtsleeve weather.
We did not see the horse, but it was indeed clear that he has been here -- and been here -- and been here. While I unpacked and fixed lunch, Mike scooped a wheelbarrowful of manure from the yard -- backbreaking work for him. The compost bin is as full of the stuff as I want, so we piled it between the raised beds and the field. And I can attest that there's plenty left -- down at the pond, under the fruit trees, here, there, and everywhere. 
After lunch we went to the canyon rim and repaired the fence where it's obvious the horse has been getting in and out. Neither the property nor the fence belongs to us, but the outfitter we think owns the horse has not returned our calls. The fence is old and rotten but Mike patched it up."I wonder where the horse is now," I said, as the unthinkable began to dawn on me.
"I don't know," said Mike. But the spot was steep and slick and this would likely be the last good day in the foreseeable future. He wanted the fence fixed.
We were also disheartened to see more rodent activity in the yard. I set to work poisoning holes. We had no mice in traps, but the yellowjackets are still active.
The summer squash plants in the tire bed were hit by a frost and withered away, leaving no edible fruit. However, the cherry tomato was alive and well. I picked two cups of lovely red tomatoes, and many green ones remained. I just wish we liked them better. I just wish we liked vegetables.About 3:00, Mike suggested we pick the elderberries. Elderberries love to grow where they are hardly accessible, so Mike did most of the picking, and as he picks he also stems them so that they are ready to process when we get back to the house. I got tired of standing around, so I wandered back to the house and then checked the elderberries on the perimeter of the north field. Those berries were under-ripe or mostly gone.
Back at the house, I washed the elderberries and put half of them on to cook while Mike worked with the lawnmower. First the battery was dead, and then he found the throttle cable is broken, but he did manage to load it on the trailer for the trip to town. We had a gallon of berries and he said he would pick more after he brought in the firewood, but I said we had enough for now.
Fortunately, we brought leftovers for supper with us. I don't think I'd have had the energy to fix a new meal. KW
5 comments:
It seem like an endless amount of work to deal with the horse, the rodents, the lawn, and endless repairs to equipment. I hope you find enjoyment in your labors. It sounds fascinating. Of course, it is not I that has to do the work. Love you.
I was thinking today that Mike does a lot of maintenance work at the farm while my interests are more whimsical -- picking fruit and berries, identifying apples, etc. Sometimes you just have to put things into perspective. There's only so much you can do with an old place in the middle of fields. And -- it IS interesting to us. We did it because it was interesting.
I have two more installments in the saga. More tomorrow.
Interesting update! Gosh, it turned cold here the last two days. That's lows in the mid 30s. I was so cold in bed last night that as I lay there with my cold feet on poor Nick, I turned on my phone and ordered a hot water bottle that comes with a knitted cover. I also think we'll get a set of flannel sheets this year. I have a set, but Nick didn't seem very open to the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer print. I think it's fun. Oh, well.
Our low was 25 this morning. I know you'll enjoy that hot water bottle -- and so will Nick. And tell Nick that Rudolph is as good as any other print in the dark.
Was that a foreshadowing of the horse being on the wrong side of the fixed fence?? (Obviously I've not read ahead...) And I agree, things that used to be a "piece of cake" more or less, are much more tiring these days. I'm often very grateful for leftovers!!
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