Rainy Days and Slop

Autumn rains help the green grass grow. My trails are no longer dusty. The arena is muddy.

And just take a peek at these horses and mules....


It rained all weekend, off and on. It's raining again today. We try to minimize horse-time spent in the pastures, to give the grass a chance to grow. The critters enjoyed a play day in the sloppy arena mud.

The reddish and brown horses kind of hide the dirt.

Napping, in the mud.

I did say that they "kind of" hide the dirt.

"Hey, don't take my picture".

Mud Wrestling?

Licking up rain water from the bottom of the barrel.

White and grey.... not hiding the mud too well.

Spa Special: Full Body Mud Bath

May as well rub it in.

Pedicure

GROSS!

My Home Work

The past two months I have been home only on weekends; working five hours from home during the week is too far to commute daily. Not only am I home, I have several days 'off', yea!
Grab a cup of coffee and join me on my day.


Jerry and I enjoy a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast on these chilly mornings. Today I cooked a new hot cereal, a blend of seven grains. um mm- not so yummy, kind of slimy and gooey. Time to wash breakfast dishes.

Toss sheets and blankets in the washer.

Make the bed with clean fresh sheets, open windows and let the fresh mountain air and sunshine stream in.

Sunshine in the morning makes me happy......

It is a bit chilly this morning, not even in the 50s yet. Lets make some chocolate cookies. They're for everyone else of course, ski season is almost here and I sure don't need any cookies.

mmm mmm mmmm Maybe I'll have just one, or maybe two with a cup of coffee while I check out the news on my computer.

My #1 shadow in the house this morning. He hurt his knee jumping off the deck yesterday and is on 'bed rest' for a few days.

Feels like a chili day today.

Fry up the ground beef, onions and green peppers.

Looks pretty good, smells good, it'll simmer for the day and then be rated tonight. I plan to compete in a Chili Cook-off in January and I plan to win. We'll be eating weekly chili until I perfect my recipe. Today I tried something new, a different ingredient that was mentioned by an old friend in Illinois.

Got the wood stove clean out. Ashes were deep and things in the surrounding area covered with dust. Look at that clean glass!

Before shoveling and scrubbing!

It's noon and we have visitors. Sheesh, you never know who is going to drop by when you live in the country!

"Can I come in and play?"

"NO you can't! You are a Billy Goat and you stink!"

"Oh yeah?!"

Time for my outside work. More rain is predicted in a few days and there is still one half of a pasture needing seeded. I'll haul out seed and oats and spread it.

There are my other two shadows today.

This lower acreage will one day be more than just a pasture. My plans are to build cross country jumps and trail obstacles, it is a slow process, as it competes with other projects on a very long to-do list.

Jerry finishes up his work for the day and comes out to disc my freshly seeded land.

I wander up to the barn and tackle a few messy stalls.

It gets dark too early! It's already time to bring horses in and feed them.

Time to go in and taste that chili.

Have I mentioned that I love my days off?

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Trails!

Yesterday's Visitors

Sunday Brunch Bunch

The gang's all lined up for brunch out under the trees.

Cort's just checking that everything is in order, it's his job. Every happy Queensland has a job.

Horses shuffle around as they eat, Wrangler wanders around paying a visit to everyone.

Pistol and old Remington seem to enjoy one another's company.

These two, Cheyenne and Rock, are together when they aren't bossing around the rest of the herd.

The lovely ladies, Millie and Willow are sharing the same pile of hay.

Check out the body language. Can you see Willow clearly indicating that Millie is most unwelcome "in her space"?

Millie moves off a bit and her expression asks, "is this far enough away?"

I'm not sure what Cheyenne is trying to tell me here.....

Happy Autumn Trails!

From the "Hood"

Just because they're cute.

And, they aren't in my yard.

My Autumn Garden

Cooler weather, welcome rains and shorter days; my gardens are changing with the seasons. I was gifted with this little garden pixie from my Mom several years ago and she keeps a steady watch over all things growing in her realm.

Every year I am truly surprised at the early emergence of daffodil sprouts. A Midwesterner for most of my life, I don't expect them to show until spring. I keep an eye open for a lucky 4-leaf clover!

Here grows a pretty little unidentified bush that is bearing tiny, tight blossoms. Finally, this year we have protected it from the ravishing lips of hungry deer.

Mums!

Geranuims, I love red the best. Lavender and pink from last year are blooming also; I need to dead-head today.

Fern and Mums. The fern is thriving in this cooler, moist weather.

This fella became a resident in June, a birthday gift. I unwrapped the package he was housed in, removed him, and wondered if a mistake was made.... 'umm, he is adorable, how cool to get an Elf in the summer.....' Okay then, he is not a Christmas Elf, he is a Garden Gnome, but I think he secretly heads North in the winter.