Thursday, November 27, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
And Now There Are Six
I'm going to tell you a story.
Picture a girl going out for a trail ride, bareback. She heads out onto the trail and doesn't get more then 15 paces before she hears shrieking. She thinks instantly that it sounds like a chicken. A familiar chicken. But surely it can't be a chicken of hers, seeing as how her chickens have been gone now for one full week. She decides it must be a turkey in distress. She urges her horse forward at a trot and peers through the trees, trying to see. Suddenly, movement catches her eye, and the girl spots a very frightened chicken running through the snow covered wood, followed by a very mischievous young cat named Gronemeyer. The girl screams like she's going to die, yelling like crazy to stop the stupid cat from killing the one chicken that made it away from the slaughter man's hands the week before. She hops off her horse, and without really thinking, she snaps her horse's reins to a very small tree branch and races through the woods. The cat is now sitting, content to watch the show, under a tree, while the chicken runs around, bewildered. The girl follows the chicken through the woods. The chicken ambles along, just out of reach of the girl, until the chicken goes just behind the trunk of a tree. The girl stands on the other side of the trunk and peeks around the left side of the trunk. There is the chicken, peeking back at her. The chicken moves to the right side of the trunk and peeks around. So does the girl. This process continues itself as the girl contemplates how to snatch the bird. She decides she has no other choice, and as the bird peeks around the right side of the trunk another time, the girl grabs the bird's tail feathers. The bird cries out, but the girl grabs her and hugs her to her chest. Survivor has been found.
Yes. This is a true story. ;-)
That is exactly what happened to me today. Last week, when the one single bird got away, I honestly didn't think about it. I considered it dead, probably hunted by another animal, and after one day, I forgot about it. I really didn't think I'd see that bird, but to see it running through the woods...well, what a miracle.
Now dubbed "Survivor" for obvious reasons, the Ameraucana hen sits in her chicken coop.
She was so exhausted when she got it, but she ran through the coop like she remembered it. She has lettuce to eat, and scratch, and water, and hay to bed in.
And for a chicken that can survive in the woods, in the snow, when it's 20 degrees at night, for one week, and not die, there is no end in sight. We will keep Survivor.
We're hoping she won't be too lonely. What do you all think? Is it bad to have one lone chicken?
She was actually one of the only two chickens who DIDN'T have a name before.
She does now.
Happy ending?
Picture a girl going out for a trail ride, bareback. She heads out onto the trail and doesn't get more then 15 paces before she hears shrieking. She thinks instantly that it sounds like a chicken. A familiar chicken. But surely it can't be a chicken of hers, seeing as how her chickens have been gone now for one full week. She decides it must be a turkey in distress. She urges her horse forward at a trot and peers through the trees, trying to see. Suddenly, movement catches her eye, and the girl spots a very frightened chicken running through the snow covered wood, followed by a very mischievous young cat named Gronemeyer. The girl screams like she's going to die, yelling like crazy to stop the stupid cat from killing the one chicken that made it away from the slaughter man's hands the week before. She hops off her horse, and without really thinking, she snaps her horse's reins to a very small tree branch and races through the woods. The cat is now sitting, content to watch the show, under a tree, while the chicken runs around, bewildered. The girl follows the chicken through the woods. The chicken ambles along, just out of reach of the girl, until the chicken goes just behind the trunk of a tree. The girl stands on the other side of the trunk and peeks around the left side of the trunk. There is the chicken, peeking back at her. The chicken moves to the right side of the trunk and peeks around. So does the girl. This process continues itself as the girl contemplates how to snatch the bird. She decides she has no other choice, and as the bird peeks around the right side of the trunk another time, the girl grabs the bird's tail feathers. The bird cries out, but the girl grabs her and hugs her to her chest. Survivor has been found.
Yes. This is a true story. ;-)
That is exactly what happened to me today. Last week, when the one single bird got away, I honestly didn't think about it. I considered it dead, probably hunted by another animal, and after one day, I forgot about it. I really didn't think I'd see that bird, but to see it running through the woods...well, what a miracle.
Now dubbed "Survivor" for obvious reasons, the Ameraucana hen sits in her chicken coop.
She was so exhausted when she got it, but she ran through the coop like she remembered it. She has lettuce to eat, and scratch, and water, and hay to bed in.
And for a chicken that can survive in the woods, in the snow, when it's 20 degrees at night, for one week, and not die, there is no end in sight. We will keep Survivor.
We're hoping she won't be too lonely. What do you all think? Is it bad to have one lone chicken?
She was actually one of the only two chickens who DIDN'T have a name before.
She does now.
Happy ending?
BTW, I want to give Daisy some credit:
For being tied to a little tiny tree, and her reins literally clipped there, and so close to home, and not even being told to "Whoa, stand" she was great. She stood really patient, and walked along nice while I held the chicken in my arms.
This is good, considering how she was on Saturday.
Now there are six pets.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
A Day In The Life...
Of Me:
5:42 AM-
BEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!!!!!
Time to get up and go out to the barn to feed Daisy.
Grabbing a bottle of hot water at the same time to give the cats, because by now, there is snow on the ground and their water is frozen.
Later in the winter I will also bring a hot bean bag with me for their comfort.
Scoop Daisy's grain. 3/4 quart sweet feed, 1 1/4 tablespoon of Sho-Glo vitamins, 1 tablespoon of Vita-Calm.
1 flake of hay
5:52 AM-
Head back into the house, after laying out hay for Daisy to eat during the day, which my loving mother gives her throughout the day.
Daisy is spoiled.
5:54-6:30 AM-
Eat breakfast and get ready for school
6:40 AM-
Sit in the car at the bottom of the driveway and wait for the bus.
Board the bus.
6:40AM-7:14 AM-
Ride the bus through the country and to school, watching the sunrise on good mornings....it's very pretty.
7:35 AM-2:15 PM:
School.
Favorite classes: Orchestra and Math. I really like Math this year. I'm taking an algebra class, and the teacher is really nice. I've been playing violin for 5 years and I love it, hence I love orchestra.
Least favorite subject:
French/Earth Science: French used to be my most favorite class, and I was good at it, but this year we have a new (BORING) teacher, so it's not as fun :-/....Earth Science is just stressful and challenging, and I never much liked science anyway....
Subjects in between:
English:...alright...nothing special....English isn't hard for me, but it is for others, so she works making us do stuff that some kids struggle with, and others (like me) already know and get bored with...but it's a decent class, I suppose.
Social Studies:...not as good as all the other years. It used to be my favorite subject, besides Orchestra and French (which I liked before)....social studies is just all about wars lately, and it's not as interesting....
Rotating Classes (switch every 6 weeks):
Computer: Done. Fun class, I have a wpm ave. of I think 85 or 90....I did the final and got a high school credit...It was a class that is better then others.
Health:...Done as of yesterday
This speaks for itself.
Technology:
My next class. Starts Monday. We'll see.
PE:
What can I say? It's a class where you are forced to get all sweaty and then go back to regular classes. "yey".
It's not too bad. I'm learning to enjoy it more.
Home & Careers:
We are learning about the "careers" portion. It's ok....kinda boring, though.
Lunch:
Best class of all.
Cafeteria food as greatly improved this year.
2:15 PM:
My darling mother normally picks me up, or I take the bus.
One day a week at this time I have an extra choir rehearsal afterschool, which takes me up to 3 PM
I go home and ride Daisy, then I clean her stall, bring in more hay to the barn to feed her, and I close her and the cats up for the night. Then I go in, do homework, practice violin, eat dinner, and blog....not necessarily in that order.
Another afternoon a week I have Bible study, too......
So that is my day.
For lack of something more interesting to write.
I just went riding, and when I rode Daisy up the driveway, she was very piggy and stubborn--she wanted to hurry home, and I mean hurry. So I forced her to walk first 10 steps, t then back up 5, then do that over again....then I progressed to 15 steps, 5 back up, then 20, then 25...it took a longggg time to get up the driveway that way, lol, but it calmed her down and she was better behaved.
That is my day.
Sooooo.....yeahh.....
5:42 AM-
BEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!!!!!
Time to get up and go out to the barn to feed Daisy.
Grabbing a bottle of hot water at the same time to give the cats, because by now, there is snow on the ground and their water is frozen.
Later in the winter I will also bring a hot bean bag with me for their comfort.
Scoop Daisy's grain. 3/4 quart sweet feed, 1 1/4 tablespoon of Sho-Glo vitamins, 1 tablespoon of Vita-Calm.
1 flake of hay
5:52 AM-
Head back into the house, after laying out hay for Daisy to eat during the day, which my loving mother gives her throughout the day.
Daisy is spoiled.
5:54-6:30 AM-
Eat breakfast and get ready for school
6:40 AM-
Sit in the car at the bottom of the driveway and wait for the bus.
Board the bus.
6:40AM-7:14 AM-
Ride the bus through the country and to school, watching the sunrise on good mornings....it's very pretty.
7:35 AM-2:15 PM:
School.
Favorite classes: Orchestra and Math. I really like Math this year. I'm taking an algebra class, and the teacher is really nice. I've been playing violin for 5 years and I love it, hence I love orchestra.
Least favorite subject:
French/Earth Science: French used to be my most favorite class, and I was good at it, but this year we have a new (BORING) teacher, so it's not as fun :-/....Earth Science is just stressful and challenging, and I never much liked science anyway....
Subjects in between:
English:...alright...nothing special....English isn't hard for me, but it is for others, so she works making us do stuff that some kids struggle with, and others (like me) already know and get bored with...but it's a decent class, I suppose.
Social Studies:...not as good as all the other years. It used to be my favorite subject, besides Orchestra and French (which I liked before)....social studies is just all about wars lately, and it's not as interesting....
Rotating Classes (switch every 6 weeks):
Computer: Done. Fun class, I have a wpm ave. of I think 85 or 90....I did the final and got a high school credit...It was a class that is better then others.
Health:...Done as of yesterday
This speaks for itself.
Technology:
My next class. Starts Monday. We'll see.
PE:
What can I say? It's a class where you are forced to get all sweaty and then go back to regular classes. "yey".
It's not too bad. I'm learning to enjoy it more.
Home & Careers:
We are learning about the "careers" portion. It's ok....kinda boring, though.
Lunch:
Best class of all.
Cafeteria food as greatly improved this year.
2:15 PM:
My darling mother normally picks me up, or I take the bus.
One day a week at this time I have an extra choir rehearsal afterschool, which takes me up to 3 PM
I go home and ride Daisy, then I clean her stall, bring in more hay to the barn to feed her, and I close her and the cats up for the night. Then I go in, do homework, practice violin, eat dinner, and blog....not necessarily in that order.
Another afternoon a week I have Bible study, too......
So that is my day.
For lack of something more interesting to write.
I just went riding, and when I rode Daisy up the driveway, she was very piggy and stubborn--she wanted to hurry home, and I mean hurry. So I forced her to walk first 10 steps, t then back up 5, then do that over again....then I progressed to 15 steps, 5 back up, then 20, then 25...it took a longggg time to get up the driveway that way, lol, but it calmed her down and she was better behaved.
That is my day.
Sooooo.....yeahh.....
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The Mini Threesome
Before I had my own horse, I worked to find as many places as I could that had horses that I could go visit, or ride. When we moved to the road we live on now, I was really excited to see horses stabled behind one of the houses. I introduced myself to the owners, and found out they had three little minis! One is a mare named Jewel, who is chubby and absolutely sweet. Everyone loves her. Then there is Reba, her "sister"...Reba is fun, and has quite a personality. Ladies do, of course, need a little stud to keep them busy, so Jewel and Reba's little man is named Jax...they've never been bred to him, though, but anyway. I took care of the minis, bringing them into their stalls at nights when their owner worked late. Through "working" at that stable, I learned a lot more about the daily care of a horse, and I earned part of the money I ended up using to buy Daisy.
When I got Daisy and moved her to our house, I started visiting the minis. They are Daisy's "bestest friends". She acts like she couldn't care less once she is at the fence, visiting with them, but if we try to pass them without visiting, she 90% of the time puts up a "fight".
Jewel always snorts like a pig (LITERALLY) when Daisy comes, and tries to act "tough"...unfortunately, she is the alpha-mare, and she rarely lets Reba visit with Daisy, even though they don't mind each other.
These are pictures of the minis. Reba is the one with some red coat and a white stripe down her face, Jewel is all black. Jax is in the last pictures.
Video of Jax coming up in the next post. :)
When I got Daisy and moved her to our house, I started visiting the minis. They are Daisy's "bestest friends". She acts like she couldn't care less once she is at the fence, visiting with them, but if we try to pass them without visiting, she 90% of the time puts up a "fight".
Jewel always snorts like a pig (LITERALLY) when Daisy comes, and tries to act "tough"...unfortunately, she is the alpha-mare, and she rarely lets Reba visit with Daisy, even though they don't mind each other.
These are pictures of the minis. Reba is the one with some red coat and a white stripe down her face, Jewel is all black. Jax is in the last pictures.
Video of Jax coming up in the next post. :)
Monday, November 17, 2008
Goodbye, Birdie
Since about September our chickens have been laying less and less eggs, until since October we've gotten only 1 egg a day, one weak shelled egg, if at all.
Chickens are very expensive to feed. And if they aren't giving eggs, it's even worse....(I can't think of a better way to phrase that...it's not meant to sound harsh)...plus, they have a depressing life in winter. They sit in their little house, in the cold, for practically months because of the extreme snow and ice at our house. And it's hard to take care of them as well.
All these factors caused us to make a decision. This may make some of you bloggers out there who absolutely love your chickens to hate us. But I'm being honest. We decided we had to have someone slaughter them. After contacting a person who ended up not taking them, we found a family a few towns away that has had chickens, and has slaughtered roosters and chickens before, and would be willing to do it for us.
So yesterday our chickens left. He seemed like a nice man, and he said he did the deed quickly.
We will not be eating them. We gave them to the man, and we expect to not ever see them again. I couldn't stand eating them.
One chicken actually escaped the box the chickens were being transported in. It got into the woods. Unfortunately, it did not return home. We do not know which one it was.
The chickens are staying with the man to be fattened up more, and then they will be slaughtered.
Today we are 10 animals less in our family. Only 5 now. We will miss our chickens, but this is life. We got eggs from them for a full year, and next spring we hope to get chicks again.
Hope you don't hate us.
The pictures were taken yesterday, as they enjoyed their last supper...although, that is technically their second last supper...the first last supper was red cabbage from the restaurant ;-).
Good bye, birdies.
Chickens are very expensive to feed. And if they aren't giving eggs, it's even worse....(I can't think of a better way to phrase that...it's not meant to sound harsh)...plus, they have a depressing life in winter. They sit in their little house, in the cold, for practically months because of the extreme snow and ice at our house. And it's hard to take care of them as well.
All these factors caused us to make a decision. This may make some of you bloggers out there who absolutely love your chickens to hate us. But I'm being honest. We decided we had to have someone slaughter them. After contacting a person who ended up not taking them, we found a family a few towns away that has had chickens, and has slaughtered roosters and chickens before, and would be willing to do it for us.
So yesterday our chickens left. He seemed like a nice man, and he said he did the deed quickly.
We will not be eating them. We gave them to the man, and we expect to not ever see them again. I couldn't stand eating them.
One chicken actually escaped the box the chickens were being transported in. It got into the woods. Unfortunately, it did not return home. We do not know which one it was.
The chickens are staying with the man to be fattened up more, and then they will be slaughtered.
Today we are 10 animals less in our family. Only 5 now. We will miss our chickens, but this is life. We got eggs from them for a full year, and next spring we hope to get chicks again.
Hope you don't hate us.
The pictures were taken yesterday, as they enjoyed their last supper...although, that is technically their second last supper...the first last supper was red cabbage from the restaurant ;-).
Good bye, birdies.
I've Been Tagged (by Gudl)...
The rules…
Find the 6th folder in your pictures directory and post the 6th photo in it.
So here are the instructions:
* Go to your sixth picture folder then pick your sixth picture.
* Pray that you remember the details.
* Post it on your blog.
* Tag 5 others, leave a comment to let them know they’ve been tagged.
I was tagged by my mother, Gudl....
So. The above shot is my picture. Ironic that that was the one I happened to have as my sixth picture in my sixth folder. It was taken sometime in January 2008. It is of my former teddy bear hamster, April. I had her since August 2006, when my first gerbil named Snowball died.
I never really treasured her as much as I did my former gerbil. April slept too much.
Last July when Anika was visiting we went to visit my brother, Markus. When we got back, I found April had died while I was gone...the coincidental thing was, on the ride home, we discussed the death of my former gerbil. So yeah. Anyway, that's her. I have a very random video of her on youtube, I just never showed it on the blog. The video is here, in case you're interested.
Ok, so I did the tag! I really liked this one! I tag Lydia, Anika, Sarah, and Southern Commander. Have fun with it! Anyone else who wants to do it is welcome to consider themselves TAGGED! :D
Find the 6th folder in your pictures directory and post the 6th photo in it.
So here are the instructions:
* Go to your sixth picture folder then pick your sixth picture.
* Pray that you remember the details.
* Post it on your blog.
* Tag 5 others, leave a comment to let them know they’ve been tagged.
I was tagged by my mother, Gudl....
So. The above shot is my picture. Ironic that that was the one I happened to have as my sixth picture in my sixth folder. It was taken sometime in January 2008. It is of my former teddy bear hamster, April. I had her since August 2006, when my first gerbil named Snowball died.
I never really treasured her as much as I did my former gerbil. April slept too much.
Last July when Anika was visiting we went to visit my brother, Markus. When we got back, I found April had died while I was gone...the coincidental thing was, on the ride home, we discussed the death of my former gerbil. So yeah. Anyway, that's her. I have a very random video of her on youtube, I just never showed it on the blog. The video is here, in case you're interested.
Ok, so I did the tag! I really liked this one! I tag Lydia, Anika, Sarah, and Southern Commander. Have fun with it! Anyone else who wants to do it is welcome to consider themselves TAGGED! :D
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Million Dollar Blog Award
Lisa, over at Laughing Orca Ranch (one of my favorite blogs (and bloggers)) gave me the Million Dollar Friend award! Thank you SOOO much!!!! And now, I get the honor of passing it on to people. So here we go.
First, I'm passing it on to Southern Commander, who's horse's name is Sonny. Unfortunately, she doesn't have Sonny with her right now :-( but hopefully she'll get him soon!
Annndddd I'm giving it to Sarah! She has a filly named Valley that she's training...
And Farmgirl....because she has a cool donkey...and I like donkeys. And she's nice.
And (I know, you are totally not going to believe this)...I'm going to pass the award on to....drumroll, please...MY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Except I think that passing it on to her makes it the "Million Dollar Mom" award, not friend....but that's ok.
First, I'm passing it on to Southern Commander, who's horse's name is Sonny. Unfortunately, she doesn't have Sonny with her right now :-( but hopefully she'll get him soon!
Annndddd I'm giving it to Sarah! She has a filly named Valley that she's training...
And Farmgirl....because she has a cool donkey...and I like donkeys. And she's nice.
And (I know, you are totally not going to believe this)...I'm going to pass the award on to....drumroll, please...MY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Except I think that passing it on to her makes it the "Million Dollar Mom" award, not friend....but that's ok.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
SMB3 Boots
Last summer at the county fair I borrowed some of Jean's boots and tried them on Daisy. I got slightly sidetracked, and after putting the boots on Daisy, I just hopped on her. WELL, she went bucking 4-5 times in the row, all the way to the ring. I was like "oops!"...she almost ran into a man. Luckily, I think he understood horses, he didn't seem angry (I apologized)...anyway, I got right off her and took the boots off. Since then, I've been meaning to get Daisy boots anyway for two reasons:
- So that she is protected from hitting her hoof on her leg while galloping/turning and cutting her leg with her hoof accidentally (she tends to bonk her legs together)
- and to provide support, as in, something to absorb the energy of her legs hitting pavement/grass/ground....
Here they are!:
Along with the boots, I decided to get Daisy her vitamins. I started feeding her Sho-Glow vitamins from MannaPro last spring/summer, but it was $12 a bag and only lasted a little over a month at a time, so my mom said (and I agreed) that I should just use it in the winter, when she's not getting as many vitamins as in the summer from grass. Online, I saw that it was only $9.99, AND if you bought two or more packages, it was $7.99!!! PLUS if you spent over $99 shipping was free! Well, I had already spent over $99 on the boots, so shipping was freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I got a good deal. I bought two bags of the stuff to last me up until April....at least, it should last that long ;-).
SO this morning I groomed Daisy...
Then (after having Daisy give the boots each a once-over by way of nostrils,) (wow, what a dumb saying, lol, I'm silly...but anyway) I tried them on Daisy.
She just had to stick her muzzle in my face inbetween to inquire about the boots, and why in the world they had to be stuck to her legs.
After I got them on I walked her around a bit to get her used to them.
(hours after):
I rode Daisy. I took a video of me riding her. I will show you it later. You'll just have to wait in suspense to find out if she bucked again or not ;-).
It's taking awhile to upload to youtube, as always, so stay tuned. :)
(hours after):
I rode Daisy. I took a video of me riding her. I will show you it later. You'll just have to wait in suspense to find out if she bucked again or not ;-).
It's taking awhile to upload to youtube, as always, so stay tuned. :)
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