Friday 26 July 2013

The Heat Wave, Thunder Storm, Dunbar Reunion and Time Flies


The farm took on a slowness 2 week ago with the major heat wave that rolled through.   Six straight days of temps in the high 30's with humidex values reaching into the 40's.   It was just uncomfortably hot for man and beast all week.
I am very much a fair weather rider…too hot or too cold and you will find me hiding in the comforts of the house to keep my temperature moderated.   So needless to say the horses got a week off with just a bit of play thrown in to keep us both happy.   The late afternoon hosing off seemed to be the girls happiest time of day.  The sun was hot and the air so heavy that they hardly moved from the shelter.  Using it to take cover from both the flies and the sun.   After the 3rd consecutive day I felt badly for them and gave them a bit of hay to keep them busy at the loafing shed.

I tried to make the best of the weather and had some fun at the lake with Molly.   She is learning to swim pretty good with her life jacket on!  Rather frantic at the start but she settled into the water rather well.  Will have to get her back there again before the end of the summer.

On Friday night we had quite the storm here.   We lost one of the big hickory trees that the back of the pasture line and it appears one of the fence posts at the top of the hill in pasture 5 was hit by lightening.   The brand new fencing that hasn't even had a horse in it yet is burned and fried for about 6 feet!
Several bigger limbs and small branches were scattered all over the yard and and in the front pasture.   We also had a thorn tree on the north fence line, which was also heavy with grape vines fall across the fence.   A bunch of clean up on Saturday morning and Sunday and we still have the big hickory to cut up.   Always a shame to lose a big tree like that.   Even tho hickory nuts are a pain, they are slow growing trees that can get very old and generally have a lovely shade canopy.

The hickory at the north east corner of Pasture #5

The fence post that was destroyed!


The thorn tree that fell across the fence in Pasture #2

As promised here are the pictures of the garden after mulching.   I still have the south side of the house to finish.
Before


During...I had to hand pick all those rocks from the garden!  Ugh!

After



On Saturday we hosted the Dunbar Family Reunion.  It was a lovely afternoon of socializing with the Dunbar clan!
Unfortunately, Chris' folks were not able to make it because the storm on Friday night killed the power to the elevator in their building and they are on the 3rd floor.   It was actually very sad, as this would have been Chris' Dad's first visit to the farm and we were both really looking forward to showing him around so he could see all the things we talk about when we see him.   We will plan again for 2014…lets hope that the weather and elevator cooperate!

A few missing here but a good shot of the clan!


Now getting a bit closer to current events since I have been completely delinquent on posting updates!   This week was FABULOUS!   Weather was the perfect summer temps and dipping into the mid teens at night.   I know that's more like the end of Aug weather but I was happily doing chores in long pants and a light jacket at 5:30AM!   Even the horses enjoyed the cool break.   They could be found every morning standing on the hill in the pasture and out grazing in mid morning and early evening.   Such a wonderful sight to my eyes to see those beautiful creatures adorning the hills at HP Haven.   I am truly blessed to have these creatures in my life and for a second I don't let that be taken for granted.

Lastly, I was also lucky to celebrate the 40th birthday of one of my dear friends, Lisa, whom I have known the longest in my life.   These friendships are so cherished...To have life long friends like this group of women means more to me than I can express in words.   Love you, girls! 




Thursday 11 July 2013

Home Sweet Home!

We have been home for a week now and the vigour of a week of holidays got my butt right into gear on Saturday afternoon when we returned home.  Poor DH - He really had no idea what a short rest was going to do to me!  :-)
First off I came home to 3 happy faces.   Unbelievable how much you can miss your furry kids when you are away!  

Molly on the other hand was excited to see us but quite literally exhausted from being with her Grandma and Dora for the week!   She slept for nearly 2 days straight!

My mom worked her magic in so many ways around the farm when we were away.   Look at this beautiful little vignette she made at the barn entrance.  
(Now I need to white wash that barn wall!!)

She also knew that my gardens around the house have been really bothering me and have been more than just a small eye sore.   It's the entire perimeter of the house that needs to be redone...so for me the job of starting has been a very difficult one.    Mom of course has no trouble starting and just takes the bull by the horns, so to speak and kicked started the back of the house with my niece Bella into a much tidier and aesthetically pleasing garden.   She always knows right were to start too...right were you walk in, so you get the most enjoyment everyday.   This has motivated me to keep going along the driveway side and around under the bay window in front.   Pictures of that area to come.


Upon arrival we also rented a 100' power snake to clear the downspout drain on the bank barn roof that feeds over to our pond.   The pond level is about 2' below what I would like to see it and the only way it gets new water is from the rain.   It has no spring feeding it.   So DH and I spent the remainder of our Sat night right up til dark snaking that drain and then running the hose through it.   It runs water now!!! So we just have to wait for rain to see how it works when mother nature turns on the tap!

DH bought a hammock when we were in Barry's Bay.   He believes I need to learn how to use it more often than just look at it!!  :-)   So I thought...well girl, you will never learn how to use it if you don't hang it up!   So it has been hung in the yard were I can look out over the pasture or over the pond.   I am sure someone will get good use out of it...if not me maybe DH or visitors!

The pond had a waterfall when we purchased but the previous owner thought it was within their right to take the pump with them when they left.   Just another of the many things "missing" on the closing day!!   We got a new pump and that was installed on Sunday so that we could enjoy the sound of water rolling down the waterfall whenever we sit out on the pergola.
Here I am wading in to place the pump.   That's a totally slimy bottomed pond too...in bare feet.   Reminded me of the creek besides my grandparents house that we would catch crayfish and tadpoles in!

Since we had the ladder out so I could climb to the very top rung of the full extension ladder to have a look in the bank barn eaves troughs; to see if there was anything blocking them...DH decided he would put it in the loafing barn so we could actually see what was in the loft.   Last look was late last fall when I stood on the very top of the step ladder and was eye level with a ca-zillion mice!!   ~~Side note~~ What is it with me defying safety with ladders anyway??   That's 3 notable incidences where I have done less than safe practises on ladders...the 3rd is in a post last month when I painted the stairwell wall.    I hope Darwin doesn't catch on to my ways!

Here are a couple of the old items that were up in the loft.   Also there was an old settee that the mice have really done a number on.   The convertible section of an old buggy, some old tin siding tiles, several old wooden doors and lots and lots of mouse poo!
 A beautiful ornate headboard.
 An old wooden wringer washer.

I can't even imagine using that old washer.   I know I have an ancient top load machine by today's standards but really this thing is from way before my time!   Thank God women have gained some rights over the last 50 years so that we could have a say in the design and function of domestic appliances.    This machine would just be a device of torture and inconvenience!   My grandmother had the next generation metal version of this contraption. I remember watching her wring out the clothes through the rolls as a small child in her basement and if I got too close to the drum she would holler at me to back up because I could crush my hands in the rolls.   I remember being scared half to death of doing laundry!

Lastly what would a post be without at little bit of Molly to finish it off?
Molly as you are all well aware has a real appetite for destruction when it comes to her toys.   A once overflowing toy box now has metal showing at the bottom and a very large pile of toys in the infirmary for various carnage that has been inflicted on them.   It's not uncommon for me to have a pile of fluff every single day as I walk through the door when I get home from work.    I clean up saying a little prayer for the death of a beaver, rabbit, squirrel, skunk or the likes.   It seems too that the newer the toy, the faster it goes!   The water bottle fox lasted about 1 hour before it lost an ear and it was torn beyond recognition only 8 days later!   This week behold the crime scene(s) I discovered...ALL ON ONE DAY TO BOOT!!

Exhibit A - Entry from Back door.

Exhibit B - Entry to Kitchen

Exhibit C - Gym

Friday 5 July 2013

Summer Vacation - Part 2

It's been a pretty hard week up here!   LOL
This is what my days consisted of...relaxing, napping, reading, running and eating...not necessarily in that order.   Oh ya and useless surfing of the internet too!

The cottage here is in a lovely spot.  Lots of mature trees, lake front and within 2.5K to downtown Barry's Bay.
Here is the front...facing the lake.

Here is the road view.

This is the path to the dock from half way down.

And is the view from the dock.

I spent a considerable amount of time here...

And in this position...

Lots of wild life to keep us entertained too.
I fed the ducks everyday when they visited.

Me, Feeding the ducks!  :-)


We even had a visit from a raccoon late one night on the deck.  We had left peanuts out for the chipmunks but the raccoon decided he was hungrier!

DH had lots of R&R too and he even caught a small rock bass off the dock.

And what would holidays be if we didn't eat too much! 
Surf and Turf night.

Hangover Burger night.

I successfully killed this pile of literature...

I did get a chance to run everyday tho...if that's any consolation for the way I ate!  It's been awhile since I have had that luxury.   I have missed my running buddy Lynn at the office a lot.   I did tried out some new barefoot shoes...my feet need a bit of time to adjust but can't wait to give them a try on the trail at home.  I started my week and ended my week with 11+K runs.   All the days in between had no less than 6K.   Its not great distances and not great times but I feel good about moving at least a little bit.
Here are my 3 shoe choices...my old faithful runners, barefoot shoes and barefoot toe shoes.   I am still run/walking in the barefoot shoes and have yet to run in the toe shoes.   I have been wearing them around the cottage all week and they are surprising comfortable.

Tonight is our last night and we return to the farm where I know my Mom has been tending to the horses and Molly with expert care.   I am ready to go home and get back to the projects that I have been away from and put a leg over Izzy after a week away.   I hope the rest for her has revitalized her sense of willingness to work and she is refreshed with new enthusiasm; just as I am.

Monday 1 July 2013

Summer Vacation - Part 1

It has been a crazy couple of weeks on the farm!   Less maybe due to farm related work and more due to my day job that has kept me busy the past week on an extended shutdown.  
My heart has been back at the farm tho and dreaming about all the fun there.   I guess I should qualify this tho...I don't hate my day job.   I actually have a rather interesting job were I get the opportunity to work with a lot of different cross functional disciplines installing equipment and working on improvement initiatives that help my company make more money...which in turn ensure I have a job and more more money too.   Facing reality here is the fact the I need a day job to finance the love of farm and the horses that bring me joy.  :-)   So after a great deal of extra overtime last week I now find myself sitting on a dock with DH relaxing with a beverage....We are on our summer vacation!

This was my view yesterday afternoon.   The weather here has been cooler than at home with yesterday a cloudy high of 23C.   Today is cloudy again and not as warm, however I am still on the dock but with my yoga pants and long sleeve T.  I guess it all feels cooler after the scorching week we had last week in the high 30's pushing 40+C with the humidex.   No matter the weather, it's nice to get away and relax.

I found myself getting laughed at with a solid belly laugh from DH.   In turn his laughing got me to laughing and finally I said, "Why are you laughing at me?"  His response was, "I have never seen you like that!"   He was in stitches from seeing me fall asleep in the lounge chair and wake up and stretch after an hour and half of peaceful sleep in the middle of the afternoon.   He's right I don't think I have taken a nap in years in the middle of the day...just not my MO!   I guess the 50 odd pages of the book I am reading combined with the gentle lapping of the water against the dock lulled me into a sleepy trance!  

I must add in here that we are lucky enough to be able to take these stints away from the farm because I have wonderful family that stays and takes on the farm duties while we are away!   My mom and my nieces are again staying at the farm while we are here for our 8th year at Barry's Bay.   We actually started coming here together in 2003 and have only missed 2 summers here.   We rent the same place every time and love the peacefulness and lake view.

On last call back home it sounds like they have all been busy doing spruce ups and chores.   I can't wait to be surprised by the transformations they have talked about!

More to come...