"The rhythm of the ride carried them on and on,
and she knew that the horse was as eager as she,
as much in love with the speed and
air and freedom."
Georgess McHargue
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Last Sunday in March
What a beautiful morning, 12 degrees at 7 am, but the sun was shining, birds singing, and the horses wanted out!!
They really don't care what the temps are as long as there is hay and the wind isn't gusting. They are usually fairly content, especially since Sami has left, she could be quite an instigator. Had one cup of coffee, and the barn was all cleaned and ready for them to come in this evening, we got cleaned up and headed to Cooperstown to enjoy the morning at the Farmers Museum.
It was very nice, blue skies, everything crisp and bright, the first parking lot was filled up so we parked across the road. The breakfast was a buffet, consisting of pancakes, home fries with or without onions, sausage, scrambled eggs, coffee, and juice. The maple syrup was fresh and very good. The place was busy; not many seats, so we got the food first, then a place opened up by the time we were ready to eat.
After, we headed off to the carousel green to watch the syrup boiling down, and had "jack wax" which my family called "sugar on snow" it was very good and fun to see my husband try something that I had told him about but never had the opportunity to try. Next we headed off to the "Smithy" or Black Smith Shop, there they were making hooks for the hearth fire cooking, and were telling about making pistols, all which was very interesting. Stopped into Todd's General Store, where they sell the items made at the black smiths and many other "period" items. We wandered back to the barns were the oxen were hitched to a cart, to go and collect the sap from the many maple trees around the property, the turkeys were out (pestering the hen) and the sheep were in their pasture, some eating and some were taking their nap. We were looking for the building that had the open hearth cooking and could not find it, by then we were both chilled through and needed to use the facilities, so we headed out. It really was a great morning and very enjoyable. I do recommend going next year, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
It was very nice, blue skies, everything crisp and bright, the first parking lot was filled up so we parked across the road. The breakfast was a buffet, consisting of pancakes, home fries with or without onions, sausage, scrambled eggs, coffee, and juice. The maple syrup was fresh and very good. The place was busy; not many seats, so we got the food first, then a place opened up by the time we were ready to eat.
After, we headed off to the carousel green to watch the syrup boiling down, and had "jack wax" which my family called "sugar on snow" it was very good and fun to see my husband try something that I had told him about but never had the opportunity to try. Next we headed off to the "Smithy" or Black Smith Shop, there they were making hooks for the hearth fire cooking, and were telling about making pistols, all which was very interesting. Stopped into Todd's General Store, where they sell the items made at the black smiths and many other "period" items. We wandered back to the barns were the oxen were hitched to a cart, to go and collect the sap from the many maple trees around the property, the turkeys were out (pestering the hen) and the sheep were in their pasture, some eating and some were taking their nap. We were looking for the building that had the open hearth cooking and could not find it, by then we were both chilled through and needed to use the facilities, so we headed out. It really was a great morning and very enjoyable. I do recommend going next year, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
For Sunday
Tomorrow morning we're heading to Cooperstown to the Farmers Museum for the last Sugar Off Sunday. I'll let you know how things went later in the day.
Chilly Saturday
Today has been a mixture of sun, a little snow here and there, and very cool temperatures. The girls have been out enjoying their day, munching on hay in the sun, Max and I went for a walk this morning, tired him out, and was napping in the sun until the deer wandered by. The temperature got as high as 30° and with the sun out it felt warmer, however when the breeze blew it went right through you. With the cold temperatures the mud has been frozen in the morning, so it's much easier to get around behind the pastures and the backyard. All of the snow has not melted yet, so the yard is still quite damp, the temperatures are predicted to go back to the 40s sometime next week, so I'm in hopes that the rest of the snow will melt and things will start drying up. Lakota would really like to run and stretch her legs however I don't want them to dig the pasture up before the grass starts to grow, so she will have to wait a couple more weeks.
Last evening, as soon as the girls came inside, the deer ventured out. There are usually 4 to 6 deer at any time that are wandering around the backyard. They don't look bad, each seems to have a nice coat and a little bit of weight on them. They are fun to watch, Max barks at them from the door, but they don't seem to bother with him, I can even walk out the back door, talk to them, and head down to the barn, all they do is watch me walk away. When I come out of the barn and head in their direction, then they start wandering away back towards the woods. This happens every evening around dusk and sometimes they're out and about in the morning. We also have a fox that you see every once in a while, a great horned owl that you can hear early in the morning or later in the evenings and rabbits aplenty. The birds are coming and sound beautiful, it's nice to see the robins and the bluebirds have returned. At the bird feeders there are chickadees, nuthatches, once in a while I do see a blue jay and a cardinal, but not very often. I've seen a couple different woodpeckers and can hear them quite frequently. Really beats living in the village.
The quote of the day:
Here's to you, Stocking and Star and Blaze!
You brought me all that the best could bring-
Health and Mirth and the Merriest days
In the Open Fields and the Woodland Ways-
And what I can do in return but sing
A song or two in your praise!
WILL H. OGILIE
Last evening, as soon as the girls came inside, the deer ventured out. There are usually 4 to 6 deer at any time that are wandering around the backyard. They don't look bad, each seems to have a nice coat and a little bit of weight on them. They are fun to watch, Max barks at them from the door, but they don't seem to bother with him, I can even walk out the back door, talk to them, and head down to the barn, all they do is watch me walk away. When I come out of the barn and head in their direction, then they start wandering away back towards the woods. This happens every evening around dusk and sometimes they're out and about in the morning. We also have a fox that you see every once in a while, a great horned owl that you can hear early in the morning or later in the evenings and rabbits aplenty. The birds are coming and sound beautiful, it's nice to see the robins and the bluebirds have returned. At the bird feeders there are chickadees, nuthatches, once in a while I do see a blue jay and a cardinal, but not very often. I've seen a couple different woodpeckers and can hear them quite frequently. Really beats living in the village.
The quote of the day:
Here's to you, Stocking and Star and Blaze!
You brought me all that the best could bring-
Health and Mirth and the Merriest days
In the Open Fields and the Woodland Ways-
And what I can do in return but sing
A song or two in your praise!
WILL H. OGILIE
Friday, March 25, 2011
Spring Has Sprung
It's March 25, spring is finally here, although the temperatures aren't hitting the averages, the sun is high in the sky and the horses are shedding out their winter coats. I found a home for Sami, she left this past Saturday. Flame was not happy, she called out for her all day, but she's gotten better each day since. Lakota, I think is just happy that she's not getting bitten anymore. This weekend I will sanitize her stall and move Lakota, it's the one that Jazz was in originally. I hope that Sami will do well at her new home, she's a good horse, nice personality, & loves attention; she deserves to be happy and have a job.
As the snow melts it really creates havoc in the pastures and on the road back to the manure pile. It's very hard to drive the tractor back there, so when the temps drop below freezing, the barn gets cleaned as early as possible, so the road is still frozen enough to drive on.
Once the weather is warmer, both the girls will get baths, and and the barn will get a good spring cleaning and organized. Looking forward to get things back in their proper places. I get very lazy in the winter and don't get thing put where they need to be, one pile is the Christmas decorations.
I'm off to get some new spring pictures to post, have a great day.
Today's Quote:
"A canter is a cure for every evil."
Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881)
Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881)
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