Taking care of the Animals on a winter day

Robin and Willow

This morning is cold, its the kind of cold that chills you to the bone as soon as you walk outside. I greeted the Horses who are always glad to see us come down because they know they are going to get their sweet grain, Badger will whinny in excitement and then bite at her gate until she gets her grain, Willow whinnies and then gets aggravated with Badger biting at her gate. While the horses eat their grain, we feed and water the Chickens, Turkeys and our flock of Meat chickens and open the door to the coop to let everyone outside. The Rabbits are next, we fill their feeders and collect the water bottles to take up to the house to thaw by the wood stove, we will take the water bottles back down to them after they thaw out later. We put the Halters on the Horses and let them out, Willow has to go first, then Badger. They get fresh hay thrown to them because there's no good grazing right now, everything is frozen.

We of course spend a little time loving the horses before we return to the warmth of the house.

In the evening we return to the barn to feed and water again, Brush the horses ( I have learned to do this in the evening because they usually like to roll during the day) We clean out their hooves and muck their stalls, then they go in the stalls and impatiently wait for us to bring them more grain and throw hay into the hay racks. We collect the eggs from the chickens and close them in the coop for the night. When it is really cold out the chickens and Turkeys get some scratch grains before roosting to help keep them warmer through the night. We give the rabbits each a little hay and say good night to all the animals.

Sometimes going to the barn feels like a drudgery to get myself motivated this time of the year ( I am not a cold weather type of girl)but, Once I get down there, I actually enjoy it, I love being with the animals, petting and holding the rabbits or hugging the horses and watching the antics of the chickens. The animals provide me with a sense of calm and help me forget the stresses of the day and they always do something that will amuse me and make me laugh, Its then that I forget, for a little while that its cold out side!

Home Made Bread!

There is something about homemade bread that is just so satisfying to your whole body! With just a few ingredients and some kneading mixed with a little patience you get something wonderful, oh and the smell that wafts through the air as you bake your freshly risen bread is just as rewarding to the senses!
and last but not least is the taste.... no store bought bread can stand next to home made in flavor and texture!

I enjoy baking bread and look forward to that fist slice, still warm from the oven with a little butter and home made apple sauce... it just doesn't get any better!
If you have never baked bread, I would recommend you try!
it really isn't as hard as you think but, I will warn you,
there wont be any left overs to go stale!

First Ice Storm for 2009

These are some pictures of the Ice Storm we got on Wednesday and Thursday early Morning, this was what we woke up too!

Ice on one of our bushes

Icy cold view from the back yard

This picture looks out of focus but, it was actually Fog!

Several people in our area had power outages due to the trees falling over onto the power lines from the weight of the Ice, we were fortunate that we maintained our electric!

The horses were upset about staying in the barn, I just didn't want to take the chance of them slipping on the ice in their current state of pregnancy, Today they are out and about but it is windy and I think they will opt to return to the barn!

We are in store for very cold temperatures this weekend and the possibility for more Ice on Saturday........ Hurry Spring!!!!!

Horse Love

The Horses have really settled in at their new home and we are all enjoying them very much!

Ryan and Willow

Ryan and Badger

They are both very healthy and the time is getting closer to them foaling, we are learning as much as we can about pregnant horses and preparing the birthing kits, Willow is the first expected to foal in March and Badgers due in April.

We have been very busy with all the animals and preparations for winter.

We also were having computer issues but now we are back and I hope to blog regularly again, I will post pictures of the horses growing belly's soon!

We are expecting!!

Well, Not me but we took our horses to the vet yesterday and found out that they are both pregnant. Willow is due around March and Badger is due around April!
I am so glad that the guessing games are over! We rescued these Horses and had no idea that they were pregnant when we got them although We did suspect that Badger could be and we were very surprised to find out that they are both expecting mothers.
Willow has mastitis and we are treating her with an antibiotic, other than that they are in good health!!
I hope to get a new camera soon and I will post pictures of our progress with them.
I guess I will need to read up on equine pregnancy, It looks like I am getting a crash course in this area!!

Its been awhile!

I am sorry that I have not blogged in a long time, it has been a hard adjustment to losing my Grandmother and then we misplaced our camera, so I am reduced for now to use my cell phone for pictures.

We have had a lot going on around here, we have done more cleaning on the property and rearranged our barn to fit two rescued Thoroughbred race horses!

This is Willow, she won 9 races in her career and won over $60.000 before a leg injury took her off the track, she has a calcium build up on her left front leg as a result from her injury. Willow stands 16.2 hands high and has a very sweet personality!

This is Badger, she stands 17 hands high and is blind in her left eye from falling into the rail during a race, we have not been able to find her race record. Badger loves her treats and trys to mug us for more!

Both horses have the famed Man O War in their blood lines and Badger also has the only horse that beat Man O War, named Upset in her bloodline as well!

We are treating willow for rain rot that she got while with her previous owner and they both have some hoof issues that we are taking care of.

They have been with us now almost two weeks and they already look forward to seeing us at the barn, they follow us around and get lots of Hugs and Kisses!

We are proud to offer these two beautiful horses a home where they can live out the rest of their lives being loved and cared for like they both deserve to be!

I will post more pictures of them a little later, hopefully I will have another camera soon!

Goodbye Mamaw, I Love You

Monday Afternoon I lost my Grandmother whom I loved very dearly and Greatly miss her already, She was like a Mom to me, she was there for me through 40 years of my life and learning to live without her will be very difficult.

She left this world very suddenly and without pain which I am so very grateful for and I know she is in Heaven with our Lord and those who went before her.

Lillian M. Spielman, 83
NOV. 5, 1924-JULY 7, 2008
Lillian Marie Spielman, 83, of Falling Waters and formerly of Maugansville, died Monday, July 7, 2008, at Washington County Hospital.
Born Nov. 5, 1924, in Hagerstown, she was the daughter of the late Henry C.L. and Inger Peterson Wolffsen.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest "Jim" Spielman, in 1993.
She was a 1942 graduate of Hagerstown High School.
She was a homemaker.
She was a member of St. Matthew's United Methodist Church in Hagerstown.
She was a member of the Degree of Pocohontas Local Council Redfeather 59 of Williamsport and past great Pocohontas State of Maryland as Great Keeper of Records.
She is survived by two sons, Gary E. Sprankle of Martinsburg, W.Va., and William H. Spielman of Greencastle, Pa.; one sister, Dana Smith of Maugansville; nine grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by one son, Robert L. Sprankle; and one sister, Nancy Stevenson.
Services will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Osborne Funeral Home in Williamsport. The Rev. Jerry L. Lowans will officiate. Burial will be in Cedar Lawn Memorial Park in Hagerstown.
The family will receive friends Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home, which will open at 9 a.m.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Matthew's United Methodist Church, 443 W. Franklin St., Hagerstown, MD 21740.

Besides the Redmen, She was also Past President of The American Legion Auxiliary, she volunteered her services in many different areas. She was a Loving Mom, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and Great Great Grandmother who found her joy through making other people happy.

I Love you Mamaw and Miss you.