Sleigh Rides and Star

Tonight we did several rides. I had some family come up for a ride and to see where we work. Dylan was there. Our friends the Mahoneys came over and brought Dylan a signed Andrew Weibrecht card. They went to the celebration in Lake Placid, NY. We weren't super busy tonight but met some very nice people. When it is slower we get a chance to spend a little more time with the riders.

Star's bag is HUGE!! Much bigger than this morning Will keep you updated. She acts so uncomfortable...understandable!!

Corn Picking No More

Today we went to Melrose, NY (near Albany) and bought a corn picker. That means I won't have to pick by hand anymore! It is tractor drawn but 25-30 years old. Seems to run good. George can't wait for the snow to drop so he can try it. It was wider than the trailer so they loaded it with one wheel hanging off the side of the trailer. Thankfully, our trip was uneventful. It rained almost all day and seemed to rain the hardest while they were loading. I sat in the drivers seat so I could back the trailer under the picker when told to do so! That was the best seat to have under the circumstances.

Star is still continuing to bag up but no waxing of the teats yet. Hopefully not much longer. My camera is ready...just hope she doesn't wait until I leave for a few minutes. I had a donkey do that one time. I kept checking her and watching her with the binoculars. She was acting perfectly normal so I ran into town and was gone for less than an hour. When I came home I looked with the binoculars and she seemed to be preoccupied with something on the ground. Sure enough, she had her baby in that little bit of time. They can't be trusted!!!

Snow, Snow and more Snow

It's been awhile since I've had the chance to update.

First, there is no baby yet! She is bagging by the day though. Barn is ready for her and we will start bringing her in at night. Will keep you posted.

This past weekend was a busy one. We were wrapping up President's Week and glad it is over! A new friend, Hugh, his wife and a friend came with us just for the "fun" of working with the horses. Hope they had a good time. My mother and Dylan came with us too. Dylan worked and played hard. He was falling asleep in his plate of pizza at Pizza Hut!! Maybe in a few years he will do some of the sleigh rides for us.

Today we got alot of snow! I LOVE snow! I went snowshoeing this morning with the dogs. Picture is of Bella (Newfie/Saint) sound asleep on the couch with the cat. I guess she can't play with the big dogs and ought to stay on the porch...or should I say couch!!

Then I made a snowgirl. I haven't done that since my girls were little. The snow is perfect. If you haven't made one lately this is your chance. I wanted George to help but he wouldn't. I wanted one big enough to have to use the tractor but he said, "NO"! I finally got him to come out and take a picture. Oh well.

Life's Crazy Moments

Yesterday we took our Amish friend,Dan,home. We stayed for lunch and his mother served water buffalo. You may think, ugggh, who eats that but it was pretty good. It sure beats fried pig brain!!! We were there one night after they butchered and ate dinner. It is hard to see because it was after dark and they only have kerosene lamps to see by. Everything is passed around the table and I took a bit of everything. After I ate most of the food on my plate the boys asked me how it was. They proceeded to inform me that I just ate pig brain!!! I really thought I was going to vomit but I didn't. I did quiver every time I thought about it though! Now I really check out what I am served. They still laugh at me every time I eat there.


We did sleigh rides tonight in Lake Clear. We were quite busy. Met some very nice people who enjoyed their ride. One young girl took quite a few pics and she is going to send me some of the ride and the horses which I will post when I get them.

New friends will be going to Lake Clear with us tomorrow. Hugh sounds anxious to get to work with the horses.

Star is bagging up a bit more every day. Will keep posting her progress.

Sandy, Renee, Owen and Nick were over this morning. Never a dull moment and it seems when someone is here things get quite interesting!! We had our stud Mammoth Donkey, Ty and 2 draft mares in the barn. One or maybe both mares are in heat...need I say more? I could say more but this isn't the place...you really needed to be here to appreciate the moment! Ask Sandy and she will attest to the show. Sorry, no pics available!!

Sleigh Rides and Chores

Wow! It has been awhile since I have had a chance to blog! We have done sleigh rides every day and had chores to get done. No time to update as we would get back late and I was too tired.

Star is beginning to bag up!! It's about time! Will keep everyone informed of any new progress and hope to see the birth.

Did a ride for the Hockney family and they are always fun. I drove the sleigh and then they went into The Lodge for dinner. I am posting their last years picture and if I get a new one I will post it.

Sunday we did a ride for my relatives. Christine and Gregg picked up Harriett and met at Deb and Jim's. They had a good time. Dylan was there too so I got a pic of him on the horses.

Last night we met Bob, Sandy, Renee, Nick and Owen at The Lodge. They took a ride and had dinner. We stayed and crashed their dinner. Owen is quite a ham! He went out with George and Bob to put out the lanterns. He was tired when they came back. Bet he fell asleep just out the driveway! Got to catch up on all the family happenings.

I suppose I should really try to get something done today.

Friends and Work

This morning I got a call from Pat Parker from Parker Family Maple Farm to confirm dates we will be doing horse drawn wagon rides at their farm. They are local producers of some great maple syrup! We have been working there for several years and it seems to get busier every year. If you've never been there you should put it on your agenda. The dates are 3/20, 3/21 and 3/27, 3/28. The rides are free.

Ben Clark, former neighbor and farm helper, stopped by today to visit. We don't see too much of him now that he has this fancy job...travels all over the country, makes big money, you know...lives the good life now!! I think he got hit in the head by a bale of hay many years ago and that really helped make him the man he is today! It couldn't have hurt too much because he misses farming now.

We are headed out for sleigh rides tonight. Weather is great, not too cold, so it should be a good night. I will post again if anything out of the ordinary happens.

Oh yea, Star still has no udder but is huge! She drives us crazy!

Corn Picking and Sleigh Rides

Not much to report tonight. Picked corn today and then went to do some sleigh rides. We are about half done picking corn. Hope to find a corn picker before next year. It will save us so much time. The horses love the corn. They get some every day. Met some neat people tonight doing sleigh rides.

Star still doesn't have an udder. She will probably be late but that will be better for us. Her due date is Feb 15 and that is a busy week for us so if she waits until after President's week we will be here more. Will update ASAP.

Winterfest in Morrisonville

What a busy day! We did wagon rides for the Winterfest at the American Legion in Morrisonville from 12-3, loaded the horses with their harnesses still on and did sleigh rides from 5-8pm at The Lodge on Lake Clear. Horses are pretty tired tonight. I am too.

Time to hit the sheets!

Sleigh Ride Proposal

Sleigh Rides again tonight. We did a ride for Pat's 4-H group today. Everyone had a good time. Picture tells the story better than anything I might say.

Had a proposal tonight and she said "Yes!" after she got done crying. All the while on the ride she kept saying he was the best boyfriend ever. She waited her whole life for a sleigh ride so she didn't think it was anything more than that. He did a great job planning this proposal. Some men just know how to do it!!

Time for bed...11:30pm is just tooooo late for me!

Draft Horse and Corn Picking

Picked corn again today. I love picking corn by hand...it is mindless work, like weeding the garden. It gives my brain a rest!!! What little one I have! We have about 30+ rows left to pick, maybe we are half way done. I hope to get it picked by the time we have to plant again in the spring!!

Star is no closer to foaling. No bag yet, just a huge belly. I hope to video the birth so I can post it here. It is supposed to be due Feb. 15 but I think it will be later than that.

Time for bed...5:30am comes too soon for me.