Welcome to Fern Valley

Here in central Alberta prime farm country,my husband Martin and I work together raising beef cattle and Appaloosa horses. Fern valley appaloosas have long been known for their quality of temperament conformation and color.I have recently rediscovered a love of writing and have published 2 collections of poetry. "Telling Tails" and Tails Trails and Campfire stories" . I look forward to a future spreading my wings as an author and as a horse woman .

Sunday 31 August 2014

Wheres Winston ?What I have been up to, wasps ,and why you should always carry a pocket knife

So I am doing this post a little back to front , then back to the front again .K? got it? lol 
Well starting with this evening, Martin and I went out to  check some fences and move cows, Winston and Skeeter of course came with. So while Martin was stapling wires I was taking pics .

 I do adore this handsome fellow! 
 rolling in the peat to get a good smell on him 
 checking out new territory (well new to them ) 

 Last night was a little family BBQ , I had a nice big pork roast so I invited my sister and brother in law, and family , though only Dee and her sweetie were able to attend of the kids, and also my cousin Kirk and family (Kirk and Amber , as well as my sister often have me over for supper when Martin is away so its nice to return the favor) 
The kids Emily and Kyle loving on Winston 


 A nice evening for a fire 

 Dessert, my sister Heather's famous rhubarb upside down cake, she gave me the recipe, and frankly the ingredients as she was working and did not have time to make it for me (note to self, ask sooner) It turned out fine, but I like it way better when she does the baking 

SO back to earlier in the week, Martin is home this week , going back tomorrow, so we spent a lot of our time together , but last Sunday before he came home I had a visit with Mel! 
 It has been quite a while since we had time for a good visit so I was quite pleased to have the afternoon to hang out with her . 
Just before she left , I got stung by a wasp, again! That would be 3 times this year alone (probably have only been stung before this maybe a half a dozen times ) I was irritated, but ,well it is what it is , well by Tuesday I had been stung 3 more times , in different areas of the farm , and once in town, I am starting to react a bit to them , with itch swollen sting sites and a distinct loss of my sense of humor! 
We have now spayed the living daylights out of all the nest we can find, and also gotten our old bug zapper  out and placed it near the house. On top of that we bought these little rackets that zap them so its kind of like Bug badminton! There is something very satisfying  about nailing a wasp that is bent on stinging me with one of these, there is a snap and a spark and NO MORE WASP . Sorry if that sounds  barbaric, but I am done with them . I am a live and let live girl to a point, I have clearly hit that point! 

I have had a a few more inquiries about Wilder, and a couple people lined up to come see him, some were suppose to come this weekend buy one had to reschedule, and the other apparently stopped one place before coming here and bought that horse. Still lots of interest in him so I think once the right person comes to see him he will find a home .Then there is Tango, he to will find a home (if he survives ! )
Went to move them tonight and the "kids were running up and down the pen like their bums were on fire, well Tango didn't make the last corner and sort of half jumped half somersaulted over a 5 ft fence! landed on his back,  breaking one board in the process, but I thought for sure I was watching my colt kill himself! He landed in the mares pen but they were luckily on the far side so they weren't there to add to the drama, I quickly went to open the gate and it was chained and tied. This is why I say carry a kife, I needed to get him on the right side of the gate quickly and frankly my hands were shaking to hard to try untying the string so I cut it whipped the gate open and walked him calmly back in . He seems OK a little shy and shook up, but moving freely so we will see how he is tomorrow.Hoping youth and resilience are on his side 
Ad to that , I have someone interested in Debs mare Peps, and found her tonight with a nasty gash on her side! Sigh , she will survive, but its going to be a little challenging showing her under saddle ofr a few days! I may have a glass or six of wine tonight! 
Anyhow all's well that ends well I hope and I am looking forward to a new week , hopefully the wound will heal nicely and Tang  will start dancing with all four feet on the ground again!
Meanwhile friends Stay safe!

8 comments:

The Dancing Donkey said...

Nothing like a youngster trying to commit inadvertent suicide to liven things up! I hope your colt is OK.

kden said...

What a busy week! And I usually find myself with a "distinct loss of my sense of humor." Loved it :)

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

Maybe Tango is saying that he wants some gymnastics lessons? Scary. I don't carry a knife with me, but keep one in each horn bag. I should keep one in my pocket. Sorry about the wasp bites. That would sure put a damper on being outside, because it's not easy to evade wasps.

Shirley said...

Janice says to put up fake wasp nests, it keeps the bug-ers from building nearby. I had a string of solar lights that were orange paper lanterns that look kind of like wasp nests and no wasps built near them, worked good til Amber decided it was a chew toy.
Sounds like Tango is in the wonder year! Glad he is ok, that must have been scary- bet visions of broken bones were running through your mind.

Ami said...

The wasp thing is horrible. I am so sorry!! I hope the little bastards leave you alone from now on!!

As always, posts featuring Mr. Winston are my favorites. :)

Cut-N-Jump said...

I have one of those racquets. Mine has D size batteries in it and Yes they do fry things. Used it many a times on flies and wasps and mosquitos and, and, and... No worries about sounding brutal to me. Those nasty wasps had their chance.

I hope Tango is ok. Sounds like he should be, but with a healthy dose of 'slow your bad self down or this is what happens'. Still though, watching a horse go ass over teakettle is pretty scary.

Cake (or any dessert for that matter) is always better when someone else makes it. Didn't ya know???? That one looks tasty.

C-ingspots said...

I would have been shaking too! Sure hope Tango has no issues from his fall...hate those end-overs!

Crystal said...

Wow what a day! Tango geez watch for fences! And that cake looks soo good, I never got any rhubarb this year I am feeling left out but Neil is happy, lol