An update!

Sorry no pictures.  I haven't had time.  Things have been a.... ****storm at work lately and it's had me extremely stressed.  I've barely read anything and I'm way behind on my October reading update, but I'll get it up this weekend.

I just wanted to update you on everyone really quick and to say I'm sorry I haven't been reading blogs or blogging lately.  I've been working a lot of over time and when I'm not working I'm cleaning house and doing chores.  I haven't had time for anything lately.

First up, the horses (and donkey).  Everyone is doing fine.  Chrome's injury is coming along well.  They are fat and happy and ready for the cold weather (which we haven't had yet, it's been a very warm, very dry fall).

The goats are doing great.  We've bred Coral to Crockett.  Jasper has moved out into the big pasture with the horses, Rebel and Yankee.  He's doing great and getting big.  I'll have to get pictures soon.

Jackal is doing great.  He hasn't had any neck problems after being weaned off of the drugs.  We are still working on his weight and gentle exercise.  As recommended by the vet he is not wearing a collar or being walked on a leash, which means he's pretty much stranded at home which sucks... I'm thinking of getting a harness, but it absolutely can't put any pressure on his neck.  I'd appreciate any recommendations.

The cats are doing well.  Gray Kitty is fifteen this year and she is really showing her age.  The other cats don't like her so she's been living on the screened in porch and inside full time since late summer.  She spends the day on the porch while we're at work (with her own heating pad) and comes inside at night.

OrangeJello is doing well and still rules the roost.  We got Emi, Shadow and Pharaoh spayed/neutered last Tuesday which is such a relief!  I was so afraid Emi would end up pregnant before we could get them in.  We had the appointment scheduled for a month (that's how booked they stay).  They are all healing up well and doing great.  I have to get pictures of the kittens.  They have grown SO much!  Pharaoh is really starting to chunk up and is looking like a tom cat.

Jack, my squirrel, is doing fabulous!!  He lives on the porch during the day in a double decker condo (I'll post pictures sometime, sorry I haven't been posting the ones I promised) and sleeps in a smaller cage inside at night.  He is almost four months old now.  I never imagined I would have a pet squirrel, but I love him so much, even if I am constantly covered in scratches.  Those claws are sharp!!

The dove is doing great too.  It took her a while to adjust to being on the porch with all of the activity as opposed to in the chicken coop, but she's slowly figuring it out.  She's still skittish, but we're able to give her free run of the screened in porch (not at the same time as Jack because he's a brat lol) so she can fly, bathe and get some exercise.  We just wait for her to perch at dusk to catch her and put her up so it's minimal stress.  Everyone is coexisting well on our zoo of a screened in porch.  Jack and Gray Kitty had a dispute, but now they are fine together.  They both stood their ground, but didn't hurt each other and now they have a truce where they ignore each other haha.  They are NEVER left alone together unsupervised though.  Jack and Jackal basically ignore each other now although Jack does vault off Jackal's back sometimes hehe.

Hubby and I are doing fine as well.  I'm having trouble adjusting to working so many hours (man those part time jobs spoiled me haha) and everyone is sick at work right now (so of course I'm stressing about trying to avoid it before my favorite holiday), but it will be okay.  I'm going to try to figure out some things to prioritize my time because I really miss all of your guys.  I had to mark all of your blogs as read... I'm really sad I don't have the time to go back and get caught up.  I hope you guys will let me know in the comments if there is anything important I missed (or link the posts so I can read them).  Thanks for sticking with me in my absence.  I'll try to post more, but for now I'm going to hit the hay.  Night!

Our Garden

This is how our garden started a month ago...

Below is two weeks ago....

 Below is yesterday and today!!

 Waist high or higher in spots!

 That's all with just rain and natural fertilizer (thanks Chrome!)!  He only had to start watering it this weekend because it's been really dry all week.

We've already harvested fifteen pounds of zucchini, yellow squash and cucumbers as of tonight!  This is the only picture I have of it though because we've been sharing it with my parents and grandparents and he's been eating it like crazy.  I'm holding out for the watermelon, acorn squash, butternut squash and spaghetti squash!

I just made him write a list of everything he planted... here it is.

Turban Pumpkin
Golden Acorn Squash
Delicata Squash
Waltham Butternut Squash
Spaghetti Squash
Pink Banana Squash
Green Cushaw Squash
Sweet Dumpling Squash
Candy Roaster-North Georgia Squash
Seminole Pumpkin
Upper Ground Sweet Potato
Yellow of Paris Pumpkin
Amish Pie Squash
Other miscellaneous pumpkins he can't remember what he planted....
Cocozelle Zuchini
Yellow Straightneck Squash
White Pickling Cucumber
Mirabella Cucumber
Clemson Spineless Okra
Crimson Sweet Watermelon
Black Diamond Watermelon
Cherokee Purple Tomatoes
Bell Pepper (Cubanelle, Pimento and another one he can't remember - starts with an M)
Black Beauty Eggplant
Red Ripper Peas (seeds he's had for years that his grandfather gave him)
Genuine Cornfield Pole Beans
Field Corn (his grandfather's)
Stowell's Evergreen Sweet Corn
Beefsteak Tomato
Amish Paste Tomato
Windowbox Roma Tomato
Baby Bell Pepper
Sweet Potato (unknown variety he got from store bought potato that sprouted - 30 plants)
Beauregard Sweet Potato (9 plants)
Vardaman Sweet Potato (65 plants)
Virginia Baker Sweet Potato (25 plants)
White Hayman Sweet Potato (25 plants)
Purple Sugar Cane
Asparagus
Rhubarb
Horseradish
Birdhouse Gourd
Dipper Gourd
Loofah Gourd
Spinach
Garlic (his grandmother's)

Can you tell we love squash and sweet potatoes??  Just wait until you see our fall garden list!! Some of my favorites like broccoli, kale, etc.

That doesn't even count our blueberry bushes, gooseberry bush, muscadines, cherry tree, apple tree or peach tree hehe.

30 Before 30 - #25 Complete

I taught Chrome a new trick using clicker training yesterday!  He now knows how to give kisses!  :D  It's so cute!

Here's the video.

Direct link.

My thirtieth birthday is looming closer and I'm running out of time to finish my list, so I'm trying to cram as much into my weekends as possible!  :D

30 Before 30 - #27 Complete

Rocky is the newest member of the family.  He belonged to my best friend and she had to rehome some of her horses so I asked if I could have him and she said yes.  She is glad he went to me so she can still come see him and go riding with me.  Having Rocky also means my hubby can start riding with me!!  Rocky is small enough that he should be comfortable for hubby's sore back.  He is also a really laid back, lazy, dead head so we shouldn't have to worry about him spooking and causing hubby to torque his back.  I know there is no such thing as bombproof, but Rocky is a LOT less likely to spook than Chrome is!  You can see more about Rocky on my other blog here.

I caught him neighing hehe.

 Meeting Chrome for the first time.

I'm really excited about adding Rocky to the family.  I've ridden him a lot over the past few years, so I know him really well.  It's nice to get a horse that I already know what to expect.  :D

30 Before 30 - #23 Complete!

Yay I got to ride off property in the snow!  It was so much fun.  You can see more pictures on the full post I did on my other blog here (LINK).

Snow Day!!

 He's lost so much weight!  Yay!

Yay!!!!! We finally got enough snow to cover the leaves and ground.  :D  It's 2 to 4 inches, but there was ice under it so we got really good coverage.  This is what I've been waiting on. We had so much fun playing in it.  Here are a few pictures.  I'll be posting a bunch of Chrome on his blog.

It was so gorgeous this morning!

My parent's dog.  I love this picture!

 Jackal was playing with Chrome through the gate hehe.

Snow Pictures!

 Jackal's excited, come play with me face.

 When I call his name he whips his head around and then his body follows, so cute!

It's hard to tell in profile shots, but he's lost a LOT of weight!

I need to get better comparison pictures for you guys.

 Chrome doesn't mind the snow, but the goats hate it!

 They refuse to touch the snow/ice at all!

To get back in the barn they would back up under the eaves instead of turning around lol.

They thought so hard about coming to me, but in the end decided not to.

While I was crouched down taking pictures of the goats, Zep came up behind me.

Then he peered around my shoulder at Jackal hiding and using me as a shield hehe.

I really wish my good camera hadn't died because I really want to take pictures of the birds out in the snow.  :(  I'm getting sick though, so I guess I shouldn't sit outside in the cold.  Oh well.  There's always next time.  I hope you enjoyed the pictures of Jackal and the herd!

Taming the goats video!

I know I haven't been posting much on this blog (sorry!), so you may not remember, but I got a couple of free male Pygmy goats last fall.  They were very skittish and we could not touch them at all without cornering them.  I've been working on taming them down with the help of their favorite food (crack... um I mean corn).  Check out the video!


They get a little too competitive and excited so when they start head butting each other and get too rowdy around me I get up and walk away.

P.S.  I LOVE my new GoPro.  It comes in handy for so many things besides just sports hehe.  :)

30 Before 30 - #18 Complete!

This is cross posted from Chrome's blog (LINK).  Some of the things I chose for my 30 before 30 list are hard to say exactly when they are complete, like number eighteen which is to train a horse from weaning to the basics under saddle.  I think I can consider this one complete since my criteria was basically walk, trot, canter under saddle.  We don't have the basics in dressage done yet, but look at what we do have!  Remember this is all very "basic" not finished.  We are getting there!

Riding bareback on the road.

Riding on the road by unfamiliar horses!

 

Even a herd of Alpaca!!

Riding with other horses.

Cantering.


Cantering Chrome bareback in a halter!


Jumping in a halter and reins!


Also, he's not afraid of anything!!

 

 

 

  

 

Trotting in an open field by a huge dozer.


I think we have the basics covered!!  :D  I just have to say, raising him from five months old to five and a half years has been the experience of a lifetime!  I've loved every minute of it (well except when he would get hurt or sick obviously... and getting him gelded wasn't a lot of fun, but it was educational) and I actually sometimes think it would be fun to do again, but I don't know if I'm up to starting another baby under saddle.  The older I get the less appealing that seems lol.  I do love the raising babies and groundwork part of it though!!!  Who knows?  Maybe someday, but for right now I'm loving having my all grown up baby horse that I did everything myself with and I'm excited about our future together!