I received a phone call last week, an answer to my prayers actually. A familiar voice (though at the time I didn’t know why). We spent about an hour on the phone while I shelled my walnuts for the weeks bread orders. She was looking for expand her clientele as a riding instructor / trainer.

Since losing Tim to the road, we have not had anybody we could call upon to help us through our times of being at a loss when it came to training the horses. I’m also at a lose on how to carry Maggie and Comanche forward in their training.

After talking with Addie for some time, I decided we needed to meet. Our first meeting was canceled due to the weather. But, even that worked in our favor, as Nathan was home to also meet her today. We worked with Thunder when she got here, since she really hasn’t been worked since she came home from the trainers last year.

Nathan and Addie had a good session, and we were both very pleased with her training / instruction manners. She not only took the time to find out about our horse, but also our personal riding levels, our goals in riding, and what we want to accomplish. I can see Addie become a big part of our working stables, and adding a new dimension to Cloud 9 Ranch.

Addie, Thunder and Nathan, consultation session April 28 2012

If you are looking to increase your riding skills, or have a troubled spot with your horse, I encourage you to give Addie a call. Addie works with all levels of riders and horses and we are definitely glad that she found her way into our lives. Addie can be reached by calling 423-408-9954

Out of our original 30+ eggs from our own hens and some donated by our neighbors at Serenity Hill, we only had one hatch out. We then had to locate some others to bring home with him/her/it (we still don’t what we have). Another friend of ours located some, after I had shopped at TSC, County Co-Op, and put out a plea on Facebook.

The day the new chicks came home to Cloud 9 Ranch (4/20/12)

It’s been a lot of fun watching these guys grow in the last week. Tonight, I have learned that it is time to get them more room, as it sounds like they are spending a lot of time picking on each other. But, when I go in there to check to see who is doing what, they all just look up at me with innocence looks (you know how kids are). It’s so funny how any animal (including humans) all have that same look when they are little.  I do believe I am going to have to build something a bit bigger for them, something more like a whelping box. The tote has worked for a bit, but they are already starting to get too crowded in it.

A bigger, clear tote so they can get sunlight during the day.

I’ve also decided it is time to start weaning them from their heat light. Starting tomorrow, I found a bigger box to put them in, and brought them out to the living room during , where they get the natural light and warmth that they need. I just don’t trust our weather enough to take them outside, and beside, they don’t have their feathers yet, so would not be able to stay warm. I also need to make sure they have a way to roost, even while they are inside.

I’m ready for all my hens to get back to laying so I can start having plenty for sale again. While I like have new life around here, I also like my normalcy. I do not like having broody hens that wants to attack you every time you check on them, or give them fresh water and food.

Zac, of course, enjoyed the day more then anyone, I think. I even sent him home full of sugar for Mom to deal with. I know, not very nice of me, but it is the first time I have done that. And besides, she is the one that made sure he had his cake!

We had our first freeze since planting, and even with the use of the green house, I lost a few plants. Mostly those that were by the door. So we are going to have to figure out something there. But, for the most parts, the plants are coming along nicely. I’m just so ready to get them in their seasonal home and ready for the them to start producing! It seems they are not growing quick enough for me!

Maggie and Comanche went to their first horse show last night at Greene County Horse Show at the fairgrounds here in town. They did an awesome job and we are so very proud of them. I did manage to get a couple of pictures and a short video before my batteries died. Maggie is also earning points in her 4-H group, as she grows in her confidence and enjoying time with her friends.

Maggie takes a second place ribbon at her first horse show! You Go Girl!

I also found our first nest of Killdeer eggs out  in the field as we were preparing the field to move Comanche back over to the other field so I can work on the field #2. I’m not sure where the parents are, since they were not around doing the broken wing dance that has always warned me of the nest being near by.

Today, it is back to shelling walnuts and prepping for this weeks baking of breads and fruit pies. Looking forward to wonderful week at home where it is fairly quiet. We hope you all have a wonderful week, and will see you on the trails or in the fields!

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While the Insanity deals are pretty awesome, the Give Me More deals are hard to beat as well. There is always something for every member of the family. A lot of the deals go quickly, so you really need to be on top of this to get the best deals possible.

Check out this video about nomorerack.com and then join me in some great savings!

This is a paid post, sponsored by PayPerPost.com. All opinions are my own, and I have not been swayed in any way for my review. 

First tilled row of the new garden area

Yesterday, Nathan got the first row of the garden tilled. I really think I am going to like it up front, even if it is a bit away from the house. We also had our bee keeper bring out his stand for his hives and put that in place. Really looking forward to having the hives, and helping the garden along. Even if I am allergic to bees, I know enough to not swat at them, and they will pretty much leave me along. Just have to go find some unscented shampoo, conditioner and body wash now.

Location where the bee hive will go. Just hope the horses learn to stay away from it lol

I spent this morning cleaning up a portion of the first row, and putting in some strawberry plants. I’m not sure if I have the Ever-Bearing plants or the June-Bearing plants, or a mix of both, since Nathan and my granddaughter mixed them all up when we moved them from the barn to the garden area. Oh well, I guess we will find out!

I have some bush beans in the new green house, and they are going pretty strong. Almost ready for transplanting to the garden, and they will go in next to the strawberries. They will probably go in next week, once they have had a chance to grow just a little bit more.

Next week agenda is going to include  baking some Pumpkin and Zucchini Bread, and I’m even going to make some Jalapeno Jelly!  I might even try to make some Pumpkin Snack Pies (if my pie press from Tupperware will ever get here)!

Our Girls have been doing a fine job keeping us in fresh eggs!Brooding Hen, she is such a witch!

Our new green house. Still has a little bit of work, but I'm using it already!

We have had two sets of geese return this year. Really looking forward to seeing some babies!

Our herd is really enjoying the later days, cool evenings, and greener grass!

well, that is all I am going to bog you down with for now. I’m off to get some more pictures, and enjoy the day outdoors. I will post another update soon!

Kitchen Table, and this was AFTER we cleaned it off so the kids could eat (then we messed it up again).

My desk in the Living Area, somewhat a bit more organized then it was

The worse mess of all! This is my office desk, currently being used as a catch-all as I organize for donation, yard sale or giving to the kids.

What I do know, is we are moving the garden this year. Which is why I need to plan a new garden. Our layout from last year will no longer work. We have been taking the manure from the stalls to fill in the old garden. Our new garden will be closer to the front of the property, with better drainage (we hope), less chance of wash outs, no chance of “waste” washing down from the pastures (a GAP requirement) and I’m hoping to get a small shed put up for a road side stand!

First, we need to move the round pen and fence off half the field. We will keep it small again this year. Just your basic veggies will be grown. I do have some seeds that I saved from some pumpkins and cushaws that we bought last year, and will try planting those.

Since I am no longer working out at John Deere (disappointing as it is), I’ve been doing some yard saling to raise funds for the garden. But first, I have to pay to for my Dr’s visit. ($140 per visit). And with no insurance, that gets hard to pay. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to raise the funds for this next visit. So, hoping I will be set for at least a couple of months before I have to go back again.

I have a site over on Yardsalr.com where I have a few items listed. I did find a local group where I have been doing most of my selling. This is the money I will use to fund our garden. This has been a good way for me to clean out my old junk, and raise some money. I haven’t even hit the barn yet. I still have things that are in the house that I am listing.

*update on Dr’s appointment. All tests came back with good numbers, except my cholesterol, not high enough for meds, but getting close. So, now it is time to get that under control before I do needs meds.

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We made a quick trip to Mom’s just after Christmas, and returned on Dec 30. We picked up a few things that she wanted to get rid of. Like a small chest freezer that now sits on my front porch so I don’t have to go all the way to the barn every night. We also got a wood chipper that will come in handy when we go to clean up our woods out back, allowing us to make our own mulch for the garden. And a few more pieces of family history, that I am really looking forward to digging into.

We took Boo Boo with us, because we thought she would get along great with Mom’s dog, Winston, and that Winston would like the company. That didn’t work out like planned. While we were able to have both dogs in the house at the same time, we couldn’t really trust them. They are both dominate dogs, and both wanted to own the place. Boo Boo was protective of me and Nathan and didn’t like Winston around us. So, they never really got to run around together and play. We just didn’t want to take any chances. Luckily, Mom has her whole 5 acres fenced in with the back yard to the house also enclosed with fencing. So, any outdoors time was spent in separate areas.

Boo Boo And Winston

Even though it was the end of December when we were there, Mom has some wonderful flowers blooming. So, grabbing my camera, I shot these, just because I want learn what my new camera can do.

On the way home, we found a nice store that had an area to walk your pets. Boo Boo went totally crazy when she saw the dog statues by the entrance arch, but quickly checked them out and then went about her business. There were picnic tables for us to enjoy our lunch, a chain to tie her to, and even a dog house she could go in. I wasn’t really too keen on the dog house, since it looked like it had not been cleaned in a while, and you never know if the animals before you had any diseases such as Parvo or anything else.  But, it was a good place to rest, let Boo Boo strectch her legs, and us too!

It was an uneventful trip home, and I, for one, was glad to get back home and start the new year.

Story Continues in next post.

He’s a beauty too!

Easily a 20 pound bird! Nathan was off work last week, and spent three of the coldest mornings out in the field. The first day, the birds came in behind him, and he didn’t see them. The second day, he didn’t see them at all. So, he decided he was going to set up a separate blind, and see what that would bring. As you can see, it brought him his prize! Now, Nathan is NOT one to send any text messages on his phone, but he was so excited he just had to text me at work! He wants to take the tail, wings and beard and get them mounted. Which is fine with me, but I have no idea where he will put them once they are mounted. I’m sure he will figure something out though.

We also got 4 more hens over the week he was home. But I didn’t get my coop extended yet. So, it is a little tricky introducing the two flocks. I have had the new chickens inside a large dog crate for the past couple of days, so the two flocks could get introduced. Today, I let my original flock out of the coop, and opened the crate up so the ones in there could get some roaming time. The trick will come tonight when it is time to put the originals up for the night. I’m debating about leaving them out for the night. But then I have to worry about them finding another laying spot. And I just got them trained to go back into the coop during the day and using the nesting boxes inside the house. So, we will see how things go tonight.

The days have been gorgeous around here, and the nights are cold. We have had a couple of nights down in the 20′s this past week. The horses have their full winter coats in and are looking good as we head into winter.  The dogs are back in the house at night. Grayson’s hip is giving some trouble this season. I only hope it does not get any worse then what I have seen so far. He’s getting ibuprofen at night to help relieve the pain.