Heaven in a bowl

We brought in another five rescues tonight, bringing us up to 24.  Radar went to his new home yesterday, which is why we’re not up to 25.  One of the new ones today is a miniature horse, so does she really count?   Let’s call it 23 1/4, shall we?’

Either way,  I felt the need for a strong drink after getting everyone home and fed tonight.  Since I don’t drink, this presents a bit of a dilemma.  However, I love to eat.  Problem solved.

 

1 qt canned pears

1 pint canned apple slices

1 cup Coconut Rum

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract

flour

 

Combine the liquids and brown sugar in a sauce pan and let the rum cook down a bit.  Throw in the pears first, since they take a little more heat to get soft.  Toss in the apples and make sure everything gets coated with the good stuff.  Sprinkle with flour and mix well until you get the desired thickness.  Serve warm.

Glenn is licking his bowl and trying to make his tongue stretch to the bottom of the bowl as I type.  He wouldn’t let me get a picture of him with a spot of sauce on the tip of his nose, so please use your imagination.

Some vanilla ice cream would have been a PERFECT pairing with this, but trust me, it’s delicious on it’s own.

 

Pictures and stories of the new arrivals to come tomorrow.

Mushroom Madness

I made the mistake of sending Glenn to the grocery store by himself the other day, not realizing that mushrooms were on sale for .39 cents a package.    This is what he came home with:

 

 

He even stacked them for the picture.  But first he had to roll his eyes when I told him not to start processing them until I got a picture for the blog.

The silver lining was that all those mushrooms turned into twenty three of these with very little help from me.

 

Glenn followed the recipe all by his lonesome… and they’re actually good.  Amazing.

Warren, sorry it took so long!

 

Marinated Mushrooms

 

7 pounds small, whole, fresh white mushrooms

1/2 cup bottled lemon juice of the juice of 4 medium lemons

2 cups olive oil

2 1/2 cups white vinegar

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon canning salt

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

2 cloves garlic, quartered

25 whole black peppercorns

 

Wash the mushrooms and cut stems short.  Add lemon juice and water to cover in saucepan.  Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.  Drain well.

Mix olive oil, vinegar, herbs, and salt in a saucepan.  Add onion and heat to boiling. 

Divide peppercorns and garlic among jars.  Fill pint jars with mushrooms, add hot oil and vinegar solution to each jar, leaving 1/2” headspace.  Cap and seal.

Process in a boiling water bath canner for 20 minutes.

Buffy and the Bunnies

Babs the Americauna holds the egg laying championship belt.  That hen lays every day, without fail.  And I know it's her, because she's the one I see sitting in the box each day and there's only one blue egg each day.  The other Americauna is a selfish little hussy and has yet to lay an egg. 

One of the Silkies lays an egg every other day or so.  Her's are the little white ones in the carton.

Then there's Buffy the Beatle Slayer.  Buffy is pretty reliable, laying an egg a day for the most part.   That's one of her monsters in the back right of the carton.

 

 

The only other hen laying right now is one of the young Rhode Island Reds.  She just started laying last week and we're so proud or her.  She's been laying an egg a day as well.

 

 

You would think as often as that horn dog rooster gets some action we'd have a lot more egg laying going on in the coop.

 

In bunny news, Loretta and Travis are getting used to us -- not that we've given them much choice.  We each take on inside with us at night and let them sit in our laps while we read and watch TV.  They cuddle up right under our chins or stretch out on our laps.  The cats have investigated them and Jack thinks they're really rather tasty.  He likes to lick their heads.  Don't ask me why.

 

Random Lunch -- 03/12/09

Are they ready yet?

 

 

 

 

How 'bout these?

 

 

 

 

THESE???

 

 

Fine.  Wake me up when they're ready to go into the garden.

What a night

Since the death of Bertha truck, we've not been hauling water from town for the main herd anymore.  We opened up the electric fence so they could share the spring-fed tank with the bachelors in the back, and so far it's been handling all 20 horses just fine.  In the Winter we have to worry about the line to the tank freezing, which usually doesn't happen until the temps get below 15 degrees.  In the late Summer and Fall, there sometimes isn't enough water flow to keep it full for just three horses.  But in the Spring and early Summer, the spring is overflowing with water and the tank is typically overflowing as well.

Not anymore.  Either the line is clogged or busted at some point because after we brought home more hay rolls yesterday I checked the tank and there was about an inch of water left in the tank.  It was so low that only the long-necked giraffes like Junior and Kita could reach it.   We loaded the water tank onto the trailer, hitched it to Bessie, and headed to town.  Since Bessie is only 2wd, we kept the water tanks right beside the gate, up near the road for ease of access when it rains.  However, in my ultimate wisdom, I had decided since it was so dry, to take the hay rolls up the ridge to the barn and unroll them down the hill of death earlier -- my thinking was that they hay would be closer to the spring-fed tank.

We tried calling the horses to the water, but it was dark and they were more interested in standing at the spring-fed tank pawing at the mud around it.  So while Glenn took a flashlight and tried to fix the line to the tank, I took a couple of halters and lead ropes and started leading the horses to the water.   Two by two. 

I had gotten everyone in the main herd to the water by 11pm.  Glenn had gotten enough of a trickle out of the line to the tank for Quest and Stride to be able to reach it, but not Maverick.  Back into town we went for another load of water.  This load went to the boys in the back and fortunately, they came when I called them and drank their fill. 

We fell into bed by 12:30.   You'd think I'd be able to sleep after all of that, right? 

I love being an insomniac.

Wascally Wabbits

After riding Tabby and Chessy today we went to town for our monthly Tractor Supply run. I needed a new lunge line and a couple of latches and double-ended snaps, and we had a few groceries we needed to pick up as well.

We walked into Tractor Supply and moseyed up to the new rabbit cages where five little bunnies hopped around playing with each other. I was content to stop briefly, say hello, wiggle a finger through the cage, then keep going to the equine section. Glenn had other ideas. First the bottom lip protruded just a little. This is a sure sign that he's going to act like a kid in a candy store and tell me he wants something, whether he's serious or just yanking my chain.

"I want a bunny."

Right after I picked my jaw up off the not so clean floor in front of the rabbit cages, I asked him if he were serious. He seemed a bit embarrassed, but said he was serious. Well, ok then. Who am I to say no? They're cute, cuddly, adorable little critters. Of course I want one, I just couldn't believe he did.

They were also selling these cheapo little hutches, complete with a bag of food, water bottle, feeder, cedar chips, and a couple other odds and ends for 60 bucks. The 4 week old rabbits were 10 bucks a piece -- way over priced, I know. But they are so darned cute. We debated on the hutches then decided we could build one ourselves. Maybe not for less money, but it would last a heck of a lot longer and perhaps survive the cats and dogs a bit better. We got what we could at Tractor Supply, then headed over to Lowe's for lumber and screws.

On the way home, little Travis rode on my shoulder looking out the window while Loretta sat in Glenn's lap. We were completely smitten within minutes.

Once we were home, we set to work building the hutch. After a few arguments and way too much time, we eventually got it done. Or at least done enough for tonight. We still need a couple of doors, a divider, and a solid top. But at least our new little buddies are safe, with plenty of room to romp and play. Travis is the solid black one.

Random Lunch -- 3/6/09

It's a beautifully warm, sunny, and breezy day here today.  Everyone is relaxed and naps are of the utmost importance.  Especially naps taken in holes in the yard that have been dug with your own two paws.  It just gives one a sense of accomplishment, pride, and exhaustion.

Spring fever is setting in for all of us here on the farm.  The chickens are going further from the coop each day and some of the younger birds are finally starting to lay some eggs.   I used my lunch break to sow some seeds, the horses have been alternately cantering around the pasture in play and napping in the sun, and the cats have been up to no good all day.  Especially Lucifer.  The biggest, furriest, and silliest cat we have.  

He posed for this session just for you, so please enjoy the following pics of Luci.  It's not likely that I will ever see him like this again.  At least for another 10 minutes or so.

 

 

 

Chameleons

I hate it when you get 'em home and the darned things start changing color.  I have enough bays in the herd already.  Maybe he's just trying to fit in.

 

Rolling in the mud isn't the only thing the two new horses are enjoying.  Chessy made instant friends with little Maverick.   He spends half his day eating hay with the herd, the other half playing bite face with Mav over the fence.  I was leading Duchess towards the hay after dinner last night and Chessy couldn't decide if he wanted to be with Maverick or with mom.  He kept running back and forth between the two and whinnying.  When he's eating hay with mom he looks up every now and then and whinnies to Maverick, just to make sure he's still there.

Now Duchess needs to buddy up with someone so that "weaning" the two will be less traumatic when Chessy moves on to his new home.   I know one thing -- I can't wait to ride him!  Every time I see him trot or canter in the pasture he just seems to float.   Those TNW/Arabian mixes are something to see!

Saying it with Salad

I had a really crappy day. Seriously crappy. I dealt with one idiot client on the phone after another. Not only were they intellectually challenged, but they were incredibly annoying in that they couldn't shut up long enough for me to tell them how to resolve the issue. They just kept talking over me and repeating themselves. I HATE that. If you're calling with a problem, shut up and listen when you're told how to fix it. You're only making it take longer to fix if you just keep yapping.

Thanks. I feel better with that off my chest.

Glenn is home this week studying for his CDL. He'll take the test Friday, and if he passes this time he's back in school next week. So I've got to make use of him while I've got him this week. The honey-do list stretches pretty much into eternity and I'm not sure how he'll ever get it all done, but he got a good start on it today. Even though it was cold as a witch's tit, snowing, and windy enough to blow a cat away this morning he was out there mending fence, breaking ice on the troughs, feeding horses and chickens, cleaning out the trailer, and running errands.

He even washed dishes, yaw'll.

Some might think he's still trying to make up for wrecking Bertha. Or for failing the CDL the first time. Or for any thing he's done wrong in the past year and hadn't yet kissed enough butt to be forgiven. I don't care about the why, I'm just happy he's doing it.

While I was on the phone with my last client of the day and trying very hard not to throw the phone, he was making the salad for dinner.

Don't worry, be happy.

Shades of Gray

We were finally able to pick up the two new rescues today and they've added some missing color to the herd already.

Everyone, meet Chessy and his mother, Duchess.

 

Duchess is a 24 year old Arabian.  She has a large tumor on her anus and needs a few pounds, but otherwise she's an incredibly sweet horse.  Due to her age and the tumor she will spend the rest of her days here at Horse Haven Holler.  Next time Doc is out I'll ask him to look her over and make sure she's not in any pain.   Hopefully the tumor is benign, and it obviously isn't keeping her from pooping or she'd be dead already.  The family that gave her up said that she's had it for many years without problem.

Chessy is about 10 or 11 years old.  He's out of Duchess, by a Tennessee Walker stallion.   And lemme tell ya, that boy can move!  He's also very handsome and seems to know it.

 

Duchess is just too cute for words.

 

The two have lived by themselves in the same place for most their lives, so being tossed in with our herd has been a culture shock. For at least 20 minutes anyway.  Lieutenant Gentry has made it is mission to keep Chessy away from the rest of the mares.  Gentry lets them eat as long as it's not too close to the rest of the herd.  The rest of the herd really couldn't care less about the pair.  After a few minutes of introduction and cantering around the pasture, everyone has settled back down to the important things in life --eating, pooping, and napping.

I'm sure by the time we get up tomorrow, everyone will be eating together peacefully.  I'll let Chessy settle in for a week, then get on him next weekend for evaluation.   If he turns out to be decent under saddle, he's already got a home with Mandy.  Duchess will start a regimen of Equine Senior and both will go on Strongid C for awhile.  It's been quite awhile since either have been wormed or had their teeth floated, so they'll be next on the "float" list the next time Doc comes out. 

We drove four hours each way to pick these two up.   Have I mentioned that Bessie truck doesn't have a working radio?  At one point we were so bored we were trying to sing Row Row Row Your Boat in a round.  I never knew rescuing could be so much fun.