December 23, 2019

End of Year Reflections

It’s coming to the end of the year and of course I wish to reflect on the past year. This has been a great year for me related to my career. I’ve finally found a position that I feel I can grow with and a company, Novozymes, with which I feel I could stay long term. Been a while since I felt I was in a good place career wise. That’s part of why we moved to NC! I’m pretty content and excited for what the future hold!

This year has been busy with our work around the property and finally getting around to putting a shower back into our master bath. We have been in the guest bathroom for a year now. Time just gets away and I’ve spent very little of it riding or being with the horses. I feel terrible not having done much pony stuff but sometimes the part of taking care of them…aka the land that sustains them takes over my life. Our other projects have taken a front seat but I’m tired of that and I miss my horses.




I don’t need to ride much but I want to ride regularly. I have pie in the sky dreams of trail riding and going to clinics but we need to take some baby steps. Dani hasn't been on a trailer in years and my trailer may need some work after sitting in the NC moisture. The paint job is coming undone and I am concerned the rust is coming up again. The frame may still be good but I have a conversation started with a trailer repair person that can perhaps come out and see the trailer to make a final determination. None the less, Steve and I could ride nearby off our property and that is where we should start.




We should be finishing the bathroom here soon and then we can commit to riding some each weekend. We must! I know it's not a bother to my horses, not being ridden, but I know it causes them to lapse in their manners for sure!

Steve and I have been active with our bee club and helped with getting the county fair booth organized and set up. I entered a cute miniature honey bee farm stand in the fair with Steve. He made the hive and the stand and I did all the tiny wares on the stand (actual honey jars and mini wax candles) and the display for it. We didn't win anything with the entry but I think "Decorative Item" may not have been the best category. There were some nice things entered too like a bee related stained glass lamp!




Other news around the barn is that I am determined to start working on some of the muddy areas in the wormhole (aka sacrifice paddock). It's way too wet in areas and I end up not feeding my horses in their hanging slow feeder bags because of it. That shouldn't be too hard of a task and only take a little time, I'm going to just do one section at a time and not try to take on a huge project that overwhelms.




I hope the new year finds everyone doing well!

May 21, 2019

Getting in Gear

So it's been a long while since I've been on my blog and even longer since I've ridden Daenerys.  She and Chance have been doing fine at pasture.  We've been keeping up with the pastures.  Getting new bees since our didn't make it through the winter and I've been continuing with our garden.  I have a 4 x 4 patch of strawberry plants and have been able to make several strawberry shortcakes! 

 
Our grass is doing good for now but we are in a dry spell which is weird and things are beginning to look crispy.  Still, Ms. Mare is in her grazing muzzle religiously, much to her chagrin.  We had tons of rain earlier this year thus preventing me from riding so now we have the opposite.  Goodness, what's up with this?  I started a new job in April and I actually have Saturday and Sunday off now so I get to spend time with my hubby.  I'm hoping to get him more involved with his horse, aka riding.

 
I had Erin the area trainer out to freshen up both horses for riding since it'd been so long.  She did about 4-5 sessions with them and then they were ready for me to get on.  Guess who had the most attitude getting back into work...lol Daenerys of course.  I just recently hopped on Dani  for the first time and walked around the property.  It felt great!  Steve was having issues with adjusting his Aussie saddle on Chance so I'll have to stay on the ground next time and get him going this week but at least we took a step in the right direction.
 
 
I was very happy being back in the saddle even for a small amount of time.  I want to take it slow and gain my courage again.  After having spinal surgery I do worry what will happen if I fall but my fusions are good and I have the doctors ok so I should just go live my life right?  I'm still not a speed person but I see slow trail rides in the future! 

January 04, 2019

2019 and Ponies

2019 was a bust for riding with my neck surgery but I'm hoping this year things will go a little smoother.  Currently it's been raining cats and dogs for weeks straight it seems and the barn area is a complete swamp.  I need to get both horses with my riding instructor for some tune ups maybe so I can feel confident about getting back in the saddle after so much time off.


Health wise though, they are doing well and so am I.  Hubby and I have continual projects around the house and the New Year has started out with getting things organized in the house plus getting quotes for things we want done in the house or around the property.



Here's too 2019!