This is Carrilee's first winter (as an adult) for taking care of horses in the winter. Over the years, she has made numerous comments similar to "yikes who would want to take care of horses in February." So, I thought it would be cute to cut and paste her facebook notes about serving her horse lords throughout the month of February. Here is a sample of her notes. She also picks up a new barn friend through the winter and this is intertwined through the notes. Grab yourself a cup of tea and start down at the end of this post if you want the chronological effect in the correct order. I think it is going better than she expected (for now!)
Carrilee's Facebook Comments in February about horse husbandry:
Near the end of February, 2013;
It's hard to clean the barn/paddock when one horse is pulling at the rake handle, the other is very obviously asking to go for a ride (we did) and a kitten is batting at the tines of the fork, playing with the hay wisps and pooping in the paddock (emergency scoop job, Willow would NOT like to step in THAT!). Lots of happy interruptions making this a happy horsey day. And SO much sun for SO long, wooohooooo
- How is the little Cheshire cat doing today?
- Carrilee Eddy she was SO funny today. I didn't see her in the morning and wondered where she was. Late this afternoon there she was meowing at Mister, rolling in the hay. So cute!
- Carrilee Eddy Willow watched her poop in the paddock and then turned to look at me. If she had eyebrows, I'm sure she would have lifted one at me!
Another time in February:
Both Mister AND Willow backed up two steps tonight so I'd put their food dish down. I didn't have to say a word - that's the first time they've done that. Realized that I work in there, looking and touching them every so often and smiling the whole time. Even in February! I think the word is "revel"!
And, Another time in February: I look out towards the barn when I hear the rain to see them looking at me. "Ah, could you please put some fresh hay inside 'cause it's um, like raining all over us and see, we're all wet and pathetic-looking." Done. heeheehee! Still happy in February.
I was taking too long inside the barn so kitty came to tell me so & ran back to the fence. So I took a little break, sat down & she came over & rolled around in the leftover hay. Willow came out to have a look. Gave her a few nuggets of food - she came so close I could have touched her. Later, while walking to the hay building to put food in her dish she kept stopping & rolling - I touched her tail but that's as far as I could get today!
That time in Feburary:
The little kitten waited until we were pretty close before hitting the bricks tonight. He doesn't seem as good lookin' as Radar but that may be an unfair comparison considering the living conditions! He eats/drinks under the hay building and we think he's been sleeping in the wood building.
February 11 - FB Note from a concerned friend (Tammy) to CarriLee:
Since you're in clean-up mode today, I couldn't help but think of you when I saw this :)
February 9, 2012
Just finished the supper, hay & water top-up and MAN it's still so windy out there. Willow loves it - from inside! - comes out all happy & high-steppin'. Mister comes out just the same - ears pinned back so far you can't see them until I laugh and then they pop up for a second. Both backed a few steps when I asked even with that snow blinding them.
Last water/hay run for the night and that little kitten came to the paddock gate again & yelled at me for food, wind blowing the snow all over him. Gosh. Runs away when I come toward him but he stayed while I put food in his dish under the hay building even though he put on his best "mean" face.
February 8, 2013:
Well, little kitten, I'm not sure what you wanted tonight when you meowed at me so much and even came under the paddock fence towards me. You ran away each time I came over to show you where your food was. But I put some water out too, just in case that was it - better hurry and have a drink before it freezes! You are very cute, look a bit like Tidal Treasures' Radar, feel free to cuddle up in the wood building, hay building or the barn. Sorry Willow didn't vouch for me when you two had that conversation - I think I'm still on probation.
February 7, 2013
ooooooo it's cold out there this morning! Inside is where they want to be just now!
February 6, 2013
a beautiful sunny day - Willow & Mister stayed outside all day and I found three flattened "nap spots" in the snow.
Feb 5, 2013
can appreciate the benefits of deep litter bedding just now. The wind is having fun making big drifts just where it can laugh at my efforts to struggle through with a wheelbarrow or buckets of warm water. It could be worse, I could be horseless...
February 1, 2013
standing by the door this morning after feeding horses to say the usual "have a great day"s and my boy says, "who smells like barn?" and looks at his sister. "It's not me" she says. I smile proudly, tell him I love smelling like horses. He smirks & says "you smell of horse FECES, not horse." Fine. Have a great day!
January 2013 - Original FB Message to a new found barn friend:
Thank you for leaving me the dead mouse in the paddock. I'm guessing that since you didn't eat it you prefer cat food so I've left you a dish of food under the hay building. I've put a bucket of food in the building so I'll keep feeding you and you can keep catching mice for me. Please don't put any kittens in the hay in the spring, I don't need any.
CONGRATULATIONS CARRILEE THE END OF FEBRUARY IS HERE AND YOU STILL HAVE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOUR! GOOD LUCK WITH MARCH!
You are some major kind of wonderful, Lynn, to have taken the time for this! My sense of humour is still strong and yours is one of the many qualities I love about Tidal Treasures. Bring on muddy March!!
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