Welcome to Christmas Decorating in the Rockies!

I am struggling to write this morning and I have no idea why. I'm in good shape for Christmas, I anticipate some time in the sewing room finishing the last Christmas project, and then I will spend the rest of the day wrapping gifts. Easy peasy. No stress.

The Yuletide Challenge for the day is "winter scene." Two words. Two words! And yet my mind is blank.

I've gone though lots of photos and the only one I felt was horsey and wintery was one I'd already posted recently in a non related blog post.

Back to searching through pictures. And then  I came across Mountain Mama Jessica's western pine tree on her from porch. Perfect!

The tree sits on a vintage apple crate from our family orchard. That crate is from the 1940s and possibly earlier - a family treasure. (I have one, too, that I use for displays at living history events occasionally.)

The tree is covered in woodsy ornaments and the beeswax ones I have been making for their family the past couple years.

I have several snowflake molds but this is my favorite.

The bison is difficult to make so I don't make too many of them. But it is also suitable for someone living in the west.

Santa Moon and Stars (a favorite of mine), and a Pegasus. (I will ask her if she wants a replacement for this one. I have not seen any other beeswax ornaments go pinkish like that.)

Mother and Child, the one I gave her this year and the other whose back is facing the camera is a howling wolf on a ridge, another tricky one to make.

And that's a glimpse of winter when you live in the Rocky Mountains!

GLC and Pony Pics!

I learned yesterday that a lot of you follow the links that I post. How? Because my phone began going off with notifications from readers telling me that one of the links in the Indy Blooms post was to last year's show. The link has been corrected, my phone has quit going off, and thank you to all who let me know!

Today is the first show of the year for the Great Lakes Congress folks. Sadly, I am here at home. I rarely go to the February show - too often there is ice and snow, either here or in the Chicago area, and I don't like to drive (or walk) on ice. So naturally, the roads where I live are dry. 

Barn Buddy Kelsey is judging, so maybe she will have some time to share some photos. She's really good about that but I admit, I am still sad to not be there.

Speaking of sharing photos, though, Kelsey did share some of the herd recently. This is her mare, Dolly. Isn't she beautiful?

I love this one of Sultanna and Two Socks!

She's only 9 months old and already Two Socks is about Abby's height! (Wonder who knocked those bars down?)

Hokey is wintering well, just like the rest of the horses. And look at that straight roof line! Tim did such a good job on replacing the foundation of the barn and repairing the rest of it.

Here's a comparison picture - see that bowing roof and the splayed doorways? So much better!

I will get back to the shows in Indiana tomorrow; two shows are in the process of sending me information and I'd like to have that before I write about their shows.

Stay 'tooned!

Where's Abby?

Wondering where Abby is? I haven't written about her much recently for several reasons - weather, James' passing, and some health issues on my part. But she's fine; even if I don't get out to check her daily, Tim does, so I don't worry about her when I can't get there.

Yesterday, despite a heavy snowstorm earlier this week, I decided to go see her. Often in the winter I drive around the northeast and northwest pastures as I approach the barn.

That gives me some idea as to where the horses are and if I can get to them - always a consideration for me in the winter. Yesterday when I braved the roads, the heavy snow had been plowed or melted, but there was still ice left behind to negotiate.

The hay rack is in the northwest pasture and I couldn't see any horses there, so I knew they were probably in the barn. If that was the case, then seeing Abby would depend on the states of the gravel lane going back to the property entrance and then the second lane back up to the new barn.

I got stopped at the first lane - a visit with Abby was not going to happen. I do not have four wheel drive, and I knew from experience that getting up the hill to the new barn, if it was icy like the property lane was, would be difficult and with a good chance that I'd get stuck.

Drat! I pulled back onto the country road and headed back home.

I may try again today, but we had more snow yesterday and expect some this afternoon, too. It may be more than a couple of days before I see my girl.

I miss her!

Abby, Mini Dandy, & a Song

I haven't posted about Abby and the herd for a while but they are fine. They have transitioned to hay, the old barn is finished enough for them to use, and life is good. 

We have entered the time of year when actually visiting with her is difficult. While we have only had some light dustings of snow and no ice thus far, the hay rack is way out at the far western edge of the field.

I don't like to hike that far out on frozen or muddy ground, and I hate to whistle and call Abby up just for a couple of peppermints. So the times that she is up by the water trough when I come out are very sweet during the winter.

Two Socks' ears make me laugh - they are so fuzzy!

This is her first winter and her body is definitely preparing for it!

Craig and I both have been feeling a little under the weather. I haven't gotten my horse tree up nor have I made my usual holiday scene with Little Lynn and Circus Girl.

I do have some green and red ponies up on display, complete with two sets of sleigh bells made by Jennifer Buxton.

On a sadder note, I have misplaced Mini Dandy. I've looked everywhere for him to no avail. I sorted out two closets last weekend and threw out tons of stuff; I'm concerned Mini Dandy may have been tossed, too. I went through the trash that is still inside the house but didn't find him. I'll keep looking, but my hopes are dwindling.

I'm still not feeling 100% so I will close. Before the Christmas Card of the Day, though, here is a fun song called 10 Days to Christmas by Ho Ho Hootenanny that you may enjoy. If clicking on the photo doesn't take you to it, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1augtG1dEKs

Christmas Card of the Day

The First Snowfall of the Winter

 Winter has finally arrived in Indiana.

After unseasonably warm weather in the 70s clear into mid November, the temperatures have finally dropped and are more as they should be this time of year. 

I don't mind a little snow (or even a lot) once in a while.

It's the ice that comes with snow and cold weather that I dislike. 

Ice makes it difficult to take Pepper out for a walk, let alone go out to the barn and see Abby or run errands.

But that's winter in the midwest and Craig and I choose to stay here rather than become snowbirds and head south.

Hope we don't regret that choice!

 

So Much for Spring

So much for spring.

Yesterday morning we woke up to winter's last (I hope) huzzah.

Pepper still wanted to walk across the street to the park and play frisbee despite the snow that was still falling.

But after just a few throws, she was ready to go home. So was I.

When we got home, I took a few snaps of my stepping stone garden.

All my flowers are up but they were snow covered and cold. I hope they still bloom!

The snow melted and was gone by evening but then the temperature dropped again.

This morning as I write, the temperatures are very cold with the wind chills even colder.

Here's hoping Pepper doesn't feel like playing frisbee this morning - the temperature is 13 but there are strong winds and it feels like -9. Brrrr!

I'm looking forward to that warm up on Sunday for sure.

More on my Vintage Club Cooper tomorrow. I am still working on photos and the more I take, the more things I discover and want to write about.

Stay 'tooned!

Storm Coming In

 It's winter and so you expect cold, snow, and even some ice.

We haven't had a lot of snow and what we have had has been light.

But according to the forecast for next week, we are expecting a monster snow and ice storm similar to one  that hit when I was a teenager. That storm dumped almost two feet of snow and I remember struggling though that heavy snow to feed and water the horses.

We couldn't get our cars up the hill to the house for days and had to park them by the road at the bottom of the driveway.

I'm no longer the person who has to get out to the barn and feed twice a day. But that doesn't mean I am not watching the weather and thinking about how the horses will fare if we do get that storm.

A heavy snow coupled with ice does mean that I won't be able to get out to see Abby until the snow melts and roads and lanes are plowed. 

Due to the very cold temperatures we are having, I was considering skipping today's barn check. I know Tim will be out and let me know if Abby has a problem.

But I am reconsidering that. Cold temperatures don't keep me from getting up the lane in my car or hiking out to the pasture like snow and ice do.

I'd better see my gal while I can, especially if the forecasts are correct and this big storm does come through.

Fall is Here

 Fall has arrived in Indiana.

Most of the corn is dry and ready to be harvested.

Soybeans, too - the beans from this field by the barn have already been harvested.

Tim has been doing some fall clean up around the property 

and getting it ready to be hauled away. 

Despite the dry conditions Indiana has been having, there is still forage in the pastures and Tim hasn't begun feeding hay. But that time is coming soon.

We have plenty of hay put up - rectangular bales in the hay mow of the old barn and round bales lined up along the west pasture. But next year, that may change.

The hay field and home adjoining the property is for sale. Tim harvests that hay field and keeps part of it in exchange for his labor. Whether or not the new owners will continue the arrangement remains to be seen.

We are prepared for days like these,

But I am not ready for them.

As Winter Settles in

 After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, winter has settled in around us.

Currently we have a beautiful, heavy snow on the ground and I love looking out my windows and seeing that pristine, white snow that has blanketed everything.

Across the street from our home is a park with a lake and pavilion. I take Pepper down there every day to let her run and play frisbee.

As a Seeing Eye Dog, she came with two sets of boots for her feet. When she was in harness and guiding, they protected her feet from hot pavement in the summer and snow and ice in the winter.

Now she prefers to go barefoot, but I will put them on her when the temps dip below 10 degrees and we are outdoors.

As beautiful as the snow is, it makes it difficult to get out to the barn, even if the roads have been plowed.

The round bales (you can see them if you look just above Abby's withers) are stored out at the very western edge of Tim's property. There is a feeder next to them and the horses spend a lot of time in the field by it.

I dislike making Abby walk all the way up for a couple of peppermints. But by the same token, neither do I like walking out to her - losing weight has made me far more mobile, but my balance is not very good. Add in uneven ground covered with snow and ice, and it's more than I feel up to doing. 

I'm still getting the house put back together from our family Christmas - the tree is down, most of the decorations are back into their tubs, and I'm just about ready to go back to writing, sewing, and embroidering.

I've been invited to enter a couple of photo shows, but those are on hold for me until I finish putting away Christmas - I don't like to begin a project when another is still incomplete.

One that I can't postpone is that I volunteered to judge the china section for the January Great Lakes Congress photo show. I have until January 15 to judge and then submit the results to Chris Wallbruch, the show secretary. 

There is plenty to do around here, but as winter settles in, I sort of do, too, and don't get as much done as I normally would.

I'll give myself another day or two of relaxing and puttering, and then I'll resume my normal busy routine. (And I'll make myself a mug of hot chocolate and get busy on the GLC judging today.)