Horsie Conspirarcy to make me Nuts

Clarion's legs are both doing better. The swelling had gone down considerably in the probably snake bit leg and there has been no further tissue necrosis.
So, since that was doing so well, Dreamer got kicked in the front leg by Sedona. And the kick wound goes clear through the skin to underlying tissue which means I have to clean it twice a day & really watch it. I am hoping we can escape without antibiotic use, but that remains to be seen. At 24 hours this morning, it is looking good but it is too early to tell.
Sedona got moved this morning. Dreamer has been dominant over Sedona but Dreamer is getting old (28 years) & Sedona is pushing. Neither one can quite maintain dominance over the other & that makes problems. I am sure that what happened is that Dreamer went to move Sedona off some hay & that Sedona let go with a kick while moving away. It is a situation that won't get better by itself & could end up fatally for Dreamer. So Sedona got moved. She is not happy about it, but will get over it.
At least, the weather has dropped back to lower heat--mid 90's & into the low 60's at night. That makes a big difference for me when I am out there doctoring a horse!

The Late Summer, Too Hot Blahs

I'm still around, just haven't had anything to say or photos to post. The weather is hot and I've had about enough of heat. I haven't been riding for a couple of weeks and won't start again for another 2 to 3 probably.
Both handymen are back in action. Senior Handyman is putting up screening in the big gap between the barn eaves & walls as wildfire protection. He found a good place to buy the screening that is used in the security screen doors & that is what is going up. This will stop flying embers & sparks from blowing into the barn & setting the hay on fire. This is something I have wanted to do for a while but never had the spare money. I decided I would never have the spare money so just get it done. The screening was reasonably priced; the labor is the expensive part. It is nearly done. Not-So-Senior Handyman is back in action now & is working hard trimming the snow damage from the pepper trees. Yes, snow damage, from way back in February. Other things have taken priority here. He is also cleaning up the chamisa, AKA greasewood, from around the pepper trees and the pump house. That really needed to be done for fire safety.

Horses doing good. Clarion has 3 troubles right now and 2 are mysteries. I am not sure if it is wishful thinking or not, but I think I see some improvement on one mystery. If the other mystery is indeed snake bite, well, that is just going to take a lot of time.

Ah, well, this too shall pass.

The '59 Caddy Septic System

I was chatting with a friend the other day. He's a realtor & told me a story from the late '90's. He had sold a place and the buyer's bank required a septic system certification. After fruitlessly looking for the thing with shovels, a backhoe was hired in & started digging. He got a call to "come see this!" and saw the most amazing septic tank ever seen.
A previous owner of the place had dug a really large hole and pushed into it a 1959 Cadillac--tail fins and all! Then the waste material pipe from the house was run into the Caddy's trunk, the windows rolled down and the whole thing covered back over. The solids stayed in the car and the liquid flowed out the rolled down windows.
Ingenious, yes. Up to code?--not hardly!

Snubbers Lives On!

This photo was taken Feb. 1987. Snubbers (Ryegate Nubbinette) is on the left. Her daughter, SSM Bessie Nekomia (by Quietude Westward) just had a filly! A full Lippitt filly to carry on the line. Bessie looks a lot like her dam; I haven't seen her in person since she left here back in '99 (or '98 I don't recall for sure), but I've seen photos and she still looks a lot like Snubbers. Snubbers looked a lot like her dam. Bessie's two colts have the look also. I'm sure that this newest filly will also have the look.

I am so very pleased.
I still miss Snubbers. She passed on Dec. 2009.

The Reindeer Dog

So I'm opening my store yesterday morning and a very pretty and elegant little dog trots by, with no collar or leash, followed by her person, a guy in a motorized scooter chair thing. The dog was something I don't often see--a Basenji cross. I'll note here that my family got a Basenji back when I was in 4th grade, which was the early '60's, when these great dogs were still rare in this country.
This dog had the red Basenji color with Basenji white points, short Basenji hair, and Basenji look. She lacked the wrinkles in the forehead and her tail was not curled tightly over her back but was Basenji shape & length. She was shorter then a pure Basenji and not as deep. I figured her for a Basenji Chihuahua cross, which I have see often on Petfinder; someone in So. Calif. is breeding this cross.

I approached the guy and commented on how pretty his dog is. He beamed. I then asked what sort of dog is it? He proudly replied "She is a reindeer dog."
Pause, while my brain attempted to comprehend this fact.
I guess I looked puzzled because he then added "Think of the color of a doe in the forest. She is the same color."
My brain still could not grasp this. So I said "I asked because she looks like a Basenji cross to me."
He got huffy and said "She is a Reindeer Dog!"
I decided that this conversation had run its course and told him again how pretty she is and how she so obviously enjoys going out with him. He beamed again and said what a great dog she is.
As I walked back into my store, I said to myself, "Reindeer dog, my foot. I still say she is Basenji/Chihuahua cross."

Crackers

Crackers, my Amazon parrot, died Sunday morning. In typical bird manner, he showed no sign of illness until he was extremely sick, and then died shortly after.
I've had him 18 years and do not know his age. He was given to me by someone to whom he was given because they did not want him anymore. He came with no information.
It wasn't supposed to end this way. He was supposed to live a long time yet. I'll miss his raucous ways: the way he would make the dogs howl by squaking in just the right tempo & pitch; the way he always was happy to talk with me; the way he muttered "ruck you ruck you ruck you" under his breath (he came with that); the loud cries at both ends of the day; the way he imitated the ravens; and all his other things.
Fly free, my friend and enjoy being with other parrots, eating your favorite foods, making dogs howl, and talking with humans when the mood hits you.

Happiness is

having both my handymen running the Swisher string mowers in the weeds. They got a lot done & now I can actually see my property, instead of 3-4' high mustard.