Preparing Apache's Back Paddock

While Apache enjoys the main paddock, her favorite paddock is at the far west end of the property. There are several tall pinon trees inside that paddock for shade as well as my neighbor's barn alongside the shared fenceline. Apache likes hanging out there with her 3 horses and 1 alpaca.

But there was a lot of dead and overgrown juniper and pinon trees that needed removing before I felt comfortable letting Apache into that back paddock after having her right eye removed.

So, I spent a couple days clearing and cleaning up the back paddock using my Corona saddle saw, Fiskars folding saw and a pair of trimmers.

The following photos show the before and after efforts of all my hard work.    

Before

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 After

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Everything that came off the trees that I trimmed! I made quite a big pile, which required several trips to the transfer station where they sent it through their chipper to make mulch.

Sunday Stills ~ Barns

 

This week’s Sunday Stills Challenge is Barns.

We have a little barn. It’s not a typical barn in the fact that it’s only enclosed on 3 sides for the animals and hay storage. It’s more like a shelter in that regard.

But we do have a nice sized tack room, although now that our electric isn’t working due to some evil, destructive gophers, the tack room is difficult to navigate around in because it’s so dark. I have to feel around in there like Helen Keller to find anything. It’s too bad the people who built this barn didn’t put in a skylight, then there would be natural light in there all day.

We added onto our barn’s roofline after we moved in, because the barn builders didn’t take into account that the roofline didn’t adequately provide enough protection for any animals when it rained or snowed. The first winter we were here, we only had our two llamas and anytime it snowed, even though they were in the barn, they would be covered with snow. So, we added on another 8 feet to the roofline, and it has made a huge difference.

Also, if I had planned this property in the very beginning, I would have placed our house up at the top of the hill, and the barn somewhere in the middle and closer to the house, because as it is now the barn is at the top of the hill and the house is way down at the bottom.

This placement makes it very difficult when the ground is covered in ice, snow or mud. It was especially frustrating during the first winter after we moved in, and our pipe running to the barn froze and burst. We had to haul water up twice a day, up that long hill.

Not to mention the views at the top of the hill, from the barn, are beautiful! I can see way out, past the mountains, towards the Eastern Plains from up there. But I doubt that the llamas, goats, sheep and my horse appreciate that view as much I do.

Gee, this is turning into a gripe about my barn, isn’t it?

Really, I’m grateful to have my own barn, but you know how it is. There are always things we’d change given half the chance.

(This is a photo of our barn, taken from the upstairs of our house. Taken last month. Sorry about going into my archives)

 

(And this is a photo taken recently during a foggy morning. This is an old, dilapidated barn about 5 minutes from our house)

Wintery Wednesday

 

This isn’t actually our first snow, as we did get a dusting last week. This is our first ‘real’ snow this winter. What? It’s still Fall, you say? Naw. Take a look around. I think it’s safe to say that Fall is long gone.

 

(Photo taken from the barn looking down the hill at the back of our house)

This is the first thing I saw upon walking outside. This is a very wet, heavy, sticky snow. Not good.

It took me about 15 minutes just to shake off all that heavy, sticky mess from the bird netting on top of the coop. It got ripped in some places, so I’ll have to do a few repairs so that the hawks and owls don’t fly in for a poultry snack. Of course, I’ve got some time. The chickens are wise enough not to want to spend anytime outside right now.

 

The animals were happy to see me walking up to the barn to feed them.

I especially enjoy spending time in the barn just listening to Baby Doll and the llamas, goats and sheep munching their hay while the snow falls just outside. It’s such a warm, cozy, peaceful feeling.

It’s even better now because I have my little Dobbie girl to keep me company, too.

While out and about recently, a woman saw my little Dobbie girl and recognized her. She happened to be on duty just after my Dobbie was rescued in Albuquerque through Animal Humane and then sent to Santa Fe for her Vet visit and spaying. This kind lady shared with me me some things about Dobbie that they didn’t know at the Edgewood Shelter, where I adopted her a few months ago.

Apparently Dobbie was a Puppy Mill dog from the time she was conceived and had probably given birth to at least two litters by the time she was two years old and was rescued from that awful situation.

I highly doubt that Dobbie’s ever even stepped in snow before she came to live here, which explains how worried about it she was at first.

I had to carry her outside and find a fairly clear place for her to pee this morning, but then I encouraged her to follow me around while I took care of the chickens and other animals and she quickly took to running and playing in the snow, like a puppy. 

 

I also highly doubt that Dobbie has ever been around horses, goats, sheep, chickens or llamas, but she’s always well-behaved and polite around all of them and I never have any trouble with her, except for her icky habit of trying to eat the horse and llama poo.

 

So she doesn’t mind when I hang out at the barn a little longer taking photos of…….

My horse munching

 

And goats playing 

 

While my llamas beg for cookies.

 

With Catlinite looking so cute, I can’t say no.

 

And elegant banana ears dusted with snow.

And horse transportation that almost looks cozy and pretty enough to grace a holiday greeting card.

 

(No. We didn’t add those “clever” words to our horse trailer. The old owners were nice enough to include them at no charge when they sold us the title)

And if it keeps on snowing for the next 24 hours, like the weather folks tell us, our wire fence will change from looking like a lovely white wood design to looking more like a wall instead.

Barn Siesta

I know I'm not the only one who loves to spend time in their barn with their horses and other critters. I think I also understand why many us of prefer hanging out in the barn over being in our own house.
The barn is a peaceful, quiet place. Watching the critters go on about their business eating hay, chewing cud or napping is so restful. I've been eyeing up several places in our barn where I can install my hammock. This way I can enjoy a siesta with the critters, too.

Barn and Tack Room Tour

Pony Girl recently did a blog post asking her readers to show their blogging spaces. And it was alot of fun visiting fellow blogger's homes and trying to imagine them sitting at their beautiful desks and reading fellow blogger's blogs and publishing their own.

So along with that same great idea, I am asking fellow bloggers to share photos of their barns and tack rooms. I'm sure that some of you have probably already done this before on your own, but I hope everyone will join in and post a link or let us know you've posted barn and tack room photos.

So, to start the show, here is a slideshow of my barn and tack room. Remember that you can go back and click on individual photos after the slideshow is over)

Barn Tour