Sunday Stills: Things with Wings

This week's Sunday Stills challenge is "Things with Wings". Once again, I didn't venture very far from my home for this one. I didn't have to though! We have so many critters around here that it was very easy to find some inspiration.

Bumble bee on a blackberry blossom. Can't wait for these babies to start bearing some fruit!

Honeybee gathering pollen from a foxglove.

Next, a couple of moths that have been hanging out.

Not sure what this one is called, but i thought its color was interesting. He was hanging out on our porch for a couple of days...'till my dog ate him.

Now, this moth was a trip! I was out watering one night and noticed this brown spot on my petunias. From a distance it totally looked like a dead part of the plant. I reached towards it to pluck it off and realized that the "dead part" had legs! Holy moly! This is definitely the weirdest moth I've ever seen. After looking it up, I believe it's called "Enyo Lugubris", which means...are you ready? "Dead Leaf Moth". Clever, huh? ;)

How else would you describe it though? Again, nature never ceases to amaze me.

Moving on to birds...

I've been seeing this guy and a friend hanging out lately. He's different from most birds that we usually see around here and I'm thinking he's a dove...

Last, a photo of a cute little robin taking an afternoon bath in the pond. This is always one of my favorite things to watch...looks like so much fun on a warm day! Well, I think that's it! Thanks for stopping by! :)

Slowly But Surely...

Well, it might look as though a bomb has gone off around here, but I'm starting to get excited, because we're actually making some progress! This past Monday, Kuntry Boy and his cousin installed our sprinkler system, which is a huge project checked off our list! His dad also helped by getting the zone valves and timer all wired up. It was so nice to have their help!

We ended up with two extra zones, so we added this pipe through this flower bed (if you could call it that right now). It's capped off for now, but eventually we'll dig another ditch along the back of this flower bed so that we can have three sprinkler heads watering the top portion of that back pasture area. It won't cover a huge area, but it works out really well, because that's the part of our pasture that gets the most dry. As you can see here, I need to add some more good topsoil and do some over seeding. Oh, great...just added another project to my list! ;)

Having the sprinklers done is major, but there's still lots to do! Now, I get the fun task of backfilling all the trenches, which have to be "hand bedded" so as not to disturb the pipe too much. I only have to get dirt underneath and right on top of the pipe by hand though, then I can use the tractor to fill the ditches the rest of the way. Another project that I'm determined to get done is our pond! Finally! I plan to use some of the rocks that came out of our ditches to fill in the bare liner spots around the pond, but before I can do that the skimmer needed to be set all the plumbing needed to be in place. I've been working on this the last couple of nights and plan to finish it today. Yes!

That big black thing you see here is the skimmer. It houses the pump and has a built in filter. These things make pond maintenance a breeze! The little spot you see above is where I have started digging the hole for the skimmer. It gets set on the edge of the pond and connected to the liner with a waterproof seal. The way the skimmer is set is crucial; too high and it might dry up...too low and it might not do the best job skimming the surface for leaves, etc. Plus, it needs to tilt just a little bit forward Well, I got this sucker set last night and I *think* I nailed it. I hope. The real test will come later today. Fingers crossed.

While I've been working on the pond, I've been having to drain and refill it and during one of the drainings, these little gold guys come swimming out from the rocks. I was surprised to see them! I thought they were goners. I put them in here about a month ago, to help eliminate mosquito larvae, but hadn't seen them since the day of the "release"! And now they're back in hiding. This was two nights ago and I haven't seen them again. They're good little hiders!

More to come on the pond...it's getting so close! YESSS!!


Another thing I was excited to get done is these hose holders. I've been so sick of hoses being sprawled out all over the yard! I didn't want to mount them directly to the house, so I just set a 4x4 post and mounted it to that. Not the most aesthetically pleasing sight in the yard (why can't hose colors be just a little more neutral?!), but at least they are now being stored in an orderly fashion. I think it's the only thing around here right now that's "orderly".

Of course, Lunar is never far when I'm working outside. I just love having his company. He has turned out to be the sweetest kitty.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! This morning I will be heading to a horse event with my mom, but then it will be back to work! I'm determined to get this pond finished!!

Gettin' 'er dun!

Wacky Weimy Wednesday: Doggie Butts

Seems like whenever these two are outside playing, the only "still" shot I can ever get of them is of their butts!

See?!Of course, I was just using my point and shoot for this. I bet if I was using the Nikon and had it on sport mode it could keep up with them. Maybe.

I'll have to try it...

...because with my little Kodak, THIS is all I get!
I can practically hear it breathlessly shouting, "dogs...too...crazy...just...can't...focus..."

Off to pat my Weimies on the butt,

Honest Scrap Award

Ooh, this is gonna be a fun one! I was recently presented with the Honest Scrap Award from Paint Girl at Adventures of The Painted Creek Farm! Thanks Paint Girl! You're a great blogger buddy! :) I just love all of your posts!

Okey dokey, the rules are as follows (there are a few conditions):

First, you have to tell your readers 10 things about you they may not already know, but are true. Second, you have to tag 10 people with the award. Third, you have to let the people you've given the award to know that they've received this award from you. Finally, make sure you link back to the person who awarded you.

Here we go...

1. When I was a kid I was painfully shy. I avoided birthday parties, stood aside from the rest of the kids at gymnastics practice...I always thought people were going to make fun of me. This lasted well into my Jr. High years. One of my worst memories is from 7th grade. For P.E. we had this unit where for about 2 weeks or so we split up from our normal gym class (where I was just starting to feel comfortable) and divided into classes based on the sport that you were interested in. The few good friends that I did have were all taking volleyball. Well, I was no good at volleyball (or any other sport for that matter), but I was really interested in basketball at the time...my dad and I were avid Seattle Sonics fans. So I decided to join the basketball unit. Bad choice. I had no friends in that unit and as it turned out, the unit was comprised mostly of the "popular girls" who were really good at sports. Adding to my awkwardness at this age was the fact that I wore glasses, but I refused to wear them for basketball class. FYI: a nearsighted, non-athletic girl playing basketball = A LOT of air balls. No one would ever pass me the ball (which was fine with me). I'll never forget though, the one time that I was the only person open and ended up with the ball in my hands. I threw up a "Hail Mary" shot, knowing it had 0% chance of going in. Well, God must have been feeling sorry for his little four eyed geek that day, because I sunk that baby! Not that I could see it go in, but I will always remember how everyone stopped, looked at me, mouths agape, and one girl exclaimed, "she actually made it!" Ouch. I was completely miserable for those two weeks. Do you remember that mom? ;) P.S. Wanna hear an interesting tidbit about a girl named Patches? Even though we didn't "meet" until High School it turns out that we had actually attended a birthday party for a mutual friend in fourth grade. I remember that I had fretted and fretted over this party...what to wear, etc. I didn't know anyone who was going to be there. Well, we had to do a scavenger hunt and I remember Patches being really nice to me when we were going around gathering our items. We talked about horses a little and I just remember feeling a little less dorky since someone was talking to me. Thanks Patches! You know it meant a lot to me if I remember it this many years later! :)


2. I'm a little bit of a tomboy. Even if I was shy around others, I was always comfortable in my own skin when I was by myself. I had a lot of fun by myself! A Kuntry Girl to the core, I used to put on my stars and stripes bathing suit and go out into the pasture where I would play in the mud (mixed with manure no doubt). Then, I would get clean by "swimming" in the horse trough. I also loved riding my bike (even in the rain) and climbing trees. Although I might not swim in the horse trough anymore, I still have plenty of tomboy qualities for sure!


3. I have a very special middle name, as I am named after my great great grandmother, who we've been told held a world record for the greatest number of children who served in World War II.


4. Even though I totally have a sweet tooth, I did not get any cavities until my senior year in high school. Don't ask how many I've had since then. ;)


5. I can foil my own hair (and I'm thinking it might be about time to do so). This saves me some major dinero, as I have very thick, very long hair.


6. I am a whipped cream aficionado...don't try to sell me on the non-dairy stuff, okay? Cool Whip? NO THANKS! Give me some hand whipped, REAL whipped cream. Reddi-Wip will do just fine, too. And can I get on my soapbox here? My most favorite espresso stand in town recently switched owners and when this happened, do you know what also changed? That's right! The whipped cream on their drinks is now "non-dairy". Humph. There's another stand in town, which I have now been frequenting because the other place also did away with their "daily special". I like this new stand just as much, but they also have the bogus whipped cream. Is it just me? Anyone?


7. I love orange juice; so much that I have been known to sit down with a can of concentrate and take a few bites before mixing it up. Weird you say? Ever tried it? GOOD STUFF! I also love to make home-made orange juice floats, where I just pour orange juice over vanilla ice cream. I have to watch the intake though...can't be drinking this stuff all the time. It's ridiculously high in calories! Maybe one of these days I'll get me a juicer.


8. I started talking at a really early age (before walking) and I haven't stopped since! (Can you tell?) ;) Once I get started on something, I can talk and talk and talk.


9. Sorry Paint Girl...I have a horribly messy car. I do. It's bad. Pretty much everything else in my world is clean and organized (for the most part), but my car is a different story. I'm trying to be better. It's hard. ;)


10. Hello, my name is Kuntry Girl and I belong to Twilighters Anonymous.

Okay, I've only come up with six fellow bloggers that I'd like to give this to, without duplicating. Hopefully I'm not missing anyone...

I'm looking forward to hearing your lists!

All Horse Stuff

Pony Girl Rides Again

Musings From Montana

A Spot of Mercy

Writing and Riding

Old Centennial Farmhouse

Have fun! :)

Sunday Stills Challenge: Tri-color

I'm a little disappointed in myself with this challenge, as I did not venture far to get my tri-color photos. This week's challenge was to capture a shot that had at least three colors in it. I tried to keep my eyes peeled during the week for some interesting subjects, but kept going back to the planters on my porch.

I'm addicted to coleus and each year I have to include it in at least one container. Well, this year, I have included it in four. I can't help it! I'm drawn to it like a moth to a flame...like a mouse to cheese...like Caleb and Cabela to a steamin' pile of horse...never mind. You get the picture.

I just love the texture that coleus adds. They don't flower (well, at least you don't want them to if you want 'em nice and bushy) but this is one plant that doesn't need to flower in order to stand out!

Of course, I still do have to include some flowers and for hanging baskets, I just love begonias. My next favorite thing is this chartreuse green sweet potato vine...also a must for my summer containers. It has a spot in eight of my containers this year! Hey, when I like something, I stick with it! :)

Periwinkle blue lobelia adds a nice contrast against the green and white and peeking through in the back are some fuschias.

Hopefully I'll venture farther than my front porch for next week's challenge! ;) We'll see!

Wacky Weimy Wednesday: Life's Rough

Another tough, tough day in the life of a Weimaraner...

It must be exhausting. ;)

I HAVE AN ARENA!!

YESSSSS!!!!! Finally, my dream has come to fruition! Actually, it really hasn't been that long that I've been waiting for this, since I just got Caspian less than a year ago, but you know when you have a project that's just totally nagging at you? Well, this is just one on my list of many, but having this done (for the most part) is such a huge thing checked off my list!

May I now present...the evolution of my "mini arena".

When I had the opportunity to adopt Caspian last September, I had to immediately start planning out how I was going to contain him (at least temporarily). Then I had to execute this plan quickly...I certainly didn't want anyone else to snatch this guy up! At the time, we didn't have any fencing up. As I mulled over different ideas in my head, I eventually decided that I would build an enclosure on the flattest part of our property to contain him, with the thought being that I could add onto it (which I did) and that eventually when all of our fencing was installed, I could turn this enclosure into a riding area. It's about 60'x80'...not as big as a standard arena, but definitely big enough to get some good exercise in.

I worked my bootie off for two weeks straight getting posts set and preparing the area for the arrival of my dream horse. Unfortunately, the compost mulch that had been dumped in this area for my yard projects had to stay, as I wasn't quite ready to put it to use yet. I would have been, but my motivation to finish my yard projects got a bit interrupted when this guy came into the picture. Go figure. ;) Still, I knew that by spring I would be ready to use it (which I now am, thank you very much). It was a pain to have in there, though, because it was pretty much smack dab in the middle and the other side of the arena was completely uneven...not the best terrain for working with a green horse!

I knew I just had to be patient, though...the potential was there. In March, I started working on attaching treated lumber to the posts so that we would have somthing to bring the fill up to. This lumber will also help contain the footing. The plan was to have an excavator get started on it in April, along with some other work around our house.

Kritter Keeper, you're gonna feel my pain on this one...

We needed quite a bit of excavating work, as we wanted to remove some scraggly trees and extend our usable property a little bit, providing for more pasture space. We also needed to get our yard leveled out so that we could start installing sprinklers and our lawn (finally...now that we're in the third summer of living here!).

I ended up contracting a guy (who was licensed and bonded) to get started on the work. Well, it turned out to be a bit of a nightmare. The only thing that he was able to do was the tree removal, because THIS is the only machine that the ding dong brought to do the job:

Turns out that contrary to what he initially alluded to, this is the only machine he owns. Um yeah...perfect for demolition; removing trees, stumps, piling brush, etc. BUT HOW IN THE WORLD DID HE THINK HE COULD GROOM A RIDING ARENA AND FUTURE LAWN AREA WITH THIS THING?! Seriously?! The tracks left huge marks all over our pasture. The area that he cleared that he was supposed to get all nice and smooth is totally uneven and torn up. Not to mention there are huge brush piles left over because he could not figure out that he should pile them loosely along the bank and burn them. Instead he tried to start them on fire in huge piles full of dirt...amazingly, he didn't have much luck. Gee, I wonder why. Although, he did manage to singe one of my cedar trees in the process. Nice.

On top of all that, it was supposed to be him and another guy working for the rate I agreed to. Well, apparently, the "other guy" happened to be sick that week. Then he didn't understand why I didn't feel right about paying him the same rate. Argh...he was so dishonest. Whatever. Ugh...I can't even stand to think about this anymore.

The GOOD thing that came out of this is that my awesome friend Patches came to my rescue and offered up the services of her dirt workin' boyfriend, who just happens to have a nice, big tractor that was perfect for the work that needed to be done in the yard and arena.

Here's another "before picture" to give you an idea of what the area looked like, prior to being leveled out. And to give you an idea of the resourcefulness of my chow-hound. ;)

Another "before" picture.

Here's a "before" of the back of the arena, where the ground also needed to be built up in order to "flow". Here, I had started tractoring dirt over with our small tractor, but as you can see, there was still a lot to build up!

Here it is after the "rock star dirt workin' boyfriend" tractored over buckets and buckets of dirt that came off of our yard when he was leveling it. Kinda hard to tell in this picture, but it made a HUGE difference!

Here it is, starting to look like an arena.

Now, are you ready for the finished product? Can you handle it?

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

TA DA!!!!!!!!!! Woo hoo!!!!!!! Yipee!!!!!!

HOLY MOLY!! Can you believe how amazing this looks? It even got the approval from Kuntry Boy who was in town for a whole day yesterday. And that's a tough one...he's a picky guy! I totally can't stop looking at it...I check it out in the morning on my way to feed Caspian, check it out after work...I'm SO stoked.
I will still need to bring in footing, which probably won't happen until next year. In the meantime, I'm going to get a drag harrow so I can keep the area groomed. Thankfully, the native dirt in this area is virtually rock free and actually provides a pretty good surface, so this will definitely be a great area for getting some good training time in with Caspian.

This coming Tuesday, I have a trainer coming up to get started with us and I can't wait! I'm sure Caspian will have plenty to say about this on his blog...stay tuned! ;)