Life in May

Life is in full swing here at Girasole Farm. 

Remember the ORCHARD we planted several years ago? It's finally getting big enough for us to reap the benefits of fresh fruit.  Plums, Pears, Peaches, Nectarines, Apples, Persimmons, Pomegranates. 

We've added chickens to the farm this year. 

I can hardly wait for them to start laying eggs. 

Ah yes- the staple of the Farm, horses. 

The 'boys' are doing well, and are fulfilling their duties as field ornaments. 

It wouldn't be home without them. 

The vegetable garden is small again this year, using the four small raised beds from last year. 

Just the basics, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Isley & Jalepeno peppers, Radishes, and some Carrots. 

The rest I need comes from our local farmers in the area. 

Everything else at the moment seems well here. 

The Girasole Lady

February Sunshine

Typically during the month of February there is always a 'spring-like' week. 

It's filled with warm temperatures and lots of sunshine.

During last week, and so far this week, I have spent many of the days outside.
A little gardening, and pitter patting around, enjoying the fresh air and warmth of the sun.

The sun shines through the windows in the morning

 I love the way it casts shadows.

 Everyone enjoys the warmth of the sun

 the kitties and the horses.

Wyatt (red horse)  and Wiley (black horse)  had both been laying down in the sun that was streaming into the barn stalls, Wiley got up as soon as I wanted to take a picture of him.
The horses are all Wintery looking.
I remember the days when we used to show horses, always kept them blanketed, keeping lights on out at the barn so they wouldn't grow that long Winter coat.
Now we just have regular old horses, no blankets, no lights.

The sun peeking into the Hay stall.

Implements waiting to work the ground in the Spring.

Birds nest from last Spring & Summer.

I've been looking at seed catalogs & reading my gardening books.
Planning out the Summer garden.
The days are getting just a tad bit longer now.
This afternoon I went out to trim and working up a flower bed, clean the front porch, clean the barn, and when I came in for the evening it was almost 6 O'Clock.

We're expecting some rain by Thursday, back to Winter.

I've been not so much at the computer, and am very behind on catching up with my bloggy friends.
I'll get there...

The Girasole Lady

The Almost Everyday

Here it is Thursday.

So much for the every day in December challenge. 

I should have said "almost" every day of December. 

Tuesdays I help out a friend at her office, and yesterday... well yesterday just went to 'Hell In A Hand Basket'. Does anyone say that anymore? 

It was all fine in the beginning.  The morning started with a DEEP cleaning of our bedroom, then scrubbed the bathroom, sorted out some cupboards in the kitchen, and a took care of a few loads of laundry. I left for town about noonish, just to pick up a few things at the store, and didn't make it home until after 3 o'clock! 

Really- what happened? I have NO idea. 

I ended up getting some bright idea to stop at a few places for Christmas shopping, which I might add turned into a lose, lose idea. 

You know, I'm really just not a public shopper. I'd much rather shop on-line, where no one is breathing down my neck in the isle and trying to shove themselves by me. 

Seriously people... come on... we're all in this together. BE NICE! and SMILE. 

Oh- and another gripe....

(and before I state this, I love my dogs, cats, and horses very much)

but... the past several times, in both Walmart & Raley's,  I have seen people bringing their dogs into the store, putting them in the basket. 

I have an medium sized dog, Mini Aussie, is it ok if I bring him into the store with me? Or does the dog have to fit in the basket?  Tell me, what is the criteria? 

That's it! I'm making him a Service Vest so he can accompany me to the store. 

Or how about-I just bring my horse(s) with me to the store next time? 

Would anyone mind? After all it is my pet. Oh- and I promise to clean up after it! 

Besides, think of the money I would save on gas if I just rode into town on the horse. 

As Caveman always says, "Horses need to be fed every day whether you use them or not, as opposed to 

the car that doesn't need gas if it's not being used'. 

I'm guessing he has a point there. 

 

Alright- enough ranting. 

Today.... I'm still crafting items for the craft fair. Therefore, my dinning table looks just the same as the other day, well actually worse. So bad, in fact, that I have to re-organize it before I can even start working again. 

Saddle up Cowboy, I'm a comin to town.

The Girasole Lady

The Story Of A Barn

The cow pasture is straight out my back door, past my own grass and garden. 

It's the first thing I look at when I get up in the mornings. It's towards the East, so I get a good look at the sunrise every day.  

It's chilly and breezy outside this morning, 56 degrees. I needed a flannel shirt. I have several old flannel shirts. This one belonged to my daughter Kristina, when she was in High School, she's 31 now. It's thin and soft, and perfect for the slight coolness in the air this morning.

As soon as the horses hear the sounds from inside in the mornings, they let me know they are ready for breakfast. For the most part the boys are very patient, and I don't have to rush out the back door to the barn first thing. 

The back of the barn faces East.
The front of the barn faces West.

Years ago, when I was first deciding where to place the barn, I walked around with a spray paint can and marked several different areas, to help in choosing the best location. At the time there was little shade out here, so in the end I decided to face the barn West and East. I knew the horses would get evening shade from the barn itself out back, and morning shade from the porch overhang. Sheltered from the sweltering Summer sun in the Summer, and sheltered too from the South rains, and cold North winds in the Winter. 

Along the front of the barn I planted 4 Purple Ashe trees,

which are now big enough to shade the entire front porch all afternoon from the West sun, so now the barn porch is entirely shaded all Summer long. The Purple Ashe trees shed their leaves in the Winter, which makes for a nice sunny spot on the porch and helps keep the stalls warmer on the colder days. I have small patches of seasonal grass just off the ends of each porch side, that I keep watered and  green during the Summer months. 

Did I just hear someone say my horses are spoiled? 

I bought my horse barn from 

Barn Masters in Corning

I pretty sure they go by another business name now. 

Buying the horse barn was a surreal experience for me. I was scared and excited all at the same time. 

I'm not gonna lie- it was expensive, and it was the first time, being on my own, that I made such a big decision. It was just me and my girls at home at the time, Caveman and I were divorced.

 I'm so thankful my girls were nothing more than supportive and encouraging during every step. Not too mention we were all excited to finally get the horses home, after years and years of boarding. 

I picked out the color of the walls and the roof, style of doors- front and back and the type of railing I wanted. 

I remember driving home and just thinking to myself, wow- I just bought a building. 

Ray's Concrete was hired to pour concrete for the porch and stem walls for the barn. I then waited patiently for the next 6 weeks for the barn to be delivered. It looked pretty weird to see this large concrete slab in the middle of my field. I had many friends wonder and ask me, if I had just  put a concrete "patio" in the middle of my field. 

The barn arrived at the dealer, and they called to set up the installation, I'll never forget the day... 

I was sitting on my porch swing, watching a dream come true. My dear friend, Whitney (also my employer at the time), shared the experience with me, like so many other experiences as well. 

Whitney, if your reading this, thank you. 

Into the field came a large flat bed truck with all the pieces to the barn, and several workers. 

It was assembled like a giant puzzle. 

By mid-afternoon I had a complete horse barn in my field. 

Over the next few weeks the girls and I worked really hard at putting up fence panels out back of the barn, and stall mats inside the stall floors. Goodness- that was HARD work. Those stall mats are so heavy, and some had to be cut to fit!!!   

(I wish now that I knew about blogging back then. I'd have to scour around for some pictures.)

Blogging is a good thing.

The Girasole Lady

Sunday Barn Chores

 Sunday afternoons the horse barn gets a deep cleaning for the week. Makes for lighter cleaning chores during the week. No matter the day, or how crummy the weather,  there are barn chores EVERY night and EVERY morning. Yes-it's true-be it 5am or 10 pm, light or dark, rain, wind, freezing cold or blazing hot. EVERY day, as in each 365 per calender year.

The horses are spoiled! When they get fresh new shavings they roll in them like pigs in mud. I wanted to capture them frolicking in their pine shavings this afternoon, but seems they are a little camera shy.

Proof with shavings on Wyatt's back....

Apparently Wiley is more interested in the camera.

Hay has been stocked in the barn.

I love a barn full of alfalfa.

Then we eat...

Wiley likes to bury his head in his food. He is a neat stall-keeper.

Wyatt is a messy stall-keeper. He prefers to throw his dinner all over the floor.

For the most part, horses have their own agenda-EVERY day.  Good night.

The Girasole Lady