Poppies

Tweet

They are one of the most beautiful flowers, don't you think. I only have this color. I plan on getting more colors this year. They look like paper.

I wish they lasted longer in the summer than they do.

I'm linking my poppies at "OutDoor Wednesday", presented by A Southern Daydreamer.

http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/

I also wanted to show you my new summer header!! After 90 degrees today, I feel like summer has arrived!!

Also another outdoorsy post is my attempt at using my little charcoal grill!! See here!

http://shirleys-world.blogspot.com/2011/05/mini-cookout-live-learn.html

Have a happy day everyone.

Shirley

It's 90 degrees!!

Tweet

I don't like to complain about the weather; well yes I do it a lot! It went from a cold rainy spring to 90 degrees and so humid you can't breath. I thought I was going to pass out in the barn today!

Since Satire, (poor boy), has to be in his stall most of the time because of his ligament injury, he gets his stall fan first.

Does he look appreciative? I was sweating a lot while doing this!!

While I was cleaning his stall today I let him walk around the barn. He likes to explore and visit anyone else that is inside. You have to keep an eye on him as he gets into trouble out of boredom. He finally stuck his nose in my barn bag and came out with the bag of carrots and apples in his teeth. He flapped it up and down to get my attention. Funny boy!

Shirley

Mini Cookout, Live & Learn!

Tweet

Attempting My Cookout!

I brought my little charcoal grill outside to the picnic table. Wadded up a couple sheets of newspaper and poured some charcoal on top and lit the newspaper. Lit it over and over as it kept going out! It finally caught.

I followed the directions on the page my sister sent me about making a charcoal fire.

Unfortunately I don't have a "chimney charcoal starter" to get your charcoal going good. Incidentally, my father made one of those from a big tin can with holes poked in it years and years before they ever came out on the market!! Why didn't you patent that Daddy!!!

My lawn is so high Ellie was watching me like a lioness in the tall grass.

I got the tomatoes and lettuce ready.

And put the corn on to boil.

The fire seemed ready about 6pm.

And I put the turkey burgers on and slathered them with BarBQ Sauce.

At 20 after 6, nothing much was happening.

My fire wasn't very hot! They were sort of "slow cooking"! No sizzle!!

(Yes, I had the top on between photos.)

I'm hungry!

They are looking better and I flipped them over.

Finally, done after an hour!! I've got to find a better way to make a hotter fire!!!

My little picnic : ))

And Ellie is still stalking the golfers!

Happy Memorial Day.

Shirley

Happy Memorial Day

Tweet

Remembering all the Veterans

Thank You

Teensy Little Grill

Tweet

The other day while in Walgreens, I spotted this little table top charcoal grill. I've been thinking about hamburgers (turkey burgers) on the grill the old fashioned (charcoal) way. Yes, I have a regular big propane grill but I haven't used it since my husband died because I don't like to fuss with that tank. Who knows if it's full or empty and I'm afraid to light it anyway! Things never tasted as good on it as over charcoal anyway.

And I know how to build a little charcoal fire!!

It's just big enough for me; well maybe for two.

If it just lasts the summer, I'll be happy. It was only $14.95 and actually I saved more with coupons that day so really it was free : ))

Yes, it's a do it yourself grill. Hmmmmmmm.

I did it. Isn't it cute. It will set right on my picnic table outside when I use it.

I bought ground turkey, onions, tomatoes, corn on the cob and sweet potato fries for this week end!

My little bitty grill!

Happy holiday weekend everyone. And a special thank you to all the veterans out there.

Shirley

A Younger Satire

Tweet

This is dedicated to Satire. We love remembering how wonderfully he moved when he was a little younger. He's 25 years old in this video. He's 33 now and is completely retired and on stall rest for now because of his ligament damage.

You're beautiful either way Satire!

(Please turn off blog music as this has it's own.)

I'll be linking up this post with Chari at Happy to Design for "Sunday Favorites".

http://happytodesign.blogspot.com/

To see more about Satire's problems see "Updates".

http://shirleys-world.blogspot.com/2011/05/updates.html

Thanks,

Shirley

Snowballs!!!!!

Tweet

Yes!! But the good kind!!!

My snowball bush is in full bloom out in the back.

I went out and picked a bouquet before any more storms completely wrecked the blooms!!!

Shirley

Updates

Tweet

Storms

We've had some bad storms around here. My daughter's home area was in a particular bad one on Monday evening. She was really scared but had everyone (her and her animals in the basement). Everything turned out OK but she was sure it was a tornado going over.

My home just had a few minor branches down. (God's tree trimming.) Lots and lots of rain in the past few days but no flooding. We are looking forward to the good weather they are forecasting for this holiday weekend!

Satire, Preacher and Echo

On Tuesday we had the vet come out to see all three of our horses. She checked Preacher's abscess, and cleaned Echo's sheath. Let me tell you, Echo was not happy about that. I've tried and tried to desensitize him so I could do it but there was no way. It took 2 injections of a sedative and he still fought it but it got done. Then she checked on Satire's right front leg. He was holding it funny for a couple weeks. Well the news wasn't good. He has suspensory ligament damage and we will have to retire him completely and he has to be on stall rest with just a little hand walking for 3-4 months. We are bummed. But we'll do anything that is good for Satire. He is getting his legs wrapped everyday for a few hours and IM injections of Adequan (like Preacher gets) to increase fluid in his joints to make him more comfortable. Yes, it's all very expensive but when you commit to an animal, at least we feel, that you commit for the rest of their lives and do the best for them until the time when they "tell you" it's time to go. That goes for any of our animals; horses, dogs, cats.

Yesterday the farrier came to put a special egg-bar shoe on Satire's right hoof. It's sad that he can't run with the other horses this summer. With his personality though he seems very happy hanging around with us in the barn. He can be hand grazed on the grass where he can see the other horses. He just isn't allowed to trot or canter or run. Of course is is 33! Actually in human years he's over 100! Now I'm in my 60's and I don't really want to trot or run either so maybe it will be OK with him . . .

Preacher's abscess is opened and has drained now so he should be fine. The farrier trimmed away a little on the bottom of his hoof and there it was too. The first opening was up along his coronet band by his heel! We are using a pad with a sugar and Betadine paste on to draw out any further infection. He is not lame.

With all this doctoring of horses and making sure everyone gets weaned onto the grass, I haven't had a chance to ride for the last 3 weeks! I've got to get back to training with Echo too because the more he runs with the herd, the more he doesn't want to listen to me!! Not good!!!

New Horses

There are two new horses in the barn which fills it to capacity. They are two beautiful bay quarter horses. (Jackson and Will) Good bloodlines and were shown when they were younger. The owners seem really nice and caring.

Shirley

Sun & Flourishing Gardens

Tweet

This post is linked to "Seasonal Sundays" at The Tablescaper.

http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

The Sun and My Flourishing Gardens!!

Finally!!!

The sun was out bright and it was a wonderful 77 degrees here. It will take quite a few of these days to dry things out but I'm just happy to stand in the sun today!

I put up a new flag!

Everything looks so wonderful in the spring!

The grass is thick and green (at least here in the front) and everything is in bloom or about to.

From all the rain, the garden looks like it should be the middle of June instead of May!

Front dogwood in full bloom.

Peony's are budding.

My ferns in back are going crazy. I also have at least two hummingbirds already.

All my animals were out with me.

Miss Ellie

Squeaker (who doesn't venture too far from the doors.)

And of course, Rocky on guard!

Hope you're enjoying nice weather today too.

Shirley

Bummer Day!

Tweet

At least it's sunny!

And Rocky is thinking it's a delightful day!

However, Rocky doesn't realize that two minutes after I got up this morning, the electricity went out!

I am not happy! NO COFFEE AND NO EGGOS!!!

Sure, Rocky gets his usual breakfast and two dog biscuits and gets to go out and play.

Me, on the other hand am just realizing that I'm trapped because the garage door is shut and won't open and some dummy locked the "man door" (me), so I can't even get in to release the garage door opener mechanism because I can't find the key!

I called and reported the outage to the electric company. It's some equipment damage (?) and should be back up about 11:30am.

Now, in the country when you lose electricity, you also lose, water and your use of the bathroom facilities. (Just sayin") Also no heat but that wasn't an issue today since I didn't think I'd freeze to death because it was supposed to be in the 60's.

About this time, Carol calls from the barn to tell me that Preacher is hardly putting any weight at all on his left back foot. Great!!! I call the vet. She is going to meet me at the barn between 3 and 4pm. I'm praying that my car will be out of jail by then!

Rocky has just noticed the garage door is down and he hears something inside. Yes, it's his nemesis the squirrel!

You tell him Rocky!!!!

Finally at 2PM the electricity comes back on and we are freed!

I head to the barn.

Preacher is not happy. His foot hurts and his herd is out without him!!!!

Here's his poor boo-boo.

The vet comes about 3pm and determines that Preacher has a high abscess around the area of the coronet band. (Right above the hoof.) It's too high to get through the hoof so I have to soak his foot in warm water and Epson Salts twice a day till it breaks open. Oh Joy!

I don't have pictures of the first soaking as we were too busy keeping his foot in the bucket!

Preacher wasn't getting the idea at first. It has to feel good though!

He got some Bute (for pain) and I will be back in the morning!

Here's Satire looking on, thinking I'm just glad it's not me and where's my dinner!

I hope tomorrow is better.

Shirley