Well, this week has just rolled by and it seems like everytime I sit down and want to write all, I really want to write about these days is the horse, riding the horse or training the horse.. and no really, how many times do my readers want to read on the same subject, its not that other things are not happening, cuz they are.. counters full of squash, tomato’s coming in, elderberry syrup and tonic being made, potato’s ready to be dug..

Everything is growning, rabbits that are at harvesting age, geese that are at harvesting age, lambs getting huge, the calf outgrew her baby collar and is now wearing a yearling colt halter (on the smallest fitting to be sure) she has horns that little angel darling.

My oldest hounds are needing more and more daily care and move slower and slower, there are extra steps and help up and down, there is heated beds and gentle massages and slow, slow yard walks to help them limber up.. the younger hounds on the other hand need and adore their runs, the purrpots are all enjoying the lazy days of summer, but the moles, mice and rats don’t much care for them..

The sad breakout day for the baby bird pen hangs over me like a dark cloud, because they got out and because the parents dragged those poor wee new babies all over the farm, despite me putting out water dishes, and trying to get them back from the tall long grasses from the food forest, with no luck at all.. we lost one out it the wild during the day and then We were able to carefully round them up and get them all into the pens again, within 24 hours, we lost five more despite bringing them in the house and trying to save them.. Seven wee keets gone because the door got open, what a lesson and loss that was.. thankfully the older keets all handled it fine and they are growing, growing..

The four chicks are a interesting mix of colors, black and white speckled or red and white speckled, I am so so hopeful that all or most will be hens, but really the odds are 50% but that never works out on the farm.

The pork went out, and what a big job that was to get it sorted for the buyers, have had three reports back on the pork to date and have heard nothing but that its yummy, so I hope that the rest find it so as well.. That leaves us with Miss Gilt (who is sold to a friend as soon as she is confirmed breed) Kermit the hog and Miss Piggy.. Miss Gilt will move to her new home in late oct or early Nov, Kermit is going to the butcher late fall and of course Miss Piggy is staying on the farm.

Girl the cow is coming in heat but I am missing it and she does need to get breed again ideally on her next heat if possible, she is a very good house cow.. pleased with how that turned out for sure. I will admit that If I could change just one thing, I would want a cow with a little more cream in her milk but the truth is, I don’t know if she is lacking in cream or if she is really, really good at holding cream up for her daughter.. could be either..

The hubby is doing well, he has another short story coming out this fall, and has a amazing story or two in to be considered, I will be shocked if the one story does not get picked up..

Health-wise, we are both doing well, Dh is under 200 pounds and is in overall very good health at this point in his life, to which I am super pleased with, I am mostly recovered in my knee, (well until I push it, and then it remains a weak spot at this time) but I am doing strength training, I am losing weight on my riding, which is the most awesome way ever, you get to ride and you get to go down on the scale.. fab!!

I will be heading to alberta for a while in oct, its my dad’s 65th birthday, and It will be a interesting trip, partly in central alberta, partly in northen B.C. and northern alberta, travel and family.. don’t know how many updates I am going to be able to do while on the trip but Dh has promised to do at least a few for you and when I have net access, I will do the same.

Well now that you are caught up on the past week and bits here and there.. lets get down to this challenge, its a challenge in the sense of
a) I need to get back into the habit of writing again daily, not just looking at the screen and being at a loss of words.
b) a fellow blogger is doing this challenge and it seems a good one, Its dead simple, eat off the farm, of course with the season being what it is, I certainly will not stop prepping for winter and can and will buy things on sale and put them away but won’t eat them in the month..
c) It would not hurt anything to have a no spend month for sept either..
d) Lose weight-called ride my horse.. (see how I snuck that in there.. lol)
e) I will take photos every day of the farm life and share at least one per post!

Between these three, I should have something to write about each and every single day! I have weighted myself today and that weight counts as the start point, I will be reporting on that as well..

Jason snapped this photo of me the other day, I was about to go riding, but its a special one to me, you see that overshirt, that shirt is one of four that are so so special to me, they are Maeve shirts, by that I mean they were the shirts my mom went shopping for after I did the evec flight from Yellowknife to Edmonton for cloths and so that shirts is one of just a few that I worn when I held my daughter while she was in this world with us.. I don’t wear them much but somehow it felt right to bring this one out and start using it now and again while I am riding..  It reminds me of my family, of my roots..