Bushel And A Peck

     Give your loved ones a peck on the cheek... and a hug around the neck.

"I love you, a bushel and a peck,

a bushel and a peck and 

a hug around the neck"

     So, how much love is a bushel and a peck?  A bushel equals 8 dry gallons and a peck equals 1/4 of a bushel or 2 dry gallons... so, a bushel and a peck is 10 dry gallons.
    
    Can love actually be measured?  No.  The task of measuring love can be compared to measuring the Universe.  And, love cannot be possessed, it comes through your heart.  God tells us how to love Him and others. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mat. 22:37, 39)  God is love and He gives us an example of love.  Love is demonstrated in self-sacrifice.  Love is not just giving, but giving up something.  Thus the measure of our love is not measured by how much we give to someone else, but how much we give up for them.

     The photo below is of the "back" of our farm, from the south side of the railroad tracks.  It is what you would see when looking north while driving down I-74.  It is where I started my search for Brother.
 

     It was a slow, lazy morning Saturday, so I did not make it to the 7 or
8 am exercise class.  Joe and I went in before noon and I walked 2 miles while he worked out. He showed me how to do a few of the weight machines, so I worked on arm muscles while he showered.

     Joe cleaned stalls for me, so it didn't take me long to get hay and water situated.  Then Kaysha and I went for a walk along the railroad tracks, looking for signs of Brother.  Our closest neighbors had not seen him.
     We went along the fields part of  the time.  Kaysha did flush out two rabbits, but no signs of a cat.  I did see a trail (path) of coyote or small dog foot prints in a muddy section at the edge of one of Becks fields. 

     Abbey has been sickly... throws up more than usual, appears to be losing weight, seems to be cold all the time and her eyes are kind of
                                                     sunken.  She spends a lot of time just
sleeping here on this chair in the family room.  Joe and I watched the two hour premiere of this season's show "Touched," while keeping Abbey company.

     I left the horses out all night knowing it would be windy and rainy Sunday and I would probably keep them in all day.  Kaysha woke me up at 4 am due to the onset of hard rain, so I went out and let the horses in.  And low and behold, there was Brother, out in the barn!  I gave him a big ole hug and a peck... so glad to see him again.  He joined Missy for breakfast. 
Now, to figure out how to keep him
hanging around here, and not wandering off.  He  has been neutered, so I don't think he has a "girl friend."  This is the third time, since Christmas, he has been gone for almost a week. 

     I fed the barn yard animals just before heading to Church to work in the nursery.  It was rainy, windy and cold.  Joe met me for Church.  Back home, we pretty much stayed put in the house because it rained (sideways in the wind) most of the day.  I decided that Abbey probably had an abscessed tooth.  She kept drooling all the time, acted like she had hair on her tongue, and her breath was rancid.  The rain stopped late afternoon so I put the horses out for awhile so I could clean stalls.  Needless to say, they came in (after dark) quite muddy.

     The wind blew fast and furious all night.  It actually helped dry up the standing rain water by Monday morning.  This bird bath and feeder were not really intended for the poultry.  But, the sparrows are always in the chicken coop eating and drinking what is out there... so I guess all is fair.







     Hercules and some of the girls... they do pick up the seed off the ground, which helps with weed control.

     I had Abbey at the LeRoy Vet before they opened and was the first one through the door when it unlocked at 8 am Monday.  There were 5 surgeries scheduled and the Dr. would not be in until 10 am, so I left her there.  I went to the Replex and did an exercise class and then walked, since I was too late for Water Lilies. 

     The sun came out by noon and it was a pretty day, except there was a wind advisory all day.  The barn cats were content to stay out of the wind and in the sun here on their shelves in the tack room.

     I got a call after lunch, that Abbey did have a bad tooth which they pulled.  The gum around it was infected so they put her on antibiotics.  She needed to stay the night because she was slow to wake up and they had her on pain medication.

     I had a little scare when leaving the barn after cleaning stalls.  I saw this (photo to the right) and thought maybe I had a sick horse. 



     As I approached, I realized it was Zorro.  I have never seen he and Roni resting together.
    

    I still wasn't sure if he was okay,   so continued to walk closer toward
the two of them.

     That was enough pressure to cause Zorro to stand up.  Roni quickly got up too.  I felt bad I had disturbed their nap but glad they were okay.

     We didn't have Growth Group because Dean was sick, but we went to the Hott's for pie because they had baked two for our meeting and needed help eating them.  We are always glad to help others out. Ha ha ha.

     Brother followed me as usual, during Tuesday morning chores.  I had taken hay to Roni, and Brother jumped in the box.  He likes to hide in the hay and then he popped out when Roni stuck his nose in for a bite to eat.  This was Joe's first day to work from home.  State Farm has gotten so crowded, that they have started doing this to free up some office space.  Joe will be working remote every Tue-Thur.  I made him a pot of coffee and we figured out how best to situate him and his work computer (in the office) and he tested the new speaker phone-like device they provided for him.  I instructed him to tell me when the thing is on and would hear me if I talked.  

     I did not hang around long, in the office with Joe.  I had to go to Bloomington for a doctor appointment, so went in early to do my weekly grocery shopping.  Then I met with my wrist surgeon.  He said my lack of movement, pain, weakness, and other problems are the result of a
                                                      hardware issue.  So, is this what
people are talking about when they say I have a lose screw?  :-/  The Dr. manipulated my wrist and you could hear and I could feel it popping. I hadn't even realized it did that. LOL  Anyway... I am having surgery Monday to have the plate and 7 screws removed.  This x-ray was taken after surgery over 15 months ago.  You can see the plate and screws that will be removed.  The metal staples you also see are long gone, but I imagine I will have more of those again.  The Dr. said recovery will not be near as bad or take as long as the first time, and I should have a better functioning wrist.  I hope he is right.  I stopped on the way home and walked for 30 minutes on Constitution trail.  It was a nice change in scenery.  Too bad Kaysha wasn't with me.  Next I went to Marj's to drop off a bag of horse feed to pay her back for one I had borrowed.  I continued
on into LeRoy to pick up Abbey.  She was full of piss and vinegar... growling and hissing.  The vet tech said she was feeling much better, to be so sassy.  She was glad to get home and rest in her box.  After a late lunch and some e-mail/Facebook time, I went out to clean stalls.  I did an extra good job and attended to some other chores that needed doing since it was so nice out.  By the time I came in, I realized I was going to be late for my 4:00 aerobics class.  So off I rushed.  After the second class, I walked to cool down and then stretched.  I was humming Zumba tunes coming home. Then I had to give Abbey her antibiotics (squirt in the mouth).  It didn't go too bad, all things considered.

     Wednesday it really felt like spring during 6 am chores, even though there was frost on the ground.  There was no wind, the air felt kind of warm, and the birds were singing.  I even noticed the swallows were back.  I did my usual Water Lilies and 2 mile walk on the track and added an arm workout on the weight machine.  Joe wasn't home when I got back, apparently he had to go in for a meeting at work.  When he did get home, he sat near by, working again.  But I kept catching myself talking to him.  We may have to put up a wall-like cubicle divider so I don't keep disturbing him.  LOL  Maybe he should tell me the speaker phone is on so I will be quiet. :-)

     The rest of my day was not very productive.  I must have used all my energy during the two hours of morning exercise.  Joe had cleaned stalls and the chicken coop so I cleaned water buckets, moved hay, and cleaned up around the barn.  Then I went for a walk out in the pasture. 


     The ever curious Zorro (seen above and left) is always the first to come see what I am up to.








Amiga just keeps eating.


Roni will keep a watchful eye on me.











Once Zorro gets bored and Roni senses all is safe, they will both start eating along with Amiga.



     Joe and I watched the 90 minute season opener of Survivor.  It is Fans vs Favorites again.  I thought some of the Favorites were more like the Worst... they tended to shake things up at camp and were annoying.  I guess viewers find that more entertaining.
   


     I have been bringing the horses in right before I go to bed.  As usual, Brother came to help with hay distribution.  While I was in brushing Roni, Brother popped up into the manger.












     This happens all the time, and Roni usually waits until Brother gets out of the way.  I called Brother over to me and it was busines as usual for Roni.  I love these two boys.


     It was a Happy Valentine's Thursday.
Shortly after breakfast, Kaysha and I went into town to walk on Constitution Trail.  I had to go in to shop for a few items, so wanted to make it worth the trip. 






     The dog really enjoyed the walk, the new scenery, squirrel and duck watching, and a drink in the creek.




     We walked three miles.






     Below is a photo of mostly male Malards that were haninging out in and along the banks of the creek.  They had been here earlier in the week when I walked this same section of trail.


     Kaysha rested in the back of my car while I was off buying a zipper, carpet, and cat food... which required three different stores.  I also ended up buying brownie mix (rather than a card for the same price) so baked that after lunch.  I added Reeses pieces in the shape of a heart and that was my "card" to Joe, which he shared.

     Joe drove to LeRoy just as I was finishing chores.  We have been going separate because I have been doing two workout classes, walking and weights, which takes over 2 hours, way more time than Joe needs.

     I cut the indoor/outdoor carpet in half and we got it placed in the office so Joe can roll around better as he is moving between computers.

     After bringing the horses in at 9 pm and giving them their feed and hay, I had another big horse scare... more legitimate than earlier this week.  Amiga choked on her hay.  While petting and talking to Roni, I heard her coughing, and went to see what was going on.  I could tell right away she was in distress.  I have seen her choke before, shortly after first getting her.  That time she laid down in her stall.  When she had plopped onto the floor, it was enough to force air out of her lungs and dislodge the obstruction.  This time it looked like she wanted to lie down, but she kept circling the stall.  I opened the stall gate, but at the same moment she partially hacked up slimy hay and saliva.  She was still stretching her neck and moving her jaws, so I massaged her lower neck.  Eventually she coughed some more and started chewing and looked less stressed.  She went back to eating her hay, so I decided she was okay.  Phew.

     Friday was my usual morning Water Lilies, walking and weights.  While in town, I dropped a coat off at a lady's house to have the zipper put in.
                                                     I worked on this blog, did afternoon
chores, cleaned around the house and then settled in for the evening to watch some of Larry Whitesell's horse training DVDs I had borrowed from Courtney. Joe was off playing cards.

     Hope you had a good week and a great Valentine's Day, not measured by what you got, but by what you gave up for others.