Holding Pattern

     This has been a week of  waiting.  We have been in a holding pattern, a static state due to delays because all the buying and selling paper work takes time.  We have been waiting on people to make decisions, and for certain things to happen so we can move forward with our move.  

     Saturday morning I let Brother in the office with Abbey and I.  Here they are having a silent discussion, body language only.  Abbey finally walked over and bit Brother on the head.  So I removed him from her space.

     We had serious buyers come mid-morning. (Their house sold and the closing is before the end of October.)  This was their second time to look at our house and property.  We gave the place a good cleaning before they got here.  Then we worked outside on getting everything removable out of the chicken coop while the couple, with their two kids and parents looked inside.  We also picked the rest of the peaches and trimmed back the poor peach tree.  We waited (worked) almost two hours while the buyers had a thorough look at the house. 

     In the afternoon I met Karen and the Country View Stable's "crew" at Moraine View.  I went early and took Roni out by himself first.  To the right, we are going down the lane towards the camp ground and that is the trailer in the clearing.


They had three trailers with six riders.





     I started out with Roni in back, hoping that would slow him down, which it did.  But we ended up leading the group because Roni was the bravest and most willing to go first.


       Roni was also the fastest, so we would double back or turn and stop and wait.  We walked the whole time so he did great.  I did work on gaiting once back at the camp ground.  He really wants to rush this and move up to a canter.

     Joe and I went out to dinner because we were both too tired (or lazy) to fix anything ourselves.

     After working in the nursery and then meeting Joe at Church Sunday, I worked in the yard removing all the fencing that was used to keep the chickens out of all my flowers.  Then Joe, Kaysha, Roni and I went to Moraine View.












     We did one loop together and then Roni and I did another one while Joe read in the sun and Kaysha napped in the shade.

     The lamb that had been in the crock pot all afternoon smelled pretty good when we got home, and by dinner time, it tasted yummy.



     Monday morning's sunrise... seemed so late, as the sun did not break the horizon until 6:41.  In a way, our Earth is in a holding pattern, going around and around the sun.

     I worked here at my computer after Water Lilies, but then headed out to do chores.  The crops had been in a holding pattern, waiting for rain.  What little we recently got came too late, so farmers, including Becks, have started on an early harvest.

      We finally got some good news.  The appraisal for our farm and house came back.  It was 18K over our selling price, so the buyers bank will surely give them the loan for this property.  We also got the appraisal for the TN house.  It was barely over our buying price, but means we will be able to close on time, 10/4.  Now we wait for our buyers to sell their house.
 
     This is a hummingbird moth that was hovering around my flowers, in a holding pattern while feeding.  If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can see its proboscis, or tongue, down in the flower, sucking the nectar.

     While taking water out to the willow tree in the back pasture, I discovered a hole in the water way where the old drain tile had been.  So I used the tractor to grade some of the dirt mounded up where the new tile was put in, and moved it to the hole and other low places. 

     Zorro caught pestering Roni. 

     I had been waiting on Lexi to get back with me about going riding, and finally got an e-mail from her Monday afternoon.  I am holding my breath, hoping and praying she will buy Roni.  She would be so good for him, and I think he for her.  I do not want to rush her on this decision though. 



    Tuesday morning Lexi and her Mom were here by 8:30.  Lexi and I went for over an hour ride, she on Roni and I on Amga.  Roni was quite revved up but had simmered down some by the time we finally quit.  I had Lexi ride him around without Amiga and I, to see how he would do.  To the left she is going down Beck's lane and Zorro is trotting to catch up with them.





     Roni gaited nicely for Lexi coming back up our drive.  Her Mom really liked him, which I take as another positive to getting him sold to Lexi.



     I think Lexi is going to buy Roni... but before they can take him home, they need to build fence around the new pasture they just bought.  So taking him to his new home is still on hold.



     Some yard work and a nap on the lawn chair filled my afternoon.  Then I loaded Roni and went to Moraine View to ride with Lisa.  This photo is not great because it was already getting dark, which comes quite early these days.  The light in the back of the trailer was so handy when unloading Roni in the dark at home.


     Water Lilies Wednesday and then I finished watching a movie (Britney sent me) on my computer.  I had started it at 6am.  A continued dry spell required me to water all outdoor potted plants and flowers.  The mums the chickens had attacked a few weeks ago have started sprouting new flowers.  Brother drinking out of the freshly filled bird bath looks spotted because he had been rolling in dust.

     They were hard at work over at Becks all day long.  While sitting outside soaking up some sunshine and reading, Joe called to tell me that the house shoppers who have been here twice before, were coming again.  That got me motivated to get going on house and yard clean up.  My desk was the biggest mess inside, other than my wet suit and towels from my morning swim.  With the chicken coop "spotless", the corn crib was our next outbuilding to really get cleaned up.  There were also sticks, rotten pears and apples, and dog messes littering the yard.  Clean up was difficult because of all the fallen leaves which will be next to contend with.

     Most days when I move the horses to the barn from the front pasture, I practice loading Zorro on the trailer, where I feed him his grain.  So now Zorro gets right on the trailer without even hesitating.  Wednesday night I had Joe very slowly shut the door.  Zorro kept eating.  Once the door was completely shut, he lifted his head to look around (below).  I pet him and told him how good he was and he went back to eating.




     Then when Joe opened the trailer door, Zorro started to back off right away.  I told him whoa, and held his lead rope tight, and he stepped forward and started eating again.  What a good boy... I really loved on him.  Once he finished his "dinner," I asked him to back off the trailer, which he did very slowly.

     After dinner, Joe and I walked around at Becks to see their harvesting progress.  I was amazed with how much corn they have brought in. 






     I tried looking for leftover ears of corn but couldn't find any.  Beck's combine must be a lot better than Carol's neighbor's, because there was a lot left on the ground over at her place.

     The cows have been enjoying the grass and alfalfa on the front pasture and the shade provided by the pine trees.  We are leaving them out there 24/7 now.

     Unfortunately, with the interest the second buyers expressed early Wednesday evening, and the fact they needed to move out of their house by October 14th, my active mind did not allow me to go back to sleep when I woke up at midnight.  We could actually be out of here by then, but it would be a crazy ten days between the 4th and 13th.  The paper work would never get done that fast, but we could rent to
the buyers and give them early possession of
the house before closing on it.  All the ideas and dilemmas kept circulating through my brain.  I got up, read Facebook messages, made notes of things that crossed my mind, prayed and finally went back to bed at 3am. 

     I didn't rise and shine Thursday until 6:30.  The day went quickly with time spent on the computer, reading for my Growth Group lesson that I would be leading, finishing cleaning out the corn crib (seen right) and gathering up lawn items that would be going to TN with us.  


     At one point during the day, I decided to try out the bike Joe had gotten fixed and brought home.  I rode it in the front pasture where the horses were grazing.  It made them quite nervous, especially when I was going towards them.




     But I noticed if I turned and went away from them, they would come towards me, as if to chase me.  I always like to give them new experiences, to desensitize them.

     Joe had to help me load Amiga so I could take her to Moraine View to ride with Lisa.  Getting her unloaded there by myself was a real challenge.  Lisa and I had a great ride.  I was very pleased with how well Amiga did, until it was time to get her loaded.  She will get on the trailer, but then very quickly run back off it before I can get her tied.  She gets so nervous.

     Unloading Amiga at home, in the dark at 7:45 pm, left me feeling frazzled.  A beer and popcorn were just what was needed for dinner, before heading to bed.  I was not able to read long, until getting too sleepy to continue.

     After Friday morning's Water Lilies, I worked on this blog, then put together a long grocery list and headed for town.

     Abbey is trying to sneak up on the two black barn kitties.  I keep telling her she is no match for them (half their weight and no front claws) but she seems to think she can take them on.

     I have not re-filled the deck fountain since the chickens are gone and because I will be packing it up soon.  But it is a favorite spot of Abbey's, so I have left it for now.

     Three hours after going to B/N, I returned home with a car full of shopping bags and $200 less in my account.  I had not been grocery shopping in town for three weeks, so had to re-stock-pile.  I also picked up two pair of shoes on sale.  I will throw away both pairs they are replacing.


     Dan came and mowed and Valencia and I caught up on life while I puttered around in the kitchen.  Then we all went into LeRoy to move everything from the storage unit to the horse trailer.



     Joe and Dan unloaded everything into the garage and Dan went through all our "sell" or "throw away" stuff while Valencia and I finished getting dinner ready.

     We ate a quick supper.  The "boys" are not very cooperative when I bring out the camera.  At least I can catch a pretty young lady on film... and this doesn't even show the beauty of her spirit.

     Abbey will sometimes sleep in the empty fountain by the back door, waiting to be let in.  Cats have a great solution to waiting... they nap... unless they are waiting for morning breakfast.
                                                               Blogger has made me label my
new header photo.  I can't find a way around it, and I don't like how it looks.  I will be changing my Blog title when we move, and also the blog publisher and address.  Life has been good, the week productive, and I have little to complain about.  For now, we continue to sit and wait (in a holding pattern) on our buyers to sell their house, or for a better offer on this place to come along.  I'll keep you posted.

The Round Up

     With each day, as our move becomes more imminent, I have started sorting things out in my mind, as to what will go to TN, and what won't.  As for items that don't make the
"to go" list, I have been mulling over their future.

     The future of Roni has been my biggest concern.  The young lady, Lexi, who has ridden him three times now, really likes his personality, and is interested in him... but not ready to commit.  I know I shouldn't rush this, but I get so anxious about finding him a good home.  I think she would be a great owner and person for him.

    When I woke up at 5am Saturday morning, I was doing the chores in darkness.  I don't like that the amount of sunlight is dwindling.  Anyway, I noticed some things a-miss in the yard and a puddle by the tack room in the barn.  After letting the horses and chickens out, I returned to my desk to enjoy my tea.  As the sun rose, I noticed a dark figure out in the yard looking in at me.

     I could see Kabob out in the pasture, but knew immediately that Stew was up to mischief again.  He was trying to get a drink out of the bird bath by the time I got outside.  Time to round him up... and I'd like to head him out.    

     He followed me (with his food dish) right back into the pasture.  In the process of knocking over the water tub again, he had somehow pushed the gate open.  It wasn't until later in the day, that I discovered how.  He was rubbing his head on the gate and got his horn hooked on the chain that
                                                           fastens the gate shut.

     Not only did I have to set back up and refill the water tub, but as I looked around the barn and yard I discovered more amiss.  There was cow poo in Amiga's stall, you can probably guess what the mystery puddle by the tack room was, and a bale of hay was pulled out of place and coming apart.



     In the yard a lawn chair had been knock over (which I had seen earlier) this side table had been broken, and...






one of my red buds and some of the forsythia had been demolished.  Bad, bad, cow!  I also had to go around the yard with the manure wheel barrow.  It will not be too heart breaking sending him off in the trailer with Joe.

     I cut off my Saturday morning AIM chat time with Britney before 10:00, needing to take care of things around the house and farm yard.  While dead-heading all the day lilies along the drive, I got a call from house shoppers who scheduled a 6pm showing, I moved inside to get it ready.

     Courtney arrived before 1pm, we loaded Roni and Amiga, and headed down the road for Country View Stables, the new place where Zorro will be living.


     Karen (the owner/manager) had invited us to join their group for a "trail" ride around the block.   Courtney shows Amiga to Karen's mom, Rae, from Water Lilies.




     It was quite the procession... 9 horses, 7 riders and Rae in the golf cart.

     Courtney rode Amiga, (since Zorro was not quite ready for this big of an outing).  Karen below and Jennifer (one of the boarders) both pony-ed one of their other horses. 

     Amiga was pretty full of herself, and wanted to gait much of the time.  Courtney did well with her.  We mostly stayed at the head of the pack because our Paso Finos just walk too fast.  Roni did pretty well, but I had to ask him often to relax and slow down. 




     I put Roni at the end of the line-up for awhile and was pleased with how well he did.  He was calm enough I could take several photos.




     I had to fill the SUV with gas on the way home.  Once everything was unloaded and Courtney left, I had 45 minutes to get ready for house shoppers.  They spent an hour looking at everything, (even the tractor I mentioned we were selling).  As with most folks, they really liked what they saw, but selling their house or getting financing was the issue.

     I slept well, waking after 6am Sunday, and felt refreshed.  I went to early Church, shopped, unpacked once home, and then got ready to leave again.  This time Lexi came over, helped me load horses, and followed me to Moraine View.  We took our time brushing and tacking Roni and Amiga.  I showed Lexi how to lunge Roni and then she rode him around our camp site working on stops and goes and seeing how he was going to handle.  He did great!  Lisa arrived just as I was climbing on board Amiga, and then the three of us hit the trail.  I was pleased with how well Amiga and Roni did.  It was so nice to have Lisa along, with Leo, who kind of set the pace.  She also answered questions and was so helpful.

     We did some trotting and galloping in addition to talking while walking through the woods.  Roni would stand calmly, even after coming to a halt after galloping.  We had Lexi ride at the front, in the middle, and at the back of the group.  I was glad she liked how Roni did and enjoyed her ride.


     It started sprinkling just before we arrived back at the camp ground.  Getting the horses loaded and home went smoothly.  Zorro came to welcome Roni, Amiga and I as we pulled into the drive, and then...

he raced us up the drive to the barn.  I think he did not appreciate being left behind two days in a row.

     I was at the kitchen sink fixing a late lunch when a car pulled in.  I thought "Oh no, another house shopper."  But it was Megan and her mom who wanted to see our Paso Finos.  Zorro was the only horse to come up to us to visit.  He loved the attention they gave him.  By the time I got back inside, my late lunch became an early dinner, I put on my PJ's and declared the "day over."  A quick load of laundry and catching up here at my computer and it was soon bedtime, just after Joe got home from his three day golf weekend.
                                                                I think Brother must know I am in a
quandary about whether he stays or goes to TN.  He has been slowly working his way inside the house, and more and more into my heart.  I really love this cat and want to take him with us.  But I wonder if he wouldn't be happier left here?  I just don't think our buyers are big animal lovers or especially fond of cats.  I know Missy would be happier here, she is not near as social or adventuresome.  What I need to figure out is if I can keep Brother comfortably outside during the days, without him running off, and in at night down in Tennessee.
 
     It was tough putting my suit on for Water Lilies Monday because the day was cool and cloudy.  I spent the rest of my morning at my computer.  Once I got outside, I realized how nice it was, and worked till dinner time rounding up our rummage.  I was gathering and

cleaning all the stuff seen in the left photo (except Brother), that I would be taking to Carol's.

     We are preparing to start a new six week study at Growth Group that I hope we will be able to attend all the sessions of.  We are taking turns with the leading of the study, so I picked a week that seemed the most doable. 

     I wanted to go to Water Lilies Tuesday, knowing I would be gone the rest of the week, but had been up for a few hours in the middle of the night, so decided to take a morning nap instead.  The horses resting mid- morning too, out on the front pasture.

Roni in his fly mask.

     I continued organizing and cleaning in various out-buildings as I prepared to go to Carol's.  I got crates ready for the chickens and turkey and cleaned stuff out of the coop. 







     The girls relaxing in the shade, wishing they could get to the new green grass and Day Lily sprouts.


     Bad chicken!  She dug a new hole where I have been trying to get the grass to grow.

     Late afternoon Lexi arrived and we loaded Roni and went to Welgreen Farm. 



     Lexi spent 40 minutes working with Roni in preparation for the lesson with Marj, who was running a bit late. 






     It was good that horse and prospective buyer could have some bonding time.  We took Roni out into the outdoor arena, but he was so wound up, we couldn't get him to gait calmly or smoothly.




     The lesson was a good start for Lexi.  She is a great rider and a fast learner, but Roni was just too nervous to proceed very far with him. I was starting to feel discouraged and losing hope of selling him.

     Once home, I unloaded Roni and all my tack and then Joe and I worked well after dark loading the trailer with stuff to go to Carol's.  It was easy getting all the birds in the crates after they had fallen asleep.  We even put the crates on the trailer regardless of there
                                                               being rain in the forecast overnight.

     Wednesday morning I was up way before dawn.  After my tea, I was soon on the road, before sun-up, headed for Carol's.  I arrived around 8:30 my time.  Everything had traveled well and we started unloading.




     Once the hay was in the barn and we had the area secure against chicken escape, we let the birds out of the cages. 








     The hens were quick to start exploring, especially liking the pile of old and new hay. 

     Hercules was a bit disgruntled, not sure what to do.  But he wasn't hugely upset either.




     The girls really felt safe up high and liked the visual vantage point.


     They wasted little time in looking for food and a place to lay eggs.  The spaces between the bales made perfect nesting areas.




    
     Wednesday - Friday flew by.  We had a great three day visit.  It was a nice balance of work, play and rest. 

     We went on several walks, brushed the dogs, and worked on training Meg.









     She was especially interested in the "sick" chicken (with the crop issues) that I had brought.  Carol researched and we spent a lot of time trying to help her out.  Below we had her in the cat crate that Meg was fixated on.

     We had some storms over night Wednesday so I medicated the dog who had woken us at 2am.  Mid- morning Thursday Uncle John and Aunt Mirium came for a visit and then followed us into Crawfordsville.  We had a great lunch and continued our visit.  Then they headed back to Chicago and we went shopping.

     Carol bought a large dog kennel, seen here with the stash of eggs we had found among the bales of hay.








     The boys (right) looking out at the girls.
Below the ladies and lambs have been rounded up and moved to this section of field out front.  The round-up is so much easier with a border collie (or two) to help out.













    We were making progress with the sick chicken, and had moved her back into this cage for food restriction and further monitoring and treatment. 

     Carol is not comfortable moving off and on a ladder at it's high end, so I did some chores for her requiring that. 



     I couldn't fix her antenna, but trimmed branches around the house and pole barn.

...taking a break to rest and look out across the country side from my vantage point.






     I worked at patching a hole in her barn roof, which even made me a little nervous with the pitch of the roof.  I had to hang on to the hammer and nails that kept wanting to slide off.

     Here I am laughing at myself getting down because I had snagged my shorts on a nail that was sticking up.

     I hammered in all the nails that had popped out some, that I could reach along the upper roof.  With a storm moving in, Carol convinced me to quit and get down. 









     We never really got any rain at Carol's.  I loaded up my suitcase and dog and left for home at 2:15. 


     I drove in rain about half the time, but it was also dry, but cool and cloudy, when I got home.






     Abbey and Brother were glad to see me.  It felt kind of different without the chickens, but was nice to not have them to worry about.

 
                                                                 The round up (and move) of our
things has really only just begun.  It felt great to get rid of the chickens and be able to give Carol some useful items.  Next to collect will be the LeRoy storage unit items to go to Tennessee.