The Window Arrived

A little side-tracking into the decorating mode again--

The picture--I mean, window--arrived! It took only 3 days to get to Spokane--now that's service!

It's pretty much exactly as described. The glass is a bit bowed out in some places, there is a slight crack in one of the panels and it needed some final cleaning and scraping. I spent about three hours working on it. The good thing is, the glass all seemed tight.

What I love about stained glass is how it takes on totally different stories depending on the angle and the light coming through or reflecting against it. And, the thing I love about this piece, in particular, is its originality and age.

It's old--and I wish I knew more of its history. I'm thinking someone who really knows stained glass could date the jewels and glass in the piece. I was told early 1900's from Hyde Park.









I like that there's room around it to still see out to the pasture. There aren't any horses in that pasture right now, but when there are, I like to see them.

When I started looking at windows (before I chose this one) I came across a really good deal on leaded windows from a 1905 house here in Spokane. They were practically giving them away, so I bought several and hung in my dining room and down off the patio--to give it the french door look without having to invest in french doors.





On another note--and the subject of my next post--Coyotes and Barn Cats. Have any ideas about that one?

I get so attached to my "barn" cats--I can't stand the thought of them getting eaten up by coyotes or caught by the Great Horned Owls around here. So, my husband and I built a cat house in our barn this weekend. Our plan is to let them out during the day and put them up around 4:00 pm--before it gets dark. They're pretty good about staying in the barn and mousing--so it should keep them alive.

I'll take some pictures of the cat house and write more about this on my next blog. I imagine it's an issue on every farm--and you probably all have some suggestions of your own about how to keep them safe.

Few and Far Between: Rides With My Daughter

Last Saturday was the Ribbon Ride for Moms Daughters and Horses. They're always a lot of fun--just getting out on our horses and riding the trails--looking for ribbons. The ribbon hiders--our husbands--outdid themselves this year--really making us work for them.

Here are some pictures of me with my daughter--and her with her horse. We had a great day.

Need Help With a Decision

This is not an important decision in the larger scheme of things, but it's important to me since I have to live with it. It's a decision about a stained glass window.

In my mind, I've done the test. I imagine that I have both (I have neither yet), but have to get rid of one--which would I choose to keep? The old one.

I've always collected old, distressed windows from farm houses, and I LOVE them. I don't know why, but I do. They speak to me.

I used to have them on almost every wall, but now I'm down to two--the one above my bed:



And the one above my front door (with a cracked panel--I LoVe the crack!)-



This is the window I need to fill. See how lonely it looks? No personality whatsoever. And, it doesn't serve a real purpose way up there except to let light in. I have to stand on the upper level just to see out of it.



I plan to paint the walls around it "River Mud"--it's a brownish green. Right now, they're the color the house came with, "Macadamia".

Here are my choices to hang there.

The first is an old window from the early 1900's. It was taken out of a house in Hyde Park. The frame is distressed--there is a little bowing--and some streaks in one of the panels--although the rest is intact--all glass is original.





The second choice is a reproduction of a Tiffany piece. It's called "The Tree of Life". I like the symbolism, but it just seems too "Home Interiors" to me. What do you think?



My piano is from 1917--my dining room table is distressed farmhouse style--I want my home to say OLD FARMHOUSE.

Which window should I choose? In reality, I've already chose, but my husband leans more toward the Tree of Life piece. My heart is all over the distressed window. Am I crazy?

The Weed is Identified

Remember this weed from last week? I took your suggestions and contacted our local extension agency, and this is what I heard back:

I believe this plant is Cutleaf Nightshade Solanum trifolum. As D---- mentioned, this plant is poisonous to livestock. I suggest scouting the pasture and eradicating all of the plants you can find. Digging and removing the entire plant will work if there are a small number in the pasture. Widespread populations may require the use of herbicides. Since it sounds like you have found only 2 plants, that is a good sign. It is an annual weed and it may come back from seed in the future. Keep an eye on the field and remove any plants before the fruit develops and deposits the seed to prevent future weeds from growing.

As a horticulturalist, I am not knowledgeable enough to give advice on livestock. I would echo Diana's suggestion of contacting your vet. They would know best about your horse's health.

So, my horses didn't eat it, they spit it out. I think it must be unpalatable to them.

Thanks to everyone who commented on Beautiful's baby book pictures. I'm a proud mama who only publishes the good shots! The bad ones--and there are many--go in the cyber garbage can.

Is she roaned? Good question! I can't figure her color out! I don't think so. It appears to just be very light. I think her color is very unusual.

For more information on the "Wild Tomato" weed that grew in my pasture: here's a link.

Beautiful's Baby Book September '09

Sometimes, when I'm out in the barnyard, I'm reminded that Beautiful is only 2, and is still a baby.



She still has some wild oats to sew...



And she sometimes looks for trouble...



and finds it.



Poor Mags...but Beautiful didn't catch her.



And there are times that, though she acts as tame as the domestic horses..



She still looks WILD.



Something about the body style--the primitive markings--the head...eyes...



It still says, I came from the wild.



These are pictures of Beautiful today, September 14, 2009.

Fall Ribbon Ride--Prizes and Fun--Open to Community

It's time for Moms Daughter's and Horses 2009 Fall PINK Ribbon Ride. I've blogged about it before because we host them in Spring as well--remember when we rode for eggs? This one is going to be for Breast Cancer research. We're a women's club and what better cause could there be?!?

We're going to be riding out for PINK ribbons and taking donations for breast cancer research and the scholarship fund--the proceeds will be split 50/50.

Some of the prizes will be College Scholarships for kids--6 $100.00 scholarships. There'll be a requirement that the guardian sets up a tax-free college account where the club can deposit the award. There will be lots of other prizes as well--and this year boys can ride with their moms.

As in the past, the ride will be at Riverside State Park--the old Trail Town Stables area. September 26th at 10:30. Afterwards we're going to have a tailgate lunch and tack swap and sell.

It's easy to participate--just bring a horse and a helmet--register and sign the liability waiver. At 10:30 we'll let everyone ride out in different directions to search for ribbons tied to tress. When you find one, (ages 21 and under), you can go back to the trailhead or continue to ride until everyone's back (about an hour). At around 11:30 or 12:00, when all riders have returned safely, we'll draw numbers (each ribbon has a number) and the person drawn can come up and choose a prize.

Hopefully, there'll be prizes for everyone who participates, but it all depends on how many show up. In the past, there have been more than enough prizes.

If you want to join us, RSVP here and I'll forward it on to the organizers.

Pictures from the Barnyard

I've been giving this big butt theory a lot of thought since reading Kara's blog--and Andrea's. Are Mustang's (that don't have QH or draft blood) destined to scrawny hind ends?

I have always been partial to horses with big butts, and I have a barnyard full of fatties to prove it. Beautiful, on the other hand, is not a big butted horse. What does that mean for her? Maybe BIG isn't always better?

Cowgirl, Foundation QH, is big. She has a sweet lope powered from behind and a nice soft up and down motion in front. Her stops are from the rear, and they're strong. She was bred to work cows and fast sprints, quick turns and hard stops are common in that line of work.




Beautiful, on the other hand, is a Mustang who lived in the desert. From what I understand, they had to use their hooves a lot to dig for food, climb rocky mountains and run from predators. Would nature cull a herd to produce short, lean horses rather than big, muscley ones? Maybe the times of famine and drought would kill of the big ones?



Anywho--I'm curious about how she'll turn out. She is, after all, only two, and a lot can change, but the basics are there at any age. How will it be to ride a horse who is steep in front and doesn't have much of a hiney?

We have a new addition to the barn--Shiloh's addition--Ezzy the kitten. She adopted her about a month ago from the feed store. Of course, Shiloh chose the sickliest one of the bunch with the oozing eyes. But, as predicted, she has grown healthy and hearty.

I told Shiloh she was on her own with this one!!



But it never works like that, does it? They go off with their boyfriends, school and work, and who has to listen to the crying kitty? Me. Who sits in the barn to play with her? Me. Who feeds and waters her? Well, sometimes me.

So, here's my--I mean, Shiloh's, new kitty--Ezzy. Welcome to the house--um, I mean, BARN!!

Do You Know This Weed?

Can anyone identify this weed for me? I found this in the horse turnout--partially chewed and spit out. I walked the property and only found one more like it, which I pulled and threw away.





We have five horses out together for part of the day now--the new additions are Red and Cowgirl. Cowgirl is our alpha mare and didn't take Beautiful being there very well. She constantly chased her away from the herd until the herd leader, Shadow, stepped in and put her in her place. That ticked her off even more, of course.

They'll work it out. There's probably a lot I don't see--which means Beautiful must have disrespected her in some way--not moving fast enough when she walks over--challenging her for food--who knows?

But she's safe and seems to be finding her place in the herd--however low that may be. It sure is making her sweet for me. The older horses are doing all the discipline I would have had to do. That kind of spunky attitude she used have? Gone. Or at least, it has been put on hold.

I'm heading out now to baby her for a little bit and to ride Cowboy over to the new indoor arena. They removed the top layer of footing because it was too thick--I'm curious at how it feels to ride in now.

If you can identify that weed for me--thank you!