Heatwaves, Hat Shopping & Golden Hour Moments

The day was underway shortly after 7, with S outside watering the little evergreens to the south, coffee in hand. He bustled around gathering the last few things for the trailer, including a freshly cut watermelon. I made my coffee, doctored Harley's chin and eye, then headed out to toss hay to the diet pen crew. They are clearly enjoying their new shelter, and I actually startled them when I walked over to check on them.

Yesterday was Stella's sixth birthday. She may be a high-preservation cat, but she still has many years of service ahead of her if she hopes to rival Mr. Jenkins and his impressive tenure on the ranch.

S left for town with the trailer before 9, determined not to lose his spot at the campground. Meanwhile, I put on my accounting hat for the morning, finalizing B's loan paperwork and balancing accounts. I also finished and published yesterday's blog before getting ready for our trip to the city after letting the chubs out.

B arrived around 11 to pick us up with S arriving back from town just before her. Her mission for the day was simple: find a new felt hat for rodeo season.

On the drive, S informed us there had been a dead, dehydrated mouse in one of the trailer traps—not exactly the sort of campground discovery anyone hopes for. Once we arrived at Smithbilt Hats, B was disappointed to discover the color she had her heart set on started at $800. Needless to say, that option was quickly crossed off the list. S, however, spent some time browsing, found one he liked, had it shaped, and before long we were headed back to the ranch, arriving shortly after 1:30. B quickly jetted back to town for her 2 p.m. appointment.

before and after shaping

Lunch was a bowl of homemade soup before S loaded the Ranger onto the trailer and headed back to town for his second trip of the day. I opted to stay home, spending some quiet time reading. At one point, I took my book and a cold drink out to the deck to watch the horses peacefully grazing while Harley kept me company at my feet.

Inside, the robot vacuum was attempting to do its job but once again developed a case of the "spaghetti patterns." After multiple rounds of troubleshooting, resets, and remapping, it finally gave up entirely with a dead battery. The battle between technology and this household continues.

see bathroom, nice and straight and bedroom all over

B returned around 7:30, caught Roo, and headed off for a ride despite the lingering 28°C heat. This heatwave is expected to stick around until Saturday, with temperatures forecast to climb to 32°C.

S made it back from the campground after 8, having spent the afternoon visiting with friends. Meanwhile, I had already caught Hank—which, surprisingly, happened on the first try—and put him back in the diet pen before helping myself to a fresh pea feed from the garden.

After her golden hour ride, B fed the ponies. I helped her put Jimmy's bug sheet on, and she, in turn, helped shave Harley's hot spot on her chin after we cleaned it up. I applied more steroid cream and gave Harley her 4CYTE. The bottle is nearly empty now, and unfortunately, I haven't noticed much improvement. Perhaps a visit to the chiropractor is in her future.

With the chores finished and B heading home, S wandered out to the pea patch before settling into the hot tub. I spent the evening watching Elle before switching over to Little House on the Prairie once he came back inside—although he didn't make it very far before falling asleep.

Summer seems to have settled in with a vengeance this July. The days are hot, the gardens are producing, the horses are content in their new shelter, and Harley continues to remind me that growing older brings its own set of challenges. Still, these ordinary days—filled with errands, animals, and evening rides—are often the ones worth remembering most.

Foggy Mornings & Summer Evenings

The yard was foggy and covered in dew when I woke just after 7, but it didn't take long for it to disappear in the rising heat. Another hot day was on the way.

I finished Sunday's blog post before heading outside to toss hay for the littles and soak B's food since she's on an evening shift today.

The morning was spent getting ready for rodeo weekend. I packed more beverages and food into the trailer while S loaded up the propane tanks and headed to town to have them filled. He also needed to pick up some tape for a trailer repair. While he was gone, I jumped in the shower after making a few online banking calls.

B arrived before 11 and took care of feeding, letting the diet pen ponies out, and the rest of the horse chores. S pulled back into the yard just as I was watering the gardens and planters, having successfully sourced some double-sided tape for the trailer fender repair.

This is the heat of noon, everyone is hunkered in a shelter as the gras burns to a crisp.

This shelter is apparently a 2 1/2 horse shelter

B headed off to work early for her 1 p.m. shift while S got the fender back in place, looking good as new. The rest of the afternoon was spent cleaning and prepping the trailer and washing Harley's kennel bedding in anticipation of the big rodeo weekend ahead.

Mom and Betty passed thru town on her way to her right hand carpal tunnel surgery, speed healing wishes.

Braving the 30°C heat, I took Harley for a walk. Poor girl is still quite stiff even with her shots and herbal meds , so I'm hoping that keeping her moving every day will help. She continues to prefer eating just one meal a day and was more than happy to enjoy a frozen treat afterward in this heat.

Sooooo many dragonflies

S used the two cables he picked up in town to secure the backside of the horse shelter. The front will have to wait until he gets some bin anchors to screw into the ground.

The free bike trailer I scored for the Boysis family in action. Needless to say it is a hit with Renn and leg burner for Kaylin :)

For supper, I dug up our first new potatoes of the season. They were tossed together with fresh garden dill, basil, onions, and oregano before heading to the BBQ alongside steak and corn on the cob. It was one of those meals that tasted like summer on a plate. The ball game kept S entertained.

Good size too :)

Around 8 p.m., I ventured back outside to put the ponies away. Roo willingly headed to the diet pen, and Hank was a fairly easy catch tonight—I think he wanted to follow her. Jimmy, however, wasn't interested in wearing his blanket, so I decided to leave it off. At 25°C with a breeze to help with the bugs and an entire shelter to himself, I figured he'd be just fine.

I noticed blood on Harley's bed. I tossed the sheet in the wash, but while I was reading on the bed in the golden hour, I heard her scratching at her chin with her back foot and saw she drew blood. I cleaned it, applied some ointment, and dug out the steroid cream from the last time she scratched her face into a nasty infection. Hopefully, catching it early will keep it from becoming anything more.

Once S finished watching the Blue Jays game, he came into the bedroom and we finished Mile One: Chapter 2. It felt pretty low budget compared to the first movie. Afterward, we started the new Little House on the Prairie series, watching two episodes before finally calling it a night just before midnight.

It was another hot July day filled with the little things—watering gardens, tending animals, trailer prep, and keeping an eye on an aging dog who still wants to be part of it all. Rodeo weekend is nearly here, the trailer is ready to roll, and for now, everyone is tucked in for the night.

Shelters, Soup & Summer Projects

The day started early, as most summer days seem to lately. Once awake, S headed straight for the hot tub while I tossed hay into the diet pen, hoping to fill a few bellies before they made their way to the grass. With chores underway, I settled in to finish and publish Saturday's blog post.

Renn can spell her name <3

Roo and her new personal scratching minion

By mid-morning, I let the ponies out, raided the pea patch, and turned water on both the front and back beds. I also picked my very first zucchini of the season—a small but satisfying milestone in the garden.

It suddenly dawned on me that the barn paddock still needed cleaning before the new shelter arrived. S helped me, and we had most of the work done by the time the truck pulled in. I carried on with the cleanup while S helped the fellow unload and position the shelter.

The temperatures climbed quickly throughout the day. It was still under 20°C when I tossed hay, 24°C when the truck arrived, and already 27°C by the time the shelter was unloaded just before 1 p.m. By the time the fellow packed up and headed out, we were sitting at 29°C.

I put a rotisserie chicken carcass on to simmer for soup before lunch, knowing a pot of homemade soup would be appreciated later. After we ate lunch, we headed back outside. I pulled weeds around the house paddock shelter before stopping to snap a photo of the new barn shelter in place.

Together, S and I removed the old pallets and replaced them with a built-in fence. The UFA driver had brought along two cement deck blocks that S figured might work to support a post. Somewhere along the way, the idea evolved into a rail that fit—although it needed a few shims since the post itself was too thick.

Roo is the boss of all in this pen, no. you cannot stand in this unoccupied shelter!

We also installed a new top rail where the horses had chewed up the old one, along with lower rails near the waterer to keep Hank from attempting to wedge himself through. Once everything was in place, we realized the top rail had quite the angle to it, so out came the tools again. Four bolts later, and after re-drilling, we had a much nicer, level finish.

By the end of it all, the old pallets, rails, and leftover pieces had been hauled away, leaving behind a tidy, renovated barn paddock.

"Get a pony," they said. "It'll be fun," they said. Funny how nobody mentions the endless projects that seem to come along with them—especially during the July heatwave of 2026.

After that, it was time for a cold drink on the breezy deck while watching the horses. I eventually came inside to finish my soup, chopping vegetables while S dumped the poop wagon, hooked up the travel trailer, and pulled it around front. He briefly considered installing the new trailer fender but decided it could wait for another day needing some butyl tape.

It turns out he's taking the trailer to the park tomorrow, so I hurriedly packed a few clothes for the rodeo before settling onto the bed with my book.

B stopped by later and enjoyed a bowl of soup before we headed out for evening chores. Hank happily tucked into his beet pulp, but Mac still wasn't interested. Catching the little rascal continues to be a challenge, but we managed to get him caught and tucked into the newly renovated barn paddock alongside Roo with some hay before B jetted off home.

The day ended quietly—me reading in bed while S watched TV in the main living area. It was one of those productive ranch days that leaves you equal parts tired and satisfied. The shelter is up, the paddock is safer, the garden is producing, and despite the heat, the animals are settled for another night. Sometimes that's more than enough.

Peas, Paddock Changes & Keeping Hank Off the Grass

The sky was noticeably clearer today, although there was still a haze lingering in the distance. The heat continues to hang on, so I enjoyed my coffee in bed while perusing Instagram before the day got underway. Once S was up, he made his coffee and enjoyed it on the deck before heading off to church.

I spent the morning blogging and tackling a bit of marketing, which included taking a few fresh photos of the wood bench we handcrafted years ago and recently put back up for sale.

While outside, I tossed hay to Roo only to receive a text from B reminding me that she should be out grazing with the littles and Jimmy. As soon as I let her out, she promptly marched over and pushed Jimmy away from the little horses before everyone settled into grazing together.

I was chatting with Shaina after she went to look at another horse today—Roo's nephew, no less! She was hoping B and I might join her, so she shared all the details just as S rolled home from church and settled onto the couch.

After that, I squeezed in my workout, had a sandwich for lunch, and returned to blogging. Friday's post was particularly photo and video heavy, especially with others sending files that needed to be converted and added in. Eventually, I got it completed and published before immediately moving on to Saturday's equally picture-heavy post.

It climbed to 29 while I was outside picking peas and weeding the garden. S did a quick mowing of weeds in the horse paddock, then quietly hooked up the trailer and disappeared down the driveway.

Apparently, he could not stay away from another rodeo work bee.

It really was a spectacular summer day. Perhaps sitting beside a lake somewhere, would have been a perfect option. Instead, I found myself reading while watching the ongoing horse dynamics unfold in the paddocks.

I took Hank some salt/mineral in a tub to see if he wanted any seeing he cannot reach any shelter buckets

Eventually, I decided I needed to be productive.

Harley received the royal treatment today—a meal, brushing, toenail trim, and a bath after enduring several hot days in a row.

By the time I was putting everything away and changing her bedding, S was pulling back into the yard shortly after 6, minus the trailer and eager for some air conditioning and television.

Meanwhile, I continued my horse watching duties from the deck with a cold beverage in hand. Even Harley eventually decided she'd had enough heat for one day and retreated inside, leaving me to relocate to the lower BBQ deck for a better view of the paddocks.

Later, I made a quick trip to town—yes, our third vehicle trip of the day. To be fair, the other two trips failed to ask if I needed anything!

My mission included:

• Returning an Amazon parcel.
• Stocking up on coffee "creamer" before the sale ended.
• Picking up a few groceries and cat food.

When I returned home, B was finishing evening horse chores and had successfully recruited S to help solve our latest challenge: keeping Hank off the lush grass.

Ponies and unlimited pasture don't always mix well, and keeping Hank from overindulging has been a concern since the day he arrived. We've managed it well so far, but now that everyone is moving into larger paddocks, adjustments are needed.

Catching Hank in a large field alongside two full-sized horses proved interesting. One horse was mostly interested in treats while the other seemed determined to encourage Hank to run laps. Thankfully, B caught Mac, and Hank followed shortly afterward—quite literally.

S had installed two pallets across the openings by the waterer, and to everyone's relief, they successfully contained Hank in the diet pen with his new roommate. Although he did test it a couple times.

After tossing them some hay, B and I stood watching for a while to make sure everyone was happy with the new arrangement before she headed home for the evening.

I continued monitoring the roommate situation while catching up on a few episodes of Elle. S rounded out his evening with a hot tub and, unsurprisingly, more television.

Today's headline was definitely Hank. Keeping a miniature horse off lush grass in the middle of an Alberta summer is proving to be a bit of a full-time job, but it's one worth doing. Every day we're learning a little more about these rescues—their habits, friendships, and the occasional escape plan. Thankfully, Hank seems happiest as long as Mac is nearby, there's hay in front of him, and no one expects him to stay where he doesn't think he belongs. ❤️

Riding Lessons, Escape Artists & Rearranging the Herd

There was another smoky start to the day. I was out tossing hay shortly after 8, leaving S to make an actual pot of coffee for the company.

Coffee was enjoyed while we visited and waited for B to arrive at 10. I had croissants warming in the oven while S cooked sausage on the BBQ. Paired with salads and fresh fruit, it made for a lovely brunch.

There was a little more visiting before S jumped in his truck and headed to the rodeo work bee around 11:30. The Medicine Hat crew packed up shortly after noon and began their journey home, leaving the four of us to brave the now 27-degree heat.

Of course, the littles continue to keep us humble. We discovered Hank can apparently walk directly under the rail by the waterer between paddocks after I put him in the barn side. And he escaped ducking back under and out the gate when B and Matt moved into the round pen. I attempted a temporary fix with some barrels, but a more permanent solution is definitely needed.

Here he is meeting the herd across the fence, or should I say eating by the herd :) 

Harley hanging with her buddy Hank

Matt had his first riding lesson with B while Shaina continued working with Mac. It was another big day for the little rescue pony. She had more of her mane braided, had her feet picked up, was flagged, had her front legs hosed, and even loaded in and out of the trailer.

And this time?

Trailer loading was easy.

Not bad for a horse who, just over a week ago, did not want to be caught.

Mac meeting the herd

Meanwhile, I spent some time hosing horses, who remain endlessly curious about the new residents. After B finished trimming Roo's feet, she treated everyone to a cooling spray as temperatures climbed to 32 degrees.

Shaina even caught Mac in the middle of the field no problem bringing her back in for B to spray her.

Eventually, we all found ourselves back on the deck enjoying a cold drink and what little breeze could be found. B headed home to tackle laundry and other weekend chores while Shaina tidied the round pen and put away buckets now that the littles have graduated to bigger paddocks.

I made the three of us iced coffees before Shaina and Matt packed up and headed to town for nine holes of golf before making their way back to the city.

With a quieter house once again, I set the robot vacuum loose and attempted to get caught up on the blog—something that seems to be a recurring theme this summer. Thursday was published.

I also spent some time writing the tutorial for my front door makeover while S returned home shortly after 5. He climbed into Big Brown and was asleep within minutes.

After a supper of leftovers, I continued working on today's blog from the comfort of the bed. Once S woke up, he relocated there as well, spending the rest of the evening watching baseball and rodeo.

I ventured back outside with what I thought was a brilliant idea: creating a temporary "wall" of hot wire and fence posts around the waterer to prevent future escape attempts. While waiting for B to arrive, I watered my pots and planters.

Once she got there, I caught Hank while she fed horses. I started bug spraying everyone down, although Bird was less than impressed with Hank being tied nearby, so adjustments had to be made.

B moved Jimmy in with Mac and finished Bird's treatments before returning Roo to her pen where Hank was released. For a brief moment, it looked like we'd successfully created two separate paddocks with two new roommates.

Hank, however, had other plans.

Apparently, he was not interested in sharing space with the new big black horse and attempted to push his way through my carefully constructed wire wall to get back to Mac.

Needless to say, I quickly decided that was not an experiment I wanted continuing overnight.

Down came the fence, and Hank was reunited with Mac and Jimmy. Please don't eat all night Hank!

B and I stood watching them for a while before she headed home and I finally retreated inside for a well-deserved shower after another dry, dusty day.

I read for a bit while S continued watching television before calling it a night.

It's been fascinating watching these little rescues settle in. Every day brings something new—whether it's Mac quietly accepting another challenge or Hank finding creative ways to remain glued to his friend. They're slowly teaching us who they are, one escape, trailer ride, and paddock rearrangement at a time. And thankfully, we're writing it all down. ❤️