Twin's birthdays

While drinking my two caps while the horses slept in the sun nearby again I wrote a tutorial on Hometalk for the boho coffee table. Today is Britt's and Aislyn's birthdays!! Two pretty little ladies XOXOXO.

here is Britt getting iced by her good friends

other hand was full of food could not show finger #2

When I facetimed the we twin I was met with a new puppy face; miss Clover! The kids are so smitten with her. She will be a well loved dog for sure.

The white coffee table was picked up just before 11. I ran to open yard gate, chatted with the fellows from a distance as they Lysol wiped it then loaded and were on their way. Back inside it was time to make the birthday cookie sheet for B. I ate the other half of the turkey taco salad for lunch.

Roo and Bandit trapped in the paddock after going for water LOL

There was wind this am but it began to pick up and the clouds rolled in making for a very yucky weather day. We had plans to ride around 2 but Shaina was still in bed with a migraine before 1. We have postponed the ride till weather improves. This gave me time to catch up on the blog and some marketing.

I went to start painting the black chairs and was finishing up the second one when Britt, Dave and Cooper arrived just after 3. I finished up and went to help set up the sprinkler in the arena for B to ride. She groomed Roo then caught groomed and saddled Bird. I had the arena fairly wet down after multiple trips to the hydrant to try and regulate. I caught Switch and joined Britt in her ride. We finished up and set them free and headed to the house just before 5 to start dinner.

 Lola loving Dave giving her a brush

photo below by Dave on his rolling chair

Shaina and Jacob arrived around 5:30 as the 2 chefs were prepping. Dave cooked up the marinated steak, a potato pack and asparagus on the barbeque while Britt sautéed mushrooms and zucchinis. It was such a yummy meal and even better I did not have to cook ;) I had made the cookie squares and Shaina/Jacob brought Skor Treatsa Pizza to top off the meal. It was a great celebration but we did miss Kaylin and Sheldon.

Shaina hit big brown to nap a bit with her still migraine, Jacob checked the leak in the skid steer Dave spied earlier while B and I went out to see if the horses would eat the asparagus ends. Nope, no luck but she did get to give Pepper a little ride.

Calgary crew was off after 7:30 and the Strathmore crew around 8 leaving me to work on blog and tutorials.

Yard work day

All were laid out but Pepper jumped up when I stepped out to snap this like "I wasn't sleeping!"

I cut down the rest of our Easter bouquet, still going strong

Another great day ahead as the sunshine shines and up at 8. I enjoyed my 2 caps while catching up on marketing and emails. Yesterday I had ZERO internet interaction during the day and do have a couple quotes to do up. I refrained from puffed wheat square today but had the sourdough and jam toast before heading out to finish the pastures.

This was the pile I did yesterday just from this end of the summer pasture

This last frozen spot will have to wait, amazing what an insulator hay is

Back at the house I pulled out the lawn mower and whipped around the yard. It would really work better with thatching blades for sure. The rest of the yard décor was put out that I did not get on my birthday. I had ordered paint to spray paint my bistro set last year so got it all sprayed up before taking a lunch break at 1.

Back out to finish up the paint after my half hour break and move it to the patio area once dry. The rest of the perennials were deadheaded and decor put out. It is looking spring ready. I hiked out to give Bird her pull seeing they were somewhat close. Lola got a good brushing which see LOVES. Then it was inside for an ice tea and water plants. I started the tutorial for the purple dresser.

Then I headed to get some business done finally. The rest of the black chairs were scrubbed and the seats sanded then a coat of ebony stain rubbed on. The spoken for buffet was scrubbed next.

check out the dirt hidden in the back crack

Coming in at 6 I cooked up the 2nd meal ; SoCal turkey taco salad. OH MAN it was so good.

Britt, Dave and Cooper stopped out around 7:30 to feed, Bird, and Bandit and even gave him a good brushing. He was like Lola in the shedding department. B picked up Benadryl for Lola as prescribed by Dr Becky. I managed to get 2 little pink pills into her via pepperoni (1 dropped out requiring me to crawl under the deck and find it) then put it in liver. Good thing I have liver in the freezer. It might be the only way to dose her twice a day. This is to help her itchy skin that still is irritating her even after the bath and 2 kinds of parasite pills.

I jumped in the shower then finished the purple dresser tutorial and got it on a few pages. Then it was more YouTube inspiring videos.

Skid steer work for 9 hours

Up and chatting to LV Deb at 8 had cappuccinos drank with a side of puffed wheat square and me out in the skid steer after 9 to work on the paddocks. I made good progress making a quick half hour stop after 1 to run in and grab a cold beer, bathroom break and toast a slice of fresh bread again with a side of puffed wheat square.

closest paddock

hay in field but most wont pick up ;(

far paddock above and below

quick video

During my break the horses of course had to come check out the uncovered grass while getting water but soon headed back out to the big field. I continued my quest till after 6 pm. The skies threatened rain and indeed it did drop about 10 drops then moved on. I kept going as they are saying more to come so need to get it all off. Half way thru I was really wishing one of my nephews lived closer or was old enough to be hired to do this socially distanced job ;)

middle paddock

back to summer pasture

dark rain clouds threaten

day is done

When I shut it down after 6 I had 2 areas with lots of snow still under so will get them tomorrow. Bird needed her meds but was again at far east fence line. The walk did stretch out my legs after bouncing around the skid steer for almost 9 hours straight. More drops of rain came in once I was back so good timing. In light of my dedicated efforts I have given myself a raise and a bonus!

I cooked up the first Chef's Plate meal of the box; mushroom pork which was really good. Probably added good as I had only a couple things all day LOL

dessert from the Paetz's XOXO

Catching up a bit on marketing has the white coffee table being picked up on Saturday. I had interest in the stenciled dresser until the lady found out I was NOT in Ontario where she lived LOL Britt stopped quick around 7:30 to feed Bird and put away her winter blanket she had washed up and was gone just like a ninja. I jumped in the tub to soak for a bit before crawling into bed to watch more YouTube videos. One was how to trim a jade plant so I got up and went and did my poor dying one quick. As I was shutting out the lights at 11:30 a HUGE wind blew in along with rain. This time it might be a bit more but not sure.

Earth Day

I had my cappuccinos while prepping my sour dough bread loaves. Next step was to stretch dough, shape and proof for 2 plus hours. I had doubled the recipe so made up two loaves.

all bubbly ready to roll, love my handy shower cap

My next plan was to see how dirty the white towels were with the popular stripping cleaning on IG. However I think only the socks caused the dirty water and really not much.

My leftover Vietnamese was lunch as I now was on to cooking up the bread. I had to do in two batches seeing I only had 1 stainless steel pan but in the future I would use my bread pan too. The loaves turned out picture perfect. I popped out the last one to cool. Sharon was coming over so I ran out and hauled chairs down from the mezzanine for the deck and opened the yard gate. It was windy yet sunny but the south deck was sheltered nicely.

 ready for then in the oven

Sharon popped over as I was finishing up dishes at 2:30. We enjoyed a great catch-up on the deck and she even brought me a birthday cake!! puffed wheat cake, so yummy THANK YOU!! While we visited the courier dropped off my box of Chef's Plate for the week. Sharon was off before 5:30 taking B's farrier chaps along to see what she might have to make me a pair. I closed the gate and walked out to give Bird on the east side her meds then back to the west side to close off the 2 south paddocks.

Inside I tested out the cooled down sourdough bread and it seems I nailed the soft chewy crisp crust!! That would be supper for now with another piece of puffed wheat cake for dessert. The news is calling for rain so I headed out to jump in the skid steer and start the paddock clean up as it is greening up super fast.

 I spent 2 hours pushing poop when the wind started to pick up and the grey threatening clouds were overhead. Britt and Dave had just drove in and were feeding Bird in the bluster. I parked the skid steer, chatted a bit then they were off as the double rainbow glowed to the east and rain started.

this is part way thru and below my 2 hour progress

 It sadly only lasted about 10 minutes, enough to wet the dust. I came in and had some left over turkey casserole, another puffed wheat square and worked on todays blog. This reminded me of the towels soaking in the tub so they were squeezed out and hauled to the washer. I sure liked the old top load washers for this purpose and would highly recommend doing so in one to save all the back bending hauling LOL. Time for a hot shower to lose some dust then I caught some YouTube gardening videos to inspire me to try zuccini and potatoes in pots. Happy earth day.