Two Trips to the Barn

I went out to the barn twice yesterday. It was not a casual visit however. When Jerry got home from work, he said Rembrandt was pawing and looking at his sides. Of course I went into hyperactive, protective, doctor mode. I told Jerry to lunge him, which he did. He came back about a half an hour later and reported that Rudy had passed some gas and manure and was feeling much better. A half an hour later, my dad came in and said that he had gone out to check on him and my beloved horse was laying flat out in his stall. Dad said that Jerry had gotten him up and was lunging him again. I knew that he had colic and I had to get out to the barn to see him right away!

Rembrandt and I at the shore in 1991.

My dad brought his car around to the front of the house. Using my walker and crutches, I got into the car and he drove me around to the back. When we got there, Jerry was lunging Rudy in his paddock, but my dear 32 year old horse was barely moving. 

"We've got to take him out to the riding arena where he has more room and can move out", I said. Again I hobbled from the barn back into the car and my dad drove me around to the edge of the arena. We positioned the passenger side window so I could bark out my orders to Jerry and my precious horse. It was raining now. "Take his blanket off. Move in closer. Keep your line neatly coiled. You'll need to walk small circles so you can keep your whip close enough that you can tap him with it. Keep him trotting! Tell him he's a good boy. Don't let him walk. Keep going!!" After about 40 minutes, some more gas was passed and a small bit of manure. The horse seemed relieved, so we put him back in his paddock and went back to the house to eat dinner. At 9:00 we all went back out to the barn to find a very hungry, alert pony. I gave him a few small pieces of a banana which he inhaled. "No dinner for you tonight, my love", I said. We got his blanket back on and locked him out for the night. I wanted him to move around and didn't want to take a chance of him laying down in his stall again.

The morning reports were that Rudy was very alert and hungry. They say he's sore from all the exercise, but seems to be doing very well otherwise. (Big sigh of relief here. . . ) Jerry closed the gates to the pastures last night to keep both horses off the new grass and has agreed to lunge my old buddy for at least twenty minutes this afternoon.

Thank goodness my parents are here to help! What a blessing they and all my friends and family have been! They came last Wednesday night in their motor home and have been a big help with caring for a one legged invalid, the house and the horses. If my dad hadn't found Rudy in the stall when he did, the situation could have easily gotten a lot worse.

I love this picture of my mom and dad, having a beer in Nova Scotia in the summer of 2010.

Welcome to my world. Here is where I spend most of my time now. My butt is so sore!

The studio has been made more handicap accessible. I have a couple of tables that Jerry modified so I can fit the wheelchair under them. (This table has origami projects on it. :-))

More and more hummingbirds are arriving here everyday. I really don't know the numbers, but we have six feeders out now!

If you want to find out how to attract your own hummingbirds, go here.

Again, many many thanks to you, my friends! Your comments, emails and get well wishes really brighten my days!

Rufous Hummingbirds Still Here in NJ

As of this morning, there was still at least one Rufous Hummingbird here at The Sandarosa in Southern NJ. I estimate that there are (or were) at least four individuals that have had a few days lay over here in Hummer Land. I tried to get some shots of the buggers, but they are so fast, they put the Ruby-Throats to shame.  They are very shy and only seem to come to the feeders in low light; very early morning or dusk. They barely hover. They zip into the feeder, sit and rest, drink for a few minutes and then lickety-split, they are gone again! I bet that there are a lot of them coming this far East these days, it's just that people haven't noticed them yet. They are just so secretive!

According to the map,  they now are "infrequently" wintering in the South-Eastern US. See a map here. With lots of folks getting into the hummingbird habit, there's a lot more food sources out there for the little cuties than there used to be. So all you Eastern Hummer Lovers, beware! Keep your feeders filled, your binoculars and cameras handy and eyes peeled! Those travelers at your feeders may be juvenile Rufous Hummingbirds that have just flown in from as far away as British Columbia or the Rocky Mountains! You peeps in the Southern States may just get some resident winter snowbirds if you treat them right!! Here's another article on the newly discovered Eastern  distribution of the Rufous Hummingbird. I am posting a few of my terrible photos here, taken through my window, just to prove that I am not making this up.

Bubba Birds

These photos were taken yesterday through my studio window.

This "Bubba Bird" has definitely by far,

got to be the fattest hummer I have ever seen!

And believe me, I have seen a lot of hummingbirds.

I've still got a half a dozen or more very active and vocal

juvenile male hummingbirds stirring things up here.

This guy is guarding three feeders right outside my studio porch.

Extremely aggressive, this Bubba Bird must have

an overload of hormones rushing through his veins.

Bubba's a great hunter. I've watched him successfully pluck

countless tiny insects from the air. He seems much more

concerned with stuffing his face with protein than sugar water.

I have a feeling he's a regular that was hatched here.

I bet he will be the very last one to give up

his claim to the digs this year in Hummer Land.

My Wet And Soggy Sandarosa

This past week we had another little visitor that just hatched from the nest. 

This little snapping turtle was even smaller than the first one.

This is the first time, in living here over thirty years, that I have ever seen snappers.

I took him down to the old irrigation pond and released him.

I wonder if the two have met yet. 

It's been so wet and soggy here, we have been having an annoying issue with all the mosquitoes. We had to take down all the plants because they were hiding and breeding in there. Then when we would open the door to go into the house, they'd come right in with us. 

The caution tape is for the deer.

We put it up every night. So far it has worked like a charm.

The plants look a lot better hanging than on the ground.

We took all the hummingbird feeders down and sprayed the back of the house.

Several times.

Then we hung them back up 

for our frantic customers.

We still have hoards of hummers here in Hummer Land, but they won't be here much longer.

Anybody needing a hummingbird fix better get over here - El Pronto!!

A Virtual Internet Friendship Turns Physical = A Delightful Weekend

I met artist, Jennifer MacNeill-Traylor online several years ago when I began following her blog. Although I am twenty years older, we have so much in common, that at times it's really uncanny! This past weekend, she took me up on my offer to come out and visit us here in Hummer Land. The hummingbirds brought her here and Jerry and I are so very glad they did!

 A delightful person and an interesting, lighthearted guest, Jennifer stayed a day and a half with us here at The Sandarosa. What an action packed, enjoyable, memorable time we all had! It's nice to have such company,  who makes you see things through fresh eyes and appreciate your gifts in life even more. See Jen's awesome paintings and photos on her blog here at: The Mare's Tales - Gypsy Mare Studios.


"In my friend, I find a second self."  ~ Isabel Norton