New Lily

Little Praying Mantis

Few insects give me the creepy crawlies-- I can deal with spiders, beetles, ear wigs, dragonflies and grasshoppers. But put me in an area within 10 feet of a praying mantis and I start to freak out! I'm not sure why they have that effect on me-- maybe because they're big insects or maybe because they look like aliens. Perhaps its because the females rip the heads of the males and eat them. There are a lot of mantis that live on the farm (especially in the tall grass out in the field), and I'm always on the lookout for them.

Wednesday night marked the first mantis sighting of the season-- this little guy was crawling along the one of the soaker hoses. He was less than an inch long. Since they're insect predators and eat a lot of pests, he lived to see another day.

Off to the Races

Tuesday night we continued our yearly tradition of attending the harness races at the fair. The last race of the evening is always the celebrity race, featuring well-known individuals from the local community. This year we knew three of the people in the celebrity race, and it was fun being able to cheer for them!

Racers behind the starting gait.

At the Draft Horse Show

Every year since we moved to Michigan, I've attended the annual draft horse show at the county fair. I've been a spectator, ringmaster, and handed out ribbons, but this was the first year I actually had a horse to show!


On Sunday morning we got to work early bathing and clipping Charlie, and we had to pack all the supplies we would need. We borrowed a fancy show harness and cart from the neighbor, loaded up Charlie in a trailer on loan from another neighbor, and headed to the fairgrounds.

Charlie standing patiently during his bath.

It had been over a decade since I'd taken a horse to a show, and I'd forgotten how much work it takes to get your horse ready for a few minutes in the spotlight. Fortunately, we've got fantastic friends who are willing to share their time and expertise to help out a rookie. And it helped that Charlie was a perfect gentleman.

Waiting by the trailer before the first class.

Kevin showed Charlie in a halter class for geldings of any age and placed third.

Charlie and I came in second place in our cart class.

Heading into the ring...

Trotting very.... very.... very.... slooooowly...

Whew! We made it!

Posing for a quick picture with some of our fans.

  Charlie did really well in both outings, even though he was a little on the slow side as he prefers walking to trotting. We weren't expecting to win so I was thrilled to get a couple of ribbons! I also learned a lot about braiding tails, manes, and putting on a show harness (which was a little more complicated that the work harness we use at home).

My best efforts of trying to avoid showing in a halter class were unsuccessful. Earlier in the week I  insisted that I would not handle Charlie in a halter class (I had major fears that a horse a) would drag me all over the ring or b) buck, get loose, and run chaotically around the arena).  After Charlie's first time in the ring, I asked our neighbor, Wendel, if he needed assistance as he was putting show halters on his team of very big Belgians, Jack and Morgan. He responded that he needed someone to take the mare, Morgan, in the matched pairs class. So as a result of being thrust into a position where no one else was available, I grabbed her lead and followed Wendel and Jack up to the ring. (Karma certainly has a way of teaching one a lesson when one is trying to get out of something!) I was nervous about handling a horse that I wasn't familiar with, but Morgan was a pro and didn't give me any problems. Once again, I was forced to face my silly fears and learned that halter classes could be fun, too :-).

I'd like to thank everyone who helped us on Sunday including Kevin Courtney, Wendel Weber, and Karen GreenBay. We also had support from my husband, Will, and our friends Tomi and Dave Newcombe, and Bob and Carla Miller.

Run!

We have started to let Kobe off the leash in the back field. He's still not great about coming when called, but there's enough space for him to roam (and get tired) that he doesn't make a break for the road. He seems to enjoy it!

Fun Friday Video

A Real Mouser

Ever since Sassy was invited to stay, I have questioned her usefulness as a barn cat. For nearly a year I saw no evidence of hunting. She bats rocks around, chases butterflies, is very intent on watching birds, and is always on the prowl for a head scratch. Don't get me wrong, she's really sweet, but we've got a large barn and there are mice, so we need a barn cat that will step up and take care of the little rodents.

So imagine the surprise last week when Sassy brought me a mouse while I was in the garden! She continued to carry it around the barn for the rest of the evening.

Who knows how many of the pesky vermin she's dispatched! And yes, I did apologize to her for doubting her mousing ability...

Sassy providing proof that she is indeed a mouser!