Fence Me In, Baby

 

I can't begin to tell you the number of times I've thought: with all the fences in the world, it seems I should be able to build one, too. I mean, I drive by them all the time. Somebody's out there pounding in T-posts like it's a full-time gig. 

Logically, that somebody could be me, right? 

Well, the reality hit when my donkeys and horses decided my well-intended portable fencing was merely a suggestion. The goal was to rotate them through the pasture to control their sweet grass intake - because, fun fact: overfeeding mini horses and donkeys is the gateway to chaos. I'm talking colic, founder and a whole lotta veterinary bills. 

The portable panels? Great in theory, but my donkeys?  For real, bulldozers in disguise. They'd lean, nudge, push - and the panels would politely fall over. 

Answer? I'll just place a few T-posts every 30 feet or so, and strap those panels down so there will be no further shenanigans. 

Fast forward. 20 T-posts and a T-post Pusher later. 

And BOOM. Turns out I can pound those T-posts in myself. 💪  And believe you me, I did. 

Maybe I should change occupations

Every other panel-connection now
has a T-post in place

See this here?! This is a horrible and great example of what my donkeys can and will do. So one time, they pushed a whole section over and completely ripped the connectors off. So now this section is labeled as janky and held together with a heavy-duty chain that I randomly found out in the pasture. This above example 😤 now has a much-needed T-post that will be their new nemesis. Your welcome.

Me: Knowing I don't have to spend all that 
time chasing down escapees anymore

And sure enough, T-posts have solved all my problems. Well, not all my problems. The only downfall is that it's harder to move this portable fencing around for my horses and donkeys - and requires more thinking about how I want to move it in relation to the T-post. Yet, overall, it's a W.I.N. I do have a T-post Puller, too, because all real fencers do.

No more rouge donkeys at the front gate waiting to greet me like long-lost lovers. 

Luckily you don't know the front gate code to
actually leave

Nor any more equine mayhem in the barn, eating up all the goat and chicken feed, knocking over feed bins and making more work for me. Nope. Believe you me, I create enough work for myself, but thank you for trying.

 

Fencing Round Two - The Goatening

With all this new fence building confidence, I turned my attention to Pearl and CoCo. For months, I've wanted to build them a bigger pen.

So I went back and purchased 25 more T-posts and luckily I have the fencing panels I'll need because I saved some from a fence I took down here, awhile back. Genius. For less than $100, I'll have a new fenced area for my goats - and ready to go in no time. Well, a day.

I got to work again setting the T-posts in the ground every 8 feet, knowing damn well that it wasn't straight. Details. My fence panels are 16 foot long, so I'll have 2 T-post per section and that should be secure enough for my goats who are also professionally-trained escape artists. I'm not sure who trained who. But I'm going to take care of it, don't you worry.

And luckily it didn't have to be straight because I made it a circle area, on accidental purpose. 

It took me a whole day and 4 large brownies with extra frosting to build my sweet goats a fence that gives them a larger area to graze and live.

Side note: Funfetti vanilla mixed with a little Nutella = Happiness 14/10 

It makes my heart happy that they have a larger space

With their same barn access, same playground, 
and same goat houses.....yet more area to nibble

I'm so happy for them and my budget. They eat more from the ground now and less from my feed bill. Every little bits helps, so it's a win-win for sure.

Me: Contemplating quitting my nursing job to
be a fencer. 

Who wouldn't build a fence for this face?

Tractor Tales

Meanwhile, in the back pasture, there's about 12-14 acres that needed a good mowing. 

This beauty detracts from the reality of
the need for a tractor

Not to worry, Kevin lives just down the way and drove his new "$71,000" tractor (with bush hog attached) casually down the road and across the street to my place. 

And just like that, he cleaned it all up real nice.

This, my friends, is the magic of a tractor

The bonus was that Kevin gave me a ride in his tractor all while providing a tutorial on the features (in case I'm gonna get one?) and with the A/C going and the smell of a new car tractor, it just seemed like there were so many knobs and gadgets you'd think he was flying an airplane. It was like riding shotgun in a Boeing. 

Luckily, I don't think I need a new tractor when I have a Kevin.

It is nice though

Thank you, Kevin for driving that tractor like a champ and making my place look gorg! I appreciate you annoying traffic to drive on over. Y'all, he made it look easy, but I'm not so sure it really is. The best part? He didn't run over any horses. Low bar but still important to note.

The only downside? It scared Pearl. That sweet and sensitive soul of hers was not impressed. You do know she's a fainting goat, so it was too much overwhelm and too much falling down.

The tractor was loud. It was scary each and every time it came near her goat pen. So she took refuge in her little goat house until the roaring monster was gone. I mean, it went right by her new goat area and how's a girl to graze with all that noise and commotion? 

CoCo stood guard like a loyal friend

Probably whispering, "He's still out there...Wait, now he's gone. You can come out now."

Is he really gone? 

Foster Fluffballs

In brighter and flufflier news......I'm so happy to report that all foster kittens and mama cat have been adopted! 

This girl 💖

Cricket was a great mama to all her kittens, and now she's been spayed and is healed up and living her best barn life with June Bug and Kitty. She's officially part of the barn crew - and both June Bug and Cricket are bob-tails which makes them extra cute. Love all my barn kitties and Cricket makes a wonderful addition! Welcome, so glad your here 💝

But wait, there's more......

The Fab Five

I've been blessed with my next fosters of 5 wild n crazy kittens who will 'chill' at the farm for a few weeks. At which time, I'll return them to HSNT for their spay/neuter and then they go up for adoption there. I love that my first batch of foster kitties all ended up finding homes, and look forward to following the journey of these as well. Side note: these kittens are a little more spicy that the last litter. Just saying. 

My heart is learning what the job of a foster really is. My brain knows, as I went through the training and it all made sense, but my heart was a slow learner. My job is to love them, keep them safe, and provide them room to roam and grow in my home while they await their "altering" (as it's so fondly called at HSNT). As this hard and fast rule: no animal can be adopted until they are 'fixed' is real - and good for the realm.

There's rules and guidelines with HSNT, and they do a bang-up job in all the good they do for these deserving animals. So for now, these 5 cuties have taken up residence in my Cat Room and turned it into a jungle gym. 

The Fab Five are adorable lil gremlins who do not have one shy bone in their little furry bodies, who are chaotically running laps and plotting world domination (or just the dog's bed).

The blessings keep coming, as fostering continues to stretch my heart in ways I didn't expect. 

Speaking of running.....

This guy is doing his fair share of running. Maybe more running than kicking a ball right now, but it's his first season and all the 4-5 year olds run in a pack similar to how bees swarm. In circles, all together, not always knowing exactly where they will go next. Trying hard to follow the ball.

So many new things to see and learn

As many of you have experienced in your own lives, this is a fun and exciting time in the life of a 5 year old. Almost like a ritual of sorts. 

There's nothing else I'd rather be doing on a
Saturday morning than watching this guy ⚽

For those of you who know my dad, Glen Hindman, he's the one yelling from the sidelines louder than anyone else. It takes everything I have to contain myself on the sidelines, as he's apparently passed this cheering-gene onto me. Clapping, cheering, yelling, telling everyone they are doing a good job. It's pure joy. Thanks, Dad for showing me how to do it. I think of you every time I'm out there clapping and cheering for all the kiddos. So fun. 

As Brooks plays his game and Olive attempts to be on the team too, it takes a village of people to make all this magic happen. Being a grandparent at the game? Low responsibility, high ice cream acquisition. Another 14/10 recommend.

Every little things gonna be alright

Penny and Dutch are crushing security detail

Peace on the farm ☮

Nothing better than a almost-potty
trained Princess

Triple Trouble rebellion? Shut down.
Finally contained, for now.

Senior Dog Spotting
She requires gentle life checks now and again
Her bed is her safe (and favorite) place

And me? I'm just over here living my 12 year-old dream life, one T-post at time. 

I've not only learned that I can build a fence, but that I can show up for myself. No one will love you or show up for you, quite like you will. No one will care for you, like you will. I'm learning that reparenting my inner child to know that it's safe to be there for herself is where true peace and love begins. 

Hugs, fences and Funfetti frosting,

Cyndi