Tomorrow is the 6th, that’s the day that my mower
parts are supposed to arrive, now let’s see if they do. I have to go into town
to get the hay I was supposed to get today, which I will do while Father is at
the senior center for lunch. I was supposed to do all that today, but you know
how it goes. We didn’t get back from Ruidoso until 4:00, not only was I too
tired, but it was too late anyway. I did go to the Dollar store (after I fed),
and got what I needed there. At least there will be one less stop tomorrow. If
the parts come in I might even be able to get started mowing tomorrow, or at
the least first thing Sat morning. It’s supposed to stay dry (with maybe only a
few showers over the weekend) till mid week next week. Of course that’s what
they said about Monday, and a downpour right at dusk, almost ended the life of
a little hummingbird.
Amongst my hummingbirds, I have about half a dozen or so
juveniles (I think). Just after sunset we had a huge downpour that lasted say
fifteen minutes or so. I was on the phone and once it stopped I went outside to
sit on the porch to watch my hummingbirds while I talked. For some strange
reason I looked down, and there on the porch floor directly beneath the
feeders, was a tiny little hummingbird all fluffed out, and hunkered down.
Needless to say I got off the phone real fast, went over to her, and 
when I
went to pick her up she barely moved. I cupped her in my hands, and tried to
warm her up with my breath. She moved her wings a little, but was too cold to
do much more than sit there. There was no way she could get warm enough to
spend the night outside, as the rain dropped the temperature quite a bit. I do
have some bird cages, but they are all down at the barn (of course), so I took
a large wire waste paper basket, put a feeder inside on some pine shavings, and
gently set her on the feeder edge. She was able to grab onto the feeder, but
her wings were still spread out. Since the cats go everywhere I put her in the
shower, and closed the door. When I went to check on her later in the night she
had climbed up to the top of the basket, which had a lid on it (I do think once
in a while). I figured she would be better off for a warm nights rest so I left
her there till morning. When I woke up first off I checked in on her, took her
outside, and removed the top. She climbed to the top, grabbed on to the edge,
and off she flew to the safety of the trees. If I hadn’t seen her she would
have stayed there on the porch, and gotten thoroughly soaked for another deluge
followed the first about twenty minutes later, then too I would never have been
able to hold such a tiny little creature.
when I
went to pick her up she barely moved. I cupped her in my hands, and tried to
warm her up with my breath. She moved her wings a little, but was too cold to
do much more than sit there. There was no way she could get warm enough to
spend the night outside, as the rain dropped the temperature quite a bit. I do
have some bird cages, but they are all down at the barn (of course), so I took
a large wire waste paper basket, put a feeder inside on some pine shavings, and
gently set her on the feeder edge. She was able to grab onto the feeder, but
her wings were still spread out. Since the cats go everywhere I put her in the
shower, and closed the door. When I went to check on her later in the night she
had climbed up to the top of the basket, which had a lid on it (I do think once
in a while). I figured she would be better off for a warm nights rest so I left
her there till morning. When I woke up first off I checked in on her, took her
outside, and removed the top. She climbed to the top, grabbed on to the edge,
and off she flew to the safety of the trees. If I hadn’t seen her she would
have stayed there on the porch, and gotten thoroughly soaked for another deluge
followed the first about twenty minutes later, then too I would never have been
able to hold such a tiny little creature.
I love my hummingbirds, they are truly amazing
creatures. They delight me with their
antics chasing each other from their favorite feeder. The adults pretty much
leave the youngsters alone knowing (I only guess) that they need to put on as
much weight as possible for the long trek ahead of them. Other adults are fair
game, but not the little ones. Then too there are groups that are quite willing
to share a feeder, while others battle it out. It won’t be too long before they
are gone, as the nights are becoming quite cool. They have a long journey
before them, and are almost constantly eating. They have to double their weight
before they trek across the gulf. It still amazes me that such a tiny little
bird can make such a journey. We could learn a lot from hummingbirds.
April is supposed to come over on Sat I’ll find out then
what Joe thought of the Appy his brother wants to give him. I don’t know
whatever happened to the TB mare he was looking at, but I suspect they decided
to try racing her. I’ll find out when they get here. It should take about three
days for me to get all the mowing done after which I can start working on the
horses again. I need to groom, clean some feet, take a rasp to a few, and start
working others. If April is here for a while maybe she can do feet. Sere has
been on the OCD pellets for a week now, and I want to clean, and trim her feet
(one front hoof is definitely shorter than the other again), and maybe put her
in the round pen to see if there is any improvement at all. I know that a week
isn’t a lot of time, but if I work her lightly once a week, I can better gauge
her progress (or lack thereof). I think I want to move LBM, and Stormy as well.
LBM needs to wear down his feet, and he needs more exercise. I need to work on
Stormy, and LBM’s stall is closer to the round pen. Also I can give Stormy more
attention. I need to desensitize him all over again with a spray bottle since
he’s decided that this year he doesn’t want to get sprayed with fly spray. I
think he, and Ser-Haat are conspiring against me. LBM will still be next to
Ibn, and being next to Sere will let him know that all mares are to be treated with
respect (not just Lizzie) if you plan to live long. I can’t quite put him in
with a bunch of mares say in pasture (which would be 
more natural), but if I
can expose him to more than just one mare, he should learn some horse
etiquette. He’s still little (short too), but he is also a teen, and given the
chance can produce. Ibn was about 18 months old when he got his pony babysitter
pregnant LBM is three. Sere is tall, and a dominant mare so I don’t think he
will try anything with her. He’s still very impressionable. I’ll try switching the
two of them, and watch LBM like a hawk before I leave him alone next to Sere. I
haven’t been watching her cycles (after all we’re not breeding) so I don’t know
how often she is cycling just now. Even if he were to try, he’s just too short,
and there will be a fence between them (I’m not totally daft).
more natural), but if I
can expose him to more than just one mare, he should learn some horse
etiquette. He’s still little (short too), but he is also a teen, and given the
chance can produce. Ibn was about 18 months old when he got his pony babysitter
pregnant LBM is three. Sere is tall, and a dominant mare so I don’t think he
will try anything with her. He’s still very impressionable. I’ll try switching the
two of them, and watch LBM like a hawk before I leave him alone next to Sere. I
haven’t been watching her cycles (after all we’re not breeding) so I don’t know
how often she is cycling just now. Even if he were to try, he’s just too short,
and there will be a fence between them (I’m not totally daft).
That’s the plan, which is of course subject to change,
at least four or five times. I don’t know why I even bother to plan things. Nothing
ever happens the way I plan it, but I do try. I also need the energy to do all
this. I have an idea that once I get all the mowing done, my body is going to
say, “ok that’s it we’re done here”, and then I’ll probably sleep for three
days. Right now I’ll settle for one night beginning now!
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