We have had a week of brutally cold temperatures! Unseasonably cold, as they say. Today it was much warmer and the sun was out. Plus there was a nice dusting of pretty snow. Would this make the hunters more enthusiastic about getting out in the woods? I hoped not. Today was the last day for shotgun hunting, and Monday starts black powder. I didn't feel like being in the ring, so I bundled my brumby up in her finest hunter-beware garb and we started to head out. Yes, that is some orange tape across her bum. She didn't mind it.
Everyone was at Bill's today in the ring. It looked great down there, but I wanted to be on the trail. I never finished marking the Ridge Trail and I wanted to be out in nature. Right as Lilly and I were heading down the road, Christine called from the ring that she and QTee would join us. Excellent!
QTee was also given a nice orange stripe across her bum!
Christine and I marked one of the trails. I am doing this for when there is snow on the ground making the path unrecognizable. I do not deny that my sense of direction is terrible. Lilly was not very good at sidepassing at all today. Moreover, I'd start to tie the marker on a tree and she'd take a few steps away so I was half on her and half clinging to the tree. She knows better than to leave me hanging like that, and she certainly knows what WHOA means. Christine and I wondered if the horses thought marking the trail was ridiculous. They certainly wouldn't need them to find their way back to the barn!After the trail ride......
..it was time for Brandon, Kestrel and me to get our Christmas tree!! Don't let this sign fool you. This is no organized and orderly christmas tree farm. In fact, it is madness because the trees are so thick, and on the side of a mountain. (Well, a New Englandy kind of mountain anyway)
We always grab a saw and head for the most treacherous and far away part of the hillside. As we leave, the guy always shouts: BE CAREFUL OF THE BEAR DEN!
Here are Brandon and Kestrel surveying a potential tree. They always want a giant tree with ample boughs. I always want to take the sickly looking trees--the ones I think need me. This attitude is always poo-pooed. But we do cut a tree in such a way that we don't kill the tree dead. There are lots of trees that are either double trees, or are tall enough we can just chop the top off. (And in my heart I thank the trees gods for giving us this marvelous tree and I promise to take good care of it)
Mission accomplished! Kestrel tells me the trees are happy to be used for Christmas trees. Sometime 11 years olds know the right thing to say and the right time to say it.Next post, I'll reveal the tree in our house! And also our newly rescued rabbit!!
Until then, stay warm and happy trails!
4 comments:
Well, here is the Christmas tree formula that I always use: poofiness v. tall-i-ness. A tree must score highly on both these factors in order to be worthy of becoming my tree. I wander up and down the aisles scoring the trees: "Hmmm, well, this one is an 8 on the tall-i-ness scale, but only a 3.5 on the poofiness scale, so it is a 'pass.'" And I always find the perfect poofy/tall-y tree!
Lilly looks adorable with that bright orange tape across her brumby rump!
Glad you got out for a ride - love all the bright decorations! Our weather's taken a big turn for the worst - the wind is howling out there - so no riding for us.
Great pictures. Sweet Lilly, all dolled up. That's is also scary about the Hunters being right there..I would worry!!! But the flashy orange is sure to remind them to BE CAREFUL!!
Love picking out xmas trees. My cousin and I have a tree tradition and this year was our best selection ever! Not too tall but nice and rotund and flashy for the front window :)
I love the artistic flair you give Lilly during hunting season. I, like you, do not appreciate hunters littering up the woods. Go away, Hunters. We have horses to ride.
I did not know that you can save the tree by half-cutting it. That is good. We haven't had a tree in some years because of our Florida vacation. Maizie and I decorate up a plastic goofy 1970's all-year-round living room tree with Christams decorations. I put the angel on the top and it bent over like Charlie Brown's tree. Oh well. The warm temperatures down here in Florida supposed to make up for not having a proper tree. We haven't seen the warm yet!!!
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