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| He was well-groomed 4 hours ago. I spent about an hour getting hair and mud out of his coat before riding. |
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| Bruno is shedding A LOT, and is itchy. |
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| So he rolls in the mud. |
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| The flip side is just as bad. |
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| Then there is the pile of composted "horse essence" that is used in the flower gardens, but most will be harrowed into the field. It's covered over the wet season, so too much doesn't get into the ground-water. |
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| Then there is the constant war with the blackberry brambles. I love the berries, but if not savagely cut back, they spread like the weed they are. |
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| Blackberry all along the back fence-line. |
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| Hah - back fence-line. |
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| A parting shot of Muddy Mud Skipper, chowing down dinner. |
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| This one is salvageable. |
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| This one isn't. I think I'll have to plan the background more before I dive into it again. |
You surely have your hands full Kathryn...not easy to find time for painting I imagine. I can totally relate to the blackberry branches, I have them in my summerhouse in Denmark, and every time I go up there in the summer I have a fight getting rid of them...at least momentarily getting rid of them , because they are TOUGH! A lost battle I think. Wish you a Happy Easter! XX
ReplyDeleteI won't say anything about the paintings. It's nice to see a part of your life! I am a city girl and in my city garden I have my own battle with brambles! They come back every year, it used to be woodland here. So I sympathize with you! Happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful surroundings you have! It's a shame you can't rescue your Goose - but at least we learn from these things. The other one looks really quirky! I love his/her pose! :0)
ReplyDeleteWell there's 'horseplay,' Kathryn and that can be pretty rough. Then there's 'horse-work' which, from your photographs, looks even rougher.
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about horses, but when I was a kid, I remember folk running out with a bucket and shovel to collect the 'offerings' left by the coal-man or the milkman's horses ...'gardener's gold!' I just make do with composting garden waste and lawn cuttings.
I'd like to know when brambles become blackberry bushes :0) I know we had apple trees nearly pulled over, horizontal, by brambles, when we moved in here. Now, 23 years later, we have them under control but we never beat them entirely.
I can't comment on your paintings - unqualified to do so :0) - hope they start laying golden eggs for Easter ... does all the world have Easter eggs? Never thought of it before ... of course they do, just remembered.
Back to my Moorish Archway now ... hope to finish it today ...ambivalent is an appropriate word!
I am in awe. Your life looks like one I would have enjoyed when I wasn't ruining paintings. It's dirty work cleaning up after horses, but satisfying too for animals you love. I can hear the love in your words--I can see your love for your geese in your far-from-ruined paintings.
ReplyDeleteHi, your photos are great, you really do have your hands full there. How do you have time to paint!! Time to hit the brush again, I find when you are the most negative that is when the juices start boiling and you jump in and produce a winner. Looking forward to seeing the next one!!
ReplyDeleteMuds baths- thats what it is all about!
ReplyDeleteYou are such a busy bee!
love
tweedles
Lovely photos Kathryn.
ReplyDeleteI can almost hear the sighs of relief from Bruno. :)
Blackberries are lovely, but yes the brambles are a pain. I suppose like everything in nature, working with is better than constant fighting. I've seen some brambles weaved into country hedging here.
And your geese are still fab. I bet you could salvage number two if you chose! I'm that confident on your ability! xx
I wonder when you paint!!!
ReplyDeleteBruno has to be soooo happy with all the property he has to run around in. It looks like a lot of work, Kathryn, but it also looks like God's Country! So its truly a good place!! Bruno has to be happy to have you around when he gets his itches.LOL.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing your finished paintings..