The previously postponed holiday gathering began as promised at noon when Katherine and Michael arrived, followed shortly by Alex, Sam and Greg. Laura (our new volunteer) and Natasha had almost finished cleaning the barn, Serge had the hay wagon hitched to the tractor, and I had a fire started in the freshly dug out fire pit.
After a bit of play with kittens and dogs and ponies, we all piled on the hay wagon for a trip around the track. Serge drove the tractor past the barn and the winter paddocks.
Jasper ran alongside the hay wagon in the deep snow, loving every minute. About halfway around the track, we stopped to pick up sticks for the fire (remnants of the last freezing rain storm) and put them on the hay wagon.
Once we'd loaded a bunch of branches, including a large log that Michael found and Serge and I dug up, we headed back the house. Daisy ran alongside the wagon, Jasper ran ahead of the tractor, and Tinkerbelle rode on the hay wagon with Mom and all the kids.
I had everyone pose for a picture at the end of the wagon ride, then after they unloaded the sticks and log, we had hot chocolate, milk, tea, cookies and treats in the house to warm up.
Katherine and Michael had to leave as they had another commitment that afternoon, but the others saddled up the ponies and went for a ride around the track.
Sam and Serge rode Grandma Reba partway around the track, then Serge led Reba the rest of the way.
Natasha rode Dash, Alex rode Sneakers, Laura rode Otis, and Serge led Sam on Grandma Reba. Everyone came back with big smiles!
Alex, Sneakers, and Jasper.
Laura and Otis.Serge took Reba around the track again after everyone else was back at the barn - she wanted to go faster than was safe with the whole gang.
I know that we enjoyed the company of our boarders, sponsors and volunteers on Sunday - I hope you all had fun, too!
Thank you to all of you for your help in the past year; the horses, ponies, chickens, cows, kittens, and dogs all appreciate your visits!
Thank you!
Belated thank yous to John R. for all his help with the electrical in the barn (and the wonderful lights in the riding ring) in 2008, and to Ray M. for his help early in the summer in the barn and in the garden.
Thank you to Joanne for the shredded paper - and the promise of more! We use it to supplement the shavings in the stalls.
Thank you to Jennifer S. for donating a bridle, reins and a bit to the farm.
Thank you to Andre L. for his help with the shelter in Grandma Reba's field - it was a lot easier to put up with two people!
Thank you to Sam for sponsoring the chickens. They got a bunch of live crickets from the pet store as a holiday treat. The chickens give us an egg or two almost every day now.
Welcome a new volunteer!
Please welcome Laura to the farm. Laura volunteers one day each weekend (work permitting) and helps with barn chores.
Roosters available for adoption
We have four roosters available for adoption as pets. They're not ever going to be big enough to be meat birds. All four are friendly and fairly well handled, but they're starting to peck each other in the close quarters of the coop in winter.
If you know of anyone who has room for a new rooster or who would like one as a pet, please let us know.
School volunteer hours
You can volunteer at Dreamscape Acres for your volunteer hours for high school. We have lots of different chores that can be done, from grooming horses to repairing fencing to building shelters. Call or email to arrange a volunteer position!
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