10 Days of WORK!

Almost two weeks ago, Daniel, a friend from the old farm came to visit and work. An amazing amount was accomplished in the barn, on the farm, in the house, on the driveway. Seriously, I’ve got three pages of chores/work that’s been checked off. While he was here, Katelyn and Christopher were here as well; Katelyn is a farrier and horse trainer and Christopher is handy man all around.

Katelyn is on Tumbles who is around 24 or 25 and doesn’t look all that thrilled. She’s a pleasant, docile mare, giving no trouble and is terrific shape to be so old.

The above photo is an antique church door that I bought from a Methodist church in Tazewell County. It’s extremely heavy, is solid hard wood and I still have everything except the lock. I’m not sure why the church kept the lock, that doesn’t make sense but as the door is now a sliding door, it doesn’t matter. The Mennonites put this up for me and did a dandy job…it’s not going anywhere except a short distance to the left. Behind this door is where I store small equipment and my tools.

This started life as a hand crafted wooden gate and is now turned upside down and installed as a door in the barn. Behind this door are things being stored until I finish righting the barn. Atop the door is a bed rail I picked up from the dumpster. The entire bed frame was there and I brought it all home; I figured the wood was too good to go to the landfill and I’ve found a couple of uses for it and am knottin’ and cipherin’ on the rest of it. I told Daniel, “I’m not stopping thieves but I am slowing them down a tad.”  Decades ago, all the hinges were hand crafted on a forge by the farm farrier. I’ve got a bucket full of such along with gate hooks , nails, and other forged items.

While I’m in the barn, here are three antique draft horse harnesses; I asked Christopher to hang them on the wall and they look great! To the right, leaning against the stall is an old enamel table top that will, eventually, be turned into a magnet board. If you remember Maxine, here, she gave me the horse harness her Daddy turned into a mirror. I told her about these three and she said, “Mine is in the attic, why don’t you take and use it?” I gasped and said, “No, you need to keep that” but she wouldn’t hear of it and, soon, it’s going to be hung in my tack room in a place of honor. (BTW, the Dennis Proffitt mentioned is the former Sheriff of Chesterfield County, VA and a nicer man you couldn’t hope to meet. No, we didn’t meet in a professional basis; he was Max’s beau.)

Another use for a part of the bed frame with another piece leaning against. These buckets are used for salt and minerals for the horses. At one time I was breeding and raising American Curly horses and had fifteen so all the buckets were put into use.

The first year I lived here the one hundred foot pine trees were cut down because they’re not deep rooted and I feared a hurricane storm taking them down, right into the house. A mess was left but I didn’t know what to do about it. Daniel looked at the mess and said, “Do you like having that there?” I snorted! “It’s nothing but a snake pit and I hate it!” Next thing I know he was on the tractor and dealing with the situation. It’s so much nicer, better and safer and when the grass comes in, it’ll look better as well.

These are the shelves he built for my laundry room. I’ll show you a picture of the laundry room before the shelves were put in but I warn you…it’s shocking! I’m working my way toward putting all canned goods, small kitchen appliances, cat food dishes and the like out there. The boxed goods will go in the kitchen pantry which is little more than a closet. He added a metal rod so I can hang my cast iron cookware…I now realize I’ve got TWO Griswold frying pans, a bunch of Wagner and Lodge and some unnamed/unmarked.

A right royal mess but it looks better now…you’ll see. Top shelf is my collection of enamel, bottom shelf is laundry detergent, etc., the ironware is hanging beside the paper towels, the white cabinet is full of food but will be moved and used elsewhere as will the small rolling cart behind the sneakers. The new wooden shelves (I stained the pine in a dark walnut) fit perfectly…mainly because Daniel made them fit and look wonderful.

There’s so much more that was accomplished but I need to ready for bed. I’m knackered! Major Tom, the sort of recent stray, got into an altercation and yesterday morning his face was swollen to the size of a golf ball. I called the vet, told him  Tom had an abscess and he said, “Bring him now!” It didn’t take long to find out Tom doesn’t like a carrier but, for the 40 minute drive, he slept in my lap like a baby. The vet took one look and said, “I’ll put him to sleep, drain the abscess, give him a rabies vaccination, an antibiotic shot and neuter him. Come back tomorrow morning.”

WHEW!

So I did and Tom looks like, “What’s the big deal?” I brought him home, fed him, watered him and he’s settled for the night. The vet used glue to close the incision so there aren’t any stitches which don’t bother me because I’d remove them in a few days. I see no need to drive back to the vet, be charged another office visit just to remove stitches. Heck, I’ve done it on myself. Tom is a wonderfully sweet cat, has settled down and gets along with most everyone. He and Mr. Molly are still working on accepting each other…at least Tom is good with Mr. M but Mr. M has forgotten his raisin’. I told Mr. Molly, “I well remember the side of the road you were hunkered down on so mind yer manners!”

Thus ends another day at Thistle Cove Farm; if you’ve not answered the two new questions on my face book page, click here and while you’re there please go ahead and like the page. BTW, have you signed up to receive updates and posts from this blog? If not, I’m obliged if you would go to the top and sign up; that way you’ll know the latest happenings.

Here’s me, wishing you cozy Home and Homestead comfort!