Feed/Garden store insanity

Yesterday was laborday, and all the shops were closed. Today, Saturday, there were just a few precious hours that the feed/garden store was open. And since it's Spring, and sunny out, everyone was there today. I was terrified. I had a panic attack in the line, cuz the line was going out the door. When it was my turn to finally say what I need, the list of 4 things kept swirling in my mind, as I kept trying to figure out how to ask for them - I had questions on every item, and I knew that the line of people were all keenly aware that I was having language difficulties which was adding to their wait. It was over quickly, actually, and I escaped the store with my long receipt. In pure German efficiency, a feed store employee saw me and my receipt, and came to me and asked to load my car with whatever it was on my list. Nice huh? I breathed a huge sigh and went and got my car.

I pulled up next to the most peculiar looking lady - she was standing at the open trunk of her mercedes convertible, waiting for the rest of her beauty bark. She was tanned, had spiky grey hair, bright pink lipstick, and get this: heart shaped sunglasses. I just had to talk to her. She was the picture of friendliness! I stammered out a few words, still getting my tongue tied, saying how nice it would be if they were open more than a few hours on Saturday. She agreed, and said "Look at this weather, we're all crazy to get gardening!" I agreed, "Yah, I'm getting beauty bark too!" She asked if I was from Ireland (my hair). I said, "Even back home people asked me that - no, I come from America." She asked where, and get this - she's been to Seattle! She said "OH, what a beautiful city Seattle is! I stood at the top of the tower and looked out over the harbor, what a view!" I thought to myself, "I wonder what tower she's talking about. Columbia Tower? Hm." Then I told her how I am having a hard time adapting to the minimal open hours of grocery stores, and she said it's ridiculous to have stores open til midnight, for only one customer! (I've heard this so many times now.) I said, "It must be worth it, or else the stores would not be open!" (Does she know that the grocery stores in Seattle are open 24 hours? *gasp*) She told me I'll adapt and just relax on days I cannot shop. Hm, it's taking me a while! Then we wished each other good weekends and I drove away happy, car full of beauty bark, beet pulp, and corn.

I got home and told my man, "Do you think by 'Tower' she meant the Space Needle?" and he said, "Of course!" He laughed cuz I guess that is what strangers call it!: )

I lay my beauty bark out, laughing cuz the packages say "For Graves" on them. Yah, in Germany, everyone decorates loved ones' graves with little gardens and candles. These are elaborate, with bushes, little trees, and flowers, and if you don't have the resources to decorate your family members' graves, you hire a firm to do it for you. Professional grave decorating services. I bet Germans think we have no heart, we Americans, from the looks of our graveyards, which are just headstones with grass, mowed by the cemetery empoyees! Every shop in Germany has grave deco stuff - mostly candles specially made for graves. Checkout line in the grocery store, you are reminded to remember your dead by adding stuff to the grave garden.

My man peeked out the window to watch me spreading my grave deco bark. I said, "We need a gravestone. I saw a cool one in Seattle that says only "REMEMBER" on it. I want it! We'll remember stuff we've forgotten if we get that."

"No," he said.

I argued, "We've got grave bark, I need a gravestone!"

Oh well, at least we'll designate this garden the graveyard.

Then I mowed the lawn. I have to say, moving from an electric mower to a gasoline, self powered Honda mower is amazing. Awesome. I mow my lawn every Saturday, and I just couldn't do it without the gasoline one. Gas mowers are not at all common here, because not many people have yards, and those who do, usually have small yards. And Germany is QUIET and Earthfriendly. But our yard is hilly and has 5 separate sections that need mowing, and dragging that cord around was just ridiculous. I love my lawn mower! Call me Hank Hill...: )

Then I saddled Baasha cuz I wanted to try to find a free church in our neigborhood. Or, I should say, the next neighborhood. ("Free church" means unaffiliated with the government in any way, like back home.) On the way, a lady was walking her Icelandic up and down our street, cuz he didn't look well from the Spring grass. Poor guy, he's 31 years old, I hope he's better now. He's boarded at the grouchy man's barn across the street. Another neighbor stopped me to meet Baasha for the first time, she told me he looks great, I said I hope he's gaining weight, and she asked me exactly what I feed. Funny how nosy some horse people are, and how easily they give their opinions. She told me to try barley and bran.

Three more neighbors talked to me on my way, I never had this much contact with people when I lived in the city!

Finally we made our way down to the little church, which is by my favorite restaurant (Thai). Across the street from the church was a field of pretty horses, several of them neighed hello to Baasha. It was odd to be reading a church's reader board on a horse, as the church people arrived to pick up their kids. I felt very conspicuous.

Baasha's feet were making noises on the pavement, and he's got tiny rocks caught in his white lines. What is up with that. I filed down his edges tonight, but I'm really not sure what to do about this issue. He's had it before and it seemed to just fix itself with regular rasping. I hope it quits - any ideas hoof people? That really can't be comfortable for him, and I had to use my hoof knife to dig them out.

To end on a happy note, my man has this amazing gift - he can get a horse to use a salt lick just by telling him to. Here's the "before" picture.








I said "You can't do that - horses will just lick them when they wish, usually when we're not around."












But he persisted. He gave Baasha some carrots, and then tapped on the "Salt Stone" as he calls it, and beckoned Baasha to taste it.











It worked. Twice now. He can lead Baasha to salt and make him lick it: ) I love it!










Then my man brushed off more winter coat, teasing me, "Did you even brush this horse today? Look at all this hair coming off!"

Yesterday the terrier lady watched me from her garden as I brushed Baasha in our field for 2 hours straight, getting some of the last of the winter coat off. She finally came over with her dog and said "You're gonna brush all the hair off that horse and he'll freeze!" I said, "Funny, back in America a friend used to tell me I'd be the first to actually wash the paint from my car, cuz I washed it so often." : )