Oh how cute!

I found a nest of baby rats in my manure box today! I was turning my manure pile, and spreading what was already composted on our hang, when I saw a fleck of gray fur, and suddenly it vanished. I tried to dig carefully with my shovel, so I wouldn't hurt whatever it was, but I couldn't find it again. Until way later, almost done, one of the concrete blocks on the edges fell down, and underneath were 4 or 5 baby somethings.

Eyes still shut, huddling together for warmth (even though the manure pile is body temperature!), they must be rats, cuz mice that size would have their eyes open.

I don't have a problem with rats or mice; back when I was cool I had a gray rat as a pet that I raised from a baby. We don't have a feed room for them to get into, our horse feed is in the house.

Now if it had been a nest of moles, I would have collected them and taken them for a long ride when my man gets home with the car. Moles are not welcome here. So far my mole chaser device that vibrates is working really well at keeping them away, we'll see.

Last time I turned my manure pile, I found copper colored snakes. This time, cuteness!

I'll try to get a pic cuz doesn't everyone go "oooh" over furry babies? Here is a pic of a bright red oak growing next to my manure pile. It makes a nicer pic than a stinky manure pile!








Mushrooms

Today on our walk, we finally saw some of those Alice in Wonderland mushrooms. I was so happy!








I took lots of pictures.









Baasha was happy to dig in to the field hosting them.










Keep taking pictures, keep doing that, I'm busy here.












Paulina

Donkey, you have got one fabulous tree there!



Lytha, everybody loves parfait!*







Also furry and cute today

We saw a group of only three sheep.










One was a baby, so cute! Look at those eyes! I kind of want to take it home with me.










I tied Baasha to a tree to get pics of the trees. They are prettier in RL (real life).









He had his ears back to the pony party horses behind us; just out of sight is their barn. We visited them, but they were in a winter paddock far back, so we only could visit from a distance. Maybe tomorrow we will stop by, I know they are going riding tomorrow cuz we were invited, but I don't feel comfortable riding Baasha up and down hills, so I declined.


However, on our walk, Baasha was doing so well, striding along so evenly, I thought I should take him home and put a saddle on him. So I did. My newly washed tack looked great on him! I got on, and he started rushing immediately. I was completely calm, breathing deep, sitting deep, and he was on a mission. I wanted a calm, leisurely walk, and I only got it if I took up contact. Then he growled at me and fussed. I started give and take and it was just a matter of time before he relaxed.

Then I saw a beautiful field, gently rolling, and I had this fantasy of cantering across it. I told him to try it. He tossed his head, crow hopping/bouncing up and down, and I was afraid he wouldn't stop this dash. He wanted to gallop! I wanted a gentle canter. He was having nothing to do with a canter, he fought the bit, sticking his tongue out, and I said HEEEY!!!! and he finally quit and cantered normally. My gosh what is with him. We resumed our walk.

I hadn't been on in about a month, because he has been resting that front left a lot. And nodding on hills. But on the flat, he is even. I jumped off my horse and led him home.

I took him to the field in his bridle, and as I slipped it off, as soon as the bit came out of his mouth, he ran away saying NA NA NA and I was like, "WTH!"

He came right back to me though, silly Baasha. I gave him the rest of my Skittles.


While I was typing this the doorbell rang. It was the little boy from next door, Nils. He had a package for me. The post carriers always leave packages with the next door neighbors when we don't answer our door, and that is OK, Nils' mother is the hunter jumper lady I blogged about, and she always knows what is in the packages I get: It's always horse stuff.

He handed me the package and I said without thinking, THANK YOU! and he said uh...uh...

and I said "You're Welcome!" remembering that he wants to learn English (he must, at his age in school, he has already had over a year of English).

He smiled and said, "Bitte!" and I said, "You're welcome!" but he was too scared to try to say it. I laughed and said "It's OK."

(He'd better get the You're Welcome down if he wants to learn English! Many, many Germans say "Please" (bitte) instead of "You're Welcome" because that is the literal translation of the German response to "Thank you".)

Anyway, check it out! I got Haribo with my new hoof rasp! WOO!
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*One of my favorite lines from Shrek, that my man is really sick of hearing me say!
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CORRECTION, to my Shrek misquote of the day:

Donkey: You know what else everybody likes? Parfaits. Have you ever met a person, you say, "Let's get some parfait," they say, "Hell no, I don't like no parfait"? Parfaits are delicious.
Shrek: No! You dense, irritating, miniature beast of burden! Ogres are like onions! End of story. Bye-bye. See ya later.
Donkey: Parfait's gotta be the tastiest thing on the whole damn planet.