Friendly Neighbor

I took Baasha for a walk today and let him pick where we went. We ended up on the main street, and every so often a car would slow down and wave hello at us. So friendly! Even the Thai restaurant owner slowed and waved and shouted Hi! I instantly missed eating at his restaurant, but we're trying to save money this month for that inevitable next surprise vet bill, and I may have to wait until February.







Baasha pulled the rope and walked onto a field and started nosing the snow aside to eat the long green grass underneath.











He also was delighted to find some blackberry leaves....











...and he even ate some beech (!!). I could see the neighbor horses below. Mostly they were pawing snow too. Baasha pretty much ignored them, snacking away.









He Eats Bread Now

I was admiring this pretty shale house, the way they painted their balcony light grey to match the dark grey shale. It was classy. Suddenly the door opened and a lady stepped out and said, "Can I offer your horse some dried bread?" I said, "We can try! He's still learning to eat bread."

We crossed over the salty slushy street, and the neighbor lady, Heike, almost slipped down her icy steps, trying to give Baasha a piece of bread. He ate it! I'm so happy, he's German now: ) She fed him piece after piece, and told me to stop using the formal style of language with her, but rather to speak to her as I would a friend or family member. I clumsily adjusted, and we talked for a while. She wanted to know how much it cost to bring Baahsa here (I find Germans very inquisitive about money matters. "How much did your new car cost?"etc.)

I asked her about her cats, I'd seen one of them on her porch. She said I should come over for tea or coffee sometime. I remembered to ask her if she watches Lindenstrasse (German soap opera running since the 80s). She actually said YES! I've been asking everyone since I arrived here, trying to find a "TV buddy" to enjoy the show with. I hope we can watch it together. She said she'll stop by and ring my doorbell and we can set up a date.

Now I have this big bag of dried rolls to give Baasha. We left a trail of bread crumbs all the way, as I fed him rolls and he munched them daintily (He won't take a whole roll in his mouth, like real German horses do). The birds will appreciate that. I'm curious why most people here seem to have dried bread sitting around, maybe they're saving it for horses that pass by? Hm.

I appreciate that the people here are so welcoming. I really need more contact with people.










Pony Ring

I took Baasha to the pony party ranch to visit, but all the horses are in their winter paddock and we cannot reach it. That sucks, I know he'd love to rub noses with some of them.


I let him trot around the ring a bit, but the snow was pretty deep and heavy - I could tell the pony party people had been using their ring a lot lately. At one point he pooped, and then on the next time around he stopped and investigated the poop for a very long time. Like, "OmGosh, someone pooped here!" and I replied, "It was you, you papnase!"





"What did you just call me? Speak English!"













He went around a few times, but he was pretty calm. (When I have the camera, he will act his age. When no camera is around, he goes back in time.)











Here's my favorite picture, showing that he was enjoying himself a little in the ring.











Then I rode Baasha home, my first ride in ages. He coughed, but that is what the vet said he'd do during exercise. I love the way this old cornfield looks in snow. I did not like the wind that blasted me in the face as I rode by it!

We tried to visit some other horses, but suddenly we were faced with very deep snow. Up to his belly, yet Baasha wanted to press on. I said "No way!" too dangerous and made him go back. We'll have to visit them another time.

Snowy Germany

My man had to shovel the car out again this morning to get to work. I have lost count of how many times it has snowed.

I love feeding my birds. I notice them out my kitchen window and say, "My birds are looking at me again!" and then I run out and fill the feeder. Then I stand by a window with my binoculars and enjoy how they all eat.

The news said the entire country is snowed in. Well, when your country is the size of Montana, it's easy for all of it to be under a storm, hehe. But we have not had it as bad as some people - we have our power, and our roads are ice free. I'm still enjoying it and get excited when I see a few flakes start to fall.