Rain

We finally got some rain but not just in the nick of time.  No, the rain came after an accident that left 26 homes burned to the ground, three horses and one 93 year old woman dead.  We have had high winds lately and on one of those windy days, an older gentleman disposed of the ashes from his fireplace inappropriately.  That started a fire that burned fast and furiously.

This is a wonderful community and many people and businesses have stepped up to help out their fellow Nevadans.  That is the good part of living here.  I don't know how many times I have seen a need and then seen money pour in or neighbor's helping neighbors.  We aren't a rich state, although some people here are doing quite well.  We are a boom and bust state.  We are up and then we are down.  Yet, Northern Nevada has a really nice side to it.

We got a half an inch of rain and it all soaked in nicely.  Three months without snow or rain has left the area incredibly dry.  We can only hope that we get some more moisture while there is still time.  The high country is bone dry and that will be an issue this summer.  Not so much for us as for the Californians that rely on those mountains for all their water.

Cleaned out the goat pen today.  Six or eight wheel barrows full.  Got some new straw in the goat hut.  They so love snuggling into their straw when it is cold.  Keeping them dry keeps them healthy!  We have been feeding them weedy, foxtail filled grass hay alternating with alfalfa.  They haven't had any problems with the weedy grass hay but it has caused a lot of waste and I am having to do extra loads in the wheel barrow because of it.  I am not sure if I will do that again.

I counted up our round fence posts and we have 17.  We have about 20 T-posts.  That will be enough to build my horse pen but certainly not enough to finish the cross fencing.  I have t o buy about 100 feet of no climb horse wire.  I have a gate that has been sitting out in the sand for quite some time.  It was supposed to go in when we finish the cross fencing but now we are thinking about a double gate since our area is a bit tight and having extra maneuvering room would really help with backing up the  truck with a trailer on it.

I also managed to clean out the front and south patio gardens [at least 80 percent anyway].  We bought a gas powered hedge trimmer and I whacked it all down in a matter of minutes a few days ago.  Today I raked it up and took it to the back to burn the garden refuse later when it dies up a bit and there is no wind.

Now to finish up the new sheets on the bed, mopping the kitchen and, finally, taking my long afternoon break  More about what it will take to have a mini horse later.