miserable winter

Thought the temps have been mild it has been a terrible Winter here on the ranch. Rain ,rain and more rain leaving it a muddy mess in the pasture. I do not see how we are ever going to get grass to grow again. We ran out of $ so the barn didn't get finished. Seems to be the thing we have the $ and not the time or the other way around. Income tax funds should help this year as we do not (I hope) have a big purchase this year...oh shoot yes we do we need a farm truck.  Jim is retiring so we won't have the rental truck any more. It would come in handy as before he left and when he returned before taking the truck back we did all the chores that needed a truck.

Retired...yup he is retiring from active RR service but staying on the board of directors. Now I say this tongue in cheek as just after he announced it they asked him to go to Oklahoma.  He wouldn't have retired at all IF he had been getting a salary and been out there regularly but he wasn't and had been home for over three months and we needed the money. At least retiring he will get a guaranteed amount  which is more than what he can count on for the company. Plus I do need him here on the ranch. it seems every time he leaves something goes wrong...either I get sick, fall or something breaks.  All the time he was he was  home everything was fine he left and last night we had no water. Something is wrong with the pump....at least it seems so and hoping it's not the well. I had to use the "ole" hit the switch with a hammer to get it to run.  Sigh~!  We are back to the ole prime the pump of the early times on a ranch thing. next I'll be carrying water from the well or the stream.(pool)

I am thinking on going back to the New England way with horses..keeping them barned.....when we get the barn done. This way we can maintain the pasture by putting them out in different areas during the day for a few hours. We are going to have T till the other pasture and then fence that one giving us three areas to play..plus also fence the front of the house so they can mow the lawn LOL.
Up North we kept our hoses in stall all the time unless they were being ridden. The ones who boarded and didn't ride were put out for a few hours a day. They only had little areas there too for pasture and I bet I have more here.
The end of Jan. Jim and I went to Georgia to see another Clinton Anderson Tour and had a great time. T and Colten took  care of our "kids" while we were gone.

Mud, Mud everywhere. T came over with his tractor to help with the clean out of muck. you can see Cody is mortified. LOL..."You want a piece of me? Bring it on!"
They are so uses to him doing this now they watch the job being done to supervise.