My baby is growing up

I officially have a college student. This year has been one of multiple learning experiences for us as a family as he went about getting his learners permit, learning how to drive, and finally obtaining his drivers license. And now he's enrolled for two classes as a dual enrollment student at our local community college. He's planning at this point on becoming an engineer of some sort. He's still not sure exactly which field of engineer he wants yet, but that too will come.

He's accomplished many things in the past 17 years and taught us so much along the way. I just can't believe that he's starting classes on Tuesday. I still remember his being born and at that time I wasn't thinking about what lay ahead of us. I was just so excited to hold my first child and smell that new baby smell.

Time has moved quickly forward and in several years he'll be off on his own, but for now I'm still enjoying the hugs and his wanting to tell me his joys and frustrations in life.

So my baby is growing up; time moves forward; and I'm enjoying the small things in life that make me realize how lucky I am to have the wonderful family I have.

-Myrtle

Day 2 - new harnessing

They went out again today for awhile. Slightly warmer temperatures than two days ago, but still darn cold. They did not go out yesterday when it was horribly cold.

Sorry for the shaky video, but they are starting to master the art of sleigh riding. And it's fun watching and filming even when I am freezing my hands in the process.

-Myrtle, looking forward to warmer temperatures tomorrow that might melt the snow.

One Horse Open Sleigh

Here is a video showing the guys with their One Horse Open Sleigh. It's one of the slower moving times, so I was actually able to catch more on this video. I have an even better one to share, if I can figure out how to remove voices from my video.

-Myrtle, who needs to remember to size the needle before starting the project. I knit 20 rows on a cowl yesterday on size 7 needles thinking they were 4s. Needless to say the project was way to big,I ripped it out, sized the needles, and am not starting again on the RIGHT size.

I'm so humiliated

"I can't believe they are making me wear this! I'm so humiliated! And worse yet, I have to show my face in public." (Thoughts of Tini)

We are experiencing wind chills of -9 right now and Tini has a horrible case of Rain Rot* that we are still trying to clear up. With her hair falling out massively on her rear end, I decided we had to do something immediately to protect her skin. Ultimately the blanket will be cut down to a horse blanket shape and covered with ripstop nylon to make a horse blanket for her. But this is what she gets for today.

Hopefully later I figure out how to upload a movie and you all can see how boys with horses entertain themselves after the first decent snowfall of the season (4 inches maybe).

-Myrtle

*Rain Rot - A fungal infection caused by too much water next to the skin on the coat of a thick furred animal.

For us, Tini (an now Izzy has a lesser case) had been growing her winter coat of fur when we had lots of late fall rain. This wonderful, wet, weather caused many animals in our area to end up with Rain Rot.