Not Quite Wordless Wednesday

Remember how I've whined complained  mentioned our lack of snow this winter?  Mother Nature blessed us with a heavy snowfall, finally...

Drifts anywhere from knee to waist deep.  Believe it or not, in the below pic there's a driveway somewhere!

Looking out toward that same hill as in my header, taken from just a few feet farther to the right.

Those are some big snow piles.

Hera thought this snow was just for her.  Her favourite game is to run and then flop down and snowplow her face through the snow.

Lefta!! :D

or "Oops I Bought a Horse!"

Yeah, that's right... she's not a boarder, Lefta is my new horse!  And it was really kinda an accident, finding her that is.  And yes, I know she looks quite a bit like Cessa... I guess you could say I have a type, and that's a 'plain little bay' lol

Sorry for the not so great pics but she's such a pocket pony that as soon as I go in or near her pen she's THERE.  So I get lots of pics like this:

I know, I know, what's the story?  How did I find her?  Why did I buy her? etc etc
Well I have a habit of cruising the horse for sale ads.  Usually someone I know is looking for a horse.  Even if they're not its nice to keep an eye on the market, IMO its a good idea to know what horses are going for in your area in case you need to sell one.
(even if you never plan on selling your horse you don't know what the future holds, there's always that 'what if')
So one day I was innocently cruising through one of the many horses for sale groups on Facebook when this pic caught my eye:

I really liked the look of her, then the name caught my attention "On The Money Girl KR".  Hmmm... On The Money Red breeding?  Before I could stop myself I'd messaged her owner for more information.
She was 5 and green broke, but quiet enough that they'd tossed beginners on her to go for a ride.  She was indeed a granddaughter of OTMR, her bloodlines also included Jet Deck, Lady Bugs Moon, Crimson War and Docs Prescription.  Now I'm not much of a bloodlines person but all those names were ringing bells.  So I messaged a friend of mine with the sales pic, sire & dam's bloodlines and the little info I had.  Her advice?  At that price if I was interested then go look!
As I have mentioned, I wasn't really looking for a horse for myself.  But there has been a tiny thought in the back of my head to someday get a nice horse that had some barrel horse breeding.  I hadn't been expecting 'someday' to come for a couple years but here she was and a steal of a deal too!
I thought about it a bit... she was just what I was looking for, it would be nice to have a backup horse  (Appy has been off & on, what if Voodoo was hurt too?) and it would give me some riding young stock confidence for when its time to get on the colts (its been a long time since I've been on a youngster).  So I thought what the heck, do it.  I made plans with the seller to go see the mare, and I kept it really hush hush (I think I told maybe 4 people).
When I went to see her she was out in the field, they caught her easy peasy and she left her herd mates without a fuss.  She stood nicely for grooming and saddling, let her feet be handled nicely.  I had both the sellers (sisters) ride her, then we switched out to my saddle and they rode her again, then I got on.
Well they weren't fibbing about her being green, she definitely needs to be more educated in the bridle.  But she was calm and willing, even though I was a bit nervous - I don't like getting on strange horses, even less so on iffy footing (thank you winter) and it was the first time I had been on ANY horse in a few months... here I was getting on a green, strange horse?!  But she was good!  She was willing and soft even though she was a bit uncertain.  I had felt her legs over, watched her move while they were riding her and was pleased with the test ride (for what it was) and there was just this feeling that she was supposed to come home with me.  She felt like she wanted me if that makes any sense??
After a bit of chatting we struck a deal, I'd load her and take her home.  Pending a vet check, to be done ASAP, the sale would be final (I had already tentatively scheduled a vet check for that week).  If for any reason she failed the vet check I would return her the following Sunday.  Payment was made and there was a signed and witnessed contract to the conditions, if she was returned I'd be refunded in full.
She loaded like a pro, no fuss getting in my two horse trailer when all she's ridden in were stock trailers.  I got her home and put her in a pen by herself... no sense risking injuries!
The vet check went great.  No issues came up and she kept a calm, friendly, interested attitude throughout which made my vet say "if she decides she doesn't want to run and be a barrel horse she'll make a heckuva kids horse!  Kids horses are born not made and she has a wonderful attitude."  When we finished the vet check I tied her up while I put Rootbeer in her pen (might as well have a roomie now) :)  The sellers had said that she had never seen donkeys or ponies, and most horses get a bit freaked about the little ponies.  She pricked her ears, walked over to Rootbeer with a "what the heck?!" look and gave him a sniff.  She must have decided "well you smell like a horse" because then she stuck her face into the bale beside him and that was it for introductions!  After watching them for a bit to make sure there weren't any delayed shenanigans I went in the house to call the seller and let her know she wouldn't be coming back :D
She, she, she... well I wasn't using her name for most of the post because I changed it.  They had been calling her MJ and it just didn't flow off my tongue (and I confess every time I said it I thought "Micheal Jackson" lol)  She didn't seem attached to the name MJ, I started calling her Girl before the vet check, after she passed I started calling her Lefta and she responded right away! 
Now why Lefta you ask?  It seems that money themed names are common... Cash, Dollar, Moolah, etc.  Well she's an On The Money Red grand baby, Money is part of her name so why not give the 'money' theme a twist?  Lefta happens to be Greek for money! (although that may not come up in a translator, it might be slang lol)  Also it happens to be one of the names on my list of possible future horse names... perfect time to put it to use I'd say ;)

Sunday Stills ~ Through an Opening

This week's Sunday Stills challenge:
 "For this next Sunday Stills challenge find an opening (a window, knothole, fence…) and use it to frame something on the other side. I found it harder than it sounds."

My favourite little man was my subject this week.  He was locked in the barn and peeked out the 'kitty door' to guilt trip me:

Friday Funny ~ Photo radar

A man was driving when a traffic camera flashed.  He thought his picture was taken for exceeding the speed limit, even though he knew he was not speeding.  Just to be sure, he went around the block and passed the same spot, driving even more slowly, but again the camera flashed.  He thought this was quite funny, so he slowed down even further as he drove past the area, but the traffic camera flashed yet again.  He tried a fourth time with the same result.  The fifth time he was laughing when the camera flashed as he rolled past at a snail's pace.
Two weeks later, he got five traffic fine letters in the mail for driving without a fastened seat belt.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Lefta makes her blog debut

Caution!

 **This post contains images and discussion that some people may not be comfortable with, please feel free to click away now**

Monday night when we let the dogs out for final potty Tucker didn't come in right away.  I thought he was maybe eating grass (he's been doing that lately) and when I shone the flashlight on him he still wouldn't come in.  So I threw on snowboots and trudged over to where he was eating grass blood.  
(I warned ya to click away, there will be pictures of the end result of the blood... you have been twice warned)
It was dark and cold, and I was tired so I scooted Tuck back up to the house and mentioned to Pie that if he had to let the dogs out during the night to keep a very close eye on them as there was a good sized patch of blood just across the driveway from the garage.
I got up for work Tuesday morning and because I was running late I didn't have time to investigate, other than snapping a quick pic with my cell phone... which I posted to Facebook with a few words about how we were possibly missing a barn cat.
Fast forward to Pie calling me at work late this afternoon, "You have to come home & let me in, I've locked myself out!!"

(feel free to laugh, I sure did)

I told my BIL and FIL that I had to go home and let Pie in and got my butt home as quickly as I could.  When I pulled into the driveway there was a strange vehicle there, turns out it was the neighbour Pie had flagged down and borrowed a cell from to call for help.  I thought it was pretty nice that he had stayed until I got there.
He & Pie told me they had investigated that bloody spot while they were waiting for me and that all our barn cats are alive and well.  And that it wasn't a neighbour's cat or rabbit... it was a deer.

**pictures forthcoming, including the deer kill... 

you have been thrice warned

 turn away now or do not complain**

Turns out this neighbour we had just met was a hunter and he looked at the tracks... the story unfolds that ONE dang coyote stalked and chased and ultimately killed a full grown deer.  There were tracks showing where it all happened, including where the deer was attacked but managed to get away.  She sought shelter alongside the two little pines beside the driveway, which is where the blood pooled, probably from an abdominal wound.  The little 'feast' Tucker was into last night.

 Honestly I'm so used to seeing deer tracks through the yard, and I know the coyotes have been going through, seeing tracks like this is nothing new.  It was pretty neat to see them through the eyes of someone that could put the story together.

 A tuft of bloody fur from near where the doe was attacked but managed to get away...

 The guys had told me where the remains of the carcass were so of course I had to go investigate.  Like I said the coyotes have been getting really bold around here.  ALL of this went down between 50' and 500' from the house.  This pic looking back at the garage was taken from where they had their supper.  Those pine trees on the left?  That's one of our dogs's potty spots!

 In less than 24 hours this is all that's left.  You can see there are a LOT of tracks around her, we had fresh snowfall* on Saturday and this is the hayfield where no horses/cattle have been turned out.

*the snowfall didn't amount to much, as you can see there are still plenty of spots with grass sticking out

 And these are the tracks looking toward the back of the hayfield/pasture area, that fence on the left is between our property and Neighbour Tom's.  I'm pretty sure they're living in those small hills at the back of his pasture.

 Now a couple of things to clarify...
I'm not mad the coyotes killed a deer.  I'm concerned for the safety of my critters.
The coyotes around this area are getting bolder and bolder.  In part because there are not many guardian dogs out here for the past few years.  There used to be quite a few but some got old, some were killed and some wandered away.  (and yes I know Hera is not up to the job yet, she's just a baby)
Also the coyotes have a lot to eat out here as far as wildlife, and I'm sure they're picking off barn cats, chickens, dogs, etc.  They're also exceptionally healthy looking, so they're obviously not starving.
It wasn't that long ago that they would not have dared hunt that close to the house/barnyard unless they were under duress.  And yes I know, that deer may have been ill/injured and a tempting target... I still don't like how at home the coyotes are feeling.  So we're keeping an extra close eye on the critters.  And hopefully soon I'll have my firearms certificate and can fire off a couple shots to scare them away when they're too close.

(and now I've probably driven away my few remaining blog readers)

About those unimpressed cats

Yikes!  I meant to fill y'all in on the unimpressed barn kitties a bit sooner, then time got away from me.  Things have been a tad busy.  And are looking to get busier (hey at least I'll have something to blog about lol)

Anyway, I had shown you how unimpressed the barn kitties were looking.  And really why shouldn't they when Pie & I had the NERVE to bring home THIS:

Meet Hera.  She's our new LGD, a 5 month old Great Pyrenees puppy.  Our awesome small animal vet Doc L (Moose's mom!) had told us about one of her clients having a litter of really nice pups after Echo went missing, we just weren't ready at the time.
Well with how bad the coyotes have been lately, and with planning on getting chickens and at some point those Dexters will be having teeny calves (they're not bred yet, they're still too young) we decided that a livestock guardian isn't really just a 'want' its going to be a need.  Turns out there were four female pups left from that litter. 
I had never seen or heard of Pyr pups other than the white/cream, this whole litter had badger markings! 
The cats aren't too impressed, but they seem to be slowly coming around.  After all who could resist this face?

(not to mention I know the coyotes have been in the pens by the barn and the shelter belt trees between the house & barn! so the cats better learn to appreciate Hera, she'll be protecting them!)