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Ken's Journal - Summer 2003
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| Saturday, 8/23/2003, Day 9. Osteen Florida (Redneck Central - right after Yee Haw Junction FL) My family here consists of my Sister, Jan, her Husband, Jonathon and their Daughter, Miranda who is 14. She just started High School - 9th Grad. Other than that there are several dogs and cats, an exotic bird or two, and anywhere from 12 to 18 horses - depending on when you visit. When I arrived, there were 17. A mare, Dolly, was sold early in my visit bringing the total down to 16 horses. Among those 16, there are two colts born last April (Skippy and Oscar), one born last January (Scooter) and one born last summer (Magic). Six or so of the horses are borders. The names I use are their "barn names" or nicknames. Today was my first horsemanship lesson. We covered parts of a horse, moving around a horse safely, Grooming 101, taking off a saddle. This is not dude ranch stuff where you just show up and ride, I'm learning the whole bit of caring for a horse to include the psychology of a herd animal. It's quite a bit more work this way, but I'm much more confident working around a 1200 pound dumb animal who could crush you in a heartbeat. Other than the lesson (given by Miranda), it was just another day on the farm - which can be some of a number of chores - feeding the animals, turning the horses out to pasture, cleaning stalls (shoveling horse manure - just like when I worked for the government!), spreading manure (another job similar to work in the government), bringing the horses in from the pastures, feeding the horses, watering the horses, mowing the grass around the house, mowing the fields, fixing fences, whatever. | |
| Sunday, 8/24/2003, Day 10. No lessons today. The kids had a Speed Show at the local horse arena - barrel racing. Here's my niece, Miranda, on Jazzy, taking a barrel at speed. Miranda, 14, just started High School this year. | |
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| Monday, 8/25/2003, Day 11. Just a work day on the farm - fortunately, as a guest, I get to choose what I do - if anything. There are more than just the normal horses, dogs and cats on this farm. Jan's farm is close to the middle of no-where. Her 20 acres back up to several thousand acres of someone else's ranch - so there's lots of open land for wildlife. Starting the parade are a pair of Sandhill Cranes. They were such frequent visitors, Jan started putting out corn for them. Now they show up and if there's no corn and you don't come out immediately to spread some for them, they raise hell until you do. I was about to get pretty close to them and make some pictures. Naturally, the corn attracted other animals as well, There are a number of deer that show up in the mornings and evenings to feed. Florida deer at their biggest, are about the size of a German Shepard and may weigh 40 pounds or so -- they look like miniatures if you are used to northern whitetails. Sometimes there are; several wild turkeys that show up too. Sorry, I've no pictures of either the deer or the turkeys. I set up a blind later in the week, but it spooked both the deer and the turkeys so much they wouldn't get close to it. | |
Here's a shot of one of Sandhill Cranes - (Family: Gruidae, Grus Canadensis) . This particular bird stands about 48 inches tall and has a wing-span of about 7 feet. This pair does not migrate but nests and breeds locally. Most migrate to northern Canada and Alaska to breed. When they migrate, they fly so high you can't see them. On my trip this fall, I should see plenty at the Bosque del Apache NWR south of Albuquerque NM as they migrate from nesting grounds in Alaska to wintering grounds in the south. Shot with a Canon EOS 1DS, ISO 200, 70-200mm f2.8 at 150mm, f6.3 at 1/250, natural light, late afternoon. |
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