Thursday, December 8, 2022

Dear Rita Valley...

It's always lovely to find an award-winning cow with your name! This is what happens when you google yourself... be prepared for the results. (*1) I also have a number of vineyards in California bearing my name. On that one I'm a saint. (*2)

In any event, besides being a heifer, I'm a bit behind blogging as our monitor on the desk top computer decided to blow a fuse or shit the bed or whatever accurately describes a computers self-immolation. I turned on the computer the other day and !!SNAP!! there was a sharp crackling noise and a weird smell of burning electronics as the screen went black. Granted the monitor (and keyboard) were a million years old. We had replaced the tower several years ago (oh sure, that's probably "old" now too in computer years!) but I guess we weren't prepared for screen meltdown. It being the weekend- and the Xmas holiday shopping season- we opted to wait until a weekday to buy a new one. We also purchased a new keyboard as the letters were all wearing off, leading to many accidental typos. But the one we bought had strangely pale letters on it that made it effectively no better than the old one so that one's going back to the store when we get a minute.

So what else is new? My pony is on a diet as she looks fat to my farrier and others. (*4) I am supposing that having a month off work because of Lyme disease (*3), loosing her pasture mate Maggie (and therefore not moving around as much) and the weather being so terribly wet and muddy (*5), she's chubby. My friend Sabina (a one time riding instructor but general horse mentor) said she thinks it's fine that Neko is going into the winter a bit rotund, but I don't want Neko suffering weird equine health issues. 

And speaking of weather, a little Climate Change anyone? It's December and the ground is not frozen and it's been relentlessly raining- not snowing- and I have flowers blooming! Yes, our mutant primroses are blooming in the shade border. Really?!? Additionally, bulbs are sending up leaves... they should be dormant. Gardening is really becoming a gamble. Looks like we'll be harvesting something in time for Xmas. 


 (*1) Fortunately, she IS a lovely cow!

(*2) Santa Rita Valley: there are a number of vineyards offering a Pinot Noir. We should try it.

(*3) I just read a study where 25% of horses tested in Pennsylvania were positive for Lyme disease or anaplasmosis and  another tick borne illness! Ugh! They live outside, they roll in the grass; what are you supposed to do?!?

(*4) I saw a picture of Neko when I first tried her... she looked so much thinner! I was shocked.

(*5) Too slippery to actually ride; all you can do is plop around in the muck.
 

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