Barn

This is the completed EXTERIOR of the barn, taken from the back deck, with the pool at the very bottom. I took it using Photo Booth, where I sorta aim the Mac screen at the view (which I can't see) and hope for the best. It's a good thing the barn doesn't move around...The interior, alas, is one big cavernous space with a dirt floor.





And here is the new Landseer Newfoundland puppy, 2 months old, 14 pounds, her name is Magpie (or Maggie) to match her big sister Raven.





And to round it all up, here is Raven, 7 months old, 80 pounds.



We have let them have only limited visitations (hence the gate) because Raven is so rambunctious, she tends to bowl the little one over. And over. And step on her, in all the excitement. Once Maggie has gotten a little more size on her, they'll be a better match. Probably a month. Maggie's dad weighs 175 lb., her mom 140. I have never seen such huge dogs.

Meanwhile, the rest of the work on the inside of the barn is going very slowly. We rented a ditch witch to dig trenches for moving the water line from the old barn to the new location, and to dig trenches for drains from the floor sink and tack room out to the creek. I see where the word "witch" comes in. The worst of it is, even though we dug at 90 degrees across the the ground where the water line lies, we didn't cut the line. The only conclusion is that we didn't dig deep enough. In trying to go over the trench again with the digger, the front wheel dropped INTO in the ditch (during a tornado watch no less). And there it sat until the equipment rental guy came and winched it out this morning. Cost? $470 dollars for about 4 actual digging hours. And we still can't find the *%!# water line. Today the DH called a handyman guy to come look at what needs to be done, and I desperately hope he will come and agree to take it on, for something less than our entire life savings. At the rate we're going, it will be next summer before the horses have an indoor home. And the farrier comes Monday, and I am willing to bet we won't be able to catch all three beasts. Last time we tried to separate them, DH got kicked. I lay awake nights thinking of how awful things are, so that the next day I can feel tired AND depressed, the gift that keeps on giving....