Dogs, A Party, My Boots

Monday was warm. 

Without wind. 

It was like springtime. 

But I wasn't to be fooled. 

I knew it wouldn't last. 

So, I got the dogs out to play with their mini jolly balls that they got for Christmas.

Jolly ball is the name of a hard rubber ball that is found at your local rural farm supply store. 

It has a handle and is supposed to conquer boredom in horses. 

The pony has a large jolly ball, but is scared of it. 

Just as she was with the jolly ball she used to have. 

We gave her first jolly ball to Lola who proceeded to tear the thing apart in no time. 

These jolly balls are supposed to be super-dog tough. 

My dogs have super-super tough teeth, though. 

Zoe turns 9 in February. 

She's having an art party. 

She loves her some art. 

She always says she's going to grow up to be an artist/designer/Egyptologist. 

I made her party invitations on Tuesday. 

I had been to Lowe's where I snagged free paint sample papers. 

Two of each color scheme. 

I also found colored staples at, where else, Staples. 

So, I took the color coordinated paint samples and stapled them together. 

Colors on front and back, ya see. 

Then I printed out the information for the party on clear labels. 

Peeled and applied as so (the RSVP information is on the back of each card)

and threw them in the mailbox this morning. 

I hope her school friends can make it.

I always get party anxiety when the RSVP deadline approaches and I haven't heard a "nay" or "yay" from the guests' parents. 

Here's a self portrait. 

Kind of. 

I'm always on winter afternoon barn duty during the week. 

I go out around noon and give the animals hay and check the water bucket. It's a heated bucket so we don't have to worry about the drinking water freezing. 

And here's an interesting tidbit for you...when it's colder out the pony and goats drink more. 

So, here I am lugging an empty water bucket back to the house.

It will be filled up later at the house and taken back to the barn. 

I'm on evening/dinner barn duty as well today because Chad has to work late.

In the mid to late spring and summer months we don't feed them hay in the afternoon. 

Or at all really. 

They forage on the pasture grasses.