Open schedule

My day is all mine today, at least for now. Once more it's been a busy, on-the-go week, so today marks a welcome change. One never knows, however, when outside factors will upset the best laid non-plans.

I experienced that lesson for the umpteenth time this morning when I went to the barn. Cracking open the big door, I immediately noticed something out of place. The brush used for scrubbing cars, which is usually stored in a big box near the wall, was lying in my path. It had not been there when I left last night, so I knew a moment of Marianne's cussing was in order.

I turned on the light, and the needed decibel level for nasty words flinging from my lips went up several notches. Yup, she'd opened her stall door again and had made a REAL mess this time.

"She" is Heather, the newest horse on the block. Once painfully shy Heather has changed a lot during her year here at the Lovestead. This innocent-looking, adorable gray filly used to jump at her shadow. Of late, she's developed a healthy sense of assertiveness (especially with Lefty) and numerous sneaky ways.

She has also developed a keen sense for opening a gate which takes extra muscle power and a few grunts each time for me to latch shut or to pull open. Since her first escape a few weeks ago, that tough-to-latch gate also gets tied firmly with twine each night after Heather enters and begins eating her grain.

She broke out one other time this week, when I tied the gate with just a single knot. Fortunately, her escape had occurred very late in the night or early in the morning. Most of the stuff in the aisle had not been disturbed, except the grain barrel, which really isn't grain, but the horses think it is.

Since she'd already had her breakfast, I led her out to the barnyard that day and resolved to tie that twine tighter from now on. Last night, after putting her in her stall, something prompted me to take extra measures with my knots.

Well, a lotta good that did!

Adding to the frustration, her escape from stall occurred only two apple piles into the night. When I opened the barn door, I spotted at least three substantial poop piles throughout the main walkway. Straw from the one bale I own was scattered about, and the newly dumped pile of shavings stretched from wall to wall in the middle of the aisle.

Barn implements were strewn about, and, yes, the lid to the all-breeds pellets was not on top of the barrel. The container had been licked clean. Of course, the fact that it contained less than a grain bucket full of goodies provided one bright light in the midst of the mess Heather had created for me to clean up.

Once again, she went straight to the barnyard with no extra breakfast treats. The other two, who had obviously paced their stalls, scattering horse apples every which way during fits of jealousy, were treated to their breakfast treat, in this case, real grain, which Heather didn't know was in the other barrel.

I've got most of the mess cleaned up, and from now on, Heather will have a chain around her gate, in addition to the stubborn latch. I still can't figure out why my hands along with brute strength can barely work that latch, while Heather's dainty little Arabian lips open it with ease. Must be a Houdini gene mixed in.

Well, so far, I've made it through part of today's posting, and no other outside forces have pulled me away from this writing project. When I sign off, I'll go finish the barn clean-up and do the chores for another night of horse lodging. I'll bring in the wood and then return to the computer to polish up my next River Journal column. It's all in place, but the finesse part needs some work.

Then, I hope to finish the planter, which has been taking shape throughout the week, in between runs to town. Yesterday I carefully loaded on the back of the pickup and hauled its two ends, connected by one board to the front yard.

My ever-developing common sense told me it would not be wise to build the whole thing (12 feet by 4 feet) and then try to move it to the front yard where it not only hold plant-life but will also cover up some ugly stumps remaining from the thorny buffalo berry bushes Bill sawed down in late 2008.

Plus, that yard is a sheet of ice, so I reasoned that it would be easy to slide the partially completed monstrosity into place. And, by golly it was.

Since then, I've been carrying boards out there, nailing them to the structure and standing back to admire my self-constructed and somewhat rustic planter. If all goes well, by this afternoon, it should be finished and ready to be loaded up with dirt and some pretty flowers. Those two items may wait until spring.

It's been fun, and it ain't purty, but it's cheap and I don't think it's going to fall apart very soon. So, I'm enjoying some satisfaction.

Again, here in North Idaho we remain amazed with what we've been able to accomplish in January, and if the day continues to be clear and crisp, I'll probably go for a bike ride too.

Nice to have an open schedule for the day and an open winter. Happy Friday to all.