Hanging out...

Lovely day in the mid 30's, no wind, no grandsons, days like this I enjoy just piddling around hanging with the boyz. 

 

Oh, hay Mom!  Pippin is just as ornery as he appears, looking forward to spring & getting him back to work. He loves being scritched, hates sharing attention. 

Being a "pip", I'd been loving on Merlin...

You can see the show barn pretty well in the distance. Where I kept Grace & take lessons is actually closer but, can't be seen. If you biggify, you can make out some of the boarders turned out for the day. I can always tell when they're going out or being brought in as the boyz find it quite entertaining. 

A little role reversal!  Pippin is indeed faster, perhaps that's why Merlin gets his licks in when Pippin can't get away so easily?

Day after...

Day after Christmas and its 60 degrees!  I didn't pay any attention to if this were a record or not but, I was certainly sweating in the barn. I so appreciate the paddock ice rink melt, accept for...

Mud, lots of it. Much better than ice for sure. I'm not one to go all out for the four leggers at holidays. They do all get extra treats. The Mini's in the form of candy canes, which they dearly love. 

Lincoln got his requested ice cream maker. Funny how they come up with ideas like this all on their own...

The making of chocolate banana ice cream...

With all the toys, making his own ice cream took presidency over any of them...

I'm not sure who enjoys it most ❤️

Ice cream face...

Just a month shy of a year old, Jefferson was into the festivities...

And ecspecially big brothers cerimonial popping of packaging bubble plastic!

Kennedy had the best Christmas of all however...

Her Daddy came home from deployment just days before. She'd only been 6-ish months old when he left.  Due to FaceTime he actually saw her first steps. And she knew her Daddy from over 100 ft away❣

Gotta share this of our Alaskans modeling the Christmas Jammie's I sent. Lincoln wore his all day 😍

Santa's new helper...

Well, Lincoln saw this pic as I was looking on FB the other day...

Photo credit goes to Patty's Pony Place, they sell Carts, harnesses and other driving gear. 

Lincoln is now convinced that Santa borrows his Merlin as one of his helpers.  Lincoln has only asked for one specific Santa gift in both his letter and on his visit to Santa.  Oddly enough it's an ice cream maker.  Even odder is Hubby has always dreamed of getting one so they could make ice cream together and had one ordered!

Santa & Merlin have delivered it here, Merlin somehow got some of his mane & tail in the box!

This is going to be fun ❤️

Who does it best?

Seems everyone is giving me "the look" today for some reason...

Pippin: "You had peppermints yesterday, I know there's more"...

Merlin: "The twits right it's nearly Christmas, don't be a hold out with the candy canes now"...

Jefferson: "I saw that Apple you cut up for my brother. Who says I can't eat it with only 3 teeth?"

Just realized, the Mini's want candy, Grandson an apple!  I think we've gotten it backwards!

It's a hard job...

Poor boyz have such a hard job this winter...

Looking cute...

And eating!

Love their winter beards. Merlin has found nose kisses to be totally acceptable now.  Pippin is in the "please scratch  under my chin" stage. 

Pippin: "What's "you little S--- you mean?"  

Said affectionately of course. He's such a sweetheart when he's not "a little S---!

I'm hoping I've found a way to hopefully stop Merlins giving Pippin both barrels if he's in the stall first. Last night I had the buggy whip ready. Merlin began his routine as Pippin tried to hurry past him. Merlins little black bottom got a wee whack!  He was stunned & seemed more insulted than anything. I'll have the buggy whip handy tonight as well. 

They do have fun too...

I was back in the barn cleaning yesterday afternoon & I hear a commotion outside. I went out and the boyz are having a blast, racing, rearing, face fighting. While it was only 9 degrees out, I couldn't help but to stand and watch. They'd been playing a full 15 minutes before I thought to pull out my phone and video...

What fun to watch them play, seems I post so often about their arguing. They do enjoy one another at times too. Pippin is much faster than Merlin, due to age difference or build, I have no idea. They do enjoy a good race that's for sure.
Today we've been doing the "polar vortex" weather, -11 degrees with the sun out!  They stayed mainly in their run in area or on the patio, I don't think I saw them out in the field at all!  So glad Hubs added the windbreak, it's made a major difference.  The dogs go out, pee and dash back in, except for Ivy who's main goal is to snag a Poopsicle! 😖
Lincoln's pre-school had a Christmas play today, sooooo adorable.  He'd planned on singing super loud to make sure I heard him. Don't think he'd realized the crowd he'd be in front of. He kind of froze at first, once he spotted all the faces that love him he joined in and did great though.

No Mini's were harmed...

Sometimes all is peaceful with the boyz, sometimes not so much...

Yup, all hell broke loose...

Rearing, biting...

Kicking out! Short legs don't accomplish much...

Such a loving relationship!  "NOT"...

Gotcha cornered now pipsqueak...

"WHAT, I'm not doing anything!"

This wasn't an average night thankfully.

In their field, Pippin can be indeed a pipsqeak, or what you'd call a "total dick!" Merlin will be minding his own business, grazing, napping, peeing, doesn't matter. I'll see Pippin shake his head and "kablam", he's charging and harassing Merlin. Pippin is much faster and can get away before Merlin realizes what's hit him. Pippin takes off like any little brother who knows he's pissed big brother off big time. 

When I stall them for the night, I've found letting Pippin in first is the best way to go. They each head to their bowl quietly & eat. Merlin first I can just about guarantee chaos!  He'll kick out with both barrels, backing into Pippin on some nights as he comes in. I'm just guessing but, perhaps he's 1. Letting Pippin know he's not taking any shit or 2. REVENGE for the days/weeks events?  This night was no holds barred.

 Pippin may have been worse than usual in the field that day!  Last nights full moon they came in nearly holding hands oddly enough. 

It's here...pic heavy

Yup, snow!  About three inches, though our wind distributes it about, causing it to vary...

I've been spotted by Pippin...

I imagine they're coming in to see what I plan to do about the disappearance of their grass...

Pippin: "It's gone all gone!"

Merlin: "I keep telling him to just dig a little. He's such a Pipsqueak!"

That nose, I just want to kiss it...

This nose too of course. 

😘😘😘

Trying to mimic Pippins coloring?

The girls have the right idea. 

They can come in at anytime but, chose to while I cleaned. 

Just because. 

What a brat...

Yeah, Mr. Merlin gives off the appearance of an innocent lil guy. 

It's a total scam...

Though he does seem very apologetic lol. And I do understand, keeping Pippin in his place is a full time job. 

Today was mani/pedi day. I dropped Lincoln off at preschool, contained the boyz out in the paddock area. Then went in to bundle little Jefferson up so he could supervise in his stroller behind the inside gate. 

Sherry arrived, I haltered Merlin, turned to halter Pippin. Merlin leaped at him, front actually airborne, grabbed hold of an ear and would not let go!!!  Poor Pippin, he couldn't buck, rear, or fight back in any way. All he could do was spin in a circle & hope for Mercy. I had a halter in hand and wholluped  Merlin in the bum. He let go and they both ran off. 

I went to halter him again and no way was he allowing anything near his ear. Couldn't blame him. So, we took Merlin in, shutting Pippin outside. One reason, so he couldn't retaliate which he would do. Secondly, when it was his turn he'd want to come in. 

Merlin was a perfect lil gentleman for his trim. We put him in the stall, let Pippin in and closed the door. One nice thing about Mini's, even if they don't wish  to be cooperative, you can just do it. He still didn't want me near that ear, couldn't blame him but, the halter had to go on and I got r done. Oddly, he was a gentleman as well. His rear feet can be hit or miss with picking up. No kicking, just argumentative at times. 

Hoofies all done, feet looking good and no damage to the ear. Just his ego! 

Honest, I'm sorry!!!

Hanging the nets...

I hadn't been using the slow feed nets for the boyz because of Pippins lip warts. Well, his warts are gone now YIPPEE!!! 

So I filled two nets and hung them in the run in area...

Pippin oddly enough was the one who figured it out right away...

Merlin got it but, he wasn't happy about the change.

Musical bags were played frequently the first two days. Merlin would "think" Pippins bag must be giving more hay, due to Pippin be perfectly content. He'd chase Pippin off, rinse &!repeat often. 

One flake in each at the moment is lasting 3 days!  Night time they get loose hay while stalled. I'm thinking I'll pick up a few more nets so they'll have something thru the entire night as it gets colder. 

They still have access to their field, using their nets before heading out at breakfast,when the weather keeps them from wanting to venture out & in the evening. 

With Camryn she'd be in the paddock thru winter, her huge feet wouldn't be kind to the ground, her appetite wouldn't have allowed grass to rebound. I'm hoping/thinking the Mini's won't destroy the field. And having room to run means fewer arguments. Yup, they still behave like siblings!

Mighty muddy mini...

Duh, didn't even consider this when I brought Pippin home...

Of course he's a roller lol. I doubt he'll be white again till spring. He doesn't seem to mind. 

Mr. Merlin doesn't think I see him?  He loves a good roll himself. He must be more distcriminating in where as he's never mud encrusted. 

Corn clean up!

Didn't take long for the corn clean up crew to report for work...

Me thinks Pippin hadn't yet experienced this type of work crew...

Poor guy was pretty unnerved...

Margeaux chilled in the stall window picking out lunch. Maizee was in the doorway doing the same...

Merlin was pretty unimpressed, he did run back to the safety of the barn with Pippin once. They'd become surrounded, the birds (mainly starlings) took flight in unison, they'd spooked Pippin who in turn spooked Merlin. Once Merlin realized Pippin was freaking out over what he considered nonsense, Merlin remained chill. 

In the video below the cleanup had been going on for several hours. Pippin is still a bit unnerved by the entire thing. It's hard to show even in video how many birds there are, I never did quite get a shot showing the numbers. Several times they surround the barn, they're in the trees, paddock, on the roofs. Just imagine forty acres of birds wth a bird every six inches or so. Then much like horse herds, they all take flight in sync, land, eat, rinse & repeat for two days. It's like a dance of sorts & the noise is unimaginable. They return several times a year, though never in the numbers of harvest time. 

 We'll have to wait & see what Pippin thinks next time. 

Changing view...

While the boyz slept, something was happening behind their field...

Any guesses on what the eerie monster in the dark was?

They were more than a little confused in the morning. Where did it go they wanted to know...

Bringing in the field corn. Our windbreak is gone. 

Inside, the boyz enjoyed watching as well. Lincoln has always been mesmerized by all things tractor. It appears Jefferson is as well. 

Lincoln insisted on eating dinner at the slider so he wouldn't miss a thing.