I Dragged the Ring and it Rained...

So what else is new.

 Once again, the girls spent a big part of the day in the indoor.

 The outdoor arena was looking pretty dry, so I decided to drag it.  Unfortunately, the east end was still wet so I could not finish the job.

 After I mowed around the edge, the horses were invited in.  They love hanging there and wanted to roll.

 Since Scott repaired the drag, there has been a great deal of improvement in the footing.

 Got off the old Toro and hopped on the lawn tractor to finish mowing the big pasture.

 Gary picked strawberries today before it started to rain.

 There were some humungus samples out there.  If we can get another bowl tomorrow I want to make some jam.

 We put the horses in their stalls and gave them a good grooming before the Vet arrived to give them their spring shots.

 Gary and I went out for dinner at the Stoneyard...no cooking tonight.

Chores at 7:30.

 Night all.

PS

Today my piece appeared in the local Newspaper.

There was a Community Link that featured 

"Linked as Friends" and I wrote about my Journal and blogging.

The Skoog Farm Journal    skoogfarm.blogspot.com

“How you can grow friendships in a venue with people you may never meet yet “know.”

In February of 2008, a friend of mine told me about a blog she was reading and suggested that I check it out.  I did, and was so inspired I started The Skoog Farm Journal on the 22^nd  of that month.  It has certainly changed my daily routine, as I have not missed one day of posting in all these years.  Since that time I have picked up 337 followers,  over 342,000 hits, almost 23,000 public comments and  have made over 5000 posts.

How did it  happen?  I looked at  the first blog, “Bedlam Farm” by author Jon Katz, and said “I can do that.” Within an hour I started writing about what I do everyday.  Because I love photography, it is more about the pictures than writing.   The next thing I knew, I started getting comments.  Could not believe that people were interested in my days on and off the farm.  I would look at their blogs in return and started seeing some of the same names over and over in their lists of favorites.  I checked them out, especially those involved with horses. Our common interests led me to communicating with people in the United States, France, England, Italy, Sweden, New Zealand, Niger, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Canada and more.  It's amazing, how you end up with a blog list of so many like minded people who are interesting and supportive.  Many of my "friends" leave comments for me from 1-7 times per week and vice versa.

I have had the opportunity to meet face to face  with 6 of my online friends.  One visited from Kentucky, another from Colorado and the others were within 50 miles of  our farm.  We are all still in touch on a regular basis,.  Several years ago, Sara, from Kentucky, came up to this area to help a friend (who had over 50 ewes who were about to give birth) and I said if she would stop here I would make her dinner.  She and her dog took me up on it and we have been friends ever since. Her husband has joined her for 3 or 4 more visits and I actually found her a horse in Kendall.  We touch base online or by phone at least 3 times every week.  She lives on a sheep farm with horses, dogs, cats and chickens.  Right now she is raising a bottle fed baby …Liddy (Liddle Biddie), and they spend 24 hours a day together.

When you read someone’s blog on a regular basis, you really get to know a lot about them.  Not only that, you can learn so much about different cultures…things that you may never would have seen otherwise.  For example, I have communicated for years with Esther, who lives in Niger.  Her parents (from Sweden) set up a foundation and have taught the people living in that area to successfully grow their own food. 

They have also set up a school for the children, which is having a huge impact on their futures.   I’ve seen photos of families going to weddings all wearing the same colored clothing, horse racing in the desert, Esther riding camels and more.

I just got a comment from Mike and Ann, who live in England, saying that it is “perfectly possible to grow friendships with people you may never meet, but get to know.”  They also invited us for a week long visit in their home!

If you go to skoogfarm.blogspot.com you will see what I am writing about.  My photographs include our  family, animals, local architecture, community events, gardens, food and much more.  On the right hand side you will see “favorite blogs.”  You can go there and click on them to see what is happening out in cyberworld.  Sara’s blog is Punkin’s Patch and Mike and Ann’s site is The Armoury.