Fall Fires and Winterizing

It's that time of year again where we start getting prepared for the long haul of winter.  We've been lucky in the fact that we haven't had snow just yet, but it's coming!  We've had a few little flurries, but nothing has stuck.

After the shows and clinics I've done this past year, my trailer has slowly but surely collected almost all of my tack and equestrian paraphernalia.  Add in the mud, the transporting of hay in the trailer because last haul we had a ton of snow/hail/rain coming down on us, and things were being tossed about since they weren't in their proper spot... yeah, it was an absolute mess.  Trying to find anything in there was almost impossible!

The black hole of tack and equipment

Also during this time, I have to pull out all of my leather tack since there's no heated tack room at the farm.  During the winter my tack lives in certain little nooks and crannies in the house away from kitten claws and puppy paws.  Everytime I ride this winter, I haul my tack out from the house in strategic bags and carriers.  All lotions, potions, and liquids are out of there as well.  Last year I forgot a bottle of fly spray in there and didn't find it until spring.  After it had melted.

Life is tough for kittens... so tough

Another thing that happens during the fall and early winter up here is the annual burning.  To clear more farm land, the farmers will make rows of log rubble and trees to burn so that the land is useable for the next growing season.  It's a bit spooky when you're driving home or even in town since this year the wind blew the smoke all over town.  Especially around Hallowe'en, the town had a very atmospheric feel about it with smoke and fog everywhere from the fires.

Smoke from afar

Up close and burning