[Ag-eq] garden, chicks, horses

[Jewel]

Today was ANZAC Day in which we remember New Zealand servicemen and women who have sacrificed their 
lives in order that the world may be a safer and better place in which to live;  sadly so far, a 
pointless sacrifice as the world is today, but we hope that human beings are, slowly, very slowly, 
learning how to sort out their problems without resorting to the sword:  the evidence of that 
learning is still very sketchy, but what can we do but hope for a better tomorrow!
and what I hear you ask, does the acronum ANZAC stand for?  Australia-New Zealand Army Corps: the 
name that was given to the combined force that was thrown together and whose, what proved to be * 
impossible task it was   to capture the Galipolli Peninsula in 1915.  April 25th  was the date on 
which the troops waded ashore and were, immediately, mown down by the turks who had some 
foreknowledge of the anticipated invasion.
The anzacs were part of the british army, and the brits were there and did suffer their losses, but 
we hear very little of their part in the fiasco.  What we do know, or have been told is that several 
battallions of british tommies just sat around their campfires trinking tea while they watched their 
antipodean partners being slaughtered and waited for the order to attack:    an order that never 
came from their  elderly and panic-stricken commander.
The Turkish defenders and the invading Ausies and Kiwis ,both suffered the greatest of hardships 
during 6 months of the bloodiest and most futile warfare that could ever be imagined.
I can't remember the date of the evacuation, but one day, what was left of the Anzacs were there on 
the beach and the next day, they were gone, having been taken off by the Royal Navy overnight and 
taken from the fryingpan that was the Galipolli and dumped into the fire that was North Africa.

Today it was 98 years since the landing and, as the years go by,  the crowds attending the dawn and 
later parades and services are growing, not diminishing.  I imagine that the centenary in 2015 will 
be an occasion when no effort will be spared to make it a memorable one!

        Jewel
--------------------------------------------------
From: <nfoster at extremezone.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 25, 2013 4:26 PM
To: <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [Ag-eq] garden, chicks, horses

Yesterday while watering my cherry  tomato plants I found several tiny green
tomatoes. The rest of the plants are growing and look healthy.  I'm always so
excited about the progress in the garden.

The little chicks are now 7 weeks old and no longer little.  They are growing as
fast as weeds!  They have their own 6 by 12 dog run to chicken around in.  They
also have a big wooden crate, which they like to get on top of.

One of the big hens has decided that she wants to hatch out some eggs.  She sits
in the nest box most of the time and complains when I gather the eggs.  We no
longer have a rooster, so she's wasting her time!  I wonder how long she will
keep this up?

On Sunday I rode Cruiser in a 3 hour, horse and rider communication clinic.  I
was really nervous because there were more people than I like in the arena.
Horses and riders kept stopping in front of us and I was worried that we would
get kicked.  Cruiser wasn't relaxed because I wasn't relaxed.  The instructor
spent a lot of time yelling at us; she's known me for a long time and has no
problems pushing me when I'm being wimpy.  Half way through I relaxed and
everything got better.  We spent a lot of time practicing smooth turns at
different speeds and transitioning between gaits.

One of the horses in the clinic was an 18.1 hand warm blood.  He is probably the
biggest horse I've ever seen.  His owner had to use the mounting block with 3
steps instead of the 2 step one.  I was so worried about him kicking us, but he
seemed like a big sweetie.  There were also 2 Tennessee Walkers, a Quarter Horse
and a Thoroughbred.

As usual I loved Cruiser even more by the end of the clinic.  He has come so far
in the 2 years that Mike and I have owned him.  He would be an even better horse
if I were a more confident rider, but we are learning and becoming more
confident together.

Well I got all the electric fence up, with the help of my wonderful neighbor.
Monty hasn't been out of the yard since the installation.  Yesterday I walked
down the street and he stayed in the yard; usually this is more than he can
handle.  I will try it again tomorrow.  On Friday we will start obedience
classes.  Hopefully Monty can be turned into a law abiding citizen!

What is everyone else up to?

Nella



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