Reflections of katlupe

Monday, February 24, 2014

Our Horses Enjoying The Winter Months

I took a walk outside with my camera a few days ago. The sun was shining and the horses were napping in it. They like winter better summer. In summer they stay in the barn during the day and only come out at night. In winter they like to sleep in the sun, roll in the snow and when they were younger, they'd buck, run and carry on.

I admit, I haven't been that active myself. In winter, I stay inside most of the time. I used to help my husband feed the horses in winter, but now I don't go out there at all. I am so afraid of falling and breaking a bone or spraining something. So when I get out on a day like this and can get some good winter photos of my girls I take advantage of it. They gave me some good shots!

People ask how can they survive out there in the cold. Horses are livestock. They are equipped to survive in the wild, and that includes the cold. I mean I would not take a horse from FL or Texas and put it in a cold winter without conditioning it. But these girls have always lived in this area so they are used to this climate. In all the years we've had these girls, they have only shivered a handful of times. In that case, feed them hay. In fact, our horses will skip the grain and go right for the hay as they know it will warm their bodies up fast.

We have blankets for them, but have rarely used them. For one thing, if you put blankets on horses, it keeps their coats from growing. And in winter, they really do need that winter coat. Even if you think its ugly. We worked at a thoroughbred racing farm, and that is what they did for the race horses, who were working races. But the others could grow their coats freely. We only put a blanket on if it was needed. Another thought is that blankets block the sun from hitting them. They need the sunlight and it warms them up too.

Usually one of the horses will stand guard over the other two while they are laying down. Then they switch positions so the other one can lay down too. Though out here, these girls get so relaxed that we will find all three stretched out sleeping without any worry about danger. No noises really bother them much. They are used to hearing coyotes, snowmobiles and four-wheelers, day or night. Pretty calm compared to how they were in 2000 when Georgie Girl and Dark Shadow came here. Then when Tawny came in 2002, of course, she was never the spirited girl the other two were.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Adding A Fireplace Or Wood Stove To Your Home

Nothing is cozier on a cold evening than sitting in front of a fireplace or wood stove. I know this, as I am fortunate enough to have two wood stoves in my home. In a prior home, I had a fireplace and would build a fire before my son got home from school on a cold snowy day. We had to purchase wood, and I, of course, back then did not know anything about starting fires. I learned to buy those "starter logs" in the grocery store and that is the way I did it. My ex-husband did not know anything about starting fires, so it was up to me.

Now there are many other options for anyone wanting a fireplace in their home. You don't really have to start a fire with wood unless that is the type of fireplace you have. They are available at The Fireplace Element, a website where you can check them out and see exactly what you'd like in your home.They sell wood, pellet and gas stoves, fireplaces or fireplace inserts. You name it and they sell it.

I was fairly surprised by how many different products they sell. Be sure to view their Facebook page and "Like" it for more great ideas. It is important when considering a fireplace or stove that you have a reliable company to work with. They will answer all your questions and help you make the right choice for you home based on their experience and products.

This is a post I was paid to write about this company. If you have any questions please review my FTC Blogging Disclosure.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Hardwood Flooring is the Perfect Choice!

Photo courtesy of Kendyl Young @ Creative Commons

Hardwood flooring is the perfect choice for your home today. Carpeting makes me sick from the chemicals in it. It is also hard to keep clean when you have pets, livestock, children, etc. and bring in mud, dirt, hay, and grass, from outside. In my opinion, hardwood flooring is easier to keep clean and always looks good. Buying a good quality product should last you for years. Not only that, but it will increase the value of your house. That is something to consider when making your purchase.

Photo courtesy of Brett Jordan @ Creative Commons

Laminate flooring looks like real wood, as seen in the photo above. But it isn't and it will not hold up over time. That is why it is so much cheaper than real hardwood floors. Engineered hardwood flooring can be sanded from time to time to remove scratches and marks that are inevitable over time. Doing that will give the floor a new look after some years of use. Having an old house myself, I'd rather put the money into the hardwood flooring that will not only look good, but last. Wouldn't you?

Photo courtesy of Steve A. Johnson @ Creative Commons

One such company I have found that sells this type of engineered hardwood flooring is Build Direct, Inc. and they have a huge variety of this type of flooring. I am sure they would have what you need. I spent a long time looking at the various flooring and it is not an easy choice! Lots to choose from, whether you want the popular bamboo floors, to the old standards of hickory or oak. They have it all! Be sure to check them out.

I was paid to write this post by BuildDirect, Inc, but in no way did I mislead you in this review. I truly love their flooring and am considering it for my own house remodeling project. If you have any questions be sure to review my FTC Blogging Disclosure page.

All Photographs courtesy of Creative Commons license today
Updated 2019

Thursday, November 07, 2013

A Home Warranty Service Contract For Peace of Mind

Home owners dread household repairs!

If something is damaged on your house, from a storm, fire or other natural disaster, it is usually covered by your homeowner's insurance policy. If the oven in your stove, or another appliance malfunctions, you are on your own. Calling around trying to find a local repair company that can work you into their schedule can take all day. Making sure you have enough money to cover the cost of the repair and new parts is a headache for sure. It seems to me that repairs often occur when you are short on money, or when you need that appliance the most. Consider buying a home warranty service policy.

A home warranty service contract may cover stove repairs.

What is a home warranty service policy? It is basically a service contract that covers unexpected repairs and parts of various appliances and systems in your house that have broken down with normal wear. Is it worth it? Well from a standpoint of knowing that things breakdown eventually, I think having this policy in place makes a lot of sense. As long as you maintain and take proper care of your appliances and other systems, the warranty will cover it.

Single Family Houses or Multi-Family Units can be covered.

A company like Choice Home Warranty covers single family homes, multi-family units, condos and manufactured homes. Paying for a home warranty service contract is peace of mind for a homeowner. It is a good selling point if you have your house up for sale. Prospective buyers will consider that a plus in purchasing your house. Or the other way around, when you are buying a new house, a home warranty service contract will make you consider that house over another. "Like" them on their Choice Home Warranty Facebook page, and they will give you answers to your questions and give you a lot of good information.

This is a post I was paid to write about this company. If you have any questions please review my FTC Blogging Disclosure.

Wednesday, November 06, 2013

Fall Morning on Wordless Wednesday at Peaceful Forest

Monday, October 21, 2013

Flowers In The Homestead Garden

I am winding this blog down a bit, though I probably will continue it, unless Blogger shuts it down for some unknown reason. My main blog is Homesteading On The Internet, same name, better blog. I liked the name and wanted to keep it, but found it wasn't that simple to transfer what I wrote here to the new one. So I have been trying to post on both, but different articles. I will still spend time writing quality posts for my readers here. So if you want to stay on this site, I appreciate it.

I don't usually plant flowers in my garden. This year I did. Not many, just a few. Some marigolds, because I read how good they are for your garden, as well as pretty. Supposedly, they keep rabbits out too. And they keep away the aphids. They are edible too. I planted these marigolds earlier in the summer and they never bloomed until fall. I don't know why or if they were supposed to do that. But they sure are pretty!

I guess the main thing is that they bloomed when the garden was about done. So I had some color in the garden when usually it would have been empty. Now we are putting the beds down for the winter that will be here before long. It is usually here long before this. Last night was the first night for starting our big heating stove yet, we have not had a hard frost yet. Hard to believe!

Update 2019: My blog, Homesteading on the Internet does not exist anymore. That blog has been removed as has, Solar Baby. I only write this one presently.

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