Refuge Farms (www.refugefarms.org)

Okay. I’ll admit it. My body is sore. My head is full of sawdust and I’m sneezing like mad. My feet feel good in my slippers but oohhh! when I put my barn boots on! It’s hard for my hands to make a fist today. And my legs? Well, let’s just say that they are voting for frequent rests today.

Huh! No time to sit! Only 6 days until the 6th Annual Open Barn and Auction and my list is still taped to the frig!!!

But the progress that has been made in the last week! I am in awe of Kathy M. and Cathi C. Their determination and will to “get ‘er done!” is visible not only by the progress around THE FARM, but their ‘can-do’ spirit every day when they arrive! Hats off to you two! And hugs of appreciation from all of us!!!

Yesterday, it was like a beehive around here. In fact, a neighbor stopped in to talk about some hay and he told me, “You’ve got quite a crew here!” That, my dear man, was an understatement!

Colleen B. was attacking the weeds around and in the Memory Beds. And I mean attacking. I chose that word on purpose. Her scissors were busy, busy, busy! And she chose scissors because the typical trimmers we all use were too slow for her… Get the idea? And upon her arrival Colleen attacked probably the least favorite job on the list – the cleaning of the trash barrels. Without hesitation or a wrinkled nose, she dove right in and jobs were done! With speed and topnotch work! Thanks, Colleen!

Sabra B. was here with her usual smile and walked around all day. Yup, that’s what she did. Only thing is that each walk was with a wheelbarrow from one barn to the other barn – we moved sawdust yesterday! It was me who said – foolishly! – that the pile wasn’t that big and shouldn’t take us long. Hah! That was not a correct assessment – even close! Sabra just kept hauling and hauling and hauling until we finally hit the dirt at the bottom of the pile! Hurray! Thank you, Sabra, for your muscle and your spirit! You truly will do whatever it takes to take care of the needs of The Herd. Much appreciation.

LB was here – and she brought chocolate. Love you, LB. But in addition to the chocolate, she brought her determination to get the dirty barn gates spotless and ready for the little hands and faces that will be up next to them. Can’t have anyone getting dirty in our barns, now can we? And that, my friends, is not an easy or a quick job. We have thirteen (13!) gates hanging in that barn. Some are twelve feet and some are eight feet, but each gate has 6 or 8 tubes that run horizontally and are perfect perches for our little feathered friends to sit on and chirp…and deposit. Not an easy job, but well done! Thanks, LB, for the gates (and the chocolate!)!

Professor came armed with her usual “What should I do?” smile. And in no time flat, the buckets of brushes and combs and the lead ropes and the halters and the radio and the clock and the telephone and a whole list of things were spotless and under a dust cloth in clean buckets awaiting their re-hanging. That is a job! That barn dust gets everywhere!!! Everything looks just great, Tracy! But then after finishing that, she took off her shoes and got in to the pond and cleaned that monster up so it is ready for refilling next weekend. Now that may not sound like an icky job, but don’t be fooled! Leaves and green twigs left floating in an inch of water will turn slimy and slippery and not very pleasant. But all of that is gone and the liner sits pristine awaiting its refill and fountain to be adorning it! Thanks, Professor!

Melody and Jess did a great job – again – of sanding the remaining Memory Benches. OSRose has painted eight benches for us and Kathy has built the benches purchased by all of you in memory of someone in your life or a horse here at THE FARM. These benches will be such an addition to the grounds and great seating for our guests next Sunday. But without the work of Melody and Jess, these benches may have given off slivers and some very sore fingers or legs. Not any more! S m o o t h ! Nice work, you two! And I could hear your laughter as the two of you enjoyed your time together. Nice to see Mother and daughter laughing as you two do. Thanks to both of you!

Most of the day, you didn’t even know that Lynn S. was here. She was invisible. For seven – yes, 7 – hours she was pretty much out of sight! Unless you were in the big barn and wondered who was up on the extension ladder power spraying those high peaks!! Yup! That was Lynn! There isn’t a cobbie or a bit of fly poop or a bit of bird deposit anywhere in that barn! Lynn made that ten-year-old barn look brand new! From the trusses to the walls to the bucket hangers – she washed everything! Including herself, it looked like! Wet and a bit dirty when completed, she never once complained and just kept at it. Thank you, Lynn. The barn looks so nice and both the horses and I appreciate the cleaning. Great job!

Cathi C. was hauling sawdust and coordinating the assembly of tools and rags and buckets and gloves and where to put the trash and all the things that need to be done behind the scenes to keep the work running smoothly! You did a nice job, CityGirl! And always with that smile…although, at times, I had to look through a ton of dirt on your face to see your smile!!! You are a great addition to THE FARM and we are all glad to have your gentle spirit amongst us!

Captain was her usual self – laughing and singing! Between walking the big wheelbarrow full of sawdust countless times and reaching the tall stuff for those of us that are height challenged and energizing all of us with her jovial spirit, the one main thing Kathy did in the day was round us up so we could sit and eat lunch and talk with each other. Rest a bit. But then, she was there to get us up and motivated again. A good leader she is! Glad and blessed to have you, Kathy!

So there you are – a snapshot of the work that goes on behind the scenes to prepare for The Open Barn. The size of the list? It’s getting quite small, actually. In fact, it’s pretty much the stuff to do right before the event now – canopies, hay bleachers, gates down…. The tasks that Captain is so good at organizing so we are just ready. No panic and no mad dashing. We just get ready.

You must join us! Sunday, September 16th starting at 12noon. We will be ready! And the place will look marvelous!!! You must come and meet this crew and these horses and just soak in the place. I know all of us will be here ready to greet you and share with you what we have found here….

Friendship. Kinship. Acceptance. Caring. Support. Laughter. Hugs. Teasing. Family. Growth. Forgiveness. Respect. Trust. Ownership. Responsibility. Worth. Belonging.

All in a barn filled with horses that nobody wanted. Horses that needed us and now we need them. And each other. That’s the Magic! Come and experience it for yourself. We have great people to introduce you to The Herd and The Place. See you next Sunday!!!

Enjoy the Journey of Each and Every Day,
Sandy and The Herd in our Spotless Barn!!!