New Icelandic Additions

It’s been a while since anything has been posted up on the blog. As with everyone, it has been a very different year for us. We are just now getting back into the swing of things, so expect many more updates on the horizon. For now, I’ll leave you with some cute photos of the baby Icelandic horses that joined the herd this summer.

Felagi: Means “Buddy”

Lutjia and Svanur’s colt, born May 25, 2020

Felagi is the first foal born at the homestead. We glassed a new figure from the deck of the homestead with the horses up in the high grazing meadows. Ketra (a farm volunteer) and I (Margaret), headed up to see if there was a new addition! Low and behold, this mighty mountain colt was teetering around the mountains with the rest of the herd. Here are a few shots of him– expect many more!

Icelandic Colt

Felagi and Morgan in the yard

Felagi and Lutjia in the yard

Felagi at Three Months

Helga: Meaning “Strong”

Frilla and Vinur’s Filly, Born July 25, 2020

Helga ran down from the high grazing meadows to the homestead the day after she was born. That day, she went straight for the salt block just like her mother. She also kicked Morgan and the dogs when they came close. After realizing folks aren’t so scary, she gets her fill of ear scratches while around the homestead.

Helga and Frilla at the salt block, Day 1

Helga with the rest of the herd

Helga in the mountains at 3 weeks.

The horses are growing quickly and summer rapidly fading away. We saw our first stars in months this week– a sure sign that the summer is coming to a close.

 

 

Apricity: The feeling of the warmth of the sun in winter

Horses soaking in the late fall sun.

It was April. Break-up season. The snow so rotten you couldn’t take a step without falling in up to your waist. We were home-bound, travel too difficult to make any progress on our projects. The lumber was milled and ready for construction and the homesite selected. The gear was moved off the lake and summer loomed brightly around the corner. Now, after months of go-go-go, we gratefully accepted a time of rest. Now, we waited for the flip of the seasonal switch.

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After years of planning, a water pump was installed in our new addition during November. This marks a huge improvement in our year-round Water System.

In Summer, water requires much less forethought and labor to access. We have a small, energy efficient, pump that draws water from our creek for drinking, wash water and into the hoses and sprinklers that irrigate our 6,000 square foot garden.  A camp hot water heater provides incredible outdoor showers, or choose to embrace the wild and bathe in the creek. Summer is a time of ease of access to that stuff of life.

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Life Dictated by Flyable Weather

October. A month of weather. Ice fog blanketed the landscape for days. When it lifted, the snow fell. When the snow stopped and the clouds cleared, temperatures dropped, and the wind howled. October consistently dishes out the worst weather we see.

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Water System, Final Harvests, Friends   September 2018 September was a unique month for us at the homestead… and away from the homestead. During the beginning of the month, Morgan laid insulated pipe for our gray water system. We are increasingly closer to running water at the homestead! The pieces are all coming together. During […]

August 2018 Fall has hit. We are entering mid-October, and just now reviewing the final flash of summer. Before the snow flurries, we enter our own mad flurry of preparation for colder months. As with each summer season before, we kept busy with projects. We are consistently more ambitious than time allows. August kicked off […]

Ponies, Fencing… and Running Water??

July 2018

Summer in the North is a great blur. Folks say that the constant light is as beautiful as it is disorienting. Has it been one day punctuated by many naps, or has it been a month? It is hard to tell where the day starts and stops.

July in the mountains. Photo Credit: Elizabeth Selktas

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