Yesterday was the day to get hay for the winter.  My friend Mark and I met up at the hay guy's place, and loaded the nice second cut alfalfa/grass hay onto the truck and trailer.  Well, truth be told, Mark, Victor (my hay guy's helper) and my hay guy loaded it- as there is only so much room on the truck and trailer to stand...  Anyway, we pretty much emptied (except for four bales) a big hay wagon.  I drove back to the farm and met Mark and Victor ( I hired Victor to help us stack).  I had already cleaned out the barn, and Mark and I brought the bales to Victor to stack.  He's better at this than I (that is for sure).  As I carried the bales, I noticed some were extremely heavy.  Like push air out of your lungs heavy when you lift them.  I had to take breaks, much to the chagrin of Mark who kept teasing me... I am just not where I used to be- either endurance or strength wise....  We got it done pretty quick.  As we unloaded the hay, I heard lots of bats, who live up in the roof of the big barn, chastising us, I guess, for waking them up when they are supposed to be sleeping.  Judging by all the bat guano in there, we have a very good sized colony of bats living in the barn.  This is *really* good.  I have half a mind to contact the DEC to see if someone wants to check them out.  Bats are fighting a war with a Fungal disease that covers their nose/mouth and eventually makes them too weak to go on.  If this is a healthy colony, we want to know what we have to do to ensure that keeps up....

So, after unloading the hay, I drove Victor home, stopped by Subway on the way home, and when I got home, washed all the chaff off and laid down for a bit.  When I went to get up. OOOOOOOOWWWWW, my back was in total misery.  The muscles were so sore.  I way over did it with those bales...  I completely forgot about my knee issues... That was good right?

I had planned to work with Charlie after work today, to get a pen up for Joe to work the sheep, but the forecast is calling for thundershowers, so I canceled.  I may end up just working Joe on my sheep in my fields and seeing what happens.  It is too much driving so much to work him, and my knees/back will not allow it; neither will my bank account.  I have to make do with what I have.

I am just glad that the hay is done for the year, and it's one less thing to worry about.  I may be doing the fair this year, not sure.  If so, will have to get my sheep quieter, which means much more work for them with Dan, which Dan will love.

So, there it is.  Hay in the barn for winter, which signifies another year is plodding on, and the fall is right around the corner, which means breeding time for the girls, and nice cool weather to work Joe in.  More sheepdog trials with Dan, which I am looking forward to, and in general, another year is flying by.