Thursday, December 24, 2009

The 12 Days of Practice

This lovely version of the traditional Christmas song was created by a bunch of us at White Tiger Karate. Namely, Sensei Sharyl, Cheryl, Kyle, Linda, and myself.

On the first day of practice my sensei gave to me an hour in a horse stance.

On the second day of practice my sensei gave to me 2 black eyes
and an hour in a horse stance.

On the third day of practice my sensei gave to me 3 crescent kicks,
2 black eyes, and an hour in a horse stance.

On the fourth day of practice my sensei gave to me 4 Corners, 3 crescent kicks
2 black eyes, and an hour in a horse stance

On the fifth day of practice my sensei gave to me 5 broken toes!
4 Corners, 3 crescent kicks, 2 black eyes
and an hour in a horse stance

On the sixth day of practice my sensei gave to me 6 combination,
5 broken toes!
4 Corners, 3 crescent kicks, 2 black eyes,
and an hour in a horse stance

On the seventh day of practice my sensei gave to me 7 little newbies,
6 combination, 5 broken toes!
4 Corners, 3 crescent kicks, 2 black eyes,
and an hour in a horse stance

On the eighth day of practice my sensei gave to me 8 knuckle push ups,
7 little newbies, 6 combination, 5 broken toes!
4 Corners, 3 crescent kicks, 2 black eyes,
and an hour in a horse stance

On the ninth day of practice my sensei gave to me 9 prancing panthers,
8 knuckle push ups, 7 little newbies, 6 combination,
5 broken toes!
4 Corners, 3 crescent kicks, 2 black eyes,
and an hour in a horse stance

On the tenth day of practice my sensei gave to me 10 Pai Lum Fist Sets
9 prancing panthers, 8 knuckle push ups, 7 little newbies,
6 combination, 5 broken toes!
4 Corners, 3 crescent kicks, 2 black eyes,
and an hour in a horse stance

On the eleventh day of practice my sensei gave to me 11 rounds of sparring
10 Pai Lum Fist Sets, 9 prancing panthers, 8 knuckle push ups,
7 little newbies, 6 combination, 5 broken toes!
4 Corners, 3 crescent kicks, 2 black eyes,
and an hour in a horse stance

On the twelfth day of practice my sensei gave to me a 12 hour belt test
11 rounds of sparring, 10 Pai Lum Fist Sets, 9 prancing panthers,
8 knuckle push ups, 7 little newbies, 6 combination,
5 broken toes!
4 Corners, 3 crescent kicks, 2 black eyes,
and an hour in a horse stance

and an houuuuur in a hoooorse stance :)

A note for those of you who don't know:
Pai Lum Fist Sets are defenses from different attacks
Prance of the Panther is a name of a form
Little newbies are new kids aged 4-7 who are sometimes difficult to teach :)
6 combination is a defense from a punch
4 corners is the name of a bo staff form
And a horse stance, well your feet are double shoulder width apart, knees bent like you're sitting in a chair... quite like how one would look if one were riding a horse.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

32 Reasons Why I am a Dumbass....

There they are: 32 reasons why I'm a few french fries short of a Happy Meal. I stopped at the Green Crow to see if they had any seasoned cants I could use as a carrying timber. Well, the Crow used to mill 7x9's for railroad ties until the Pennsylvania company stopped taking them. So they had these boys hanging around. The guy gave me a great price so I said I'd be back and take them all. Well, now we are doing a post and beam, which I am psyched about. It will be more difficult because I have not done that yet. So another learning curve. Anyways, the reason for the title of the post. It took me a while to load the truck. They were heavy. I loaded the truck by myself, then found the boss to pay him and he said, "Why didn't you holler. We would have helped you load them." (sigh) I sweated and stink like skunk who has an overly active scent gland. I bathed.

On farm notes: Bred two of gram's pigs. Semen was almost a week old, so I hoped they took. We'll find out. The seed catalogs have come in, but I have yet to open them. Garden is going to be nearly all PVO this year. Enjoyed the Solstice at Kearsarge-Gore Farm. Enjoyable to spend a night leaning back with friends on an annual note. Getting goose tomorrow from Fall Dog Farm. Last bird I need to process for the year. Been riding Kristin. Yoked up the steers the other day in the barn. They are unbelievably tame.

Nothing in the future. Get the walls up for the house. I will draw out a framing layout tonight for the beams/timbers. Check out our mill to see what I have ready, then call Colby's Mill and order what I need. Need to square up those timbers before taking them off the truck. Not lugging twicemore.
Sleepy, going to read before milking cows.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Ted and Zac

I walked Ted down to the house at the powerline today. It is a 1/3rd of a mile away. He did alright. Slipped and fell in the yard on the ice, but was otherwise fine. He geed and hawed wonderfully. When he saw the neighbors horses he paused quite a bit. I tapped him on his butt a few times to giddup. I didn't get a chance to take Zac out.
Tomorrow I am going to take out on of the calf yokes and play with them quite a bit. Ted and Zac are the two bulls we picked up in August. They way about 550lbs each now. They are friendly, and lead terribly well. Ted can haw, giddup, and back without a lead now. Gee is a problem still. Zac is a little tougher. Leads nicely, but still needs the lead for commands. We have an old tractor tire laying around. I'll see if I can supe that up and use it as a small weight for them when they get going together in the yoke.

No poem for sleep. Will be a dreamless night.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Making Chocolates watching Rocknrolla- started the steers. Rode the horse. Broke the sun.
And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

no no no no no no no

No No No No No No No No No No No

No No No No No No No No No Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Noooo No No No No No ....NOOO.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Ah Distinctly I remember It was in the bleak December

It's December first. The world goes boom stick waving in hand like John Wayne did in the movies there was always that girl- all of them- the tough one who could kick teeth in, or the pretty one riding side saddle up the horses it's time to go after the cups, the marmalade the tea, I'll take my shadow and make a toast. It's the First of December. The whole world goes boom.