Time to batten down the hatches...

Welp, it's official...

 Dare County evacuations for visitors began this morning and, starting tomorrow, locals are urged to evacuate the island as well!! Honestly, I would LOVE to take my family and go, but what's a girl supposed to do with 20 innocent horses?!

You may be thinking "why not just load them up and take them with you?" Ha. Logistically, I would have to make FIVE trips.  Not only is that incomprehensible, but even if it were possible, where in the world would I take 20 horses?! My sweet little Chippy won't even get on a trailer...now, you know I can’t leave that spotted @$$ here!! Ok, ok...technically he gets in the trailer--thanks to Lisa Rayburn’s patient clicker training-- we just haven't gotten to the point where we can actually shut the trailer door...

2.5 feet.  Almost there, Chippy...almost!!

  My parents solution...they are NOT animal people...is to just leave the horses (and the 2 dogs, the goat, the evil cat, the chickens and the guineas) here with plenty of food and water.  Great idea guys, why oh why didn't I think of that before?! NOT.  Who knows how long the island will be closed?! The road could be washed out, the inlets cut through, or some other major strom related issue could keep the locals away from their homes and their animals for a looonnngggg time. 

SO, long story short, we've begun the process of battening down the hatches. We're cleaning up the yard, putting away tack, tying down lawn furniture, and moving the chickens to higher

ground. We're also keeping our fingers crossed that we have enough hay and grain to ride out the storm....unless anyone wants to make a delivery tomorrow?!  ;)


Please keep our little island in your prayers and be sure to check back for post-Irene updates!