Living in My Office: A Sticky Situation

I’m going to go a little off topic, yet not really since it happened during work hours and at my “office”.

Niles and Be

Earlier this year, my husband and I moved to Florida. I have two horses, both of which a good friend elsewhere in the state kindly kept for me while we searched for a new home on a couple of acres. This plan took longer than anticipated, so shortly after closing on the property we rushed to get it ready not only for us but for my horses as well. Over three hectic weekends we removed ample amounts of palmettos and scrub brush, trimmed up low branches, fenced in a perimeter and made about half an acre habitable for the horses to come home. They arrived last week. We finished off their new living quarters with a nice shelter and hay feeder this past weekend, and figured things were safe enough to continue with the finishing touches in our spare time.

The New Paddock

Well, a couple of people warned us about this one solitary sappy little pine tree that was growing in the paddock. It was oozing goo down its sides like a sticky volcano. We just didn’t have time to address that situation yet. The horses arrived Thursday, and that day and Friday passed uneventfully. Saturday we kicked the horses out in the backyard while we built them a shelter, and they still did not get into any trouble. Sunday I took them for a nice short ride each. Monday had a rainstorm overnight, but the shelter kept them and their hay high and dry. So that leaves today, Tuesday.

Mid afternoon I am deep in conversation with my developer, going over a roadblock hindering a site deployment and discussing my options. She can’t do much for me, as she doesn’t have access to the settings I need configured. Only someone in a department that isn’t responding can help me. They are currently working on another priority. I’m going to have to write a pointed follow up, and copy some people that I only bring in when I can’t get action any other way. I hate doing that, but it is part of project work. Sometimes your wheel needs to squeak.

Frustrated, I look up from my computer and notice my mare is vigorously rubbing her neck on a tree. At first, it doesn’t dawn on me which tree she’s cozying up to. Then I look again at the tree, and realize it’s the same sticky pine she’s brushing her hair with. Oh no. No, no, no. She snakes her head around the little sapling, and I can see from my desk chair that her mane is clumped together with fresh sap. I politely disengage from chat with my coworker, and explain I need to step away from work for a bit.

I try tapping the window while I hurry my feet into sneakers, but she’s ignoring me. She’s massaging that little pine all down her back as I’m moving toward the door, grabbing shampoo and the pump house lock key as I go. As I open the gate to the paddock, her eyes are guilty and she approaches me with her head down. I tell her in polite, gentle tones, “you are a complete moron,” as I softly clip the lead rope to her halter. Two soapings and rinses later, and I think I had more success with the hair pulling out in clumps than I did with shampooing the sap out. The horse enjoyed her hearty massage though!

So back to the original sticky problem. I need to get the rubbing tree out of the paddock. I've never removed a tree before. I don't exactly have great options for tools yet either. We have a bow saw.

Guess who learned to use a bow saw?