This page is where you can find all my cute dog, horse, donkey, and chicken stories. Aww.
Enjoying Life
Why not? I was all tired after helping a lot of folks at work, but when I went out to see the horses, I felt so much better that I did my scheduled ride and enjoyed the nice afternoon. The bulldozer is still plowing away. I think that project will be done tomorrow. He’s made … Continue reading “Enjoying Life”
A Hardworking Heavyweight in the Pasture
Hooray! I have a ranch project I can talk about! We’re getting the front pond dug out more, so it will be bigger, deeper, and hold more water. The pond was originally made from an arroyo (ditch) that made it hard to build a driveway into our homestead area. The dam is our driveway. While … Continue reading “A Hardworking Heavyweight in the Pasture”
More Fire but Okay
The wind came up and blew the fire from yesterday across the road. But they saved a bunch of other hay and then used our tractor to spread the remaining bales out so they would burn out more quickly. These round bales are like cigars. They are so dense that it takes a long time … Continue reading “More Fire but Okay”
A Good Kind of Tired
It’s been a long day and I’m darned tired, but like I said in the title, it’s a good kind of tired, both physically and mentally. Yep, I went to a horse clinic with both horses today over at Tarrin’s ranch. That’s a lot of horse time! The good news? It was COOL this morning. … Continue reading “A Good Kind of Tired”
Hearts, Hay, Horses, and Headaches
The letter for today is apparently H. I shall start with hearts, since it’s a cheerful topic and something to be proud of. After finishing the camo blanket, I went back to work on my heart afghan I was making for Kathleen. Today I finished the heart section. It’s way too small to be useful … Continue reading “Hearts, Hay, Horses, and Headaches”
Ups, Ups, Downs
Things have been good here lately. I spend a lot of time watching cute animals. I even rescued a trapped English sparrow today who couldn’t figure out how to get out of the henhouse. I caught her and took her out. She was so exhausted that she just sat on my hand. Poor dear. No … Continue reading “Ups, Ups, Downs”
Book Report: Horse Color Explored
I was looking for a book about horse breeds but didn’t find anything helpful. Most were for children. But I saw Horse Color Explored: Over 150 Breeds, Types, and Variations, by Vera Kurskaya (2017) and that piqued my interest. I was interested in knowing more about the genetics of horse colors than I’d read about … Continue reading “Book Report: Horse Color Explored”
Sharing Is Daring
Some of you may have seen that I wrote yesterday about how hard it is to escape old patterns and negative self image. I decided to challenge myself to accept myself just as I am, because hey, I’m trying new things, learning new skills, and staying active for someone who’s 64 (especially where I live, … Continue reading “Sharing Is Daring”
Pretty Gray Things with Horsepower
Admittedly, the gray things with horsepower are quite different. But they’re both pretty. One Horse with Power Today was Drew’s turn to shine. He was scheduled to get filmed doing the dressage part of this quarter’s Working Horse Central virtual show. We walked over to Sara’s lovely arena that she made all by herself. I … Continue reading “Pretty Gray Things with Horsepower”
What’s Pink and behind My House?
It’s a roseate spoonbill, that’s what! I was excited to see the storks visiting again, then I noticed one of the beaks trolling the shore was not black and looked sorta funny. Whoa. It was pink! I’ve only had one visit from a spoonbill before so this made me smile. I remember looking at one … Continue reading “What’s Pink and behind My House?”
Horse Dentistry Hilarity
Yesterday I had lots of fun and learned many new things as Bonnie, the equine dentist, came over to float the teeth of all the horses here (that’s what they call dental work, floating). Everyone was due except Mabel, but I was concerned that she still might need more work, so all got looked at. … Continue reading “Horse Dentistry Hilarity”
Let’s Learn Horse Stuff
Today was a good horse day. Lee was kind enough to drive me and Sara met me at Tarrin’s ranch where we filmed Drew’s next set of obstacles for the Working Horse Central third quarter virtual show. I learned a lot more today, particularly about my capacity to do things in humidity. I had already … Continue reading “Let’s Learn Horse Stuff”
Droodles Making Progress
While it’s been rather rainy and my work has been eating into my horse time (work funds the horses), I’ve had time to make progress with my beautiful, dapple gray teenager, Drew (or Andrew or Droodles). While there hasn’t been any cantering and jumping (blame mud), there has been a lot of other stuff to … Continue reading “Droodles Making Progress”
I Try to Cheer Up
I feel sorta silly for being sad about a rooster. But it’s sort of on top of three people I know losing beloved horses recently, too. Livestock? Friends? Fellow beings who enrich our lives? Sure. I went out to remind myself of how we are all part of something bigger. Tiny mushrooms said, “Look at … Continue reading “I Try to Cheer Up”
Honoring a Good Rooster
The morning didn’t start out as well as I’d hoped, though I had an inkling I might make a sad discovery this morning. And yes, I was correct that my buddy Bruce, the best rooster ever to crow, had passed away overnight. He was only 2.5 years old, so I’d hoped we’d have many more … Continue reading “Honoring a Good Rooster”
Helping Your Friends
It was a fun morning, another one spent with our friend, Sara, and her Andalusian charges. Solly and Aragorn both came over today so we could work on things together and give the horses new experiences. Aragorn did a great job ponying his mare buddy over to our house. He seemed proud of himself. It … Continue reading “Helping Your Friends”
I Never Get Tired Of…
Sunsets. Tonight’s even featured some rain in the distance. And a cute dog. I got to enjoy this sunset because I had a nice dinner with my friends Mike and Martha. I got so used to not doing things with friends that it’s been hard to get back in the habit. The last two weeks … Continue reading “I Never Get Tired Of…”
Slime Mold, Mystery Mold, Shimmering Fungi
Well, shoot, no wonder my head is full of mush, there is so much mold, fungus, and who knows what other damp-loving organisms right now after the rain. I was feeling better after taking the Mucinex, but then I went outside and did stuff with the horses and BOOM I’m a dizzy, queasy mess again. … Continue reading “Slime Mold, Mystery Mold, Shimmering Fungi”
I Think I’ll Live
I kept having dizzy spells today but got my work done. Then I went to the really nice new clinic and talked to the nice PA about my symptoms. I love that he didn’t start me on antibiotics! While my eardrums are swollen, we’re just trying Mucinex first. That should fry up my poor Eustachian … Continue reading “I Think I’ll Live”
What’s Good with You?
I hope you’re finding good things in your life. They’re in there somewhere! Today I enjoyed a sunrise. Ok. The sunrise. There was just one. It was pretty in every direction. I was surrounded by color! That was my idea of goodness. No day that starts this pretty could be all bad. Even when you … Continue reading “What’s Good with You?”
Drew and Apache Learn New Skills
Yeah, yeah, non-horsey people. It’s another horse post. I’m very proud of what my horses and I have been learning, though, and I want to be able to look back on our good days and smile. I need smiles and kindness, and I got those in huge doses yesterday! We just had the best lesson … Continue reading “Drew and Apache Learn New Skills”
Birds? A Few
Someone asked what kids of birds are still hanging out at the ranch. In addition to the ones I mentioned yesterday there are some interesting ones. It cheered me up greatly this morning to see this family. I love these beautiful birds, and I’m glad they fledged at least one baby! The other birds we’ve … Continue reading “Birds? A Few”
Cooling It Down
I’m visualizing calm and coolness. Neither is easy, since poor Kathleen is still racking up the challenges and trying to avoid the hospital, and it still hasn’t rained again. It didn’t go over 100° today so far, so that’s encouraging. And the cumulus clouds seem bigger today that they have been. So I’m patiently hoping … Continue reading “Cooling It Down”
Horses in Heaven
It’s been a hard summer for the horses. Not much grass, much heat, not as much attention as last year. But today has been a good one! To start, I was able to get out early enough to give all the horses nice baths. I know Dusty was happy. He’s such a level-headed dude, but … Continue reading “Horses in Heaven”
Hey, Hey, Hay
I’ve mentioned that we’re in a big drought, as big as when we first got to the Hermits’ Rest. You may be in a part of the world with too much water. Neither is ideal! As you know, there’s not much for the horses to eat, even though we’ve been supplementing with hay and built … Continue reading “Hey, Hey, Hay”
Heat. Sick.
Feeling bad today. Stomach stress and literally falling asleep randomly. No COVID, so my social life didn’t kill me. Glad for those free test kits. I think I’ve just tried to do too much outside the past few days. I’m sure I’ll be better tomorrow. At least I picked colors for our next renovation project … Continue reading “Heat. Sick.”
Oh, Fifi!
That little donkey of ours is always up to something. This morning I stayed in my room drinking coffee for a while, then realized I needed to go feed the chickens. I looked out the front window and had a start! Fiona was being herded back onto our property and the gate was being shut … Continue reading “Oh, Fifi!”
Social Life!
Not much time to blog today, because I’ve been busy seeing people and doing things. I DO have friends in real life! My friends are darned interesting, too. Plus, two horses have trimmed hooves. That’s it, other than a few random ranch pictures.
My Thundering Herd
Today’s electrical work got delayed, but not to worry, the next priority awaited. That was moving the fencing for the horses so they could eat some of the grass that hadn’t been touched yet. It’s still dry, but at least it’s long. It was such a hot, hot day for the guys to work in … Continue reading “My Thundering Herd”
Life. Challenging. Frustrating.
Drew agrees. He had to learn hard lessons today. Look at him kicking up dust and swishing. I hope whoever deals with me and my family and their challenges and frustrations will be firm but patient and kind, like Tarrin is with a confused and annoyed horse. Love to you, readers.
Closer to Rancher-hood (and drought wrestler)
The endless stretch of rainless and ridiculously hot days has not ended here, so I feel much sympathy for my friends in the northeast who are finding out what it’s like here! No fun, right? Well, there is SOME fun. You might say that a bale of hay in a wagon is a pretty boring … Continue reading “Closer to Rancher-hood (and drought wrestler)”
Headache Time
I probably have more to say, but I have a sore head. There was an accidental collision between me and the head of Dusty. I think. I’d fed the horses and was attaching the two gates that won’t stay open to each other, like every day. Suddenly I’m waking up on the ground. My guess … Continue reading “Headache Time”
Visitors and Visiting
Our house has a lot of comings and goings for a hermitage, but we’re glad that caregivers can come help out Lee’s brother while Kathleen’s still confined to her hospital bed. I get my dose of visiting by hanging out with the horses and getting them to do some exercises before it’s too hot. Luckily … Continue reading “Visitors and Visiting”
It’s Looking Good Inside, Not So Good Outside
There was a surprise waiting for me when I got home last night. My bedroom was no longer a poop brown color. It’s now yellow! Maybe it’s not the exact perfect shade, but it sure is more cheerful than before. Lee knew how much I liked my bedroom in the Bobcat house, so he had … Continue reading “It’s Looking Good Inside, Not So Good Outside”
Good to Be Home
One good thing about having to drive an additional hour to Pecos, TX because there was no water in the entire town on Van Horn, our drive home was easy. Wow, Pecos is a one-industry place. That industry is oil. We knew that, but it was impressive to see so many wells, tanks, and pipelines. … Continue reading “Good to Be Home”
Book Report: Piglet
My new blogging strategy does include continuing with book reports. They are among the least-read posts, but the people who do read them seem to enjoy them, and I like having a record of what I read over the past few years. So, let’s go! My friend Johanna recommended the book Piglet: The Unexpected Story … Continue reading “Book Report: Piglet”
Happy Drewsday!
I was taking a blog break, but I had to come back to celebrate the light of my life, Andrew “Droodles” Kendall. We got him a year ago today, on an adventure trip to Cuero, Texas, or somewhere near there. Happy Droodle-versary! He’s been nothing but a joy for the past year. He inspired me … Continue reading “Happy Drewsday!”
Pride and Practicality
I have to say my horses make me proud. Today was another lesson day for both of them, and you could really see progress, even since last week. Drew. Damn. He just loves to learn new things, so it’s easy to sneak new knowledge. The goal today was to work on turning right without crowding. … Continue reading “Pride and Practicality”
We Have a Fancy Chicken Nursery
You may know we have yet another broody hen. This time it’s Billie Idyll. What a surprise! I let her set, and she still has three eggs under her. It’s about hatching time, so I knew the babies couldn’t hatch in the nest boxes. They’d fall. Our dog crate that we use for babies is … Continue reading “We Have a Fancy Chicken Nursery”
Howdy from Recovery Land
I’m feeling better about some things and I know Vlassic is! We had a good night last night. He slept straight through the night next to me on the couch in the future in-law suite. It’s a comfy couch that makes a bed. I did okay. There is apparently something living in a box that … Continue reading “Howdy from Recovery Land”
Self Care Lets You Care for Others
It’s thoughtful not to bare your inner torment then just drop the subject. People worry (at least two of them!). So, hey, not only did I get in some quality talk therapy and encouragement from people I rely on, I bravely ventured to a new health-care facility to get my medications back (or see what … Continue reading “Self Care Lets You Care for Others”
More to Come
I’m honestly too tired to write. The good news is all animals got vaccinated and Goldie got spayed today. All survived so far. Much tranquilizer was used. Vlassic and Harvey were quite the pains in the butt. Carlton hid. But he was good. Shocking: Alfred let them cut his toenails like a gentleman. That’s all … Continue reading “More to Come”
Stress Relief
Between concerns about family member health and work intensity, I’ve got no blogging brilliance. The heat doesn’t help. It’s getting really dry around here and we’re surrounded by katydids and prairie boopies (grasshoppers). They are everywhere. But, there’s a life and death fight going on that has me fascinated. The garden spiders and one dog … Continue reading “Stress Relief”
Book Report: Two Horse Books That Apply to Everyone
I recently finished two books by Crissi McDonald, a horse trainer and clinician who lives in Colorado with her husband Mark Rashid, who wrote the previous books I read. I had a theme. I think they are self-published, but the quality is quite good. She must know a good proofreader. The books are Continuing the … Continue reading “Book Report: Two Horse Books That Apply to Everyone”
Some Horsie Funnies
I’ve been enjoying the stuff the horses and Fiona have been doing lately. They are not being bothered by the heat these days one bit. They have their ways of keeping cool! For one, Dusty hangs out by the water troughs a lot. The fish really like it. I guess they get bits of food … Continue reading “Some Horsie Funnies”
Pain, Worth It
I seem to be dealing with the hurt of my lost friendships by replacing it with physical pain to distract myself. I’m pretty sure I have a stress fracture in my foot, because it didn’t bruise much, but hurts unless I wear supportive shoes. And falling in the hole definitely sprained my second toe on … Continue reading “Pain, Worth It”
Apache Goes to the Big City
I was browsing through my horse material when I saw something that concerned me: Apache’s Coggins certification had recently expired. Oops. Horses that travel need those to ensure they don’t bring a bad disease to other horses. For non-horse folks: A “Coggins” is a blood test that detects antibodies to the disease Equine Infectious Anemia … Continue reading “Apache Goes to the Big City”
Lessons Learned, More Positive
Yesterday’s lessons learned were pretty hard to take, but I’m doing better today, other than being a bit overly warm from outdoor activities, dealing with a sore foot, and realizing I am developing swimming muscles thanks to some sore thighs. I survived five straight hours of work meetings, too, so I feel like a marathoner. … Continue reading “Lessons Learned, More Positive”
Ouch, More Than One Way
The day started with an ouch and ended with a painful long-term one. I was planning to go ride with Sara this morning and ran late, but I had Apache clean and saddled in time. We were walking to the mounting block, which is in the portable round pen. As we entered, the stirrup in … Continue reading “Ouch, More Than One Way”
Harvey, He Loves Babies
Yesterday my friend Mandi visited. She recently gave birth to a tiny boy named Cuyler. Yes, she’s got a 22-year-old son. But also has this surprise gift. We sat and talked with her in the rocking chair that I sat in when my kids were born (which reminds me that I gave birth for the … Continue reading “Harvey, He Loves Babies”
Drew and Sully Part 2: The Good Gray Horses
This morning Sara and I took advantage of the cooler morning temperatures to film the second part of Drew and Sully’s in-hand virtual show. She was going to do Aragorn, too, but he lost one of his fancy shoes that is fixing his foot issue. Tarrin spent a lot of time on that shoe, and … Continue reading “Drew and Sully Part 2: The Good Gray Horses”
Drew and Sully Do a Show
Today Sara and I took Drew and Sully, the mare she is training while waiting for her to get pregnant, over to Tarrin’s to film the obstacles test for the Q2 Working Horse Central show. We were ready for fun! It went pretty well, other than Sara’s first video failing. Luckily Sully did just as … Continue reading “Drew and Sully Do a Show”
Oh, Let’s Go Back to Fun
I felt a little better today, so I was able to get work done and enjoy my immediate surroundings. I also had some good talks with family, and that always helps. So, let’s see what’s going on with all those projects around here. The tack room (Suna Shack) is moving right along. I love the … Continue reading “Oh, Let’s Go Back to Fun”
Mabel, Mabel, You Are Expensive
First of all, yesterday was a pretty glorious day, as days go. I had a great day at work, enjoyed family stuff, and was thrilled to see all our horses and Fiona running up to us for dinner. It was so beautiful. Then, when we fed the horses, Mabel had problems. Oh my gosh, the … Continue reading “Mabel, Mabel, You Are Expensive”
Something’s Different at the Henhouse
I hinted that things were different at the ranch when I came home. I didn’t notice it at first, because it was hiding behind cars and tractors, but the men in the family had conspired to upgrade the chickens’ living quarters. A lot. They even moved! Wow! The chicken run is now attached to the … Continue reading “Something’s Different at the Henhouse”
Book Report: Whole Heart, Whole Horse
Here’s a short book report, since I talked about this book in a recent post already. Whole Heart, Whole Horse: Building Trust Between Horse and Rider, by Mark Rashid (2009, 2014) is another book that helps you put a finger on what’s going right and what’s going wrong with your relationship to your horse. And … Continue reading “Book Report: Whole Heart, Whole Horse”
How Nature Deals with Trauma
You may remember that a couple of days ago we were surprised by a fire alarm in the building where we are staying, right in the middle of important meetings I was supposed to be holding. Going down all those stairs, then trying to train people in software from an overly sunny condo balcony was … Continue reading “How Nature Deals with Trauma”
Horses Can Learn by Observation
For the five of you who read my review of Horse Brain, Human Brain from this morning, you might find what happened this afternoon really interesting. The author of that book, Janet Jones, claimed that horses can learn from observing other horses. She shared that she’d seen horses learn to open gates and do ground … Continue reading “Horses Can Learn by Observation”
Book Report: Horse Brain, Human Brain
There haven’t been many book reports lately, thanks to all that knitting of baby blankets I’ve been doing in my off times. But I did manage to get through Horse Brain, Human Brain, by Janet L. Jones, and I’m glad I did. Anyone who rides, trains, or just loves horses will want to read this … Continue reading “Book Report: Horse Brain, Human Brain”
Drew Goes to Summer Camp
It isn’t summer yet, but Drew went off to Camp Wild Type yesterday, like a little man. Really, what’s happening is that I’m going out of town later this week, and Sara offered to take care of him most of the time I’m gone, since she has a really healthy pasture someone needs to nosh … Continue reading “Drew Goes to Summer Camp”
Patience Pays Off, with Help
Today Apache and I had our first lesson in a while, since Tarrin is recovering from some surgery that will improve her quality of life, if she survives her convalescent period. That’s hard for an active person! I just brought Apache, since Drew is doing well. This was one educational lesson! Tarrin did great scooting … Continue reading “Patience Pays Off, with Help”
Trying Not to Cry Over Spoilt Milk
Last night the dinner we’d planned to have didn’t happen, so both Lee and I had cereal for dinner. I looked at the milk carton, which said it was good until that day. So I poured it on my Oaty Something and chomped away. The cereal tasted odd but I thought nothing of it. But … Continue reading “Trying Not to Cry Over Spoilt Milk”
Hark! It’s a Thundering Herd!
It’s always something with my equine buddies. Today was no exception. I’d been out for a while in the morning feeding Drew and Mabel (more on that later), so I was back at work concentrating on job aids, user guides, and the like. The dogs began to bark. What could it be? The letter carrier? … Continue reading “Hark! It’s a Thundering Herd!”
Go Outside, They Said. So I Did.
Out here in my field I fight for what’s real I put my back into my livin’ I don’t need to fight To prove I’m right I don’t need to be forgiven… …Suna’s Wasteland I’m still dealing with some anxiety, so when my noon meeting ended, I went out and just stood by the entry … Continue reading “Go Outside, They Said. So I Did.”
Spending Time with Horses Is Educational
I guess it’s obvious that you learn things spending time with animals, but the weekend really taught me a lot more than I thought it would. Plus I had fun, mostly. Saturday, before daylight, Sara and I hauled Aragorn to Sandhaven, the place I took a lot of flower pictures and shared earlier. She had … Continue reading “Spending Time with Horses Is Educational”
Easter Walk
Much nature has been seen today, which makes for a perfect celebration of rebirth. Kathleen took me out to the woods and pasture to see some trapdoor spider nests (which I didn’t get a picture of). Penney joined us, and she had a lot of fun. We found some really fun things, including lots of … Continue reading “Easter Walk”
Why Do I Work the Hardest When I Feel the Worst?
First, I do not have anything contagious; my lunch (which was delicious) disagreed with me. And I felt okay this morning, when I worked on so many different things that it made my head spin. After a fun time telling a new coworker fun things to do where she lives (one neighborhood over from where … Continue reading “Why Do I Work the Hardest When I Feel the Worst?”
A Rare Sighting of Wonder
Yesterday, my friend Mandi dropped by to pick up the baby blanket I finished recently, so her imminent little boy will have a nice warm blanket, perfect for Texas summers. Ha. Well, it will be perfect for cold air-conditioned rooms and draughts. Drafts. Whichever. We spent most of our time over by the horses, because … Continue reading “A Rare Sighting of Wonder”
Horse Home Decor and Spa
What lucky horses I have. Also they are so sweet and good that they deserve to be pampered. Why do they deserve it? Wow they are well behaved. Trixie came today to trim the horses’ hooves. You may recall that when I got Drew he could not even lift his back leg. Today was another … Continue reading “Horse Home Decor and Spa”
More Tack Room Progress
The guys wanted to get all that horse stuff that came with the new trailer so the shipping container it was in can become the new hay loft. The hay needs to get off the trailer it’s on so we can get new hay in case the threatened drought arrives. Well, they didn’t quite understand … Continue reading “More Tack Room Progress”
When a House Comes Down the Road: The Pool House Saga
Where to start on this tale? It’s a log one. Once upon a time, during the Pandemic Years, there was a house down the road from us. Suddenly, the house up and moved one lot down. It’s like I blinked and the house was moved. That seemed weird, but people do weird things. Over a … Continue reading “When a House Comes Down the Road: The Pool House Saga”
Horsemanship Goals Achieved, with Fun and Friendship
I wanted to share some of the things I’ve been doing with Drew and Apache over the past few days, in the wake of Drew’s choking incident and me putting in a lot of work with Apache on leadership and partnership. It’s all good, so that’s a huge relief! Friday I had a late lesson … Continue reading “Horsemanship Goals Achieved, with Fun and Friendship”
Ladies Day Out. At Last.
Wow. It’s been a really long time since I did anything with the family. Between COVID and family stresses, I’ve been on my own. So it was a pleasant surprise to have Kathleen coming back. More pleasant was a visit from her daughter-in-law, Moriah, and her baby Oaklynn (recipient of one of my baby blanket … Continue reading “Ladies Day Out. At Last.”
Hey
I have to write something to keep my streak of posting ever day up. So! Hey! We found violets at Tarrin’s place during my lesson with Apache. We had to stop and have a moment of excitement. We both love violets. They make me think of my mom. and Apache did great at his lesson. … Continue reading “Hey”
Goodbye to a Bird Friend, Hello to Others
Well, there was apparently an actual cock fight last night, and Peeper lost. I was not surprised, but sad. Bruce was just being a rooster. I tried. Sniff. Poultry are sure hard to keep. In good bird news, I’ve heard my first red-winged blackbird of the year. And in better news, the scissor-tail flycatchers are … Continue reading “Goodbye to a Bird Friend, Hello to Others”
Horse Home but Not Happy
Drew’s stay in the equine ICU was not his idea of a good time. He was in a weird smelling place, though at least he had a buddy there. And oh, the indignity, they made him wear a muzzle that prevented him from eating the shavings on the floor. What’s a hungry boy to do? … Continue reading “Horse Home but Not Happy”
Horses Can’t Vomit, Just Ask Drew
Sometimes being the guardian of a companion animal is scary as heck. One minute you’re admiring how healthy your animal is and the next minute you’re hoping they aren’t dying. Right after I took this picture, something startled him or he took too big of a mouthful and he started coughing. That got me concerned. … Continue reading “Horses Can’t Vomit, Just Ask Drew”
Trail Ride For Us
We had a fun morning today, as Sara and I took our new and improved horses on a trail ride, along with Dusty, who’s not been out for a while, but was ready for fun. Sara’s his-daughter, Rachel, who is visiting this weekend, came with us. They brought Aragorn and saddles over here to get … Continue reading “Trail Ride For Us”
Back to Life, with Dogs and Hotels
There was something like regular life last night and today. Work was normal. Animals were normal. Weather was spring-like. Lee and I tried our darnedest to watch a Nature show about animals in the Rocky Mountains. However, Goldie decided to watch with us. Wolves and coyotes made her run out and bark away at the … Continue reading “Back to Life, with Dogs and Hotels”
Tack Room, Not Tacky at All
Today our renovation crew had a day off from Anita’s house, so they worked on fixing up a shipping container and a portable shed to be the new Hermits’ Rest hay loft and tack room. It wasn’t the easiest task in the world, but by gosh, the team got it done! Leveling the portable building … Continue reading “Tack Room, Not Tacky at All”
There’s Still Life in the Old Guy
I had a little extra horse time today, so I decided to groom Dusty, the Buckskin Buddy that Kathleen rode the most. He’d been looking lonely. Plus they are all shedding. We groomed a long time. He is much lighter now, and his mane and tail are all shiny. He is even growing some forelock … Continue reading “There’s Still Life in the Old Guy”
Hail Drops Keep Falling on My Head
What a day! I’ve experienced laughter, surprise and true joy today. Where to start? Let’s start with surprise, shall we? I got a voicemail from the local florist saying I had flowers and I’d better hurry over before they closed. I’d been in a long meeting, so we went over just in time to get … Continue reading “Hail Drops Keep Falling on My Head”
Skunk-tastic Day of Chores
Honest, I was so proud of myself for all the chores I’d accomplished today. House, tack room, trailer, and garage floor, all clean. Horses all fed. I sad down to eat some cereal in mid afternoon. The dogs went nuts. And one of them foolishly went after a skunk. I started the day enjoying my … Continue reading “Skunk-tastic Day of Chores”
Horse Show Live! Drew Lives!
Today we went to our first live horse show. All of us lived. We each have things to work on, but hey, that’s the idea! I enjoyed putting on my fancy, if unflattering, outfit and showing off Drew’s cuteness. Sara and I enjoyed taking out Tillie the Trailer out for her first spin. It went … Continue reading “Horse Show Live! Drew Lives!”
Scared, Worried, Relieved, Irritated: Twelve Hours in a Horse Owner’s Life
Yow! I’ve had a whirlwind of horse stuff since I got home from my Master Naturalist meeting last night! Everything is fine now, but there sure were a lot of emotional peaks and valleys. Apache Drama I got home from the meeting and shut the door to the chicken coop. I heard some noises from … Continue reading “Scared, Worried, Relieved, Irritated: Twelve Hours in a Horse Owner’s Life”
Things to Smile About
I’m thinking hard about hard things all day, so indulge me in dwelling on some good things that are going on around here. The chickens are cheering me up. For one, Peeper is proving to be spectacularly gorgeous. Today he was so shiny it didn’t look real. Bruce hasn’t killed him, so I guess they … Continue reading “Things to Smile About”
Outsmarting Equines
You’d think I’d be good at this by now, but I still have trouble getting the horses to eat their own special foods. I solved the problem with the four horses that aren’t mine by giving them all the same thing, one scoop of senior pellets, salt (or garlic+salt when I’m not out), and a … Continue reading “Outsmarting Equines”
Drew Gives a Belated Birthday Gift
Drew is a young horse, so he has his moments. He can be pushy and disinclined to pay attention. And he’s had a couple of challenges with his health and scary trucks. But, this morning he had his turn to give me a birthday present. We went over to Sara’s new dressage arena area again … Continue reading “Drew Gives a Belated Birthday Gift”
Can Horses Give Birthday Presents?
Horses don’t know about calendars or birthdays, though I guess they are aware of seasons. But I’m going to choose to believe they can give gifts! So, thanks to Apache, my American horse, for the gift today! My birthday gift to myself this year was a Working Horse Central clinic, which happened to be at … Continue reading “Can Horses Give Birthday Presents?”
Normal Horse Activity
This is exciting! Sara and I rode our horses around our pastures and it was uneventful! Woo! I promised I’d just write about horses for a while. So yep. Aragorn and Apache were good guys and checked out lots of stuff with a minimum of acting up. It wasn’t perfect, but it was way better. … Continue reading “Normal Horse Activity”
It’s All Good Until You Start Feeding Dog Treats
What a beautiful day it was. I think we needed a reminder that Mother Nature is still doling out the beauty to at least briefly distract us from the things humans do to each other. As a reward for doing my least favorite thing about work (Agile stuff, not vital to this story), I tidied … Continue reading “It’s All Good Until You Start Feeding Dog Treats”
Oh My Aching Back
It was a good Sunday, but it did feature a lot of lifting and toting. That’s because Lee and I moved everything from the new horse trailer to the red shipping container. There was also a lot of disgusting stuff in the container that had to be removed. Much of it was mouse droppings from … Continue reading “Oh My Aching Back”
Part 2: Still Don’t Like Unpacking and Still Worried about Drew
There have been developments! There will be more! So, I’ll start with Drew. Once Drew’s trainer started texting me after I posted yesterday, it came back to me that when I picked him up, she’d mentioned that he had a spot that might be an injury or might be “a little sarcoid.” That had slipped … Continue reading “Part 2: Still Don’t Like Unpacking and Still Worried about Drew”
Confessions: I Hate Unpacking and Worry about Drew
I’ll get this out of the way then share today’s events in our little ranch world. Yes. I hate unpacking. I especially hate it right now when every box is a surprise that I’m not prepared for. That’s what I get for not doing the packing on my previous abode. Lee is very kind and … Continue reading “Confessions: I Hate Unpacking and Worry about Drew”
Suna and Apache Go Forth and Ride
I must have the best horse trainer and instructor on earth. She has helped me and my horse work through our issues and come out better than ever. She said it’s like we went through marriage counseling. So true! Apache did well during his week with Tarrin. She got him back to paying attention to … Continue reading “Suna and Apache Go Forth and Ride”
Who’s My Valentine?
Drew’s my Valentine! And Lee. And the relatives. And the dogs. But Drew. I didn’t know they made horses as nice as him. I built a new playground setup near the new round pen with jumps, circles, brush, and the obstacle he doesn’t like for circling. All the horses were so sweet to me and … Continue reading “Who’s My Valentine?”
Adult Education Time for Apache
He’s a loving guy, but he has some issues, so we decided to send Apache off to hang out at the trainer’s for some tuning up. He needs to have his issues with straightness addressed, for sure. But there’s more that I had known in the back of my mind, but never given the prominence … Continue reading “Adult Education Time for Apache”
Chilly Day Opportunity
The weather turned very cold and windy. Sara and I canceled horse fun, so I told my son we could go get some stuff in Temple. First, I took the chance to play with the new phone camera and take artsy dog photos. After that, we went off to the Western-wear store and I got … Continue reading “Chilly Day Opportunity”
Drew Makes Friends
While MY day was full of meetings, driving, and barreling through whatever life threw at me, Drew’s was full of making new friends and going new places. Lucky little guy! My son is learning about horses, and so he groomed Drew for me so I could get straight to horse activities after work. He said, … Continue reading “Drew Makes Friends”
Breathing Fresh Air
What a nice afternoon I’ve had. I finished a big project, so I spent some time baking a fruit crisp with such nasty peaches that I threw in the frozen berries I found in the freezer to rescue it. Then I got to spend some relaxing time with the horses. Apache is still doing well, … Continue reading “Breathing Fresh Air”
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The Hermits' Rest 