This page is where you can find all my cute dog, horse, donkey, and chicken stories. Aww.
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”
Droodles and Canoodles
My heart is full. I was tired from work and hurting from lifting many heavy objects yesterday, so I went for a walk. I hadn’t planned to do much with the horses, because they did a lot yesterday, but I wanted to spend time with them. I spent some comforting time with Apache, then noticed … Continue reading “Droodles and Canoodles”
Sunny Sunday
You know it was a good day when the most stressful thing was trying to fix my Facebook avatar to look less like a hatchet. I think she’s a little better. Most of the day was spent cleaning and organizing things. There was much heavy lifting, according to my back. I had help from my … Continue reading “Sunny Sunday”
Ice Can Be Nice
It’s a glorious day today, with bright sun that cuts through the cool air and makes it a real joy to be outdoors just messing around. All the remaining ice is melting. That’s fun for all. The chicken coop’s north side had been a sheet of ice. I’m glad I got to see some of … Continue reading “Ice Can Be Nice”
Survived the Week
That’s pretty much the highlight of the day, which had some challenges, but nothing insurmountable. Things started out cold, which made me move kind of slow. The heater was having the same problem it had last year when it got really cold, not enough pressure to turn on. So it was a brisk 61 degrees … Continue reading “Survived the Week”
You Are What You Eat
If you ever doubted this old adage, you need to own chickens. Just looking at egg yolks makes it clear how their diet affects them. Check this out. I was enjoying my breakfast of hard-boiled eggs yesterday, I thought the yolk looked funny. There was a lovely orange border around the yellow center. After briefly … Continue reading “You Are What You Eat”
Rain, Rain, You Can Stay
I had it in my head that today I could mess with horses after work. Two things prevent that. One is that it’s rained all day. The other is that I’m feeling wiped out from the weekend. You wouldn’t think just watching a clinic would be so tiring! I think I breathed in a bit … Continue reading “Rain, Rain, You Can Stay”
Sort of a Equitation Vacation
I’m tired but happy after a weekend where the only job I had was to drive to a place full of horses. And this morning’s drive had so many hawks and herons to enjoy that the hour flew by. Today we were back at the Highlander Ranch in Waco for a Working Equitation dressage clinic … Continue reading “Sort of a Equitation Vacation”
Taking Time to Smile
Not much time to write, because I was busy working and having fun. I got to check out Anita’s house renovation in progress, and I was surprised to see how pink the bricks are that haven’t been exposed to the elements since the 50s. Her house is going so great, and I’m proud of the … Continue reading “Taking Time to Smile”
In Love with Mr. Robotto
One of the last Pool of Dreams things is to get the robot pool cleaner up and running. Thirty days have passed, so Austin the pool guy came by to hook it up. Lee and I enjoyed watching the robot as it sucked up debris on the floor, then climbed up the walls , turning … Continue reading “In Love with Mr. Robotto”
The Hay Bar Is Open
Whew, I have trained a lot of people and been in a lot of meetings and written a lot of job aids. I feel like Super Traininggirl. I am so glad I have a job I like and feel good at. After work, I got in my usual two hours of chores/exercise, but the good … Continue reading “The Hay Bar Is Open”
Who’s a Pretty Chicken?
I’ll tell you what, Peeper, the one we hatched from a chick, has blossomed into a great beauty. She’s almost full grown, and could start laying in February. She inherited a lot of shiny feathers from her dad, Bruce. Some of the ones on her wings are bluish, while the rest glow green. She also … Continue reading “Who’s a Pretty Chicken?”
Fine. All Fine.
Gosh, folks, I’m too tired to write. It was a busy and fun day, though, and since I’m trying to write every day in January, I need to say something. I had a fun lesson with Drew today, after he violently rejected a blanket and pooped all over it. I learned lots of new skills … Continue reading “Fine. All Fine.”
Horse Heaven!
Blog readers know that I’ve been struggling with my goofy and issue-filled Paint horse. He gets better, he gets worse, I do better, I do worse. He goes lame, he feels better, he gets adhesions, Trixie works on him… …and by gosh, he gets better. Last weekend was a big step. I’ve been doing what … Continue reading “Horse Heaven!”
Poo on Pandemics
It’s been a rough week over at my house, with half the occupants down and out from the coronavirus, and the rest of us staying home, since we weren’t sure if we were asymptomatic but sick or not. It’s made me really glad we got some flowers last time I was at the grocery store, … Continue reading “Poo on Pandemics”
Bonding with the Funny Equines
It was a horsey day yesterday, which is good, because we are now quarantined other than outdoor stuff. I’m so glad the horse work is outdoors! Right. As I was saying the horse day started early. I’d asked Lee to put the bale of hay that was on the tractor out, since the horses need … Continue reading “Bonding with the Funny Equines”
Today Did Not Go As Planned
It hasn’t been an ideal day for anyone in my house, and I’ll just say that this is not a great time to participate in the health care system. So, no one slept last night. Of course I had a 7am meeting, which ended up being the highlight of my day. And it was so … Continue reading “Today Did Not Go As Planned”
I Find Ranch Citizens Fascinating
Another day of horse lessons has come and gone. And while my lesson with this innocent student was enlightening, I would have come away happy just having watched Sara. Apache was very frisky this morning, probably because a front came through. We started out sweaty at 9 am and ended up shivering by 1! I … Continue reading “I Find Ranch Citizens Fascinating”
The Equine Scholar Escapes
It was beautiful this morning, with spectacular fog over the creek. The fog had cleared by the time I got out to feed the chickens. Of course, I checked the horses. Wait, one was missing. Drew was not in his pen. The gate was open! Someone busted him out. My guess is that their name … Continue reading “The Equine Scholar Escapes”
Everyone Was Right – It Got Better
Some of you may remember that I had a pretty dismal experience with my little horse, Drew, last week, and I’ve been feeling like a crappy horse person with my paint, Apache, as well. I mean, I used to be able to ride him on long trail rides and take him places. Now I am … Continue reading “Everyone Was Right – It Got Better”
Have You Ever Had to Apologize to a Chicken?
Well, I had to tell our beautiful Easter Egger hen, Betsy, that I was sorry I’d been putting her down for so long. I was telling everyone what a useless hen she was, because she hadn’t laid an egg yet, and I’d had her a long time. I mean, even little Billie Idyl was finally … Continue reading “Have You Ever Had to Apologize to a Chicken?”
Who Needs an Attitude Adjustment? Me.
I’m anxiety prone, not someone who gets depressed often. But, I’ve been pretty down, what they’d call situational depression. I’m just riding it out and seeing what I can learn. I appreciate that suggestion from a friend! Yesterday I got it into my head to ride a bunch of horses and convince myself I don’t … Continue reading “Who Needs an Attitude Adjustment? Me.”
Downward Spiral of Confidence or Competency
I’ve been putting off writing about this for a day, hoping to get some insight into how my little brain works. One thing I know for sure, or think I know, as Lucy Barton in the books I’m reading would say, is that once I lose my confidence in one thing, I start screwing up … Continue reading “Downward Spiral of Confidence or Competency”
Pool Filling, Dog Feeling Better
Deepest thanks to all of you who read my tribute to my friend, Ted, yesterday. Keep his wife, family and friends in your thoughts. Your words comforted me. Wow, many folks in my circle are dealing with unexpected deaths this month. Today I tried to just do fun things. Lee and I spent a long … Continue reading “Pool Filling, Dog Feeling Better”
Computers, Cows, and Companionship
Today seemed to last way longer than your average day. It is always that way when I think I have something all planned out, only it actually isn’t. I thought the pool people were coming this morning, but nope, that got postponed again due to rain…somewhere. Then I thought a technician was coming to repair … Continue reading “Computers, Cows, and Companionship”
Mostly Cheerful Chicken News
The chickens have informed me that I haven’t shared much about them in a while. So, since they are acting extra cute these days, I’ll update you on their ups and downs. The best news is that one of the chicks we hatched, Peeper, seems to have made it through to a happy adolescence. She … Continue reading “Mostly Cheerful Chicken News”
Blue Screen Day
No day is great when the first thing you see is a bright blue screen on the new laptop you’ve only had two months. And yes, that’s what greeted me this morning, when I came down thinking I had 2.5 hours to work on training stuff. Instead, I spent 2.4 hours on a tech support … Continue reading “Blue Screen Day”
Miss T Insists on Attention
Today was simply heartwarming. This is why I love horses so much. Trixie was coming today to work on Apache’s feet, which I’d forgotten to have done on schedule. So, she rushed over during my lunch hour to take care of it. Trixie started working on Apache and his issues. There was T, watching so … Continue reading “Miss T Insists on Attention”
Learning Fun for All
Today, Sara came with Aragorn in her trailer and picked up me and Apache. I was so grateful to be able to get in a much-needed lesson. We ended up having such a good and educational time, we decided to do it again next week. We had no trouble at all getting Apache in or … Continue reading “Learning Fun for All”
A Cold Front and Other Improvements
It’s 30 degrees cooler today, and even though it made training a bit chilly, it was all good. Everything is a little better. Drew is doing so well. And he is so sweet. He has the best Alfalfa breath. I love watching how hard he tries to learn. Back at home, Harvey is improving. He … Continue reading “A Cold Front and Other Improvements”
How’s the Dog?
We’ve been asked that a lot today. Thank you to all who have expressed care and love for Harvey and the other dogs after the unpleasant incident yesterday. We were happy to see him drinking water and making it out to pee last night and today. He didn’t want to eat, though, which had us … Continue reading “How’s the Dog?”
Not a Good Day to Be Harvey
Things can go downhill really fast when you have seven dogs with seven different personalities. Just last night, Goldie and Carlton played and played and played. Goldie would put her entire mouth around Carlton’s neck, and Carlton would gleefully gnaw on Goldie’s jowls. They invited each other to play with a toy and just had … Continue reading “Not a Good Day to Be Harvey”
More Horse Stuff
There’s always a surprise around here. Today’s surprise was a horse I didn’t know in my pens this morning. I knew that someone had come back last night after I went to bed, because the dog alarm went off. But I didn’t know who. It turned out to be the nephew and the stock trailer. … Continue reading “More Horse Stuff”
A Visit with Drew and Friends
I’ll tell you more about this tomorrow, but what’s important is that I got to visit Drew and see how he’s progressing today. He’s getting really muscular and filled out. I went with Sara, so we got to watch each other’s lessons. I was not alone when I was watching. The resident bull sat with … Continue reading “A Visit with Drew and Friends”
Just Us and the Dogs
With our housemates at their other house for Thanksgiving and Anita off to house sit for a while, Lee and I have the ranch to ourselves. But we aren’t alone. I thought I was earlier today, but then I realized I was surrounded by 6 sleeping dogs. I took a panoramic picture. They take turns … Continue reading “Just Us and the Dogs”
Thankful for Each Other
Since today is a day to be grateful for your family and friends, I’m going to share some joyful photos and leave it at that. Now that we have a fence all the way around the house, the dogs can frolic and we can watch them from the front porch without worrying about them running … Continue reading “Thankful for Each Other”
I Got Bucked off My Horse, but It’s Okay
Last night I posted on Facebook that I hurt all over. I was busy doing other things, so I didn’t have a chance to go into detail, so here’s the story. First, I am absolutely fine, going to live, and not mad at my horse. Just wanted to get that out of the way. When … Continue reading “I Got Bucked off My Horse, but It’s Okay”
Ranchin’ Time
I had fun today getting reacquainted with the ranch and its inhabitants. I sure was glad to see that Peeper, the only chick we ever got past babyhood, is still peeping and growing. She has her comb coming in, and she looks like a darker version of her mom. The dogs were glad to see … Continue reading “Ranchin’ Time”
Back in the Lower Elevations
I spent all day going from the Continental Divide down to near sea level. It’s a long way down, but now I’ve got bonus red blood cells to enjoy. I’m glad I got to ride from Breckenridge to Denver in the daytime, because there are cool little towns, old mines, and many rocks (hence, Rocky … Continue reading “Back in the Lower Elevations”
Hitting the Deck at Breck
It was more like hitting the sidewalks, but I wanted the post title to rhyme. Anyway, yes, on my fourth day here in Breckenridge, Colorado, I finally made it to the scenic downtown. It’s an interesting contrast to Vail, where we were last Saturday. Vail was sort of like Disney World for physically fit adults. … Continue reading “Hitting the Deck at Breck”
Bye-Bye Bobcat
Dateline: Austin. Today was sorta hard in a few ways. For one, I worked on so many things that my head was spinning, plus I was trying to get packed for my next condo stay. Because of that, today’s brief visit with Anita was my last time in Bobcat when I own it. And, whoa, … Continue reading “Bye-Bye Bobcat”
So Good to Have Tan Friends
I didn’t plan this, but I’ve spent my last evening at the ranch for a while with my animal friends, particularly the ones the color of deerskin. It rained a lot last night, and a cool front came in, so it was a beautiful end to the day. I went out to see the horses, … Continue reading “So Good to Have Tan Friends”
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The Hermits' Rest 