Mustang and Burro Club Meeting

Our Inland Empire Mustang and Burro Club. The second from the left is Alexa and we celebrated her 18th. birthday with a song and a cake this evening. We are proud of her. We had a good meeting tonight.

There was no basketball game for Ryan today. He woke up in the night very sick. I am so sorry Ryan, this was his last game. He will be going to high school next year. (I can't believe it but its true).

No rain again and lots of wind. It is drying places out that were just mud. And the water level has gone down a couple of inches. Oh, I am so grateful.

Blessings

No rain Woo Hoo

No rain but 40 mph wind. It did help to inch the water down some. None tomorrow is due either. Maybe I can work Sage some in the morning. The afternoon will be taken up with grandson Ryan's last basketball game. So far they have only lost one game. After that we have some errands to run and then to the Mustang and Burro meeting. I always enjoy seeing everyone and we will celebrate Alexa's l8th birthday. Bob got home alright, just blew right in. His brother was in rehab all morning so he didn't get to see him before he left but he is content that he is recovering alright. Its an answer to prayers for sure. Do take care and hopefully I will write tomorrow. Blessings.

Send the ark

It was raining at 5:15 when the dogs woke me up and it was raining at 7:30 when I did the chores and it was raining this evening when I did the chores. Our lakes are larger. March is almost over. Maybe April will be better.

This is Abby. Katie's horse just after we brought her home from Burns. She was 2 I think.

And Cricket that we gave to Caroline when she was 3 I think. Not Caroline, the horse. She took her to a barrel racing last weekend and she ran her barrels for the first time in 23 seconds. Not bad for a fat little mustang. She has a barrel horse that she does well on = Baby Dash. A big long legged Apendix bred Quarter Horse. She ran it in 17.8 and got 5th. out of 52. She is running Baby in a big Jr. Championship Barrel show sometime this summer.

My very first "big show" first place. I hated riding English but Ditto did well and we won the Paint Horse Under Saddle English class. I won more after that but that was my first big ribbon.

Bob's brother is doing better. They are moving him out of ICU today. He will spend a week in the hospital and a week in rehab before he can go home. Bob will be home tomorrow afternoon. I will be glad to have him here.

Didn't even put the horses out today it was so nasty. They were aggrevated with me when I went down to feed a little bit ago. I looked into Pepper"s and Amelia's feeders before I dropped in the hay and the chickens had used them to lay eggs in. I am glad I looked first.

Blessings to you all.

Help needed

I worked some with Sage today and I don't know what to do. She is so big and while she never tried to kick me she bucks around on the long lead when I encouraged her to move. She just stands and looks at me until I wiggle the little whip at her then she bucks and romps around. A little unnerving. I wish I could win the lottery so I could send her to a trainer. Have never had one quite like her. AND, I wish I had never given her a treat from my hand. I knew better. Now she is really mouthy. I had to pop her on the nose more than a couple of times. I guess I am whining, don't mean to I love her lots but am really just frustrated. Can't use the round pen because it is knee deep in mud. Please forgive my whining. Bob left this morning for his brothers. Lynn is doing better today but they had to stop his heart yesterday and then start it back up to get it to beat right. He did get up today, rather they got him up and he walked to a chair. He is 78 and its been a tough weekend for him. Bob just had to go and see him. Other than that, doing chores, trying to find where the chickens are laying eggs, crocheting and doing regular household stuff, life just goes on. Patrick is doing well. The other cow we got with his mom should calve soon. And the other 4 cows in a couple of weeks. Hope then weather is nice then. Wishes for sunshine and blessings.

Thanks boys

This morning we went out to Deer Park to do a compliance check for Sugar. Isn't she a pretty one? She is a 5 year old Cremello mare from Palomino Butte HMA in Oregon. She is in lovely condition, maybe on the chubby side but I would really rather them a little chubby this time of year instead of thin. Not only is she pretty but she is a sweetheart.
When we came out of the arena drive this little deer was standing there watching us. No matter that we have a lot of deer around here I still like taking pictures of them. She is getting rid of her winter coat it looks like.

We had some hay we had bought but had not brought home with Bob's back and the road conditions. Tom came today and they got most of it. He brought our grandson Ryan and 2 of Ryan's friends to help. We were very grateful. They would not let Bob do any thing and that was really good. Irritated him but that's OK.

Bob's brother had heart surgery yesterday. He came through it just fine. They replaced a valve in his heart and did some repair work on his breast bone from his last surgery. He is a 35 year diabetic so it is always a hard time. They sat him up on the edge of the bed this morning. Other than the pain, he was doing OK. His daughter Kathy called this evening and she had seen him just a bit before and said he was doing well. All the excess tubes gone. Keep him in your prayers please. He is 77. Bob is going to go over to Puyallup on Monday for a few days.

I made chicken burritos for dinner tonight. Oh were they so good. We will have them after church tomorrow. It is my mama's recipe. Our own home grown chicken and chicken broth.

Have a really good Sunday. Blessings.

Hail

Hail, until the ground was white and then l5 minutes later the sun is shining. Oh well its Spring and we can expect that.

Nothing much with horses today. I went to the barn to gather the eggs from here and there including the horse stalls feeders, in a garbage can the wind blew over, under things. Some are still laying in their boxes in the chicken house too. We are missing a little hen and I expect her to show up with some little chicks one of these days.

Got the barn horses in just before the hail started. Pepper stomped, I didn't say stepped, I said stomped my foot. Now I am gimpy again. I imagine it will be OK tomorrow but it is really uncomfortable this evening.

So that's my news today.

Blessings.

Sunshine and Rain

Our mustangs having their supper. I should have rode Pepper today but just had things going on that I couldn't. Pepper is not there, he is in the barn at night so we can monitor what he eats. They were quite contented.

Patrick and his Mama are doing fine. He is a lively little bugger. We need to catch him tomorrow and give him his baby shots. It could be a trick. Don't know how his Mom will take to it.

It was so pretty today. I went to Walmart and bought a new microwave this afternoon. Ours went wacky this morning and then quit. So, we have a new one. When I think of what we paid for our first one and what this one cost it is amazing. Like a lot of electronic stuff, the price has come down lots.

A rain storm is coming, Oh well, I went outside without a coat today. Wonderful wonderful.

Blessings.

A Gorgeous Day

O Our first baby of this year. He was born this afternoon. His name is Patrick. We got his mama from Andi in Oregon.
He did not want us too close.

Look, the tree is going to be having leaves very soon. Little sprouts all over the tree. I wanted to do a happy dance. I did not think Spring was ever going to come.

I made an apple crisp this morning out of home grown apples. It was quite good. We had it with a scoop of ice cream for supper.

A good day. I got a lot done in the house, some outside yard work done and worked with Sage just a bit. Bob went to a funeral this morning and then came home and got the trailer unstuck AGAIN. Now it is parked in its place by the barn. There is just no bottom there has been so much rain. We have never seen it quite like this. Northern Energy delivered propane today and he got stuck. I thought he would have to call Rouses to get him out but he managed it. Now the ground is really torn up out there. I think that should be the last propane until Sept. or October.

Blessings

Rain again

If you have me on Facebook, you will know the thing I hate is grey drizzly days and this was one. I am really tired of it.

I took a riding bat with me when I got Sage today to put her in and popped her on the shoulder with it when she started crowding. She respected it for the most part. Just need to work her more but I just can't do it in the rain and knee deep mud.

Bob bought a fat young cow at the auction today. We have customers who want beef now, not this fall when most of the ones we have will be ready. She is evil. She paws the ground and charges. We put her in the round pen, I hope she stays there until the butcher guy gets here. We had quite a time unloading her and getting the trailer out of the way. She kept charging at me. I don't want to deal with her.

I told you about the white chili I made. It went over very well. It was really good especially with a plop of sour cream and a glug of salsa on it. I was glad that I made it.

Blessings -

Sad day

My sweet pet Oliver died sometime in the night. He was a sweetheart of a goat and I loved him. He was about 11. I can't remember just the exact year I got him. I will miss his antics around here. He kept things interesting.

We saw this little group of deer on the way to church. There were more but they all didn't fit into my lens.

Mr. Bald Eagle.

He was sitting watching the swans. When we came home from church he was circling overhead.

The last three swans swimming in the wheat field. They are so beautiful. Wish I knew where they were headed for.

The Huckleberry Mountains north and west of us. Just thought they were so pretty up there in the morning sun.

No pictures of Sage today. She has not been worked with enough. The weather has not cooperated. I took her on a little walk about and she thought the tractor was going to eat her alive and she jumped sideways and banged my ankle up. Its large and purple. She didn't get away from me though. We did do some grooming. They are all shedding like mad.

I hope your weekend was good.

Blessings.

A good day

I am making white chili today. It is simmering on the stove. Hope it tastes as good as it smells. I think it might be a little more zippy than I thought. We are going to a chili feed tomorrow afternoon and Bob wanted to take something a little different. It doesn't look like chili but tastes like it.

Bob and I went to the Outdoor Show at the fairgrounds this afternoon. I enjoyed it but walking on concrete really huts my heels and knees. I did not know there were as many outfitters in the country, little lone in one place. Hunting and fishing trips to all over the world. I can not imagine hunting an elephant or a lion. Some of the deer, elk and moose horns were incredible in their size. I enjoyed a bird refuge area. They had a great horned owl that sat on their arm. She had lost a wing and could not fly. So instead of putting her down, they keep her at the refuge to educational purposes. They also had a screech owl. I did not realize they were so small. She was blind. Also a Red Tail Hawk which are prevalent around here. She only had one wing also and loved being talked to. She was sitting on a ladies arm. Of course they are on a tether lest they forget they can't fly. They also had a huge tank of glass that they were demonstrating fishing stuff. Didn't catch any when we were there but it was fun to watch those big fish swim around.

Sage tried to jump out of her pen when Bob was putting horses in. She likes to go first and Bob did her last. Maybe she is a little spoiled? Anyway, when he did go get her she was a lady about going in. If she had taken a run at it she probably could have jumped it but she tried it flat footed and just knocked her pen askew.

Maybe tomorrow I will get some pictures.

Blessings.

Basketball

Started out having lunch with a sweet new friend Lisa. We had such a good talk, I had to make myself say it was time to go home. She is an absolutely darling young woman. So alike are we.

This afternoon we went to a Middle School basketball game. Ryan's team lost. He was down in the dumps but that's life I guess. They played hard though. Also his younger brother Seth had a game earlier 6th. grade intramural. I didn't know whether to laugh or tell him good job. He said he scored all the points and they won but I didn't ask how many points. It was hard to remain serious.

Gonzaga won their first game in the NCAA tournament. Good game. I love watching them and the Cougars or WSU play. Don't care about anyone else. Probably doesn't matter to anyone else but I like it.

Sage was so calm when I put her in this evening it was nice. Sometimes she gets a little excited going back to the barn.

A funny story - at least for me. Bob got the tractor out yesterday and I told you, WELL its stuck again but not so bad. I just had to laugh.

Blessings

Its Unstuck

No pictures because my printer/scanner is fighting with me. Drat. Anyway it took Bob and our neighbor John 4 plus hours to get the tractor out. It looked to me like they were burying it deeper and deeper but they finally pulled it backwards to get it out. They both were covered with mud and Bob's boots were filled with water. I wanted to laugh but didn't think he would appreciate it. Neither of them.

Bob has trouble every time he is the one to move Sage from stall out/out into the stall. He was ready to swear this morning but when I got her in this evening she just walked along and was as polite as could be. She loves me what can I say.

Mostly I stayed in the house away from the two men. Got some things accomplished. Mainly the checkbook balanced. Hate that job worse than doing dishes but got it accomplished. Bob should not write checks under the influence of pain meds. At least I didn't make the mistakes this time. LOL.

Tomorrow I am have coffee with my sweet friend Lisa. That will be fun. She just grabbed a piece of my heart the first time I met her.

Blessings.

The joys of Mud

The chickens know their house is on the other side of the lake.
What happens when you try to cross where you shouln't have. I asked Bob is I could laugh. He said no.

She starts to wade across. The next step was much deeper and she fell in and managed to fly out. The brown one went to the barn.

The tractor is still there. He could not get it jacked up enough. A neighbor is coming down tomorrow with a large tractor and they will attempt to pull it out. He did get the cows fed first. He is muttering to himself but at least he tried to get it himself.

Last night Bob got a call from a vet and today he hauled a horse down to Wazoo for a lady. He probably has a broken hip but maybe not. Bob got this idea a while back to put his name out with some vets that he would haul horses when people didn't have trailers and they had emergencys. It was a good idea. The people today were so greatful.

When I put the horses out it was not raining and a few hours later it was pouring and they were glad to see me. Pepper is doing well, Sage is fine and Amelia is OK. She needs some pounds. Need to figure out some way to add calories to her diet. She gets vitamins, beet pulp soaked, a cup of corn oil and half a coffee can of Senior Feed night and morning plus alfalfa grass hay. Any ideas?

Blessings.

Swans

This what we saw on our way home from church yesterday. Have not seen swans like this before. I have seen them on the Turnbull Game Refuge but not in a wheat field. The entire view was awesome. All these pictures are at the same place.

Had fun taking the pictures. Swans, Geese and Ducks. We spent several minutes there watching and taking pictures.

Still nasty weather and lest I start complaining, I will just say......

Blessings.

Tack Swap Day

Today was the big 4H Tack Swap in Spokane. For me it always seems like the beginning of horse happenings. We took stuff out and bought some things. Bob found just the bit he had been looking for, for Wrangler and some boots that will fit most of the horses. They look like I might even be able to get them on. I got a halter for Sage and a pair of boots for me. Dress up boots. Just what I have been wanting. We spent more than we sold but that's OK. The dress boots I got are brand new and the other things were in great shape too. I think the purple halter is new too. We, disappointingly did not sell the 2 saddles we took but it did not look like a lot of them sold. It was fun to run into all kinds of people we knew from Lewiston on north and Moses Lake east to Spokane.

I did talk to the lady who is working with the Mustang Heritage Group that is doing Youth activities. They hope to have one in Spokane in 2012. I asked her to keep in touch and I knew we could help with that. Her daughter is the YaY (youth and yearling) thing last year with a yearling from Sage's herd. He was solid bay though. Big like her. I hope she will get in contact with me, I did not get her e mail. Dumb I know.

Bob is at a Gentlemen on Horseback dinner this evening with a neighbor. He is really trying to talk Bob into going with him next year down in Oregon. I am sort of iffy on whether Bob would enjoy it or not. He did like it when he went on the Chief Joseph (an appaloosa is a requirement to go) a few years ago but did not want to go any more. We will see.

Being without a phone stinks. I don't use it often but without it, of course I want to use it all the time. Aren't we silly creatures.

I saw four robins today, the very first ones. They are harbinger's of spring.

Blessings

Venting

No pictures. You don't want to see one of me with steam coming our the top of my head. But, let me start at the beginning.

When I got up and was watching the devastating pictures from Japan and knowing my oldest friend in the world had children in Okinawa, I went to my phone that had been charging all night and what did I have NOTHING. I shook and and wiggled the charger around and still NOTHING. We were going in town to consign some things at the Tack Swap so we stopped by the Wireless Store that is on our way in and my phone is DEAD and I mean DEAD. Nothing works at all. I called the customer service person and she said it was under warranty and switched me to that number. Well, she pushed the wrong button because they were talking Spanish and I know hablo and that is just about it. So I hung up and dialed again. This time I got English, however whoever I talked to did no speak good English. An hour later on Bob's phone and taking the battery in and out and giving her numbers and the color of little squares in little holes and verifying for the 5th. time my name and it is pronounced Lee not Leah and my address ect. I will have a new phone in five days or so. We do not have a land line so we have Bob's phone only. So there, I have vented. I did not drown it, I did not throw it anywhere, I just carry it around in my pocket. So if you need to get me in the next week, the Internet is the way you will do it.

Got all 59 of our items consigned at the tack swap. We will go in the AM and spend everything we might make. That is what we usually do. We did take a couple of saddles. We have an abundance of them. Its always fun though and we always see lots of our horsey friends that we have not seen all winter.

We had a day without rain so the horses all got our for a while. Back in tonight because the rain is coming back tonight.

Blessings.

Pepper AOK

I want to thank you all who prayed for Pepper last night. He astonished everyone with his recovery. I am so glad our vet understands the power of prayer. When Bob checked him at 1 AM her had not pooped but was passing gas. His gut sounds were good. At 1:30 he had pooped. He was looking for something to eat. On his regular diet for a while anyway is a cup or so of soaked beet pulp and a glug glug of mineral oil mixed in it. He was really hungry today and he was not happy in his stall but he is going to be there at least at night for quite a while. We are having a terrible time with stalls. Water is running in under the wall of the barn. We had to shovel in sand today. And with the prediction of rain every day for the forseeable future, I don't know what we are going to do. We have four stalls and one is a lake. The others aren't quite as bad.

We do not live anywhere near a creek or a river but we have a flood and its over the top of our barn boots in depth. Where it isn't there is mud to suck our boots off. I tried to put Amelia and Sage out to work on their stalls and it was raining so hard we hurried as fast as we can. Its awful. Can hardly get to the chicken pens. Its awful or did I already say that.

Tomorrow is the day we take our stuff to be consigned to the 4H tack swap sale on Saturday. We have 2 saddles and a bunch of other stuff. We loaded it in the car today. I want to be there at noon to avoid some of the crowd. There are a couple of things I want. Nothing big but its always fun to watch.

Sorry about no pictures but did not have time. Thanks again for everyones prayers.

Blessings.

A Quickie

Just a quick little message tonight. Pepper coliced bad again and thought we were losing him but he is hanging on and is alert and nosing at the hay. No poop yet but he is up and alert and that's a good thing. Dr. McKinley knows we can spend another thousand dollars on him like we did in December and has been a big help to us. We are checking him every hour tonight and call Jed in the AM again. When I put a call out for prayers on Facebook, he started pulling it out of it. I know prayer works, God even cares for our horses. Well He cares about what we care about.

I made a statement last week that our Mustang Meeting was on the 24th. There will be a big surprise for everyone - at least the first 10 people there- but it will be the 31st. I should have looked at my calendar before I wrote it.

Its been a long day, Bob got home or I might have lost it.

Blessings -

I Want To Hibernate

This picture was in our Back Country Horsemen paper this month. Last November we attended the state convention in Grangeville, Idaho. This picture was snapped Saturday evening. We had not danced in YEARS. It was fun.

Dun In Glory (Glory) that I had several years ago. I always did well in Showmanship and Halter. We did OK riding but not what I expected. I sold her to a young girl in Oregon.

This is just a nasty day of snow, snow and snow. Wet sloppy snow. I read Linda's blog - Beautiful Mustang- and she and I are having the same end of winter blahs. She is coping better that I am. What I want to do is sleep. I could sleep like an old bear I guess. Just have to make and I mean MAKE myself get moving. Its tough.

Bob will be home tomorrow. It will be a little better then. His brother had his heart cath today. They found a couple of things and he will have surgery at the end of the month. They will be replacing a valve and putting a stent in.

Blessings

Winter Is Still Here

This is my Daddy. I found this picture in some old pictures but no one seems to know where or when this was taken. I love it but I really would like to know how old he was and where he was when this picture was taken.
Sages eye. I wanted a picture of her whole face but she would not stay back far enough. She is a lover, especially at meal time.

Her nose. She wanted to smell the camera. She thought it just might be something eat.

Wrangler waiting patiently for me to get around to feeding them and quit messing with the camera.

Pepper thinking about the same thing.

The dinner bell on the patio post. I will need to put a string of some kind to ring the bell. I got that for Bob for Christmas several years ago and he put it up last week.

Bob is over in Puyallup to be with his brother and sister in law when Lynn has a heart cath tomorrow and perhaps replacing a valve. He is 77 and has had diabetes for 30 years or more so its no easy thing.

We have had a coule of days of sun so snow is melting and we have mud. Well the weather report tonight was alot of rain and snow for the next week. I am thinking it is about time for spring - just saying.

Will be having a surprise for the 1st ten people who attend the Mustang Horse and Burro Club meeting on the 24th. I am surprised and glad. Some new people too.

Blessings

Spell check won't work so am sorry if my fingers did their own thing.

Earlier horse pictures

Our granddaughter Sheya riding Pepper by herself. He walked so carefully. She is still riding him.
Bob on Wrangler in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana. Just before Bob sold him and we have since bought him back. He is a wonderful big horse from the Paisley Desert. He was born here but bred in the wild.

Rusty

Yuma. He looks like he is hungry right?

Pepper showing why we call him Fat Boy. He is always looking to eat.

Bob is in Boise, Idaho at a meeting and Katie is staying with me. Oliver seems to be better. I gave him his penicillin shot this afternoon. His temp was normal so I did not give him any banamine. Shannon gave us some injectable so it just will sit in the fridge. Or I may give it back to her. Probably the latter.

I should have worked with Sage today but man working in the mud up to my ankles is tough.

Hope your weekend is wonderful.

Blessings

Weather - ?

It was gray and mushy outside so I stayed in. Katie came by after work because she had about a 4 hour lapse between work and her class. It was good to have her and she helped Bob with the chores. My Oliver is sick. We gave him a dose of penicillin tonight. And some Banamine. He is old and our neighbor Shannon thinks he may be at deaths door. I feel so awful for my old friend. Shannon is the neighborhood goat lady so she knows what is what about goats.


l didn't do much today, I am trying to get my craft/sewing/store room cleaned and organized as well as getting stuff together to take to the tack swap on Friday. I was just sleepy all day and slept good last night. Maybe my body is catching up for the several days in a row that sleep escaped me for most of the nights.


Rain is predicted and if it does and all this snow gets melted fast, we will need a boat to get around. At least it will be warmer.

Bob is going to Boise for the weekend. He has a meeting and that will keep him out of trouble for doing too much around here. Katie is going to come and stay with me.

Blessings