Lake Bob

I would call it Williams Lake but that is already taken so I settled on Lake Bob. We had nearly 2" of rain last night and with frozen ground, now we have a lake. It is grass to put it mildly. I had to lead Sage out through another part of it to get her from the pasture. She didn't seem to mind. That was good. In fact she came running to me for me to put her halter on. I think she was expecting a treat and of course she got one. Spoiled, wwwwwweeeeeeeeeellllllllllll maybe.
I put the saddle on her today. She just let me pop it up on her back and cinch it up. She had not forgotten a thing. In fact she just stood there looking at me like what am I supposed to do now. Why aren't you getting on. I will one day soon when the round pen dries up enough to get in there. My goal is to ride her in the Bob Marshall on June 24th.

While Sage and Ditto were eating their lunches I started cleaning up the barn some. Its a big mess and Bob left stuff sitting around that I was afraid if Sage did a spooky dance she might hurt herself. My back is saying ouch a little tonight but that's OK. I felt good getting some things accomplished.

This evening I went down to Shannon's and tested 2 of her goats milk. I will need to mail it in tomorrow. I just took the refresher class a week or so ago. Not complicated but would have been better if I had remembered my reading glasses.

So that was the high points of my day.

Blessings

Rain Rain Go Away

It is raining, and I mean RAINING. Right on top of our snow and ice. Not too fun. I am still trying to rid myself of a sore throat so I did not go out to work with Sage. It is mostly gone and tomorrow we will get back at getting ready to ride the first day it is nice enough too. I have a goal.

Friday Bob went to an all afternoon conference at the Davenport Hotel which was put on by The National Academies, Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering and Medicine. It was the Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources. It was "A Review of the Bureau of Land Management - Wild Horse and Burro Management Program". The panel was made up of all kinds of animal health scientists. They were discussing management of the wild horse herds. The talked a lot about PZP and how it works. They talked about habitat and herd counts and how they accomplish it without helicopters. They did not discuss adoption, horse slaughter or horse reserves. They mostly were interested in preserving the herds with the least amount of disruption. Primarily by using birth control. They are very familiar with the Pryor herd and some of the Oregon herds. Bob thought it was worthwhile and was glad he went. It was free.

I have not read through the paperwork that he brought home yet, but I intend to.

Hope you have a good first week in February.

Blessings

Some things coming up

My two girls resting in the sun. This was my only venture outside today. Still have a sore throat and stayed in trying to get rid of it. It is much better this evening but not gone. It better get out of here. I am tired of it.

Last night our Mustang Club met. We planned a ride and camp out on April 14/15. We talked about planning a trip to the ocean beach somewhere to ride. I think Mary is going to research places to go camp and ride on the beaches. We also talked about instead of having a Mustang Days on our own, having a booth and maybe could have some of our horses there for people to see at Ride the West. We won't make money but might serve the same purposes. It will cost about $150.00 to do that. We have the money to do that. I also mentioned remembering to pay our $10.00 to keep track of hours rode. The more that do it, the better chance we have of winning a really nice gift this weekend. So far, only Bob and I have done it and we have rode 0 miles so........................

We had a fun telephone call this morning inviting us to ride into the Bob Marshall on June 24 for a week. We said a big yes. We will ride to Pretty Prairie. I want Sage to be ready to ride. I am going to push her to do that.

I am still working on old pictures. I got over 100 uploaded today. I better get them onto my external modem though. On the computer is not good enough.

Tomorrow we are celebrating Chrissy's 40th. birthday. I had a turkey in the freezer and that is what we are having. Ought to have something special for turning 40.

Blessings

Looking Back

This picture of my mother was taken in Moniter (near Wenatchee) in l929. I don't remember seeing it before but found it in some pictures I was going through.
My mother and step dad taken in l963 in their front yard in Phoenix, AZ. They had such a lovely place.

Taken in Key West when my sister and I went there on the very best vacation I have ever ever had.

Not any horse activity today except laughing at my mares out the window. I have been putting them in about noon every day and right on time they were standing at the gate waiting for me. We had to go to the doctors office and get our medical records because she is leaving. I think we may have found a doctor but am a little leery after thinking we had found who we wanted and to have her leave after six months and we have to do it all over again. Such is life anyway.

Blessings

Slush

Sweet Raven, my trusty ride until Sage is ready. She is a great horse.

And Pepper, what else could I say about him that I have not said before.

Then Yuma wanting a treat.

My girls standing out of the wind. I went through the gate with a halter in hand and Sage came to me and Ditto followed her and followed us into the barn. What a good girl she is. Well what a good girl they both are.

My computer had a belch this evening and Cameron had to come. I communicate with my sister and oldest daughter on ICQ and it will not connect. It did and then dumped me off and will not reload it. Darn. And me trying to fix it messed things up good. (sad face).

So that is how my evening went.

Blessings

A beautiful Day in Our Neighborhood

Our two little dogs on the run. They are BFF.

My rail fence (LOL)

The snow was sliding off of the garage roof. Tried to get a drip in mid air but missed.

The nose I love to smooch on and she loves me to do it.

The big girls came in for lunch and did great. Ditto of course just gets to eat but Sage has a despooking lesson when she is done eating. I had a cardboard box that was going to eat her. Yesterday I put her treat in the box and she wouldn't come near so today I put her grain in it and now its OK. I had a big red hunk of something and I was waving it around and she looked at me like is that a saddle pad because they don't scare me. Bob parks the tractor at the end of the aisle way in the barn (not my choosing but his) and there is a quite narrow space to walk by it. We practiced that yesterday and she didn't think much of it but today she just walked through like oh heck. We are working on her head down and she does wonderful and flexing and she does that great too. Just something every day.

Blessings

Just What We Need - More Snow

Chemmy, Yuma and Rosie do not think we need any more snow and they were not happy that I did not bring them treats. Besides it wasn't supper time and they wanted to eat then. Oh well, I guess. I laughed at them.
Think we have a few barn kitties? They are all chubby. They get cat food and a pan of goat milk every day.

Bob drove the tractor into the other end of the barn and Sage was not so happy about it. I banged on things in the barn and waved things around working on despooking. She thought I was tormenting her and I guess I was.

One of the more demanding kitties.

And my old buddy, Ditto. She wanted a treat every time I walked by. She did not like all the stuff I was doing earlier. She doesn't need despooked. She hates stalls and couldn't wait to get out.

Last night at the Back Country Horse meeting that we were at, we found out our old mare May died last week. We gave her to a guy down by Worley, ID for a pasture buddy a few years ago. She was a good old horse. She ate her breakfast and when he went out to open the stall she was gone. And then her pasture mate died a few days later. Sad huh? They were both old and had great lives there. Pampered and loved. I feel bad but not sad for her.

Tom and Christy are both OK. Just sore from the wreck. Tomorrow they should get a rental car and start the process of getting what they have coming. Darn drunk drivers.

Thank you all for your comments. I was so down when I wrote the last time. Life is tough sometimes and this period of time is one of them. I will make it though. Thanks so much for your comments.

We are getting more snow this evening. Not what we needed but it is winter in eastern Washington and not unexpected.

Blessings

Lord, if this is a test, I flunked

Just a couple of snow pictures. About l5" of snow and at the moment it is freezing rain and the wind is starting to blow. Just what we needed. I am SO glad they cancelled our Washington State Horsemen Board meeting scheduled tomorrow in Ellensburg. I would not try to drive in that skating rink.

Boy, oh, boy, when it comes, it comes in bunches. Not only does my brother in law have cancer. He is holding his own at this moment, our niece has cancer in her hip bone. She just started chemo, our daughter in law was diagnosed with ovarian and uterine cancer. She has surgery on February l. Today our oldest granddaughter who lives in Maryland called and she has ovarian cancer. She has her first oncologist appointment on Monday. Then Bob had just a check up with our doctor who has only been our doctor since last May when our doctor of 30 years retired. Now she is leaving the area so we have to find another doctor again. Its not easy when you are both past 70. That about wigged me out and then the phone rang this evening and a drunk hit our son Tom's pickup. He and his wife were not hurt but pretty shaken up. They were driving down the road and a drunk driver came across 2 lanes of traffic and hit them in the drivers door. Then he tried to leave but Tom got to him and took his keys away from him. I feel like I have been caught in a whirlwind.

The horses are doing well. I was going to take some pictures of them today but Bob called me to do something and then I forgot. They all look like furry bears. They are all fat.

So, I am done whining. Sorry.

Blessings

Snow? Where?

We were supposed to get a big dump of snow today. Well we got NONE until about 3 and we got a skiff. The wind did blow like a hurricane and it was cold but no snow. I really don't mind, they have predicted snow all weekend and what we got was cold and sunshine. Love it.

We got groceries today and were really lazy the rest of the time. The wind was awful. Was good for both of us to have a lazy day together. We had more conversation than in ages.

The horses didn't seem to mind at all. They were just happy out in their respective pastures.

Take care,

Blessings

Fun With the Girls

I had fun today playing round with my spotted girls. They both tried to get into my jacket pockets because they knew what was there. I don't usually carry treats but thought today was a good day to give them some. They came around to the front most of the day and that was a good sign for me. I loved their hugs and nuzzled me.

My sweet Ditto. She is old and loves me. She is not as affectionate as Sage but I know she loves me. Ditto is the smoothest horse I have ever ridden. Her lope is so fun to ride. I had a hard time getting used to riding any other horse.

Sage seemed glad to have me out there. It was a sunny cold day. They say snow is coming but not a flake so far. We will see.

My favorite picture of my girls.

We had a sunny but cold day today. We got a little cleaning up in the yard and Bob got the tractor chains ready to put on if the snow really comes. Got my boots out of the closet. Now if it does not come, they can go back.

It was a good day. My girls seemed as glad to see my come spend time and I was to do it.

Blessings

Mourning

I wonder how long they are going to stand in that place where their friend died. Yesterday and today other than when they ate. Makes me sad.
Sage just looking at me. I was chasing a cow.

I really loved the shadow. I wish I had my other lens on but its still good. She stands there when the sun shines.

Something scared our cows last night and they went through fences. They are not hard on fences so don't know what went on. I hope its not a pack of dogs. If it happens again, we will put Steve's night vision camera out there. I don't want the cows hurt either. None have calves but they will have in another month or so.

Blessings

Moving On

Yesterday before I found Amelia, I had my camera and was talking to the donks. This is Yuma. He wanted to know what I had brought with me.

And Chemmy said, got something for me.

And my blessed old Ditto. I thought she was 30 but today I went and looked on her papers and she is only and I say only lightly, 28. She is healthy and happy too. I did take treats for her. Sage had walked away from me when I went out so I decided to just ignore her. When Ditto got treats she came nudging my back and asking for one too. I think she was trying to take me to Amelia when she walked that way. I wasn't bright enough or thinking to follow her. I just thought she was avoiding me and she has never done that. Usually she trots right up to me.

Just one of our steers that will be around until October. This is Milo. He wanted a scratch behind the ears.

I have been working on pictures again. I wonder if anyone has as many loose photos around as I do. I have made a big dent in it over this past year putting them on my external hard drive for safe keeping. I found a group of them that I have not the foggiest idea of where they are. I am so irritated with myself. With digital I just put them right straight to the appropriate folder. But before that they just piled up. Darn. I am finding some interesting pictures, some hilarious ones and sad ones too.

Bob is so tired after digging to bury Amelia. The ground is frozen about a foot. Its done though. Thank you for all your thoughts. I appreciate it a lot.

Blessings,

Goodbye Amelia

Sometime during the night or early this morning our sweet old Amelia apparently had a heart attack and died. It was very sad to find her this morning with Sage and Ditto standing over her protecting her. She was about 32. We and our brother in law rescued her a few years ago, very decimated and sad looking. She had been found abandoned by the side of the road up north a way. So tonight I say rest in peace darling horse. We will miss you a lot.

A OK (I think)

Had the laser procedure done on my eye this morning. The worst part was all the stuff they put in my eye before hand. It has taken most all the day but I think its seeing what its supposed to. I can close my right eye and see. Wahoo. Now the 26th. Dr. Smit will do an exam and she said I would probably have to wear glasses again but I don't care. I can see with both eyes. That is a cause for rejoicing.

I did not do much today, came home and took a nap and just pediddled around the house. If its not raining tomorrow Sage will get another workout.

On a sad note, a young woman who used to be in our church and was truly a worshiper died this morning of breast cancer. She was in her late 20's or early 30's I imagine. She was married and had moved away from here. Rest in peace Maggie, this world will miss you but Heaven is welcoming you.

Blessings,

Snow then Sun

I have to laugh every time I see this picture. They do like bread.

Today started out with our first real snow then the sun came out, it warmed up and the snow went away. I worked with Sage for a while in the round pen. She did well for me. Then I took her into the barn and put her in the stall Bob just finished redoing and gave her a treat. BUT before she went into the stall I knocked the shovel over that was leaning there and she did a wonderful pirouette then stopped and snorted at me. When I put her in she was a little snarly with me but I told her tough, then left her there for a while. She was nicer when I put her back out. She really did better in the middle of the night last week. Guess she didn't know why I was there then. She is a love.

Tomorrow morning early I have laser surgery on my left eye. I am a little nervous about it but I am sure it will be OK.

Blessings,

Looking Back

Isaac at 4 riding Pepper with Grandpa at the lead line. He was having a good time - Isaac.

For those who read my last post. I have cleaned house, did dishes, done laundry, read entire books when I could not sleep but I had never gone out to work my horse in the middle of the night before. I slept good last night. I imagine Sage was glad of that because the moon was very bright again. Not tonight though, it is snowing a little. That is a surprise.

Not long ago Bob bought me a new blood pressure thingy. I try to remember to check it once a week. This morning it registered very high, higher than ever in my life. It startled me but I felt no different so waited a while and checked it again. Still the same. Bob was at a friends helping him out so I called Katie and asked her to come check it. She is an EMT. It was up a little, probably my worrying about it, but no where even close, not even close to where my thing said. So, we checked it with that again and it said that high ridiculous amount again. I am going to have Bob take it back. It could scare me into something. So never fear, its OK.

I hear Bob out on the four wheeler doing something in the dark. I think I will go check it out. I can not imagine what.

Blessings

What you do when you can't sleep.

Last night was another of those nights. I read, I fidgeted and got up before I woke Bob up who was happily snoring away. I looked outside and the moon was bright almost like daylight. So I put on my clothes quietly and went out at 1:00 AM and went and caught Sage. As per usual recently she trotted up to me like what are you doing out here this time of night. Put her halter on and we went out and over to the back yard. Could not believe how light it was. We practiced some things, started teaching her to bow, groomed her, loved on her, fed her treats and turned her back out. She would have stayed with me. She stood and looked over the gate at me. I imagine she was a little confused. I came in at 2:30 and went back to bed. Bob felt my cold body and said "where have you been" and I just casually mentioned being outside working with my horse. He sat bolt upright and said "WHAT?" and I repeated. He thought I was nuts and maybe I was but I went right to sleep then.

Anyone else done anything so crazy. I didn't think it was crazy. We enjoyed each others company. She wasn't sleeping and neither was I so we spent it together.

Nothing else exceptional going on. Anyone want a hand crocheted rag rug for $50.00. I have several done after Christmas gifts.

What a weird winter. It was in the 50's earlier this week. It was frosty when I was outside last night but was in the low 40's today. Officially we have had 2" of snow, none really at our house. I hope it doesn't wait until February or March to snow.

Blessings

It Came

My hand. It does not show up too much - the scarring. Its still a little swollen but Dr. Horn gave me free reign today. He said I am exercising it just right. I said, I can go back to my horses and he said yes but to wear gloves and to understand that the hand will be more sensitive to cold. Bob got me a good pair of gloves for Christmas in anticipation of that.

The cute little bag that my new ring came in.

The ring Bob ordered for me. Actually I had to do it when he finally got around to telling me to. He know I really wanted it. It has Sage's name on the inside and the outside is her freeze brand. I love it and have wanted one since Andrea got one and then Mary got one and NOW I have one.

We went to town today and did some errands after my doctor's appointment so did not get to Sage today. I didn't get to walk either but tomorrow is another day. It is supposed to be nice again so hopefully it will work out. This is certainly unusual January weather.

Blessings,

Sage, Sage and Sage

One of my favorite pictures of Sage. Love her nose. None of these pictures were taken today but I did work with her. I am anxious to ride again. Maybe tomorrow if the weather stays like this.

She made me almost cry today. I went to get her and she trotted a long ways right up to me. She is so sweet and I know she loves me.

I have tons of pictures of her. Ditto is getting a little jealous of the attention Sage gets. She came up to me too. I had to go get treats to give to her. She is 31 this year, getting a little low in the back but is still bright eyed and not arthritic at all.

Thank you for letting me gush on and on about my Sage. She is a gift to me.

Blessings on and all,

Starting 2012

Bob and his Christmas shirt from my sister. He grew up in Puyallup and graduated from Puyallup High School. He loves the shirt.

This big appy mare is broke to ride and is a rescue near our place. She is for sale for $200.00. Bob says she is about 15 hands and is 10 years old. Don't know how broke or trained but she is a pretty thing.

She wondered what Bob was doing.

I read 115 books last year. That is quite a pile. Some were already started as is the one I already entered for this year. I finished it today. I keep a book in the car, one in the bathroom and one beside my bed. Some were thick, some were thin and very easy reads. Some I used for my devotional time and some Bob read and then handed them off to me. A friend gave me 3 paper grocery bags full of books so have not bought them all. I keep a list of authors and what I have read so I don't grab a book and think that sounds great and then discover I have already read it a year or so ago.

I woke up last night at 5 to midnight and woke Bob up so we could watch the ball drop. Bob went right back to sleep but I didn't. I finally went to sleep about 4:30. Disgusting. I ended up sleeping until about 10. It was noon before I got sort of dressed. Tomorrow I am going to get up and get going. I promised myself that I would work with Sage, rain snow or whatever. Then Tuesday I see Dr. Horn and imaging he will turn me loose with my hand. I pretty much have done that but that will be official.

So, that was our first day of 2012. 2011 was kind of a blah year. I think the two high point of the year was the trip Nikki and I took to Oregon to the Kiger Adoption. We had so much fun. And the other was my first ride on Sage. Then other successful rides on her. Now I will finish up so I can ride her anywhere. The 2 low points of course was my dear brother in law being diagnosed with lung and liver cancer and our daughter in law being diagnosed with ovarian and uterine cancer. Now we just have to keep praying them on.

Love,

Blessings for the entire year.