Last week I made a 2 day trip to Irrigon, Oregon to visit Sage and to ride her.  My friend Julie owns and operates Columbia River Equine Center and Tack Store.  Suzanne is her trainer and assistant.  Suzanne has been riding Sage in the round pen, arena and on trails.  Fortunately the Equine Center is on the Columbia River and there are miles of trails to ride along the river.  In sage brush, sand, Russian Olive trees.  She loves to go in the water, she goes up steep little hills and down.  I am so proud of her and of me too. 

I was in the middle of writing this last night when the storm hit with a vengeance.  First came the wind - 60 plus mph with dust.  That was awful.  The came the rain, lightening and thunder.  It did not last long but we lost power for a little while.  We don't usually but that is what happened before the wind even got here.  I just turned the computer off and went to find matches to light candles.  But then the power came back on so we could watch the end of the Seahawks football game. 

Please keep our 22 year old granddaughter in your thoughts/prayers or what you do.  Nothing I want to go in to publicly but she needs all the thoughts and prayers she can get.

Have seen more high school football this month since I was in high school.  With 2 grandsons playing, we have been trying to get to their games.  Ryan is on Jr. Varsity and he suits up for the varsity games, Seth plays 9th grade.  The JV won tonight.  I was proud of them.  The metal bleachers get pretty hard on the bum though.

FINALLY the pump is repaired.  We have been using a hose stretched from Katie's.  Now we have water pressure again.  Drippy showers have been aggravating. 

Blessings to you all,

Lea

Top picture - Mariah riding Raven.  A sweet girl riding on her l5th. birthday.  She had fun even if Pepper tried to buck her off when she was going to ride him.

Bob took the saddle off Pepper and then they had a little work out.  He tried to buck with Bob a couple of times but he snapped him out of that little idea.

All in all, one of our best days this summer.

I still am working on getting yard sale stuff together.  It is a chore.  I won't happen this weekend but maybe next. 

A rip roaring thunder and lightening storm is approaching and I am getting off of here and turn it off.  We may lose power, it is starting to flicker.  So night all -

Blessings,

Lea

Kailee Suender riding Wrangler. 

Tried to load more pictures of her sister and others but..... maybe tomorrow night.

Kailee is a blessing.  She showed up today to clean stalls and to help with some other things.  What a blessing that young lady is.

Yesterday I got stung and it turned into a massive red, swollen itchy arm.  I called the doctor and he asked me to come in.  He put me on a short term steroid dose.  It hasn't started working yet. 

Kailee's father is our Worship Pastor at church and their whole family came out and we had the best of times with them all.  The kids rode the horses and Lisa (mom) fell in love with Peanut Butter.  Wish she had a place for him, I would give him to her.  She was raised on a farm and I think she misses it.  She is a dear friend.

I am counting the days until I get to ride Sage.  A week from today I will be off to spend 2 days with her.

I told a friend on her blog that I would give my left arm for her time at the beach - that is the one with the sting on it.  That is how i feel about my arm.

Blessings,

Lea

Once again I can't seem to get the computer to cooperate about the pictures.  So will just have to tell you about them one by one.

The top one is is gnarly aspen trees.  I just thought it was interesting to look at.

The middle picture is of our friend Joyce.  She had been peeling potatoes and Amigo and Hobby came and tried to take them away.  The ate the potato peelings like candy.  Hobby is huge - 16h I think and I was sitting in a chair and he came and I thought he was going to sit on my lap. A sweet horse he is.  We didn't take horses but had fun playing with theirs.

The bottom picture is just - on a clear day you can see forever.  The mountains across the valley are the Tobacco Root mountains. 

We had great fun with our friends and it was good to just relax and let the world happen.

Today I got told I could go down and ride Sage.  Ooh I am excited.  I can't go this week, too much happening but I think I will go on the 10th if that works with Suzanne and Julie.  How cool is that, she is doing wonderful.  They are even picking up her hind feet and a farrier was coming to trim her up.  I am so excited.

I am taking part in a photo challenge for the month of September.  Our first word is CURLS for day 1.  I have to think of a good picture.

We were given a spaghetti squash and had never had one before.  Really, I imagine you all have, but I hadn't.  I like squash but I did not like that.  I thought it was icky.  I am glad we also had corn on the cob and a cabbage/pineapple salad. 

I watched my Cougars play their first football game today.  Yes, I am a WSU fan win or lose and the lost today by one touchdown.  That is where I went to college.  A long time ago.  I wish I knew then what I would have rather studied and then I might have finished. 

Tried to go yard saleing today but there were not in abundance.  Found a few in Medical Lake and one in Airway Heights.  I didn't want to drive clear into town.  One of them had a lot of quilting stuff.  My downfall.  Bought a lot of half yard pieces in the colors that I like to work with.  More than I needed I imagine.  Quilting has made me a fabric junkie.

Hope your holiday weekend is wonderful,

Blessings

Lea

 Our first view of antelope.  We have been on a short little trip to Bear Creek, Montana.  It is about 50 miles from West Yellowstone.  It is a campground/trail head on Bear Creek.  A lovely little spot in Montana.  Although it is Bear Creek and there are signs all over the place about grizzly bears, and black bears, there were none to be seen.  I did not want a grizzly to come through but maybe up on the hillside.  We did see fresh bear tracks on a little hike Bob and I took but no sighting.  The antelope were very leery of us and took off when we stopped to take a picture. 

 The clouds were very interesting.  The swooped up behind the hill and the disappeared back down.  I thought we were in for a thunder boomer but it did not happen.  The cloud was very pretty though.

Any one who really knows me, knows that I HATE bridges.  Bridges of any kind, and mostly walk over bridges.  I had Bob take my picture so I could prove that I walked over it.  You can't see my white knuckles hanging on though.    I almost waded though, I will have to admit.

It was great to get away for a few days.  We visited some friends who were hosting the campground for a couple of weeks.  They have a nice camper so we stayed in the cabin that is provided for them.  Then we journeyed up to Helena and visited some good friends who moved from Cour d'Alene to Helena a few years ago.  It was good to see them.  We had wanted to see other friends in Whitehall but they were on their way to Spokane to visit family so that did not work.  I was sad about that. 

So now back to our routine here.  The big storm that went through here on Sunday took out 8 to 10 big poplar trees.  Some over fences.  Fortunately nothing was in the pasture.  And a big Blue Spruce in the rental where Katie lives.  It just came down in the yard and did not hit their house.  Bob worked most of the day getting it cleaned up.

Tomorrow evening is the Mustang and Burro Club meeting.  I hope every one shows up.  We have some things to decide and to put into motion.  I enjoy that group.

I spent most of the day inside getting laundry caught up and putting things in order.  I don't know about anyone else but when we get home from a trip, stuff gets brought in and set down. 

Blessings,

Lea

The top picture is Stella and the bottom one is Peanut Butter.  Stella is a medium sized pony mare.  She has had her feet trimmed and has been saddled but no one has been on her.  She is lovable and loves treats and to be paid attention to.  She needs a new home.  We are asking $150.00 for her.  She is 3 years old and is Turing blue roan.

Peanut Butter is also 3 and is half mustang and half QH.  He is a very friendly guy who tries to put his head in the halter when you go after someone else.  He is 3 years old and needs to be worked with.  He was kind of a rescue.  People were supposed to just board him but never came back.  We want $100.00 for him. 

I am praying someone comes along.  They are nice horses but we just can no afford to keep them nor time to work with them.  If you know anyone who might be interested give me a shout out here or if you know my number you can call.

Our car is in the shop.  I am sad because we were going on a little vacation this week.  Not happening.  Maybe next week.  Depends.

Sage is doing well.  Got some pictures from Julie.  Hope i hear from Suzanne too.  She is the one who is mostly riding her.

Blessings,

Lea

Bob and his sidekick Pistol taking a break from unloading hay.  She is never far from his heels.  Its been too hot for him to be taking her with her and she is getting a little put out.  She is a good dog. 

If you read my Face Book page you read there we had a collision last night with a big buck deer.  Sort of squished the front quarter panel clear back to the passenger door.  We could not find him but I am sure he could not have lived through it.  It made me very sad for the deer but scared the bejeebers out of me.  The air bags did not go off or we would have been in a pickle.  It goes in Monday and thank goodness for good insurance.

I got stung for the fourth time this summer today.  My hand is all swollen.  I am pretty tired of playing dodge and dart with the bees.  They got my last picking of raspberries.  They are really ornery this year.

I got my blood work results from the doctor today.  All is very well.  Just wish I had more energy. 

I have not heard about Sage for a few days.  I get so anxious when I let myself worry about her.  I know she is doing well.

Blessings,

Lea