This is Ed.  He was born on Saturday.  After a long and tough labor his Mama died and he was delivered by C section minutes later.  She had hurt her hip on the ice and we had been babying her along hoping she could have the baby OK.  She didn't.  He is at least 3 weeks early, really tiny.  He could not suck or stand.  And to top it all off, we were gone.  We were in Ellensburg at the Back Country Horsemen Rendezvous.  We had ridden with Bob and Vikki.  He is the state president so we could not come home.  How do you even say thank you to your neighbors who stepped in and took care of everything.  Shannan, John and Teresa and Katie. 

We came home to this little guy in a blue tote in Shannan's kitchen.  He got all the shots he needed.  Can't remember all of them but they probably saved his life.  Shannan had to go out of town and Ed got moved to Teresa and John's.  She is a pediatric neonatal nurse and she took care of him like he was a human baby.  He is recovering much faster however.  Yesterday mid day he sucked for the first time and this evening he sucked 16 oz down.  He got up on his own today.  They put him in a larger cattle waterer because he learned how to step out this morning and they didn't want him walking around her living room.  She hasn't had to tube him since Sunday night.  He will come home to us over this coming weekend.  He was pretty active this evening.  He will have to be in the house for a couple of weeks.  He does not have the ability to adjust his body temperature yet.  We did take his sweatshirt off today.

I know I am going on about Ed but to us he is a little miracle.  He probably does not weigh 30 pounds and is really tiny.  He is smaller than Katie's Golden Retrievers.

But all that aside, we had a grand time at the Rendezvous.  Spent more money than I should but got some things at the silent auction and the bucket raffle.  Plus I bought a beautiful necklace I will have to take a picture of and post it when it comes.  She had to do some lengthening and touching up the picture.  It is purple with a teardrop with a picture of Sage's head on it.  Just could not resist.   Barb Apple had a 3 part clinic and went to a couple of them.  Not the best clinic I have gone to but learned some things.  She does things differently than I have learned.  That is OK though.  And being with Bob and Vikki we sat at the presidents table and they called us the dignitaries.  I have never been a dignitary before.

The weather this week stinks.  Well not literally but it has snowed, hailed, and the wind has been treacherous.  It was better today but it is coming back tomorrow.  Snow has been predicted.  Spring starts tomorrow but no one told ol mother nature. 

Loving you all, blessings.

This is Candy, Katie and Cam's new horse.  She was given to them.  She is a really nice gently mare, in your pocket personality.  She is 20 but this day and age that is not old old.  She moves along really nicely.  Katie rode her with spurs, otherwise she is quite poky. 

Justin's first horse back ride.  Actually he just sat on her.  His socks were in the stroller.  He was happy as a clam up there.  Papa had a good hold of him and mama held the horse.  Katie wants him to love horses as much as she does.

I have worked with Sage a couple of days.  Now its rainy again.  Darn.  Saturday was awesome though. 

Nothing really much going on around here.  The chickens are laying, even the banties.   Lots of eggs.  The horses have been jumping and leaping and running around their pastures.  If it is decent tomorrow, I will go groom on Sage.  I want to show her at halter the end of April and it will take some to get her cleaned up.  I need her to get used to groups of people and horses.  I have a friend who will help me.  I can't run fast enough to get her to trot.  Mary has show drafts so she knows how to handle a big horse. 

We are going to dinner at a neighbors this evening.  Bob went with our friend Bob to pick up some kind of machinery and is not home yet.  He better get here.  He will, they were in Ritzville about and hour ago so expect them any time. 

Sorry I have been lapsing getting the blog written.  Just got lazy I guess.

Blessings

My first glimpse of Sage in the corrals in Burns.  She did not look so big.  There were taller horses but...........she is.

I finally got my computer back up and running.  The post that the receiver sits on had moved slightly and got off point.  Meaning that is why I could get nothing.   It was not the cause I can only put one picture on at a time.  Oh well, one is better than none. 

Yesterday when Bob put the horses out, he just threw a rope over Dittos head and she follows, so does Rosie.  He forgot to snap Sages lead rope and did the same thing and she walked along with him just the same.  She is learning.

We had snow all day yesterday but it did not stick.  Now we have that gropple stuff a little on the ground.  After it being 54 on Sunday this is terrible.

We have our first baby calf.  Totally black.  We bought her mama at the auction so don't know the daddy, black I imagine because mom is as black as Eclipse.  That is what Bob named her.  Our other babies should start coming pretty soon. 

Rusty is in the round pen.  She is limping on her right  front foot.  We can not find any reason.  Her hoof is hot so maybe an abscess is working out.  Bob doesn't have a hoof tester.  She lets us look at her feet.  Bob trimmed Yuma's feet yesterday.  He stood like such a gentlemen.  I hope the people who took Chemmy are taking care of it.

Blessings,

This is another picture of Bob in the the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana.  I don't know who the ones riding darker horses but Teri is out front on her paint and Kassidy is riding the white pony.  His name was Izzy and her took that little girl anywhere.  She (Kass) is around 16 now, I know who the other people on the trip were but not sure who was who.  I know they had a wonderful time.

I went quilting yesterday and worked some more on my snowball but got the directions to one made with horse fabric I have been anxious to start too.  I always have so much fun with those ladies.  They are ahead of me but I don't care, its for fun. 

Sage was so funny yesterday.  On a normal day when Bob goes to put them in.  Ditto runs to the barn first, no need for a lead rope, then Bob snaps the rope on Sage and Rosie follows them.  Yesterday, Rosie was by the gate and the other two were in the far pasture behind the barn I think.  He put Rosie in and went to the pasture to whistle for the other two.  They came and Bob let Ditto in but Sage was tearing around whinnying and looking for Rosie.  Something was just not right.  When he finally got her to settle down and put the lead rope on her she was looking and looking for her friend.  When they got into the barn and there was Rosie, she gave a big sigh and dropped her head.  She was so worried.  One thing with Sage, she has a routine and gets upset when things upset that or make it different.  

I am off to have lunch with a special friend, Lisa.  She is so sweet and caring.  She is working towards a degree in Nutrition and Exercise.  In her early 40's she has Fiber Myalgia, 3 kids, a pastor husband and maintaining an almost perfect GPA.  Love that girl.

Maybe I will get some pictures of my own soon.

Blessings.

It rained some yesterday and our snow is just about gone. 

 This picture was taken on one of Bob's trips into the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana.  He didn't take the picture.  That is Teri right in front of the brown horse, Bernie in the middle and Sheri in the lead.  Kind of a rocky trail.  I am jealous, would like to have been there for sure.

One of our great grand children.  We went to her birthday party at Chuck E Cheese yesterday.  Kiyanna was 4.  She is such a sweetheart.  We had a good time watching the kids play and have fun.  Last year she freaked out at Chuckie but not this year.  At first she had a death grip on her daddy's neck but she got over it.  I ate too much pizza.  Had a belly ache on the way home but I should have known better.

Today I was wishing so much for a video camera.  I looked out the kitchen window and watched my three mares having a racing good time.  All over the place.  That old Ditto can boogie when she gets a notion to.  She didn't last as long as the other two, but Rosie is pregnant (I hope) and she faded not too long after Ditto.  Sage kept it up for quite a bit though.  She looked so pretty running around in big circles around her pasture.

Just found out our youngest got a job and went to work for her first day today.  She has been looking for a long time and I am very proud of her.  She is a care giver.

I had a busy day today cleaning out our back bedroom.  It was such a mess.  So much of it is boxed up for a yard sale.  And, a lot of it is in the garbage.  It needs painting bad but I don't think I will get to that right away.

Our kitty, Tazzy, had her neutering surgery on Monday and was declawed.  She came home yesterday and was kind of groggy.  She seems OK today.  She doesn't get very far away from me.  She is such a cute kitty.

I hope your week is going well.

Blessings,

This is my most favorite trail at my most favorite place to ride.  I call it then Enchanted Trail.  It is so quiet except for the wind in the tall trees and a creek in the distance.  It is at the trail head Clearwater Crossing in Montana.  It is not too far before you get to Missoula.  We have seen deer, a bear, moose, and mountain goats.  It has a great trail head with camping areas, corrals for a number of horses and probably 10 hitch rails.  I could just sit on a log on this trail and listen. 

Today Bob and I went out to state line and helped a very nice man with his horse.  Solomon is half mustang, half pinto and is a beautiful dun pinto.  He is well trained but the owner needs help.  I told him to get a helmet but first of all he needs to sensitive the horse so he doesn't spook and unseat him.  Bob waved his black hat and he really freaked.  So that was our advice to start with plastic bags, tarps, and all other sorts of things.  We will continue to try to get a hold of Ginger and see if she can take the horse for a few weeks and work with the two of them. 

We did not get to church today.  I did not sleep much last night and Bob did not wake me.  I appreciated it so much.

It was so cold and windy today with a spitting of snow.  I about froze whenever I was outside.  Spring is coming, spring is coming spring is coming.  I keep telling myself.

I hope your Sunday was peaceful.

Blessings,

This picture was taken about a year ago.  My two horse loves.  Ditto is 32 and is looking a little frail but not too bad.  She got a lot of supplements and extra stall time this winter.  She needs her teeth done but that will have to wait a couple of months for our finances to catch up some.  She is queen of the place and of all the horses.  Just ask her and she will tell you.

Sage and her have a  buddy thing going.  At least on Sages part.  Ditto could care less but Sage has taken to watching out for her.  It is kind of sweet actually.

It is sunny today but only in the mid 30's and the wind is blowing.  Not conducive to going out and working with Sage.  If I didn't know there were only 5 days left in February and then March will be here and we  will very close to  Spring I might be more concerned about the weather. 

This evening we are going to the Mule Club's annual dinner and auction.  No we don't have mules but a lot of our friends do and they invite us to go with them.  It is always fun.  No need to really dress up, just nice jeans etc. and lots of good food.

Tomorrow after church we are going to go help a man out by Liberty Lake with his Kiger mustang.  He (the horse) is gentled and he has ridden him but - he dumps the guy periodically.  The guy is pretty much in the need of help.  We will recommend a trainer friend, Ginger Swisher,  if he feels that is what he needs to do.  She will work with the horse and with him too.  I really wanted to send Sage to her but Marilyn did so much to help me I didn't.  Maybe we can give him some hints too if he will listen.  Sometimes people need to hear the word trainer in front of your name.  I don't know, we haven't met him yet.

I am about as anxious to get back on Sage as I was to get on her the first time. 

Blessings,