This is this weeks Thinking Thursday.

This my friend Joan Hamant Zoller.  She lives in Moores Hill, Indiana.  When we were in elementary school, 5th. or 6th. grade we became pen pals.  I don't remember how she got my name but it was because her brother was stationed at Ft. Lewis and that is close to where we lived.  We wrote pretty often. 

While we were waiting for a baby to adopt in l971, they came out to Spokane to see us.  The were on there way to Nevada for her to drive a vehicle home which was Cincinnati, Ohio at that time.  She and her husband Ron have three boys.  While we were there the case worker had to make another walk through the house.  It was a mess but I had told her that before she came.  They left and I went back to work on Monday and we got the call they had a baby girl for us.  Now that is another thinking Thursday.

When Tom and Chrissy were 3 and 4 and Steve was going to be a Senior in high school we decided to make a trip to Tennessee and got by way of Moores Hill.  They have moved there after our last visit.

We stayed several days and had such a wonderful time.  Then we went on to Sharon and Brownies. 

Several times when I was there visiting she came down to see me.  Her husband is in very poor health so I don't think they are traveling anywhere any more.  Her boys and grown and have children.  I would like to see her again.  Face Book doesn't cut it for a face to face visit and a hug from someone who has been a friend for all those years.

Miss you Joan,

Blessings,

Lea

 This was the group who went riding.  I did not ride, Raven fell over on me avoiding the saddle.  Bob took Sages and its too big.  I am OK just sore.  She is OK too.  From the left Cindi kneeling, Bob, Cameron Katie, my Bob, Matt, Vicki, me Kim and Ray.  Nikki too the picture.

Bob did not intend to ride so he is without his helmet.   He looks funny.  He borrowed a saddle.  They had a good ride though and I sat in the shade.

It was a fun day and my ribs on my right side are not forgetting it right away.  The hamburgers were good, the salads were good, the brownies and cupcakes were awesome too.  Lots of chips also.  We ate ourselves silly and visited.  Bea, Marilyn and Dave, Andrea and her family came to visit and eat.  That was nice too.

Never in my 75 years have I had such a blessed and fun weekend.  I felt so loved and so cared for.  My friend Kim came over from Eureka, MT for Sunday.  I love her and it was so good to see her.  She used to live down the road.  Nikki was here too with her family on Saturday and then rode with everyone on Sunday.  I know awesome is a much over used word but I can't figure out a better one.

THANK YOU , THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR AN AWESOME WEEKEND. 

Blessings,

Lea

 This Thinking Thursday is all about Wild Rose aka Rosie.

One day while Bob was still working, he did a job for some people in Mead.  They had a 3 year old pinto pony in a small pen in their back yard.  They said they thought she was half paint and half Welsh Pony.  I think they were correct.   They said you could not ride her because she was a bucker.  She had been to a trainer and she bucked everyone off.    Bob being Bob hopped on her and rode her around the yard with just a halter and lead rope.  We paid $500. for her, went and got our trailer and took her home. She has never bucked except when 3 grand kids tried to get on her at once and she made one little buck and sent them all three off.  She will ride two, but a third one, not so much.

 Just one of the many children that have taken lessons on her.  She just babysits them as they learn how to sit and how to use the reins. 

One of the things she was trained to do was pull a cart.She would rather to that than be ridden.  She has won a lot of ribbons and trophies at horse shows.  The was the high point driving pony in Washington State Horsemen for two years I believe.  She loves to pull the sleigh.  We have a good time every winter when the snow gets deep enough.  Bob makes me a trail out through the pastures so I don't have to depend on their being snow on the road.  My sleigh has runners like a sled so it needs ice or snow.

I love this picture of Rosie and Stormy, her first baby.  This was the first day we turned them out of their little pen he had been born in.  His sire was a beautiful Shetland Pony.

This little girl won everything in Lead Line classes on her.  She was a good little rider. 

At this point in Rosie's life she is past due to have a mule baby.  She can't go much longer.  When you pasture breed it difficult to pin it down.  However, I do know she is past when she should have been due.  Mule babies are often late.  Guess it takes more time to get those ears.

I thought she might go last night because yesterday she got out and when we tried to catch her she went on a RUN about.  At first she went down to road (the middle) towards Katie's ( S ) and the she turned around and came back to our front yard.  I have always been able to catch her until then.  Then she took off down the road the other way, cars were coming.  Thank goodness they saw her and stopped.  She ran into the freshly planted wheat field across the road, flopped her fat self down and rolled in the mud and fresh sprouts, then ran some more just as hard as she could back across the road, by now with an audience, into the driveway on the other side of us where no one lives.  About half way down the drive is a gate and some people pulled their truck so she could not get back out and Bob walked right up to her.  She looked at him and said a naughty word because she was caught.  BACK into her pen she went.

So still no baby today.

That is my Rosie pony story.  She is an awesome little horse.  She is 13 hands tall, will ride, drive and is Bob's best pack horse.  And when they get into the back country she will pull trees out of the way.  It is the best $500 we have ever spent on a horse.

Blessings,

Lea



 I don't know what they are discussing but Nikki, her husband  Carmen, Isaac behind him and Lilianna between them. 

 Tyler our grandson and Britnee.  They make such a darling couple.  She seems right with him and he is madly in love with her daughter Armani who is 2.

One side of the room with some of the people sitting there.  I think if Bob and I counted correctly there were 28 young and old there.  2 girlfriends one 2 yrs old and the rest directly related or spouses/partners with one who is. 

It was such a special day.  Friday I will move on to Sunday.  Who could have a better birthday weekend.  It was a dream of a time and I never felt so loved and cherished as I did then. 

Tomorrow is my Thinking Day and I think I will tell Rosie's story.  Still no baby but she had herself quite a day today.

Blessings,

Lea

What a wonderful weekend I had.  For the most part the best in my life.  A blip on Sunday with my horse but the BIG HIT  of the entire weekend was my big surprise party on Saturday night.  I could not have been more surprised.

All four of our living children with the two in heaven rejoicing too I am sure.  Not only all 4 children but l4 of l7 grandchildren and a group of greats too.  Two girlfriends too in the group.  They had reserved the pink room at the casino.

I knew Bob was taking me there for dinner but I was shocked at the group that surprised me.  I could not get another picture to load.  Then I will have Sundays to show you.  You will probably all get tired of hearing about it.  My sister paid for it all, and my eternal thanks to her.  The only thing that would have made it better was to have her there. 

Thank you to my kids, my sister and everyone there.  Some of the grandchildren just came for the evening and had to be back to go to work Sunday morning.  Wow.  I feel so loved and cherished by my entire family.

The picture left to right is Christy, our son Tom,  Wendy, our daughter Christyn.  Bob and I, our son Steve behind us, Debbie, our daughter Nikki and her husband Carmen.  I love them each so much.

Blessings, you haven't heard the last from this weekend,

Lea

Thinking Thursday

Thinking Thursday

A few years ago I wrote about this wagon and decided to do it again.  I am going to be thinking about different things on Thursdays.

This little wagon has been around our place for a long time.  It is a little worse for wear but still has loveing memories.  I can imagine the things that happened before we got the wagon at a yard sale I think.  I can see a little blonde boy with his hands over his mouth jumping up and down in excitement over what Santa had brought him.  He pulled it around and around and his mama and daddy pulled him and his baby sister in it too.  He grew up and the wagon was just in a corner of his parents garage.  They decided to clean out their garage.  Thus the yard sale and we bought it.

We were just starting to have grandchildren.  They played with it,

pulling each other, toys, hay and what have you all around.  As they got older, they attatched it to the four wheeler and pulled the younger kids around.  They pulled it with their bikes, they have pulled it behind the tractor with Grandpa. 

Now our grandchildren are growing up and have outgrown the little red wagon.  But we have the great grandchildren now.  They don't come out so much but when they do, the little Red Radio Flyer will be here, tucked away in the corner of the barn waiting for the.

Blessings,

Lea