A Long Day

This is Isaac and today he is 6. I saw him yesterday and I asked him what tomorrow was (yesterday so I was talking about today). He told me very seriously that today was Thursday and it was his birthday and I am serious Grandma. So happy birthday Monkey. We love you A LOT.
Our Great Granddaughter Arawyn. She is a pistol. But a Sweetheart too. We took her to meet her Nana and Papa in Wenatchee. That is half way. I will go and get her on Monday. We don't get to see her as often as we would like but love it when we can.

We went to get some hay tonight and while they were loading it I looked up and this girl was standing there and watching. She had a baby with her but kept it out of sight.

I was standing at Sages shoulder and took this picture and the next one too from the other side. She didn't seem to mind too much.

This is the side that was untouchable for a long time. I want to try to change halters tomorrow. We'll see if that works or not.

Sage peeking under the fence to see who was on the other side. She is becoming much more gentle and sweet.

I worked with her today for a little while but not as long as I had hoped. I was so sleepy today I couldn't seem to accomplish a whole lot. We got home at midnight last night and I could not go to sleep. That always bugs me.

There are 5 kittens left and they go to the pound on Monday if they don't have homes. I want to reclaim my extra bathroom. We are going to be having company off and on for the rest of the summer and I need to get it cleaned and aired out. I would like to keep the blue grey male with long hair if I was going to keep any. But I am not. Not with another litter in the barn.

Blessings

Wunerful wunerful

I had been leading her around when Bob finally got there to take some pictures. She was a little nervous with him standing there so was pulling back just a little.

I don't think she would do this outside the round pen yet but it is good to have her. I was asking her to walk faster of the rope would have been slack.

Now this is progress. This is her bad side and I can walk up to it now without her doing anything. I can rub back to her hip on both sides.

I was trying to fix her mane all on one side. She didn't seem to mind. I will start brushing her mane in the next day or so. She is so beautiful.

Rubbing her neck and messing with the halter. I want to be able to take it off soon. Or at the very least to change halters and put a rope one on her.

She was smelling my hand again. I have to watch her though. She tastes. Earlier I had an orange tee shirt on and she took a hold of it twice. Not in a biting manner, just tasting. No teeth on me but I can't have her doing that. It was pretty funny but would not have been if she had gotten a hold of me.

Bob even went in and led her a bit. I am so proud of her progress. So it was a good day. Went and got my hair trimmed and she didn't do it like I asked. I guess if I want a good haircut I need to go to a better salon. Ya think.

Blessings.

Whew

These are all pictures from the Mustang Days weekend just past. This picture is the infamous Pat McGowan on his horse that had about 20 rides on him - Billy. He was such a big help this challenge (Pat not Billy). He liked us and we liked him.

George and Blade. I love this horse. I would like to see him start a really green horse from nothing. He was interesting though and he is a really nice guy.

Mary's horse Black. She truly is black. She took second place in the Mustang division.

Our horse Raven and our kind of granddaughter Katie's fiance Cameron. The barefoot trimmer Mike Cameron was working on our horse Wrangler and he was having a hissy by himself so Cameron brought Raven in and then he stood still.

Tonka, Andrea's mustang. He is a good sized boy. I was at the adoption when she got him. Never would have guessed he would grow into this beautiful horse.

Andrea and Tonka waiting in the arena. Mickey was talking about acupressure and was looking at different horses.

Bea and Cody. He is a good boy. They competed in the trail challenge and did great too. He is from Owyhee, Idaho herd management area.

So that is our Mustang Challenge for this year. I was very happy with all of it.

Linda's daughter Shiloh came over and took four of our kittens home today. Only four to go. Thank you Linda and hopefully the others will find homes so we don't have to take them to the pound.

Today Mike Cameron came and trimmed two or three of our horses. Then he helped me get going a little better with Sage. I was able to pet her on both sides and for the first time she came up to me and smelled me all over my back. I just stood there and let her then she let me pet her all over her face. I was in awe. No pictures either. Somebody better come and take some. I am sooooo proud of her. Mike gave me some really good hints and told me what he saw me doing wrong. I really appreciate it. I can't wait until tomorrow to practice some more and really get her to trust me.

Bob got our cooler going good this evening. The house is a gazillion times more comfortable.

Blessings

Mustang Days 2010 Over -Great Fun

What a wonderful weekend. Not quite as many people yesterday at the demo's or today at the trail competition but enough for us to have a good start for this next year.

This is Marilyn the winner of the Mustang Division. She rode her old mustang Gelding and scored the highest points of anyone. She was excited and so were me for her. Now the old boy may go into retirement. Congratulations Marilyn.

Katia won the inhand with Bella, Shannon on Skeeter (a mule) won the Open Division, Mike won the novice division and Rachel(also on Skeeter) won the Jr division. Congratulations all of you it would not have been a success without the competitors.

There are so many people to thank. Each of the club members who competed and worked, it would not have happened without your help. To the judges who sat out there waiting for competitors for 3 hrs. To Alexa who sat at the top of the hill and diligently sent the competitors out every 10 minutes. To Pat McGowan for so many things. Not only did he stamp Mustang Days 2010 on the headstalls that I got at the last minute, he rode the course and then rode with a couple of others who needed a helping hand. He is fun besides. Most of all my dearly beloved Husband who tolerated me panicking at the last minute, who supported me, who did whatever I asked him. THANK YOU ALL.

I did work with Sage a little bit when I got home. George gave me some hints yesterday at the demo. I must work with her and try and see if that works for me. She stood and looked at me with both eyes when I went in to her pen. A first time. Progress - one step at a time - some small - some larger.

I will post more pictures of the weekend tomorrow. Right now my bed is calling me. I hear it.

Blessings

Busy busy

I have pictures but am too tired to post them or much of anything. It is Mustang Days weekend and that is what I have been doing. The trail is marked, and that is ready to start registering people. Now if it runs as smoothly I will be rejoicing. The demos tomorrow hopefully will be good too.

Am doing well with Sage. Have been spending a lot of time with her and the lead rope. I would not say she is leading but she follows me on a loose rope around the round pen. I will be back on track with pictures next week. Probably no blog till Sunday or Monday either.

Blessings

Tired body and tired feet.

I am so proud of Sage. She is getting it. I mean GETTING IT. She doesn't lead but follows me on a loose lead back and forth and a little foreword. No one to take pictures. I am petting her pretty easily on the side she did not want me on and that is really big progress. I can walk right up to her rub on her shoulder and neck and snap on the lead rope. All in the round pen. Like I said I am SO proud of her progress this week.

After Bob got home we went over to Busy Bee and walked a trail course for the challenge. Its long up and down hills but we did it. My body is rebelling though and I will go to bed soon. We will ride it on Friday morning. We may have to revamp some of it. It may be a little bit of a challenge for some. We will see. Wanted a water crossing but none could be found.

Tomorrow is Angela's day to do a compliance check on Amelia. That irritates me because they told her from Burns it wasn't necessary but she is going to. That will be OK though. I don't mind. Just not a good week.

Blessings.

A day at Calico Acres in Pictures

This is an abundance of photos from around the farm. Maybe more than you want to see at once so I won't be insulted if you don't look at them all. This is the gate so Sage can go to the round pen. She will go if no one is around. I have only caught her in their once. Her little pen is her hidey hole.

These were teeny little feeder fish when we originally bought them and put them in the water tank. There is one more. They have really grown. I have not fed them in 2 years. They keep the tank pretty clean. We have fish in two of the tanks.

Cody going out to eat this morning. He did not want to go out originally. I don't think he had ever been out in a pasture. He loves it though.

Chemmy. He loves the green grass. We put them out 2x a day for 2 hrs.

Yuma. He wonders what took me so long to let them out.

Lindy is doing 100% better but is not at 100% yet. We have found her a new home though and she will be leaving on July 5th. when they get home from vacation.

Rusty thinks she is pretty awesome to be able to get out to eat. She doesn't always go in so easy.

Raven in the alleyway going out of the pasture. She was a good girl this morning.

This is the cow that hit the panel that hit me in the head.

The rest of the cows having a break after eating breakfast.

Wrangler. He is such a nice horse.

Abby is the one headed for the gate. She belongs to Katie.

Ditto and Liberty relaxing in the sunshine.

She looks a little pathetic doesn't she. Amelia is on a dry lot diet and we are not among her favorite people. Her mane needs brushing out. That may be on my agenda tomorrow.

Pepper. I have written a lot about this boy.

Wild Rose AKA Rosie. She is a wonderful pony. She did not even get excited when a moose came by today right close to her. Just looked at it like what the heck are you.

The three musketeers.

Sage

She let me walk right up to her today and snap a rope onto her halter. She drug me around pretty strenuously for quite a while but we finally got it down more or less. When Bob got home from work he came and manned the rope and she had some real temper tantrums. I mean REAL TANTRUMS. She through herself down on the ground several times. It scared me but finally it was like she said, OK I guess I need to give to the rope. Bob could pen her face. She is a stubborn one but later I could walk in and walk right up to her and rub her shoulder and neck. I did that a couple of times. Tomorrow will be back to the rope. I did rub her shoulder on the side that has been a no no once. I undid the rope from that side too. So today, I would say we made progress.

Oliver. The one horned goat.

Part of our hens. I made that waterer. Saw it in a book. We have 30 hens. Right now we sell all of the eggs that we want to.

Lemon Balm. It smells good when you rub the leaves. I don't know what you use it for but I love that lemony smell.

The south side of our garage. He will finish the front tomorrow. The new door will go on when he is done. Then maybe, just maybe it will get cleared out so I can actually put my car in there. Isn't that a unique idea.

So that is a little trip around Calico Acres Farm on a sunny June day.

Blessings,