Friday

It only got to 72 today. A relief to say the least. However, I hope that summer is not over.

This was a sad day. Our son Tom lost his little ShitZu dog Killer. She greeted him when he got home from work about four and he went out to do something and found her laying in the yard. She was gasping for air and died in his arms. He brought her out here to bury her under our maple tree with Tory my first poodle that lived to 19, Shane my first Shitzu, my sweet Sophie-the Shitzu I lost last winter. Sophie and Killer were from the same litter and we got her for Tom for Christmas 12 years ago. He was embarrassed because he was crying and I told him his dad and I cried over Sophie for a week.

It is spitting rain this evening and there was thunder bouncing around so we did not go and work with Target and Blondie. Maybe tomorrow. Well I know tomorrow. We are getting paid for it.

We went in to Big R and got some things today and Bob went to his friend Don's home and we borrowed several ice chests so with ours he can deliver meat to the coast next weekend. Don and Shirley's son Darren got home this morning from Iraq. Welcome home Darren and thank you.

I was looking thru the books in the bookshelf this morning and I found a book given to my grandfather George Foreman by my Great Aunt and Uncle, Nellie and Jack Dierke for Christmas in 1912. That will go to my cedar chest instead of the book shelf. What a treasure it is.

Remember: Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not. Samuel Johnson

Thursday

Hasn't Amelia filled out alot. She has probably gained 200 pounds.

I meant for this one to be first but oh well. She was standing the otherside of the fence from the cows and stopping her foot. She wanted more grain. She gets Sr Feed in the mornings. She thought because we were out there she should get more. Instead, all she got was her picture taken.

If you remember me posting a picture of the tiniest calf we have ever had - Tiny Tim - this is him now. He turned red and has grown but is still really small. His mother has really grown too. I doubt that she was much more than a year when Tim was born.

My favorite picture in a long time. I want to know the story this house has to tell. It is not too far from where we live. We stumbled on it just driving around the other day. I love it. Can't you just see children running and playing around the house. I can make up a story in my mind.

I have a new blog written by a friend of mine in Burns, Oregon. She has written a book about the mustang herds in Oregon. This is her blog - Oregon's Living Legends@blogspot.com. She has worked a long time on it. Check it out.

We are having a lulu of an electric storm rolling in so I need to close up shop here and turn off the computer.

Remember:

Where there is great love there are always miracles. Willa Cather.

Wednesday

Our Rusty on her romp for the evening. She just tears for a few laps every evening when we let her out. She is so pretty.

This is Blondie. She can be walked up to just fine but has never been worked. Bob got her to turn into him this evening and look with both eyes and to whoa. She hates her face being touched so we will have to work on that.

This is Target. We did have her for a few weeks last year and Bob rode her but they did not do a single thing with her. So we started over. This evening she said, I have done all this. I put a saddle pad on her and she carried it while we did everything else. She is really a nice mare. I also picked up both front feet. She had no trouble with one foot and we worked on the other longer.

I took a pot of soup into some elderly friends today. They really love my potatoe soup so I made them some. I was going to make some biscuits too but not in the house today. It got hot this afternoon.

Remember: Humor is mankinds greatest blessing. Mark Twain

Thankful Tuesday

Today I am thankful for my flowers this summer. I usually just have some petunias but I love this nastursium bed.They are so lush and beautiful.

I planted some climbing ones that are not climbing and some hanging ones and they are. Just love this flower bed. Also have a beautiful bed of poppies that do well with little water, a planter of geraniums and the daisies that I showed pictures of another day.

They are so pretty pretty on the rear of the garage. Yes, I am thankful for pretty flowers this hot summer day.

Today I saddled up Pepper with my new saddle. Did not take the camera to the barn with me sorry. It looks pretty on him. A couple of years ago he bought me a beautiful breast collar that I have not used often. It was too big for Dixie. The tooling on it is of oak leaves. Guess what the tooling on my new saddle is - oak leaves. It matches perfectly and it fits Pepper. So does the saddle and it fit my rear on the saddle too. I had not paid for it until I tried it on him but it works, IT WORKS for both of us. The only adjustment I need to make is let the stirrups down. I rode them the way they were but my knees felt it. I only rode a couple of miles to get the feel of it. Hurrah.

Remember: I believe in laughter. I think it is food for the soul. Tommy Lasorda

Monday

No pictures today. I cleaned house today. I especially worked in our bedroom. I am determined to weed out alot of stuff and send it to the Salvation Army. All through the house. Enough of this mess. Bob and I are both pack rats. Not enough room to pack rat any more.

This evening we went to start the two mustangs that we have been hired to do. We had Target a year ago for 90 days and Bob was riding her but she was green enough that they were timid about riding her so now we are basically starting over but she will progress much faster. And then there is Blondie who is 3 and is quite gentle but they really have not started her any way.

They had set up two round pens and we put one in each one of them. I worked with Target and Bob worked Blondie. In just a few minutes I was rubbing her face and put the halter on. In abouyt half an hour she was working well and coming up to me. I could rub her right side clear to her hip but the left side was not so easy. We will go tomorrow when it cools down in the evening.

When we got home we got our greeting from Yuma. He always greets us with a big hee haw.

Remember: Nothing shows a man's character more than what he laughs at. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Sunday

There are alot of pictures today. Most will be most interesting to my family, but first is my new saddle that Bob got me this weekend. It feels soo comfy. Can't remember the brand but no matter, it fits my old rear.

We had a very nice time at my family reunion this past Saturday. Most of these pictures are of my family on my dad's side. There were four generations there. My uncle is 93 1/2 and still drives up to his cabin on Clear Lake south of Puyallup, WA and cuts his winter wood. He is a crusty old gent, the very last of his generation of my family.

This is the fourth generation there. Alot of them were missing I am sure. Four of them are Nikkis boys and I think Casey. Can't remember for sure his name.

The second generation minus a few. Nikki, Lisa and Debbie in the back, Angel Serena and Rob in the front row. Rob and Debbie arrived on Harleys along with some of the others.

Here is the second generation - all first cousins. I believe 4 were missing. George (also known his whole life as Twig), Randy and Larry on the back row. They are brothers. The second row is Karen and Jody. Jody is the top row sister. She and Twig look so much alike. The front row is Eloise, Mary Kay and me.

Uncle George, his girls and grandaughter Serena. She is his only grandchild. Mary Kay looks so much like her mother and Karen is the image of Uncle Georges sister, my Auntie Lou who died when I was a kid.

My Uncle George, who was my daddys baby brother with Eloise and me.

This lady is Elsie (Myers). She thought I might bed Sharon. She is the daughter of my daddys aunt and uncle who mostly raised him.