Where My Heart Lives...

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ "Oops! I forgot something!"

2012-02-08T07:56:00.004-08:00

Snoozing...South of the Border

2012-01-30T21:29:00.007-08:00

Bailey loves snoozing in the upside-down bar stool when I vacuum.

Today, shame on me, I must have bumped him.

"WTF!"

"Can't a cat get a nap around here? Geeesh!" Yawn....

"Ahhhh...that's better. Buenas noches!"

Robins, robins everywhere (plus a few house finches!)

2011-11-19T07:03:00.018-08:00

When we moved to the high desert of New Mexico in June I figured I'd be saying "goodbye" to one of the most familiar of wild birds, the American Robin. I always associated the cheery bird with lush green lawns and worms.

Neither of those ingredients are part of my new world in New Mexico. I never saw a single robin.

Not until the beginning of November! One morning I looked out the kitchen window and there they were. I'm sure they showed up for the juniper berries or seeds or some thing. But they obviously appreciate the fresh rain water we collect in our barrels (uhm, 33 gallon black plastic garbage cans).

They are flying in in "herds"....up to a dozen at a time perching on the side of the barrel drinking in the water, while another dozen or so wait not-so-patiently on the ground and nearby on the round pen.

They've even been nice enough to share some of the water with the house finches...pretty in their dark pink feathers!

My nice New Mexico bird book says both species are year 'round residents in my neck of the woods. I'm looking forward to their company this winter.

Wordless Wednesday: Whats Ya Lookin' at? (Besides Me Havin' Six Legs...) Huh?

2011-11-02T07:22:00.004-07:00

It's NOT?

2011-10-29T14:58:00.013-07:00

We moved to our new ranch near Corona, New Mexico on June 21st, 2011. The first day of summer seemed kinda appropriate for us to be moving to our "place in the sun".

Almost immediately the unpacking began..and went on and on and on. Then finally, a reprieve of sorts. It was time to do fencing, six freakin' weeks of it! The unpacking was put on the back burner.

Til today. Hubby just unpacked the firewood holder for the living room, just in time since the nights are gettin' down to the 30s. A fire in the fireplace sounds pretty cozy.

Someone else thinks the firewood holder is for them. "Ohhhh Bailey?"

"Huh?"

"C'mon sleepy kitty..."

"This isn't a cat bed silly, it's for storing firewood."

"It's not?"

Grumble, grumble..."Let me know when the firewood is moving in."

Zzzzzzzz...

First Snow at the Ranch!

2011-10-27T15:20:00.023-07:00

And it was a doozy.

The recipe for early snow apparently goes like this in New Mexico (our new home since we retired in June and moved from Washington to our ranch):

Start with a 60 something degree day. Add one part thunderstorm, strong and gusty winds. Mix in dashes of extreme lightning and thunder that rumbles for a good 20 seconds or more. Throw in a huge amount of rain and intermittent spells of hail. Then let it all quiet down for about 15 minutes.

Turn on the patio light to see how wet it is outside and WHOA! --- Big fluffy flakes of snow!

We hunkered down for the night and woke to about 5 inches of snow with drifts up to 8 inches. After a fence line check to make sure everything was secure we let the horses and Pete out into the Winter Wonderland.

Ahem...they weren't very happy. Someone had covered up what pasture was left!

"Hey! That patch of grass I saved for today....it's GONE!"

We designed our house to be passive solar and positioned it so it could take advantage of the sunshine in the low winter sky. It's working! Last night it got down to 27 degrees, today up to 40. The house, with the sun shining in and warming the porcelain tile is keeping us a toasty 70 degrees WITHOUT the heat turned on. Yes! We have radiant floor heat that will warm us when we need it and two fireplaces. This one is outside. I don't think we'll use it til it's time for some coffee and Baileys!

Just a Quickie!

2011-07-26T22:14:00.003-07:00

Today one of my readers reminded me 1.). I am retired! 2.). I haven't posted on my blog for awhile...yikes, almost 2 months AND 3.). I live in NEW MEXICO now!

Yes, folks, THE MOVE has happened and I've been so busy and buried in moving in chores, the blog has been put on the back burner. But not for long! New adventures are happening, new pictures are being taken....new, though usually goofy, stories are being tossed around in my head.

Most importantly, you'll soon be able to join me here, "where my heart lives".

Thanks for hanging in there for me......

Welcome to my world, little man!

2011-05-31T15:25:00.015-07:00

Welcome to my world, little man!

Thank you Kim and Mark for the ultimate retirement gift. As we begin our move to New Mexico ... so will "Journey"!

All photos by and courtesy of Mark Thorson of Samhain Cardigans.

Dreams DO Come True!

2011-05-18T11:07:00.005-07:00

As some of you might know...we're headed to our 'place in the sun' soon!

Resignations have been handed in, plans have been made to get all the two and four-leggeds moved. Now to pack and bulk up on Ibuprofen. We haven't moved for 22 years and oh, how I wish I had that 30-something body back to help with the lifting!

Here's a post from 2009, so you can see what we've been so eager to enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At least once a day I find myself daydreaming about my place in New Mexico. Hubby and I designed it, found financing for it (!!!) and had it built during this lovely recession and now it sits...and waits for us. (Sigh, big sigh) We spent six wonderful days there in July camping out, in our new house. The house doesn't have little things like furniture or dishes or towels. No problem, it was heaven anyway.

Some of you have asked for a tour...no need to wipe your feet cause we're just going around the outside today.

Here's our entry with my drop-dead-gorgeous front door...all 8 feet of it! I love the full leaded glass done in a Craftsman/Frank Lloyd Wright style with the typical "wheat" pattern at the top. No wheat on the ranch but it could pass for the blue grama grass we do have. The indentation in the wall is called a nicho and is named after the South American decorative boxes ("nichos") that hold religious icons. The nicho has a little light at the top of the dome and will probably house a funky folk art coyote or somethin'.

I think this is the prettiest side of the house, the back. It faces south/southwest so windows will bring low hung winter sun into the house during chilly months. The master bedroom is on the far left, living room in the middle and dining area on the far right. The view from any room is of the Gallinas Mountains and is to die for.

Did I mention we put some windows in the house? Tons and tons of them. They're Andersen Low-E windows so will serve us well for the next couple hundred years. They're casement on the bottom and tilt out on the top. Open wide during the day keeps the house comfortable in 90 plus heat. The tilt out portion brings in cool nighttime breezes.

On the far right is the garage and shop. This time around hubby wanted the shop IN the garage and I relented. But, there was a trade-off. "My" 1 ton truck gets a parking spot too and it'll be IN the garage.

The "ah-ha" moment came when we thought to add a fireplace to the outside of the house. The master bedroom, kitchen and dining area are all convenient to the fireplace. Hmmm...now where did I put the margarita glasses?

This is my view of the mountains from the bedroom, on the bed, laying on my right side when my eyes pop open in the morning. We'll thin the junipers some to open up the view after we move in but, anyway you look at it, it's a great way to start my morning!

Outta the Way Boys!

2011-05-13T13:18:00.006-07:00

Finally..the stars have aligned!

The house has sold, the resignations have been turned in and signed off by the sergeant. Our last day of work is June 3rd and we'll head to our 'place in the sun' in New Mexico around the end of June.

Outta the way boys!

WTF?

2011-04-28T10:29:00.005-07:00

First, check and double check the date on this blog.

Remind yourself what Spring brings...daffodils, tweeting birds, Easter eggs. Spring in western Washington is all these things, mixed with mild temperatures in the mid-50's and RAIN, lots of rain. We have over 28 inches of the stuff so far this year....ugh.

So, yesterday it did THIS for 3 hours. SNOW!

The mountain behind our property is covered completely in the snow, the temperature is at 33 degrees, and the humidity? 100%!

WTF?

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ I Hear Ya!

2011-04-13T10:12:00.002-07:00

A Special Treat for My Birthday!

2011-04-11T16:03:00.015-07:00

My friends Kim and Mark treated me to puppy breath for my birthday!

Yup, seven of the little buggers, Cardigan Welsh Corgis born 11 days earlier...all wiggly and snuggle-y. I won't waste my time writing about them, their cuteness and chubbiness speak worlds.

Oh, the manatee? It's from a different litter.

Now, let's hear a collective "awwwwwwwwwwwww...."!

I ate the "flat dog" ~~~ April Fools!

2011-04-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

Yeeehaw!!!

2011-03-25T12:35:00.007-07:00

Yesterday "Cotton", aka Samhain's Windfall Shiver Me Timbers, got some fan mail from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).

She'd sent them an x-ray of her hips to check out. She wanted to be sure she was sound in body so she could participate in fun stuff like agility. She's got the cat herding down already so she was pretty sure things were working great in the hip department.

The OFA said a resounding "yes" and gave her hips a score of "GOOD" (which can only be bettered by a score or "EXCELLENT").

Ahem...let the games begin!

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!

2011-03-23T13:32:00.003-07:00

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Does This Snow Make My Butt Look Fat?

2011-03-16T10:28:00.004-07:00

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Dashing...

2011-03-09T13:54:00.006-08:00

Flyin'!

2011-03-04T12:47:00.012-08:00

Cotton loves snow! And nothing slows this dog down. She lowers her nose, digs in and pushes through it like a blue merle snow plow.

It would help though if she engaged the 4-wheel-drive once in awhile!

Happy Birthday Quaker!

2011-02-28T13:01:00.011-08:00

It's that time again, little buddy. Namely February 28th and the 9th anniversary of your birth ten years ago.

That was the day the Nisqually earthquake came to your mama's pasture and she decided it was time to lighten her load.

And you were born and aptly named --- Mountain Meadows Quaker 6.8.

Oh, the numbers? Never seen that in a horse's name? Well, not many horses are born right after an earthquake where some one noted the Richter Scale reading and added it to the baby horse's name.

Lucky you huh? You've always been my special little man. Hugs!

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Windstorm!

2011-02-16T09:24:00.009-08:00

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Pre-Wash

2011-02-09T12:50:00.006-08:00

Living with the Flat Dog

2011-02-08T12:58:00.011-08:00

One of the super things about living with The Flat Dog is...everything is BIG!

He's BIG and his chew-bones are even BIGGER!

So when little darling "me" nabs one of his chew-bones...

It's true bliss (and a bit dangerous)!

Thursday Thoughts ~~~ A Safe Harbor in the Storm (The "Mini" Motel)

2011-02-03T14:44:00.003-08:00

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Where did my feet go?

2011-02-02T14:22:00.006-08:00

Dry Shampoo...

2011-01-28T13:02:00.007-08:00

Just because it's winter, there's no reason why a guy can't look his best!

A little turn to the left, a little turn to the right...

And you're ready to meet your public!

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Water, Cool...Clear...Water

2011-01-26T15:31:00.005-08:00

The 4 Step Method

2011-01-24T12:55:00.014-08:00

Cotton has never been on a grooming table in her very short (no pun intended) life. So, when the snazzy-grooming-table was delivered last week I needed to figure out a way of introducing the two of them.

"Snazzy-grooming-table meet Cotton."

"Cotton, meet snazzy-grooming-table."

That didn't cut it.

Hmmm, what does Cotton love more than me? More than the welcoming lap in the La-Z-boy each night? That's simple, food.

Step One: Apply two front feet on table and lean toward the food dish filled with dinner.

Step Two: Apply a third foot, tentatively, knowing the food outweighs the perceived danger of the snazzy-grooming-table.

Step Three: Put all four paws on the table, dine quickly before something Earth-shattering happens.

And, Step Four: Call it a night, lick your lips and bid the snazzy-grooming-table adieu.

Mission Accomplished.

Next assignment, if she chooses to accept it: Stand quietly on the snazzy-grooming-table with it's legs extended, waaaaaay above floor level!

Workin' on our Rollbacks

2011-01-21T10:11:00.020-08:00

Pick up some speed...

Sit down 'n turn.

Pick up some speed...

Sit down 'n turn.

Throw in the close proximity of an electric fence and we really get some "air"!

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ New Meaning to the Phrase "Piss on It!" or "How Creel Really Feels About the Snow" (Warning: Graphic Content)

2011-01-19T09:42:00.005-08:00

The Party's Over, It's Time to Call it a Day...

2011-01-18T13:29:00.011-08:00

Happy (second) Birthday my little one. In such a short time you've brought so much laughter and joy into my life.

Sleep well "Cotton". Dream of all the fun that's still to come!

And of course, cookie bones.

Finally Friday!

2011-01-14T12:10:00.008-08:00

Quaker, Raider and Otis have had it "up to here" with snow! With Quaker, "here" is a bit more personal.

The Christmas Bed

2011-01-13T12:15:00.015-08:00

Merry Christmas! Is this for me? Hmm, might be a tight squeeze.

Nope, mine! It's warm and fuzzy and I'll take it anyway I can get it.

On the other hand, maybe it's cozier if I kinda lay in it.

Hey, do I look darling or what?

I'll take a little nap while you ponder that!

Snow Job

2011-01-10T12:18:00.006-08:00

Wings, Dreams and Cowgirl Bling!

2011-01-06T14:57:00.025-08:00

You meet the greatest people on Facebook...and talented people at that!

Last November I was scrolling along on Facebook and came across an entry by Julia of "Wings, Dreams and Cowgirl Bling". I followed WDCB for a bit and checked out the newest creations. Cowgirl jewelry! I was hooked.

I loved their sassy, gorgeous and not-pricey (you can afford their things without having to miss a day at Starbucks) cowgirl jewelry. Even if you don't know what side of a horse to climb on, you'll want to have some of this jewelry because it's different --- not the average "oh, did you know I am making jewelry now" jewelry. This stuff rocks!

Since the gals (Julia and friend, Meghan) hail from Oregon I needed them closer to me to peruse their goodies. Ah-ha, an idea! I invited them to hold a trunk show at my local Del's Farm Supply in Enumclaw, WA --- the week before Christmas!

They did NOT disappoint! I can't tell you many new outfits I need to show off my new cowgirl bling. Yeehaw!

(Pssst...make sure you mosey on over to Facebook and look 'em up.)

"Bling", Donkey-Style

2011-01-03T13:10:00.009-08:00

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ A "White" Christmas After All!

2010-12-29T10:19:00.006-08:00

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Goodnight!

2010-12-24T19:24:00.002-08:00

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Incognito

2010-12-22T10:09:00.003-08:00

Sunday Sightings ~~~ Not-so-hot pursuit!

2010-12-19T08:43:00.001-08:00

"Monday, Monday, so good to me..."

2010-12-13T12:54:00.004-08:00

Dashing through the Snow!

2010-12-10T12:52:00.008-08:00

Our new Cardigan Welsh Corgi "Cotton" finally found (stick-in-the-mud) Greyhound Creel's PLAY button. All it took was 10 inches of snow and a little "cabin fever"!

Creel couldn't hold back his silly grin as he left Cotton in his...uhhh...drift!

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Sucks Bein' Short!

2010-12-08T10:20:00.002-08:00

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Comfortable?

2010-12-01T13:10:00.003-08:00

Snow Day!

2010-11-23T14:56:00.004-08:00

Finally Friday ~~~ Here's Lookin' at You!

2010-11-18T15:13:00.006-08:00

(Photo courtesy of Gloria Hancock)

Seriously?

2010-11-15T10:02:00.010-08:00

I love Columbia Sportswear Company's advertising grit. (Found at Cabela's. Sorry 'bout the lack of quality, cell phone pic!)

Saturday Sightings ~~~ A Positive Result from a Negative weather pattern

2010-11-13T10:28:00.003-08:00

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Horse Show Divas (and little brother)

2010-11-10T13:47:00.003-08:00

Sunday Sightings ~~~ "Cotton" comes home, forever!

2010-11-07T15:50:00.006-08:00

The "Blue Ribbon Method" of Mounting Your Cowpony

2010-11-04T13:44:00.017-07:00

Step One: Decide which side to mount. Don't go with the conventional, be different, stand out in the crowd. Keep your horse guessing.

Step Two: Insert tip of boot into stirrup. Be ready to bounce nimbly from the ground to the back of the horse. Once again, keep the horse guessing.

Step Three: Pause for your public. Smile for cameras, work the scene.

Step Four: Haul your little behind onto your horse's little behind. Land gently, as if he's going to feel you up there.

Step Five: Sit tall in the saddle. Reach for your stirrups, heels down. Lightly pick up your reins. Engage. You're looking good, you're a cowboy.

(and, the horse is still guessing...)

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Roadblock!

2010-11-03T13:23:00.004-07:00

"Cotton": The Fabric of Our Lives

2010-10-31T19:45:00.004-07:00

Saturday Sightings ~~~ Windswept

2010-10-30T15:04:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Freeze!

2010-10-27T09:46:00.002-07:00

The Rattlesnake Race --- Master's Division

2010-10-25T12:42:00.028-07:00

Meanwhile, back at the horse show in Estancia, New Mexico ---

It's time for the Rattlesnake Race!

The object of the race? "Catch" as many rattlesnakes as you can, of course. Stuff 'em into a plastic bag, mount up and ride like hell outta the ring. With both the rattlesnakes AND your horse. In ONE minute!

Pssst...horses hate plastic bags. They rattle and make a kinda hissy sound and are scary, like rattlesnakes. Duh!

Another pssst. For those of you who've missed this hysterical event, an aside. They aren't REAL rattlers, they're multi-colored squiggly-like "snakes" made from a kind of rubbery material. But to the horses, they look close enough to the real thing and they aren't taking any chances!

The rider who makes it out of the arena in one piece, with the most snakes, is the victor!

I think we have a WINNER! Easy --- right?

Saturday Sightings ~~~ "Doe-eyed"

2010-10-23T21:28:00.003-07:00

My Favorite Little Cowboy

2010-10-22T12:36:00.022-07:00

This summer, while visiting our place in New Mexico, we went to a great local horse show. It was my pleasure to watch the littlest cowboy at the show.

Pint-sized, he was sitting astride the fence rail, totally decked out in all the cowboy essentials: summer straw with impressive feather, long-sleeved shirt (always worn by real cowboys to protect them from the sun, rope burns and cactus spines), jeans and belt and boots, with serious spurs.

His daddy had taught him how to ride a big horse properly...look at his perfect form. Straight line from bit to elbows. Head up, heels down!

But little cowboys need a horse more their size...

A buddy, a compadre. Someone to explore the dusty trails of cowboy-dom.

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Power to the People!

2010-10-20T10:49:00.004-07:00

Saturday Sightings ~~~ Very Large Array

2010-10-16T09:22:00.018-07:00

The Very Large Array is located 50 miles west of Socorro, New Mexico, on the Plains of San Augustin.

The plains are vast and wild. They were a perfect location for the movie "Contact" (1997) starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey.

Don't Fence Me Out --- Or In For That Matter!

2010-10-14T12:04:00.018-07:00

In New Mexico there's lots of cows and in turn, lots of cattle guards. They're hefty contraptions so you can drive your gnarly one ton pickup or massive hay rig over 'em and they won't collapse.

The appearance of "holes in the ground" keep cattle at bay and the cows stop short of going over the cattle guard for fear their legs will get stuck in the bars. Not a good thing if you're a cow in cougar country.

Our ranch had to replace a worn out cattle guard last year and I thought you'd like to see how pretty they are brand new out of the box!

Decked out in a bright coat of lemon yellow our guard color coordinates with the surrounding flowers. It takes you from the interior of the ranch to the ranch road that leads to points beyond, with style.

A New Mexico law states every cattle guard accessible to the general public must have a gate next to it so other traffic, on horseback, can pass through. Our "cowboy gate" is a fashionable John Deere green.

Wouldn't it be nice if all states were so thoughtful?

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Lunch with Attitude!

2010-10-13T14:03:00.004-07:00

Costumes with Class

2010-10-11T11:17:00.014-07:00

When we visited our adopted state of New Mexico in July we went to a local horse show. (Thanks for inviting us Linda!) All the flavor of rural New Mexico was there at the fairgrounds in Estancia.

The costume class was first class!

Miss Liberty was decked out in red, white and blue...

A torch and a tattoo!

The Appaloosa named "Spot" (really!) proudly carried the Native-American-dressed-gal around the arena. It was hard to tell which of them was having more fun.

I really can't remember the judge's pick for the blue ribbon. In my book though, using a minimum of costuming and a great sense of humor, this little guy took the class.

Riding his mule he was, of course, costumed as a "mule deer"!

Seasons Change

2010-10-09T09:51:00.009-07:00

Fall has arrived in western Washington. The leaves have changed to their respective colors...from bright reds to vivid yellows. Way to many browns. Little parts of the cedar trees are turning bright orange and dropping to the ground. The grass is greener and longer and wetter than it was all summer.

It's time to say goodbye to horse racing for the winter (sigh). The color and the excitement has headed up to British Columbia and down to Oregon for awhile. It'll be back when the horses return to the barns next February.

It'll be a long winter.

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Bejeweled Lairs

2010-10-06T11:55:00.008-07:00

Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

2010-10-04T12:29:00.020-07:00

It was bound to happen.

We'd bought him used, very used. He'd served us well over the years but, a few weeks ago, hubby brought him in from the pasture with a broken axle.

It was time to humanely euthanize our trusty manure spreader.

And gleefully start shopping for another! One that wouldn't rust (much) or require constant ordering of parts and trips to the store for replacement lumber.

Friday night, the new spreader came home. He's a 37+ Deluxe Millcreek, capable of handling manure for 4 - 6 horses a day. We only have 3 miniature horses and a small donkey so it'll take a week to fill this baby up!

Built to last, he's equipped with poly floor boards that are warranted for 20 years.

And thick skin urethane (that's Rhino lining to you and me) covering the bed to keep manure and urine from eating him alive. Warranted for 10 years.

A dolly wheel jack so you can move him around without the aid of a tow vehicle.

And an end gate so you don't start spreading until you really mean to!

The Millcreek company stands behind their product --- figuratively speaking, of course!

And...the happy person spreading the manure is standard equipment!

Lookin' for a head injury...

2010-09-30T10:21:00.026-07:00

I've been searching far and wide for a head injury. Or a broken femur or maybe some altitude sickness. No, no I'm not going nuts, I just wanna practice my new skills.

Huh? Let me explain.

Last weekend I went to the REI in Spokane, WA and took a 2-day 16 hour Wilderness First Aid class taught by the Wilderness Medicine Institute of the National Outdoor Leadership School.

No, I'm not a backpacker, a mountain climber or back country river guide (although I met people in the class who were). I'm just me. A gal who wants to know how to save her butt in a wilderness medical emergency. Maybe my family member's butt...or even the butt (or tibia, or ulna) of a stranger.

I want to know how to help, how much I'm capable of doing with limited supplies and when to "evac or not evac" (that is the question). The class taught me all that and I feel empowered now with knowledge and confidence.

The course was about 50% classroom lecture and 50% realistic outdoor scenarios. I, in the rescuer role, was unleashed outside to find my patient. Patient found, I sized up the situation, performed a comprehensive patient assessment (including spinal assessment) and decided what actions should be taken.

I learned how to bandage sprains, splint possible fractures, dress wounds, stabilize possible spinal injuries, and transport patients. I found what was essential to put in my first aid kit, how to reduce dislocations and how to take vital signs. It was a fast paced, lively class!

I may never need this knowledge in the wilderness, but I'm prepared if I do. I encourage you to learn these skills too.

It didn't hurt a bit!

(Photos are with permission and courtesy of: WMI staff of NOLS, Lena Conlan and Brad Christensen.)

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Close, Curious 'n Dang Cute Cows

2010-09-29T10:53:00.003-07:00

Blame it on the 7MSN

2010-09-23T12:46:00.028-07:00

Summer of 2009 arrived and we looked forward to our annual trip to New Mexico. There we visited our newly built house and barn and our brand new friend, Linda, at the 7MSN Ranch, located seven miles south of Mountainair (aka "no where"), New Mexico.

Linda gave us a tour of her 80 acre spread in her Polaris Ranger. The beast was obviously capable of doing an honest day's work on the ranch.

A thought was planted in our heads. A three-passenger-front-seat thought. An obsession. A, soon-to-be, addiction.

Retiring some day soon we have this theory: we must buy now what we will not be able to buy once we're on that proverbial fixed income. Makes sense huh?

Basically: Get it now or forever envy Linda.

Done!

Meet "Ranger". Every workhorse on our place needs a name and "Ranger" sounded more lyrical than "MossyOakBreakUp" or "XP".

What's a serious rig without cup holders and a top speed of 50 m.p.h. ?

A wide body dump bed with a 1000 pound capacity? A one ton towing capacity?

Thank you in advance, Ranger, for your partnership in the future. Thank you for sparing us many back breaking jobs and doing it in style.

You'll always have a stall in our barn and a place in our hearts.

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ Breakfast at "The Kettle", smiles all 'round!

2010-09-22T12:41:00.007-07:00

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ New Kitchen, New House, New Mexico!

2010-09-08T11:43:00.002-07:00

Labor Day --- Defined

2010-09-07T12:15:00.032-07:00

Ahhh, yes...Labor Day. The third day of a nice long weekend where folks get together and BBQ and visit with friends and family. In other words, a DAY OFF!

Nope, not around our place. We were blessed with labor on Labor Day. How nice.

First we cleaned a space for the new hay. It was dusty and moldy smelling there and filled with, did I say, dust? Just about the time we thought about face masks, the cleaning was done.

Then we drove to the feed store in the Labor Day traffic. You know the kind. The kind where every other vehicle is a huge motor home with a driver who hasn't driven his sleek behemoth since, uhm, last Labor Day? Thinks (he) owns the road? Nope, not today buddy.

We arrived home, just before the rain (de rigueur on Labor Day in western Washington) with the loveliest pallet of second cutting timothy in the world. It's from Idaho and certified weed-free. Not that we "ride" our miniature horses in the National Forest (where weed-free-ness is required) ... but this helps us not seed our pastures with weeds either.

After we removed the top layer so it would fit, we carefully backed the luscious hay into the barn and started the unloading process.

As we get a little creakier each year, we've learned to take advantage of gravity and throw some physics into hay handling. Gone are the days when we relished the idea of bucking hay out of the field, sweating profusely in the 85 - 90 degree heat and sticking our arms so many times with hay stems that we looked like really sloppy intravenous drug users!

This kind of hay is something we've just discovered this summer. It's a compressed bale, super handy to use and stack, weighing in at about 50 pounds. From the Standlee Hay Company ,it's quite amazing to see how advanced hay production has become. Weighing is easy because it falls off in little chunks that we fluff up before dividing it among the three miniature horses and the donkey. We love this hay, as do the critters.

Check out the small space that's holding a ton of timothy! With our digital scale on the floor (for weighing hay and horses) we're all set for the fall and a good part the winter. The feed store will call us when the next shipment comes in and we'll grab another ton or so. Couldn't be easier!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Cowboy Cross

2010-09-01T09:52:00.008-07:00

Hey Mama, Can I Have One of These Flat Dogs?

2010-08-30T13:00:00.031-07:00

This summer my friend brought her new little buddy, "Nugget", over to meet my Greyhound "Creel".

It's easy to imagine the conversation between the two canines.

Creel: Yeah, yeah, life is pretty laid back around here...lay around, sun yourself. Quiet, no hassles.

Nugget: What? Huh? There's a dog out there?

Nugget: But, I can't see him. Is he hiding?

Nugget: I'm good at this. Watch, I'll track him down!

Nugget: Mama! I found him. He was hiding in the grass. Get a load of this --- he's so flat I almost tripped over him!

Nugget: Hey there Flat-Dog. Glad to meet 'cha.

Nugget: Well, it's been real, dude. See you again sometime.

Mama! He's hiding again!

Flute Quest

2010-08-24T13:17:00.024-07:00

It's funny where you end up sometimes in your life.

A few weeks ago, while popping our kettle corn at the farmers' market, a lady asked us if we'd like to come to her event and pop. She handed me a flyer for "Flute Quest" --- a Native American Flute Festival. It was being held at Saltwater State Park, on the shores of Puget Sound, south of Seattle, WA.

Hmmm...now that sounds interesting (pun intended!). Sure, we'll be there, thinking we'd be busy most of the time popping kettle corn.

We did have some time to look around though --- and listen.

Friday night we treated ourselves to the flute concert. It was held in an intimate, acoustically magnificent theatre, with a seating capacity of only 238. Talk about up-front-and-personal. We listened to Rona Yellowrobe as she played her Native American flute and sang with a lovely, resinous voice...from the heart.

Next the world sounds and artistry of Scott August enveloped the audience. As his wonderful photographs of the Southwest danced behind him, he played for us. The haunting notes from his Anasazi flute are still echoing in my head! Scott lives in North Hollywood, but his heart resides in the Four Corners area of the Southwest. Ahhh, I know why.

The rest of the weekend went very (very) well. I scoped out the 20-some flute makers from all over the country and feasted my eyes and ears on their pieces of art. The music waifed from the stage and the tents, the workshop domes and the tepee where drumming was being taught.

It was meditative for some...

And life changing for others --- me included.

The more I listened to the flutes the more I needed one. Their beauty was enough to want to bring one home. Finally, I overcame my shyness (yeah, me) and put my lips to a gorgeous curly maple flute in the key of "G". Let's just say...

Mine! (Second from the right.)

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ My New Mexico "Driveway"

2010-08-18T10:20:00.005-07:00

"Chisum" (1970)

2010-08-17T11:45:00.015-07:00

In "Chisum", a movie based on the Lincoln County Land Wars in New Mexico, my hero, John Wayne (as John Chisum) drawled:

"It would take a good man on a good horse all summer to cross my land."

I couldn't help remembering his comment as we drove through New Mexico a few weeks ago. Gorgeous land, land that screams to be travelled by horseback. Can't ya just see "The Duke" astride a big man's horse, heading toward the mountains?

Time's awasting! Whistle for your best saddle horse. Get 'em saddled and mount up. You only have a few weeks left!

To Market, to Market...

2010-08-16T10:31:00.022-07:00

We've joined the vendor community at the Maple Valley Farmers' Market and are having a fun time. It's the Saturday morning place to be!

Besides the sinfully delicious Kettle Corn we provide...

There's a tough decision to make on which wonderful wildlife photograph to take home.

Fresh local produce...

Flowers 'n food!

Even clothing! I found my inner-70's self at the market. I think a new tie dye shirt every 30 years or so is a necessity...and "Daniel's" was the place to shop.

John Denver would have been so proud...

Far out!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

2010-08-11T11:54:00.036-07:00

Recently we spent eight gorgeous, stupendous, fantastic days at our ranch in New Mexico. Our neighbors there had emailed us to say they'd had a "little rain". They suggested we might want to pack some old shoes to slog around in while at the ranch.

OK...rain?

They also mentioned they'd pulled some weeds so we could get into our garage. Huh? How could a weed make or break the entry into a garage? This is New Mexico now, where vegetation is minimal at times...and at other times non-existent. Last July when we visited, the yard had just had it's final grading and the house and barn were surrounded by dirt...just dirt. Looked pretty innocent to me.

But Mother Nature sure knows her stuff. Just add some moisture and stand back!

This:

Turned into THIS!

The BAD and the UGLY were yanked out of the ground (with malice aforethought), thrown into the back of a pickup and hauled off to (I hope) never be seen again. All seven pickup loads. And that was just weeding about 10-15 feet out from the house.

Curse you, you evil tumbleweeds!

The GOOD and lovely were allowed to remain to spread their seeds and make our place prettier for the next time we visit.

A nice clump of "Blue Grama Grass".

An unknown dainty star-flowered plant.

Yellow "Coneflower-ish" flowers and a white flower of unknown identity.

Pretty-in-purple "4 o'clock".

Anyone have a name for this one?

"Indian Paintbrush", right?

You're "the man", er "lady", Mother Nature. Please keep up the good work!

WHO do you write like?

2010-07-19T13:49:00.003-07:00

Daily I sit down, click-click-click to reach my Blogger dashboard and am delighted with what I read and see from all the friends who live in my computer.

This morning was no exception. Thanks so much Penni!

All of us, from the blogger-types to the journal jotters to the comment makers --- are writers of some sort. Some do a better job than others, but one thing is for darn sure. We all have a "style".

Check out this fun website to see who your style most resembles. Find out if you have the potential to someday be famous or should be fine tuning things before you submit your first manuscript.

Have fun at: I Write Like

Who knows, someday I may be able to say, "I knew her before she was discovered!"

Pssst...if you try this, post in the comments section "who" you write like!

"Thar She Blows!"

2010-07-16T22:03:00.009-07:00

Just a quick update, as we breathe a sigh of relief...

Some of you may have read about our donkey Pete's adventure into 3-legged land this week. We were worried and he was miserable with a possible hoof abscess. The sudden onset lameness started 7 days ago and it's been hard to watch him try to walk on three legs.

Do you know donkeys can wince? I saw him do it more than once when he was trying to be brave and not let me notice how much it hurt.

Tonight Pete walked into the barn at an alarmingly fast clip that meant only one thing....the demon abscess had found a way out of his foot. By migrating through the inside of his hoof to softer tissue, the nasty smelling abscess blew out at the coronet band. That's where the solid hoof wall changes into flesh and donkey fuzz.

Sorry about the quality of this pic but I was lucky to remember to grab the camera. The raw looking skin at the top of the hoof wall is where the abscess exited. Now the site is all cleaned up and dried. A blob (veterinary term for glob) of ichthammol ointment is keeping the opening germ-free while it heals over.

Whew.

A happy donkey tonight and very happy owners. No more duct tape booties for this guy!

Three-Legged Pete

2010-07-15T12:12:00.016-07:00

Donkeys will be donkeys. And when they hurt they're cattle dogs.

What I mean is...donkeys are a stoic bunch, like cattle dogs. So when they hurt they don't tell you until it's really ouchy. And you say (like to a small child), "Why didn't you TELL me you hurt?"

They look at you with those big brown, liquid eyes. How can you scold them at a time like that?

Pete started going almost 3-legged Saturday afternoon. I put a perfectly sound, 4-legged Pete in the corral at 6:30 a.m. Came home at 2:30 p.m. to a limping Pete.

I mixed his anti-inflammatory medicine with applesauce and squirted it into his mouth. "Oh YUM," he said. "May I have more?" Every twelve hours buddy.

Dr. Bob said to do an Epsom salts soak twice a day or a poultice. We started soaking but changed over to the poultice. It's quite the project and requires: a donkey, two people, a spatula and some ichthammol ointment (say that three times real fast!), Vetrap, patience, scissors, sheet cotton, more patience and the mother-of-all-sticky-stuff, duct tape.

We're keeping our fingers and toes crossed the abscess shows it's ugly self soon and Pete can start being just a donkey again. (Besides, cattle dogs don't have the cool ears donkeys do.)

The room service hasn't been too shabby though. You shout your order.

And dinner is served!

Sweeeeeeeet --- and a little salty!

2010-07-07T13:01:00.014-07:00

Last spring I thought...what could I do someday in retirement (for fun, mind you) and for a little pocket change?

I asked myself, "Well Sandy, what do you like?" I answered, "Food." I thought another second and smiled and said, "People --- when they aren't complete idiots." So the hunt began for a hobby business that hubby and I could do, when we wanted, how we wanted, without much investment and not much training.

The equipment was ordered and arrived. We read the owner's manual and we understood it. We ran some test batches and it was delicious!

We decided to practice on the unknowing peoples of southeast King County, Washington...prepping ourselves to go "pro" someday in our retirement state of New Mexico. We joined the vendors at the Maple Valley Farmers' Market this June and started our adventure.

We're a hit!

Hubby, "The PopMaster", mixes his secret ingredients together to make an addictive concoction of popcorn and sugar. He fires up the propane burner under the 40 gallon stainless steel kettle and it sounds like a jet readying for take-off. Heads turn and people gather. Kernels heat up, pop wildly and fill the kettle. The popcorn pours into the sifting table.

At the sifting table, I sprinkle some salt on your hot, sugary popcorn. While it's still warm I bag it for you, twist tie it for freshness and hand it to your quivering hands...and take a little of your hard earned money. But you don't mind. Not one bit. You come back week after week to the Farmers' Market. You tell me it's the only reason you come to the Farmers' Market. Geesh, we love you guys!

Ahhh...can't you just smell the love?

One more time --- Hot Saws 'N Carhartts

2010-06-30T12:01:00.004-07:00

This is the one you've been waiting for...let the chips fly!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The finale....the final day of the Buckley Log Show! What's it all about? Power, sheer power. Whether it's horse power measured in, well, horse power or man power, measured in sweat and tendon popping strength...that's the log show finale. It's the day everyone gathers at the arena to cheer on the competitors and their machines.

Good family names like Clinkingbeard and McBride and Frick take the center stage and show their mettle. Here Ty Hanson is finishing his first place climb in 3:14.93, only 7 seconds ahead of the second place finisher. Ty had to climb a 75-foot spar tree (no branches) and saw through the top notch in a 7 inch log. The time stops when Ty's chip hits the ground.

One thing's for darn sure, there isn't a pair of Levis or Wranglers within five miles of this log show. Standard issue "Made-for-the-Woods" jeans are Carhartts. A good 6-7 inches are usually cut off the bottom so a chainsaw doesn't do it for you and eat your leg in the process! Add a heavy duty pair of suspenders, a hickory striped shirt or a t-shirt with attitude and you kinda look like a logger. A ball cap with a greasy stained sweat band, advertising your logging company, adds to the look. Lastly, a can of chew accessorizes the ensemble. Yes, this is fashion, in it's roughest, burly-man sense!

I love this guy's t-shirt. There's no need to explain how he feels about things. It says, "If it thinks, don't eat it!" Sweet.

Dueling Hot Saws are the reason many come to the log show. In Hot Saw Limited, guys use their own stock power saws to cut through the log. Admirable, but so hoo-hum.

Modified Hot Saws --- now we're talking a little out of the ordinary. Two men teams cut through a log using double-ended chainsaws. The trophy goes to the fastest time, which was just 18.45 seconds for Bud and Ty Hanson (again).

Check out the group of serious timers behind the contestants, crouching to get at eye level with the action. No one wants to say, "Uh, guys, I didn't get my watch started. Could you do that again?"

The end of the day comes 'round. The crowd starts to press toward the ropes that separate the boys (and ladies) from the men. It's Hot Saw UN-limited time. Get ready folks 'cause if you blink you'll miss the whole thing.

The defending champion is the Binford. Not your basic Stihl or McCullough, the Binford is a hand-crafted Hot Saw on steroids. Built from a Buick V-8 engine it makes mincemeat of big logs, in seconds.

It takes 4 men to carry the Binford to the starting line but only 2 men are allowed to hold onto the beast as it devours the log.

NASCAR has nothing on this. The roar of the engines, the sweat and money and training of the contestants. Where else can a crowd be covered with wood chips and be ecstatic about it?

Just like butter, the Binford cuts through the log in a record setting 3.03 seconds! The crowd cheers. High-fives all around.

What do you bet more than one spectator stopped by their garage later that day to glance at their ole Buick, minus the wood chips --- shook their head, and grinned?

One more time...From Historical to Hysterical ( Log Show Part Two)

2010-06-29T09:32:00.003-07:00

Back to the Buckley Log Show, Day Two:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back to the Buckley Log Show...

This part of the country (despite the spotted owl) is rich in logging history. A cute little museum at the log show grounds gives you an idea how hard loggin' life was before the chain saw, the huge trucks and the powerful machinery.

Serious logging depends on macho machinery. I wonder whose job it'll be to change this tire? Bring on the muscle, boys.

This little number is the one Hollywood has it's eyes on for it's next horror blockbuster! (Just kidding, but it makes for a great "visual"!) There's a big strap holding the wheels together because the nubby bumps on them are made for de-barking the tree. Not something you want to back into when it's going full tilt. Yikes!

An important part of logging history is the memories of those who've passed. I think as long as this International is part of the crew, "Big Joe" will be there too.

I gotta kick out of some of the "individual expression" on the logging trucks. No problem finding these rigs parked in the woods.

Oh crap...I hope that last one doesn't change the viewer's rating of my blog. Sorry, couldn't resist. Remember --- in the woods --- it's a man's world.

Part 3? Ahh, that's where we'll kick up the testosterone level a notch!

One More Time...The Men and Their Loggin' Machines

2010-06-28T14:01:00.005-07:00

I missed the Buckley Log Show this last weekend...but there's no reason you should miss out on the fun! Here's a recap of the 2009 show. Still plenty of muscle and sawdust!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The last full weekend of June is the legendary eye-popping, heart-stopping, testosterone slathered Buckley Log Show in (pant, pant), Buckley, Washington. Man-o-man, there are sights to be seen, and smelled and of course, photographed. Sit tight and I'll fill you in over the next few days.

Heading south from my house I feast my eyes on the mountain, again. This is Mt. Rainier, all 14,410 feet of her. When the mountain isn't shrouded in clouds Washingtonians say, "The mountain is out today." As it was this day. See what I have to put up with around here? She, the mountain, is gorgeous. (I long ago decided she was female.)

On to Buckley and the Log Show grounds.

Like a frozen ballet of steel and forest, the trucks and their cargo are poised for all to admire.

Big boy's serious, workin' toys are put on display. Here's a local "tree hugger". Oh, not the husband....but the huge yellow jaws surrounding him. They grab the trees with a vengeance, shake the dirt from the roots, hold the tree for de-limbing and stack the resulting logs neatly on the truck.

More trucks and loggin' stuff soon. I'm almost afraid to show you one monstrous gadget from the Logging House of Horrors. I think Hollywood might be considering it for a torture machine in their next James Bond movie!

In the company of clouds

2010-06-17T12:28:00.010-07:00

Last weekend we travelled to eastern Washington to visit my Dad and to escape the rain. This year we've had record breaking rainfall with over 32 inches falling in our backyard, up against the Cascade Mountains.

Yikes, I needed to find some clear sky, maybe even some blue sky.

Along the way we got both. Some sun, some pretty un-gray skies and some gorgeous clouds. Clouds that didn't drip a single drop of rain upon our heads.

I feel better now. Thank you eastern Washington.

Missing: Enumclaw Mountain

2010-06-09T11:58:00.017-07:00

In my backyard stands a mountain. A grand mountain checkered with rock faces and lush forests. It's appearance constantly evolves as weather patterns surround the 2,785 foot tower. The mountain's name "Enumclaw" was derived from a local Native American word meaning "strong wind" or "thundering noise".

The mountain is a huge presence in my life and I look to it daily to read what it has to tell me. It's sunny? My how the golden sunset lights up your shale cliffs. It's raining? Yes, you are shrouded in clouds.

The mountain has seen death. It witnessed a plane fly into it's vertical face many years ago, taking the lives of the three on board, and the life of our neighbor who climbed and fell on his way to the crash site.

When I looked to the mountain the other day (for a weather report or a sign or just a moment of beauty) I was surprised to see it was gone!

I didn't worry. I knew eventually the clouds would separate and there it would be again. My mountain, my friend.

Wicked (Witchy) Weather

2010-06-07T12:41:00.015-07:00

I live in western Washington where we're famous for our rain. Rainfall, rain gear, rainwater, rain forest...rain, rain, rain. My feet are webbed and Gortex plays a significant role in my wardrobe.

Lately it's been pouring and the rivers are jumping their banks. Memorial Day weekend was a non-event, just a designation on the calendar. The weather didn't blink. It continued to continue the deluge.

So when this showed up the other day, some 20 miles north of my place, I was pretty, pretty surprised.

Ahhhhh, yes (Dorothy) --- we ain't in Washington no more!

(Photo courtesy of Larry W.)

The best seat in the house!

2010-05-26T11:41:00.011-07:00

At Mark Rashid's recent Horsemanship clinic in Othello, WA I figured I had the best seat in the house. I sat next to the arena in my comfy lawn chair. Camera in my lap, notebook at ready I peered through the rustic rails to watch magic unfold as Mark gently worked with horse and rider.

But these fellows had a better idea. "Hang over the fence Sandy," they said, "You're closer to the action, you can see everything better that way." My goodness, just seeing those classic faces was reward enough. Made me want to grab some clay and start sculpting!

Throughout the day I peered between the rails, taking in the transformations in the arena. Later in the afternoon I glanced at the ground before me and saw the guy with the best seat, albeit dusty, in the house --- Mark's dog "Ring". It seems he'd done this many times before and knew that the real learning started at ground level.

Beauty at the Clinic

2010-05-20T09:38:00.020-07:00

A few weeks ago I was very fortunate to audit a Mark Rashid Horsemanship Clinic in Othello, WA. Besides Mark and his gentle way of melding horse and rider, there was beauty to behold!

Meet blond horse, Parker AND blond pony-tailed Paula. How very coordinated you two!

Oh...be still my heart! Feast your eyes on what she's done with her gorgeous deerskin (I'm guessing?) chaps.

Just a little "bling" to say, "There's a lady in this saddle, thank you very much!"

Hey Paula --- I can't wait to see what you do with Parker's beautiful flaxen forelock. No doubt it'll be quite the fashion statement!

"How was your Mother's Day?"

2010-05-13T09:41:00.012-07:00

So you ask, "How was your Mother's Day?"

It was quiet, dang quiet. Peaceful, almost serene. Void of noise, bothersome conditions, difficult situations.

Not so in the mountains, though, where hubby and son and a few good friends went 4- wheelin' in the snow and the mud. And the hills and the dales --- and the TREES!

(Pics by hubby and Anita. Rescue crew courtesy of hubby, Rienzo, Michael and assorted hard-core Samurais!)

Morning Light

2010-05-12T09:52:00.013-07:00

On my way to work every morning I take a big chance. I climb a steep hill and turn a blind corner to the left. As I round the corner, over my right shoulder is a sweeping view of the countryside. Douglas firs crowd the valley and stretch to the foothills of the Cascades.

I always have to sneak a peek.

Depending on the time of year the view can be a non-view. If it's O-dark-thirty I see only what my headlights allow. Other mornings the view is shrouded in fog --- this is western Washington after all.

But the other morning, with some snow still lingering, the sun peaked above the mountains and lit the place afire. I had a few minutes to spare so stopped to capture the show!

Ahhh, life is good. Just had to share!

Live Long and Prosper!

2010-05-10T12:10:00.010-07:00

I've always been an advocate of spaying and neutering cats, all cats. My friend Rienzo has one such cat, Lenny.

Lenny adopted Rienzo (yeah, I think it happened that way, kind of backwards actually) less than a year ago. Both Rienzo and Lenny are free spirits and Lenny lived life casually. As casually as he could until the rest of the tomcats in the neighborhood realized Lenny was all grown up. A big boy.

The tomcat fights started and let's say --- Lenny was not a contender. In stepped me, with information about neutering that Rienzo needed to hear and Lenny needed to participate in. Off Lenny went to the Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project in Lynnwood, WA for the surgery that could save Lenny's life and Rienzo tons of vet bills.

Stopping by Lenny's place the other day, I could see he didn't hold a grudge. He's still just as lovable, he's still just Lenny. And we're all glad he'll be around a long time to prove it.

A weekend with Mark Rashid

2010-04-30T12:13:00.033-07:00

If you're a horse person like me you've probably been to a clinic or two. (Some people "collect" clinicians, like they do the little pins they wear on their hats.)

Maybe to ride, lucky you, or to audit. Auditing sometimes does more for me in the education department. Watching other folks do what they're supposed to do, or not, may be easier for me to see, than them, sometimes.

Over the years I've been to a number of clinics. Numerous John Lyons "symposiums", the Friday-night-feature-style-mini-clinic, the weekend-break-a-horse-in-a-short-time clinic, and the three-day riding clinic. Attended all the clinics, bought the round pen.

I've seen Richard Shrake work with horses. I think it was he. I remember the big winter white felt cowboy hat. The clinic was held in a frigid indoor arena in February. My teeth were chattering so loudly, I hardly heard what he had to say. Didn't matter much. Bought the videos, watched them once, sold them on eBay.

I've watched Clinton (c'mon, not "Clint" yet?) Anderson "train" horses. But in this case he talked so fast and non-stop, I think the horses did what he asked just so they could be done with the man and go back to their stalls. Holy moly, that guy can rattle on, and that's before he starts hawking his special training equipment that you must have to do his "method". I walked away from this clinic, early, and smiled because they didn't get me to buy a single item!

I've seen horses "Join Up" with Monty Roberts. Read the book, got it signed.

Then, last weekend --- came the quiet man.

You know when a person is pretty smart about something. They talk a little, you listen a lot. They have the rider ride, you watch. You quickly say to yourself, "Wow, this guy knows his stuff!"

That's how Mark Rashid's clinic went. He was quiet with the horses and peaceful with their people. As each rider came forward for their one-on-one time, he asked, "How can I help you?" Simple, oh so simple.

Not --- "This is my way, the only way, of training horses." "These are the books, and DVDs and CDs you must use to train your horses the way I train my horses." "This is the equipment that is specially made for you to buy so you can train your horses the way I train my horses."

Oh and, "Did I mention MY way is the only way?"

Not Mark. There was no theory-according-to-Rashid. There was no special tack or bits or halters to buy. Just a gentle, quiet man with a passion for horses and life (which to him, I am sure, is one in the same.)

I didn't ride this time around. My miniatures would have protested mightily if I'd stuffed two or three of them under my behind to carry me around the arena! But someday I'll be retired to my ranch in New Mexico. Someday a new saddle horse will come into my life.

And we will ride with Mark.

Quietly and compassionately.

Pimping for "the Cure"!

2010-04-26T12:20:00.023-07:00

HA! I thought that title would grab your attention. Let me explain:

This weekend we went to eastern Washington to audit a horse training clinic (more about that later). Creel, our Greyhound, spent his weekend with his foster mom, Lori and her four dogs --- 3 Greyhounds and a Borzoi.

On Sunday, Creel accompanied Lori to the Spring Fair in Enumclaw and helped out at Lori's Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure booth.

Pairing up with Lori's co-walker-for-the-Cure, Creel scanned the crowds for donations.

Tough enough to wear pink, working-dog Creel wore his pink beads with pride as he collected donations.

Hours later, an accomplished fundraiser, Creel caught some shut-eye.

And finished out his successful day with a "thank you" hug from a young fan.

Lost in Translation

2010-04-20T12:07:00.025-07:00

'Tis the season for shedding winter coats and some of our critters are more ready than others.

Take for instance Pete...NOT ready. Pete has a coat the consistency of Berber carpeting and it doesn't blow until it's good and ready. Doesn't mean it can't itch though.

So we wait.

Quaker was brushed out big time and left some horse hair for the swallows' nests. Otis --- horrified --- found what he thought were "the remains" of Quaker!

And boogied out of there.

Sighing, Pete commented, "Geesh, freakin' sensitive, huh?"

Makin' Out Like Bandits!

2010-04-14T13:20:00.023-07:00

Last weekend we celebrated April birthdays by heading out to one of our all-time favorite restaurants...Famous Dave's BBQ.

The invitation from our friend Dave came a week or two ago. "C'mon over for some "Q"," Dave said. "We'd love to," we said, smacking our lips.

Between the three of us we had 3 coupons. One for Bruce for a free dessert, one for Bryan who was celebrating his 27th birthday and one for me...to celebrate a birthday that happened, well --- let's say, more than 27 years ago.

Three people, three coupons. When the BBQ sauce was finally wiped off our smiling faces, this was our bill!

Famous Dave's famous Bread Pudding $6.59 --- DELETE (coupon)
Famous Dave's Appetizer Sampler Platter $15.95 --- DELETE (coupon)

AND...the biggie, the most expensive item on the menu, goes to Bryan.

Famous Dave's All American Feast $59.95 --- DELETE (coupon) !!!

A trio of Garden Salads, a couple pops and a few Sam Adam's later, the real bill was only $27.70.

"Ahhh, waitress? We're gonna need some "to go" containers please."

And so you know we weren't complete bandits, we did leave our awesome waitress Angelica a very decent tip.

We were feelin' mighty generous!

See Spot Run!

2010-04-08T10:43:00.011-07:00

Sometime around the beginning of the year, like on January 3rd or so, we took "Spot" to the post office. Spot was a sheep skin, most recently a live sheep at my friend's farm, and was to become a rug. Spot was a particularly lively sheep and had charged into my friend's husband's arm (wince) ripping the bicep muscle from the bone.

Can you say OUCH? Can you say this sheep was not the most favorite four-legged on the farm? Can you say the husband offered to "do the sheep in" and prepare the sheep for the trip to the tanners in Pennsylvania, with a big smile on his face? Yes, yes, and hell yes!

That was the easy part, preparing the hide. Then came the trip to Pennsylvania. The postal worker told us the trip would take 8 - 10 days, max. NOT. Spot was lost somewhere in Texas and spent over 7 weeks on the road.

Can you imagine the shape Spot was in when he arrived in Pennsylvania, not refrigerated of course, in a plastic bag? Let's all chime in with a --- "GOOOOOOOEY!"

Finally, Spot has redeemed himself. He's arrived at his new home at last. He'll eventually grace a tile floor in our New Mexico home, but for now will lay around looking magnificent at our place in Washington.

Good job Spot.

And about "going postal"? I don't recommend it.

The Best Little "Kettle Corn" House in Washington

2010-04-01T11:22:00.014-07:00

NOT to be confused with a house of another name and reputation, here's the brand spankin' new Kettle Corn house for my fledgling business. It was a little windy last weekend when we first set it up so we only got one of the sides attached and tested the 40 pound weight bags. You get the idea.

Every business needs a house and this EZ Up Shelter customized with awesome graphics by The 7MSN Ranch does just the "trick" (pun intended)!

Yeehaw! Can you smell the Kettle Corn yet?