Greetings

WISHING FAMILY AND FRIENDS A GREAT THANKSGIVING DAY!

Don't eat too much! Love you all, especially you MM!

Please no snow yet

I think this pic of our outdoor thermometer says it all! BBBBBRRRRRRRRRRR! These are just a few pics from a pretty nice weekend.

I try to take the dogs for a walk down by the creek after feeding the horses in the mornings. I can check the fence and get a bit of exercise. I had decided to grab the camera for once and took a few nice shots.

Happy Horse Ranch

Thank you to Sue and Fred Marengo for letting me visit your horses at Happy Horse Ranch. Although the morning started out "iffy" it turned into a beautiful afternoon for my visit. I made sure I brought some carrots and apples for their herd and they loved them. Cody wanted all the attention but, Zip wanted all the carrots! Copper was a bit shy but she is such a pretty Arabian I think she was just being coy. All of them were such a delight as is their caretakers. They suprised me with a trip into town for lunch at Joy's. Totally unexpected and worth it! If you like pumpkin pie you will love her Pumpkin Crunch.....Ohh I want more! Thanks again to you both for a delightful afternoon.

Not quite the morning

This was not quite the mid October morning I was expecting to wake up to but still a bit excited all the same!

Later this morning I will be heading to Lexington, MI to visit Fred Marengo's Happy Horse Ranch. I can't wait to see his equine rescues that have become a big part of his life and prompted him to write the book, Second Chances, which all proceeds from the purchse of this book goes to the rescue. Way to go Fred!

Celebration of the horse

Saturday is the Celebration of the Horse over in Metamora. I'm going to go visit some FRIENDS that will have booths set up, wonder the breed displays, peruse the local tack shops and stores and try to enjoy myself. I really did want to do it again this year, breed display and parade, but I do not like to be humiliated into doing it. There are other factors that helped make my decision but lack of support was the biggest. I'm sorry if what's important to me, promoting the Appaloosa breed and heritage, was not what everyone else wanted to do. I have started on Paha's Native American costume for next year and by then I should have a trailer I can borrow. This is very important to me and I wish others could see that.

Kathleen Dodds! You have to check out this young woman. youmightthinkthisiscrazy.blogspot.com, she has taken to riding her Appaloosas across America. She started out in Oregon and her destination is New Jersey. Pretty brave to go it alone. She has met up with some not so nice folks, (Sidney, NE) but for the most part everyone has been helpful. Check her out!

It will be a nice cool day so I hope all can get out and enjoy the weekend.

Not much going on

Hey gang, not much has really been going on here. I think I have finally resigned myself to the fact that I will never be right. I am met with opposition no matter what I say or do and have just conceded to the war. The battles have been too numerous and now having to deal with "noise induced stress" (never heard that one one before) try as I might I am not winning. I am really trying to "be happy" but the depression has become so bad I just want to give up. I cannot concentrate, forget things-instantly, not paying attention, cannot focus and want to cry and sleep all the time. I'm slowly pushing my friends away and the big blow came last week when I was asked to do a job then the next day was told someone else was doing it. The way it was done just kind of hurts. So I am back to not trusting people their is no friendship or loyalty to someone who would do that to you. Maybe my husband is right, "if you don't have any friends they can't ask for favors", and then screw you in the process.

The horses are doing fine, getting their winter coats grown in and just being horses. So I will not be posting for awhile until I can screw my head back together. Love you all!

Hot Air Balloon

Meins and Paha saw their first hot air balloon up close and personal yesterday! It was just too funny. The one fellew seemed to be having some trouble (4 balloons in all) and looked like he was going to land in the trees next to the pasture. When I saw the first balloon we grabbed the camera and ran outside and in doing so I heard this really loud snorting and blowing. That was when I saw the guy trying to get more heat up into his balloon. It was the propane tank, not the horses, "snorting and blowing"! They were very alert and running around a bit but when I stepped over to the fence they calmed down and stood and watched this balloon make his way across the highway to the cow fields on the other side, We had the outriggers in their vans going up and down the road following them. It was a pretty exciting few moments to these so close.

Nearby Metamora holds the balloon fest the end of August and this weekend the weather will be perfect. I'll be keeping an eye to the sky today as they will be launching off again.

Taking a ride in a hot air balloon is on my bucket list. This particular group does not offer rides. They had helicopter rides but that isn't the same thing. I want to float through the air and enjoy the scenery in peace (I'll accept the hissing and blowing! lol Enjoy the pics!

Just Sigh

I will be so glad when they finally get a working dosage for my meds. My emotions have been going from one extreme to the other.

I was very tempted to hop on Meins and tear off down the road. Mind you, I have not really ridden him since September when I broke my tailbone trying to get ready for a parade I wanted to be in but someone else dictated what was going to be done. I believe my annoyance with the whole situation is what really caused the fall in the first place. Meins has been pretty good about reading my moods and when I wanted to "get away" from the people in the arena he decided to do just that. All he did was spin around in the opposite direction and stop and I went over the side. I did not land on the ground right away, I hung on to his side for a few seconds and dropped to the ground. It was the way I hit the ground that broke my TB and I have to tell you, even now, if I hit it just right or sit too long in a funny position, it lets me know it still can hurt.

I have been "on" Meins from time to time but we just meandered in the round-pen and that was it. I can't ride on our road anymore, these drivers are just too stupid. I don't really have anywhere to ride right now anymore, even the Polly Anne trail has been closed due the damage from last year's damaging floods and the county does not seem to have the funds to fix them. I walked the trail in a few places and it is still pretty bad.

So, since it is very humid outside and I do not feel like sweating today, I will stay in the house and work on my "Mermaid" quilt for a friend's upcoming birthday, catch up on phone calls, no texting today, and maybe even watch a movie, my favorite, The Man From Snowy River.

4th of July

Freedom or independence? Two different words with two different meanings, yet all the world tries to signify independence with freedom.

Being independent means you can do it on your own. It is our arrogance in that belief that "we don't need you" is what seems to be bringing our country down. To those of you who hate us so much yet come to our country to get educated, seek asylum or medical treatment, freely, then do not bother coming here at all. No one person or government should decide what the world should do. With so many cultures and beliefs, how can one person or government decide what is best for a whole nation. I do not believe that's freedom.

A government wants to take the word God out of nearly EVERYTHING; then in whom do we trust? Who are we to pray to? Are we allowed to pray?

The fate of the people all over the world is grim at best. The sense of society has been shattered.

There are simple rules and guidelines to follow to be a good person. But I don't think anyone cares anymore. That's what makes me sad.

The rights of Native Americans were violated. True keepers of the land. Sending Japanese Americans to camps for fear these people would kill us while we slept. And the Holocaust, millions of Jews murdered and tortured because one man, ONE MAN, felt so superior that he could wipe out an entire race. What arrogance! And back to the Americans trying to displace and slaughter our nation's wild horses. So someone else can eat horse meat? Let that country harvest it own horses.

Freedom

Freedom

Freedom

Will someone tell me where it is?

Whew was I really feeling bad

I am feeling better now. I just had to vent a bit the other day.

Since we are not going to ever move I have some ideas for inside and outside of the house and I want to get on the ball ASAP!

First- get the trenchwork and culvert replacement scheduled. Then 2 things I would like to have done is a pull-out pantry to replace the mess that I have right now, and then have the office paneled in rough beadboard.

Home Depot has Posts and cement on sale so we can start replacing the t-post corners in the pasture and make them more secure.

We need to do something in the basement to make it more ulitarian and I'd like to get estimates on what it would cost to have the furnace moved to the basement and on-demand hot water. Just a few things to start off with.

Been working with Paha on the road. He does fine when a vehicle approaches slowly towards us but then there is always some a**hole who goes by so fast he throws up dust and gravel. At least when someone honks he doesn't jump anymore. If a vehicle approaches from behind he has not shown any fear (probably because Meins is always chasing him. lol) or hesitation. Meins and I have been working well also. With the cooler weather we have been able to go out longer. I may have to breakdown and get a new pair of walking shoes! Since I twisted my knee the other day I have been saddling him for our walks and putting my helmet on my saddle just in case I need to ride home.

So everyday I try to walk 5' farther than the day before. Have also doing some core exercises and am eating better too. I want to be a lean (thinner) mean riding machine someday again.........

Why do I feel so bad about this

Right now I am not feeling so good. Don't know if it's the meds or this damn thyroid thing or who knows. I hate when I feel like this because all I can think about is how much I am probably hurting my horses by not having anywhere for them to graze. This property is a true money pit. Seems like we try to fix something and something else goes wrong and bringing in load after load of fill just isn't working and creating other problems. The house is fine, we like the house, but this land cannot sustain large animals, it's virtually wet all the time and we are breeding some of the biggest mosquitoes around here! The ground is so soft they often sink to their knees and when it's wet to nearly their bellies. Eventually one of them is going to catch a tree root in the muck and break a leg and I'll be burying him where he lays.

This morning I tripped going into the shed I have to duck down to go into and really twisted my right knee. Now it's swollen and hurts like hell. Right now it's hell going up and down the back stairs. I am so hoping the thyroid dosage gets determined soon because I ache so badly I could scream. I know I am asking for too much by wanting to move. The brain and body just are not working together right now and that makes me pissed which gets me upset which makes me even more angry...........AAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!

Think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts.............................sigh!

Actually considered selling them and just forgetting this whole thing but I cannot bring myself to do it. Besides, with so many good horses ending up going to slaughter, I can't do it. Trying very hard to work with what we have and we are losing.

Ouch! Ok I am done venting.

Follow the leader

It never seems to fail. Meins and Paha can be waaay over yonder and I'll step into the pasture to do some work and the next thing I know is there are two noses snuffling my neck and shoulders. This is what I love best about spending time with them. Today I was raking manure (dry) into small piles so I can pick it up in the wheelbarrow tomorrow. So for the heck of it I raised the garden rake up over our heads, no one moved, soooo just for the heck of it I wanted to see what they would do if the rake was lowered onto their backs. You know what? They loved it!!! I scratched their tummies, which I thought was going to put Paha to heaven, and their rumps. Dropped heads, sleepy eyes, just plain relaxed. What's wrong with these horses? Why on earth do they trust a two legged so much? They keep me in such awe at times. These two, 1000 lbs animals trust me enough to allow me to come into their space and do all these crazy things with them. And then to just drop and lay down next to me is even more amazing! I know I've said it before and I will repeat myself; I am humbled, and ever so grateful, to have these two amazing animals entrusted in my care. I (we) will do whatever it takes to make sure they have a long happy, comfortable life with us.

Pic #1, Dom sitting in our hotel window overlooking the back of the Appaloosa Museum. #2, Dom riding Paha and #3, Mom saying goodbye to the boys before heading to Idaho the next morning. Enjoy!

Taking our time

Paha and I slowly getting back into walking shape. Well, I am, he's just along for company. I have to keep after him because he walks so dang slow! I always forget to grab the med length (dressage) whip and walk past it every time. We walked down the road til we (I) could no longer hear Meins and stood for a few minutes then came back and went down to the creek but those REALLY BIG FLIES were on us immediately. So we came back, I groomed him head to foot, took off his face mask and shook out the dirt and put that back on, checked feets, mane, tail and sprayed the bugger down really well. The flies love his white belly. Actually they have not been too bad, I try to stay on top of the manure and my next batch of fly preds should be coming soon. The mosquitoes are going to be the challenge this year with all the water around here.

Tomorrow Meins and I will take our walk and hopefully by the end of July I'll be riding him down the road. Still working on the dizzy spells. That's why I quite doing so many things and well, I'm getting better. If I fall asleep now it may just be for an hour or so, as to before I was actually going back to bed for 3 or 4 hours.

Working on a new quilt for one of my breakfast girls. Her house is decorated in Nautical style but I wanted to do something a bit different and more personal. MERMAIDS! So far I have most of the fabric picked out, seashore themed, and traced my applique pcs out. This is going to be a fast, fun one!

I'm going to go read my Trail Rider magazine, finish laundry and mop the floor.

Hope you are having a beautiful day!

The pic is of the Snake River in Lewiston, Idaho.

The Birds

WHOO HOO! There is a crazy, wild explosion of baby birds this year (could be because Sammy killed a raccoon and I got rid of an adult)! Grosbeaks, 3 varieties of woodpeckers, Cardinals and even baby Orioles! And the baby woodpeckers love oranges and grape jelly too! As do the Catbirds and some sparrows. We have even caught the hummingbird with jelly on his beak. For years we would only hear the Orioles and Catbirds in the woods but now they will sit in the tree above the deck and if you do not move they will come down for their feast. And THAT is a great honor to sit in the front row to watch such amazing entertainment!

Planes, trains and Equine things

We arrived home safely Monday evening and not feeling much better. Robyne went to the Doc on Wed and she has (possibly) strep and an ear infection. My Doc added cough syrup to my growing list of meds.

So I have Hashimoto's desease. My immune system is attacking my thyroid throwing everything hormonal out of whack. GRREEAAAAAT! I'll be leaving in a bit to have an ultrasound done on my neck to make sure there are no tumors looming there.

The boys and I are slowly getting back on track. While Klaus worked on the fence Tues. I moved some of the round pen panels around so they could graze on grass then before putting them back into the pasture we did a short session. Yes with both of them at the same time. Paha is such a follower. When I had them stop and turn Pa would let Meins pass and lead so I would stop them again and ask for the turn until they got it. Paha stepped out reluctantly in the lead and Meins wanted to nip to hurry him along but a snap from the whip made him back off. Just a slow casual walk around the R/P with Paha in the lead is all I wanted and got. We have been working on this for awhile. I have also "ponied" Meins off of Paha. No I was not riding Pa, he was tacked up and I led them around the pasture, trees, cones, barrel and then switched. Meins just does not want a horse that close to him in the rear. He got a couple of god slaps with my "hand" (the bat actually has the shape of a leather hand on the end) and he will behave, albeit with an attitude.

So that's it for today, happy Friday everyone and have a great horsey weekend!

On my way back home

Well the three of us are at Spokane airport and should star boarding around 12:30p. Jeanne is torn about leaving
.There are so many things to see yet and not feeling all that well did not make it much fun the last couple of days. We did try to take a drive yesterday but it started to rain so hard at one point we had to turn around and go back to the hotel. I'll truly miss the folks we met. Everyone here is so nice and were very helpful when Jeanne got sick.
We'll be back again someday. Idaho isn't going anywhere and Jeanne hopes to ride a section of the Chief Joseph Trail on Meins and Paha.
So until tomorrow my friends we will wave as we fly by!
Dom

The Appaloosa Museum

I love the inteactive kids area. Check out the "seats" around the table, very clever!

This head dress is nearly a century old and still quite impressive!

These are the carved wooden doors to the entrance of The Appaloosa Horse Club, which is next to the museum.

If If only you could really see and feel the detail on some of these items. This saddle in particular just fascinated me! It's so beautiful and functional as well. I guess when you have to ride through cactus country the horse and rider need all the protection they can get.

Lewiston Idaho

I just love these sculptures! They pop out at you all through town.