an afternoon at the barn

looks like this through Monkey's eye's...

Sitting with the camera perched up high, i love this, shadows are fun to shoot.

We play follow the leader but not to close.

 There was rolling in the dirt time too, he loves this. He rolls not quite all the way over but half way each side.

the one phase of the famous Poop Patrol, don't be jealous now, haha.

All the shimmering specks are dirt from rolling around, he is so fun and doing very well.  The farriers has come weekly to check on his hoof, Monday will be seven weeks since the bad trim job and he is finally growing, thanks to good nutrition and hoof supplements. The pressure and ouchie are feeling much better. To be sure nothing else was going on i had the Vet out for x rays. I am happy and thankful to report they are negative and with angels called into the farrier he is definitely on the mend. We even did some light work this week without his moon boots.  I really love these days, time with monkey as she gets busier and watching Chance get healthier everyday is such a blessing and i am soaking it all in . Life is so very good.

Whats Growing on over here these days

cabbage ~ I'm looking forward to fish taco's to accompany this beauty, yum.

 The rainbow chard this year is off the hook! We've been enjoying this for a couple months now, its waist high and is still plentiful. The heat doesn't seem to bother it.

 It's early but so far so good, fingers crossed. I started my zucchini plants a little while back and so far this year is looking much more promising than last summers disappointment. potato and garlic are coming along wonderfully as well.

I have a couple dozen tomato plants, I am hoping to be able to get some of my sauce into jars this year.
 Red and sweet walla walla onions growing close to the bell peppers. One of my favorite combinations to grill up, i put them in almost everything of course with some garlic too.

cucumber seedlings.  I have a 25 foot row hugging my soaker line, if all goes well I should have a lot of pickles, these are the music mans favorite snack.

What the heck... Looks like the potato plants have something extra "growing" on them. I took this picture to share the lady bugs i got for the garden...but when i saw the photo i saw this webbing and black spots, not great.
I dug down a little and the potato's are fine, phew.

The girls are getting into the swing of things and now two of them are laying eggs for us. It's incredible to be able to go and grab these gifts from our yard, simply amazing.  I'm a very lucky girl.

Let go my egg o

Today started off like any other day, sun up, coffee brewing while I was outside feeding and making poop patrol rounds.  When I went inside the chicken coop to visit and take care of the girls there it was... Our first egg! Holy Macaroni this was incredibly exciting, between doing a chicken dance and a few woot woot's  i yelled for the music man to come over and check it out with me.  We both stood there in awe admiring it, when i picked it up it was still warm. All the girls had it surrounded and were trying to figure it out when i walked in.

I wasn't sure which one of our little misses laid it but after i removed the egg from the coop Betty started making all sorts of fuss and running around or awhile.  She is the oldest by a week or so and i think it was her. Check out this little egg isn't is b e a u t i f u l !

photos of our weekend

This weekend the music man and i enjoyed a night out with our neighbors and new friends.   Rode Chance in his fancy moon boots, finally his hoofs are starting to grow out a bit. Spent time in the garden weeding, harvesting and adding dirt to my onion and potato plants that are growing nicely and Sunday with family. We went bowling to celebrate my dad's birthday it was so fun. I haven't been to a bowling alley in years and this one was nothing like any alley i visited before, it was so futuristic and spacey. I didn't bowl but i did take some photo's.

The music man checking  his score and trying to keep up with her,

                                                  she threw four strikes in one game!

I got to spend the afternoon with my parents, my sister, her family and the Bug. This last weekend was wonderful and has me feeling extremely grateful for my life and family.  Life is SO good!

Our visit to Stagecoach

This marked the sixth year for the festival and my third visit. The last couple years attendance have set new records and this year was no different.  My friends, Monkey and i were just one in of over 100,000 people who soaked in the hot desert sun, danced our booties off and listened too our favorite tunes.  Here are some pics of time our time there.

Packed and ready i headed out last Thursday to meet up with  friends. Monkey was already there as she and her boyfriend stayed in the tent campground. I stayed in a house, too hot to rough it for this girl.

 Everyone had to hike into the festival and each way was over two miles. No worries though,  i had my good friend and walking buddy with me and we were able to bust it out quickly. The walk at the end of day was much cooler and often funny as we watched others navigate there way.

First stop once inside was the tent for shade and an ice cold beer to cool down, the temps were in the mid 90's.

Look who was waiting for us, Monkey found a spot for us in the shade each day. Our group was big and with the heat shade was a commodity for sure.

We danced...

 and danced... 

 We had such a blast and I'm so thankful for my time with Monkey, our friends and our annual stagecoach trip,  I'm already looking forward to next year!

What love can do..

Last Sunday was three months exactly since Chance and i found each other.

day one Jan 22, 2012 

 

April 22

Doesn't he look handsome! His winter coat has all but shed out, he has a shine to him and his back has lifted a lot.  His ground manners and food aggression have improved so much, I'm happy to report that i haven't been bit in a month now yahooooo. I am so proud of the progress he's made and thankful  for what a bit of love and patience can do. 

up on my soap box

Humankind has not woven the web of life.  We are but one thread within it.  Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.  All things are bound together.  All things connect.  ~Chief Seattle, 1855

Man must feel the earth to know himself and recognize his values.... God made life simple.  It is man who complicates it.  ~Charles A. Lindbergh

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.  ~John Muir
 

 This video makes me both mad and sad. The price of plastic and one time use trash is taking over the earth. This is one of seven gyres found in our oceans,  how gross is that!  Our oceans are so polluted that fish, dolphins and whales are becoming more toxic and have been found to have cancer. Imagine that a whale the largest living thing on earth is not impervious to pollution and is suffering. What about those of us who comsume fish? Are we eating fish who's bellies are filled with toxic plastic pieces instead of natures nutrients? What do you think that does to us?

 In our home we live by the motto, reduce, recycle and re-purpose. I have spent the last several years reducing our waste and have totally eliminated one time use items like paper plates, paper towels, water bottles and plastic bags from the market to name a few.  I've made my own fabric bulk and grocery bags as well as continue towards a self sustaining lifestyle. It's not easy to eliminate the use of plastic it's everywhere but i know every little bit helps. Imagine if everyone did a little the impact would be great.

This is one of my favorite quotes, i think about it often as i wonder what i'll leave behind for my children and their children...

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.  ~Native American Proverb

This week i watched Vanishing of the Bees and WalMart, the high cost of low prices documentaries that are really good, if you  like documentaries check them out you can watch them for free on netfilx. I'm stepping down from my soap box now,  Sunday is Earth Day i plan on spending the day in the garden planting, weeding and enjoying nature, do you have any plans?

love...

My dentist appointment last week was a doozy and has left me feeling quiet. Quiet time to rest and heal. I noticed though while my body and mouth have been quiet my mind is loud. Here are a some things i thought about and love in no particular order:


brown dog kisses
family
Chance
second chances
chickens
God's love
cloth napkins
spinach
Loretta Lynn
ranuculus
black beans
the music man
flip flops
J bug
caprese salad
home
laughter, the kind that leaves you with a belly ache
fresh pasta
monkey girl
kindness
working from home
Faith
my parents
sun soaked skin
early mornings outside
horses
George Strait
The God Father Trilogy
my sister
Joy
my mother in law
time with friends
the music mans voice
Adele's voice
stillness
singing birds
my nieces
growing garden's
hugs
my nephew
knitting
dogs
my camera's
documentaries
comfies
a nice walk
new adventures
blueberries
Grace
a cold beer on a hot day
a good glass of wine
cloth bulk bags
my husbands hands
sunshine
weekends
rain
dark chocolate
my boots
coffee
peonies
a good book
days at the beach
lady bugs
my life
Jim Croce
wool socks in winter
that i don't have to go back to the dentist for a month

What are some things you love?

John Wayne

Our Easter weekend was wonderful, my parents and the bug came out. I spent time at the barn and in the garden. The weather was perfect and i soaked in the sunshine before the April showers returned. We finished off our weekend with pasta of course.

The rate at which my days go by seems to have ticked up a notch this week. The last couple weeks i was seriously busting a move and getting so much done, this week i am simply trying to keep up with my daily chores and work. Do you ever feel like that?



Thankfully Jack doesn't seem to be in any pain and has mastered the three legged walk. His bad leg bows out when he puts weight on it though and the music man has started calling him John Wayne. Bow legged or not this week he is able to again jump up on the bed. Not totally happy about that but happy is feeling better.

Now the attention of soreness has been focused on Chance. His trim last week has left his front end sore. The farrier trimmed him to short, especially on his club so another week of taking it easy will hopefully have him feeling much better.

I am having some dental work done later today so I'll be getting a jump on the weekend with some quiet time for healing. Happy Thursday i hope your weekend is full of sunshine and goodness.

Smooches for Chance and an update

I had the opportunity to talk to someone who knew him before he came to me. I learned more of his history and was deeply saddened at what he's been through. This horse is incredibly kind, smart and now that he's settled in and has been receiving proper nutrition and care he has a bit of spunk and stubbornness too.

Although we are still working a couple things out like the random bite and solo trail rides he is quite amazing. He has bitten me three times now and I believe its when he gets anxious or scared although, there are no warning signs or pattern. We are making progress... knock on wood its been a week since he got me last. I am determined to correct this as quick as possible, they hurt and leave nasty bruises, ugh.

Our trails rides are wonderful as long as we ride with others, he is so good. He likes taking the lead and exploring. I know he enjoys riding on trail, as long as we are in a group. Our main trail buddy left the barn and i have been working with the trainer to get him to go out alone, just he and i. This is the other item were working on, but i am sure we'll get there with continued patience and trust.

When i first brought him home he would become very aggressive at feeding time. He would pace, try to bite and crowd the space if you came around him when he was eating. I understand his meals were few and far between before so this was completely expected. I would be protected if i went through what he did too. I'm happy to report that he has mellow so much. I can touch him, walk around him and this week even sit down close to him while he eats without any aggressive behavior at all. He's now taking a break from his food, lifting his head for me scratch his nose!

Our Arena work and his ground manners are coming along nicely. I know i mentioned before but he really is very smart. He didn't like to pick up his feet for me so i could clean his hoofs, now i simply say "up" while standing next to the hoof i want and he lifts it for me.

He likes to work and learn and slowly but surely he is building muscle and getting healthier. He's also enjoying his daily stretch and massage time this week. I am a very proud horse mama.

Our relationship is developing stronger everyday and I am so very thankful he is mine now, safe and loved. Life IS good.

this week
hoof trim
deworming
message and stretching back legs 50%