A Good Day

Sunday turned out to be a good day. I started it with a early morning ride. It was a bit soggy with all of the rain we received the last 2-3 days. The creek was up but not rushing as fast as it did yesterday afternoon when I last saw it. It was uncrossable then. Some of the low-water crossings cant be crossed on the back roads. After my ride, I detailed the inside of my car. I am glad I didnt wash it since right now its storming like crazy. Since hubby couldnt mow because of the super-wet grass, he checked one gas well, and arranged for our sitter to come over for the afternoon. S. and I went to town, we hit Lowes, Atwoods, and Walmart. I have been in serious need of a new gas grill and I bought this very one here:

I cant wait to get cooking on it tomorrow!

Dog Days

This picture I took after giving Elvis's belly a scratch. Elvis is my weenie dog and a big brat in a tiny package. He is 7 years old and a 'chocolate' mini-daschund. Elvis weighs about 6lbs and is often mistaken for a Chihuahua because he shivers like one and is so small. Elvis's favorite game is fetch with his little green ball and he likes riding in the car. He is a stranger biter so we have to keep an eye on him, he is protective of my 2 boys and his 'territory'. But, once he gets to know someone he is fine. Elvis received his name because he likes music and singing, he likes to join in with his own vocals. He came with his name as a pup and it just stuck. Mosey on over to BoredInKansas and check out Butterflyschic26's daschund kids doggie photos here:

http://butterflychic26.blogspot.com/2006/04/when-will-it-be-all-over-with.html

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Johnny Depp is a hottie. I can look at him all day long and not tire. Last nite I had a dream he was lost in a snowstorm in the dark and I gave him a ride on my snowmobile (okay, it might not have been him exactly but I did dream I gave a dark and handsome stranger a ride on the Artic Cat to the Pub I used to frequent when I lived in N.MI.) But, that was all the dream consisted of or I remember, nothing X-rated, much to my disappointment!

I think I dreamed about him because while watching the 30 minutes of movie previews at yesterday's matinee, I saw the preview for 'Pirates of The Caribbean, Dead Man's Treasure'. Even with Depp's rotten teeth as Capt. Jack, he is still delicious looking...and Orlando Bloom, well, I have never been attracted to 'delicate' looking men, but he definately looks good too.

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Okay, yesterday was somethin' else! My 12 yo, his 12 yo friend, and I went to B-ville to watch the movie 'RV'. Well, when we get to the Mall, after listening to the NFL draft on AM radio the entire 45 minute drive, a stop at K-mart and Atwoods, the boys inform me that they want to see Silent Hill or Scary Movie 4. Well, Scary Movie 4 didnt start until 1 hour later-not an option. So, Silent Hill it was, I like scary movies. I watched about 20 minutes of the thriller and was completely bored, very restless(I think I have adult ADD sometimes), I was not enjoying it at all. So, I left and got a manicure. That only took about 25 minutes, I went back to the Theatre afraid if I was roaming around shopping the boys might sneak off. Anyhow, all I missed was a demon chasing some people around and I was able to see the ending. Do not waste your money on this horror movie. I have watched Scooby Doo movies scarier than this one. Sure it was gross and bloody, but the entire story line, in my opinion was ridiculous. The boys agreed. So there you have it, Silent Hill is a flop, in our 3 opinions......and scary movies is my 12 yo and his friend's specialty.

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Anyone else suprised about the NFL draft? Omg, I was for sure. More about that later, maybe.....right now I have to sneak in a morning ride while I can!

Send In The Cavalry

Cavalry Crossing a Ford
By Walt Whitman

A line in long array, where they wind betwixt green islands;

They take a serpentine course—their arms flash in the sun—Hark to the musical clank;

Behold the silvery river—in it the splashing horses, loitering, stop to drink; Behold the brown-faced men—each group, each person, a picture—the negligent rest on the saddles;

Some emerge on the opposite bank—others are just entering the ford—while,

Scarlet, and blue, and snowy white,

The guidon flags flutter gaily in the wind.

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The Cavalry, I like them immensely. Anyone who has ever rode a horse, be it an accomplished equestrianne or just an average trail rider, knows how much skill it takes to shoot a firearm from the back of a galloping horse, and be accurate.

The United States Cavalry was a horse-mounted force that existed between 1775 and 1942. Obviously, modern man, as modern as could be in 1942 decided The Cavalry was no longer needed....

I still think doing away with the U.S. Cavalry was a big mistake. Even if my ancestors may have fought against the Cavalry, I still think they were one of the best parts of our U.S. Military. Especially the brave horses. My favorite part of the movie 'Dances With Wolves' is the beginning showing the Cavalry fighting and the horse "Sysco's" famous last stand. I am partial to Sysco, even tho he is a buckskin, my horse reminds me of Sysco.

Hmmm, its been awhile since Ive watched 'Dances With Wolves'. I wonder if my 12 yo and his friend will opt for a DVD rental instead of trekking to the next biggest town over and watching Robin Williams in the new movie 'RV'.....

I had better gas up the car, besides, I need a manicure in a BAD way....

The Bullrider..R-rated(sorta)

The how and the why I ended up in Oklahoma is a long and complicated story. When people ask me the resaon for my migration South from the great Northern Michigan where I was born and raised, I give them a small condensed version. It is NOT because of my husband S. even tho I did meet him on a trip to Oklahoma before I eventually moved. I'll tell my migration story later, when I am ready.

When I first moved to OK, I met and dated a bullrider from the PBR named Johnnie.
http://www.pbrnow.com/#home
Our relationship was a wild and stormy one. So, since it is what I consider R-rated or PG-13 atleast, I am posting the rest of the post here:
http://hometown.aol.com/barngoddess65/bdsm.html

Much Better

We finished up about 11:20 am and I was home by 11:45. Not bad for a half days work. Even if I got suckered into riding the greenest horse on the ranch. Zee, a 16.1 hand chestnut gelding is a big sweetie with a super-fast walk. He can really step out and did not mind going off from the other horses or when the cattle were jittery. This horse definately has some cowsense but... he wasnt too sure about all the wild rabbits and the covey of quail that were scurrying around, he spooked good a few times. He has not been taught to neck rein, which is a huge pain in the ass when I had to chase after a rowdy steer that cut himself from the herd and hightailed outta sight as fast as greased lightening. With some work, Zee is going to make a good ranch horse, something he was bred to be, he is just a late starter at the age of 8.

At 6 am this morning when my ride picked me up to head out to the ranch, my head was still throbbing from my date with Jose. But, thanks to modern chemistry and the people who distribute Tylenol, it was just a memory by the time I reached the ranch. Hubby had to go and retrieve my car from the Canteena's parking lot, which he was grumbling under his breath about. Well, I needed a designated driver and I am picky about who drives my car. We were still one cowboy short to drive the cattle to thier pasture but we managed. Luckily we all work pretty good together and all the steers received thier shots without any problems. A few are going to need de-horned and I promised to be available when that is planned. Not bad for a half days work, atleast I earned a small bit of spending cash (very small!) but I honestly enjoy the work.

When my ride dropped me off on thier way to town for lunch, my horse came running from the back of his paddock excited about the other horses in the trailer. After the guys left, I walked over to give Scooter an ear scratch. He sniffed my shirt sleeve and promptly put his ears back giving me a disapproving glare. Obviously he smelled Zee and the other horses on me and was jealous. Oh well, he'll get over it.

Lost Faith Part II

Be warned, this is a semi-type-rant. I am not sure if its the Jose Quervo hangover induced mania or the excess thinking time I spent in the saddle going after the 1 steer that was seperated from the herd and took it upon himself to high-tail it to the next county. And,the beautiful but very green chestnut 8yo, 16.1 hands gelding I was riding that does not know how to neck-rein (it was a bitch in the brush, omg, I am scratched head to toe!) but anyhow consider yourselves warned.
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A few days ago, I became engaged in a fairly heated debate about my lost Catholic faith. M. Bighorse, a friend of mine, who at times can behave like M. Bighorses Ass attacked my views on his (which was once mine) religion and the belief in 'God' in general. His attack was personal and I am very offended by his obnoxious mentality to think he can bully me into changing my beliefs. I am the least likely person to be bullied by anyone- he KNOWS this. Because I choose not to discuss my feelings with our communitie's Catholic Priest, M. Bighorse informed me that I was becoming an atheist and my soul would burn in hell for eternity(yikes!) among other things too trivial to type. So help me, if he sends Father T. out to my place, I'll run him off just like I do the Jehovah Witnesses or whoever those religious door-knockers are! I feel compelled once again to defend my stance on my lost faith.......my origional post here is the best explanation I can offer:

http://warponyramblings.blogspot.com/2006/03/lost-faith.html

Here is my position from my earlier post ( a small quote):

"I was a practicing Catholic when I was younger, over half of my life. I would not call myself atheist -- agnostic is probably closer -- but I've definitely had a shift. Life lessons have taught me that there is a way to retain spirituality (of a sort) without adhering to dogma. More than once, I've noticed that some Christians have a vastly different concept of Christianity than mine and were (excuse the sweeping unfair generalization) often one-sided jerks really made me rethink my identification with that group. Values are important, and I have a myriad of Christian beliefs and some that are regarded anti-Christian. A few of my beliefs: I believe strongly in the death penalty, abortion is a woman's choice (as long it is not utilized as birth control), and I am not against euthanasia in some instances. Where do my values fit in with Christianity and Catholicism? They don't. Hypocrites run rampant in religion. I refuse to agree with certain beliefs when inside my heart, I cannot change the way I feel. Life is not fair, but in the Bible it is stated numerous times God is 'just and fair'. If God created life, why isin't it fair? Then the answer to that question is: the story about Adam and Eve. Buying into all of the symbolism and rituals is difficult for me, I am an analyzer, I like scientific methods and finding out 'how' and 'why'."

Agnosticism is the process of deduction, atheism is the logical conclusion. I am not in any way an Atheist. Thru-out the years, I have lost my faith in the Catholic religion and albeit slowly, in God as well. Does The Almighty exist? I have no idea....and as time goes by I am doubting the existence of 'God' more each decade. When my life is over, will I be next in line to meet my 'Maker'? Possibly......oh no, then I'll have to explain all sorts of things. Like, when I was in high school, I wrote term papers for struggling students to make extra $$, I once out ran the city police onto Federal Indian Land in the middle of the night during my wild party days to avoid getting a ticket (and got away w/ it). Those true life examples are the more tamer ones, I do not want to incriminate myself too badly! If 'God' does exist, I hope he/she is a forgiving one, I do not relish the idea of an eternity banished to hell, which is something I might very well get for being honest about the way I feel. Hypocracy does not sit well with me, so, I cannot change the way I actually feel.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines "agnosticism" as follows:

NOUN:

1. The doctrine that certainty about first principles or absolute truth is unattainable and that only perceptual phenomena are objects of exact knowledge

. 2. The belief that there can be no proof either that God exists or that God does not exist.

I have an open, inquiring mind and a curious, analytical nature, but, I have become agnostic, because, after being exposed to different religious beliefs and my own personal life experiences, I've come to a personal mental state that questions 'faith' and 'God' in general. Each human, who is a believer, and their God have their own personal and unique connection which really doesn't require any external bridge to maintain (such as pastor, priest, minister, good book, whathaveyou)......even in the darkest of hours or under the bleakest of conditions...only a person's own deep, down belief/faith that this connection exists.

Personally, I don't feel there's any need for a middleman to talk, commune or what-have-you with your maker (whomever or whatever one might deem that to be).Despite the more obvious 'facial' differences between all the beliefs and practices of the major organized religions (and a growing multitude of others), they all have one central character or theme around which everything in the world as they know it revolves and an all-knowing, omnipotent 'presence' to whom they rely on to validate their existence. Each religion has their own 'idea' of their perfect 'God' defined.

This may be one presence alone or more than one (operating as a whole, such as the Holy Trinity in which I was taught/schooled), but, this 'source of the believer's being' would have to have a personal connection with each and every being who gives it this stature and power for the belief to exist at all. Some people may seek guidance to their religious leaders for constant affirmation that a higher power does exist or maybe to justify, reform, or learn certain behaviors relating to thier supposed faith.

So, that said, what need is there for a middleman when a direct connection is already an essential component in the belief system to begin with?

Have I thoroughly confused you? I know I have thoroughly confused myself. And for the record, I am changing Mr. Bighorse's name to Mr, Jackass because I have met many horse's asses that were more agreeable than Mr. B...

absit invidia: Latin for "no offense intended"

Happy Birthday To Me..........

The big 3-7 has arrived. Once upon a time I thought anyone in thier 30's was ancient. Maybe that is why I felt so crappy turning 30. All the wild, crazy fun and carefreeness I experienced in my 20's seemed to diminish rapidly as I entered my early 30's. My 20's rocked, especially the pre-kid days. The real cool thing is I am actually looking forward to turning 40 in a few years. How crazy is that? Maybe history will repeat itself . Oh well, getting older really isint all that bad.

Today, I do not feel ancient, I woke up feeling pretty damn good. Especially since late this afternoon, lunch with best friend L. is on the agenda. Which means Jose will be in attendance, which means I am scrambling for a sitter for my 2 yo. We only have 1 sitter that stays with our wee one, the only competent individual that S. and I trust to watch after our lovely, mini- maniac son. She is unavailable until 3pm but my mother-in-law said, she and 'papa' would gladly look after my 2yo until babysitter B. can pick him up.........I have options and it is looking pretty good!
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Today is going to be a day of leisure for moi, no housework (except the necessities) no cooking (except breakfast), as much Jose I feel like consuming (the thought of a hideous hangover always looming in the far reaches of my brain, not that this has always stopped me) and as much time as I can get in the saddle today. The weather looks very promising and I hope to take advantage of it. Last year, my 12 yo and my hubby BOTH forgot my birthday. Lets see if they do it 2 years in a row. S.'s down state trip has been post-poned until next tuesday because of equipment needed not being ready, he definately has no acceptable excuse this year.
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"Passion"

She burns with righteous flame

passion for her cause

riding free across the range

seizing truth in her jaws.

Bites down hard on bitter bit

cares so much it hurts to cry

screaming loud gives her grit

feels compelled to help to try.

so glad that mothers like her exist

praising barngoddess is not remiss.

My talented friend over at "Truth Is Freedom", Brian wrote this poem for me. I am honored.

http://hummingbunny.blogspot.com/

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***********Birthday Update 7:55 am******************

Hubby remembered! But, he conveniently failed to inform until this morning that he has to be in Tulsa ALL DAMN DAY at his companies office/shop to go over a new acquisition's paperwork and specifics. But......he wants me to drive down to Tulsa and meet him for dinner about 5 p.m.- restaurant of my choice. I would LOVE to eat at Joes Crab Shack but it is physically impossible for me to be in Tulsa at 5 p.m. because I'll most likely still be 'lunching it' with L. Besides, I hate going to the office and behaving all appropriately while pasting a stupid fake smile on my face. If it were'nt my b-day I might succumb and make the small sacrifice to spend time with S. but not today. I politely declined, then noticed S. narrowing his eyes at me as if I were up to something, hmmmm. Just for that, I think I'll stop by the Trading Post and see if that new headstall Ive been wanting since X-mas is still there! My self-involved 12 yo forgot OF COURSE but my 2 yo has been giving kisses and hugs since he awoke, he can be such a sweetie. Oh, and when I fed my old guy early this a.m. he gave me a big wet nuzzle with his grain covered muzzle, now I have a pretty green streak adorning my golden locks!

Ramblings

Temptation....rearing its ugly head, like some horrible monster from a B movie flick. The last 2 days, I have craved cigs once more. You can read about my battle here:
http://warponyramblings.blogspot.com/2006/04/smoke-signals.html
This morning I came so close to caving but I did not. Instead, I called S. which reminded me how much of a NAG he can be, then I ran to the store and bought 25 suckers.
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How does a person go from the woman in the first pic to this:

Crack head

A long time ago, I honestly thought Whitney Houston had a marvelous voice that made all other singers pale by comparision. Her music is not my type nor have I ever purchased any of her albums, but when I heard her sing the National Anthem, I thought to myself (and still do) that no other singer has ever made our Nations Song sound so beautiful. But, that was years ago. Before she wasted her talent and apparently her life to Bobby Brown and drugs. From the news or at least from her sister-in-law Tina Brown, it comes to the public that Houston has checked herself back into rehab once more. This rehab visit comes after several news articles from the National Enquirer, which showed a disturbing picture of what they claim is crack inside Whitney's filthy bathroom. Whitney get a life!

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How scary is this picture?! My 2 least favorite people. Okay, I know some people actually like them....those who do: you can stop reading now. Anyhow, I was news surfing and I came across an article where the Smithsonian Institution commissioned both of the Clinton's portraits at the same time. The Clinton's unveiled their National Portrait Gallery representations 4/24/06 at a private party for friends and patrons who helped underwrite part of the commissions. Here is what Hillary had to say about the whole deal:

"Many of my predecessors played a major role in our nation's history, one only has to read the stories to know this."

Oh my........

what a BIG waste of good $$$$$$$$$$

After The Storm

One of my little round-up club friends is an 8 yo girl. She is the sweetest child. A. lives with her grandmother and her father not too far from me. Every evening I see her outside with her brown and white pony. Her grandmother is always puttering around in thier yard, she grows a huge garden every year, one to be extremely proud of. Two or three times the 2 of them have stopped by and offered us some delicious tomatoes and peppers. A.'s grandmother grows some mean peppers, but she also grows some very tasty banana peppers. I love to cook them on the grill.

When A. was a toddler, her mother up and abandoned her. The mother, I know who she is but do not know her, I dont care to either. Any mother who chooses drugs and other men over thier children are women I could care less about. Women who are in my eyes the lowest women on this planet. Okay, enough about the deadbeat mama. Little A. always has a bright smile and 2 dirty blonde pigtail braids trailing down her back. Let me tell you, this gal can ride! She puts a lot of adults I know to shame. A. and her pony are to reckoned with when she is competing in playdays. A. has her pony doing roll backs and stopping like a cutting horse, and you know what jerks ponies can be! Not one ounce of air between her hiney and her saddle, she is stuck like glue. One day A. is going to blossom into a fine equestrienne, if she should choose this path, she will go far. A. has natural talent that one is only born with, the caliber of talent that great riders are made of. Of course, she most likely inherited it from her father. He is an excellent cowboy himself. He isint home much because he works on the pipelines and his job takes him away from home for long periods but from what I understand he makes a good living. A. is his pride and joy, she is loved by her tiny family.

Last night Oklahoma had some real nasty weather blow thru, we had high winds, half dollar sized hail, and a ton of rain. After I fed the horses for the evening, I set my favorite non-destructable 'blue' feed bucket near the gate when I latched it and then forgot to put it up. Maybe I was distracted by the impending storm or becoming another year older this week. Anyhow, when I rose early this morning to go feed the whinnying fools waiting impatiently for thier breakfast, I noticed my bucket was no where to be found. I made do and when hubby left for work, I had him make a drive by all the ditches and neighboring pastures to see if my bucket could be located. He called and said no sign of it. Well, obviously he didnt look to hard because A. and her grandmother were driving down our road and noticed it in the bar ditch about 1/3 mi from our driveway. They picked it up and brought it by. They obviously knew it was mine because I only use this brand of buckets and they are all blue. I quickly pulled on my boots and swaddled up my 2 yo in his favorite quilt (he was still in his PJ's) and went outside. I wanted to catch A. before they drove away. I had a purple pony halter and matching purple and white lead rope that I picked up at a garage sale 1 month ago and was meaning to give it to her. Also, it came to my mind, she was either late for school or not going. I hollered at A. as she was climbing into her grandmother's Ford truck. I told A. I had something for her in the garage (I put it in there thinking I wouldnt misplace it and it would remind me to give it to her, right!) She followed me down to the garage, as we were walking I noticed she wasnt her usual bubbly and giggley self. I presented her with her gift and she gave me a small hug and a huge smile, she was delighted. Purple is her favorite color she informed me. When we returned to her grandmother, I asked A. if she was feeling okay, I thought maybe she had an MD appointment or a dental appt. Her grandmother told me they were on thier way into town to see thier lawyer because A.'s no good mama is causing custody trouble. Since A.'s father is gone out of state working a lot, A.'s mother is using this as an excuse to extort money from this dear childs family. Grandparents literally have NO RIGHTS in family court. This is something that needs changed. I do know thier counsel personally and he is a shark, he will dig up every tiny dirty secret on A.'s mother and WILL use it against her. The mother's record is not clean by no means and thier attorney will see to it that Judge G. who presides over family court knows this. A. is giving a recorded statement about the whole situation so she does not have to attend court or be traumatized more by these events. I felt so bad for this child. What is wrong with some so-called parents? This little girl is thriving in her home enviorment. A. or any other child does not deserve this. I wish I could personally kick A.'s mama's ass, Id do it with glee. But, that will not solve anything, so i wont, besides the mother got out of jail and a short stint at rehab..Ill stay away from that!

Since they had an appointment to keep and very little could be discussed in A.'s presence, we couldnt visit but a few minutes. I wished her grandmother the best all around and they made thier way to town. I whole heartedly hope all works out for A. She deserves to live the best life she can and be a happy little girl with her spotted pony by her side.

Monday Newsflash

Chimps have always creeped me out, even the nicest and friendliest ones. They are not my favorite attraction at the Zoo (I love the polar bears!). Heres a VERY good reason:

In Freetown, Sierra Leone, Police hunted 4/24 for chimpanzees that escaped from a Sierra Leone preserve, attacked and mauled a group of local and American sightseers. One rare attack that left one local man dead and at least four other people hospitalized. The U.S. Embassy has warned travelling Americans against going to the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, it is where the chimps escaped before the attack on a taxicab filled with Americans and others. The Sierra Leonean cab driver died as the chimps ripped his body apart and the three Americans were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries. Another Sierra Leonean man in the group had his hand amputated after the primate mauling. The Americans were in Sierra Leone to help construct a new embassy building. Armed police are searching for 27 chimpanzees. While 4 other chimps had returned on their own to the reserve.
Chimpanzee attacks are unusual but not unheard of. 2 chimps that escaped from their cages in California severely mauled one man last year, injuring his genitals(ouch!) and limbs. A witness shot the chimps before they killed the man. Scary!!!!!
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This man is so sickening. Too bad he did not get the death penalty. I like Wichita, KS. Best friend L. and I attend the yearly Equifest when our schedules allow and the people there are just neat. The BTK(sounds like a Burger King Sandwhich!) monster deserves to suffer for what he did. Dennis Rader (BTK) remains in a prison's most restrictive environment. He is let out of his 8-foot-by-10-foot cell one hour a day, five days a week, to shower and exercise. Prosecutors in the BTK case have wanted restrictions on activities, like: pictures of women and children and news articles of his murders. Having these things might allow Dennis Rader to relive his grisly and sex-fueled fantasies/murders. But BTK earned the privileges through a system designed to encourage good behavior. The privilige list couldnt be found, obvious its a secret. Give this worthless piece of human sewege the death penalty.....he isint fit to breathe.

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I have some to my own conclusion that Tom Cruise is completely off his rocker. I do not watch much TV but I heard about his couch jumping episode, and his vocal fued over anti-depressant drugs with Brooke Shields when Ms. Shields had severe post-partum depression. Ive also read about Mr. Cruise's obsession with Scientology. He has become down right scary these days. I wonder how Mission Impossible III is going to do at the box office? I doubt I'll be wasting my $ on an ticket. You know what they say about sequels.......................

43-year-old Mr. Cruise just recently had a new baby girl with his brand new girlfriend, Katie Holmes. She is half his age. Lets hope Ms. Holmes doesnt suffer frompost-partnum depression! Here is a quote from Mr. Cruise about his new baby's birth:

"It was everything that we wanted it to be and more, It(the birth) was really very spiritual."

Okay ladies, I did not find childbirth spiritual until I received a shot of demerol and then finally an epidural either delivery. Maybe my husband did..........of course he wasnt the one doing all the work. Yep, ole Tom is definately off his rocker.

Monday!

Happy Monday! Aren't kittens cute? I love them, I like cats-not as much as I like dogs, and no where near as much as I love horses....but I like cats. Cats like me. My oldest sister J. has this HUGE cat named Sassy. For a cat, she is a 'witch'. She bites and scratches everybody, Sassy does not like anyone. And, she is HUGE. But, Sassy really likes me. Whenever I visit my sister J. in her Northern MI home, Sassy thinks my suitcase is her own personal lounger. Sassy also insists on sleeping with me in my coveted spare bedroom's ultimately comfortable bed. This has been my room when I visit, since J. built her house. It is mine and I do not like sharing it, even with my hubby.........but Sassy insists on 'rooming' with me, so I have no choice but to comply. If you like kittens and cats, please check out my girl 'FIXCAT' - she has something important to be heard, ya' all....here:

http://fixcat.blogspot.com/2006/04/its-time-of-season-for-fixing.html

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This week the farrier is coming.......yipeeee. The old guy needs some new shoes and my talented farrier has a new brand of shoe he is wanting me to try out. They are supposed to help ease some of Scooter's arthritis by absorbing ground 'shock'. I need to do some more reading up on these shoes but my vet J. said they work to a certain extent. Kinda like my son's Nike shocks? I think thats the shoes name....but my horse's shoes are no where near my son's shoes $120.00 price tag!

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Family fun= camping. I am not so sure about this equation. The last 3 weeks, my 12 yo and husband have been hinting about taking a weekend camping trip to the river before it gets as hot as hades in Oklahoma. After this saturday nite's big sleep out, the hints are coming on strong. We'll see. I am not too wild about camping out in the wild with our 2 yo other son. We'd have to keep him on the leash and let our little dog Elvis run loose. We KNOW Elvis isint going anywhere, he has never strayed far, ever-he might miss a meal! I was thinking this coming weekend we could spend it along the lines of .................... pool shopping. For some reason, I think I will be out-voted.

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I have a love/hate relationship with my vacuum. I dislike the vacuum but I like clean floors. Since today is Monday, it is house-cleaning day. I must spend time with the dreaded vacuum. I hope it behaves and doesnt emit any burning smells, fall apart, or made that loud, scary sound again....S. is gone out of town for his job until late this evening, so I am on my own-wish me luck!

Boys Will Be Boys!

Ride 'em cowboy!

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Pregger mares-it is hot! 94 degrees today

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Hugs are the best.........

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My old guy-Hey where's dinner?

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Yesterday's catch-some nice cats my boys caught-eh?

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Mama's little ranch-hand

Horses Misbehavin' or Just Bein' Horses..........

While one's horse is bucking....

Ensure that you have an audience. There is absolutely no point in being embarrassed by your horse unless there are, oh, say a hundred people around to watch. This way, you will have made them feel better about their own inadequacies, and you won't have to go into tedious detail explaining to everyone you know exactly how it happened. It is considered good form if at least one of the audience members is either:

1. Someone you admire and want to impress; or

2. Someone you despise and don't want to give any ammo to; or

3. Someone you have the hots for and want to impress; or

4.. Your best friend, who will have no trouble in falling over, laughing and pointing.

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The Horse Manual of Appropriate Behavior

Snorting: Humans like to be snorted on. Everywhere. It is your duty as the family horse, to accommodate them.
Neighing: Because you are a horse, you are expected to neigh. So neigh - a lot. Your owners will be very happy to hear you protecting the barn and communicating with other horses. Especially very late at night.
Chewing: Make a contribution to the architectural industry.... chew on your stall wall, the fence or any other wooden item.
Bedding: It is good manners to urinate in the middle of your freshly bedded stall to let your humans know how much you appreciate their hard work.
Dining: Always pull all of your hay out of the hay rack, especially right after your stall has been cleaned, so you can mix the hay with your fresh bedding. This challenges your human, the next time they're cleaning your stall - and we all know how humans love a challenge (that's what they said when they bought you as a two-year-old, right?).
Doors: Any door, even partially open, is an opportunity for you and your human to exercise. Bolt out of the door and trot around, just out of reach of your human, who will happily chase you. The longer it goes on, the more fun it is for all involved.
Nuzzling: Always take a BIG drink from your water trough immediately before nuzzling your human. Humans prefer clean muzzles and apparently, damp clothing.
Playing: If you lose your footing while frolicking in the paddock, use one of the other horses to absorb your fall so you don't injure yourself. Then the other horse will get a visit from the mean ol' vet, not you!
Visitors: Quickly determine which guest is afraid of horses. Rock back and forth on the cross-ties, neighing loudly and pawing playfully at this person. If the human backs away and starts crying, advance swiftly, stamp your feet, and neigh louder to show your concern

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In order to get along with horses, its best to know how they think. So, here's a list of everyday things defined by our equine friends:

Defined by Horses

Bucking = Counterirritant
Jump = An opportunity to stop for grass
Crossties = Gymnastic apparatus
Fence = Barrier that protects good grazing
Hitching rail = Means by which to test one's strength
Bit = Means by which a rider's every motion is transmitted to the sensitive tissues of the mouth
Arena = Place where humans can take the fun out of forward motion
Dressage = Process by which some riders can eventually be taught to respect the bit
Horse Trailer = Mobile cave bear den
Hot Walker = Lesser of two evils
Gate Latch = Type of puzzle
Grain = Sole virtue of domestication
Longeing = Procedure for keeping a prospective rider at bay
Owner = Human assigned responsibility for one's feeding
Rider = Owner overstepping his bounds
Farrier = Disposable surrogate owner; useful for acting out aggression without compromising food supply
Trainer = Owner with mob connections
Veterinarian = Flightless albino vulture

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Craziness at The Homestead

It is wonderful when one is out with these animals, how attached they become. There are times when I would walk up to my horse, that he would nicker in a low tone and run his nose against me in a very knowing manner.
~HS Young

Heres some pictures of my old guy. The best horse in the whole world (for me anyhow!) Its hard to believe he just turned 27! Earlier this evening, he and I went for a nice hour long trail ride down alongside the creek. What a beautiful evening it turned out to be. Tons of wildlife was to be seen. My total talley was: 2 bald eagles, 2 whitetail deer, 1 armadillo, and many squirrels and rabbits.
When I lit out on my ride, I was feeling a bit pissed off at my family. We had plans earlier to attend the round-up clubs events this evening but all plans were waylayed because of my 12yo's successful afternoon fishing trip, which somehow turned into a tent sleep out slumber party at my house for 4 boys. So, since my horse and I were all saddled up with no place to go, my hubby was nice enough to oversee the kids at home while I had some peace and quiet. Amazing how good I feel after that super-short hour.
Hubby is already trying to make up for the fact that next week he has to work in the Southern part of our state and will be away from home for 2 nights. I am not sure why he feels guilty about it. It is his job and I am quite capable of running the show here. S. is kinda a homebody, and he doesnt like to be away from the boys at all. I know I could use a break from him, but I would not tell him that.......well, I might, depends. School will be out in less than 3 weeks. Then, we can accompany him when he has to go out of town, no big deal.
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A long time ago when I still lived in Northern Michigan, I was riding my horse (bareback in my swim suit, to the nearest lake) one sultry summer day. A little palomino pony came from out of nowhere in a pasture along side the dirt road we were travelling. The pony was whinnying and galloping right towards us. My horse, I swear if I did not know better, it was the first time he had ever seen a pony before! Those of you who are 'horse people' know what I am talking about-I could feel his heart thundering inside his chest. It was a classic moment.

I have often been asked why do I like horses so much. Look into one's eyes. There you will see generations of horses who have served the human for thousands of years faithfully for nothing in return, beaten horses, starved horses, horses who no longer possess a sprit. They deserve to be loved and respected as much as humanly possible. Let them run free again. Let them no longer be a faithful beast, but embrace them as you would a dear friend, for they are.

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Dark Horse, by Barbara Anne Dunn

Dark Horse!

Lone phantom of the Ages-- Mastery dreamt of by paupers and kings.

Ne'er one save The Ghost Warrior dare ride!

Dark Horse!

Thy dauntless Soul bearing the luminous fires of Prometheus--

Forever answering to battle's haunting call.

Dark Horse!

Distant thundering of righteous

Gods beating your bold heart to the ceaseless rhythm of Eternity.

Dark Horse!

Thy echoing hooves so nobly blest by the gift of Mercury's wings--

Liquid silver running o'er the plains.

Dark Horse!

Immortal guidon of restless nomads,

Sages weeping to grasp Thy wisdom, Garnered truly through such lucid eyes.

Dark Horse!

Captured fleetingly by the Artist's brush, Stabled lovingly in Man's treasured tomes, Forever living and never dying.

Dark Horse!

Pounding down through time; Solitary witness to the pursuits of men, And privy to the realms of Angels

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I wish I could run like you, she thought. I wonder if I wouldn't be happier if I were a horse instead of a human?...Run with me...

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And God took a handful of southerly wind, blew His breath over it and created the horse. ~Bedouin Legend

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Horses are the most agreeable friends. They ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.

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For a good list of 15 reasons to date an Equestrian, head over to my favorite cowgirls blog here:

http://patrioticcowgirl.blogspot.com/2006/04/i-need-band-aid.html

Diamonds.....A Girl's Best Friend

The Golden Jubilee Diamond, the world's largest polished diamond, weighs 545 carats. Its present value is estimated to be $1,500,000.
A value has not yet been set on the 235-carat diamond found in a South African mine on Wednesday.

The largest-ever gem, the Cullinan, was found in 1905 and weighed in at 3,106 carats.
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Diamonds, my birthstone. My favorite gem in the world of gems, second only to sapphires, third only to emeralds.

I was doing a little bit of news surfing on this HOT saturday, burning some time before we all headed to the round-up club arena. It is hot, 90 degrees and it is just April. I like warm/hot weather, but if this is a taste of the approaching summer, I think I'll pack my bags and move to Alaska.

Anyhow, I came across this article about the huge diamond found in a South African mine this last wednesday. Notice how the exact location is undisclosed. Well, if I were the mine's owner, I would do the same!

Nice handle bar mustache on the old-time dude. I am such a sucker for a facial hair on men. That is: nicely presented facial hair on guys, body hair.....well that depends on what areas of the body.