Kids!

My girls and I were discussing a friends blog this morning.  In the talk they asked me how many followers I had.  I responded with "Six, probably because I don't write or post very often  or it could be that nobody is interested in what's happening in our little slice of Heaven.".  They replied with, "Mom take your camera with you wherever you go and just post pictures of what you see!".  Pretty smart kids, eh?  So if you don't mind seeing just pictures and possibly word or two, that's may be what my posts will consist of for a while.  A fellow blogger is having some changes  going on at his place which sparked a thought.  Our pups are now 9 months old!  They have grown into BIG beautiful animals.  Take a look at the pictures and you will see what I mean!  First pictures will be of when we first met them at two weeks old, then what they look like now at 9 months old!   HUGE difference and no Maggie has not grown into those huge paws yet!  Yikes!!  Our little runt of the litter Midnight had surgery this week - on my birthday - to have a lump removed.  The vet said it didn't look like it had any cancer cells, thank goodness.  Pretty scary since she's so young.  Maggie broke her toenail, pulled the ligaments that hold the nail straight.  Happy Birthday to me, taking the dog's to the vet.  Wahoo! 

View

This mornings view from my front porch! Wow!

Been a while

Well let's see my last post was at the end of July, it is now the middle of October!  Where did all the time go?  What have we been doing?  Well time flies when you're havin' fun!
We had two 4H horse shows, school started, trail rides, home work, cheerleading for football, riding lessons, walking the track after school, practicing speed on the horses.  See a pattern here?  Oh and, da ta da da, we have another horse in our herd.  He's a 22 year old, buckskin quarter horse.  He was suppose to be for my hubby, well the little pixie got on him first.  Well the rest is history, he's now her horse.  They are a wonderful match for one another.  Marion took over my first horse, Loci.  We still have Mr. Black Jack, even if he is a bit unruly at times.  He bit my arm, left a large lump and bruise.  We worked through that and now he's decided he is BUDDY SOUR  with our mare.  Oh this is not fun!  Tried saddling him the other night after the girls were already out and riding their horses.  Well let me tell you I cussed like a sailor at that horse!  He had me so angry I was at the point of wanting to sell him again, yes again!  He danced all over, kicked the barn, tossed his head, and tried to bite me again!!!  I gave up.  I know it's one of the worst things you can do, because they think all they have to do is be an a$$ and you will give up.  I didn't want to get hurt, and I could see that's where it was going.  Soooooo, I told the girls that if they want Momma to ride with them, then they have to wait for me to saddle the butthead first.  Yes I told them they have to wait for me.  Wait is not in a child's vocabulary is it?  Ya know if he weren't so easy to ride once I get on him, he'd be gone already!  He is the easiest horse I've ever ridden once mounted.  It's the getting there that sometimes is awful!  I am open to suggestions of what to do with him. HELP?!?!  We have worked on the ground and he listens there.  He listens when I'm on him.  When we separate the two of them is when he starts to get all squirrely.
The baby paint/clydesdale is growing like a weed.  She's huge, and beautiful.  Oh my the little sassy thing has stolen my heart.  She grew out of her first halter already and is now on her second.  We wanted her in hot pink but they don't have the color in her size, so she is in raspberry.  She is ready to be weaned which ought to be interesting.
Hope all is well with you.
SP

Silliness and Beauty

I've been out looking at different horses and their babies from different owners.
Today we had another "LOOKING" visit.

Look at that sweet little face.  She's about 3 weeks old. Fell in love with her today!  What a little sweetie. He coloring is perfect.  She is a paint/clydesdale cross.  She will be big and beautiful and she has a pink lip just like Loci!! Wow, she will fit right in. :)

This is her Daddy, Thunder.  You wouldn't know he is a stud other than the obvious.  Big and beautiful lover boy.

This little sweetheart is July.  She's an Appy as if you can't tell from all her spots.  She found a new love today. Me. :)  Her owner was amazed that she was so lovey on me since she is not normally like that with women?  Hmm must have been something she liked about me.  She's a lover that's for sure. I'm not usually and Appy lover but this one, I just loved her markings and personality.

The girls wanted to go see our big babies when we got home.  Mr. Black Jack is most certainly my horse because I'm the one that has taken the time to bond with him.  But he was willing to play along with the girls silliness tonight. 

These girls don't know how lucky they are to have two animals that are so mellow.
SP

Some Disappointment and Some Fun

I'll start off with the disappointment. We are not getting Baby, the paint horse I previously posted about.
The owner decided that she was not going to be able to sell her.  I'm ok with it, as I knew in my heart we weren't going to get her.  It will give us time to get things finished for the 2 horses we already have and to possibly build another stall to prepare for another horse coming to heaven.  So as of right now, we are still a 2 horse family. We will keep looking for another horse for Bear and one for Pixie.  Pixie road a halflinger and fell in love with her.  She is a sweet and calm 4 year old.  Pixie said she would love to have her for her horse.  We will have to do some wheeling and dealing to pull that one off.  Then of course we will be looking for the ultimate in horse for Bear. As I've said before he would like a Buckskin quarter horse, gelding.  Hoping that maybe I can pull it off for his birthday next year!  He has the perfect saddle and now he needs the perfect horse.

The fun part, we had our cousins up for a week.  Boy what a busy time we had.  We took them on some adventures in the U.P. that I went on when I was around their age and a little older.  I'll leave you with some of the beautiful places we went.  We are so fortunate to live in this place we call home!  SP

Trail Ride

The girls and I were fortunate to go on a trail ride last weekend.  I know I'm behind but oh well!  A friend of mine up here has a lot of horses and invited us out for a ride out by her home.
It was their first ever "REAL" trail ride!  They had a good time.  By the end of the ride their butts and legs hurt, and they were starving(not really but that's what they said).
We rode along the shore of Lake Michigan in and out of water, through the trees.  It was an experience they won't forget anytime soon.  My friend ponied my little Pixie since she is still a little scared to right on her own, ok a lot scared!!

 

The last picture is towards the end of our ride.  Flies were terrible which was hard for the horses.  All in all it was a great ride and the girls got a lesson in trail riding and area history.

Thanks to a great friend. 

SP

Maiden Voyage

This past Wednesday was a busy day for us.  We had many things on our to do list as we normally do but that day was to be extra special.  Why?  Let me tell you why.
My younger daughters are in 4H for horses.  Our meeting that night was about showmanship and just happened to be close enough to our house that we could ride there.  Our farrier trimmed their feet finishing just in time for us to get them saddled and head out.  We knew Loci would be fine with traffic, but BlackJack/Gemini I wasn't so sure about.  We led them out of the gate and up to the fence to do some last minute adjustments on the horses and make sure everyone was ready to go.  As I helped M Bear get on her horse, somehow BlackJack managed to pull his head out of his halter and bridle!!!!  Talk about last second, hurry up put everything back on and get moving!  I'm still not sure how he did it. 
We only have the 2 horses and there were 4 of us going, so Pixie and M Bears friend rode bikes ahead of us.  I knew I would be ok with anything that Black Jack may have tried or spooked.  My concern was for the 3 children making it to our destination in one piece.  The two bikers did so well. Very proud of them!  They would stop every so often to make sure we were ok.  We were only asking the horses to walk, no trotting.  Loci loves to trot, prance, go as fast as those legs will go! M Bear is now use to a trot but I wanted her to be safe just in case she spooked.  Besides the fact that Loci once she gets going, does not like to STOP!  She'll stop but for a child it can be difficult, heck it's hard for me sometime.  Black Jack did great!  He's such a good boy!  He has another gate between his walk and trot that he tried doing with me a couple times on this trip. His legs are longer than Loci's hence the reason she would have to trot to keep up.  He is such a smooth ride.  In learning my animals, I've learned that Black Jack spooks from high winds and birds flying up by him.  So I was in hopes of a fairly calm wind and no birds for our ride.  Which worked out fine.  We were riding along and passing a place that has 5 horses.  As we reached an opening one of their horses sounded off, Black Jack stopped dead in his tracks, turned his head and focused on where that noise came from.  He looked over there as if to say, hmm there are other horses here!  Silly horse!  That was his one and only spook. When we got to the meeting almost 15 minutes late, I let D Bear know we were there safe and sound.  I swear he worries more than I do.  After the meeting we all rode home again, but went a different way.  Black Jack kept trying to turn to go back the way we came, what a smart boy for remembering the journey.  Once I finally convinced him we were still going home, just a different path he was ok.  There is a cement bridge on the way home, he refused to go over it.  I'm not sure why but he wouldn't pass over it.  We led them across and he thought he would just keep on walking beside me.  Ummm, no!  My cell phone kept alerting me that I had text messages but I decided to ignore them until we were home.  As soon as we got home and tied the horses up, my phone started to ring.  It was my hubby in a panic asking me if we were ok!!! Of course we're ok!!  After we took off the tack and cooled the horses down I looked at my phone.  The messages were from hubby checking on us.  Worry wart!!!  In our adventure Loci stepped on M Bear's feet, she wasn't too happy about it but she'll live. 
The reason D Bear was so worried about us is because this was our maiden voyage off the property!!! Yeah!!! And he wasn't here :(  so if something were to happen he was too far away to do anything to help us.  I love him dearly and I'm so thankful for him, but he knows he has an independent wife and daughters that like to do things on their own too.  I don't think he will ever not worry about us doing our own thing.
In the whole journey there and back, I did not get one picture!!!! Not one!!! Oh well, I was concentrating so hard on getting everyone there and back safely that I didn't worry about taking pictures.
I do however have pictures of a horse that is suppose to be coming to our home soon.  Her name is Baby, she's an 11 year old registered paint!!!  I can't wait to have her here with us.

Hoping she will like being a Yooper!  I know we do!
SP

Yet Again!

A thief has struck again!  Not D Bear this time.  No this time was my oldest daughters' unlucky day!  She went in to work as she always does, set her purse down and went to talk with other coworkers about what they were going to do for the day.  She came back and her wallet was gone!  Police were called, which was completely useless!! They act as if it's an inconvenience for them to do their job?!  I bet the in house people will be able to help her more.  If not, I still know people that can get it taken care of.  The poor kid is just trying to make her own way in this world by working and doing the right thing.  I know times are tough but, don't they think it's tough for her too?  She is hopeful she will at least get it back, but it's doubtful.  As she was scrambling to remember everything in her wallet that she lost, she remembered as part of her job is to drive clients from place to place in a company vehicle.  She may end up losing her job because she does not have her actual license in possession!!  What is this world coming to?!  People are always asking me why I keep such a close eye on my kids, well this is why, you can not trust everyone!!  I know that you never could trust "everyone" but it sure seems like you could trust a lot more of them many years ago! I know I am not the only one who feels this way.  Makes me want to become a hermit that lives on our property with everything we need and never leave.  Keeping all of my kids with me to protect them from all the evil in this world.  This is not possible for me or my children but the thought is there.
Hoping above all else for justice!  Or at least a simple return of the wallet, even if the cash is gone, just to have her personal belongings returned.  We won't be holding our breath.
SP

Interesting Monday Morning

Well I got up early to let the pups out as I normally do.  Let them do their business and put them in the outdoor kennel.  Then I went back to bed.  The pups woke me up a couple hours later by barking?!  They never bark.  I guess I should have gotten my lazy butt out of bed right then.  I laid there for a while longer just because I could.  Finally got up, made coffee, got the first cup, said good morning to Mare Bear.  That's where my normal Monday morning ended!!
I went out the door to get the pups out of their kennel and then take hay out to the horses.  I reached the top step and looked up.  There were two steers looking up at me!!! I took a step back and asked them what the heck they were doing here?! As if they could answer, right?!  Wow!!  What am I suppose to do?  Call the police, the county we live in, the police station is about 50 miles from me!!!  It wasn't an emergency, so I poked my head back in the door for my camera. M Bear got it and came out to see what was out there.  She was in shock, went back in to wake up lil Pixie.  They wanted to feed them and pet them, treat them as they would their pups.  Umm, 500lb pups?! ha ha ha. After we took some pictures, I decided to get them some hay along with taking hay out to the horses.  Poor little pups were in their kennel wondering what those big black things were and if they were going to eat them. 

I know you can only see one head but see the nose down by the ground?  That's the  camera shy Jimmy.  Zeke is the one posing for the camera.

This is Jimmy.  He was playing hard to get with the camera and when the owners came to get them!! 

Theses two were so much fun!  Not what I was expecting to be outside in the morning. 

Oh well, it's life in rural Upper Michigan, you never know what will be outside your door when you get up.

SP

Some moments in time

Meet Mama Kitty and her 5 kittens. The Mama was a drop off at our house. She was already very pregnant.  I'm not a cat person at all but they are all cute little fluff balls.  She's a good Mama and takes good care of them.  We moved them to a larger area yesterday.  She delivered them in the side pocket of D Bears boat.  Not a good place when they started to grow.  Besides D Bear wanted them OUT of his boat.

Pixie and her beloved Midnight.  These two are the last born and always the last to give up and go to sleep.  Even at the times when they are yawning, can barely keep their eyes open, Pixie will tell you I'm not tired. Midnight just keeps on getting up, and picking up her head even when her eyes are just about closed.  Both are extremely sensitive. Can't raise your voice to either of them without making them cry or at least sulk. 

Puppies now have their collars on.  Do they like them?  Umm, that's a big NO!  Seem to make them scratch, trying to get them off.  Sorry little pistols but they are here to stay.  Giving me something to grab onto when they are taking me through the woods too close to the road!  Mama kitty came up on the deck which use to be her domain until the little fur balls of fire moved in.  Let me tell you, she's not a happy camper!  She does what all cats do when they meet up with a puppy/dog.  She hisses, growls, raises her hair on her back.  I have to give her credit, she has not yet raised her paw/claws to them.  Leads to never a dull moment here.

M Bear with Maggie.  Aren't they sweet.  Who could ever think this sweet little bundle of fur would ever go on an adventure without Mom's permission.  Maggie seems to want to do it on a daily basis!!!  Hoping M Bear doesn't ever do that.  M Bear rubbed Maggie's belly until she went to sleep.  The sisters were sitting on the couch right next to them wide awake!  Go figure!

I love this picture!  Loki was laying out in the sun when the girls got home from school yesterday.  M Bear asked if she could crawl under the fence to go be with her.  Sure why not, manure washes, right?  They've been missing each other with all of the running we are doing for track and oh yes those little puppies too.  They spent about 30 minutes sitting and laying in the sun together.  Not sure of their conversation but whatever it was, needed to be said.  Maybe it went something like this, " Where have you been?  I've missed you. Come sit with me and enjoy the warm sun." .  "I'm sorry, I've been busy running and trying to train the puppies.  Summer vacation is coming soon which means I will have more time with you.  The sun feels good, mind if I lay down with you?"
These are a glimpse of what happens here in Heaven if you take the time to enjoy it.
SP

Spring has finally sprung here! I think?

There have been some signs of Spring here at heaven.  A hummingbird nearly took out my head in search of it's nectar.  I usually have it out when I hear the geese made their way home but have been a little pre-occupied with puppies.  Anyhow, the hummingbirds have their nectar out once again, hungry little buggers.  The cardinals didn't leave but the males have gone back to thinking they are the most beautiful creatures on earth.  They are a brilliant red, and they know it.  The males go to my truck mirrors to look at themselves.  I have proof, the mirror is a mess, all pecked up and scratched!  Crazy birds.  The gold finches are here.  Their gorgeous shade of yellow sure catches your eye.  We also have purple finches.  I have noticed 2 sets of the rose breasted Grosbeak.  My personal favorite, the Indigo Bunting!  I noticed 2 males! Wahoo! Of course we have chickadee's, brown headed cow birds, blue jays, Dark Eyed Junco's, nut hatches, and several different wood peckers.  Oh Robin's too.  Waiting for the wax wings and oriole's to make their appearance. 
What types of birds do you get where  you live?  It's so good to hear all of the different noises outside.
The puppies are growing so fast.  Miss Maggie is 21 lbs.  Miss Midnight is 20 lbs.  They are learning and so am I.  I'm the one they spend the most time with for now.  When the kids come home from school, they are on puppy duty since I need to do some things without pups under my feet.  Maggie likes to be right on my heals when we go for walks.  It's good she stays close but I'm afraid it's a little too close and she may get hurt.  Midnight is always close by and wanting to please me.  We are making progress on their boundaries, and to come when called.  Potty training? Well it's a work in progress.  They are working on making me progress from slightly crazy to maxed out nutcase!  We will get it, sure would be helpful if they weren't water dogs.  The weather could cooperate a little too.  Things are quite wet around here which means, they can find water whenever they want it.  In turn that means they have to go all the time!!!!
The vet made a trip here which was a little expensive but I expected it.  The horses needed their spring vaccines and their teeth floated.  We found out that Gemini/Black Jack doesn't need as much tranquilizer.  Poor guy was really dopey.  I had to prop his head up for the vet to do his teeth.  When she finished, he was not sure if he wanted to stand up, lay down or somewhere in between.  He weebled, and wobbled and almost went down.  He had his head hanging pretty low for a while.  I kept checking on them for the next few hours making sure they were ok. Mr. had me pretty worried but he was just fine.  They were not themselves for the rest of the day.  Poor babies.  Hope the weather breaks for an opportunity to ride soon.
Track is  almost finished for the year as well as school.  Wow! Where did the time go?!  I have most of the flowers for the summer but can't plant them until the danger of frost is gone.
What's happening in your neck of the woods?
SP

Craziness

Holy Moly!  I didn't realize that things would be so crazy adding 2 puppies to our family here in heaven!
Last week we brought our puppies home, D Bear got home, we had a track meet, track practice, and then another track meet!  Oh add the horses in there too.  I will have to learn how to balance everything once again. 
Potty training is going and that's about it!  It will take some time to get that down.  The crazy little critters are learning their boundaries.  Oh what a chore that is.  Momma kitty that someone was so kind to drop off, had 5 kittens!! Yes 5!!!  I'm not much of a cat person.  I'm slightly allergic to them.  So add her in the mix with puppies, and you have trouble!  She runs away from them towards the road, into the thickest brush she can find!!  Wah!
Our whole routine has been flipped upside down and inside out but we will get use to this too!
Horses are doing wonderful.  Hope to ride again soon.  I will have to make time for both of them.  I wish there was a way for me to ride both of them.  Any idea's?  I did ride Loki about 2 weeks ago.  She's such a good girl.  We lunged them yesterday.  I love to watch them move.  So graceful.  Loki runs with all her heart, going as hard as she can.  Black Jack just runs a steady pace.  He's getting less trippy the more we work him.  He's my next ride when I get the chance.  I'm hoping for him to be a good boy.  Hoping to not get thrown?!
Mother's Day was a gorgeous day here.  Sun was shining all day.  We spent the day together.  D Bear had to go back to work.  We went shopping at a local greenhouse.  Can anyone say flower power?!  Girls and I picked out many, many flowers. D Bear wanted apple trees, we bought a yellow transparent and a macintosh.  Also bought two Lilac Bushes.  Wahoo!  I will be busy in about 2 weeks once there is no chance of frost.
So there is a sliver of what's been going on in our hectic lives.  Hope you all have a wonderful day, week, month.  Never know when I will have the time to sit and write some more.
SP

Meet the puppies!!

Good Tuesday morning to ya!  Well here's the calm before the storm, literally.  Woke up to a beautiful sunrise this morning.

Now meet the puppies!!  And this storm will hit our house in about 2 weeks!! Wahoo!! Am I ready for this?  Probably not, but hey, life's a dance!  You only live once, so you might as well hang on and enjoy the ride, right?  Remind me of this about a week after we get them, ok?
First up and first born in the litter, Meet lil' Miss Maggie Mae.  She will be Mare Bear's girl.

Now let's meet, Lil' Miss Black As Midnight.  She's the last born and runt of the litter.  She will be Pixie's girl.

Not a very clear picture of her.  But she is the cutest little thing.  Kind of ironic, she's the last born and the smallest of her litter, Pixie is our last born and the smallest(for now) of our family.

Our lives will once again change.  We were able to watch them grow from the time we met them at 2 weeks of age until now.  The owner of the Mom has been so kind as to let us come see them whenever we get the chance and has posted pictures of them weekly on FaceBook.  We look forward to having them come home with us.  I keep telling the owner, I don't know how you will be able to let all of them go.  Although it must be like having 6 children the same age constantly needing one of their two Mom's.
While we were there, the pups kept looking for the girls.  So cute, they'd sit in their area and look out for them and whine until they were picked up by them.  They must remember their smell or something.  Midnight slept in my arms for a long time in puppy time, I hope she doesn't think she will be doing that when she's 60 lbs.?!
Anyhow, have a great day.  If you are in the path of the winter storm heading our way in April, get prepared!  I can't believe this crazy weather. Smile it's good for you!
SP

Make up your mind!

Ok, I'm not sure who to be angry with!  Is it Mother nature or Old Man Winter?????
Whoever it is, can someone please tell them, IT'S SPRING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!

SUNSHINE!

The sun is shining and it's 61 degrees!  Wahoo!! I'm going to enjoy it while it's here. They are calling for snow here on Saturday!! Come on Mother Nature, give us Spring!
Going out for some much needed vitamin D!
Smile just for something to do :)

Monday, Monday!

It's the 11th of April, 2011.  It's a Monday!!!!  Have one sick child home from school today.  Poor kid just gets rid of one cold and is hit with another.  Sore throat, and stuffy nose.  Every time she sneezes the gunk comes shooting out!  Gross, I know!!
We have had some pretty terrible storms come through this past weekend.  Last night we had high winds, that ripped apart my horses outside shelter!  Of course Bear is gone so I have to figure out how to get another one up for them before bad weather hits again!  Any ideas for someone on a TIGHT budget?  I spent my morning out with the horses.  Poor Lokey kept getting spooked, running all over their pasture.  Gemini kept coming up to me checking out the job I had set in front of me.  The tarps don't phase him a bit.  He bit my back in a couple spots, as if saying Mom, move out of there, let me help you with that!  No help needed from a big black horse, thank you very much!  Fell on my butt in our muddy, manure filled pasture!  Thank goodness for carhart!
I have been thinking about something with Gemini.  I don't think that was his name before the last owner had him.  He doesn't raise his head or turn his ears when his name is called.  He doesn't look at me.  So I started saying different names just to see if he'd turn his ears or pick up his head.  He turns his ears and head when he's called, Blacky or Black Jack.  I'm thinking it's either one of those or something close to it.  Any idea's or suggestions on changing his name?  Lokey/Loki has always been named just that.  When she hears her name she stops, looks and listens to where I'm at.  Whistle and call her name, she runs around the pasture.  I swear that girl has Arabian in her, her tail goes up when she runs.  I love it!
I hope where ever you might be, you have a good day!
SP

Come on Spring, I need to ride!

Mother nature is playing tricks on us these days!
She can't seem to decide whether it's winter or spring.
I'll help her out, " IT'S SPRING OLD LADY!"
Not sure she was listening but it felt good to yell.
Spring around here mean a muddy, mucky mess for about 2 months.
I will be forever sweeping and mopping the floors everyday!
Just to keep them looking good.
I long for things to dry up so that I may take the horses out
for much needed exercise and riding.  I go down to the
barn to clean everyday, and "visit" with my four legged babies.
That's just not enough for me or them either.  They look at me with
their soft brown eyes as if to say "That's it?  You're only going to brush
me, love on me and smell my smells and leave!! Uh but Mom!! Mom don't
leave us.". They pull me back for one more touch to their soft muzzles and
a lick from Mr. Gemini.  I love their sweetness and their way of saying
I want more or I want less. They are so simple (sometimes).
If it weren't so wet and icky here I'd take them out for a walk around or something.
Thanks to Mother Nature we are back in the deep freeze again so now there
is ice again which makes it too slippery for them.  Can't catch a break can we.


Oh update on the puppies.  We put a deposit down on 2! Yes 2!  As of now they
have picked out the runt which is black and a chocolate.  We will go back in a
week or so to take another look at them.  If you look at the picture I posted of them
before.  They are the 2 all the way to the right side.  Chocolate is the one with it's
mouth open and the run is laying on her back.  Oh the joys of puppies.  I know
I won't be saying that when they've chewed everything we own and peed on the floor
for the 100th time.  I love animals and want my kids to grow up with them as a companion.
Am I nuts?  Ah maybe a little but it's ok.

Have good day!
SP

Get back down to earth, It's where we all need to be...

I Must Be Losing My Mind!

Puppies, puppies, puppies??!!!  I love them with their rolly poly bellies, puppy breath, and oh so soft ears!  Puppies and all their cuteness melt my heart and turn my brain to mush.  As if things aren't busy enough with 2 kids, 2 horses and the everyday household chores!  We will be adding 2 adorable lab pups in about 6 weeks!!!  Am I nuts?  Maybe!  Probably!  If I'm not now, I sure will be in about 6 1/2 weeks!  When we moved to our little slice of heaven part of our reasons were so that we could have horses, dogs and whatever other animals we wanted to.  We have all kinds of wild critters to look at and enjoy too but the Momma wants farm animals and dogs.  I know horses and dogs usually aren't a good mix which means a lot of training on my part but it will be worth it to me for the girls to have the companionship of a dog and horse. 

The logger has finished his clear cutting for a larger pasture for my big babies.  Yeah!! Now we have a little clean up and lots of fence to put in, along with another shelter.  Then there will be more stalls to build over the summer.  We have a 4 person family in need of a 4 horse herd.  Girls and I will be making a road trip to either Madison or Minneapolis in April for their horse expo's! Look out here we come!!  My dilemma is this, I want to go to a horse auction at the end of April which are the same dates of Minneapolis!  What's a girl to do when she wants to be in 2 places at once?  We aren't ready for more horses at this time but will be soon.  I think this year I may just go to auction just to SEE and experience what it's all about.  No purchases?!  If I can keep that in my head and not fall head over heals for all of the horses, I'll be all set!  Wish me luck!

I'll leave you with puppy cuteness....

A Big Thank You!!

Thank you Buck for giving me an award.   


There are rules that go along with this award:
1.Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3.Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers
4.Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

Ok so here it goes!

Seven things about myself? I don't think much about that.

1.) I am a Mother of 4 gorgeous  kids and now 2 adults.

2.) Married to the love of my life.  The kindest, big hearted, loving and caring man.  Love my wrangler man!

3.)  Lover of horses.  I truly enjoy every moment (Even the bad) I have with my horses.

4.)  Would do anything for anyone if need be.

5.)  Helpful, caring, and loving.

6.)  Love the beautiful slice of heaven we live in.

7.)  This last one is tough, can't think of anything.  Love to cook and bake for anyone who likes to eat but, I don't like the clean up afterwards.



                                                              Fifteen recently discovered blogs
                                                    (I don't have 15 that I read so I'll list the ones I do read)
 
1.) A Tale of Two Buckskins
2.) Amy Elizabeth Photography
3.)Cedar View Paint Horses
4.) DVMS' Wife
5.) Far Side of Fifty
6.) Spotty Horse News
7.) Tetongirl
8.) Utterly Random By Jules
9.) The Pioneer Woman
10.) The Hillbilly Houswife
11.) Life On A Colorado Farm

There ya have it.  Now just to contact all of them.  Hope you are all well.
SP

Thanks

Thank you Buckskin's Rule for the award given a long time ago.
I'm not sure how to go about putting it on here.
I need to apologize for being so slow in my response to you.
Things here have been hectic to say the least.
Thank you for the award.  If you can leave it in my comments how to put it
on here I will do my best to get it posted

he he he Brown Chicken Brown Cow!

 

I saw this video for the first time the other day.

I hope it doesn't offend anyone but I 

thought it was funny.   He's one of my favorites.  Sorry can't help

it, something about a tall cowboy with long hair

just hmmm. I'll leave it at that.  The muppets were

a childhood favorite of mine too.  First time I put a you tube on

never realized it was so easy.

Have a good day!

SP

Weekend Fun

Winter weather to a lot of people means more time indoors in their warm toasty house.  Not to us.  It means time outside being bundled up and having fun!  We had some visitors this weekend, our cousins from below the bridge came up for a fun filled weekend.  Bear and I took five, yes five girls tubing!  Only one casualty, wasn't too bad!  Lots of smiles, giggling, and screams as they went zinging by on their tube.  One of the little ones got the bright idea to walk up the hill, why when you can be towed up!  I told her I'd join her, about half way up  she said "I'm not doing this again!".  Ha ha ha!  I told her "You're right little sister, cuz if you do, you're on your own!".  The girls all played outside more after got home.  Big Bear did all of the cooking this weekend and cleaned up too!  Oh what would we have done without him?!  He took all of them out to see the logger operating the processor.  They all thought that was pretty neat!  As always an adventure with Bear involves climbing trees, being silly, and investigating.  There was a squirrel hole to check out as well as a ton of animal tracks.  With the logger opening up the woods it makes it much easier for all the backyard critters to get around.
Hope you all had a great weekend.
I'll leave you with one of my favorite things in the world.  Soft and brown.

Regal Redeemer

 

One from the archives.

This is Big D on his horse from many

years ago.  His name was Regal Redeemer.

Big D talks very highly of this animal.

Well trained animal!  Bought as an 

unpapered double registered quarter horse

and buckskin registry.  He use to have dapples when he was

left out all summer.  One for the memory book.

Hopefully some day we will be able to get

Big D another one like him.

SweetP

Animals are funny!

I was out with my lovely critters yesterday.  Oh my, they are so much fun!
Gemini was just a love!  He wanted all of the attention.
Miss Lokey was absolutely jealous of the affection he was getting.
She came up, put her nose in his butt, telling him to get away from her Mom!
He backed up with his ears pinned as if he were going to kick her.  Lokey being miss mellow
backed off.  She came back for more.  This time she went up to his neck as if she
were going to bite.  Right up in his face and making her I'm a mare winnie, kicked up her
front leg towards him.  Gemini put his head down as she was looking at me.  I
can't tell if she's looking at me as if to say "Stay away from my boyfriend!!!" or "See Mom I made him leave you alone!".  Or could it be that she was telling him "That's my Mom, I was here first and I get all the attention, Not you! Got It?!!" ?  They are funny animals and I love them.
I went out this morning to put them out.  Gemini was his normal crabby self.  He's not a morning horse!  He wants out first and lets me know it by kicking his stall gate.  Impatient big butthead!  Lokey is the slowpoke at getting out the door every morning.  I swear she does it on purpose just to make Gem angry!  
That's my morning with them.  We'll see what the afternoon visit brings.
Have a nice day!

What to write about?

I've been here several times in the past week, wanting to write about so many different subjects.  Most of them are about my crazy horses, children, hubby and just life here.  Others about what's coming up in the next few weeks.
I guess I could just ramble on about it all.
Good thing for us, the logger is here!  He started Monday morning with the select cutting.  It looks good to me.  The test will be when the Big D gets home!  He knows every inch of our property much better than I do.  As in all the trees and where they are and where all of the property lines are.  Me?  Not so much, heck I get turned around in the back yard.  Not really but pretty close!  Mare Bear and I took out the snowshoes to go mark the trees that hold the all precious bow stands, and The Tree, the hunting hut, etc.  She knows how to get to these places better than I.  Guess the adult ADD thing is still there, dang!  The Tree is a birch tree that we have been writing on since our first trip up here when it was just hunting land with an old shack of a trailer that served as camp.  Rustic?  Yea!  Holes in the floor?  Oh yes, watch where you step!  Good times and warmth when you need it?  YES!  We had a lot of fun!  So The Tree must be saved!  My little tree hugger Pixie is having issues with the trees being cut.  She's not really too much of a tree hugger but part of her is.  You'd have to meet her to understand.  Ok, she's a redhead!  Does that help??? She's eclectic!  Does that tell you more?  I love her and wouldn't change her for anything!  Her sisters however might want to trade her for a little more normal sister.  I keep telling them, everyone is different and no one can be perfect like you two!  Sisters!  Sometimes I feel I've missed out on the bond they share and other times I'm so thankful I never had the privilege of having a sister!!!!
Rambling enough for you?  Kind of hard to stay on subject but it adds a little for you to read.
To finish up about the logger, he's select cutting most of the property.  There will be an area of clear cutting, about 4 acres.  For what you might ask?  More pasture for the horses.  Which means, more horses too in the spring!  Wahoo!!! Two more.  Not sure if they will be mares or geldings or what breed if any.  Might get another mixed, younger or older.  Who knows.  I would love a paint and the hubby would love a buckskin.  We'll see.  Also in the spring we will get the girls their long awaited lab pups!  Yikes! If I'm not crazy now, I will be by the time they are 3 months old!
Horses.  My favorite subject to write about besides my kiddo's an life here at Heaven.  Gemini and I finally have to come to an understanding, I'm the boss and he's NOT!  Few sailor talks (Thanks for the suggestion Amy) and he listens pretty well now.  He understands that if he goes to bite me, he's getting a swat!  Make him think that I am going to kill him (Thanks Buck) even though I'm not and he got the picture.  He now knows that all redhead's rule the pasture and he's not one of them!  Lokey well she's such a sweety that's all I can say about her.  I've been out with them and making them move in the paddock.  She's willing to move out when asked, Gemini, ummm slow poke!  With encouragement he's moving!  Lokey must have a higher tail set then Gemini or she's has Arabian in her.  She holds her tail up while running, it's beautiful!  Love to watch her run!  I know I keep repeating this but when we brought her here in November, she was hardly able to walk.  She would walk, but the pain must have been terrible.  Now we see her running, kicking up her heals, playing with Gemini and loving life!  She's still miss mellow and loves attention but you can tell she feels better.  Gemini is smooth and graceful when he runs at his much slower pace than Lokey.  He has longer legs than she does and should be able to out run her with no problem.  Maybe he lets her think she's winning the race?  Or it's her want and need to be first that makes her run faster?  Whatever it is, I love it!! I love spending time with them.  When I don't get time with them, I miss them.  Even though they are right outside where I can see them.  I need to smell their smell, touch their soft muzzle, pet them and talk to them.. They have done this woman a world of good.  I never thought I'd have horses of my own, turned 40 and now have two!  I want more! he he he.
The girls!  Well they have been busy making Mema nuts!  Not really, some days yes and some days no.  Some days I wonder what happens to them, do they switch bodies at night?  There are some days when I would swear that's what's happened.  M Bear is usually miss mellow and good grades and nice.  Then something or someone takes over her body and she's this hyper, mean little girl that doesn't want to listen or do anything I ask of her.  She's not able to focus on anything or anyone.  Kind of like she turns into her sister.  Her sister isn't always mean it's that she's more likely to be mean  than M Bear is.  Pixie is like I said, a redhead!  Need I say more?  She's the one that's all over the place and can't focus, bounces off the walls.  Both are good kids and are their own person, and true to their values.  They are just different.  D Bear and I started an ice rink in the back yard for them to skate on.  They love it!  Winter is M Bear's season.  She loves to be outside.  Pix will go out for a little while but likes Fall and Spring better.  They like Summer but it's too hot!
Big D is coming home from this last job.  Not sure how long he will be here for.  He's hoping for a long time but knows he has to work to keep things going around here.  If we could afford for him to retire, he'd be done tomorrow.  He has a list a mile long of things he wants to accomplish while he's home.  Finish the overhead of the stalls for storage.  No hay up there, too much of a fire hazard.  Also needs to wire it for lights and outlets.  Wahoo, I'll be able to see better when we clean stalls.  Also has to put something along the back wall so that Mr. Gem won't be able to beat on the back door!!!!  He has too many things to do and I am in hopes that he will be able to do some of them and go ice fishing.  I could go for a big plate of fresh fish!  Yummy!!
So  I will leave you for now and hope to get back into writing on a more regular basis, if I'm not recruited to work with Big D Man!  Hope you are staying warm and enjoying winter.
SweetP

Bussing

OKAY! 
Normally I don't like to complain.  Usually I wouldn't say anything at all and I would just let it go!  Well I can stay silent no longer! 
We've had some problems with our bus driver(s) that pick up and drop off my girls for school.
Some days he just doesn't even stop to pick them up!  I mean not even so much as a slow down!  I called the superintendent of our school the 2nd time in one week that the driver went flying by my girls as they are standing out there waiting for the bus!  They were out there with lights on and waving their arms as the bus went right on by them!  Umm, can't see?  Can't remember to stop at the same stop everyday?  What is it?  Kids on the bus distracting you?  Problem solved, stop the bus and tell the little brat to sit down and shut up or they will have to walk to school!!!
Everyday the girls are out there waiting for the bus by 7:35 am.  The bus doesn't get here until 7:45 or later.  Today however the bus was here at 7:35, and the girls were not ready to go out!!  The bus actually stopped which is great but he was at least 10 minutes early!!  He was out honking his horn so I ran out in my slippers, no jacket on to wave him on!  Talk about frustrating!  Tomorrow morning we will go out in the truck and be out there at 7:30 am and see just what time he decides to show up!  I will go over to the bus and have a little chit chat with the driver!  He might be late for his next stop but I don't care!  I can see the time fluctuating 5 minutes either way but this is getting ridiculous, we never know when he will be here or if he's going to stop! 
Sorry this was a gripe session but I just don't know what to do.  If the chit chat doesn't work well then I will go back to the superintendent.  Their job is to get the kids to and from school safe and in a timely manner and to give them an education.  Is it asking too much to have the bus here everyday around the same time?????
Thanks for listening/reading.
Sweet P

Winston Churchill said--"There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man."

Woman in my case.

 

?????

Have a question for anyone out there that might be reading.
My Mr. Gentle Gemini has not been so gentle the past couple days.
I have been trying to work with him and my mare on their herdy habit!
My mare did good for the most part.  Only got a little nervous around the truck and when she saw Gem.
I started on Wednesday of this week with the same way I started with her.
Except I could not get him to move an inch!  I tried with the bit in and with just the halter and lead.
I even had a convincer and he still wouldn't move.
He instead decided to throw his head, pin his ears and try to bite me!
I kept trying, didn't give up.  Got frustrated and left him alone for a bit.  Went back to him and he started the same thing.  I put the mare inside and he was finally convinced to move!
By this time I was so tired, we worked for a few minutes more and I turned him loose.
I went out again yesterday with some determination and he did the same thing but much worse.
He chased my mare everywhere, he bucked and kicked at her.  She turned around and kicked him!  Bugger deserved it after picking on her!
I thought we should end it for the day and try again today.  Oh boy!  I either really made him mad or he is hurting somewhere and I can't see it.
I went back out to see if he would at least let me near him to see if I could feel any sore spots. Couldn't feel any but right behind his right front leg makes him pin his ears and try to bite.  He got ahold of my coat this time!!  Good thing I have a baggy carhart, otherwise he would have had my arm too!
So my question(s) is this.  Is this a sign that he's angry with me?  Is he in pain?  What is it? Is he thinking I am trying to take him away from her?  Please give advice.
Thanks
SweetP

Working With My Animals

It's winter here in Heaven.  We had cold temperatures, then a warm up.  Now we are back to single digit nights and maybe 20's during the day.  Makes working with the animals a little harder but it's worth it.  Hauling water is a tad difficult but what can you do when you don't have water in the barn yet?!  You have to haul it. We have a big stock tank with a heater in it so now instead of hauling the buckets from the house this silly girl dips the bucket in the tank and takes it in.  Thanks Bear for the suggestion.
Yesterday I tacked up my mare and we tested her listening skills while being separated from Gemini.  For the most part she did really well.  Until she saw that he was loose in the paddock!  She started her spinning and back up routine. Once we calmed down she was ready to listen again.  Gemini was throwing what I call a hissy fit because she was out and he wasn't.  Today will be his turn to make sure he will listen too.  Found out that my mare is not real crazy about being close to a vehicle running or not.  She did well with all of the other areas, doesn't spook easily but is very alert to her surroundings.  We even did a walk through the archway and she walked under it like it was nothing.  Gemini is a little taller than her so I'm not sure if he will go through there.  Even though they have only been together for a short time, they are already attached.  That's why we need to work on separating them.  I can't ride both of them at the same time and would love to be able to take one for a ride and know they will be just fine and not leave me laying on the ground somewhere along the trail just to get back to one another. Any idea's of how to cure a buddy sour horse?  We walked away and turned back several times, walked out of his sight and back to him.  He didn't like it but we have to work on it.  Today will be Lokey's test to see how big of a fit she will throw, and how well I can get Gemini to listen to me.  Hopefully we will end on a good note.
My Mare is still the boss when it comes to following the rules of being nice to Momma!  She lets him know it too!  He bullies her out of the hay though.  That's ok, I just move it to where she is to make sure she gets her share.  Big bully!  Had the vet and farrier out on Monday.  Funny how their opinions differ.  They are both horse owners too.  Vet did their health exams and coggins tests.  Praying for a negative result.  I know Gemini is clear and almost positive Lokey is but there will be a wait and see on both!  Vet said they both look and sound good, wahoo!  However my chunky little mare needs to lose weight.  I knew that was coming, but believe it or not, she's lost weight since she's been here.  Put her on a diet of straight grass hay without alfalfa and clover.  The hay she was eating was good but it had too much alfalfa and clover in it for her.  She foundered last summer/fall before we got her so she gets no grain, just hay.  In talking with the farrier, which had Lokey at her farm last summer, we thought we should try beet pulp for her at night since Gemini was use to getting grain.  She loves it with a little bit of molasses drizzled on it, almost like an oatmeal for horses.  Anyway, she is doing great!  Farrier couldn't believe how good she looked and how much she's trimmed down.  She took off more toe this time and let me tell you Lokey is movin' and groovin'.  Have you ever heard the song "I Feel Good"?  Well that's how she is moving, running around and playing with Gemini, rolling in the snow!  To think just a couple months ago, she could hardly walk.  I am so thankful she is doing better and we can take care of her.  Such a sweet girl and Gemini is a total sweetheart too.  He is the only horse I've met that will lick your hand as a sign of affection.  Lokey hugs you with her head and kisses your cheek by moving her lips.  We really were blessed with two great animals.  While the vet was here I learned that Gemini has a snip on his upper lip.  She was putting his markings on the form and noticed it.  Which inspired me to take pictures of all their special markings.  They both like to steam up my lens with their breath.  One of my favorite markings on Lokey is her fuzzy pink lip.  On Gemini, it's his little white snip by his big brown eye.
I'll leave you with some photo's and wish for a Happy New Year!