I Did It!

In spite of the bicyclist riding four to six abreast on a county road; in spite of heading into the sun with commuters on my rear; in spite of some knucklehead peaking out from behind me on a double double yellow even though I was up to speed, I made it down to our favorite chicken seller (Oh My, Oh My ). No, I really do mean our favorite chicken seller.

After last Wednesday's fiasco with dreadlock boy, Oh The Plans They Are A Changing, we tried again the next day with a different Craig's List ad. This fellow was a Chicken Hunter's dream, a former APA judge, former Poultry Person of the Year at the Junior Poultry Expo (a few years ago). Ex APA Judge had lots of many beautiful, well cared for chickens, so all the girls, EBet, Anna Colleen and the Chicken Hunter's A. Grace and Anne Pants picked up some darling bantams to use for fitting and showing at the Jr. Poultry Expo.

But surely we did not go all the way down to the Orting Valley to pick up more chickens in the horse trailer with Holly (Anna's horse) inside. No, we did not.

As it turned out Former APA Judge not only has the prettiest birds we've seen, but he raises Quarter horses and has a beautiful stallion. Who happens to be a Palamino! Last week he and Anna talked about breeding and how she was looking for just that sort of fella to breed Holly to. Well Anna explained that she had less than half of his fee and Former Judge cut it down to what seemed more than fair.

Yesterday Anna determined that Holly was coming back into estrus and called F. J. With Stallion with the sad news that she did not have even enough at the moment for his gracious decreased fee.

He said, "Bring her on down."

Well, now Anna is without a horsey to ride this week but she is walking four feet off the ground anyway. She will be (hopefully) a horse grandma this time next year.

I am walking at least two feet off the ground because I drove that rig as if I had not taken a thirty, almost thirty year break from independent manuvering and driving my daddy's big trucks.

But just in case Dirt (are you reading today Dear?) thinks this means he can take a break from changing my oil, rotating my tires and driving the trailer. Think again. There are a zillion-kabillion reasons I am married to you Dirt and those are three of the top twenty.

See you soon Dear Reader, thanks for having confidence in me. I gotta go water those demanding Brugs before they start whining and knocking on my door.

Oh My, Oh My

This morning, before it gets hot and while there are lots of commuters on the road, I will be driving Dirt's truck with the stock trailer behind and Anna's horse in the trailer. The horse trailer doesn't have air conditioning that is why Dirt says I gotta go and I gotta go early.

I've never done this before.

I've never had to.

Yikes.

But if Dirt is willing, he is actually the one who suggested it, then I am positive I am more than capable.

Dear Reader I am sorry that I have been terrible at this blogging thing, not so much not getting things down over here, but getting out in the neighborhood to visit. I keep thinking that I will have nothing but time cuz of the hot weather, but not unlike frozen cold in the winter, this weather is causing a lot of work, along with all the regular stuff I'm supposed to be doing. I'll get out and visit soon, really I will.

I've been given such freedom and have had such victory lately that I can hardly wait to express all that I can. God is good, all the time!

Titles Are Important But Occasionally Difficult

If I thought my lap top was becoming only a blog tool, I certainly do not think so any more.

It was very nice of Rebecca to have loaned me her lap top yesterday until we get together for gathering tonight. But I sure as heck hope that my lt comes back with all my stuff on it, soon.

But most likely it won't be returned until November fourth, a coincidence?, I think not. That would be two weeks after Dirt sent it in, which is what we were told to expect, or at least what Dirt told me he was told. And it would so serve me right as I am certain I was beginning to become way too involved in the political season. I am also on a strict news diet, just enough to keep me informed.

Some messages are not to hard to figure out. I'm not saying that a person ought not to care, I would never say that I still believe whole heartedly that you must be engaged in the life around you. But one must respond to what they are called to, and I know I was not called to politics, either directly or indirectly. To be an aware citizen, most certainly, but you dear reader were not exposed to even a fraction of what was swirling in my head, and that would definitely go well beyond being aware. Any who, lest I get carried away I will now stop talking. Besides my ballot is nearly all filled out and ready to mail.

I miss my lt, as I said above, I hope I get it back with my stuff on it.

But even if it is erased and all I get back is what I started with in April, oh well, I have lost many a yellow note pad in the middle of what I thought was a stellar thought about God, or a phenomenal organizational breakthrough and out there somewhere float many many note pads with vital ideas about my garden.

So it will not be the first time I have lost writings and ideas and heck even pictures, but I will say it is hard to live without the new "yellow pad" in my life. Yeah, I have written, ink and paper written, a few things, but it just doesn't seem the same.

And I must say that I have noticed that my handwriting has improved since I last wrote a lot by hand. Odd isn't it? I would have thought it would be the other way around. So much for, the more you do it the better you get.

Oh, by the way some of the mistakes in my last post have been corrected, so in case you were wondering if I was slipping into relativism I have corrected the glaring mistakes I saw.

Sunday's Lutefest was terrific, made all that much more terrific with the addition of some new faces at our celebration of the true European discoverer of North America.

There is a lot going on and little time to tell you all of it. Terry gave me another book by Tozer, we're wrapping up Foster's Celebration of Discipline (or are we), my tulip and hyacinth bulbs arrived, Terry and I switched to a later work out time and really getting to it, which reminds me of my abandoned Sheet Diet, the girls are getting ready for a gaming show on Saturday, Ivan and Holly's first public outing, Dirt's birthday on Saturday, our good friend's anniversary to celebrate, tricks for treats to get ready for, more apples to squish into various luscious concoctions, more beds to bury under mulchiness and plants to fuss over, a sewing room to clean out, an office to organize, notes for a book to find, not to mention all that has already happened in the last few days and tons of pictures, is your head spinning? because mine sure is.

The Tozer book alone is quite sufficient. I am struggling reading it. I don't make it very far before I have to drop it and just let my mind and heart sit. Thanks Terry!

Meditating on Jude. Reading Philippians.

I can't post all that I have read and thought but I would love to leave you with one quote from

The Pursuit of Man, by Tozer:

"Without doubt we have suffered the loss of many spiritual treasures because we have let slip the simple truth that the miracle of the perpetuation of life is in God. God did not create life and toss it from Him like some petulant artist disappointed with his work. All life is in Him and out of Him, flowing from Him and returning to Him again, a moving indivisible sea of which He is the Fountainhead. That eternal life which was with the Father is now the possession of believing men, and that life is not God's gift only, but His very self."

Another Sheep Herding Ride

They're headed home by the resident sheep herders.

Another great sheep herding ride.

But not on horse back today.

Come on, get going.

Ah, a little self portrait, why do they never seem to turn out.

Hi Bet! Hi Anna!

Moving the sheep from the back sixty to the front twenty takes them through a lovely wooded belt.

Where the grass is very lush. Martin, do you see this problem. So, you think you are dog enough to solve it or do we need to go get the Border Collies?

It looks as if Martin can get this crowd under control after all.

He has taken some lessons from the Border Collies. And he is determined to let Dirt know that he is all this farm needs. No reason to replace the aging Border Collies with any one but him.
Ah, the back gate finally. And it looks as if they are getting through it.
Yes, they are through it and now Martin is going to make sure that the lead sheep do not cause a pile up. He is pretty smart about these sheep after all.

The horses are not impressed however by being replace by the four wheeler today. Maybe this evening's trek to eat out back will be orchestrated by those who ought to have the job. Those four wheelers just do not give you that same bucolic feeling that we do.

Those Border Collies need to stand up for themselves though. What are we? Our doggies keepers?

Another Great Ride

Being silly and away we go.

The sheep out back enjoying some nice new grass up next to the pond.

Girls on horses on a hill.

Farmer girl on a farmer horse

Heading back home to put the sheep back in the pasture.

There's the victims.

Unhooking the electric fence from the battery,

it can be tricky or scary or both. Or just plain shocking!

Opening up the gate, this flex net stuff is easy.

Nice and wide.

In goes Easy to roust out the sheep.

Waiting for them to get off the water's edge.

Pushing them up and out.

They're out now let's head them home.

Everybody at they're stations so they don't slip out and head the wrong way.

Keep'em moving.

No slipping off to the side this way,

or that way.

Anna and Holly working out working the sheep.

Swinging out to circle behind,

And head 'em home!

A Fun Day At The Farm And Another Daughter Comes To Visit

Steph and boys came to visit Monday and stayed till Tuesday, today Michelle came out to play. But before she went out to ride (her favorite thing on the farm to do) she was a trooper and helped the girls with their inside chores. Thanks Chelle!

The circle of discussion. Who gets what tack. Martin waits patiently. I wait patiently. Well not so patiently, I finally decided to take a pic. Easy, my buckskin, was standing so nicely while I brushed her that I figured she would continue while I stepped back to take a pic. But as you can see she is clearly stepping out.

Everything continues after Easy's lead rope gets snatched up and mom gets a lecture from the horsewomen. After we have Roy and Easy all gathered up and ready, we move on to the unknown, getting Ivan and Holly. Bet checks out the bridle for Ivan to make sure everything is a go for when she gets him.

Here I come Ivan, ready or not.
Anna has no trouble at all. All Holly wants to do is cuddle, she doesn't care if she has to wear a bridle while she does it. What a sweetie.

After an aborted trip out to the back clearing (Dale and Eddy were shooting out there) we work the horses in the back pasture. The grass is long and dry, so no running.

Anna gets some help trying to figure Holly out, leg cues, reining, patience and a encouraging calm voice.

Anna calms down, Holly calms down, everyone gets everyone figured out, it's all good.

So the horse that was hard to get and wanted to go off into the brush rather than stay on the trail (see today's other post "How Ivan Got His Full Name") how is he doing? Great. Got it all figured out, the left turns are not impossible. Just needed sometime and a quiet moment to figure out what the trick was.Ooh, look at the pretty thistle. It is so tall. Michelle loves thistle, it's a Braveheart thing. She and Mike have chosen it as part of their family crest. He's a nice fellow. Glad he is part of our family. I am happy to have Michelle out to the farm for the day to play and have dinner with us but I like it better when they both come out. For living close by both sets of our married children we sure don't see them very much.

Oops, here I am yakking away and look who's eating the thistle. It appears Easy likes thistle too. She doesn't have the ears of a mule but I swear this girl is part donkey! Yum.

What Happens When Roy Gets Jealous

Last evening, as we finished up in the pastures with a few incidental chores, Easy came over to visit the new horses over the fence that separates them till they can manage to get along better.

Holly wasn't much impressed and ignored the Grand Mare of the farm. That's fine Ivan was friendly enough for the two of them.


Ivan and Easy scratched each other till the cows came home, in that horsey sort of way that you get a good scratch. They flirted and chatted up a storm. Easy let Ivan know just how she liked it best and Ivan, willing to do anything to impress the Alpha Mare, worked his best magic on her.

Roy was not impressed and did his best to ignore it all.

But then he had had enough.

Holly took her irritations out at the scene. When Roy came over to the fence to express his displeasure with the cavorting Holly just marched over to the scene, bit her Ivan in the behind and gave him a good whallop as she walked off.
But Roy was not through with his punishment to Easy that quickly, this afternoon the evidence was clear. Some time last night Roy had made Easy wipe all that little gelding slobber off on the nearest fir tree. A pitchy one to boot.


Thanks Roy, now I have to try and brush it all out. Hope you all get over yourselves soon.

How Ivan Got His Full Name

When the new horses came to the farm last week the girls knew that they wanted to rename them. The names they had weren't terrible but they just weren't the girls' names.

I was surprised when they had them renamed that very evening after getting them home and snuggled in. Holly and Ivan. After the girls' favorite Christmas carol, The Holly and the Ivy.

"Ivan," dad said, "is a perfect name for the gelding cause he is certainly big enough to be an Ivan, and he is kinda blonde."

The names have stuck. No second guessing. Everyone is totally comfortable with the new names, including Holly and Ivan.

But now Ivan isn't just Ivan anymore. After today...

It's "Ivan-Hoe"

New Family Members

Well, I 'm not sure what just happened to Phil and I, but the girls have two new horses.

We had recently borrowed a horse from our good friend Cindi. I have been out riding with them for a few days and got re-bit by the horse bug. So when Anna came across a nice buckskin on Craig's list, (I should not have shown her how to look things up) we decided to go look at it. Then before we could get up to see that one, we found another one very close by for much less.

When I called the lady who was selling him she told me that she actually had two she needed to sell. Brother and sister, eight and four respectfully, buckskins, well duns really.

We went to see them last night with Stephanie and the boys. I think Stephanie was more excited for the girls than they were.

The temperament on both horses is incredible. The mare just followed us around like a puppy and would let us do anything to her. They were so calm that we all felt calm. And that included when Aksel was hollering and flailing around right by them. Amazing.

This morning the girls and I went back to ride them. Tammy, the woman selling them, was a little nervous about the gelding so she had the girls saddle up the mare first. Anna rode, no problem and then Bet rode, no problem. Then I started out the gelding and really didn't have any problem to speak of since the horse had not been ridden for nearly two years. Nothing that with a little time can't be corrected. And he did really well under Bet. Oh and btw they stood still for their saddles and bits - nice.

I feel bad for Tammy because she really loves her horse, the mare, and she is proud of her husband's horse, that is clear to see. But she is very pleased that they are going to a very happy home.

And so are we.

This is Baby Rep N Scoot

Her brother, Dusting D Scoot looks just like her but he was being a boy for his picture so I am opting to not post it. We'll take another I am sure. They are both reg. Quarter Horses.

Oh and here is a picture of one of the five dogs that they live with. Anna bonded with this dog and was having him do tricks by the end of this morning's visit.

But the ultimate was when he sat on his friend instead of sitting on the hard stoney ground.

Oh Mercy

This is Mercedes, our friend and famous turkey incubating lady, Cindi, loaned her to Anna until she can find a buyer for her.

People are too nice to our girls.

Now that the girls have an extra horse they have been bugging me to go ride with them. I haven't ridden in a long time. I had some issues with my back a few years ago and I quit ridding because I didn't know what the cause was. When I found out that it was Transverse Myelitis and not effected by riding I just never returned to it.

A couple of months ago I swung up on Roy, our orange horse, and went for a little random bareback ride in the pasture while Dirt and Bet worked on her Turkey pens, enough to tell me I was out of riding shape and missed it.

Today I gave into the new pleading and went for a good long ride with the girls. Besides my hind end being powerful angry with me, I had a great time. I really miss riding. Now that we have an extra horse, for a while anyway, I am going to try and squeeze in at least three rides a week with my girls. Easy, my horse, whose picture is on my profile is getting as flabby as I am. We both could do with the added exercise.

I'm just not sure where I am going to steal the time from. You got any to spare dear reader?