A lot.
I have learned that horses are just like people. They will see what they can get a way with!
I am so proud of myself!!! My horse has decided that maybe he doesn't want to leave the place if we aren't going out with his favorite horse, Jake.
Yesterday, Rick took out Jack and Buttermilk (the mule), and I was going to go with him on Joe. Well, Joe jumped and reared, and basically he decided he was boss, and I let him.
I was bareback, and I was a little worried about being dumped on the asphalt, so I let him go back to the house.
Then when Rick came back, he took Joe out. This, of course, was a mini-rodeo! He spurred him and fought him the whole way, but he got him out, and once they were down the road, he had a decent ride.
When he came back with Joe, I did get back on him, but I only rode him up and down the driveway and out in the field.
I felt a bit disappointed, but I was still proud of the fact that I stayed on him, and then got back on him again. If all that would've happened at the beginning of summer when I was first learning how to ride and take lessons, I probably would've just been through. I would've got off the horse, and walked him back in and gave up. But, I didn't.
Well, I decided today that I was going to ride him out and around all by myself no matter what. I saddled Joe, all by myself for the first time, and then I got up on him without using a chair (the stirrups help big time!). I did have to have Rick hold him for me, though. (That's my next challenge, to get up on him all by myself!)
So, I warmed him up by going up and down the driveway and out into the pasture. Then I just decided I was ready and I started out the driveway, and he started hopping and backing up and swinging his head. I held firm and just kept at it, and finally I got him down the driveway, out onto the road, and then down the road!
I was so stinking proud of myself! The neighbor, Rick, and G-ma Pat had all watched this happen, and I could tell how proud they all were, too!!!
I went for my first ride by myself, and we went down to the dried up pond, again. I love just being out on my horse. I was so relaxed, and I felt so strong and independent!
I brought him home, and I made Joe go right on by the driveway, which, of course, he did not care for as he wanted to go home, but we went down the block, with him a jumping and backing up the whole way, until I was in complete control, and then we turned around and came home.
I have learned all the practical things like how to take good care of my horse, how to saddle him, groom him, etc.
But more importantly while riding Joe, I have learned life lessons that I have always known to be true.
You have to stay firm in your convictions. You have to stay in control. You can't let fear rule your life. You have to look for the good in everything. You have to always keep on trying. You have to believe in yourself. You are a lot stronger than you might think when you let yourself really find out.
I love my horse! He is a part of my family, a part of me. I can't imagine a life without horses ever again. Amen.
2008/09/28
2008/09/21
A funny thing happen on the way to the forum...
Well, not on the way to the forum, but actually here on the farm instead!
Yesterday morning we had the farrier up to shoe and trim the horses' feet, and so I was sitting out watching for a bit.
Our little one concocted an ingenuous plan to...catch a chicken. As she was cooking up exactly how to do this, I asked her what she was going to do with this chicken when she caught it, and she told me, "Well, we are going to eat if for dinner!."
She went on to tell me that she would have Dad kill it, and she would pluck and keep all of its feathers!
Then she spent the next forty-five minutes working on her delicate trap! She had all the baling twine from our hay connected to trees and weeds, and anything she could tie it to. It looked like a giant orange web!
Then she sprinkled a bunch of chicken feed and even grabbed some water from a puddle (just in case they were thirsty), and waited, albeit not quietly, as she has perfected her official chicken call, which seems to work as about ten chickens came arunning!
She stood behind the tree with her pull string (this is what she called it), and waited, while sneaking peeks to decided the opportune moment to snag a chicken for supper!
Finally, the moment was right, BAM! Total chicken chaos! LOL. Those chickens had no idea what was going on; the racket was unbelievable. Sadly, a chicken was not caught.
Although this simply prompted the tying of more strings, more chicken feed, more ideas. TOO FUNNY.
In the end, she decided that she wanted a dog carrier to lure a chicken in it. I told her that the carriers were up at the storage unit.
Then we went to ride the horses, so she seemed to forget about her little adventurous plan.
I didn't though. Not only did I smile and chuckle a lot, but this reminded me of a fort that my son and two of his friends built on our beach.
Those three kids spent hours building the perfect fort out of driftwood and vines, and even when the river flooded our beach, that fort stood! It was up for almost three years, and only then it was taken down by a human, not the elements, and that was the summer after we moved away from that house.
I remember when I first saw that it was down, I was very sad because in my mind that fort symbolized CHILDHOOD.
Just like the chicken trap! When do we abandon that wonder and awe that we once had when we were little, when we thought that anything was possible?
When do we start rooting ourselves in the so-called reality of life that tells us what is possible and what isn't? When do our dreams become only dreams?
I think that the joy of having children is they remind us of all the possibilities life has in store for us!
Yesterday morning we had the farrier up to shoe and trim the horses' feet, and so I was sitting out watching for a bit.
Our little one concocted an ingenuous plan to...catch a chicken. As she was cooking up exactly how to do this, I asked her what she was going to do with this chicken when she caught it, and she told me, "Well, we are going to eat if for dinner!."
She went on to tell me that she would have Dad kill it, and she would pluck and keep all of its feathers!
Then she spent the next forty-five minutes working on her delicate trap! She had all the baling twine from our hay connected to trees and weeds, and anything she could tie it to. It looked like a giant orange web!
Then she sprinkled a bunch of chicken feed and even grabbed some water from a puddle (just in case they were thirsty), and waited, albeit not quietly, as she has perfected her official chicken call, which seems to work as about ten chickens came arunning!
She stood behind the tree with her pull string (this is what she called it), and waited, while sneaking peeks to decided the opportune moment to snag a chicken for supper!
Finally, the moment was right, BAM! Total chicken chaos! LOL. Those chickens had no idea what was going on; the racket was unbelievable. Sadly, a chicken was not caught.
Although this simply prompted the tying of more strings, more chicken feed, more ideas. TOO FUNNY.
In the end, she decided that she wanted a dog carrier to lure a chicken in it. I told her that the carriers were up at the storage unit.
Then we went to ride the horses, so she seemed to forget about her little adventurous plan.
I didn't though. Not only did I smile and chuckle a lot, but this reminded me of a fort that my son and two of his friends built on our beach.
Those three kids spent hours building the perfect fort out of driftwood and vines, and even when the river flooded our beach, that fort stood! It was up for almost three years, and only then it was taken down by a human, not the elements, and that was the summer after we moved away from that house.
I remember when I first saw that it was down, I was very sad because in my mind that fort symbolized CHILDHOOD.
Just like the chicken trap! When do we abandon that wonder and awe that we once had when we were little, when we thought that anything was possible?
When do we start rooting ourselves in the so-called reality of life that tells us what is possible and what isn't? When do our dreams become only dreams?
I think that the joy of having children is they remind us of all the possibilities life has in store for us!
Random, I know
So, yeah, last night was pretty random. First, I realized something that I have always wondered and then I discovered something new.
OK, have you ever noticed the "Feel Lucky" button on Google? Do you know what it's all about?
I decided to check it out last night, and even though I expected to see a SORRY, YOU ARE NOT AN INSTANT WINNER or a WINNER! sort of message, instead I did find out that it's a practical button.
Yup, if I were to enter Chihuahua into the Google Search, and then instead of hitting enter, hit the Feeling Lucky button, it would load the first page that would've been on the search results. Cool, huh?
Then as I was eating the most delicious steak ever (Ricky is the Supreme BBQ King - next to my dad, of course), I was shaking the A-1 steak sauce bottle, and guess what I noticed?
On the side label, opposite from the nutritional value side, it says,
It reminded me of those funny sayings on the Vitamin Waters or the Smart Water!
Cool, cool! I like random.
OK, have you ever noticed the "Feel Lucky" button on Google? Do you know what it's all about?
I decided to check it out last night, and even though I expected to see a SORRY, YOU ARE NOT AN INSTANT WINNER or a WINNER! sort of message, instead I did find out that it's a practical button.
Yup, if I were to enter Chihuahua into the Google Search, and then instead of hitting enter, hit the Feeling Lucky button, it would load the first page that would've been on the search results. Cool, huh?
Then as I was eating the most delicious steak ever (Ricky is the Supreme BBQ King - next to my dad, of course), I was shaking the A-1 steak sauce bottle, and guess what I noticed?
On the side label, opposite from the nutritional value side, it says,
"SHAKE WELL If there's only one drop left, a more extreme form of shaking may be required. Like dancing. Or jumping jacks. You can do it. Yeah, it's that important."Too funny! Unexpected, but delightful, sort of like the A-1 sauce taste itself.
It reminded me of those funny sayings on the Vitamin Waters or the Smart Water!
Cool, cool! I like random.
2008/09/18
When you miss something, you know that it has value in your heart!
Tonight was the first night that I have not been on my horse! We have been so good about riding every night, and I would've tonight, but we didn't get home until late, since we went to visit a friend first before coming home and getting dinner going!
SO...I realize that I am having withdrawals from not riding, and that's a good thing! I truly LOVE my horse sooooo much, and he is amazing!
Sometimes it takes not seeing someone (In my case, my horse rather than a person. But, I did see and talk to him and love on him, though.) or not doing something to TRULY realize how much you it means to you. You know the old adage, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."
SO...I realize that I am having withdrawals from not riding, and that's a good thing! I truly LOVE my horse sooooo much, and he is amazing!
Sometimes it takes not seeing someone (In my case, my horse rather than a person. But, I did see and talk to him and love on him, though.) or not doing something to TRULY realize how much you it means to you. You know the old adage, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."
On my mind
Ok, so I heard a story on NPR last Sunday when I was driving to Leavenworth to go and see Jordie (We made plans for Rick to go ride with his good friend Ray, and me to skip out and go to L-Town instead!)! It really made me think!
Did you know that our military personnel who happen to be out of the county are not able to vote? Well, let me take that back. They can vote, but there ballots don’t end up to them even on time OR if they do, they don’t make it back in time to be counted!
How ironic is that?? People who fight for our country cannot even have a say of who should be leading the military in the first place. Of all people who deserve that voice the most… And, the number of voters who are overseas and who don’t get to vote are pretty amazing!
I agree with one of the ideas. Perhaps for the women and men in the military overseas, they could have the opportunity to vote online! Or, maybe they could vote online to the precinct to which they belong, and then the vote would be by proxy in their precinct.
If you are interested in the full story, check it out HERE on NPR.
SO, some other stuff from when I was on my road trip to visit my son. And, this even fits with the whole patriotic bit. I LOVE the flag at Prey’s Fruit Barn, just as you head into Leavenworth. It’s so gi-normous. It’s so clean and bright and beautiful! I LOVE IT!
And, finally, also an NPR connection, I just love their puzzles of the week! This week as I was driving to L-Town, I head the challenge, and even better...KNEW it!!! I shared it with my kids today at school, and someone in every English class figured it out!
Here's the puzzle. OK, so first you have a pair of words, and the last three letters of the first word are the first three letters of the second word. For example: move over (ove) or local call (cal).
So, the puzzle is a pair of words where the last three letters of the first word (which is 5 letters long) and the second word (which is 8 letters long) are a furry animal who can grow to be six feet long and four feet high.
Know it?? If you figure it out, you can submit it on their site! Right here!
You can download the puzzle right here, if you need to hear it, too! Good luck!
Anyhoot, I love road trips, even when I go just by myself :)
Did you know that our military personnel who happen to be out of the county are not able to vote? Well, let me take that back. They can vote, but there ballots don’t end up to them even on time OR if they do, they don’t make it back in time to be counted!
How ironic is that?? People who fight for our country cannot even have a say of who should be leading the military in the first place. Of all people who deserve that voice the most… And, the number of voters who are overseas and who don’t get to vote are pretty amazing!
I agree with one of the ideas. Perhaps for the women and men in the military overseas, they could have the opportunity to vote online! Or, maybe they could vote online to the precinct to which they belong, and then the vote would be by proxy in their precinct.
If you are interested in the full story, check it out HERE on NPR.
SO, some other stuff from when I was on my road trip to visit my son. And, this even fits with the whole patriotic bit. I LOVE the flag at Prey’s Fruit Barn, just as you head into Leavenworth. It’s so gi-normous. It’s so clean and bright and beautiful! I LOVE IT!
And, finally, also an NPR connection, I just love their puzzles of the week! This week as I was driving to L-Town, I head the challenge, and even better...KNEW it!!! I shared it with my kids today at school, and someone in every English class figured it out!
Here's the puzzle. OK, so first you have a pair of words, and the last three letters of the first word are the first three letters of the second word. For example: move over (ove) or local call (cal).
So, the puzzle is a pair of words where the last three letters of the first word (which is 5 letters long) and the second word (which is 8 letters long) are a furry animal who can grow to be six feet long and four feet high.
Know it?? If you figure it out, you can submit it on their site! Right here!
You can download the puzzle right here, if you need to hear it, too! Good luck!
Anyhoot, I love road trips, even when I go just by myself :)
2008/09/14
Winter?!
The other day I was talking about how I never watch tv in the summer, and that now with fall upon us and all the new seasons and shows starting up, I am watching more and more of the boob tube.
My friend Kendal mentioned that with winter coming, we will all be snowed in with nothing else to do but watch tv!
That comment really sparked my thoughts. I have had many of the old-timers tell me that this winter is going to be bad!
They note the wasps and flies as being worse than they have ever been.
They talk about all the stuff happening around the world weather-wise, especially the hurricanes, and that now these devastating storms are moving farther inland.
They bring up the wind how it's been more severe this fall than normal.
So, people who want to be warm...stock up on your wood, your pellets, your blankets and flannel PJs, it might be a doozie (I looked up this word, by the way, and its etymology is interesting; it relates to a luxury car of the 1920s. And, it has different spellings.)!
My friend Kendal mentioned that with winter coming, we will all be snowed in with nothing else to do but watch tv!
That comment really sparked my thoughts. I have had many of the old-timers tell me that this winter is going to be bad!
They note the wasps and flies as being worse than they have ever been.
They talk about all the stuff happening around the world weather-wise, especially the hurricanes, and that now these devastating storms are moving farther inland.
They bring up the wind how it's been more severe this fall than normal.
So, people who want to be warm...stock up on your wood, your pellets, your blankets and flannel PJs, it might be a doozie (I looked up this word, by the way, and its etymology is interesting; it relates to a luxury car of the 1920s. And, it has different spellings.)!
Mixed feelings...
I see all of these people who did not evacuate with Hurricane Ike on his way, and I feel different things about it.
I feel angry that the rescue efforts are so huge, and I am sure quite expensive.
I feel curious about the motivation of the people who stayed behind. Could they not go? Did they not have a way out? Were they afraid of looters? HOW SAD IS THAT...people use a disaster to steal from others!!??!
I feel sad for all of the devastation. It truly does look like a bomb went off!
My family is from Texas, and many family members still live there. Thankfully, they are very south and west, and seldom have to deal with hurricanes.
But, as stubborn as many of them are, I think some of my own family might ignore evacuation orders, too.
Who knows what I would do? I'm glad I don't have to make decisions like that.
Rick always asks, "Why do people live in places where that stuff happens over and over again?"
Good question.
I feel angry that the rescue efforts are so huge, and I am sure quite expensive.
I feel curious about the motivation of the people who stayed behind. Could they not go? Did they not have a way out? Were they afraid of looters? HOW SAD IS THAT...people use a disaster to steal from others!!??!
I feel sad for all of the devastation. It truly does look like a bomb went off!
My family is from Texas, and many family members still live there. Thankfully, they are very south and west, and seldom have to deal with hurricanes.
But, as stubborn as many of them are, I think some of my own family might ignore evacuation orders, too.
Who knows what I would do? I'm glad I don't have to make decisions like that.
Rick always asks, "Why do people live in places where that stuff happens over and over again?"
Good question.
2008/09/10
Another reason
I just realized another reason I like this time of the year...new season for tv shows! I don't watch a ton of tv, and relatively none during the summer, but I am excited about some of my shows starting in the next couple of weeks :)
2008/09/09
Recap
Now that I consider summer officially over, I decided to reflect upon the summer of 2008. The first thing I looked at was my list that I blogged about in July.
So, here's a recap:
1) Work on my novel! - I did think about the novel. I did talk about it. I did plan some other things out, but I didn't actually write about it.
2) Finish another book in the Outlander series! (Plus, I am reading three other books right now, a total of four!) I just finished the second book in the series!
3) Catch up on scrapbooking (OK, not "catch up" but I would like to get at least 10 pages done. I can do this with #8)! OH my goodness, I didn't do this at all. SIGH. I was just invited to a scrapbooking weekend, and I might do that. The last time I did, I scrapped 30 pages!!!
4) Find a horse and saddle! As you know, I did buy a horse, actually two! I have a saddle, but I am looking for new tack.
5) Workout! (And, lose weight) I didn't not workout as much as I wanted, but I did lose weight!
6) Empty out my storage (Only one truck load left, and I am going to haul it up to my mother-in-law's house, since everything is in tubs. I can't believe I have lived up here now for four years; that's a lot of money to storage! Rick and I have been together now for 4 1/2 years!!) SIGH...so, I actually put more in the storage unit. It's totally full right now with the move and all.
7) Plan a girls night! (I have incredible friends, and many of them don't even know each other!!! I need to get all these women together!) I am going to make this happen! Now that all my girlfriends are home and back in town. We are in the process of planning a Saturday night! I think we might go to an event at the winery just down the road from my place.
8) Watch at least 5 movies on my to watch list (told you I love lists). Did this!!!
9) Work on my yard (weeds to be pulled and grass to be seeded). Well, I don't have my yard anymore, so I don't need to worry about this one. I did pull the weeds and work on the yard for the summer, and it did look better when I moved!
10) Go to Chelan for the day, at least once. Woo hoo! Did this, too!
So, why do we write lists? To see what we don't accomplish or what we do? LOL
So, here's a recap:
1) Work on my novel! - I did think about the novel. I did talk about it. I did plan some other things out, but I didn't actually write about it.
2) Finish another book in the Outlander series! (Plus, I am reading three other books right now, a total of four!) I just finished the second book in the series!
3) Catch up on scrapbooking (OK, not "catch up" but I would like to get at least 10 pages done. I can do this with #8)! OH my goodness, I didn't do this at all. SIGH. I was just invited to a scrapbooking weekend, and I might do that. The last time I did, I scrapped 30 pages!!!
4) Find a horse and saddle! As you know, I did buy a horse, actually two! I have a saddle, but I am looking for new tack.
5) Workout! (And, lose weight) I didn't not workout as much as I wanted, but I did lose weight!
6) Empty out my storage (Only one truck load left, and I am going to haul it up to my mother-in-law's house, since everything is in tubs. I can't believe I have lived up here now for four years; that's a lot of money to storage! Rick and I have been together now for 4 1/2 years!!) SIGH...so, I actually put more in the storage unit. It's totally full right now with the move and all.
7) Plan a girls night! (I have incredible friends, and many of them don't even know each other!!! I need to get all these women together!) I am going to make this happen! Now that all my girlfriends are home and back in town. We are in the process of planning a Saturday night! I think we might go to an event at the winery just down the road from my place.
8) Watch at least 5 movies on my to watch list (told you I love lists). Did this!!!
9) Work on my yard (weeds to be pulled and grass to be seeded). Well, I don't have my yard anymore, so I don't need to worry about this one. I did pull the weeds and work on the yard for the summer, and it did look better when I moved!
10) Go to Chelan for the day, at least once. Woo hoo! Did this, too!
So, why do we write lists? To see what we don't accomplish or what we do? LOL
It's been awhile!
I have been updating via Twitter, but I have not blogged here in such a long time. Yikes!
Well, today it is eight weeks until the election. I am excited to see how it all turns out, and I hope that it won't be ugly in the coming weeks, but rather we can look seriously at some issues, especially our economy!
What else is new? Well, I have decided that I really like the month of September. This is a new realization :)
I love the fair (I already knew that!). I love Fall. I love football. I love long weekends (fair and Labor Day). I love squeezing in all those last things even though the temperature is dropping, like camping, going for a ride over the North Cascades, road trips, etc.
I also love that school starts! I love all the fresh and eager faces, all the dusting of the mind's cobwebs, the returning to a routine.
And, for me when school starts, that's officially when cheer is in full swing. This is my second year as the cheer coach, and I love it! It really does meld to things together that I enjoy: cheer and football!
So, it's official, September is one of my favorite months!
Well, today it is eight weeks until the election. I am excited to see how it all turns out, and I hope that it won't be ugly in the coming weeks, but rather we can look seriously at some issues, especially our economy!
What else is new? Well, I have decided that I really like the month of September. This is a new realization :)
I love the fair (I already knew that!). I love Fall. I love football. I love long weekends (fair and Labor Day). I love squeezing in all those last things even though the temperature is dropping, like camping, going for a ride over the North Cascades, road trips, etc.
I also love that school starts! I love all the fresh and eager faces, all the dusting of the mind's cobwebs, the returning to a routine.
And, for me when school starts, that's officially when cheer is in full swing. This is my second year as the cheer coach, and I love it! It really does meld to things together that I enjoy: cheer and football!
So, it's official, September is one of my favorite months!
