"Go on, git!" revisited

For those of you who remember my post this time about a year ago - the marsh has frozen over once more and I woke up this morning to our pasture hosting a herd of the neighbor's cattle. 5 out of the 7 horses living here were in an uproar because of the close proximity of the horse-eating machines masquerading as herbivores. I did my best to quiet the horses (served breakfast) and then proceeded in 30 mph winds to escort the cattle off our property. This should have been significantly easier this year, because I have a 7 month old border collie (Miles) to assist me by lurking 50 yards behind me and growling menacingly at the cattle. Once in a while he would try to bite the whip I was carrying. He did not chase, herd, corral, or in any other way tell the cattle they ought not to be eating my pasture. So much for the herding dog and large game. At least he shows the same deferential respect to my horses. On the other hand, I did have a good bit more assistance from Tally, the new dog living in the barn with Miles. She's a 2 year old hound-mix who arrived from the humane society this Christmas, approximately 20 lbs of menacing vocal talent. She expertly ran semi-circles around me and the cattle and then with an almighty bay sent the cattle to the far side of their own farm. Not bad for a little hound. I've given up on frozen marsh fencing repairs - we'll just give the cattle the "go on, git" for the next few mornings until the marsh melts and the fence pops up again.

Farewell my friend

Today we had to say goodbye to a dear friend, Kia passed away this afternoon from pancreatitis. It was hard to come home to a house with no one to howl at us. She was a very special dog and we'll miss her.

New music

I came across this group in my internet travels - I may put their albums on my own Christmas list.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8h_6saZra8&feature=related

Still here...

We're still alive and well. Owen was laid off, then re-hired, all with the same company in the last few weeks. He's now working for the same manager as he did when we lived in WA, just back to working remotely again. Better to be looking for a job while you're currently employed.

I'm really busy, teaching approximately 7 lessons each week (Cole is earning not only his own groceries, but also Cecil and Samson's!) I found a new hay supplier that has good quality hay for about half the price I've been paying - delivered. About 100 lb bales, so still manageable size and I'm pretty excited to have cut my hay bills in half! I also currently have 4 horses in full training, plus Cecil and Samson. Miles is busy busy harassing horses, cats, and the older dogs, and we have a new barn cat scheduled to arrive to begin mousing in the next week or so.

Owen and I have set a new record for early Christmas shopping - we began this week! I know to some of you this is not exactly EARLY - but for us it's a herculean effort. We're getting excited to see all the nieces and nephews at the holidays and we're hungry already for holiday food.

Miles is getting bigger

Some new pictures of Miles. He's getting bigger, rowdier, now has his puppy school diploma, has been to many horseshows, and now he's neutered! Huzzah for a good puppy. He's turned out to be a better mouser than the cats.

How it all began

Here's a picture of me one Christmas receiving my first real stable. Oh, if only my parents knew what they were starting....

Absent Summer Pictures

I feel like it's not really a blog posting if I don't have pictures to display, but it occurred to me that people may be wondering is we're still around. Indeed we are, we have been busy, we have documented our adventures in photographs, but the technology for uploading pictures to the computer is not cooperating. Hence no photos.

Some of my activities include many many horseshows. I returned to the breed show circuit and went to an AQHA (American Quarter Horse Assoc.) show with a client horse. I don't know who thought of western show clothes, but it is ridiculous to me that people actually pay money to wear big rhinestone bedazzled collars and cuffs, ride in silver adorned saddles, and yet refuse to wear any kind of protective headgear. Even in the english classes. It all goes back to the staff member at the local tack shop who said, "if she HAD a brain she would want to protect it." The other, more local shows that are in my chosen disciplines are much more reasonable and fun. We've been cleaning up.

Owen got a bonus for being with the company for 5 years, and used it to buy a telescope. It's been on his wish list for some time now and he enjoyed researching the different kinds. Now he can see quite a ways, and he insists his new binoculars are for sighting stars and astronomical phenomena, not merely for spying on the neighbors. He's also been mountain biking a few times with Holly, but neither of them takes pictures so no documentation of that.

Our anniversary was a blast, I got Miles of course, and the actual day of our anniversary Owen and I went to a local open space area called Soapstone, Owen riding his bike and me riding Cecil. We did a 9 mile loop, most of it fairly fast since there were many free-range cattle on the prairie where we were riding and Cecil is still terrified of the horse-eating machines masquerading as herbivores. I would shout to Owen, "On your left!" as Cecil took off at a full sprint to get away from the cattle, and Owen would dive out of the way on his bike and catch up to us later. It was pretty exciting, and we had a blast.

More pictures to come as the camera is able to be plugged into the computer.

Smilin Miles

Miles is my anniversary gift from Owen - 7 years of marriage next week. I've wanted this border collie for years now and we finally have the property and lifestyle to tire out a dog with this kind of endurance! Here are his 7 week old puppy pics.



A snuggly puppy



"This rope is as big as I am!"



"Whoa, these horses are a lot bigger up close!"



"Are you sure I'm allowed to play with this?"



Play hard, sleep hard

Autumn Hill Dressage Festival

I took a client horse to the Autumn Hill International Equestrian Center in Longmont for the dressage show yesterday, the filly did really well! She rode the test beautifully, got a good score, and ended up winning the division. We came home with a blue ribbon and a large glass tumbler with a dressage horse etched on it. Here are some of Owen's documentation photos. And yes, this filly is for sale!

Cecil's Cruisin

Since my parents were in town I took advantage of my Dad's photography skills to get some good shots of Cecil now that his training has come along a bit.

Kim's Parents Visit

The Girls Observing

Molly and Kia spend the bulk of their time looking out windows and wishing they could come run around the ranch with me. Unfortunately they would harass the barn cats, make general nuisances of themselves with the horses, and then be so sore from their arthritis at night as to render them inert masses of dog hair. Therefore they get to be casual observers of the goings on here, albeit very interested. This is their usual pose.

Believe it or not I didn't kill the flowers this year!

A Stable Home

Grandma Ruth's Adventures

Grandma Ruth (Susan Leonard's mom) was recently thrown a party in which they needed action shots of her (made-up) trip to Africa to tame lions as well as pictures of her during her brief fame as a NASCAR driver. Here's what I came up with.

The Silk Road

For those who knew me when, my oldest friend, Whitney Davidson came to Colorado this last week to grade the AP History exams that were taken by high schoolers all over the country and graded here in Fort Collins at CSU. It was one long week of reading the same essay over and over about the Silk Road. There were some interesting comments, not the least of which revolved around how the silk road "was the way the Asians got tea from Britain and how tea became so popular in Asia as it spread from Europe." Since Whitney was in town we got to see her and show her our place, let her be loved on by many animals who resemble pets from our youth.

Kim and Cole at the Greg Best Clinic

When I was a kid my room was wallpapered with pictures of Greg Best and his horse, Gem Twist. Greg Best went to the Olympics four times and got medals each time, and is since an Olympic team coach for New Zealand. I got to ride in a clinic (like a group riding lesson) of his at Colorado State University this week, which was a dream come true. At the clinic I received extremely high praise for my riding and show jumping skills, so I still am having trouble fitting my recently swelled head into my helmet. Here are some of my favorite shots of me riding Cole at the clinic, taken by one of my students who was auditing.

More of the Carriage Club Show

Rocky Mountain Carriage Club

I got to go to a horse driving show this weekend to groom for a friend of mine. It was her 3 year old horse's first show and we spent quite a bit of time walking around the grounds calming her down. Here are some of my favorites of her with her filly.

Computer Store Version of Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First?"

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch,
"Who's on First?"
Might have turned out something like this:

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows?

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT: Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W."

COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue "W" if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on "START."

Chicken Poop Lip Balm

Yes we really did find this ad in a catalog. We're going to send it in to Jay Leno. My questions are: is there chicken poop in the lip balm, or is it lip balm for chickens? Do chickens have lips? The owner of the company's name is "Simone Chickenbone".