Things that are lacking (but are not so bad)..

When folks I meet find out that I do not own a home computer,  I am often met with a raised eyebrow or two.

When they learn that I also do not have cable television (or any public television to speak of, for that matter), I get the wide-eyed-are-you-serious? stare....

Now this post isn't going to be about how I think that people are way too dependant on electronic entertainment (because, to a degree, I do).

No.....the reason that I don't have some of the more commonplace luxuries is simply that I do not want to use my hard earned cash to pay for them. I have more important things to do with my money.

....like take care of my animals.

I think it's a common misconception that folks who have horses have money. It's because they have horses that they DON'T have any money....

Having horses is not for the faint of heart when it comes to finances. Those of us who are not well-heeled so-to-speak,  must learn to give things up in order to have horses in our lives.

On my list of items that I do without--or at least do with a lot less.....is internet service.

When I began my part lease on Tex just over a year ago, one of the things I gave up to afford to do the lease was my cell/internet service (I've never had cable TV).

At one time, I had unlimited internet access through my phone. All the Facebooking, Instagramming, and You Tubing I could handle to my heart's desire.....

My account now is a prepaid one where I have a strict limit on how much I can do on the internet each month.

Things like texts and phone calls are still unlimited (Thankfully), but I rarely watch anything on YouTube anymore and I only do Instagram and Facebook when I am somewhere that I can connect to a free, WiFi network.

Fortunately,  things like blogging and looking at a select few message boards and Internet sites are fairly easy to keep up with, even with limited data. Since they are not a continuous feed, they do not eat at my data limit the way other social media sites do...

This is perhaps why I have chosen to spend more time reading blogs and writing on my own blog, rather than reading Facebook stuff..... (less drama in a lot of blogs too).....

At any rate,  what I am trying to get at with all this babble is that while I may post here more frequently,  there will be times when my posts are going to be devoid of photos.

You see, as my data decreases, and I get closer to my billing date on the 17th of each month, my access will not allow me to upload photos to my blog because my prepaid data for the month is about spent. There is not enough left to share my photos.

I am getting much better at rationing it all out for the month, but I suspect there will always be a few days at the end of my billing cycle when I will only be able to do a type-written post like this one.

For anyone interested enough to regularly read my blog posts, I do sincerely apologize for what will be a few, occasional word only posts each month.

Pictures, of course, always make every read more enjoyable. We all know that picture-filled stories aren't just for kids...adults love them too!!

In all honesty,  I don't mind the lack of electronic entertainment in my world. My animals bring me such joy, that they are more than worth it (both the Equines and Felines)!!

I also get a LOT more done at home,  get more exercise in general, and appreciate the little things in life.

To throw out an example; I will never own a Kindle or any  other form of online book. There is something about holding an actual  book in my hand, taking in the design on the cover, and turning each page that brings a tangible sense of satisfaction that no electronic device could ever compare to..

Although much of the personal minimalism in my life is financial, there is some that comes from choice.

...and I don't think it makes me any less happy than someone who has all of the extra conveniences. In fact,  sometimes I feel I have more contentment than they do.

...but I guess that's left up to interpretation...

In retrospect,  what I  WAS going to write about today (before I became severely sidetracked by my financial/minimalism musings) was clicker training.  I have started doing it again with all of my animals.

I am not going to go into too many details since this post has already gotten pretty wordy, but I've been working on some specific things with each of my boys (Griffin, Tex, Simon, & Lukus-- they are ALL boys *smirk*) using the clicker and we are learning and having a lot of fun with it.

I will try to touch on it in my next post or two....and pictures are certainly to follow!

Stay tuned!!! :-)

Makin' tracks with Jersey

My last hike was over 2 weeks ago.

While the ride with Tex last week certainly fed my trail bug a little, I was overdue for a hike under my own power (there is something certainly gratifying about enjoying some trail miles on your own two feet).

After another week of heat and nasty humidity (not to mention my consumption of not-so- healthy snack foods while being lazy indoors), I was ready to get back outside on a trail somewhere (I have become seriously addicted to moving down the trail--whether it's on a horse or my own two feet).

I decided as this weekend approached that I was going to make time for a hike....One way or another.

Not to go too far off topic,  but I'm in a bit of a pickle in terms of getting hikes in during the week right now.

At my job I work 2 months of early shifts (6-2:30) and then a month of late shifts (8-4:30). This is a late shift month.

By the time I get home,  get my house chores done and prepare to head out for a hike, I don't have enough daylight left to do anything substantial.

While it might make sense to do the hike first and the house chores later-- my discipline level isn't good enough for that. It's always been work first, play after......Always.

I decided when I got up this morning,  I was going to do a hike.

My original plan was to buzz about my errands, eat a bit of lunch early-- go on a little hike-- and then head to the barn for some horse time this evening.

What really happened was me staying up too late last night and not sleeping well. I only got about half the things done this morning that I wanted to. After eating lunch, I craved a nap.....and because I could,  I took one. I never made it to the barn. 

Nope, no discipline there.....

It was after 2 pm by the time I awoke from the nap, but dang nammit-- I was going to get my hike in!!

My hike of choice for the day turned out to be the flat, Fern Dell Trail at Mirror Lake State Park.

This is a 3 mile loop trail that begins off of a seperate, trailhead outside of the park. I have never hiked this trail,  but it carries an "easy" rating, so I wasn't concerned about anything.

Since its been awhile since I did a decent hike with my canine partner, Jerseydog,  I decided to swing by my parents' house to pick her up so she could tag along. 

Our camping trips so far this year have been disappointing in terms of doing good hikes (in which J-dog often comes along), so I'm sure she has been feeling overdue for a good trek as well!!

Jersey is about 10 years old now, and while she isn't a spring chicken anymore-- she still has a lot more "GO ambition" than living with a couple of retired folks allows her to make use of.

Here we are at the start of the trail and Jersey can't get going soon enough. This is certainly the highlight of HER week!

Jersey has 2 very interesting quirks about her (aside from the fact that she's a purebred, German Wire Haired Pointer and most people unknowingly think she's some strange, mutt cross).

Her first one is that she LOVES water.

....and not like a Labrador that enjoys pursuing a stick tossed in a lake.

Jersey will quite literally DRAG her human to any body of water in the hopes that she will be able to take a dip.

She will also play in puddles that other dogs will avoid.

.....and the J-dog is ALWAYS certain she can convince you to love walking in the rain as much as she does.

Her other, (very strange indeed) quirk is that she HATES having her picture taken. If you point ANYTHING that even remotely resembles a camera or a phone in her direction, she will go hide behind something or someone. If that's not an option, she will refuse to look at you.

We have never been able to figure this out as she's never had a bad experience with having photos taken.....

I have my speculations about what her issues might truly be (she failed as a hunting dog before being given to my father), but it would take too long to go into details at the moment. She has a shy (but very sweet) personality,  even though she has come a LONG way in being more courageous since living with my family. 

At any rate, the blurry photo above is usually what I end up with when I try to get a picture of her. All of the good photos my family has where taken "by surprise" when she didnt expect them.For the most part, there weren't any stunning views on this trail. 

...but I did get a photo of some of these pretty little, yellow wildflowers.  I'm still trying to learn more about the plants and the things I see on the trails, so I don't know what they are, but they are pretty!

....and of course there are ALWAYS interesting mushrooms to look at...

....mostly,  Jersey and I just trucked along.

To say that this trail was easy was a vast understatement.  Except for a handful of tiny hills, this hike was flat, Flat, FLAT.

The only challenging thing about this hike were the mosquitos. I got very few bites (because I DIDN'T forget the bug spray this time), but they annoyingly buzzed around my head quite a bit.

A short trail lover might be slightly daunted by the 3 mile loop, but seriously...I think just about anyone could handle this trail.

....and that's not a bad thing.

For folks who are complete novices to hiking, biking, or cross country skiing, this trail would be a PERFECT starter trail. 

I'm tempted to try a winter hike on this trail come winter.

For the most part, Jerseydog and I had the hike to ourselves. We only encountered a couple of other users. There were two gals that biked past us near one of the tiny hills. One of the ladies had a toddler in one of those bike carts behind her bike.

He was cute.

....and they seemed to be enjoying their ride.

I wanted to take a distant (unidentifiable) photo of them as they rode away from us, but I was too busy doing this when they passed.

This is Jersey 's  collapsible water bowel that I carry in my waist pack. I was busy giving her water when the bike riders came by us. J had been drinking and was momentarily looking up at the bikes when I snapped this.

While I can easily do a 3 mile hike with minimal to no water (except on the very hottest of days), Jersey cannot.

If I'm doing 3 miles, it's a sure bet that she's doing 6. Sniffing,  scenting, and backtracking are what she does because she's a dog.

....and I let her BE A dog. Heeling is fine in an obedience class, but on the trail--I feel it deprives a dog of enjoying their time out there.

As long as they stay leashed and come stand next to you when other users pass, I think it's totally acceptable to let them be a dog and explore (keeping watch for toxic foliage of course).

There was almost no humidity today and temps just broke around the 80's mark.

....and Jersey still drank a decent size water bottle of water. I think we did about 3 stops for her to drink her fill.

My waist pack holds 2 water bottles,  Jersey ' s portable dish, my phone, keys, bug spray, a small flashlight,  wet wipes, a small first aid kit, and other seasonal things I might choose to add such as gloves and a fleece ear band or a rain poncho depending on the weather.

 I didn't take a photo of it, but I will try to include one in a future post.

I'm not always thrilled to wear it, but I've been glad to have it on longer hikes and to carry necessities when J is with me.

There were a few pretty spots on the trail.  I think this is one of my favorite photos from today. The pines here were beautiful and the sunlight coming through lent a magical feel.

This photo isn't real easy to decipher,  but there is a little canal-like looking ditch on the right side of the photo. It expanded alongside a short section of the trail. It made me wonder if it created a small stream during heavy rains. I have no doubt sections of this trail could be very muddy in wet weather....

Living with retirees doesn't afford Jersey a good way to stay in shape. At this point, we were 3/4 of the way through the loop. J slowed to a stroll and only perked up if she found a scent or spotted movement trail side (in which case, she leapt towards the bushes with renewed energy and enthusiasm).

The final section of trail brought us up alongside the road (which is to the right in this photo). 

At least it wasn't ON the road...

but a bit boring nonetheless....

As I mentioned before, I might try this trail as a winter hike, but I'm not sure it will ever top my list of favorites.

...but Jerseydog enjoyed herself.  The only reason I got this close of a photo of her is because she is a bit tired.

Make no mistake, however, with an hour or two of rest, she'd happily go out for another few miles eagerly without complaint.

 

Jersey is one of my best hiking companions for sure!! ♡♡

A Sunday well spent....

I'm playing a little catch up tonight...
Dishes, laundry, and a bit of cleaning...

It has been one of those days when the weather isn't good for much of anything. The temps today only reached into the mid to (slightly) upper 80's, but the humidity was terrible.  Being outside for any length of time and just standing still is enough to make one uncomfortable. 

....and tomorrow will be more of the same.

Ugh.....

....so  with that in mind, and a loyal Simon taking up residence in my lap, I thought I'd talk about my ride on Sunday.

On Tuesday of last week, Vickie sent me a text message asking me if I wanted to go riding at the Castle Rock Horse Trails on Sunday.

Without missing a beat, I responded back  that I didn't have any plans on Sunday and I was all for it.

A short spell later, Vickie texts me back asking if I was ok if someone else picked Tex & I up (I have access to a truck,  but my financially, poor self does not own a horse trailer). 

She wrote that our mutual, barn friend, Brenda knows this gentleman as she has lent Morton to him for trail rides with his friends/family.

His name is Brian and he does roping & team penning with his horses.

Vickie, herself, only recently met him...

Vickie also mentioned that if anyone else from the barn wanted to go, that he would also have room for another horse.

At the time, all I could think about was getting out on the trail with my wonderful lease partner and having a nice ride. The forecast for Sunday was supposed to be gorgeous! 

During this text exchange back and forth, I had been out enjoying the evening doing some fun activities with my sister, Gayle and my niece, Fiona. For the moment, I agreed to go and filed it away mentally that I would have plans for Sunday. I then proceeded to enjoy the remainder of my evening with my sister.

It wasn't until the next day that the warning bells started to go off in my introverted brain.

What if no one else from the barn wanted to go? 

Would my shy self be able to make small talk with someone I don't even know for the 1+ hour ride over to the Castle Rock Horse Trails? 

What if we decide right off that neither of us likes the other?

What if he decides to do something crazy and dump me in a ditch somewhere and run off with Tex? 

....my mind has a tendency to think bizarre things when I let it wander too long without a leash! (perhaps I've watched 1 too many Cold Case files on TV).

The next afternoon, I approached Kris about coming with. My barn has very few trail riders and Kris was the only one at the moment that I could think of that might have Sunday free to go along. 

As it turned out, Kris was about as enthusiastic as I was at the prospect of hopping in a truck with someone she didn't know (in addition to her horse being hauled in a strange rig). It ended up being that she decided to pass on going.

At this point, I texted Vickie back and told her I was getting increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of riding with someone I didn't know.

Vickie texts me back "Brenda says you've met him."

Whaat?? (This was news to me)...

....then Vickie, being the ever-faithful  riding friend she is -- told me that if I wasn't comfortable, then she would drive out and pick me up (which takes her farther out of her way).

On one hand, I was happy that we would still go, but on the other hand I felt like a wimp. I should just suck it up and take a chance at meeting someone new (arguing with my stubborn, introverted self).

I decided at that point to text Brenda and find out more about Brian. Brenda, of course, was working (sadly....as always) and could not join us either. I remember her loaning Morton out to a friend, but did not recall meeting him.

In my text conversation with Brenda,  she did, in fact remind me of another instance in which we had gone to his place to look at a horse he was going to give to another friend who boarded at Tammy's farm at the time (that's a whole other story that would take too long to get into here).

At any rate, I might have spoken with him for about 5 minutes.  I still didn't feel like I "knew" him.

Brenda assured me that I had nothing to worry about and that Tex and I would be in safe, capable hands. She said that she had just been with Brian the previous night to cut his hair (Hairdressing is one of Brenda's many skills). She said that he had asked about me as well.... (probably wondering if I was some crazy, Axe wielding, Lizzie Borden sort of chick)....

Smiling,  I just texted back and asked if she told him that I was a fat, overanxious person who wraps my horse in bubble wrap?

she didn't respond to that (*laughs*)..

After talking with Brenda, I felt somewhat better about the idea of riding with Brian. All of my insecurities at that point had to do with me and not the situation.

As expected, Sunday brought along some beautiful weather. Sunny skies and warm (but not overly hot) with little to no humidity.

 

I got to the barn early.....about an hour or so before Brian was due to pick us up. I used the time to do a thorough groom on Tex and bond with him a bit.

When Brian pulled in shortly after 9 am, we were ready to go. I was still nervous, but told myself to focus on the one thing we surely would have in common;  horses.

Brenda was correct that I needn't have worried. Brian was the perfect gentleman through and through.

Tex shared a stock trailer with Brian's horse, Rudy and the two horses rode well together. I immediately noticed that his truck was immaculate and was dually impressed. I guess I expected well used and Dusty (not that it would have mattered as I don't judge folks by what they drive).

We got to the horse trails about a half hour or so before Vickie was due to meet us, so we took our time chatting and getting the horses ready.

I really enjoyed being able to take my time getting set to go instead of feeling like I needed to rush and hurry up out onto the trail. I'm somewhat pokey by nature, so this suited me very well.

Tex (left) and Rudy (right) waited patiently while we waited for Vickie to arrive.

Once Vickie arrived, I played "hitching post" for Dusty so she could get ready without tying him and in no time at all, we were off on the trail.

We rode for the better part of the day and had a lovely ride. 

Surprisingly, the bugs were not bad at all (they have been so bad at the farm, Tex and I have been working mainly on arena stuff as opposed to our usual rides in the woods and fields).

About halfway through, we rode over to the Ukarydee Campground and took a little break. This is a horse user's campground that is connected to the Castle Rock Trails. It was nice to get off for a bit and hang out in a shady spot. There was water access there and bathrooms which were nice to use.

 Camping there with Tex is on my list of future "activities I want to do."  I also found that the break gave my arthritic joints a much needed rest and definitely improved the quality and longevity of my ride.

This makes the 3rd time that Tex and I have ridden at Castle Rock and I still haven't seen all the trails yet.

I guess we need to go more then....

 

I wish I had gotten more photos of our ride.  I came away with only a handful of blurry, snapshots and there were many pretty views to be had on the trail. Tex and I need to work on our tripod skills!

We saw gazillions of mushrooms in a variety of colors (purple,  red, and orange among them). We also saw a couple of deer in 2 different spots. Unfortunately,  neither of them would have been easily photographed.

A blurry shot of Vickie & Brian. I need to teach my man, Tex that a good tripod will hold still.

Brian and myself. Dusty has superior tripod skills to Tex because Vickie 's picture is more clear.

All in all, it was a wonderful day. I was tired and sore and dragged my sorry butt through work on Monday but it was 100% worth it!!

I am hoping Brian will ride with us again...and even more so-- that Brenda will join us. They have known each other for quite some time but have never ridden together.

Horsey camp outing anyone?

Hot, humid days....and a bit of a scare!

Tex and I had a ride today that was mostly walking and lasted all of about 30 minutes, give or take. I think if he'd had his way, he wouldn't have left his place in front of that fan. The look on his face is saying "Do we have to?" (...just a short one, my man)

I gave Griffin the option of coming with me into the barn for a groom and possibly a light bath, but he wasn't interested when I went out with his halter and called for him. He wasn't overly sweaty and seemed content to eat in the sun with his buddy, Mort(*gasp* he DOES have access to shade). He knows on hot days, he only gets groomed (or a bath) so if he didn't want to come with me, I wasn't going to make him.

The temperature outside today was about 88 degrees with the heat index in the mid to upper 90's. I don't recall the exact percentage of humidity, but it was high enough to make me constantly feel like I'd just stepped out of the shower (while completely lacking the refreshing feel of a shower).

....and today was the coolest of the last 3 days.

Ugh...

Dangerous heat warnings kept me from doing much these last few days which is probably just as well since my Dad gave everyone a good scare on Friday.

Without getting into too much personal detail, my father has been struggling with some electrolyte/dietary/mineral imbalances for quite some time.

Last November he had a seizure that put him in the hospital for over a week. It took that long to get things regulated again.

Since then, he has been eating better AND doing better....but obviously it wasn't good enough, because on Friday he had another seizure that caused a pretty serious fall and knocked him unconscious. 

Thankfully (and somewhat surprisingly), the end result of that fall was only a significant goose egg to the back of his head. We've all been joking that we need to check the floor for cracks!

This seizure resulted in another 3-day stay at the hospital including bloodwork, a cat scan, and an MRI. All were normal except for the dietary deficiencies I noted above.

As I write this, he is back home,  and with some additional dietary changes and mineral supplements (and a few other changes that are too private to mention)we are hoping not to see another seizure.

Both my mom and I are skeptical that the real root of the problem has yet to rear it's ugly head. We are "trying" to trust in his doctors..

....and to complicate matters, my dad -- shall we say -- isn't always the best patient when it comes to listening to his doctors. In his working life, he'd always been a manager-- the one in charge. Listening to others does not come easy to him and he has a stubborn streak a mile wide (of which he  has dutifully passed to his oldest daughter--me. *Grins sheepishly*).

Still, with all that said-- we all love him dearly, even when he thinks we aren't taking his side (as if there are sides to be taken when it comes to the health and well being of a loved one). ♡♡

We are all praying that the recommended changes will prevent any (near)future hospital stays and that we can help dad stick to the necessary changes that need to be made.

******

On a lighter note, I did get myself out for a hike earlier in the week. 

Last Wednesday brought warm temperatures and humidity, but not quite severe enough to be dangerous (OR to discourage me from getting outside for some after work enjoyment).

So after my house chores were done, I stuffed myself into my coolest tank and capris and headed over to Devil's Lake for a hike.

There was a very mild threat of rain, so I chose an easy hike I have done many times before. I plodded along the Tumbled Rocks trail over to the south shore beach and back again (because plodding is all I do when it's sticky humid outside). 

The photos below are from my hike...

This is the North Shore beach. It's the more popular of the 2 beaches and is one of 2 ways one can take to the start of the Tumbled Rocks Trail.

This is the start of the trail. It is 2 miles from here to the South Shore beach. Going out and back, I did an uncomplicated,  4 mile hike.

While parts of the trail are sunny, there are some nice, shady sections as well. This was a wonderful reprieve in the humidity.

The Tumbled Rocks trail runs alongside the lake, so the views are pretty and listening to the waters lap the rocks is soothing to the ears.

Recent storm damage (we've had a lot of storms lately) created an unexpected obstacle. It's a good thing no one was sitting on that bench at the wrong time!

A view of the downed tree from the other side.

I snapped a photo of a person using a paddleboard out on the lake. This is on my "bucket list" to try one day!

Despite the slimy temperatures, there was actually quite a few folks out hiking.  I passed a few couples simply enjoying a hike as I was. 

In addition, another 3-4 folks passed me doing some trail running.

One gentleman was watching wildlife at one of the benches with his binoculars. 

Another gentleman approached me from behind on the trail and inquired if I lived here and if I had ever swam in the lake.

..."Yes and yes, I have..."

He then wanted to know if it was clear water and therefore suitable for scuba diving. 

I told him I have never Scuba dived, but I thought the lake fairly clear and it might be worth a try if he had the equipment and expertise to do so.....

On the South side of the lake I talked to a few other people who were fishing, but unfortunately-- the fish were not too interested in biting...

Sometimes on these more commonly used trails, it's nice to chat with people and see how they are enjoying their day.

As for now-- I am silently praying to Mother Nature to give us a break from the heat and humidity so I can try to have an enjoyable week this week. 

We shall see.....  

Yesterday was my Holiday....

I made a promise to myself yesterday that it was going to be a minimal "chore" day and I was going to spend the day on myself. 

This was going to be my 4th of July Holiday so-to-speak (even though it was only the 3rd).

I usually get a nice paycheck if I opt to work on a holiday, so Monday would be a workday for me anyway. 

Unfortunately,  on Saturday night,  I had one of those sleepless nights that occasionally occurs when I am thinking about too many random things and just cannot. Fall. Asleep.

Nights like that suck.

So while I had hoped to get up and get my day going early in the morning, it didn't really happen that way.  I ended up playing lazy,  bed potato with my cats until about 10:30am.

All in all, that's not a bad thing--but I still didn't sleep (Ugh)....

It was going to be a caffenated, prop my eyelids open with toothpicks sort of day.

Since Griffin had my attention on Saturday,  Sunday was to be Tex's day.

We had our usual long grooming and bond session and then did some arena work with just a short ride out to the road after. 

Because my boarding barn is surrounded by DNR lands, woods and marsh, we get HORRIBLE amounts of bugs during the hottest parts of the summer. Unless you are willing to dunk your horse (and yourself) into a vat of pyrethrin, you can pretty much rule out an enjoyable ride in the woods & fields. From now until about early September,  riding in the arena and areas close to the barn are usually the best bet.

You know things are bad when the deer flies keep pace with your car (just outside the windows) while driving up to the barn.

Some years are worse than others,  and while I wouldn't say things are as bad as I have seen them,  they are annoying enough right now.

So with all that in mind,  Tex and I worked on lateral movements as well as our usual riding patterns in the arena.

Tex knows hindquarter yields fairly well, but his front end gets sticky and he is still figuring out that he can move is front half sideways while keeping the back half still.

I was even able to get him started on a few side pass steps in one direction over a ground pole (Good Boy, Tex)!!

It was a warm day, but there was a breeze and we had a nice ride.

Retrieving Tex from the pasture. He is the black horse half buried in the buffet table (round bale).

Wondering if my hands are hiding a few Nicker Snacks while I attempt to remove the fly mask (My halter doesn't fit well over his mask, so I usually remove it when I put it on).

Groom session in the cool barn with only a minimum of biting insects....Ahhhhh...

The resident ducks came to visit & briefly hung out in Daphne ' s  stall while Kris was out riding.. (Daphne stays inside during the day & goes outside at night).

When the ducks got bored, they headed to the indoor to waddle around before going back outside.

Tex all set for his ride....

Taking a break in the shade between exercises...

After going to barn, I went home for a wee nap before heading over to Christmas Mountain Resort in the Dells to watch fireworks with the family.

My fireworks photos seldom turn out well, so I didn't take any.

Fiona kept me occupied playing with her giant, soft purple frisbee. This was her second year seeing fireworks.

Last year did not go well because the noise scared her.

My sister, Gayle, has since purchased a small pair of child- size ear muffs for her, so she can enjoy loud experiences like this without being afraid of the noise (which she will grow out of with time).

At first she wasn't sure about the huge, sparkly plumes in the sky-- but with reassurance from everyone (Grandma,  Grandpa, mom,  dad and myself were all in attendance), she was enjoying them by the end....even laughing.

She didn't want them to be over!

I wish I had some cute, Fiona pics to add...but as I said I was too busy catching a frisbee beforehand to take any.

Tomorrow its back to full days at work-- but a little camp outing in a week should sweeten that deal!!

Hot, STEAMY day = bath day (& good conversation)

Yesterday,  the heat index soared into the 90 's as predicted. It was the hottest day we've had yet this summer. 

As I had planned, I went to the barn to give Griffin a nice bath in order to help him cope with the heat. It's not uncommon for elderly horses to have trouble in ANY temperature extreme (hot or cold). Poor Griff has decided that his dinner just doesn't taste as good when the weather is steamy.

In past summers, I had a box fan attached to Griffin's stall to help move the air around when the thermometer rose, but sadly, that is no longer the case.

..but there is a good reason for that

Tammy recently found out that having household box fans in your barn is not a safe situation. They have actually been known to cause barn fires! (Scary)!  

You see...pretty much all of your general household, box fans do not have an enclosed motor on them. Since even the cleanest barn is a (very) dusty environment, that dust becomes trapped in the motor. As it builds up, the probability of combining with electrical systems and igniting sparks increases. The spark hazard, therefore causes barn fires to start.

The solution is to buy high, quality industrial type fans that have the fan's motor safely enclosed. 

Tammy did go and buy some of these fans to put around the barn, but since they are much more costly ($80 and up), not every horse can have their own, personal fan. In addition, the electric bill on a barn with that many fans is quite expensive. 

Fortunately for Griffin,  he lives in one of the coolest sections of the barn.

In addition to that, I do try to give my sweet, old man baths on the hottest days to help lower his body temperature a bit and help him cool off.

As you can see in the photo below, Griff is tolerant of getting baths, but it isn't particularly one of his favorite things. He usually makes a few "Angry Standardbred" faces and will attempt to paw with his front legs. 

....but no matter what he will tell you *winks*, it DOES make him feel better because he perks up significantly following the bath and definitely acts more comfortable. 

A wet Mr. Griffin with a slightly, peeved expression...

....but one of the after-bath rewards is being able to graze on grass on the "other side of the fence" while drying off.

Since Griffin's human (me) does NOT like the sun, she tries to convince him that eating grass in the shade is a GREAT IDEA!

...Meanwhile, Griffin's current pasture mate,  Morton looks on-- slightly peeved that he is not on the other side of the fence as well (because,  of course, the grass is ALWAYS greener there). 

Morton is a very sweet Quarter Horse who belongs to my friend Brenda. Like Griffin, he has battled his share of health issues including some arthritis and Lyme Disease.

Brenda was kind enough to allow me some rides on Mort when Griffin injured his Stifle 2 years ago. He is a super nice boy ♡.

Griffin, of course, can NEVER be 100% convinced that the grass he covets will always live in the shade.

This is where the longe line comes in handy-- so his human mom can-- at least attempt-- to stand in some shade.

As a side note, grazing a horse this far away from you isn't a recommended thing as the horse can easily get tangled in the line, but when you have a 19 yr relationship with your senior horse, these things have a way of working out because you have developed an Awesome relationship ♡♡.

I would not try this with a horse I did not know well, nor one that did not belong to me.

Before anyone thinks I left Tex out of the equation, he too also got a decent hosing (I just didn't get any pictures because I was too busy yapping).

His owner, Vickie, came for a visit yesterday to update a few of his vaccines. Because Vickie travels all over with her horses on a variety of trail/camping rides, she prefers to vaccinate for everything.

.....so Tex received a few of the less commonly used vaccines yesterday. 

He came in from the pasture a bit sweaty from standing in the hot sun (his choice- as his huge, pasture has shade). I gave him a nice, thorough cold hose and then treated him to an extra long graze session. Unlike my picky old man, Tex was happy to graze in the shade while Vickie, Amy (another very nice boarder), and I stood around talking.

....and as things would have it, we didn't talk enough....

Vickie disappeared for a bit while I gave Griffin his bath so she could visit some other friends in the area (she lives an hour and 20min away), then we got back together and enjoyed a yummy dinner at Pizza Ranch.

We talked about horses and people we knew and everything else.

....but mostly horses....

Because Vickie and I have the same interests (horse camping and exploring trails) the conversation was very enjoyable.

The folks at my barn are wonderful,  but most of them are show riders, so it's not always easy to relate because I no longer have any show interests. I used to do some shows when I was a kid and did a few when I first got Griffin, but these days I just don't have any interest in it.  It was like a breath of fresh air to have some good trail stories & chat!

I had said earlier that our conversation while grazing Tex must not have been enough, because we met for dinner....

What I did not say is that it REALLY wasn't enough, because it was 11 pm when I finally got home last night.  

We sat around at Pizza Ranch and chatted until about 9:30 and then went and stood out in the parking lot and talked for another hour!

....maybe one day,  Vickie and I can live closer! ;-)

Exhausting, but a lot of fun!....

I have a whole, long post in mind to write up on my camp outing with Tex at Wildcat Mountain State Park.

Because it's pretty "book worthy, " in terms of length, I need to find time to sit down and write (which is easier said than done).

Here is a quick share of a few photos from the weekend. Hopefully,  I can make time in the next week or so to do the full write up! :-)

I'm Back. Updates?

It's been awhile.

...but at least this time, I didn't give up, erase my blog, and then "start over" yet again.

I can think of a million excuses why I haven't been blogging.....

For one thing, Facebook is easier to just type a few words and be assured that my closest family and friends will read it (they don't do anything except FB, for the most part).

and yet....

I hate Facebook.

I often find it filled with negativity, drama, people attacking each other in interest groups (over the most INSANELY, stupid things I might ad)....   ...but,  I stick to it because it's easy.

Blogging should be easy, but since I don't own a computer, I find it a bit more challenging to update than Facebook.  When I start to write a post, what  I'd like to be just a short snipet about my day generally turns into a novel.  As a result, that novel ends up taking a LOT more time to write then what I had alotted for time to write in a day.

Well, I need to make more time to write -- because it sincerely is something that I enjoy.

So here goes another effort in redirecting my efforts away from the senseless drama of FB and more towards myself (i.e writing). 

I won't promise posts as interesting as some of the other blogs I enjoy reading (which are quite a few), but I am going to try to share the ups and downs of my life again with anyone with a mind to read.

I will use this post as a brief catch up to where things are in the varies aspects of my world.

Griffin
Ahhh.....my old Standardbred boy....
He's still here and so far, doing well.  His Cushings Disease seems to be under control at the moment and he seems healthy.  He shed his winter coat this spring far faster then he has in probably the last 7 or 8 years (which makes me wonder how long his Cushings went un-diagnosed).  At the moment were are getting in 1 or 2 very small, walking only, rides per week.  We hack around the arena a bit and the barnyard area.  He is still asking to go towards the woods and still showing signs of frustration when we don't.  I handwalk him down there occasionally, but he thinks we should ride there also.

I made a promise to him, that if he does well over the summer (and doesn't hurt himself AGAIN -- see previous posts), we could try a hack into the flatter sections of woods closest to the farm by this fall.  As with everything else that we do, I have learned that everything is a day at a time.  I count my blessings each and every day that he is with me and I don't have any expectations from one day to the next (and believe me that IS HARD to keep in mind).  When it comes to my animal family, he truly is my number one priority. I'd really like to see him enjoy each and every day of his golden years that he has left.  At 28years old, he as already lived a pretty good life and I want to keep giving that to him for as long as I possibly can.  Next year will mark out 20th year together!!

Tex
The situation with my lease horse, Tex, has grown into something far bigger than I ever thought it would.  Originally, I was only supposed to (part) lease Tex until June of this year (next month).  His owner was leasing another horse (that she really wanted to buy), for the year and when his owner was recovered from an injury she'd had -- she would start riding him again, and my friend would take Tex back as her sole, riding horse.

As things started to unfold, the friend's recovery did not go as rapidly as hoped and resulted in her questioning how well she would ever be able to ride again.  In addition to this, other factors in her life made her question just how much involvement she truly wanted to have with horses. Logically, she decided to sell her horse & trailer to MY friend (who wanted to buy him in the first place).

My friend, Vickie, now owns 3 horses.  Dusty (her newest mount), Tex (my lease horse), and Apache (her retired CTR horse).

Vickie knows that I would buy Tex from her in a heartbeat.

If I could afford 2 horses.

...but I can't, and Griffin must come first.

So, Vickie very kindly offered for me to continue the lease as we have been for as long as I wanted (or could). She has stated that she is not interested in selling Tex (although she would offer him for sale to me at a later date, if I was interested....which I am).

At this point and time, I am moving on with what amounts to roughly a 3/4 lease on Tex.  He is boarded at the same farm Griffin lives at and I have a horse to do longer rides and trail with.  Vickie will use him for occasional rides/trips as a backup horse for friends as those situations come up (she already has a 2 week camp trip planned with another friend in October).  I don't mind the sharing part, as I still must also make time for my old man.

I am very happy with this arrangement for a few reasons:
1)- I have a horse who is a SOLID trail horse that I can enjoy riding with friends....and even go out with alone.  Tex is a laid back, more whoa than go sort and he is truly a dream to explore trails with.
While I have lots of experience riding in arenas, showing, and doing arena involved patterns (from my youth working with other people's show horses), I have very little experience as a trail rider. I love trail riding and no longer have even the slightest desire to go to a horse show. Ever.

2.)- Because is not actually my horse on paper, I don't have the anxiety I might have trying to own owning 2 horses and dealing with funds for a major emergency should it come up (and that is not limited to just the two horses, but my personal life as well).  I still plan to have as much involvment as possible and to care for Tex as though he were my own -- but in the back of my mind, I don't have to worry about hanging onto a horse should I not be able to afford it if something major popped up in my life or that of my own animals.

3.)- I have someone to go horse camping with!!
I can't stress enough that if you are ever going to lease a horse, doing so with someone who shares you interests (...and goals) really helps.  Vickie is an incredibly experienced trail rider.  She has done Competitive Trail, Trail Trials, ridden all over the state, and camped in the mountains.

...and she is willling to let this Chicken, Novice trail rider wanna be accompany her.

Not to spoil a future blog post.....BUT
Next weekend we are camping at Wildcat Mountain State Park. It will be a couple of fun filled days of campfires, riding, and more riding!!  I have ALWAYS wanted to do this....and while there is a part of me that is saddened that it's not Griffin who will carry me on the trails -- I am excited to be able to have the opportunity to do it at all.  I have a horse I know I can trust, who I've started to bond just a little, and a friend who has the experience and knows the ropes of it all!!.....

Simon & Lukus
My cats are doing quite well and have become an amazing part of my family at home.  They are my biggest comfort when I am under the weather or feeling sad.  They make me smile.  They make me laugh. Every. Day.  I find it hard to believe I've had them almost 4 years now!!

 Lukus will be coming up on his 4th birthday at the end of the month....and like a crazy cat lady, anthropomorphic, mom, I want to do something special for him. I just dont' know quite what that will be yet.

Simon has turned into quite the lap cat and is nonstop with his purrrs (2 things that were definitely NOT a part of his personality when I got him).  I am also thinking he will make his first camping debut with me possibly next month!  Si loves being outside on his harness and he is certainly ready to be an adventure cat and test the camping waters!! 

Camping
So far, I have 3 confirmed camping outings this summer and I'm currently working on a 4th.  All of them are at nearby state parks with family with the exception of the horse outing with Vickie.

My little niece, Fiona (who is almost 3), has already developed an affinity for the outdoors.  I have a feeling the future will hold MANY camp outings with her and my sister.  She just received a new, made for her (in terms of safety) airbed, that she will be trying out on our June outing.  She has quickly outgrown the Pack N Play and is now ready to take the next step learning to be an experienced camper!

Work
It's the same. Enough said (yes, I just had to include that).

...and that's about it -- I will try to keep updates coming as often as I can....and with the summer I have planned, maybe a good adventure story or two!!

Thanks for reading...  :-)