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!!! :-)

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.....  

A Little Catch Up...

My family and I just returned from our July camp outing. Saying that makes it sound like we went hours away.....

In reality, it was only another short trip to a nearby state park. This time we stayed at Mirror Lake State Park.

Mirror Lake isn't as popular as Devil's Lake, but it's still a nice state park with decent campsites, easy hike trails, and a small, shallow beach.

We stayed for 3 nights this time, and...unlike last time, it didn't rain the majority of the time. We only had one night in which the storms found us. Unfortunately,  the humidity on this trip was about the same as last time, and just like on that stay, my hiking was only minimal.  *sigh* 

I am hoping my weekend outing at the end of August will be better in terms of weather and will afford me some good hiking.

My sister,  Gayle, bought herself a larger tent and this was her first time using it.  Her sleeping quarters were some of the largest I have seen yet. Her tent is Colossal (with a capital "C"). It has dividers to make 3 rooms and is plenty big enough for herself,  Brendan, Fiona,  and Winston (their Husky Lab X).
.....and I think they'd still have room in there for another 2-3 people and all their STUFF. My sister seems very happy with her tent.

We spent the outing mostly visiting, doing some very small hikes (mostly to the bathroom *giggles*), and goofing off with Fiona. There was silly string, water guns, and giant purple Frisbees involved. Fiona and I also had a rather engaging game of glow-in-the-dark horse shoes.
.....mostly that involved her handing me the horse shoes and telling me how to throw them. Sometimes Fiona is just too smart for her own good! 

On the horse front, I haven't been getting a whole lot of rides in with either horse. We seem to get a handful of nice, comfortable days and then a couple of real hot, humid, and sticky numbers that make me feel like I am a rainforest dweller.

I don't do a lot of riding on days like that, because frankly-- I just don't enjoy it.  With that said, however, I DO love just hanging out with my equine boys and so we spend the scorcher afternoons hand grazing, doing pampered grooming,  getting cool baths, and a lazy walk here and there.

The spring and fall months are my favorite times to ride and that's when I get the most rides in.

My phone is being a bit of a pain at the moment in letting me get all my photos attached, so I just have a few to share today with no real captions added....

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! ;-)

I had planned a longer hike this afternoon but.....

My plan after work today was to try to fit in another hike after running a few errands. I was going to do 2 Devil's Lake trails totaling just under 4 miles. 

When I arrived home, however, I was so tired having not slept much in the last 3 days (my own fault) that I took a nap instead. By the time I awoke to my cats demanding dinner, it was well after six (sorry boys).

Not wanting to give up the whole evening to doing nothing, I headed over to the lake anyway and decided to do a short trail with the remaining daylight left.

My choice was the 0.7 mile, Grotto trail on the South shore. I hiked it out and back doing an easy 1.4 miles.

.....at least is was better than not getting to hike at all.

I have explored probably just over half of the trails at Devil's Lake. By the end of this summer and into fall, I am hoping to complete all -- if not most of them.

The 2 questionable trails for me are the Potholes trail and the cc c trail (both being extremely difficult trails). I want to be a bit more fit and have some more strength built in my knee/ankle before doing those.

....and I WILL do them..

I have never done the Grottos trail before,  so exploring it tonight was a bit of a treat. It has a few easy hills and dips, but otherwise was a very wide, simple trail.

One thing that is very nice about being able to blog on my cell phone is that I can do so anywhere. The photo below is my current view as I write this!

...So much better than staring at a monitor on a desk!!

The trail had some small bridges.

The views were beautiful!! ...which is so typical of this state park. It's part of the reason so many camp and play here...

Unfortunately,  no photo I can possibly take will ever do it justice.

This last photo is the entrance to the difficult,  Potholes trail. It doesn't look hard in the photo, but when you start up it and realize just how steep it is (going straight up into the bluffs) you can see that it's not for the faint of heart.

I'm hoping I can do some "on trail" photos of the challenging, potholes trail.

Tomorrow, the weather is supposed to be a touch of storms with hot temperatures and dangerous humidity.

My old man Griffin has been quite bothered by some of the hot days we've had so far this summer ( & going off his feed a bit), so I will probably make it a nice bath/spa day for him.

 

I need to do a pony post soon...so maybe some sudsy pics tomorrow (Big Grin)!

THAT pretty hike I've been waiting for.....and "Bear Thoughts"

I've been craving a good, nature hike for some time now. I'd hoped to scratch that itch when I was camping, but the questionable weather made that difficult.

So yesterday, when I got done at work, I raced through my normal, afternoon house chores, donned my sneakers, strapped my phone to my arm, and headed over to the Steinke Basin trail head.

The Steinke Basin Trail Loop is a short, 2.4 mile loop that is part of Devil's Lake State Park. This is one of a few trails that have an access point outside of the park. There is a separate parking lot just up the road from the main exit.

I have several, favorite Devil's Lake trails--and this is one of them. This particular hike is considered easy, but there's still enough uphill grades to get your heart rate elevated (unless, of course, you are much more physically fit than I, which is probably most people). I thought this would be just the right hike to do after a long day at work.....not too difficult.....not too long. The weather was also a perfect, 77 degrees.

Since many of my hikes tend to be last minute,  spur of the moment, deals....I am usually solo.

Most folks who know me - know that I am an incredibly deep thinker (often times, too much for my own good).

As I set off on my hike, I let my mind wander as usual......I wondered what life would be like if I didn't have to work. How nice it would be to just enjoy my animals and hike and camp as much as I'd like.  There are so many places I'd like to visit if only I had the funds & time to get there.

Ahhhhh...that elusive, perfect world!

As my feet left the open, sunny section behind and carried me into the woods, I could hear the breeze rustling through the trees with an odd tree creak every now and then. Just myself and nature. Relaxing.

....that is until I heard a small to medium animal move through the woods on my left.

....and I thought about Wisconsin's Black Bear statistics (now, for the record, I know the sound wasn't a bear).

...as I said before, I'm a deep thinker...

The Wisconsin black bear population has risen from approximately 9,000 bears in 1989 to more than 28,000 animals currently.  Black bears are gradually spreading out to more southern parts of the state. 

I was curious of the chances of seeing a Black Bear on some of these remote, forested trails in Devil's Lake.  

It gave me some piece of mind to know that I had done my research on what actions a hiker should take should they come upon on a bear. Unfortunately,  should a bear decide I was a threat, I had nothing at my disposal except for a set of keys to use to protect myself. 

...and I was alone (groups are safer).

I told myself that because I am still fairly south, my chances of encountering a bear on my hike were pretty minimal.

....and so I kept hiking on and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings and the other wildlife. I saw squirrels, a variety of birds, a couple of small rabbits, and  some mosquitos.

Wait.

Did I just say that?

Mosquitos?

Not exactly the wildlife one appreciates. Unfortunately,  a few spots on the trail had tiny bridge crossings over some tiny creek bed areas. In those spots, I managed to aquire a few bites. 

Next time, bug spray, chica...

Thankfully, most of the trail was fine however.

At one point, I crossed an access road and saw the only other human I passed while on the trail. A young lady was trail running the other way-- coming towards me.   ....and she was FLYING-- like a gazelle on fire. 

I thought to myself how much I wish I could run like that.....feel that runner's high. If only my lower half weren't so broken and I didn't have a bum knee and a bad ankle. *sigh*

Still....I am grateful for being able to hike, ride horses, and camp. 

....and I plan on doing those things for as long as possible!

....unless a black bear eats me. *laughs*

So I finished my hike uneventful and found myself wishing that it were longer. Next time.

When I arrived home, I did indeed look for information on Black Bears at Devil's Lake. I discovered that there have, in fact, been sightings at DL as far back as 2009. Bear scat (poop) has also been found on the south end of the park. Frightening enough, the sightings have mostly occurred in the Steinke Basin Area where I was just hiking. Yikes! (I wish i could post the info link, but my phone is not letting me add it at the moment. Grrrrr...).

I've been wanting a set of Trekking poles to help me hike hills better. Perhaps now is the time to invest in a set. They could also make a convenient defense tool should, God forbid, I ever need it. 

I know that plenty of hikers hike in far more bear populated areas safely (even among Grizzlies, which Thank the good Lord, we don't have around here). I don't plan to stop hiking, so becoming educated about what to do and hiking smart are the alternatives!

Here are a few photos from my hike. Enjoy!

Parking area. Several cars, but I only saw 1 other hiker/runner.

Vacation. Birthday. Camping. (in no particular order)..

My annual birthday, camp outing couldn't have come at a better time this year.  I was feeling quite a bit burned out from work and,  in a sense,  wanted a little break from the horse life.

I am the only horse lover in my family (sadly enough).

....so when we want to spend time together, we camp (the non - horse kind).

My mom and I camp together quite often. As far as camping companions go-- I think we make a great team in that we share a site and work together to have a great time. I am hoping that one day,  we will be able to take some seriously long road trips in each other's company. 

...Unfortunately, in life, there are always obstacles.

I have my animals to care for (I don't trust most boarding establishments and have yet to find a great pet sitter).

...and my mom has my dad.

He loathes camping in the same way that Superman hates kryptonite. In addition to that, he is disabled and has difficulty staying alone over long periods of time.

Thankfully,  we have 3 beautiful state parks within a half hour driving distance of our homes.

We are lucky.

We can camp AND take care of our respective responsibilities.

....but maybe one day circumstances will change and we can have that far away adventure.

Our stay last week was at the very popular,  Devil's Lake State Park. Our site this year was 065 in the Quartzite campground.

As is generally the case, my mom choose the site based on her ability to back her small ( but not tiny) camper into position. My mother, who is a self proclaimed "Glamper." wants just about every amenity she can have (short of air conditioning and the kitchen sink).

I, on the other hand, enjoy a few amenities (i.e A decent airbed and the convenience of electricity when available), but I'm happiest cooking on campfires and sleeping in a tent.

I downgraded from my old Pop Up camper 3 years ago to a high quality, canvas tent. While I would be lying if I said I never miss the camper, I can also say that it's not enough to have the desire to go back. The tent offers me 100X's the flexibility of the camper and is the most doable option for horse camping should I ever get that horse trailer I've been dreaming of having for years (the money gods are taking their own,  sweet time shining that light in my direction).

Our campsite was nice, but less wooded than I would have liked.

The first night of our stay was fairly windy, but nice enough for a fire and a bit of hanging out.

My sister and her husband and my niece, Fiona, also joined us, but they shared site 046 with friends.

I had plans to hike my favorite trails during the day, but since the weather forecast threatened the chance of storms all weekend, I pretty much just used the time to relax. I did a short stroll around the campground here and there, but nothing of any distance (or sadly.....with any sort of pretty view). I mostly busied myself with my nose in a book or working on some crossword puzzles I had brought along.

I think the highlight of my weekend was watching Fiona delight at seeing the live frogs, turtles, and snakes at the nature center. She couldn't get enough of watching them.

....and she can't get enough of camping.

Fiona is not yet 3yrs old and she loves the outdoors with the same level of enthusiasm that my dad has in his hatred of camping.

On the second night, we had a good storm for a few hours.

....as in several INCHES of rain.

My mom and I watched a movie (which we would do the 3rd night as well due to MORE rain).

My sister and her friends hung out in their rather large tent and made silly, Snapchat videos. Little Fiona thought the rain was about as much fun as bouncing on the air mattress in the tent. Thunder & Lightening? No problem....This little girl could care less.

Due to the impending rain (and a few mild leaks), Gayle & company choose to head home a day early. I didn't blame them as I also went home for the 3rd night due to the high incidence of heavy rain, lightning, thunder, and flooding. I needed to go home in the morning anyway to care for my cats-- so it worked out ok.

My mom felt safe in her trailer, so I left at 11 pm (quiet time). We watched an old Lucille Ball movie and ate Nachos up to that point. It goes without saying, that I would have rather enjoyed a campfire on a balmy evening....

.....but only Mother Nature can pick the weather.

In the morning, I was rather thrilled that my tent had undergone a second night of heavy rains and not a drop was to be found inside. I can't say enough for Kodiak Canvas Tents. I. Love. My. Tent.

It wasn't until the following day that I learned that Fiona threw a bit of a tantrum when her mom started taking their tent down. She wasn't ready to go home!!

....even if the big, bad storm wanted to huff and puff and blow their whole campsite down!!

Fiona had already made herself a "professional" camper. On our first day there, she made the observation that my mom's camper has wheels. In talking with her, I then proceeded to show her how the camper must hook up to the truck so it can be pulled to the campsite. I showed her the truck hitch and the coupler on the camper.

After this little show and tell,  Fiona took it upon herself to make sure all friends & family in attendance knew how these things worked.

She's not even 3 years old.

Bright. Little. Girl!!

As luck would have it, our last night gave us perfect weather. My mom and I enjoyed a lovely campfire, super yummy ribs, and banana split marshmallows for dessert.

My only regrets were that the stupid weather chased me home for a night (and that I let it....) and I didn't even get in a single hike on a favorite trail.

.....at least Devil's Lake is super close to my home and there are plenty of day trips to be had yet this summer!

Next month we are all at Mirror Lake SP for 3 nights. I am hoping the weather will be better as I am overdue for that pretty hike!!

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...  :-)

Night Shift

One of the rotations I do at work comes with having the latest shift. When compared to other jobs,  it's really not as late as some, but it's late enough to generally put me in the dark by the time I arrive at the barn.

When Griffin and I arrived at Tammy's barn 10 years ago, she did not have an indoor arena. The only building was the small, main barn (...and, believe it or not, I miss those days because I like smaller barns).

It goes without saying, that Griffin and I didn't ride much during those winters simply because we didn't have any daylight left. I often satisfied our time together with long groom sessions and hand walks down the drive (which, fortunately, is pretty long so it isn't boring).

I don't recall getting a lot of snow during those winters either, so I think we were able to continue doing the walks through most of those cold months.

Having pondered about all of this in my mind recently,  I've decided to try to do that again with Griffin this winter.  The walking will be good for his healing leg and will give us that bonding time together.  I don't foresee trying to do any riding with Griffin until we hit the latter half of February or so when temperatures begin to rise again. At that time, we can try to slowly incorporate some tiny rides in as Griffin dictates when/if he is ready (and willing) to do them.

I did the first of these many, nightly hand walks on Tuesday of this last week.

It wasn't a particularly warm night, but it was clear and there was no wind. Stars flooded the sky and, overall, it was a lovely evening.

Griffin was VERY happy to be out for a stroll. He was very forward at the end of the bridle and I had to stop and back a step or two several times to request his attention. He was a good boy and did as I asked. We enjoyed each other's company and my mind drifted back to those earlier years at Tammy's when Griffin was still a middle - aged horse.

I know it would have bothered a lot of people to not be able to ride through the winter months, but I honestly can't say it ever really bothered me. My horse was happy and healthy. I was outside with my best friend and it was quiet and peaceful.

...perhaps the best part was that I didn't have any training/competition pressures and therefore had no need to worry about climbing aboard to pilot my horse while dressed like the Stay Puffed Marshmallow man from Ghostbusters.

During our walk, I also thought about camping and wished that Griffin and I had managed to find the opportunity to go while he was still able to do longer trail rides. If I have any regrets with all that my boy and I have done together, not being able to go camping will always remain the biggest one.

Still.....looking at all of the years we have shared together...

I am immensly grateful that Griffin is still part of my life and hopefully will be for a few years yet to come...

Sometimes when I can get outside and feel relaxed (and not suffer from any of my own arthritis pain) and enjoy a walk like this with Griffin --it really DOES beat even a good ride on any other horse!