A Girl And Her Horse

Girls are notoriously horse-crazy. I know I was as a child. I collected plastic horses and ceramic horses, and the first stories I wrote were about horses. One of the stories won the Scholastic Writing Awards contest when I was 12, and created a writing monster. (smile)

I couldn't have a horse of my own back then, but when I got old enough to work and earn some money, part of that money was spent at a riding stable. Since then, I've been fortunate enough to have three horses at different times in my life, and currently have my pal, Banjo.

I think he loves me, but it's really the hay.

Most girls outgrow this obsession with horses, but some of us don't, and I imagine my neighbor, Haley, will be in that latter category. I welcome her as my Wednesday's Guest today because I was so impressed with her hard work as she competed for Junior Miss Rodeo Queen for the Franklin County Sheriff Posse Rodeo held this past weekend.

Waiting for the judges decision

Unfortunately, Haley did not win, but she did her best, and she sure sits a horse well. She is also a lovely young girl. She lives next door with her mother, sister, and grandmother, and they are really nice people who help me out a lot with my animals. It is so great to have neighbors like that!

When the family first moved in with their four horses, I remember seeing Haley jump up on the old mustang a few times and ride him with no saddle and no bridle; just hugging the horse's neck and ambling along. Right then I knew that there was a special connection between this little slip of a girl and a horse. 

Still waiting with her mother

At the rodeo, I took the next three pictures after the decisions had been made and the awards given. The girls then took their horses back to the trailer area to be unsaddled. I thought the progression of expressions on Haley's face was very telling.

I will not cry.

Here comes pure determination.

I'll get it next time.

And finally:

Okay, I'm over it.

It's hard to handle disappointment with grace, but I think she did a fine job, and I was glad to be a part of all of this with Haley and her family. My kids and I were some of her sponsors, and we were so happy to do that and support her efforts.  Looking forward to next year!

~~~~~~~~~
Are you a horse lover? Do you like to sponsor young people for various activities and events?

Friday's Odds and Ends

 One of the things I like to do for fun is work jigsaw puzzles. I just finished this one last night, after working on it off and on for a month or so. I do take time out for writing and visiting friends and playing games, so it takes me a while to finish a puzzle. All the while I was working on it, I was craving chocolate. Maybe I need to do a non-food related puzzle next.

Topping the national news this week was this little tidbit:  Speaker John Boehner and House leadership did something that's never been done in American history. They voted to sue the President.

When I read that, I couldn't believe it. Talk about an absurdity. That one tops them all. And what is even worse is that a whole lot of people think that is just okay.

Enough said about that.

Yesterday it rained off and on all day here in East Texas. During one short break, I did manage to get out and pick up branches and limbs that had fallen. I couldn't believe that I was working outside in Texas in July wearing a flannel shirt, and I wasn't even hot. We are all wondering when summer will get here.

Early in the day yesterday, the veterinarian came out to float my horse's teeth, and when I told some of my non-horsey friends, they were puzzled. One asked, "What is he going to do? Take the horse's teeth out and throw them into the pond to see if they float?"

We all had a good chuckle over that, then someone asked why the procedure is referred to as "floating" so I thought I would do a trusty little Google search. Don't you just love it? Have a question? Ask Google. Anyway, the term comes from the rasp or "float" that is used to file down sharp enamel points that form on a horse's back teeth. These points can rub on the horse's cheek when he is chewing and make it uncomfortable to eat.

There are Equine Dental Specialists in some parts of the country, but here in rural East Texas, most large-animal doctors do the dental work.

It's been a while since I've had a stray cat show up on my place. Lots of people dump cats and dogs out here. Don't you just hate that? This kitty showed up on Wednesday.

Most of the time my dog, Poppy, runs off any strays that come on her property. It is hers, by the way. So I don't often have a cat make it to the deck where I can see it. Of course if I see a cat on the deck, I have to take it in - I can't let it be coyote lunch - but I really do need to find a home for this kitty. She is sweet and friendly, but I already have four cats, who are all very unhappy that an interloper is in the sun room where they usually get to play every day.

Now to end with a joke.

A census taker in a rural area went up to a farmhouse and knocked on the door. When a woman answered, he asked her the names and ages of her children.

She said: "Let's see now, there are the twins, Billy and Bobby, they're seventeen. And the twins, Seth and Beth, they're sixteen. And the twins, Benny and Jenny, they're fifteen."

"Wait a minute!" said the census taker. "Did you get twins every time?"

"Heck no," answered the woman. "There were hundreds of times we didn't get nothin'."

Have a great weekend.

Friday's Odds and Ends - Short and Sweet

For the sweet part, why don't we all have a cup of coffee and a piece of this yummy coffee cake?

The cake is really easy to prepare, and I used to make a lot when the kids were young, and it was a family favorite, especially on Christmas and Easter mornings. The recipe used to be on the back of the Bisquick box, but it is no longer there. I found a recipe on Food.com if you want to try it.

We need the comfort food as we think about yet another mass shooting that occurred last Friday in California.  Elliot O. Rodger killed six college students and himself near the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara. Apparently there had been warnings from his family and mental health professionals that he was unstable and had the potential for violence, yet he was able to purchase three guns and carry out this terrible act. 

Now California lawmakers are proposing legislation that would allow for restraining orders from a judge to keep people like Elliot from buying or owning a gun. According to the news report in The New York Times, "The process would be similar to the one currently used for restraining orders in cases of domestic violence."

That might be a good step. What do you think?

Totally switching gears now because we need something positive to focus on, I want to mention the Children's Miracle Network in Tyler, TX, just one of many hospitals across the country that serve children with special needs and their families. Today a local radio station, KMOO, hosted a radiothon, and I went over to the live broadcast booth to make a donation. At first that was all I was going to do, but then I got the idea to pledge 50% of my royalties from book sales on Amazon this month to that worthy cause. I will include sales that have already occurred this month, as well as any over the next two days. So if you have been considering one of my books, this is a good time to grab one and help a good cause. This offer is for any of my books in paper or as e-books. I will track sales and make the donation on Monday. On behalf of all the families this might help in East Texas, I thank you. 100 percent of the money raised goes to the kids here in East Texas, so I am thrilled to support the effort. Here is a link to my Author Page on Amazon for easy shopping.- 
 
You don't have to be a horse lover to appreciate this next offering. A friend sent me a link to this video of the amazing Friesian horses and I just had to share it here. These are such beautiful, majestic horses and would love to ride one some day.




It's been a while since I've posted a Literary Lesson here on the blog, and I just read this in Bone by Bone by Carol O'Connell. It's an interesting commentary by an older man to his grown son, and does make one stop and think:

"The way I see it--it doesn't matter if God invented man or man invented GOd. It's a done deal, and you might as well try to uninvent the isosceles triangel. But a bona fide miracle defires logic in both camps. A man-made god precludes miraculous acts. And a true god wouldn't allow them. Why shake man's faith is sweet reason?"

And now a joke to end our week. This one may not make you laugh out loud, but I thought it was cute.

A young boy is pulling his wagon up a hill when one of the back wheels falls off and rolls down the hill. The young boy says, "I'll be darned." A local pastor heard him and said, "You should not say that. Next time your wheel falls off say, 'Praise the Lord.'" So the next day the young boy is pulling his wagon up the hill and the wheel falls off and rolls down the hill. The young boy says, "Praise the Lord." The wheel stops rolling, turns around, rolls back up the hill and puts itself back on the wagon. The young boy being very surprised by this exclaims, "I'll be darned!" 

Friday's Odds and Ends

This one will be really short today. I have lots of company and a really busy day ahead. This is the last weekend of the play I am in, and we will be playing to sold-out houses this weekend. So excited, especially since some of my kids have come to see the show.

One of my sons is also going to help me fix some fencing. The other day I found my horse on his side with his back legs tangled in the fence. Either he tried to jump it or had kicked at the horses next door and got a hind leg caught high on the fence. I thought he'd broken his leg, but miraculously he did not. He has some lacerations on both hind legs and was very stiff in his hind quarters for 24 hours, but seems to be walking better today.  

This is a pre-accident picture of Banjo

I couldn't believe this small horse, only 14 hands high, would try to jump a fence that is 4 and a half feet high, but he does not get along well with the horses next door. We are going to get some cattle panels and attach them to the existing fence poles, making a higher barrier. Hopefully, that will keep him in and the other horses out.

Now I will leave you with a couple of jokes brought to you by good clean jokes:


Student: Could I get in trouble if I didn't do something?
Teacher: Well, I don't suppose so.
Student: In that case, I didn't do my homework.

Jim: What's white, steep, and has ears?
Tara: I don't know.
Jim: A snow-covered mountain.
Tara: What about the ears?
Jim: Haven't you ever heard of mountaineers?

Friday's Odds and Ends - Pretty Presents and More

One of my publishers, Untreed Reads,  just let me know that all the books at the online bookstore, Kobo, will be 50% off through December 31st, so readers can load books into their new electronic reading devices at a huge savings. The code can be used over and over through the end of this month. How cool is that. I may have to go check out some books for myself. Some of my favorite authors have some books there, so this is a great time to pick up some new ones.

If you are interested, here is the code to use - 50DEC - and here is the link to the Kobo site. I am pleased to have several of my titles available at Kobo: One Small Victory and Play it Again, Sam,  and the short stories: Making it Home, SAHM, I Am, The Visitor, and The Last Dollar. With the discount the short stories are under a dollar, and the two novels are well below $5.

Christmas was bittersweet this year, considering the big empty spot in our family, but we did manage to do some of the normal Miller traditions: Christmas Eve lasagna and White Elephant gift exchange, then dinner on Christmas Day followed by a movie.

In addition to the fun gift exchange, we do exchange other gifts, and my main gift from my kids was this beautiful stained glass artwork. I actually got it back in October, as my youngest daughter, Dany, saw it at an art fair where I was offering my books. She went around visiting all the other artists there - yes, writers are artists - and she saw this piece. She contacted her siblings to see if they wanted to chip in, and the vote was unanimous. 

This was taken with the picture leaning against the window where it will eventually hang.

This picture was taken with the glass leaning against the drawers in my desk. I thought the changes to the colors was interesting.

I also got another lovely piece of glass art from my oldest grandchildren. Owls and horses adorn many of my walls and shelves. Not literally, of course, but you know what I mean. (smile) I've heard that owls are a sign of good luck in many Asian cultures. I think horses are just a source of joy. 

This is a serving tray that I may just leave on my table for a while so I can enjoy it.

Finally, let's end on a fun note with a joke from Pearls Before Swine: 

Pig is sitting behind a desk and he says, "Hey, Rat. What you doing here?"

Rat replies, "Goat said you got an office job. I told him I had to see it for myself."

Pig says, "It's true. I go to meetings, read reports, write memos."

Rat says, "What? You don't know how to do any of that stuff."

Pig says, "No but I can learn."

Rat says. "Learn? These corporate types will eat you alive. What are you going to do the first time some boss comes in here to chew your head off about some stupid memo?"

"I've got a Time-to-Duck hole."

Rat says, "You're gonna duck?"

The Guard Duck pops up out of a hole on the desk, aiming a missile and says, "We're gonna tell him to write his own blankety-blank memo."

Pig says, "Everyone needs a Time-to-Duck hole," and from inside the hole the Guard Duck says, "Can someone bring me a doughnut?"

Book Review - Born Wild by Joe Camp

Born Wild

Joe Camp

File Size: 19086 KB

Print Length: 274 pages

Publisher: 14 Hands Press (December 2, 2013)

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Language: English

ASIN: B00G5UPLR6

  

Joe Camp has done it again with the sequel to the National Best Seller The Soul of a Horse – LifeLessons from the Herd. When I read that first book about how to establish a trusting relationship with a horse, I went out to the pasture with my horse and Joined Up - a technique of horsemanship that lets the horse choose you and starts a training process that does not involve fear.

This latest book is another story about trust; about how you can build stronger relationships with all animals, including people, by first forming that trusting bond. It means focusing on the needs and wants of the other person, or in the case of animal training, the animal. Advice that Joe repeats for emphasis is, "Relationship first continues to be the key. And the relationship is not set until the horse makes the choice, of her own free will, to say I trust you to be my leader. That's when everything changes for the better."

In Born Wild, Camp chronicles the experiences he and his wife, Kathleen, have had after adopting two wild mustang mares who were pregnant and raising the foals. As he states in the book, "This was uncharted territory for us," and he shares the good and the bad and the ugly with his engaging narrative style. His passionate love of animals resonates throughout each chapter, and, like he did in The Soul of a Horse, he includes chapters that are presented from the POV of a herd of wild horses that is trying to survive on land that is supposed to belong to the wild mustangs and burros. Those chapters are fiction, of course, but it gives insight into the way horses are meant to live and how they can thrive in an environment closer to what is natural for them.

"The bottom line is that whenever there is a question about lifestyle, diet, feet, behavior, or just about anything else related to the horse, the answer can be found in the answer to this question. What would the horse be doing for himself if he were living in the wild of the American West? Because every horse on the planet was born wild. And genetically speaking still is. By no means does any of this imply a life without humans. The horse loves to be in a relationship. Prefers it. Even with us humans, if the relationship is approached with understanding, respect, and compassion."

Born Wild  takes the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to task for its treatment of the wild mustangs and burros. The Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971 allocated land for the preservation and protection of these wild species, and the BLM is charged with enforcing that law. However, instead of upholding the law, the agency moves the horses to smaller areas so the land can be leased to ranchers for forage for their cattle and sheep. The fees the ranchers pay are much less than if they were to lease the land from private land owners, It costs the taxpayers $65 million a year to support the current approach to management, and if the wild horses were simply allowed to live free on the land that was allocated to them, the cost would be considerably less.

Not only is the poor use of taxpayer money of significant concern, the roundups are handled in such a way that the horses suffer and many of the very young horses die. It is also terribly frightening for an animal that is prey, such as a horse, to be chased by helicopters. Horse advocates such as Ginger Kathrens have documented the cruelty to the horses and have video that shows the helicopters hovering just feet above the running horses. She has made several documentary films that are well worth watching.

The way the animals are treated is a situation that Joe and Kathleen Camp find deplorable, and therefore they spend part of their time and effort working with others to try to spread the word that the current BLM program should be changed. That is part of the reason they have written this book, to shed a light on the problems and encourage people to become part of the solution, but the book is so much more than that. It is a testament to the love between a man and his horse that has been part of legend and lore for so many years. Joe Camp, and others like him who take a natural respectful approach to horsemanship, are just raising the bar.

You don't have to own a horse or even love a horse to be able to appreciate the messages in this book because the bottom line of trust is so important in any relationship. But if you do own a horse, reading this book could forever change the way you think about and interact with your four-legged friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a link to my review of The Soul of a Horse. This other link is to an interview with Joe Camp, published shortly after the review.

And just for fun, here is a picture of my horse, Banjo.

Monday Morning Musings

What a beautiful morning here in East Texas, which is a good thing since my heater went out in the middle of the night. Don't you just love it when a loud noise wakes you from a great dream and you get up to find some major disaster?

The noise I heard was a loud whirring/humming and I wondered if my refrigerator was getting ready for lift-off. I got up to investigate and the noise was definitely coming from the area around the refrigerator, but all things seemed to be working well there. So I opened the back door to check the compressor for the heat and air conditioning, and it was getting ready for lift-off. Since it was one o'clock in the morning, I just shut the heat off, got an extra blanket and went back to bed.

I woke up early to a bit of a chill in the house, but not too bad. It was 64 degrees in the house and a balmy 45 degrees outside. When I looked out my front window, I was glad I got up early enough to get this picture of my horse silhouetted against the morning fog. I took it through the window with my iPad, as I knew the moment would not wait for me to get dressed to go outside, so the quality of the picture is not great. But I do think the beauty of the scene is great.

Since I have to call a heating repair person, as well as do several other things today while my friend is still visiting, I will wrap this up with an acknowledgement of Veterans Day. Here is a link to the history of Veterans Day for anyone who would like a little information about that. Grammar Girl has an interesting blog about why Veterans Day doesn't have a apostrophe.

I want to recognize the veterans in my family: My brother Michael who served in the Army during Vietnam. My son David, a Marine, who served in Desert Storm. And my daughter, Dany who was a captain in the Army, but was lucky enough not to see combat. My thanks to them and to all who have served with honor and dignity.

Are there special veterans in your family you are honoring today? Am I the only one who wishes that this holiday, and so many others, was not always tied to retail marketing and sales? Do you take advantage of sales like this? Do I just need to get over it?

I Need a Leash

To understand the title of this blog post, I have to fill you in on my morning. My plan was to finish up some interview questions for Martha Alderson, The Plot Whisperer, who is going to be a guest at The Blood Red pencil later this month. Yes, you read that right, The Plot Whisperer, like The Horse Whiperer, only for writers. 

Seriously, it is going to be an interesting interview, so I will remind you again closer to the date in case you would like to see what she has to say.

Next on my to-do list was to update my blog. But, lo and behold, when I came to the blog, I saw that I had some comments that I had not responded to. I also saw some new friends, so I had to go visit their blogs. Yesterday I was off line most of the day, so I had not seen the comments.

When I saw Helen Ginger's name, I remembered that she had a good blog yesterday about publicists. I had received a note about that in e-mail, but did not have time to go over yesterday, so I had to go check it out. Business, right?

In between blog-hopping, I remembered I had to do some laundry, so I took a quick break to throw shirts in the washing machine. The thrilling life of a writer.

I came back to my blog and saw Morgan Mandel's comment. That reminded me that she has a new book out, Her Handyman. I haven't read it yet, but it is on my Kindle. It sounds like a fun, light romance, which is always a nice diversion from real life.

Thinking about my writer friends, I remembered that Marian Allen has a book contracted with Hydra Publications, The Fall of Onagros, and she shares how the story came to be on the  Literary Lunes blog. 

Another interruption to take care of an issue at the local art center, then I was hoping to get back to this, when I saw my horse had pulled the rope loose from where I had tied him to munch on some green grass. He helps me not to have to mow so often.

Maybe I should ask Martha to talk to him about staying put?

I ran outside, got him tied again, threw the ball for the dog a few times, then came back inside to another phone call. Just when I thought I was ready to come back to the blog, then get on with the rest of my plan for the day, I heard the washing machine stop. Do I just let the wet clothes stay there and get lots of wrinkles, or do I get up and throw them into the dryer?

Perhaps I should call this post, Friday's Follies.

Courtesty of Classroomclipart.com

 How do you handle days that go awry like this? Do you try to get back to your plan, or just say, to heck with it. I think I'll go read a book?

It's All About the Olympics

In honor of the London Games starting tonight - USA time - I will devote this post to the Olympics and dedicate it to the athletes from around the world who are gathering to compete and bring honor to their countries.

The Olympics have always thrilled me. I love everything about the opening and closing ceremonies, the games, the individual events, and I even watch things I normally would not, like basketball. The only events I don't watch are the boxing matches. Never could get my mind around two people punching each other and calling it sport. 

A long time ago I wrote a column about how the Olympics brings the world together in a special way that the idealist in me wishes could happen all the time. Why are so many countries "friends" every four years, then enemies the rest of the time?

No matter your thoughts about that, or your take on boxing, I know that many other people share my excitement about the Summer Games starting and will be watching as much as possible. If you would like to follow the games online, here is a link to the official London Games site.

I like the fact that I can go online and follow the equestrian events. They do not get much prime time coverage as more people are interested in the gymnastics, swimming, track and field, and diving. But   I am a real horse-lover, and even though I have never done show jumping or dressage, I love to watch it. I found this cute graphic on the London Games site.

 Here is a picture of my horse. He doesn't do dressage, or jump, or anything else of much interest, but he is a good pasture ornament.

Since I often close my Friday posts with a joke, I thought I would share this Peanuts strip I saw in yesterday's newspaper. I thought it quite fitting for today. In the first panel Charlie Brown and Snoopy are looking out the front door. Charlie Brown says, "If it doesn't stop raining, I won't be able to go out and get your dog dish."

In the second panel, Snoopy is giving Charlie Brown that look that pets can do so well. Charlie Brown says,  "So, I'll make the supreme sacrifice... I'll put on my rain outfit and brave the elements."

In the final panel, Snoopy is watching Charlie Brown walk out into the rain. Snoopy says, "Afterwards we can have the awarding of medals."

Will you be watching all the events? Which ones are your favorites?

A to Z Challenge - H is for Horses

Most of you who have been following my posts this month probably guessed I would choose horses for the subject of the H post. I could hardly leave Banjo out after writing about all the other animals at "Grandma's Ranch."

Banjo is the third horse I have owned. I started with an American Saddlebred when I was 19. He was a beautiful big horse that I bought from the man who owned a riding stable where I worked  for a short time after high school. His name was Turk. The horse, not the man.

Turk was an amazing horse that could work under English or Western tack, and he won Best of Show at the Michigan State Fair the year after I sold him.

My second horse was Buck, named so because he did like to buck people off. I got him as a green-broke horse when I was pregnant for our third child. For a few weeks I worked with him on the ground and could even put the kids on his back and lead them around, so I thought he was ready for someone to mount him. My husband preferred that I not do that, for obvious reasons, so he volunteered. Buck promptly bucked my husband off, much to the delight of the kids. "Oh, look, Daddy's a rodeo cowboy."

My husband was far from delighted, and even more so when a seasoned horse-woman caught Buck, led him to my husband and said. "Get back on."

I didn't hear my husband's response, but I'm sure it is not printable here. The woman said, "If you don't get back on, the horse won. You never want to let the horse win."

So my husband did get back on and let the woman lead him around just long enough to show the horse who was boss.

I had a similar experience when I first got Banjo. The first time I rode him, he was fine, but the second time I mounted him, he decided to rear. He went straight up, and for a moment I thought we were going over backwards. Luckily my daughter was there, and she was able to grab the horse as he came down and hold him until my nerves settled down.

My impulse was to bail. After all I am a lot older now than when I used to like to ride horses that gave you a little rodeo before they settled down. Those horses always had a lot of spirit, but I am too old to risk any more broken bones.

Still, I remembered what that woman told my husband those many years ago. So I had my daughter lead us around. Then I called a trainer who worked with the horse and with me until I could show Banjo who is boss. He still thinks he is, but I know better.

A-Z Challenge - G is for Goats

Today's post is brought to you by the letter G.

I'll admit it. I like goats. Not as much as my friend Tracy Farr, who has written a whole book about goats, but I have enjoyed my goats. So have some of my grandchildren who loved to come and feed grandma's "doats."

Banjo, Lucy, Millie

One of my first encounters with a goat was when our oldest daughter was about three years old and we took her to a petting zoo. She was so excited to get a bottle and go into the enclosure to feed the young goats and sheep. Problem was, one of the goats kept wanting to eat the tassel on our daughter's hat. She bonked the goat on the head with the bottle and said she was done.

It's not surprising that her kids are not the ones who were so excited to feed the goats. Although to be fair to that daughter, she does inquire about my animals when she calls.

When I first moved to our little place in the country, I made the mistake of getting a billy goat and a Barbados Ram. They were both so cute as babies, but grew up to be most difficult to deal with, so I sold them and got a Nannie goat. We named her Lucy for no particular reason other than it was the first name that came to mind. When Lucy runs to the fence to get a treat, she does a little prance step that almost looks like dancing.

She runs to the fence often. In fact, every time I go out the back door she dashes over to see if I am bringing out a treat.

Not long after we bought Lucy, we decided to get her a goat companion, and we named the new girl, Millie. Again, not for any particular reason.

The first small animals were acquired to first clear the back three acres of brambles and brush, and boy did they. It looks like a park back there now. But I also got them to be companions for my horse. Since they are all herd animals, they do prefer company than being in a large fenced area alone.

Food? Do you have food for me?

Millie died last year of a snake bite, so that left me with one goat and one horse, which has been fine all winter as they are both in the back pasture together. However, when the horse gets moved to the front pasture for the summer, that would leave Lucy alone, so I got her a new companion; a little lamb, Marie. I did not name her, my neighbor  did. She was one of twins whose mother died after giving birth, so my neighbors hand-raised the two lambs, one male and one female. They named them, Donny and Marie. I didn't ask my neighbor why.

Could you make the goat leave me alone?

Right now, Lucy is not real happy about Marie being there. Lucy is a bit of a pig, so if Marie comes by Lucy's feed dish, or Lucy's hay, or the green stuff I have pulled and thrown over the fence, Lucy chases Marie off.

I hope she gets over it soon. I will be moving the horse to the front by the end of this month. The grass is looking good out there.

A-Z Challenge D is for dogs

This post is brought to you by the letter D. While my dog has center stage here, I am doing my regular gig at The Blood Red Pencil Blog today. We are talking about the little fixes that can improve your book. Come on by if you have a moment.

When Poppy found out I had written about the cats again, she let me know in no uncertain terms that it has been a long time since I wrote about her.

Poppy and John

Poppy and Orca

Poppy is a mix between an Australian Shepherd and a Border Collie, both herding dogs, and she really likes to harken back to her heritage and herd whatever is handy. That usually ends up being the cats.

We have had the dog for five years and she has been friends with every cat who has lived here. She and John were great friends and would play out on the deck together quite frequently. She also liked to play outside with Orca. When we lost both cats overnight last fall, I think Poppy missed them as much as we did.

Since we have the new cats, Poppy has started to play some with Harry, but her heart does not seem to be in it. Not like it was with John or even the little Shadow Kitty we had for a short time. Poppy let that kitten romp all over her and they really had a good time.

What Poppy does love best is chasing the ball. If someone will throw the ball, she will run forever, or until the arthritis in her hip acts up. She also is my walking companion in the mornings and is very patient when I stop to take a picture or pull some nice green grass for my horse.

It didn't take a scientific study to tell me that having pets is good for one's health.

Pretty Pictures

My Liitle Barn

Instead of doing one of my usual rants about something, I thought I would just share some pictures I took this morning.

Texas has some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets that I have ever seen, and this morning was a great one. I'm glad my animals woke me up in time to see this and capture some of it.

We had several inches of snow here the other day, and it is so cold the snow is hanging around. My horse does not seem to mind it at all, as long as there is hay coming.

Our dog, Poppy, isn't bothered by the snow either, unless her ball disappears.

As any photographer knows, you can take a hundred shots before you get a special picture. Of all those I took this morning, I think this one is the best.

This one is kind of interesting. I played with cropping just a corner of a larger picture.

This process of finding just the right image is not unlike the challenge of finding just the right words to create an image in writing. Both take patience and perseverance.

Feeding Your Soul

"There's something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man." Ronald Reagan

A lady riding next to me on the trail ride this past weekend reminded me of that quote, and we both gave it hearty "amens." It was Sunday morning, so the amen seemed appropriate.

People who love horses and love to ride are probably nodding in agreement right now. There is something very soul-satisfying about enjoying some beautiful scenery astride a mighty fine horse, in the company of like-minded folks. 

Needless to say, I really enjoyed my weekend away. The campsite, Camp Coyote, was a very nice place and the folks from the Directions and Assistance Committee for the Houston Rodeo were wonderful hosts. We were fed well, treated like friends, and had some very nice horses to ride. The ranch has about 2,000 acres with miles of breathtaking scenic trails. Each day's ride took us in a different direction through gentle rolling hills, along tree-lined ponds, and across lush hay meadows.

I was pretty stiff and sore after the all-day Saturday ride, and almost didn't ride Sunday morning, but I am glad I decided to go ahead. It was a shorter ride, but the scenery was most spectacular that morning. Those few hours were very soul-satisfying indeed, and worth every muscle that has screamed at me since.

What do you do that feeds your soul?

Mushrooms Growing in my Pasture

When I was cleaning my small pasture this morning I noticed these mushrooms. Needless to say I put the shovel down and went to get my camera before my horse could step on the mushrooms and squash them. This one looks like a little cap that a child might have for a doll.

I've seen lots of white mushrooms around, but these are the first orange ones. I didn't even notice that little baby mushroom in the first picture until I loaded it in my computer to 'play' with it. And that second orange mushroom has the most interesting companion.

This next one looks like it has mold growing on it. When I first saw it, I thought it was some excess fur from our cream-colored cat, John. I do find bits and pieces of him stuck to brambles and berry vines all over our property.

This last one looks to me like it was made out of delicate lace.

Hope you enjoy the pictures.

The Lawn Wars

Here is another excerpt from my humorous memoir, A Dead Tomato Plant and a Paycheck. And what does a horse have to do with it? You'll see at the end. Enjoy....


One of the joys of living in the suburbs is the inevitability of the Lawn Wars. You know what I mean. Who has the prettiest, neatest, best maintained lawn in the neighborhood?

Normally, I did not enter into that competition. Hey, I know when it is futile to even try. But one Sunday I told my husband that it was about time we did something about our lawn.

"Why?"

"Because just once this summer I'd like to see the lawn mowed, edged and trimmed all on the same day."

"Why?"

"I don't know. It's just this strange desire that comes over me now and then. It's the same compulsion I get once or twice a year to see the house all neat and clean for more than five minutes at a time."

"But it's a futile effort. It's all going to grow back."

"I know, but it will look so nice for a day or two. And who knows, we might even find the kid who got lost out there last week."

So we dusted off our yard tools and set to work.

A couple of hours later, the thrill of our adventure had worn thin, and I was beginning to think that maybe my husband had the right attitude all along. We were hot and sweaty and surly, and I had just made my third trip to bandage a new blister, wondering what idiot had ever invented lawn care.

Obviously, humanity was not born with a desire to have a lawn that looks like a putting green, and lawn care could hardly be included as one of the basic primitive instincts of survival. Not only would it have been next to impossible to keep a nice lawn with all those dinosaurs stomping about, I think a caveman had a lot more important things to worry about than what his neighbor's yard looked like. So where did this compulsion to tame green growing things come from?

After giving this question careful consideration, I decided that once upon a time there must have been this obsessive compulsive pioneer woman who drove her neighbors nuts by keeping her house so clean she didn't have to send out for a new sod floor every six months like the rest of them. She probably never had a wrinkle in her sunbonnet either. And she was probably the type who had all her work done while the rest of the ladies were still trudging down to the creek with their baskets of clothes.

One day, to stave off waves of boredom, she probably got this brilliant idea to take her compulsion for neatness outside. And that, folks, was the birth of lawn care.

But what I’d like to know is why her great-great granddaughter had to move in across the street from me?

Now I live in the country and have a different kind of lawn mower....

Having fun

This weekend I indulged one of my non-writing interests - my love of horses. I attended a clinic conducted by David Lichman, a Licensed 5-star Parelli Natural Horsemanship Instructor, and spent two days hanging out with other women who love horses and a bunch of beautiful, well-trained horses.

Since this was my first introduction to Parelli, I did not take my horse and do the whole clinic. I paid a fee to observe as David worked with riders and horses, and was able to ask some questions, when I dared. These were some serious horse people who were very advanced in their riding, and even though I have been riding off and on since I was a kid, my horsemanship couldn't begin to compare.

This clinic was recommended to me by a friend who knew that I have some problems with my horse that were limiting my ability to enjoy him. My friend told me that a different approach to how I was relating to Banjo would help. And she was right.

The Parelli method of training is based on respect for and love of horses – and an understanding of horse nature and psychology. The training avoids using force, fear, harsh bits or mechanical training aids and relies on establishing trust and respect between horse and rider. Quite different from the techniques I had seen used on horses all my life.

In addition to what I learned about working with Banjo, I noted how much joy the clinic participants had while riding and going through the lessons.

One of the techniques that David is known for is using music during the clinics and by the end of The Rhythm of the Ride, horses were literally dancing through the arena to the beat of the music.

And the best part? I used some of the things I learned in a couple of sessions with Banjo and had positive results. Not that he is ready to do what I saw the horses doing this weekend, but it is a good first step.

A Flea's Best Friend

One thing you’ve got to love about dogs, they are loyal. Even in those worst-case scenarios we sometimes read about where dogs are neglected, or mistreated, or even horribly abused, 99 percent of the time they keep loving the abuser.

I thought about that today as I tried for the millionth time to get our little dog, Misha, to stop licking and biting herself. This has gotten to be such a persistent habit with her that I have started giving her a little nudge with my foot when I see her going at it with full vigor. My husband accuses me of kicking the dog, but I am not kicking the dog. I just give her a nudge because she can no longer hear me tell her to quit and the constant biting and licking leaves her red and sore.

Misha, seen here in her younger days when we first moved to Grandma’s Ranch, is about 16 years old. She spent half of her life in Omaha, Nebraska where her yard was not even as big as our house, and adapted to being a farm dog quite well. Although she wasn’t sure about the horse at first.

What she has never adapted to are the fleas. She has been allergic to them all her life and when she was the only pet we could keep them under control. Not so out in the country with so many animals. In addition to the horse, we have two goats – that don’t have fleas as far as I know – three cats and another dog, all of which do have fleas. Trying to keep them all free of fleas is quite a challenge, and I never seem to win the battle even though I do put flea deterrents on them regularly. Our veterinarian is a strong believer in using Revolution, but we need something stronger. I’m thinking something along the line of an artillery strike.

The sensitivity Misha has to fleas seems to have increased along with her age, although I suspect all the licking isn’t just due to the fleas. Old dogs do develop some pretty annoying habits. And this is big-time annoying.

It’s a good thing this loyalty business goes both ways.