Weeping Softly

Weeping softly

I mourned

Things that could have been

But never were.

Weeping softly

I mourned

People that were

and can never be again.

Weeping softly

I mourned

The in betweens of time

that will never return.

Weeping softly

I mourned....

Written by me.

Happy New Year!

Cowboy!

Meet Robert Wheat, son of Rick Wheat, inventor of the patented Noavel Head Stall. Robert trains horses using the Noavel. He came by to get his mail and knocked on the back door. I asked permission to take his picture so I could show you a local cowboy. He said he wasn't worth a freckle on a real cowboy's behind. However, he does always seem to be training one horse or another. Word gets around.
Placing his mail in his saddle bag, he prepares for more training. He rides the horses in town plus in all conditions. I wish I had my camera the other day...Robert was at the drive thru at the local bank on a horse!

And, yes, Billy, my Australian saddle has a horn!

At this sign you turn on County Road Nine to get to my house.

Take the left fork...

Follow the road to the end!

Now you know how to find me.

This N That

From the walk

A friend, Sharon, was looking for a name for her home. I threw her several dozen. She chose one and has named her home. What an honor! Thank you, Sharon!

Back to work has been hard, especially since I took a vacation day. I had four days for Christmas and do not know where they went! Gotta face work with a smile since I do have a job but some days...

Many people thought those were all our cows on Mooing Monday...not! I apologize for the misunderstanding. I borrowed pictures from here and there to give a sample of Gelbvieh cattle. Our cows, at this time, are mud covered and long haired. They are still pretty but in no shape for pictures. The same in the Haflinger post, I wanted to show a variety of horses and the jobs they do. Sorry, if I borrow pictures again, I will note that. I have lost sleep over this...silly me. Now the truth is out so I may rest peacefully, guilt free tonight

Can you tell I love rocks

and moss

and ferns?

Mooing Monday

Collateral, father of our bull, guess his name...Collateral!

Gelbviehs come in polled or not, meaning horns. None of ours have horns. All ours feed any calf that comes along. Wonderful mothers, easy birthers, good milkers.


We have yellow and red. I love the yellow which I believe was the first color. Black is the new color. If I want black, I'll get Angus.


Gelbvieh are stronger boned and thicker cows. Also, they are bred for gentleness. The Gelbvieh is the Haflinger of the cow world.

Den and I both were raised around cattle. The difference is he went home after working the cows. I lived with them, not literally!

Those hips and udders are what makes them the good birthing mothers they are.

I did not want to live on the farm for years. Den wanted to. I told him you have no idea what hard work farming is.

Now here we are, farming!

Doesn't help that we both work outside the farm then come home to work here. But it is a way of life I know and most times I love.

More Pictures...Fewer Words

It is...was a beautiful day. Warm, windy, and did I say wonderfully, comfortingly warm!
No snow, no rain, only mud left over from both.

Started at the barn with my four God-Given equine treasures.
(Refer to previous post, My Mistakes, My Glories.)
All not recently groomed with their winter coats.

As you can see the wind is blowing.

I took pictures of Arrow's whorls so I can get them read by some whorl expert (y'all!). In this picture you can see plainly why he is dubbed Broken Arrow.

Knot was too busy eating to smile for the camera.

Showing Magic's blue eye.

It was a day for muck boots, not these!
 It was warm enough that the mud felt quite wonderful pouring through all the holes
while I was trying to keep my balance.

Maggie and Lil anticipating the walk
Then we walked.

One of five ponds we have. This is the New pond, meaning it was built in the last twenty years. We also have the Top Pond, the Highline Pond, the Frog or Hog Pond and the Spring Pond.

Parts of the creek no one sees

Another hidden jewel

Help! I lost my feet!

The sky darkens!

Watching Lil hunt a varmint.

Enjoyed the day and took many pictures.

and found my feet!

I Am Addicted

To blogging!

The whole family is suffering. I must read to see if there are comments. I must read new posts and comment. I must make a new post so you can comment.

I do enjoy reading my favorites to see what they have been doing. If someone hasn't posted, I wonder if every thing's Okay.

The spiders have craftily woven me to this chair. I have supplies, drink, so I will survive. My husband just sees the light and does not check. He knows where I am, not that I'm okay.

I am invisible in this corner. They amble by and never see me. I turn my music down so they can't hear me. Except for the clicking of the keys and bouts of laughter, I am never heard.

Yes, I am addicted! To people who listen, who leave kind comments, who agree with my crazy ideas and sometimes like them! I am addicted to having friends, even if they are long distance. I am addicted to knowing I am not alone.

Thank you for enabling my lovely addiction!

A Gardner's Poem...

Marcy grew the okra

And so could you

But the spiderweb was something

She could never do.

Created at night

Bejeweled with dew

The Spider had the art

no gardener knew!

My Mistakes, My Glories

Many of you have asked about my horse story so here I begin, maybe not in order, but the whole story will play in bits and pieces. Here's hoping you will enjoy the story.

My hubby and I are enjoying "Walkin' Small At The Farm", stable name, Buford. As you can tell I love play on words and name twisting. The old house behind us is Grandpa's. When Dad's family moved here, they brought two small houses by horse and sled from down the creek and put them together. Two rooms with a kitchen lean to on the back side.
Rolls Royce, my stud was purchased as a young colt. His dad sold for $45,000. I thought maybe he would be a good start. (And, no, he was a bargain because the color did not suit them.) I went to the White County Fair and met Royce there. It took me a few weeks but I did buy him. He ain't his daddy, but he ain't bad!

What can I say? From one to many...I loved these little guys! I researched, I shopped on line, I read every thing I could get my eyes on. I visited a trainer. I visited a show barn. I finally drove to a mini farm. I bought two bred mares and a filly, a pinto, a red roan and a brown...Fancy, Luci, and Phlo. They knew the owner of Royce so I bought him too. They delivered! In a van! Four horses in the back of a van, now that was amazing!
Fancy is now in New York State in a loving home with a long time horse owner. She is no longer able to ride so is trying Miniature horses.

My first foal born was a filly out of my Red Roan. Had trouble naming her. Asked my friend how do you decide on names. She said I wait for their personality because you don't want to name them Rose when they are a stink weed. Well, guess what happened, she became Stink weed. I googled stink weed and came up with the name "Angels Trumpet AT The Farm".

Now, this is supposed to be a business you know, buy, raise, wean, sell. Not as easy as it sounds! A lady contacted me and said she had a really good year with her Arabians but she had too many boys. Would I be interested in trading a filly for a colt? I agreed. She trailered Tally Ho's Kadir and came for Stink weed. I could not load her, I was bawling like a baby!!!! My husband had to load Stink. Later I was able to come out and meet my new boy. Not being used to the Arabian head, I said he's a knot head...from then on he has been Knot Head or just Knot.

Knot was young when I got him. Has grown a lot in this picture. He wanted to be with the babies so badly.

Later the first people I purchased from were selling more mares...a chestnut, a gray, and a grullo. You guessed it! I made an offer and here comes the van again! This is Betty...please remember I did not name these mares. I would have been much more creative.

I got to name this one! A man had miniatures and had not kept the papers current. He asked for help. In his whole pasture I saw this filly and I wanted her badly...did not know why. When I was helping him with the papers I noticed this little filly was a granddaughter of Paul Bunyon, the 1969 National Winner. He said girl, you got the eye! Of all those horses, you saw her.

I named her Tracer Backta Bunyon or Tracer.

A much younger Jake chose Tracer as his favorite and I believe she chose him. Please note the border collie is not leaving Jake's side.

Then my second amazing trade came along. All the things I dreamed came to me. I wanted a bomb proof, low to the ground (not so far to fall), a gentle, loving horse to ride. Two minis for one Haflinger!
I immediately fell in love! I could get my foot in the stirrup! Meet Charme's Delight. Haflinger registry requires that you name the foal after the first letter in the dam's name if it's a filly and first letter of sire if it's a colt. So she is called Charmie as in charming my socks off.

Jake, my middle GS, with my oldest daughter, Melissa.

Charme and Tracer...good big, little lesson.

My first GS, Andrew, (boy, has he changed!) trying out Charme.

And finally the picture you have been dying to see, hoping for, dreaming of, MY FIRST RIDE! I did not know how she would ride. I am a novice if I even rate that high. I'm always the one friends put on the crazy horse. You know the horses I am talking about, barn spoiled, pond loving, run you under a limb horses that noone could control.

This picture needs a setup. I did not dress properly, grabbed a pair of boots I bought only for decoration in the house, and grabbed the saddle. My husband had quite a laugh!

Charme is not liking this bridle!

Hubby helping his horse dumb wife!

Sad, isn't it?

Charme was bred by a Doc Bar Quarter Horse, unknown by all, except the two horses involved. Our Pinto came as quite a surprise...thus, Magic Man.

We cut Knot a week too late and we gained one more horse, registrable this time. Chadir's Broken Arrow(a mix of Knot and Charme's name with his marks).
T
hat is how I got my free horses! Two can be ridden, Magic will be trained soon, and next year Arrow will be old enough to ride.

Here they are today in all their winter glory!

Thank God for my horses!