And You Laugh!

I got my book!  Now I will know all I need to know.  I basically know this is the head and this is the tail and that the art of riding is keeping the horse between you and the ground.  Well, I know a little more than that but I really only know how much I don't know.

The top of the book says, "For riders of all disciplines, boost your self-confidence and...." this was all I needed to read.  I do need a boost into the saddle and I definantly need a boost in self-confidence so this must be the book for me.

I am learning the proper way to dress, which this is not.  Shorts, t-shirts, no bra(that's way I don't trot) but I did have boots on.

Unlike this photo where I look like I am falling with my flip flops on.  (Gosh, how many pounds can a rider put on in a few short years?)  I was trying to get him to turn but I guess I thought I was riding a bike and leaning for the turn, who knows! Honestly, I do not know what I am doing in this picture.  That is why I got the book.

I do have a story to tell of Charme's and my first ride.  Andrew and I were all excited to ride.  Saddled up and Andrew said you go first Nana.  So I did, proudly. 

Took off at a fast walk toward the spring, got about half way there and Charme decided to go back to the barn...at a faster walk, maybe a trot, maybe more, but I am hanging on.  As she jumps the dry creek and I see all the big rocks I carefully placed down there, I prayed not to fall.  I said, Lord, I do not have enough sick leave.

Okay, old girl, I am the boss and we are getting this right this time!  I get her headed out and past the spring again.  Much better this time, then she decides to go, I do not know what a one rein stop is and do not even remember if I had the reins at that point.  Now you are talking to someone who falls off the WalMart horse.  Charme is not bucking or doing anything wrong except not listening to me.  She wants to be at the barn with her minis...and she is moving there fast!

This time she does not jump the dry ditch but heads right for a persimmon tree, straight on and I am praying, don't let me fall, don't let me fall.  Then it was, don't let me hit that tree!  So Charme makes a ninty degree turn and the saddle slides to the right side but I am still gripped to that saddle for dear life.

As the saddle slides toward her belly with me on it, she stops.  Thank God, she knew she was losing her rider.  I just kinda hang there with my feet in the stirrups, reins in a death grip and the saddle horn welded to my hand.  By this time, one foot is on top of the horse and one is under it, but by golly, I am still in the saddle.

Hubby sticks his head out the door and says where's Nana and Andrew says, riding.  Hubby hollers and says where are you, I said I am on the horse and he says I do see your feet, you alright?  Yes, I am alright.  He goes back in the house.

When I get completely on the ground, while good Charme is standing so quietly, nuzzling the other d--- horses through the fence, I realize maybe she is a little buddy spoiled.

Andrew yells, Do that again, Nana, that was fun!

I said it is your turn and he declined but he did want to know what I was thinking as we ran.  I said I was praying, Andrew said, no, you weren't!  How do you know?  I heard you yelling, no, Andrew I was praying.  He said can I tell you what you said and not get into trouble?  Go ahead, Andrew. 

I was yelling. "Whoa, damnit, whoa!"

Now you know WHY I need this book!

Sunrise In Northcentral Arkansas

on Wednesday

I thought the blurred one was just as lovely.

The hay is reassuring because it looks like we will need it all.

Every where is ice.

Ice and snow, with promise of more.

and the cardinals decorate the trees like Christmas ornaments.

Glory, Glory...The National Bird!!!!!

The most wonderful thing happened this afternoon.  Hubby says come with me.  I did.  This is what I saw!!!!

It is terrible to pray for something so unimportant but I was praying to get a good picture of this beauty.

I was saying Lord, don't let him fly.

Please, let me get a picture that shows this magnificent bird.

God was listening.  I am not saying it could have been better.

I am so grateful that I had this chance.

Trying to capture a shot of his glorious wing span as he flew, saying, oh, shit, and praying at the same time...I shall have to apologize for that.

I have seen Bald Eagles on White River around Painter's Bluff and a young eagle once fishing in the river's edge.  But never, oh never, have I seen this glorious, beautiful, brought back from almost extinction bird of prey At The Farm.

Thank you, God, and uh, about that new camera...

Jogging The Old Memory Banks...

After reading a wonderfully humourous entry by Journaling Woman about WPP, I had to tell this true tale of mistaken identity....so blame her.

For years my sister, Beverly, lived out of state.  She returned and opened a real estate business, while I still worked for (and always have) the postal service.  We were then about the same weight (before the love of sweets attacked me), same height, same coloring, blue eyes and same length of hair but also very different in appearance.

Beverly began to report problems.  "A big hairy man grabbed me at the meat counter and swung me around and said he was so glad to see me, I said put me down!"  I said, oh, that was Hokie, haven't seen him for awhile, he's back, how is he?  She stiffly said I did not ask.

People would stop her and ask her postal questions.  She went to a furniture store in another town and the guy was following her grinning and just talking.  She asked, do I know you.  He laughed and said why, yes, I sold you two recliners yesterday.  No, she said, I have never been in this store.  When they talked, they discovered it had been me in uniform.  The guy said I thought you were Gail with her clothes on!

I, with my weird sick sense of humor, thought this was all wonderfully funny.  It opened some doors for me, I could do things and deny it!  I could say oh, that was my sister...

I began to feel sorry for her and had a shirt made for her birthday.  Bright red with "I am Beverly" on the front and "I am not Gail" on the back.  Beverly made sure she always wore it to town.

Darn, when I think of the things I could have done...

Time For Marcy Art

She is always bundled early, out in the ice and then snow.  Marcy has the eye for sure.  Things I would never think of are a beautiful work of art through Marcy's camera lens.  I shall let the pictures speak for themselves.

Yoda Overload and Farm View

Almost the same view as the header, I prefer the header.

Yoda testing his new sweater for comfort in going potty.

I have been unable to find a coat for him.

He has very strange measurements.

I gave up the search and made a sweater out of two socks.

Seymour, checking out the new threads.

This mismatched, stretched out pair of socks has found a new purpose.

I had on all the clothes I could wear.

I was only half as cute as Yoda.

See what pleasure we can find in throwaways?

The socks and the dog.

Snow!!!!!!!

Our sunrise on this eventful Sunday, tried to shine but the snow clouds would not allow it.

In Arkansas, in Izard County, the world comes to a halt when it snows.  We are not equipped to handle snow since we rarely have it.  We know this, the roads will not be clear, there will be ice under there and yet people think they can drive and continue to do so. 

The police, the road crews, volunteers were out all night assisting  people out of the messes their lack of understanding placed them in.  We only had two inches and suddenly everybody has to go somewhere.  Front wheel drive does not work if you do not know how to drive!  Rear wheel even less and sometimes even the four wheel drives do not do well, because mainly it is the operator that tells the success of equipment.

I had big plans but the wise woman in me said do not drive.  So I stayed put, a wise move.  Even the roosters were smart enough to TRY and stay out of it.

Stay warm!

Best Surprise Since My First Horse!

I just noticed I have ninty-three readers!!!  That's right 93, ninty-three wonderful people who think I am worth their time and effort.  This has made my day and has also made it a three post day.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!  If you are reading, but not following or commenting, step on up.  I love comments, they are almost as good as chocolate.

On this cold winter day, I shall leave you flowers along with my gratitude.

Thank you!!!!!!!!!

Snow

The wonderful weather symbols, one is flurries, the other is snow, who knows which it will be.  We were supposed to get two inches but it has surpassed that and is still snowing.

Before daylight out the lodge window

looks like I will not be wading the creek.

Another out the lodge window

This baby will be moving hay later.

Out the back door and still snowing

The valley through the porch screen.

I shall feed and that will the end of my outdoor activities today.  I will carry the camera, may find some wonderful shots but probably will be shaking too badly for it to be clear.  This may be the best you get.

Stay warm and enjoy your Sunday.

Ben Gay Is Hubby's Bane

I shall stop telling all these tales one of these days...maybe.

I know my husband loves me. 

He shows this by oiling the toilet ring, saran wrapping the commode under the ring, placing duct tape (sticky side up) in my underwear, sneaking into the bathroom and tying knots in my pants legs. Hubby uses the string poppers from July fireworks and ties them in the most wonderful places;  the commode ring he has left up, the kitchen cabinet doors, the phone!  When these are tied then pulled on there is an explosion, small but very affective and very humourous to the monster I married in 1972.

I have discovered a few ways to pay him back.  To quote him, "Paybacks are hell!"

Hubby can not stand the smell of Ben Gay.  I am lavish in my use of it, it helps my sore spots and adds joy to my life because hubby enjoys the smell.

One day, of many, he had been especially sneaky and conniving and ornery.  I decided it was time to put him in his place.  I slathered a dry wash rag with Ben Gay and placed it in his pillow case.

When he came to bed, he sniffed me, that wasn't where the smell was coming from...I was asleep, right!  He flops his pillow over and the smell doubles, he is looking for the origin of the smell.  I am quietly enjoying his suffering but was having a hard time not laughing.  Hubby was flopping around so much he could not feel me shaking with silent laughter in the bed beside him.

When he starts talking out loud about me, I act like he has awakened me and ever so innocently ask, what's wrong honey.  By this time the light is on, he is pulling back the covers and looking under the bed!  Still flopping that pillow as if what was not there before would be, the next time he looked.

I am weak, I felt sorry for him, I confessed!  I pulled the Ben Gay rag from the pillow case.

Once again I had proved you can't out trick a trickster...and I loved every minute of it.

Oh, honey, by the way, paybacks are hell.

It Is Waning...

When I left for work, the moon was shining bright

along with the sun

Hope you enjoyed the moon.

Long time before we see a blue moon on New Year's Eve.

Things I Learned In 2009

Gravity is my worse enemy.

Each ounce of chocolate/sugar I eat, adds two ounces to my weight.

I can have too many dogs.

I can say no.

The dishes will wait...

and the clothes....

and the housework.

It is more fun to create than it is to clean.

A lost moment is just that, lost.

You are never too busy when someone needs you.

People are important.

Laughter is essential.

Naps are nice.

Life IS good.

I Need The Mother Bear

of cameras

so I can zoom and focus on these beauties.

Taking flight with dog food

Choosing the perfect seeds

He waits for those we have fattened.