Such a good Dad

Doing taxes is seldom easy, even under the best conditions.  But when you're young, 2,000 miles away from home, and have never done your taxes by yourself before, it can be downright terrifying.  Cue Dad!  He is spending this Sat. on the phone with Chelsey.... trying to instruct, decode, and help her complete her taxes... Long distance.

AND I haven't heard one swear word!!! (yet :)

Bringing Wynter home

It didn't take too much convincing for me to buy the beautiful, little Arab mare I'd been looking at. 

I'd gotten to ride her several times, and each time I came home more confident, and more in love!  Finally, her trainer, Shannon, and I set the day to bring her to Wind's Echo- her new home.  We had planned on taking a trail ride around our property, but that was squelched due to the hail, the rain, and some family obligations... so, Shannon brought her out around 6:30 pm.

Bruce thought I was crazy, standing out in the cold, watching for the horse trailer but finally I saw them coming down the driveway!

Dakota stood patiently, wondering what was going on. She's been depressed, too... after losing her best friend of 15 yrs, Koosa, on Christmas day. Once again, I had high hopes the two horses would get along, and be company for each other.

and then... she was out of the trailer, and I was taking her from her former family.

 As I put my halter on her, a shaft of sun illuminated us- a blessing, of sorts, from above. It is my belief that my Mother was smiling down on us with approval. She'd heard me talking to her, after all.

And although, I was ecstatically happy... I couldn't ignore that her former owner was deeply sad-  Not that she had any doubts selling me this horse. She knows I'll take care of her for the rest of her life- but this horse, whom she called Mouse, was her baby for 9 yrs. and she misses her terribly. I can't thank her enough for entrusting me with this incredible mare.

Introductions were made through the fence.

and that's how we left things until the next morning. 

But the next day, I opened the gate between pastures, and let the two mares meet.

It was an immediate success. 

They eat together, explore the pastures together.... you can usually find them, side by side. 

Friends.

Forever.

The joke was on me

Since Thurs. was our last day of preschool before Easter, I had a woman, and her two young sons come to the school with their baby bunnies.  The youngest boy, Isaac, was holding the largest of the bunnies, a soft, black and white buck he called Charlie.  The preschoolers were wonderful- sitting quietly, stroking the babies we placed in their laps. Isaac was explaining that Charlie was older than the other bunnies but he was the boy's favorite. Isaac often brought Charlie into the house, and spent a lot of time caring for and playing with the rabbit.  Then, Isaac sidled up to me, and stared desperately into my eyes. "Will you save my bunny? My Dad is going to butcher him tonight." 

I looked over at the mother, and she solemnly shook her head yes. These are meat rabbits, and when they get to be the size of Charlie, and haven't been sold as pets, the family uses them for food.  While the father thought this a great idea, the mother and the two boys were definitely not on board.  "You're selling them?" I asked, and the mother said yes- so... what could I do???  I bought Charlie.

Another preschool Mom bought two more of the babies, and I decided Bruce wouldn't divorce me if I came home with two bunnies, versus one... so, I bought one of the babies, too.  A soft little grey and white sweetheart.  All the bunnies had been held and loved from the moment they were born, so they were exceptionally calm, and acclimated to humans. Just the perfect little pets.

I named them Abra and Cadabra! and couldn't wait to bring them home and introduce them to Pocus... my ancient bunny who lost his sister Hocus just 2 months earlier.

First I introduced them to the Shelties. Selkie, who has ALWAYS loved bunnies for some reason, took to them immediately. She stood and watched them, her little tail wagging faster, and more furiously than I've ever seen it!  Then, it was time to see how Pocus would react.

Poor Pokey, sat all alone in the corner of his pen. Lately, he hasn't been eating much, and he won't let me pet him.  I was really hoping he would accept the new little bunnies. I was hoping they'd spark his interest in life, and relieve some of the depression he was feeling over the loss of his sister, Hocus.

Abra and Cadabra got right down to exploring every inch of their spacious bunny enclosure.

Meanwhile, Pocus knew something was going on.  He perked up his big, soft ears, and almost trembled with excitement.

First he checked out Cadabra (formerly Charlie)...

and then, little Abra..... and then, he did something that actually brought tears to my eyes. He started grooming the two babies! Just like he used to do with Hocus.

and now the three of them are best friends. :)

April Fools!

As if yesterday wasn't bad enough.... Today started out sunny and warm, and ended up...

HAILING!!!  Honestly, we had sun, then, rain.... then sun, then HAIL!

Just when we thought we'd gotten the weather figured out... it would change!

I guess Mother Nature enjoys a good April Fools' joke, too!

In like a lamb, out like a lion

Ask any one of my preschoolers, and they'll tell you what a "lion" day is!  On the first day of March, I explained to them the old adage: "In like a lion, out like a lamb!" and then, we talked about what lion and lamb days might be like. Lamb days are, of course, mild, and warm, but Lion days are volatile, cold, and stormy!

We kept a chart throughout March, putting stars either under the lamb day, or the lion day... And what we found was that THIS March definitely started out with "lamb days"...

and ended going out with a series of "lion days!"  As you can see from these photos!

This is what we woke to on Mar. 31st.  Snow!!!

The trick of it is... NOW I've got Spring fever!!! *sighs*

Fire on the Mountain

We knew it was coming. The Forest Service is very good about alerting all home owners in the area of a prescribed burn- but somehow, I hadn't thought about the helicopters.  It just hadn't occurred to me that, of course they'd be using helicopters.

Not that Bruce or I cared... we just didn't realize how much our animals would care!

 Dakota used this opportunity to RACE around and around the two pastures (because the gate separating the two was open).  She was so frantic, and ran herself so hard, she was completely lathered AND lame on that front right leg by the time the helicopter left the area.

It was while Bruce was watching the helicopter... and I was trying to calm Dakota, that Bruce noticed something else running in the pasture.  Cowboy!!! our rooster! And he was squawking his head off.  Rusty, one of the Aracauna hens had literally "flown the coop" with her rooster companion- but SHE had seen the error of her ways, and was frantically trying to get back to her friends.  Once I opened the door to the chicken yard, she darted inside, went straight inside the chicken coop and huddled up with Castor (rooster), Henny Penny, Rosey, Henrietta, Chicken Little, Daisy and the rest.  Now, the problem was trying to catch Cowboy.

Cowboy is our great, big, beautiful, black rooster. (Castor is our great, big, beautiful, white rooster : ).  He'd never left his chicken yard before and he was PETRIFIED!  It must have been a funny sight... Bruce, Cade (who was home on Spring break) and I running around in the field cooing, "here chick, chick, chick"- darting back and forth, while this crazy rooster led us in circles and figure 8's, all the while squawking his frightened head off.  Finally, Cade got the idea that we should throw a blanket over him.  Bruce ran up and grabbed a blanket, and creeped stealthily ever closer behind the bird, while I tried to distract our fugitive.  Suddenly, Bruce lunged, and threw the blanket, while Cowboy easily dodged this new threat, and ran even further into the pasture. I swear I heard Dakota laughing.

Meanwhile, the helicopter finished doing whatever it is it was doing, and flew off.

Cowboy was pretty tired, and decided home was looking pretty good.  It didn't take long before the three of us herded him back into the chicken yard. He crowed a couple of times out of sheer bravado, before settling down to eat.

Bruce, Cade and I headed back to the house for our own dinner, and to watch the eerie spots of fire glowing  throughout the night.

Horse Shopping

So.... I've been looking for a pleasure riding horse. I used to ride a lot... and as a kid, my best friend was my Morgan/Arabian, Brandywine.  When I wasn't in the barn, Brandy and I were striking off on the myriad of trails around my house, embarking on adventure after adventure.  I loved that horse!  Since Koosa's death, my mare, Dakota Skye, has been lonely, having  only the chickens, deer and elk as her companions- AND since my kids have all grown up and left home.... I have a lot of free time.  A very good friend urged me to see a horse she knew would be coming up for sale, and today, I was able to ride her  (the horse! not the friend, Silly! :)

She's a 13 yr. old Arabian mare named Mouse and she is absolutely GORGEOUS! Despite the fact that I haven't ridden in probably over 5 yrs!!! I was able to stay on this horse! and she was very responsive and forgiving. She has a lot of "get up and go!" but she never even tried to take off on me.  I think she will challenge me to become a better rider, but I'm excited to take that challenge! 

When I got home, I wanted to discuss every moment of the trail ride- I wanted to talk to my husband, Bruce... my partner who encourages me, and knows me inside and out.  I wanted to talk to our daughter, Chelsey... a fellow horse lover, rider, and romantic.  I wanted to talk to my sister, Candi... who taught me to ride horses when I was 5, and who also loves and knows horses.  But after I touched base with each of them, I had a nagging feeling... there was someone else I wanted to tell. Someone else with whom I needed to discuss whether or not I should buy this horse. If she was too much horse for me? Someone else I needed to be excited with- and then... it hit me. My mother. I needed to tell my mother.

My tiny little mother, all 5'1" of her, used to ride my father's great, big Thoroughbred, Thunderhead. He, too, was a white horse, with a charcoal mane and tail. He, just like Mouse, was a challenge... a high strung, well trained, retired race horse, who loved my mother as she loved him.  How I wish I could talk to her again. I wonder what she would say. I wonder at the intensity of the feeling I have, that she's right here with me throughout this decision.

Anyway... I'm going to go riding again next week... and then, if all goes well, I hope to be able to bring Mouse to our home, and see how she does here- in unfamiliar surroundings. I'm really hoping for the best.  I'm really looking forward to riding and working with a horse again.

 And I'm anxious for Dakota to have a new friend.  Of course, I'm also, anxious for my legs to start working again! Now that the adrenaline has worn off, they HURT!!! *LOL*