Sticks

Sticks seem to be important around our yard. Little boys and dogs seem to love them. It has been an ongoing battle between them.

"Tucker, lets talk about this. You give me the stick and I will find you a new one."

"I see

a big one up there."

"Nope, I like this one."

"Hey Tuck, what about this one? Huh? Huh? What about this one?"

"I don't like it."

Wrought Iron

I enjoy having different wrought iron pieces, fencing and old garden gates and using them in my garden. I have one garden gate that came from an old architectural salvage warehouse in New Orleans. I ask the owner if he could say it came from a brothel. He said if I bought it he would say anything I wanted him to.We have several large fence pieces from when my husband helped with a landscaping job and these were leftover pieces that they didn't want. They are pre-civil war because it was before welding. We have used them in our garden and he even made a bed with them. 

    Another piece came from a flea market in Canton Tx. It was from an old cemetery. I remember Glen had to ride home with his seat and it poking him in the back. I was fine on my side. I don't what his problem was. Only a 6 hour trip.

Early Morn Ride

   Today the temperature was going to be heat index of 107 so I knew the only opportunity to ride would be early. So I went to feed a little before 6 AM.

I was in the saddle by 6:15 AM and went across the street to wait on my friend to finish saddling. Her horses were curious and came to meet us.

   After a good early horse show of running and bucking by her horses, we headed down the road. Even this early it was already a warm day so we moved a little slower than usual. But at least I was on a horse. We rode along the side of crops of corn and soybeans and through one field of beautiful yellow flowers.

   Arriving back home I gave Gracie a cool shower so what do you think she will she do first thing when I put her in the pasture. Roll, of course. 

Then our adventure ended like it started with Preacher running to the barn.

Happy Father's Day 

Lyrics from Phillip Craig & Dean's Song 
"I Want to Be Just Like You"

Lord, I want to be just like You

'Cause he wants to be just like me

I want to be a holy example

For his innocent eyes to see

Help me be a living Bible, Lord

That my little boy can read

I want to be just like You 

'Cause he wants to be like me

Got to admit I've got so far to go

Make so many mistakes and I'm sure that You know

Sometimes it seems no matter how hard I try

With all the pressures in life I just can't get it all right

But I'm trying so hard to learn from the best 

Being patient and kind, filled with Your tenderness

'Cause I know that he'll learn from the things that he sees

And the Jesus he finds will be the Jesus in me

Right now from where he stands I may seem mighty tall

But it's only 'cause I'm learning from the best Father of them all 

A Horse is a Vain Hope

"Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle..." Psalm 32:8

"A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love.." Psalm 33:17-18

A Picture Makeover

One of my favorite blogs to read and start my day is The 7MSN Ranch http://www.the7msnranch.com. The owner is a women who lives out west

 on a remote ranch with a cast of 2 burritos, dog, cats, horse, pig and chickens. In addition to all of this, she is such a talented photographer. These are a few of my favorite things. 

Recently on her site she offered to fix photos for some of her readers. I sent her one of my favorite photos of our trail riding. The original is below. The sunlight had made the left side too washed out. She not only fixed the photo but sent the same in black and white and sepia. I love the new pictures. They came out like I had them visualized in my head.

First the color one was favorite, then I thought--no the black & white--wait, I think the sepia is.

Where's Buddy?

Where is that dog? It is time for his bath. Is he in the pasture?

I feel like he is close by

"Excuse me, have you seen a weim with a orange collar?"





"In the garden..Okay thank you."

"I don't see him anywhere."

"Wait, was that him?" 

"Buddy even though you can't see me, I can see you!"

Change

I realized something about myself this week. I don't like change.
I went to get glasses last week and after trying some on said, "Get me the ones like I have worn for 4 years."
Broke my watch and have taken 3 back trying to find one just like the one I broke and have had for 15 years.

This was my horse 20 years ago and this is my horse now....

We have had 5 rottweilers...

And we now have our second weimraner...

I don't like change.

Uninvited Guests

We had two uninvited guest this week.

First was a snake. Right tttthere. Right where I lay on my little float with a book in my hand. Right where a lot of times I float to the edge for a sip of water that I usually reach behind me and get. He was big. Very big. Glen tried to get his long pole snake catcher and get him but he literally flew off the deck. He said it was a blue racer. But I have learned something about Glen. He says every snake is either a garden snake or a water snake so I won't think of it being poisonous. But this one was blue and he did race so maybe it was.

Game Plan--I won't be scared away from my own little world. So I will return to the pool. But I planning on my little Buddy being with me to walk around on the outside.  I figure the  constant movement will keep it away. Right?

Second guest was a little fuzzy-head baby whose mama decided our porch fan was a great place for her nest.  A porch fan that we use quite often in the summer. Luckily we saw the nest before we turned it on and gave junior a unscheduled early flight.

Mom and Dad bird would get very agitated at any attempt on my part to actually use our porch and sit on it. The squawks would increase the longer I sat there. I would take the hint and leave.  She had built such a well-made nest using moss and horse hair among other things. I am really curious--how did she get the horse hair? I don't ever see it just laying on the ground. Did you swoop down and grab a handful? Guess I will never know.

Finally Junior left the nest this week. Fly high, little man, it is a hard world out there! And don't venture into the backyard where sneaky snake lives.