Silent Saturday...

Good ride with Apache and Fancy. Been a while since they have been out. Huge dead tree was taken down last week and Apache did not like the new look. Patiently waited and he go over it. Decided I no longer need spurs with him.

Rewired for the electric fence in hopes the gate won't be hot anymore when the fence is on. Used the proper wire this time.

Scary when horses see something you don't and it puts them on high alert.  Whisper is very alert as a rule.  The only time she isn't is when she is in her "panic" mode and can only focus on wanting to be back in the barn.  She has discovered how to open the overhead door on the storage part of the barn.  I have an old gate across the opening but she can get the door up enough to enjoy the second cut that is stored there.  Apparently, in her mind, that is better than the same hay stored in her feeder outside which has easy access  from three of its' four sides.

Wind and rain all night.  At least now that the Sunday sun is coming up, the wind is calming and the rain backing off.  In the mid thirties now so the danger of freezing rain is pretty much over.

Have a blessed Sunday, all.

Quiet Sunday here. The trim and fireplace mantle are in place! Only took one day...after a year and a half! Oh well. The painter's house always needs painting.

So glad I took Friday off. Got the house ready and it was a nice visit with the realtor. He had some positive input about the place. I need to get the wallpaper glue off the walls. I don't think it will be difficult, just tedious. I have the faucets now and the vanity top is on the way. Got an idea on the colors, too. progress!!!

Yesterday started sunny and the walk on the beach was nice - if chilly. Little girl dog has a shoulder issue.  Might have overdone it and when we got back she was limping pretty well. She always limps when she gets up in the morning. She's getting old. And Teddy just seems senile. I have to not lose patience with the old man. He has a pretty large fatty tumor and then lumps all over.

Found another place I'm hoping will be okay for the boy. Waiting for a call back. His pay FINALLY got straightened out. YAY!  

Guess I'll trot along. I did miss the trip to NJ this weekend but it's been so nasty out. I really want a beautiful day out there to get some good riding in. I know there are lots of great new horses out there!  Hope the weekend has been wonderful for everyone!

Connie, Whisper is all Arab, that's for sure and certain!

Which reminds me of Dr. Wilson.  When my parents decided to move to the Ranch in '62 the Ranch House didn't have electricity.  We used lamps and heated the house with a wood-burning parlour stove and the kitchen stove.  To say Mummie-dearest was unhappy about this was an understatement.  After about a year, she had enough and moved out to Dr. Wilson's place.  Mum rented a summer cabin there and we would drive back and forth (well Blaine and Wendy did) to our place to continue doing the necessary work.  Dr Wilson, I am sure, saw Mother really couldn't afford the rent so he gave me a job.  Made it look like I was doing him a favour.  He had a very small Ford tractor that I drove out to where the Ranch Hands were working and delivered their lunches (prepared by Mrs. Wilson) along with tools and equipment that the Boss thought they needed.  

One day Dr. Wilson asked me to accompany him as he walked out to one of the fields over near the highway.  He had a fertile field out there that was sown in Watermelons every year.  I noticed the shot-gun opened and draped over his arm and said nothing about this.  When we got close Dr Wilson winked at me and placed his finger over his lips to signal stealth.  So we carefully crept out into view of the field.  There were between six and ten teenage boys raiding the melons.  The Doctor leant close and whispered, "Watch this." chuckling softly and closing the gun with a snap.  " HEY YOU RASCALS, GET OUT OF MY FIELD!," he yelled, setting off one chamber of the gun.  Those boys must have jumped three feet into the air!  They didn't drop the melons though!  Off they sprinted across the field with their stolen prizes in their arms, looking a lot like dear as they all leapt again when the Doctor set off the other chamber of the gun.  He was laughing so hard there were tears running down his face and he doubled over in mirth.  "Oh my, oh my, oh my..." he kept repeating whilst laughing.  I was laughing as well, those boys were a fine sight sprinting across the field with their contraband.  A few minutes after they disappeared into the trees and brush at the far side of the field we heard some pickups start and roar off down the highway.  Dr. Wilson explained that the sole reason he grew those melons was for this very purpose, "Those will be the sweetest melons they will ever eat." he explained, "I remember doing the same when I was a boy.  So I plant this field every year just for this.  The gun?  Oh, it's loaded with rock-salt.  When it rains harmlessly down over their heads they think they've really gotten away with something.  Mrs. Wilson thinks I'm nuts and I think she's right.  But I so enjoy watching them jump!"

I 'worked' for Dr. Wilson four years in all.  A sweet old man who wanted to help out a struggling family and a lonely little boy.

My point of this little trip down Memory Lane is that Whisper likely finds that forbidden hay a lot sweeter than the same thing she actually is allowed to eat.

Loved reading that Stude!

My pleasure.  There were a very few bright spots in my otherwise dismal childhood.

Yes, Stude, I loved reading that also.  You write well.

Yes, Whisper is certainly an Arab.  I still am amazed that she seems to understand English.  She also seems to know just exactly how far she must move for me to pass her with a wheel barrow or to allow me to shut the gate.  Just enough, never any more than is absolutely necessary.