Peek-a-Boo

 

We Aren't Done Yet

The Van Horn, Texas rodeo is coming up this weekend on the 23rd.  I think we still have a good chance of stopping the donkey roping part of this event, but we need to keep up the pressure.  Morning Bray farm passed this info to me and  I thought it worth sharing (please remember to be polite, we lose all credibility if we use abuse to try stopping abuse).... 

The Van Horn City Council meets every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. TOMORROW (June 19) is the 3rd Tuesday of June.

Here is a listing of the Van Horn City Officials and email:
...
Mayor: Okey D. Lucas -  okeyd1@windstream.net

Mayor Pro Tem: Gilda Morales -  txmxdc45@aol.com

Alderperson: Mingo Corralez -  domingocorralez@vanhorncityhall.com

Alderperson: Nuny Morriss -  nunymorriss@vanhorncityhall.com

Alderperson: Pam Young -  pamyoung@vanhorncityhall.com

City Administrator: Fran Malafronte -  franmalafronte@vanhorntexas.org

Please email them and ask them (civilly) to please cancel the donkey roping competition in this Saturday's Van Horn Rodeo.

Remind them that that Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue; America’s largest donkey rescue, is ready, willing and able to take in all the Van Horn roping donkeys.gml.com

On behalf of the donkeys, thank you

Me again....

For more info on Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue copy this link:

 http://donkeyrescue.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.eventDetails&eventID=534

Peaceful Valley took in over one thousand abandoned donkeys last year and are likely to match that again this year.  They could use any help you can give them. 

Next, is an iReport submitted to CNN.  If it gets enough support CNN will run it.  I don't think I need to tell you how much pressure a report on CNN could bring (I don't even own a television, but even I know who CNN is:)  Please follow this link and at the bottom of the page, click on the green button.
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-804321

And last, but most definitely not least, Emma and Tessa would like to offer an example of proper inter-species relations involving donkeys....

Sometimes, it's hard to be short...

Framed

A Day in May

It's been busy here the last couple of days, it always is in Spring. I've had a number of appointments to deal with and yesterday morning, Tessa was acting colicky.  I went out to the barn and found her lying down and she didn't want to get up.  It isn't unusual for her to be napping except that it was breakfast time.  Napping and breakfast do not coexist unless something is wrong.  I got her up and got her moving.  We walked up and down the driveway for half an hour with no results and Emma was getting upset so I decided to take Tessa out to the round pen instead.  Emma is more used to that so it doesn't bother her.  Tessa on the other hand, doesn't like leaving Emma, so it makes her a bit antsy, which I thought would be all the better.  An ansty horse always  has to go to the bathroom.  It worked, within 5  minutes I had the results I'd been hoping for and Tessa was feeling just fine:)  Since we were there and Tessa obviously needed to get some more exercise, I worked her in the pen for a few more minutes, got another pile and decided all would be well.

When we got back to the barn, I found that Emma had managed to get the feed room door open (because I was distracted and didn't lock it down completley) and had eaten Tessa's untouched breakfast.  Not exactly a huge crime since Tessa only gets two tablespoons of grain each day.  However, she also gets a full-sized-horse dose of selenium and vitamins.  I was worried that it would be too much selenium for Emma and spent the rest of the day watching both of them like a hawk.  Fortunatly, they are both fine today.  I do think I will skip Emma's selenium ration for the rest of the week though.

Riding Buddy and I went out for a ride this afternoon.  We had a nice ride, but Gabe is going through a testing phase.  He and Riding Buddy's mare have developed an intense love affair and he doeasn't want to leave her behind.  Once he does leave, he wants to get right back to her.  He wanted to do his own thing and ignore my cues so we spent most of the ride working through that.  We made progress, but I can see we need to spend more time at it.  It is all pretty typical of a young horse exploring and testing the boundries and the timing is classic.  He has settled into what he thinks is his new home and he is testing out the herd dynamics.  We'll work through it.  I just have to find enough time....

When things get hectic like this there is at least, the one quiet hour I always set aside to go walking with Tanner.  The woods are beautiful this time of year, so alive and vibrant.   A few days ago, we had one of my favorite kind of days.  It rained hard in the morning and was threatening more rain later.  I know it may sound dismal, but it's not.  The woods are so alive on a spring day like that.  The new leaves are such an irridesent shade of green that it seems like the light comes from them rather than the sky.   I have tried to capture that qualtiy of light in a photo, but it never works.  I am not sure it is possible.  Maybe a real photographer with a better camera could do it, but I have never seen a photo that quite gets it so I am not sure.   What I do know, is that it is a special kind of light that is rare and elusive.  Something that, in my mind I always think of as life-light.  And I know, that sounds kind of kooky, but it is how I think of it.  It is a thing that you can go out and be a part of, revel in, but you can't capture it.  I've tried, but it's not quite there...

Why I never get as much done as I think I should...

It never fails, as soon as I get the tools out the "helpers" show up.  If only I could've found a contractor who was half as reliable as this crew...

"Hey Ma, what'cha doing?  Can I help?"...

"Can I play with the thingamajig this time?"...

"Would you PLEASE stop messing about with those stupid equines and noisy contraptions and come get some REAL work done.  You haven't thrown the Frisbee for AT LEAST 30 seconds!"

And I wonder why I never feel like I get anything done.

Landscapers At Work

It's Spring and we've decided that we really need to start thinking about doing some landscaping.  The last three years, everything has been about getting the house and barn built, and while there is still work to be done there, it's time to try to get the rest of the place looking a little better.  Emma and Tessa have very graciously volunteered to help out with the lawn. 
Emma: "It's a terrible lot of work but someone has to do it....

We've also decided that some of the stone walls need to be cleaned up.  Spring is the only time this job is possible because once the weeds and brush are growing strong, they are impenetrable.  The only hope is to get at them before they get a head start.  However, Emma and I did disagree on how to accomplish this project....

"Well Em, I think we should pull all this scrubby stuff away from the wall and plant some flowers along it, a friend gave me some iris'.  What do you think?"

"I can't for the life of me see why...all that stuff tastes really yummy just the way it is.  I can't imagine a bunch of flowers are going to taste any better.  And besides, I can't use a bunch of dumb flowers to scratch my belly and why would you care that you can't see the stone wall...definitely a waste of effort..."

"Hmmm, well, you do agree that this old apple tree needs some help though don't you?  All that dead stuff needs to come off so the tree will do better."

"You do have a point there at least.  That tree will taste much better once you get rid of all that dry, nasty stuff.  It will also be much easier to get at the nice, chewy bark without all that junk in the way.  You'd better put that camera away and get down here and get to work.  I'm doing my job after all..."

*sigh* Nope, Emma and I just don't see eye-to-eye on this landscaping stuff.  Tanner, on the other hand, seems to be on my side.

Tanner: "Yup, you need to get rid of all that brush.  Flower beds are much more comfortable to lie in after all...."

*double sigh*

Hi-Ho Hi-Ho, It's Off to Work He Goes

I mentioned a while ago that I was planning on sending Gabe off for training on April 1. Well, I got a call this morning from a friend who also has a horse going to the same trainer. She wanted to know if I would trade training slots with her.  She was supposed to take her horse over today, but she had a crises to deal with.  She could still truck Gabe over for me though if I would swap with her. I didn't have to think about it too much....put Gabe to work two weeks ahead of schedule? Sounds like a good idea to me. That boy needs a job. Good thing he had a nice, long nap in the sun this morning, he is going to need it.

The girls weren't too upset to see him off, but were a little bewildered.... 

"Geeze Em, we were just finally getting him properly trained and housebroken.  Where do you think he disappeared to?"

"I don't know Tess, you did say something about bootcamp a while back.  I didn't know he'd get sucked up and disappered by a big, blue alien though.  How do these things happen?"

Gabe Wants In On the Action

"Hey girls, can I please join your club....

Pleeeese, it's my BIRTHDAY today....

"Well, seeing as it's your birthday and all, we suppose you could join a few of our meetings.  On a probationary status for now...

"But don't expect to get in without a bit of hazing at least..."

An Overheard Conversation

"So Emma, do you think we should include the new guy in our plots?"

"I don't know Tess, I'm not sure we'd gain anything by it."

"Well, we haven't managed to get into the feed room or out the gate on our own."

"True, but what we need are some opposable thumbs not a big, pink snout like he has.  Just look at that thing will you...

It's about as prehensile as a stump.  He's also got those silly, mismatched ears.  You poor horses have such pathetic, little ears to start with and his don't even match.  Makes me wonder if his brain is entirely right, being out of balance and all.  The boy probably needs an alignment or something."

"Well, it doesn't seem to bother him any and he does have a lot of energy and brute strength." 

"Yeah, tell me about it.  He keeps trying to play 'Chase-the-Donkey'.  I mean really, do I LOOK like a Jolly-Ball?"

"Well, you have gotten kind of round lately and your ears do....well, sorry never-mind, of course you don't look like a Jolly-Ball." 


"Hmmph.  Besides Tess, if he broke out he'd get so excited we'd all probably end up in the next county.  That seems like WAAAY too much work.  What that boy needs is a job."


"You know, I heard a rumor that he's getting shipped off to boot camp sometime."


"Oh yeah? That seems like a good idea.  Maybe they'll teach him some commando tricks or something and when he gets back he'll be able to help out.  In the meantime, I'll think about it and keep an eye on him, you have to be careful of someone with so many spots you know."

"Hey, I have just as many spots."

"Yeah, but yours are red, it makes all the difference.  Those black and white ones, especially ones with mismatched ears...you have to keep a close eye on them..."

The Conspiracy Continues

"OK Tess, we have to figure out how to bust out of here, I'm about to die of boredom and I just KNOW she has treats in her pocket.  We just have to get past this darned gate."

"I tell you what, you distract her and I'll try to figure out this chain-latch thing.  Can you handle that?"

"Got it Em, I know just the thing...."