I'm Back!

We drove up to Oklahoma to visit Momma's family for Christmas.  It was a whirlwind trip.  We left early on Thursday morning and returned on Sunday.  It was so good to see everyone and spend time together.  Annie and I hoped for a big snowstorm so that we could play in the snow, but the weather didn't oblige us.  Annie did report a few snow flurries on Christmas morning. 

When we arrived home on Sunday evening, chaos greeted us.  The cats had stayed in the house while we were gone, and they made the most of their unsupervised time with the Christmas decorations.  Ornaments had been ripped from the tree and shredded  on the floor.  Some kitty sat in the middle of a potted poinsettia and squished it.  We found some of our miniature ornaments hidden under the couch, and there were little paw prints all over the forbidden tables and counters.  I suppose the cats got bored...

On the Tuesday before our trip, we had a little girl over to ride the horses.  I put her on Peg, and we went for a pony ride all over the property.  Afterwards, I was cleaning out Peg's feet when I noticed a nail protruding from the sole of his back left hoof!  I groaned inwardly, because he is just recovering from the abscess in his back right hoof.  I removed the nail, which turned out to be the axle and one wheel from a little toy car, of all things.  I knew that I needed to act quickly to avoid another abscess, so I called the vet.  He told me to administer an intramuscular tetanus shot, put Peg on antibiotics, and soak his hoof daily (we are getting lots of practice with that).  I called my good friend Rebecca to ask her to pray for Peg, since I wouldn't be able to soak him while I was in OK.  She saved the day by offering to come and take care of my boy during my absence.  It takes a good friend to come and care for your horse on Christmas day!  I was so thankful.  Peg seems to be fine, and I don't think the puncture will affect him at all.  We are, however, learning that Peg is a trouble magnet.

A broken fence and the demise of a wheelbarrow

Yesterday was a day of mishaps and adventures.  Since the weather report called for snow/rain during the night on Tuesday, we brought the horses into the barn for the night.  It didn't rain or snow, but we slept better knowing that we wouldn't need to go out and bring the horses in if it did.  The natural result was a set of five dirty stalls in the morning.  I set about the job of mucking out my assigned three stalls, but I filled the wheelbarrow after cleaning the first two.  Our wheelbarrow is old and cranky, and it is fond of having low air in its tires when one needs to push it a long way with a heavy load.  Yesterday morning was no different.  I was supposed to dump my load in the garden, but I decided I would not make it that far.  I pushed the wheelbarrow to the compost bins behind the barn and tilted it forward to unload its contents.  Crack!!  The wheelbarrow body separated from its base.  The other three stalls have not been able to be cleaned yet.  We are waiting for our wheelbarrow to be repaired by our handyman Daddy. 

Out in the pasture, Annie turned Ginger out with Buddy and Jack.  Ginger's Coggins test came back on Monday, and it was negative.  That means she is able to be with our other horses, and we don't have to worry about the infectious disease called EIA.  Ginger was having a wonderful time with her new friends, and Buddy was being nice to her (surprisingly).  Annie decided to play a game of chase with the horses, to give them a chance to interact.  After a short period of fun and games, Jack got bossy and decided to exert his dominance over Ginger.  They were all galloping along the fence line when Jack shoved his heavy, strong body against petite Ginger, forcing her through our three railed wooden fence.  She broke some boards and knocked a 4x4 post loose as she went through it.  This left Ginger on the outside of the fence, running loose on our property.  She was excited and nervous.  Thankfully, she ran into her own pasture, and I closed the gate.  Annie caught Jack, who was fascinated with the hole he had made in the fence.  He went into horsey time out in his stall, and we put Buddy in the pasture with his new friend.  We were blessed by God, because Ginger was unharmed by her experience.  Now Daddy also has to fix the fence.

We took the horses to GaitWay early yesterday afternoon, and we brought Jack along.  Annie and Daddy rode him in the indoor arena before GaitWay's first lesson, and he was really well behaved.  It was his first time to ride in an indoor arena, and only his second time to ride in any arena.  Jack is very good at being calm and level-headed in new places.

Today, we turned Ginger out with Buddy, Jack, Poco, and Rusty.  We won't turn her out with Peg until his shoes are removed, because a kick with shod hooves can seriously injure a horse.  So far, all has gone well in the pasture.  Nobody is upset, and nobody has been pushed through the fence.  Peg is sad that he is missing out on the fun.

Speaking of Peg, the farrier came out on Monday to trim all of the horses' feet.  He said that Peg looks great, and I can turn him out in the pasture now.  I have also been given the okay to begin exercising him again.  I am so pleased!  Ginger had her feet trimmed for the very first time on Monday, and she was a very well-behaved little girl.  We are continuing to be happy with her, and we believe that her training should be fairly easy.  She has an excellent temperament.

We are turning into quite the horsey family!  They take up a good bit of our time, but it is well worth it (even when things don't go as planned).  I am thankful that God has provided us with so many ways to serve him through horses. 

Number Six!

Yesterday, a new horse arrived on our property.  Her name is Gingersnap, and she is a three-year-old Paint filly.  Ginger is a pretty sorrel, and she is a bit smaller than Buddy.  Some friends of ours were kind enough to give her to us.  Ginger will give Annie and me an opportunity to train a horse to ride, since she has never been ridden.  Once she is trained, we hope to use her for GaitWay, teaching riding lessons, and Momma's trail horse.

Ginger, enjoying her bath

Ginger is as sweet as she can be.  She hopped right on the trailer like a big girl when we brought her home.  She leads, ties, and is easy to catch.  Annie gave Ginger her first bath yesterday, and she quickly learned to stand still and enjoy it.  With the aid of a big bottle of mineral oil, we were able to comb out some large knots in her tail and mane.  Although we have not allowed any of our other horses to get close to her yet, two of them have already decided what they think of her.  Buddy wants to beat her up, and Peg thinks she looks like a good friend for him. "Spotted horses should stick together!" is his attitude.



After the bath



A Report on the Missions Conference

The missions conference gave us all renewed excitement about serving the Lord.  It was encouraging, challenging, and inspiring.  Quite a few missionaries from around the world were there, and they gave reports on their ministries.  The two keynote speakers were Brother Bud Lance, a preacher from North Carolina, and Brother Bobby Harjo, a Native American missionary to the Navajo Indians.  They both exhorted the young people to fully surrender to Christ and allow themselves to be used by Him.  I could tell that Bro. Harjo especially had a burden for the young people. 

When we arrived home, we found that Bunny had managed to eat the whole bottle of Abby's glucosamine joint tablets and had also shredded the bottle all over the yard.  The cats are all going crazy because they were closed up in the house while we were away overnight, and the horses are a bit grouchy.  Ah, life with animals! 

The Missions Conference

It seems that this fall has been busier than usual, but we planted our garden in spite of weather and lack of time.  We have kale, collards, mustard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, scallions, garlic, sugar snap peas, lettuce, carrots, radishes, and strawberries. (And some weeds!)  Daddy bought me a little rear-tine tiller, and I have been using it.  It is a very helpful tool for the garden.  

Tomorrow evening we are going to a Missions Conference at Trinity Baptist Church.  It will be held tonight, tomorrow night, Friday night, and Saturday, with a church service on Sunday.  Our family will only be there for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I am looking forward to it.  Last year we were able to attend  one night, and it was very interesting.  I'll let you all know what we learn at the conference.

More about Pegasus

Is everyone getting a little tired of hearing about poor Peg?  You'll have to bear with me for one more post.  On Monday Mr. Eric, our farrier, came and nailed on Peg's fancy treatment shoe.  He also shod Peg's other back hoof so that both feet would be the same height.  Peg wasn't happy when Mr. Eric started to nail the shoes on, but he tolerated it fairly well.  I was thankful that he didn't make too big of a fuss, because this was his first time to wear shoes.

Peg's new shoe has a steel plate screwed to the bottom of it.  I can unscrew it to apply medicines and take care of the site of the abscess, but it is well protected at other times.  The time that it takes to care for Peg's injury has greatly decreased since he was fitted with the new shoe.  Both Peg and I appreciate that.

Well, it wasn't his back.

Peg hopped into the trailer early on Wednesday morning on three legs.  He was very subdued on the way to the LSU vet school, but he perked up when he arrived.  He thinks he is something special and always wants to show off when he is in a new environment.  There was a lot of activity that morning. It would have been amusing to watch Peg's three-legged antics if I had not known how badly he was hurting.  It takes a lot to lower his spirits, so he was behaving like his normal, bright self.

After doing a careful examination of Peg's back, Dr. McCauley decided that Peg's back was not the problem.  He went on to look at the rest of Peg's body, and he especially looked at his right hind hoof, the lame one.  It turned out to be the source of Peg's acute lameness.  Peg has a recurrence of the abscess he had a few months ago.  It was large and painful.  Dr. McCauley had x-rays taken of the hoof in order to discover the extent of the cavity in Peg's foot.  Thankfully, it was not too deep, and it had not penetrated into the delicate inner structures of the foot.

To make a long story short, Peg needs more soaking, wrapping, and care.  He also needs a fancy shoe, so we will need to enlist our farrier's help.  This time, we ordered a special soaking boot and a hoof protection boot, so I don't have to wrestle with Peg's foot anymore.  He isn't sure he approves of that.

We will have to go back to the vet school after this abscess heals in order to diagnose the back/lameness issue.  However, I am so thankful that my boy is not hurting like he was on Wednesday morning.  Praise the Lord!

Back to the LSU Vet School

Last time we went to the LSU vet school, we were rushing our little palomino gelding in for an emergency colic surgery.  This time it isn't quite as dramatic. 

Pegasus has not improved with his month of rest, and in fact he appears much worse.  He hurts so badly that he can hardly hobble around, so we are taking him to the vet school for an examination tomorrow.  We'll haul Buddy, Rusty, and Peg up to GaitWay in the morning, then continue on to the vet with Peg. 

Please pray with us that the vet will be able to diagnose the problem and start the healing process.  It is really hard to see Peg in such pain, but I am trusting God in this.  I know He has a plan.

The Wood-burning Stove

We got a wood-burning stove installed in our house this summer.  I know, summer seems like an odd time to put a stove in one's house, but we wanted it to be ready for this fall and winter.  Our house's previous owners had made a place in which to put a stove, so all we had to do was hire someone to do the actual installation.  The stove looks really nice in its little niche.  Daddy lit the first fires in it this past week. It wasn't so very cold, but we couldn't wait to try our new stove.  We like it a lot, because it lights quickly and allows the firewood to burn well.  Our house is going to be cozy this winter.

A Change of Plans

We had Dr. Justin, our vet, out to do a routine procedure on Peg and Jack a little over two weeks ago.  While he was here, I asked him to examine Peg's back.  I had been noticing that Peg was sore and that one of his vertebrae appeared to be out of alignment, and I wanted to see what Dr. Justin would think of it.  He palpated Peg's back and found that he is extremely sore.  Dr. Justin has prescribed a month of rest for Peg, which means he cannot go to GaitWay or be ridden at all.  I am missing my horsey friend, and I can't take him on trail rides for a while.

Hopefully the rest will give Peg's back a chance to heal, and he can go back to his normal schedule.  I do not know what happened to make Peg so sore, but we are guessing that he fell hard while playing around in his pasture.  If the rest period doesn't fix Peg's injured back, we'll have to look at other options.

In the meantime, Rusty is doing Peg's job at GaitWay.  Rusty is very good at it, and the exercise will be beneficial to him.  He is such a funny old guy, and he dislikes exercise in most forms.  However, the work at GaitWay is his kind of thing.

Guess who I am riding?

Poco has come out of retirement to fill in for Peg as my riding horse.  I love riding her, and I am glad that she is able to be ridden.  Poco was excited about getting back to work, and she has shown plenty of energy and willingness.  Retirement wasn't her idea in the first place.  She is going to be my trail companion this fall.  Hold on to your hats, everybody, because Poco can be a wild ride!

GaitWay Therapeutic Horsemanship

We have been praying for God to provide us with a ministry opportunity using our horses, and he has abundantly answered our prayers.  We have enjoyed having many people over to our house to ride and relax, and it has been a blessing to watch how they interact with the horse.  God recently provided Annie and Buddy with a weekly riding student, a young girl named Autumn. 

All of that is exciting, but the most recent horse ministry is the most exciting one to me.  Momma and I have been volunteering at GaitWay, and we love it.  Working with the horses and riders is such a special job.  GaitWay has a need for more horses, so we brought Peg and Buddy up to try out for the job of therapy horse.  They were a big hit, and we will be bringing them every Wednesday. 

There was a Special Olympics event last Saturday, and Buddy was able to be one of the three horses brought by GaitWay.  A little boy named Tristan rode him, and they won two second place ribbons: one in Western Equitation, and one in Western Trail.  Our whole family enjoyed going and taking part in the Special Olympics.  The event started and ended with a prayer, which we appreciated.  It was a beautiful day, our riders had a blast, everyone remained safe, and we all had a lovely time.  Seeing the expressions on the riders' faces was priceless.  They were so happy just to be there and ride that they didn't really care what color their ribbon was. 

We feel so blessed that God has provided us these horses and the many ways we can use them for his glory.  I can't wait to see what other ministries God may give us.

A Nancy Update

Nancy Drew, our new kitty, is doing very well here.  She recently decided to learn about the computer, and she finds it an intriguing device.  It makes queer noises, the cursor is entertaining, and the keyboard is a warm place for a nap.  She ignores the fact that someone else was working at the computer first.  Trying to compose a blog post with her "help" is challenging.  Nancy has a habit of suddenly running across the keyboard and typing a message in an unknown cat language.  One of these days, she is going to send an email or write a post of her own. :)

Nancy has grown quite a bit since she first appeared.  The big cats are getting used to her presence, and Spunkabitty even condescends to play with the little upstart.  To see his big, fat body beside her petite, slender one is a funny contrast.  We all enjoy watching them interact.

A Haircut!

I made a big decision recently!  I decided to have my long hair cut, because it was taking a lot of time to care for it properly.  Hairstyles were limited, and washing it took a long time, lots of shampoo, and patience while the hair dried after washing.  This was a big decision, because my hair has been long for a very long time.  Daddy wanted me to think about having my hair cut, because he thought it would be easier for me and would look nicer.  I wasn't sure if I would like shorter hair, but I did want to know how it would look.  I have learned to listen to my parents' advice on the subject of physical appearance.  It helps me to discern God's will for me.  I timidly made an appointment with our hair stylist friend.  She was quite encouraging, and she suggested that I donate my cut off ponytail to a company that makes wigs for children with hair loss.  I had already had the idea of donating my hair, and I took her suggestion as direction from the Lord to go ahead.  That made me feel even better about the impending haircut. 

After the first cut was made, I began to be excited about my new look.  When the stylist finished her work, I really liked the way my hair appeared.  I have continued to be pleased with it, in spite of an unpleasant encounter with a hot curling iron that left me with a burned forehead.  Hmm, I think I need more practice with that device.  It is a little bit scary.  That incident aside, my attempts to fix my shorter hair have been met with success. 

This is the second big change that has been made to my appearance.  I tried contact lenses this year for the very first time.  That was an even bigger event than the haircut.  I have worn glasses since second grade, and  I have always resisted contacts.  I don't like putting things in my eyes.  However, recently the lenses in my glasses have become so heavy that they make my glasses slide down my nose.  I don't see well with them down there, and they will not stay up where they belong.  My only option was contact lenses.  God had been prompting me through my parents to try contacts, but I wasn't interested until I had no other option.  I am very glad that I finally considered wearing contacts.  They allow me to see so much better than I could with glasses.  It was pretty funny to observe my family and friends' reactions to me without my glasses.  I look very different without them, and I had to become used to seeing myself! 

I thank God that he prompted me to make some changes this year.  I don't usually like change, and I can be fairly stubborn about resisting changes in my life.  However, as in these examples, change can be quite beneficial.  I can now see better, and I don't have to spend so long working with my hair.  I am glad that I followed His direction.  It seems like a small detail of life, but I am learning that every part of my life matters to God.  Each thing in my life can teach me to submit to God's will and trust Him to lead me in the right path.  Even a little matter like a haircut or a pair of contact lenses can help me to learn a lesson from the Lord.

Nancy

We have a new little friend at our house.  Her name is Nancy, and she is an eight-week-old kitten.  Nancy made her presence known to Daddy and Momma as they were taking a walk down our road on Tuesday evening.  She meowed to them from the ditch on the side of the road, and proceeded to stroll out to meet them.  Momma and Daddy were quite surprised, because that is very unusual behavior for a wild kitten like Nancy.  She allowed Momma to pick her up and even began to purr. What can a cat-lover do when faced with such a tiny, lovable kitten?  They carried her home with them.

Nancy has continued to be one of the sweetest kittens that I have ever known.  She climbed into Daddy's lap on her first evening with us and then went to sleep.  She is an excellent napping buddy and prefers to snuggle up right on one's chest.  She is not afraid of people in the least, and none of our noises or activities bother her.  Nancy wants to be in the middle of whatever is happening.  She also possesses the essential skill of using her litterbox. 

The only drawback to Nancy's presence among us is that our other cats object strongly to a new kitty.  She isn't thrilled with them, either.  She growls and hisses when one of the other cats approaches her.  We hope that they will make peace soon.  In the meantime, Nancy amuses herself by playing with the dogs' tails. She has no problems with canine company. 

We have not officially decided to keep Nancy as yet, but if no suitable home can be found, she will enter the ranks of our pets and be added to the menagerie.  I love her already.

On another note, Peg had a return of lameness from his abscess.  It had not drained fully, so we had the vet out to open it up. Now I have started the round of treatment all over again.  He is pretty tired of the hoof-soaking routine, and he is making me aware of that fact.  He likes to kick the soaking bucket and spill its contents over the floor.  Peg has also become adept at removing his hoof wrap and packing the hole in his foot full of manure and dirt.  I am ready for this treatment to be over!  However, I am grateful that he is healing nicely, and I am glad that his injury was only an abscess and not a joint problem.  I have seen horses crippled with arthritis and other such conditions, and I can't complain about Peg's problems.  His injury is only temporary.

Peg's Big Problem

Who, me?

On Saturday, I rode my good horse, Peg, down the gravel road to Mrs. Carol's house. She was out of town, and she had asked our family to let her chickens out during the day. My trusty steed and I felt equal to the task of liberating a few poultry, so we volunteered for the job.

After a leisurely stroll, we arrived at the chicken pen. Peg was surprised that I let the hens out, and he seemed a bit concerned, as well. He had never seen chickens on the loose, and I think he was afraid they might attack. Vicious chickens! Our mission completed, we headed for home to finish our ride.

The ride was lovely, and we both got our exercise. I hosed the sweat off of Peg and put him away in his stall for the day. He was looking forward to a long nap, and I wanted lunch.

When I went out to feed and turn out my horses for the evening, Peg had an obvious problem. He was limping badly on his right hind foot. This sort of thing has happened before, and he is always quite dramatic. He knows how to get sympathy by holding up the ouchy leg and staring at me with his big, blue eyes. Pitiful. There were no signs of swelling, inflammation, or injury, so I decided to wait it out.

On Sunday afternoon, the lameness was worse, and I knew that it was time to call the vet. In God's providence, our farrier called that evening to say he'd be coming on Monday to trim all the horses' feet. We determined that we should let him look at Peg before the vet was called.

When Mr. Eric, our farrier, arrived, he discovered the cause of Peg's lameness. Peg had a shard of glass stuck in the sole of his hoof, and it had caused an abscess to form. Mr. Eric drained the abscess and gave me instructions on how to treat it.

I have to soak Peg's hoof in a bucket of Epsom salts and water twice a day. In the meantime, Peg tries to knock the bucket over or step out of it, looking perfectly innocent the whole time. Then I must put iodine in the hole, during which Peg does his best to make me spill the iodine on myself. After that, I wrap the hoof in an elastic bandage to keep it clean. The bandage is supposed to stay on all day, but Peg is good at getting it off. The treatment process is really quite amusing.

Yesterday, Peg was hurting so badly that he would not use his sore leg. The poor horse was hopping along on three legs and holding the fourth leg up off the ground. He looked as bad as if his leg was broken. Thankfully, he is back to his usual perky self today. This morning he chased Jack out of the pasture, and I could barely see his limp. I hope and expect that Peg will heal quickly. It is always sad when one of my pets is not well.

A New Season

This year marked the beginning of a new season in my life. I have finished my homeschooling, and I am now learning what the Lord has for me to do. I have learned that the most important priority in my life is to serve the Lord by serving others.

One ministry opportunity that God has put on my heart is volunteering at a therapeutic horseback riding facility. A friend brought the idea into my mind, and I had been praying about it when we went to Oklahoma. While we were at the rodeo, I came across a booth for the Right Path Riding Academy, a therapeutic riding facility near my grandparents' home. I really enjoyed talking with the volunteers there, and we decided to consider sending me to Oklahoma in the spring to volunteer with Right Path. After I came home, I researched therapeutic riding facilities in our area and found a place called Gaitway. After talking with people at Gaitway and seeking the Lord, we have decided to pursue volunteering there. I am excited about the possibility of serving at Gaitway, and I will probably start in September.

I am about to begin teaching sewing lessons to two sweet, young ladies we know. That will be an exciting new project, since I have never taught sewing before. These young girls are both a lot of fun to be with, and I know that teaching them will be a pleasant experience. With help from my friend and neighbor, Mrs. Susan, I am working out a lesson plan. I have so many ideas!

A Master Gardeners' Program is about to begin in my area, and I have signed up to take part in it. I love to garden, and this class should be quite informative. My friend Rebecca has also signed up to take the class, so we can learn together. Lord willing, when the program is finished, we will be able to claim the title of Master Gardener.

God has been giving us an abundance of direction this summer. We don't know exactly where we will end up, but we do know He is in control. I can't wait to see where He will take me.

Lyla's Riding Lessons

We had Lyla, a neighbor's granddaughter, over to ride Buddy three times this week. Lyla is five years old, and she loves to come and play with Buddy and Miss Annie. Annie has been teaching Lyla to ride, and she is definitely a talented student. Lyla's only problem with riding is that her tiny feet don't quite reach past the saddle. She has to work hard to give Buddy his cues, but she manages very well. She can ride him all by herself.

Annie put Lyla on the longe line this week to practice posting the trot and to work on her balance and position in the saddle. That can be challenging when the saddle is big enough to fit two Lylas. Buddy is just the right size for her, though. It is really cute to watch the three of them working together.

Lyla won't be able to come back and ride until Thanksgiving. She will probably be a lot bigger by then, and perhaps she will be able to do more things with Buddy. She loves her Buddy, and she told Annie that if Annie ever gets ready to sell him, she will buy him! I don't know that her mom would like that idea as much as Lyla does.

We will sure miss our little friend Lyla with her pink cowgirl boots. I hope we can have her over again soon.

Coffee

Coffee is a very important beverage in our home. We drink quite a bit of it. Some of us sip it in moderation, while others tend to enjoy it in large quantities. One year we found a special coffee for Daddy's birthday gift. It is "the coffee that won the West." This brand, Arbuckles' Ariosa Coffee, has been in existence since the 1800s, and it was the most common brand used by the chuckwagon cooks of the West. Many cowboys did not know there was any other kind of coffee. Arbuckles' has been in business ever since, and they have never changed their packaging. The label looks just the way it did out West in the 1800s.

Arbuckles' Ariosa is the ultimate cowboy coffee, so we had to purchase some for our favorite cowboy. Daddy likes his Ariosa, and we usually save it for drinking when we have an afternoon to savor it together. Mmmm. Now all we need are some cowboy hats...

Bread-making Day

Yesterday we made our weekly batch of sourdough bread (Thanks for the starter, Ms. Elizabeth! It is delicious.). I shaped the loaves, and I decided to make two loaves and one batch of sourdough rolls. Annie concocted a delicious cinnamon swirl filling for one loaf. It smelled so good while it was baking, and it came out of the oven at lunchtime. Perfect! Of course, I had to have some of the fragrant, hot rolls as soon as they became cool enough to handle.

Our garden has been giving us an abundance of tomatoes this year. Maybe somebody planted too many tomato plants... But we have enjoyed having tomatoes any way we want them. Yesterday we dried some of our plum tomatoes in the dehydrator. They turned out quite well, but we ate them before we could put them away. I've made an abundance of fresh tomato salsa, and I experimented with tomato sauce as well.

I tried a new heirloom variety of cucumber this year. It is called the Lemon Cucumber, and it really does resemble a lemon. The flavor is excellent, and it does not become bitter. This is a variety I will definitely grow again next year. We are also growing Rattlesnake pole beans, which are green with dramatic purple stripes. They are very good, productive green beans. I must confess to a fondness for growing unusual veggies. That is one reason why I am interested in heirloom seeds. There are many different varieties. I am thankful for our large garden area, which allows me to experiment so freely.

Our Oklahoma Trip

We had a lovely time with our family during our trip to Oklahoma. The three full days that we were there were packed full of fun activities. Momma, Annie, and I swam in the pool every day. The first day, we were able to go and watch one of my cousins play a baseball game. Then we went to tour the historic winery where my grandfather works. We went out to dinner at a nearby restaurant. After dinner, we all headed out to drive around my uncle's cattle farm. It was muddy and wet, so the ride was full of adventures like sliding and crossing creeks.

Roman Riding!

The next day we were able to go and see a rodeo. We enjoyed some of the events, but others we could have done without. One of the entertainments was a lady who had trained her horse to do tricks. Her performance inspired me to work more with Peg. She had her horse do the Spanish Walk and other fancy moves, she dropped a handkerchief from the saddle and had the horse pick it up and hand it to her, and at the end he reared up and waved to the crowd! An eleven-year-old boy performed Roman riding atop two galloping, white Tennessee Walking Horses. He jumped from one horse's back to the other, rode them backwards, jumped over a big jump, and straddled three fiery poles. It was quite a show.

One of my cousins fishing at the pond

On the last day, we went to the local farmers' market with my grandmother. On the way home, we stopped at Starbucks. Mmmm! We also went shoe-shopping with my aunt. She introduced us to a neat frozen yogurt place called the Orange Leaf. That afternoon we took their boat out to the pond at the local country club.

I am in the boat with two of my cousins.

The visit with our family was a special time. It is never long enough, so I am already wondering when we can see them again.

Jasmine, the little horse, is doing quite well. She is receiving the medication that will cure her illness, and her coordination issues have disappeared. We are so thankful.

EPM - Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis

Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis, or EPM, is a serious disease that affects the brain and spinal cord of the horse. It is transmitted by possums, and it causes muscle wasting, droopy ears and eyelids, loss of coordination, paralysis, and death. The progression of the disease can be rapid, taking less that three days to kill a horse. I always hoped that I would never have to deal with EPM.

On Sunday morning, as we were all getting ready to leave for church, we received a call from our neighbor, Ms. Rae. She was concerned because Jasmine, the yearling filly, had suddenly fallen down three times that morning. After a lightning fast change from church-going clothes to horse clothes, Momma drove Annie and me to Ms. Rae's house. I was praying hard, because I was afraid Jazzy might have West Nile virus or EPM.

After examining Jazzy, Annie and I agreed that she was exhibiting symptoms of neurological problems. Ms. Rae decided to call the vet, and we went home, changed back into our church clothes, and went on to church. After church, I called Ms. Rae to find out what the vet said. She told me that the vet diagnosed Jazzy's problem as EPM, but thankfully it was in an early stage. The vet was able to give an IV drip to prevent the further progression of the disease. The medicine that can cure EPM was not on hand, but it should be available today.

We are all thankful that Jazzy has such a good chance of recovery. If God had not allowed Ms. Rae to be late going out to feed, she would not have seen Jazzy fall down. By the time her problem was noticed, it could have been too late to save her. Now, she is getting treatment and responding well to it. Jazzy's balance and droopiness has already improved. Praise the Lord!

We are off to Oklahoma to visit our family tomorrow. It should be a really fun time. I cannot wait to see everyone. We will be gone through Sunday, and our kind neighbors will care for our animals again. I hope all the critters behave themselves.

Destruction and Repair

I have mentioned in a previous post how Jack likes to scratch and rub on things, which often results in the destruction of whatever he rubs on. His most recent act of itchy demolition was in the barn, in Peg's stall. Peg and Jack share a pen behind the barn that connects the two stalls, so they switch places frequently. Jack apparently got an itch while he was dozing in Peg's corner, and he leaned with all his considerable weight and strength against the plywood wall. This caused all the nails in that section of plywood to be pulled through the wood. The sheet of plywood was hanging loose, like a curtain, from the top nails. Very interesting!

What an innocent face!

I took it upon myself to fix the damage today. It was raining a bit, but I wanted to cross the task off my list. Out I went, and I got started. The boys (Peg and Jack) were in residence, so I was expecting some amusement during my work. They always think it is great fun to "help" me do things. However, Jack hates getting wet. He stood in his stall and ignored me entirely.

Peg dutifully stood beside me and watched each stroke of the hammer as I nailed the siding back in place. When I had to crouch down to put in the last nail, he put his head down to get a better look. I offered him the hammer and told him to help me. Peg took the hammer and swung it a few times, but he apparently thought it was more fun to watch than to work.

"Am I swinging it right?"

He gave it back to me. In the meantime, it had begun to rain hard. I told Peg that I was getting too wet to stand out there anymore, and I went into his stall for shelter. He had only been standing in the rain because I was, so he came in, too. Peg always makes my jobs in the barn more fun. He is great company. I am so thankful that God has given me such a special horse!

The Beast

Yesterday, I was folding clothes in Momma and Daddy's room when I noticed a sleeping beauty on Daddy's chair. Or should I call him a sleeping beast? Spunkabitty loves to show of his unusual features for the camera.

A frightful sight, but we love him anyway.

Here are some of the pictures that Momma took of us giving pony-rides to our neighbors' grandchildren. Peg and Buddy behaved admirably, as usual. They really seem to enjoy giving rides to their little friends. Buddy especially does a good job.

Ben perches atop Buddy as his sister swings

He takes all the activity buzzing around him in stride. One of his many child-pleasing tricks is to allow them to slide off over his tail.

Malcolm prepares to slide down Buddy's tail

(Of course, Annie has put in extensive training and testing to make sure everything goes smoothly and safely. The credit cannot all go to Buddy, though he thinks it should.)

Busy Life

We have been sooo busy!

Over the past few months, we have held a tea,

a place setting at our tea

doctored a dog with a haematoma in her ear,

poor Abby felt miserable, but she got to be inside

helped some friends pack so they could move to Texas, gone on vacation, given lots of pony-rides, put in our garden, and more.

Poco and I also had a birthday.

my dairy-free Chocolate Truffle Cake

We've also had a few horsey incidents. Poco had an eye infection, then Peg got a strange, unexplained leg injury that caused his whole lower leg to swell (He is better now, thank the Lord.). Rusty is struggling with his summer heaves. Poco apparently had an encounter with a poisonous snake, and she has a nasty bite on her belly. Thankfully, Buddy and Jack are healthy and well. All of them are looking really nice now that they have their summer coats. There are dapples on Jack's sleek, dun sides. He is such a pretty boy.

I am sorry I have not been regular in my blog posting. I hope to do a better job in future.

Home Again: Part Two

Daddy, Annie, and me walking down the trail


After our backpacking trip, we went to the airport and picked up Momma. We got settled in at the chalet, which was called Southern Exposure. Southern Exposure is a pretty nice chalet, but one of the best features (at least in my opinion) is that the National Park boundary is a few feet from the back door. The park was practically our back yard. We were all excited to look out the back door one morning and see a juvenile black bear. He was apparently attracted by the Jimmy Dean sausages Momma was cooking for Daddy's breakfast. Our rush to the window startled him, and he quickly left. Momma and I saw him one other morning, as well. On two evenings, we heard howling right outside the house. It was a pack of red wolves or perhaps coyotes. However, we didn't spend much time in our chalet. Most of our days were spent hiking, bringing Daddy, Annie, and me to a total of 42.7 miles and Momma to 20 miles.

Daddy and Annie on Charlie's Bunion

Our favorite hike for the week was Charlie's Bunion. It was 4 miles one way, thus 8 miles round-trip. We hiked out to a rocky outcrop from which one had almost a 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains. We had lunch there, and then Daddy and Annie climbed out onto the point of the rock. Momma and I, being of a more cautious temperament (and somewhat afraid of heights) took some convincing to go out there. Once we were up on the rocks, I was glad that I went. The views were amazing.

Annie and me at Charlie's Bunion

One of the views from the Bunion

Another fun hike led us to an old homesite. We were able to see the old cabin, the barn, and the springhouse. The remains of an orchard stood nearby. This cabin belonged to the Walker sisters, who stayed on in their home even after the National Park was created. I enjoyed reading about their history.

The Walker Sisters' Cabin

We also went to Chimneys picnic area and played in the stream. There are many boulders in the stream there, so many that it is possible to hop across and back without getting wet (unless you slip and fall in, like Momma did). We play in that stream every time we go to the Smokies. On our last day, we went into Gatlinburg and had dinner. We rode the skylift up and down the mountain, and we went to the top of an observation tower. It was all quite interesting. We were also able to meet up with a friend of ours who is working as a park ranger in the National Park. It was good to see her again.

Home Again

We are back at home after our Smoky Mountains adventure. This post will be part one of the tale of our trip. Daddy, Annie, and I had fun on our backcountry hike. It was a strenuous hike, but not so difficult that it ceased to be pleasant. The first day was the easiest day. We got to see Tom Branch Falls, a lovely waterfall. When we stopped to filter water in the creek, I lost my balance and fell in. Thankfully, I had on my quick-dry hiking clothes, so I wasn't wet for very long. That evening we swam in Deep Creek, which ran near our campsite. Nothing feels better than swimming in an icy cold mountain stream after a long, sweaty hike.

At each campsite, there is something called a bear apparatus. It allows one to hoist one's pack up on a cable, out of reach of bears and other varmints that want a hiker's dinner. Everything with a scent to it must be hung up. Those who fail to comply may wake up in the night to an unwelcome camp visitor.

Poor Annie ended up with blisters on all ten toes. Her tried-and-true hiking boots wore out just before the trip, and she had to wear brand-new ones. It is asking for trouble to take new, stiff boots into the backcountry. Boots need to be broken in to prevent blisters. However, Annie had no choice. She didn't seem to mind much. She was glad to be hiking.

All the afternoon of the second day, we were searching for water. Usually, there is no difficulty about finding water in the Smokies, but that day we didn't see any. By the time we arrived at camp, we had no water left. It was disheartening, therefore, to see this sign:

We were up on the top of a mountain, Newton's Bald to be exact. The sign pointed down a steep incline into the forest, and we were really tired. No water could be seen from the top. However, once we were down there, we discovered a lovely little spring of cold water bubbling up from the earth. It was probably the best water I have ever tasted.

Here is our camp on Newton's Bald. It was threatening to rain when we walked in, so we set up our camp rather hurriedly. After the rain had passed, we noticed that we were set up right in the middle of the trail. It is a good thing that trail is little used. I don't think anyone passing through would have been pleased.

To finish my story of our backpacking trip, we had a nice time. We hiked 22.7 miles and saw some beautiful scenery. The trail we took was infrequently used, so we saw almost no other people. I had opportunities to see wildflowers that I likely would not have seen elsewhere. It was a good trip.

Vacation!

Daddy, Annie, and I are leaving tomorrow morning for our trip to the Smokies. We are all excited about it, and we've bee working hard to get ready to go. We'll drive up there tomorrow, camp at a campground tomorrow night, then hit the trail on Sunday morning. We will spend three days and two nights in the back country.

After the back country portion of the trip is done, Momma will fly in. Daddy has rented a lovely chalet for the rest of the week, and we'll stay there and do some nice day hikes. It should be a special family time. Daddy has planned Bible times for us, both on the trail and at the chalet.

So, what will the menagerie think about this abandonment, and who will care for them? Our wonderful neighbors are splitting the tasks (and the menagerie). Ms. Rae is going to care for the cats and dogs, and Poco and Rusty will live at her house while we are away. Mrs. Carol is going to take on the job of feeding Buddy, Peg, and Jack. We may also ask her to water our vegetable garden. It is such a blessing to have nice neighbors to help out. I am sure the animals will be well cared for.

Thanks, Ms. Rae and Mrs. Carol! We really appreciate it.

What's been happening over here?

Pegasus is modeling his new fly bonnet. It is designed to be worn while riding, and it keeps the bugs out of your horse's ears. Reactions have been varied. Some people, like me, think he is cute in his little hat. Others laugh at him. However, it is undeniable that he is more comfortable with it than without it. The deerflies have been terrible lately.

Massacre in the pasture!

Poco, Peg, and Jack decided that a long nap was in order. Usually they designate at least one horse (Jack, because he is the youngest) to stand sentry, but the weather was just too nice. They were snoring and nickering in their sleep.

The current big news over here is that we are taking a vacation as a family. We will go to the Smoky Mountains and rent a chalet. First, Daddy, Annie, and I will drive up and backcountry hike for three days and two nights. Then, Momma will fly in, and we'll spend four more days dayhiking as a family. We are all excited. We have not had a family vacation since we got the horses. It is going to be a lovely time. Daddy says our total mileage may be around 50 miles. If you know Annie, you know that will make her very happy. Although I believe she'd be happier with 100 miles...

Here is today's scripture.

Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
Ecclesiastes 11:1 KJV

Property Updates

Here is a photo of the irrigation system that Daddy installed in our garden. It is a big help, as long as you don't forget to turn it off when you're done... like I did once. It turned out okay, though.

My herb garden is enjoying the warmth and sunshine. Everything is coming up abundantly, especially the ever-invasive mints. They have creatively escaped the confinement of their bed, and they are now sprouting in the grass. I like it, but I think Daddy would classify it as a weed. It is an herb in the garden and a weed in the grass.

This is the view from the left side of our house looking toward the front "yard." This is my Seven Sisters rose and one of our bluebird houses (no bluebirds inside, though. Spunkabitty terrorizes any bird foolish enough to nest there.).

I'm sorry my posts have been so brief lately. We are quite busy. Hopefully things will calm down soon, and I will be able to fill you in on what has been happening over here.