Monday Sunset

Amazing sunset last night ....

For Anyone Who Might Be Interested ....

I've added a new page to the blog.  Page is titled "Collection of Photos" and is just that ... a collection of photos.  One of my hobbies is to see if I can capture on film (or thanks to digital - capture in bits and bytes) what I see -- whether colors or texture, presentation, illusion, emotion or memory, flora or fauna (living preferred not required).

Those are the pictures I will post on the page "Collection of Photos".

As always, your feedback while not required, is appreciated ...... good-bad-indifferent ... anything you've got to say "it is all good".

I hope you enjoy at least a couple of the pictures - Cheers, Cheryl

Wind and Snow ... Horses and a dog

So we've got wind coming out of the north to beat the band and I look out and all I see is Rosie standing in the field.  Do not see any other horses .... to the right, to the left, to the point, to the field over by JG's ... no other horses in sight.  They pretty much stay as a herd -- maybe one or two or even three or four (the kids) will wander off on their own, no matter how they spread out they are usuall within eyesight of each other and even if I can't see them all, I can find a couple of them.  For heaven's sake, we live on the plains .... rolling hills of grass.  Where are they going to hide?  As close as they've become, they wouldn't just leave Rose behind.  Same as, Rosie wouldn't stay behind unless something bad happened - whether to her or the other horses, I wasn't sure.  Where my brain goes, I usually follow.  Seeing Rose and no sign of any of the other horses anywhere, my brain brain took off in turbo mode.  I can honestly say I know what it feels like to have my heart stop and my stomach fall through to my shoes.  I grab my coat and get ready to sprint out the door -- no idea what I was going to do or where to start looking, I figured I'd start with Rose and take it from there.  I take one more look out the window, hoping to see someone ... something, anything to let me know my imagination is in overdrive and taking me the wrong direction. 

I see Mama and Hank stand up from behind one of the terraces, stretching and shaking and getting organized.  Then three more heads pop up from behind the terrace .... goobers!  Everyone of them ... a goober!  They were laying down out of the wind enjoying the sunshine and grabbing a nap and Rose was standing guard.  Pretty smart goobers!

It was so windy it blew Hank's hair straight back off his forehead!

That was the week before last.

Last week - Monday through Wednesday were nice days. Thursday temperature was almost 70-degrees and sunny, positively beautiful!  Friday came and we had snow ALL day.  I think we ended up with between 6 and 8 inches.  There were big fat fluffy sloppy flakes, teeny tiny icy flakes, sleet, not exactly sleet, snow falling gently, snow coming in sideways .... it was pretty much white stuff out of the sky all day long. 

Shadow says ..... "Did you know it is snowing?  Good thing I'm not a white horse - you'd never see me!"

Nicker and Miss, Nicker doing her "walk under" move and no, her butt is not really that big - camera angle.

Shadow being pitiful, having to dig for hay - I'm not sure what was wrong the hay I threw by the barn....

Hank seemed to like the hay by the barn ...

Nicker is not about to let a little snow stop her from keeping to her workout routine.

Maybe that is why Nicker is wearing so much snow, she's trying to look like the truck ...

Nicker and Miss helping clear the snow off the rear window.  They are such helpful girls!

Mama

I don't know why Nicker is snowier than Miss .... she's closer to the ground?

Shadow and Miss "horsing" around (sorry ... couldn't help myself) and Nicker has the hay to herself.  Shadow may be bigger, Miss has the upper hand.....and Nicker's got the hay!

Views of the creek from the living room

Going for a walkabout inbetween snow squalls.

Nicker being "Nicker"

Snowy Mama

Rose had the best seat in the house, next to the woodshed mostly out of the wind and fresh hay at her feet.

Snowed pretty good every now and again ....

Snowy Shadow ... don't ask me what he was doing out in the snow, everyone else was in the shed and Shadow was standing guard (maybe?) at the gate into the corral.  Either that or he just thought he looked extra handsome (he did) with snow flurries and was waiting for me to take his picture, which of course -- I did!

Miss chasing Hank 'round the shed.

Miss' new favorite game is "Steal The Hat"

She likes to twirl the stolen hat

Teaching Nicker how to twirl a hat

Nicker needs to practice hat twirling ....

In the shed waiting out the storm

This boy had more fun than anyone ...

Murphy loves the snow and spent as much of the day as we'd let him, outside in the snow. 

I really think he thought it snowed just cause he likes it so much.

Silly Horse Pictures

Miss and Shadow doing their best PushmePullu (Dr. Doolittle stories) imitation - February 2010

Hank doing his best (and succeeding!) to look silly ...

Nicker and Hank

Nicker using my shirt tail trying to train me to follow her .... like that is going to work?!!

Hank and Miss - a mini Miss .....

Dogs and Cats

I'll be the first to admit, we've got some real critter characters on the ranch.  In addition to the six horses we've got two dogs - Murphy and Gaia. 

Murphy joined the family in September of 1998, the vet guesstimated that he was probably about 6 months old and that he is part collie and "something".  Murphy showed up on the front yard at the house in San Antonio and despite my best efforts NOT to add another dog to a three dog household, Murphy stayed.  He is such a good boy.  He is a TALKER!!  Murphy has an opinion about darn near everything!  This is a picture of Murphy telling me that while having his picture taken is nice, he'd rather have a biscuit..... - March 2010

Not only is he a talker, he is a big "cheezeball" .... Murphy doesn't just scratch his back, he makes a production out of rolling around AND gives a play by play of what he is doing and what he thinks about what he is doing.

One of his favorite pasttimes, and something that since we've moved to the ranch he can actually DO ... is laying on the deck keeping tabs on his kingdom, or napping.  I went out the other morning after we'd had a bit of a frost and there on the walkway was the perfect outline or Murphy -- he'd stayed in one spot long enough that he'd melted the frost.

At the top of the picture are his front legs, and the bottom his tail and off to the left and just above his tail, his hind feet.  He cracks me up ... he loves the cooler weather and he loves lying on HIS deck and in HIS yard.

Then there is Gaia.  We got Gaia in 1998 when she was 6 weeks old.  Her mother was a Great Dane and her father remains a mystery.  Part of the reason Murphy fit into the family so well is that he is head over heels in love with Gaia.  She is his girl and in his eyes can do no wrong.  They are funny together -- Murphy loves to play with toys that squeak, Gaia loves to play with her basketball.  She gets very attached to one particular ball and don't even try to switch the old one out for a new one ... not happening, she can tell the difference and for some reason has incredible loyalty to one ball and one ball only.  The only way we've been able to upgrade her basketballs is when the current one falls to pieces and the pieces are too small to play with properly.  Even then there are several anguish filled days while she comes to terms with the fact she has a new ball.  The basketball in the picture below is only her third basketball ever -- it is getting close to replacement time .... 

Gaia and Murphy share the house with Zeke and Maggie.  Zeke thinks he is one of the dogs and Maggie thinks (and acts) like she is the invisible cat.  Pictures of Maggie to follow as soon as I can get her to stay out in the open for a photo or two.   

Zeke doesn't have a cat bed per se, he has a cat "bear" and whatever end of the couch he can steal from the dogs.  The bear is where he does his best napping, although on occasion he likes to get into the cabinet where the rugs and critter towels are stored -- I think he thinks it is his "secret" nap spot.  How it can be secret I have no idea, I always know when he's been in the cabinet a) the door is open and b) towels and rugs are pulled out and dumped on the floor ... Hellloooo, Zeke I know if you're not still there, you were.  Silly boy.

Zeke and his bear - March 202

Zeke waking up from a "bear" nap - March 2010

Zeke napping in the cupboard - March 2010

The barn kitties are a riot.  Where one goes ... another usually follows.
We brought back some deadfall to cut up for firewood and next thing I know this lovely pile of firewood has turned into a lovely sunshade/jungle gym for the kittens.

From left to right:  Kitt, Mama Emma, Cali and down in front- Fritzy - March 2010

Tiggsgrr pretending to be a piece of wood, "if I sit still enough you can't see me...." - March 2010

I think it was a hard day playing in the sunshine ....

Emma and Kitt in the top picture

 Fritzy in the bottom picture - March 2010

And then there is Elliott.  We're not exactly sure when Elliott arrived on the ranch or where he came from.  He was sighted in the creek by a couple of people and then one day walked up the road from the creek to the barn, moved into the barn and has been a part of the family ever since.  He's a good boy and I don't know where he gets the patience for Emma and the kittens, bless his heart.  It is nice to see them all under one roof and I think he considers them family.  The kitts and Emma, will try to play with him and he kind of sort of responds, although not so much so -- then it is almost like he remembers that playing is good and Elliott will try to start up play with either Emma or Kitt or Cali.  The minute he tries to play with them (v. them playing with him -- I know, a fine line it just depends on who starts it) and those girls yowl like he ripped their tail off ... he isn't even close to them, he's just kind of feeling them out to see if they are interested in a game and there they go screaming like they are being murdered.  They are without question, the biggest drama queen cats I've ever met.

Elliott takes ranch security very seriously ... rest assured we are safe from any and all rodent invasions.  Elliott on guard - March 2010

Rose is on a roll .... actually not so much rolling as laying down

The girl about gave me a heart attack!  As I've mentioned, Rose is the mare that was here when we moved in and near as we can guesstimate she is about 30 years old.  A real blustery sweetheart of a horse.  She has stiffness in her hind legs, almost as you would if your hips were fused, and arthritis in her knees.  Vet said the stiffness in her hindquarters was due to an injury and she isn't in pain -- so we just keep an eye on her and make sure she is safe.  Miss and Nicker adore her, so it is all good.  That said .... geeze, she almost stopped my heart today.

I looked out the window window and there was Rose flat out on her side.  That is Rose just to the right of the standing horse (Miss).  The other horses regularly lay down, curl up (as much as a horse can curl up) and nap, and roll over.  Rose not so much so.  We've seen her rolling a couple of times, never just flat out laying down.  Miss, as you can see was standing over her and as I watched her hind legs were twitching .... and I thought the worst, especially when Miss walked over and stated sniffing her and then Hank joined the sniff session. 

Now that I'm looking at the picture, I noticing a nap theme .... one standing in the middle, the others napping around the one in the middle.  Oh my, theses are some silly horses. 

Anyway, back to Rose.  I snapped a picture, I wanted to catch in on film as we never see her laying down and then as I saw her legs twitching, didn't want to take any more pictures, if something bad was going on -- now is not the time to do photo journalist thing.  Called Andrew and made sure he had the numbers to the vet (been meaning to do that for some time any way), grabbed my coat and headed out the door at a sprint. 

By the time I was out the door and up the walk heading to where Rose was ... the herd was on their feet and heading up the hill.  Rose was / is just fine.  That girl is just killing me ...

I"m hoping this is it - that she is done messing with my mind ... between walking through the pond and coating herself top to bottom with mud last week and then the laying down and doing the twitchy thing today I'm not sure how much more my heart can take.  Good thing she is such a sweetheart, cause dang that girl sends me straight round the bend!

Me and my girl - Miss

This was taken last October, her nose is now about even with my shoulder.

Nicker in pictures .... her first year

Hiya World ...  !!   My name is Nicker, howya doin'?

Nicker and the Mama - March 2009

Nicker spent alot of her first two weeks, making new friends, napping and eating and learning to walk and run and jump.  When Nicker was born she had a very "dishy" face which you can see in both of the above pictures.  Foals often grow out of the "dishy" and sometimes it is attributed to genetics, for example Arabians have a "dishier" head than many other horses.  When "dishy" is grown out of, it is usually attributed to 11 months spent in the womb.  We know Nicker's Mama is a BLM Mustang, we know not an inkling of a hint of a clue about her father other than the obvious ... equine.  (Sorry, couldn't resist referencing all the known details, even the the "obvious"....)

Nicker and Mama stayed in their stall in the barn for two weeks after Nicker was born -- just to kind of get everyone settled and balanced and acclimated.  Mama acted like she was an old hand at the Mama game and one more foal -- no big deal.  It was more for Nicker that we kept them in the barn.  And yes, truth be told, probably just as much for me .... I know, if she was born in the wild, she'd have no straw and no stall and Mama would not have had room service like she got at the barn .... I wanted a chance to get to know Nicker and for her to get to know me.  I would have slept in the barn with Mama and Nicker if I hadn't been afraid I'd ruin that baby for life.

Nicker was a silly baby, she was bound and determined to be a big girl from her first day.  She'd run and jump and try to eat everything.  She she arrived, she had no teeth that didn't stop our girl.  From the barn they moved to the corral. She (Nicker not Mama) was growing so fast.  We had a small foal coat that fit her I think for exaclty 47 minutes. This is Nicker at the corral in her "big girl" coat. - March 2009

Nicker (about 3 weeks old) trying her "teeth" at "big girl" food.  Nothing was or for that matter IS safe from being Nicker-tasted. 

Nicker and the Mama.  Mama wanted OUT big time, Nicker she was going wherever Mama was and doing whatever Mama did. - March 2009

Mama taught both her girls all about being horses and all about being GOOD horses.

Nicker didn't stay teeny for long.  I swear I could see her growing by the minute and yet, sometimes when I look at her now, I see the little girl that I helped bring into this world.

This is Mama and Nicker late summer - 2009.  She is almost as tall as her Mama and she is still going wherever the Mama goes.

So after two weeks in the corral it was time for Mama to introduce Nicker to the rest of the herd .... the Grand Dame of the herd - Rose, the boys - Hank and Shadow and her sister - Miss.  Nicker had already kind of met Hank.  When Mama and Nicker moved into the corral, Hank moved into the outside of the corral.  Rose, Miss and Shadow would go off on a "graze" or a walkabout and Hank would stay behind, stuck tight to the corral with Mama and Nicker.  He is a good boy, that Hanky.

Nicker fit in just fine.  In fact, it was almost as if she'd walked into a whole herd of Mamas .... there was THE Mama and then there was Miss and while, the boys aren't exactly "Mamas" -- they take good care of their Nicker.  And let us not forget Rosie.  Rose loves her family and is Mama to the entire herd and that includes THE Mama.  And then there is me ... I'm the Mama for the herd and as much as she pretends to not like it, that includes my girl Rose and THE Mama (my Sweet Girl).

Nicker in the middle ....

Nicker napping safely in the middle of her herd. Left to right:  Mama, Hank, Miss, Rose and Nicker "in the middle!" - June 2009

                                    

Nicker and "her" herd, from left to right:  Hank, Shadow, Mama, Nicker "in the middle!", Miss and Rose. - May 2009

                        

Nicker and her big sister Miss - April 2009

Nicker learned to drink out of the water pipe, just like her big sister does. - June 2009

When it comes to food, Nicker isn't satisfied to share, she had to have her own feed bucket and had to be NEXT to THE Mama. - June 2009

I'm not sure, I think she may have invented the "walk under and lift" technique, used to gain access to everyone else's feed buckets. 

"Walk and lift" is when Nicker puts her head down and walks under another horse's head as they are eating and when she has her head under theirs, she lifts her head up - neatly seperating the other horse from their food, at which point she drops her nose into their food bucket / stash / prime grass patch / hay bin and helps herself.  I can't believe they let her get away with it and a year later she is still pulling the same trick and they ALL buy into that move.  Rose is the only one who now and again will try and run her off -- Nicker just keeps coming back and finally Rose caves and shares.

This is Nicker (in front) Miss and Rose.  Miss loves her Rose and Nicker is following in her sister's foot steps.  Rose pretends to be grumpy when Nicker hangs around, she did the same thing to Miss.  Nicker and Miss ignore her grumps and love her anyway. I think their plan is working ..... - July 2009

Nicker trying to get Rose to play with her.  She is pure horse and such a sweet soul ... I swear she thinks the sun rises and sets simply because SHE thought it a good idea. - August 2009

Nicker  and  .......

...... Mama - May 2009                                            

..... Mama - August 2009

...... Shadow, on their way to torture poop the dogs. - September 2009

Torture poop (def):  poop left by one animal for the express purpose of torturing another; intra or inter species.

In the picture you can see the telephone poles marking the side of the pavement and just the other side (you can see it in the picture) is the fence around the yard.   Murphy and Gaia (THE dogs) have about a third or a half an acre yard that is all theirs to patrol, snooze in, and play in.  They deem it a primary responsibilty (well, next after treats and naps) to keep the kitties and bunnies and horses on their toes and on the non-dog side of the fence.  The horses rountinely get barked at and don't really seem to care or perhaps they are just used to the noise.....maybe we could rent Murphy and Gaia out as horse de-spooking tools?!! 

It seems the horses do mind.  They have started marking and clearly defining their territory on their side of the fence right next to the fence ....all along the front and on the north side they laid down their "line in the sand" as it were ... more accurately, their line of poops.  And as such have created a poop line which absolutely tortures the dogs.  It totally torments Murphy and Gaia that there is all that lovely horse poop just a sniff away and they can't get to it.  The poop war continues .....I've seen dog paws reach lengths I didn't know they were capable of, I swear next thing the dogs will be using sticks or one of those "grab it" gizmos to get the poop to their side of the fence.  Silly dogs.  Silly horses.  Wait a minute, what am I saying?? ... I'm the one who has to scoop the poop -- geeze!! 

 ..... her Miss. Just "hanging", kind of napping kind of not napping - February 2010

Nicker being NICKER .....

Doing her best goat imitation. - May 2009

 Becoming "one" with the weeds .... I'm hiding, do you see me? - July 2009

Okay. Okay.  Now THIS is MY best side.

Did you get the picture when the wind was ruffling my mane?!!!

I should be a model.... - May 2009

  Really? You woke me up for this? Did you at least bring me a carrot ...?!! - July 2009

                                                                                   

                                                             

                           

Snowy Girl - February 2010