A conversation with the B-boy

Shirley: Beamer, what do you think of fickle computers?

Shirley:Yeah, me too. Hey,Beamer-wanna say thanks to all the folks who have sent you hugs, smooches and skritches throughout 2010?

Beamer: Can't high five 'em, so here's a high two!

Shirley: Beamer, are you glad 2010 is about over?

Beamer: Yep, I'm happy to show it my heels!

Shirley: Beamer, are you ready to bring in the New Year?

Beamer: Yeah- I'm rip -roarin' to strut my stuff! Bring it on!

Shirley: Awww, Beamer, you're such a ham!

Beamer: Whoooooo, meeeeee?

Shirley: Well, Beamer; I'm looking forward to 2011 too. I bet I'm going to get lots more wonderful photos of you, and I can't wait to see the new foal in April. Maybe we'll get to meet more of our blogger friends, but you are going to have to be on your best behavior when we go on trail rides. And just maybe we'll find some more mares for you this spring!  

Beamer: Girlz? Where? 

Shirley: Well silly boy, you'll have to wait till spring!  

Happy dance!

AWOL

Just a quick post on my computer at work; our computer at home crashed, and I haven't been able to visit your blogs- which makes my kinda cranky- just want you to know that I'll catch up with you all as soon as possible! Happy New Year everyone!

A Beautiful Christmas

Hope you all had as good a Christmas as I did! I'll let the pictures tell the story.

Now I think I'll go sleep off  the turkey........

An interesting day

My husband recently joined our church choir, and last night was his first concert. Just as we were about to leave, the dogs set up a ruckus, and I looked out to find...... an old grey mare, walking into the yard. I mean. old. grey mare; I think she was about 28 or so.

She headed for the horse pens, and Beamer was givin' her kisses by the time I got a halter and walked over to her- cautiously, because mares that have a stallion talking to them can strike unexpectedly. But the old girl stood quietly and let me halter her, so I put her in a paddock, gave her hay and water, and called the police to let them know I had a stray horse, gave them her description, and the info that she was looked after for the night, and headed out to the concert. I videoed the performance, but the sound quality isn't great.

That's Ted on the left of the Choir Director. Even though it doesn't sound as good as it did live, I can say that they were the best choir there!
This morning the police called and put us in contact with the owners of the old mare, it turns out that she had escaped from her pasture that she had been kept in for a short time and decided to head for her old pasture- about 15 miles away! The place she came from was about 10 miles from our place, and she had been travelling for about 4 or 5 hours. She just wanted to go to her old familiar home.She was a real sweetheart to handle, and it's fitting that our Christmas guest was a snowflake Appaloosa. We hauled her to her old home for the owners.

The shortest day of the year was beautiful and clear here, and the setting sun lit up the Skimmerhorns.

Tomorrow is all the last minute things before Christmas, and Thursday I pick up my daughter in Spokane. It seems that this year I'm really not ready for Christmas!

Sunday Stills

Christmas decorations is the theme this week. I guess I got my tree decorated just in time today! I have a few favorite decorations like these ones;

It seems that that Thumper and Pearl were in a helpful mood.....

Thumper had to have his very own ornament, I gave him this one in hopes that it would keep him from snagging something off the tree!

I think the cats are having great fun with the tree; so far, I have to rehang the bottom lights, and they snagged three things from the tree- and it's only been decorated for half a day!
I always decorate with candles,

and my sister bought me a lovely Christmas centerpiece.

Bubby thinks the tree lights are just perfect.

Next weekend is Christmas, and for those of you who only visit here on Sunday, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas with family and friends.

Just can't wait!

My husband was over at Brian's Saddle Shop a few days ago, and I asked him to get some photos of my saddle for me. Well, he did, but I call them teaser photos because he didn't show the whole thing! Here is what I mean:

I might have to go find a second job to pay for it, but by spring, I'll be riding it!

We have a winner!

Well, two winners, actually!
I put everyones name on a list;

well, two lists, actually, the shorter list is the folks who entered on my other blog.  I cut them into strips, put 'em in a bowl, and the first draw was for the $65 certificate, and the winner is- drum roll, please-

That's right- my buddy Janice! It's always nice when it's someone you know who wins, and Janice, I'll bring our laptop over on Saturday so you can get online to shop for your prize!
The second winner of the $35 certificate is from the entries on my other blog, where I post the horses I have for sale from time to time. Currently featuring Velvet! And it's fitting that the name I drew is for the latest follower of that blog:

Gowestferalwoman-congratulations! I will email both of you with the code you need to enter on CSN stores site for your order- have fun doing a little Christmas shopping! And thanks to CSN stores for making this possible.

The girls were feeling left out.....

When the rain finally stopped, there was plenty of water standing in the pens, and of course, I had to check out how deep it was when I went out for my daily chores.

I loved to play in puddles when I was a kid....

Fortunately, because of  the warm weather, the ground has thawed out and a lot of the water has gone into the ground. Never one to waste an opportunity, I loved the lines and reflections in this photo:

It is so nice when the sun comes out after a couple of rainy days. 

The manure mountain is surrounded by water, and is making a good barnyard tea, which I am standing in, in that first photo. I left the wheel barrow on the pile while I snapped the photo above, and it seems the girls are never one to waste an opportunity either!

In the last week Velvet has tipped the wheel barrow over twice- and always when it's full!

Belle, meanwhile, is getting mellower as her baby grows; only 4 months to go! And of course, that will be another contest, my annual guess the date one which I'll start in March.

Just in Time for Christmas- a CSN stores giveaway!

Edited: Contest closed

I know a lot of us have a tough time at Christmas, and maybe we can't afford a gift for someone special; but thanks to the great folks over at CSN stores here is your chance at winning a $65 gift certificate in the form of a promotional code, to be spent at any of their more than 200 website stores, on any thing you want! For example, you could choose leather messenger bags that work perfectly for slipping your laptop in while you are travelling, or on the way to a horse show;

like this one which is guaranteed delivery by Dec. 24.

Since I'd like to have a winner as soon as possible, I'll keep it short- to win, all you have to do is visit CSN stores  and tell me what you would like to order if you are the winner! The giveaway deadline is tomorrow (Wednesday) at midnight Pacific time.

For a second chance to win, you can visit my other blog, where I promote my horses that are for sale. I'll draw both of them at the same time, and post the winners on Thursday morning. Have fun doing a little virtual shopping!

Guest post by Beamer- for Mrs. Mom

First let me say hello to all my fans in blogland; Shirley tells me I get a lot of compliments (Well, naturally, aren't I the handsomest boy ever? )
Apparently Mrs. Mom  is one of my fans, and I really appreciate her helping my people to put me on a good barefoot trim program. Also, I hear that Mrs. Mom doesn't have a horse of her own right now, so I thought I'd give her a fun post to cheer her up and that she can go back and look at whenever she has the blues and needs some horse lovin' . ( That's the best kind, ya know!)

I love smooches, and Mrs. Mom is always emailing smooches to me, so I'll start off right!
Also, I hear she likes Appaloosa horses- well, personally I don't see what's wrong with a nice shiny solid black coat, but to humor her, I allowed a "snowflake pattern" on my rump. We can pretend, can't we? 

So, Mrs. Mom, climb aboard my sleek black back, and I'll take you for a ride!

I really enjoyed turnout time, and thought I'd just show off a little for you. Check out my power take-off:

I can drift them turns...

And do y'all remember my patented suspension?

And hey- who needs a bridle to have a perfect headset?

All that exercise is wearin' me out!

Okay, it's raining, and it's time for me to go get my blanket back on and go to my cozy shelter!

Hope you enjoyed spending an afternoon with me! Love ya!

Sunday Stills

Pets has to be one of my favorite challenges, and this year I had some very willing subjects.

The Foose

Bubby- he is fading into old age, and I hope he hangs around a little longer; this cat has been everywhere with us, even living in a camper with us. He used to love having showers with Ted, and once weighed 17 pounds. Now I think he weighs 7 pounds.

Thumper; he is going to be a huge cat, and he really lives up to his name.

Pearl, the Princess, is a very feminine feline- until it is time to beat Thumper up! Foose loves her.

The three hooligans

My blue eyed beauty, Reba

Does it bother your eyes to look at this photo?

December 11

This day was the day, 60 years ago, that my sister Sharron was born. She lived 16 and a half years. We lived along the shores of Kootenay Lake, and there was a little store about a mile away that we would walk to. One evening in June, she, and two of my brothers, went to the store, and made the fatal decision to walk another 100 yards to the Starlight Drive-In to watch the cartoons that come on before the movie. Any of you remember Drive-In movies? They had a huge screen that you could see from the road, so they walked along the shoulder of the road to find a good vantage point to see the screen. The driver of an approaching car was also distracted by the movie screen; but with one more distraction- he had been drinking. My brothers and sister were walking single file along the shoulder of the road (narrow shoulders in B.C.) and he missed one brother, hit the other one in the hand, and hit my sister full on. My sister died within seconds, but her memory has never died for me. I pray for her soul, and still grieve for her, a life cut short, for reasons only God knows.

Another good day

It warmed right up here, things are melting all over- it even rained this morning. Yesterday I went for a putt on Beamer, just rode down to the neighbor's farm and back; took the dogs too. When I rode into their yard, Beamer stopped and stared at all the unfamiliar things, like machine sheds with shadowy, horse eating combines and balers. I let him take his time and look, and we advanced one step at a time (good boy!). I could hear the snow start to slide off the roof, -I was riding bareback- so I took a handful of mane and shortened one rein, and when it whooshed, all he did was a half-spin, and stop and look. Good boy! The dogs all got to practice heeling as there were a couple of vehicles to deal with, and we had a wonderful outing. We went into the hayfield after, and the snow is a little deep for the dogs there-

so I didn't go too far. We did some visiting over the fence with the mares, and called it a day.

Not too exciting, which is just fine with me.