*sigh* … sheees baaaaaack.

 I knew she couldn’t keep it to herself.  How long was the only question.  All these years later…. like 16 or so?  …. here we go again with the Lewinsky Clinton Circus.  She’s finally writing her book, telling her story.  Don’t we all know every single sordid stupid detail already?  The Tripp tapes?  The blue dress?  Revolting Cigar use in the oval office?… blah blah blah blah blah.

 She says now that while it was a consensual relationship, she was definitely taken advantage of. I beg to differ, Monica.   Yes, our President was stupid beyond belief at that particular point in time and I will not try to defend him here. However, you were in full control of keeping your blue dress clean and your reputation unshattered if you had just had the respect to keep yourself away from the married President of the United States, regardless of his own ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLY ASININE POOR DECISION MAKING abilities at the time.   I mean, really, Bill… WTF, a 21 year old intern?  And you thought it wouldn’t leak out?  Like she would keep screwing the President of the United States to herself???  You couldn’t wait till you were NOT the President of the US before doing something so stupid?  I had faith in you. I still think you had some greatness in you, but you f-ed it up big time, Dude.  BIG. 

 Anyway, I … will not…. be buying…. a book from THAT woman.

  We were all saturated in every sordid detail of that ridiculous circus and I doubt there are any revelations worthy of our attention.  As for all the Hilary haters who like to blame her for some part in that, or keeping Bill around afterwards..  well, she had no control over the proverbial cigar and she paid a very high price for two other people’s stupidity… You may have your opinions, but the truth is none of us knows all the details in their marriage or anyone else’s for that matter.  In my opinion she handled that situation  with more class and restraint than a lot of us are capable of, me included.

  Please, Monica, just shut up and stop playing the victim. Your 15 minutes of fame were up a looooong time ago.  Just..go.

Learning as we Grow

 It’s a glorious spring weekend and I sure hope you’re able to get out there and enjoy it… stick your hands in the dirt, go for a walk , a bike, a hike.. breathe it all in, soak it up, the earth is alive again!

 The men moved our little apple grove  yesterday.  A few years ago we planted apple trees down in the low areas near the house, garage and chicken coop, at the base of the hill where the horses live.  They have not thrived, the reason being they don’t like a whole lot of WET.  Where we originally planted them is a water shed area of sorts, not a great location for a small grove of apple trees.  We finally figured out that when we visit other thriving apple orchards, they are located on hills.  The trees are now planted up on the hill behind the house.  – learning as we grow!

 
 


 
 
Old boy Max grazing…

 
 
Opie feeling good in this fine weather…  

 
 
Vegetable seedlings sprouting.. begonias waiting for
a little milder weather before they are planted outside
 

The chickens favorite dust bath spot next to the garage. 
We gave up on a decent flower bed.

 
 
 
The new chicks with even more feathers just a few days after
their last photo shoot. 

 
 
This is our big purchase from the garden center a few weeks back…
a lovely garden trellis made of giant old blueberry bush vines.
It was made by an artist and located on a Newport, RI Estate
until recently.  We found it at Balleks Garden center and it
now resides between our two raised garden beds. I’ll show you a better
photo when it has some greenery around it and the braces have been removed.  

 
Neighbors across the street have some beautiful ducks… who are not happy
with a new construction project going on over there.  So, they’ve decided
HERE is a more peaceful place to hang out.  I sure hope the coyotes don’t get
them, as I don’t have a duck house and the chicken coop is already full. 
They are happy in this particular spot because it has a waterway running  through it…
This is where the apple tries TRIED to live.
 
 
 

It’s a new day, all – make it a good one! 

Current Events

    Did you have a subject in grade school  called “Current Events”?   While I was mucking stalls this morning, gazing out over foggy fields and mulling over the days headlines, a fond memory floated in.  Me..clipping articles out of the Staten Island Advance for my “current events” assignments in Mr. Rowans  and Mr. Fiores class. I can still smell the white sticky paste with the accompanying brush I used to put the clippings in my marble notebook.   I loved that part of our school day, because we were talking about the stuff  that was occurring right outside in the real world. To this day I know for certain I should have been a journalist.   Not the kind that sensationalizes or falsifies to -get a story- that will sell.  But one who uncovers truths and helps set things right, brings attention to issues that need the attention, etc.

 Anyway, we’ve got all kinds of news out there right now, controversy everywhere. Want to discuss?  Hang on tight, I’ll ramble here a little and you let me know what you’re thinking on one or more of the subjects if you’re so inclined.  You don’t have to agree with me or any others, but please keep it respectful.

Don Sterling… Congratulations to the NBA for making a strong statement – racism will not be tolerated in their league. They said it as strongly as the law will allow, and I applaud the decision.  Racism should be a thing of our shameful past, and yet it still exists.  I’m glad one more assh*le has been called out on it and will pay a dear price, even though he’s 120 years old and won’t really feel it for very long. Especially since he stand to gain approximately $500 million in the forced sale of his beloved mostly black team.    Ironic, isn’t it?… that his mistress is of  african american and hispanic heritage.  And he chose to own a team in a sport that is predominantly black and has made much money off the efforts of his hard working team.   This is filed under the category of – Things that make you go Hmmm……  –     That being said, perhaps it is a bit disconcerting that we can be recorded and judged by things we say in our own home, in what we believe is a private conversation.  I struggle between the two issues, because what he had to say, his attitude, was so vile to my ears I love to see the guy suffer publicly. I don’t like to think we have lost another right to privacy.   It was also said by a friend of mine that people like Al Sharpton get away with racist crap all the time, and I agree!  However, THIS guy was called out on it, and I feel every ass that is caught and exposed is one more ass that didn’t ‘get away with it.  Better than nothing.

The Hunt For Flight 370.    Is this getting utterly ridiculous now, or what?  They hear pings, they don’t hear pings, they get satellite recordings, they don’t have satellite recordings.  There is some oil slick discovery, it’s not an oil slick discovery.  There are pieces of what might be a plane on sonar, it’s not pieces of a plane on sonar. Another plane discovered possibly, but not that one.  There might be some wreckage from the flight, it’s not wreckage from the flight. The search narrows, the search expands, the search changes direction, the search continues… and continues… and continues.   I feel so badly for the families who would really like some answers, but I want to tell them to please not look at the ridiculous news coverage anymore, it must be driving them crazy, quite literally.   It seems bizarre that in this age of so many ways to track something, we have no f-ing clue what happened to that plane and it’s people or where it might be located.

A Botched Execution .  Well, what to say here.  I believe in the death sentence for violent criminals with a long history with the law who commit horrible crimes such as rape and subsequent murder.  The Boston bomber?  No remorse even?… give it to him.   The most recent botched execution involves a man who no doubt died a miserable death, but his victim did too… raped and buried alive, therefore murdered.  Her killer didn’t worry about being humane when he brutalized her.  So how much concern should I have for his death being humane?   But again, I’m conflicted, because two wrongs don’t make a right.  And I find it hard to believe that we can’t figure out how to humanely euthanize our Death-Sentence citizens if we’ve decided we are indeed going to execute them.  Is it really that hard? 

The Weather  Whew! Safe topic. I hope you are all staying warm and dry – looks like the sun is trying to burn through the fog here and the rain has stopped. We have flooding in low lying areas and my husband is cursing prolifically this moring as he makes his way around the job sites witnessing the water distruction and work that will need to be redone, repairs to be made.  Prayers to those who have been affected in a big way and have suffered terrible losses due to the tornado and flood issues across the states… scarey deal, this extreme weather trend in recent years. Makes you wonder how far it will go.

It’s a new day, all.  Try not to say anything offensive in your private conversations because your soon to be ex or 50 years younger mistress or boyfriend might be exacting their revenge. Try to be in range of a storm cellar at all times if you can help it, be on the lookout for plane wreckage wherever you may be, and steer clear of any criminal activity that might land you in the execution chair, because they don’t know what they’re doing yet and it might get a little ugly, apparently.

*sigh* – Just sayin.

See how they grow

  The chicks have all survived and are approximately three weeks old now. I have increased their living space twice already. It is absolutely amazing how fast birds of any kind develop.  They are still living on the porch, now in a two room condo with dual perches and a larger waterer.  Soon they will move to the garage, but not quite yet.  I need to be able to check on them regularly, as they clutter their waterer up hourly.  One thing chickens are without doubt… messy.

While I built the new condo out of two weber grill boxes I got out of the dumpsters at a hardware and appliance store, the chicks got to spend an hour in the grass and sun. Not quite sure what to do out there, they just stood around staring at the surroundings.  They can’t live outside yet, as they still need the warmth of the heatlamp and drafts aren’t good for them.  Nursery hatched chicks do not have a mom they can scramble under for warmth and protection, so we have to provide it for them.

You can see in just three weeks time how their feathers are developing…and they are twice the size they were when I brought them home.

Condo back on the porch… see how they are all huddled in the corner?  It took them half a day to figure out it was ok to walk into the other “room”.   There is now netting over the top, as they will be able to flutter out of the boxes shortly.

 Rain for the next few days, then I’ll show you how everything is greening up around here!

Show Glow

 
So much work goes into showing horses, especially with the specialized breeds, like quarter horse.  There are the lessons year round, the training of the horse if needed, the conditioning regardless, the clothes, the tack, the daily care, and most importantly the bond you build with your horse as you work toward your goals.   In my opinion,  that’s the most important part.  K and Max have an ease and confidence in each other which is so important in getting things right in the show pen.  Max is beyond his prime at 19 years of age, and K treats him with the kindness he deserves after many years in the show pen.  He actually whinnies when he hears her approaching, knowing the treats are in hand. In return, he has taught her well and given her the confidence to get out there and do it.
 
 Some of the other members of our team seen below, such an easy subject to photograph, and they are all tolerant of my lens 🙂
 

  This young lady (Max’s previous owner)  is  already
quite the rider at just 11 years of age.
She is seen her with her new horse –
a young gelding that is learning the ropes along with her.
 
 
Trainers are constantly working with their students, even right before
a class, to go over patterns, techniques, tips for showing off your horse
to the best of your ability.

Practice, practice, practice…… 

 
 
Gleaming coats, beautiful faces, polished silver…. 

 
 
 
Waiting their turn, practicing, practicing….
Do you see KMax?

There are several patterns to study during a weekend –showmanship seen here…
Trail patterns, horsemanship patterns and equitation.
 
 
 
..and the endless primping.

Lots of waiting, too.  This weekend was a cold and windy one,
this is where I give the participants a whole lot of credit for
sticking it out.  There’s no doubt, horse show people are a dedicated crew.
 

 
 
 
I am so thankful that we have this opportunity to be a part of something that has given my daughter  a new confidence after a horrific ordeal.  She has an awesome horse to love on and compete with,  and she knows what it takes to accomplish goals and does the hard work to get there.  
 
It’s been a while now, eight years to be exact. Seems like yesterday to me, If I could only have seen these pictures back then…..
 
I remember saying to myself in the heart of the most horrible time as I sat on a hospital outdoor retaining wall trying to squash the heavy coat of anxiety I wore daily…… …can I just see a snapshot of what a few years from now might look like? But please, only if it’s good.  Then maybe I won’t lose my mind here.
 
 
I didn’t lose my mind, and we survived. We.  I have no idea why the writing of this particular post took me into that territory.  But I won’t delete it, so there it is.
 

 
 
This snapshot, of our life now?…. It’s a beautiful thing.



Dressed to Impress

  Busy weekend we’ve got going on…. horse show, Senior Prom, and mom hoping she’s got it all taken care of.

Day one of the horse show… a first, two seconds and a third – K and Max in their second year have really hit their stride.  Not bad for an old man, and oh, how he is adored by K. 

 
Max in his jammies….


 
 
It’s cold for a late April show, see the winter jacket?
And I have never eaten so much dust from all the wind kicking it up
out there.  Keeping the show clothes clean in those conditions is
a full time job. 

 
Tomorrow is another show day and then… Senior Prom!
 
I’ve gotten a sneak peak at the dresses, absolutely beautiful,
and if I do say so myself, the boys look so darn handsome and grown up
in their tuxes.  Ah, to be young and have a night like this to look forward to.
 
Have a good weekend, all!
 
 
 


Doll house revival

  The dollhouse restoration has been a slow process.  Currently it sits out on a little tray table on the back porch with the chick heat lamp resting on it’s chimney.. so it is serving a purpose!  Spending money on additional furniture just isn’t top priority right now, but I’ll show you what I’ve gotten done so far…

The “before”  HERE

  What I’ve accomplished so far… Now this is no grandiose doll house and the furnishings are simple.  It’s a real fixer upper little summer cottage that I would love to own in my fantasy life on Marthas Vineyard.    Welcome!  Come, sit, have a sweet roll and some coffee –

 
If you need to use the bathroom it’s on the second floor –

 

 
I’m still looking for a reasonable bedroom set. 
All in good time.
 
 

 
I’m happy to report – so far, all the chicks have survived
and thrive underneath the dollhouse in their nursery box.
Almost time to get a bigger box.
 
 
You can see their little wing feathers are coming in.
It’s truly amazing how fast baby chicks grow.
In just two or three more weeks, you will see a completely
different looking chick.  I’ll be sure to show you.

 
 


Red Dog Project – Another day for the dogs

  On Saturday approximately 15 volunteers for the Red Dog Project came together at Tractor Supply in Old Saybrook to assist eight dogs, currently enrolled in the program,  in finding a home.  Six of those eight dogs went home with new families that day, and I’m not embarrassed to tell you that tears still come to my eyes every time we clap as the “new family” exits the building.   I’d like to thank Tractor Supply for being so accommodating. Another company that gives back to their community, it’s a beautiful thing.

There is an application process which involves reference checks, landlord approval if the home is not owned, a phone call to the family’s vet.  We do all this to assure that the dog is indeed being place in a good home. Sometimes the process aggravates the adopter. The way I see it… if you don’t have the patience to get through a little screening before you take the dog home, you’re not the right adopter for our dogs.

 
Found of  Dog Days Adoption Events and The Red Dog Project
seen here interviewing a potential adopter. 
 

 
Elsa LOVES children. This dog got a home! 

Kyle with one of our volunteers

 
 
Kyle with his new family – this baby girl and Kyle will be raised together.
It’s a beautiful thing.

 

Macy Grey ( still looking for her forever home)
and Jayce with the TS crew.

 
 
Macy Grey is a Whippet rat terrier mix who is the cheerleader of
the group. Energetic, always happy to see EVERYONE.
Still looking for a home – visit her info on the Adoptable Dogs
tab of the website linked above.

 
 
 
Roger with his new mom.  It was love at first sight!
  She knelt down, he jumped into her lap, and that was that.  

 
 
Thor with his new family, below.

 

So if you’re thinking of adopting, understand that if the rescue really has the welfare of the dog as it’s top priority, there SHOULD be an adoption -process-.  You should be interviewed, you should be asked for references, which SHOULD be checked, and if you don’t own the dwelling you live in, your landlord should be asked for approval before you adopt.  

A lot of effort goes into getting these dogs out of the bad situations they were in to begin with.  We want to make sure they are not going back to another bad situation.  It’s that simple.

HOORAY FOR THE UNDERDOG!!!
If you would like to support our efforts, we are always trying to raise funds
in order to rescue our next group of dogs.  Our dogs are Connecticut and out of state
pound pups, most often taken from high kill shelters.  Every dollar  you donate
goes to the dogs and their care. Visit the websites above and look for the DONATE
button. Send me any questions you may have and I’ll be happy to answer.

Thank you!