Welcome To The Zoo – Page 9

Relocation

When they found what they thought was a safe neighborhood

to raise their children, they quickly claimed the lot of their choice

and built their home.

Within days of moving in, it was evident they had made a

tremendous mistake.

They asked themselves why they hadn’t taken note of the traffic…

or the rowdy crowd on the other side of the hedges.

Soon, the riff-raff invaded their space, making it clear they weren’t

welcome. Every day there was heckling and ruffled feathers.

So, they did the only thing a young couple can do when faced with

such adversity. They abandoned their well built brand new home…

..and moved to the other side of the slider.

OOookay then!

*sigh*

Years ago, when my daughter was just nine or so… we were backyard horse people who thought we’d dabble in the horseshow world to see what it was about. We went to a big barn where they give lessons and show a specific breed of horse.

Ofcourse, the horse we had wasn’t show material, and so we needed to buy something better. We then entered a BREED SPECIFIC show world… where life became complicated. I happen to love this particular breed and we still have one of those, Opie. ……That breed specific world of show? It became clear after a few years of seeing it through that It ain’t our thing –

I’m not trashing it here, we have friends that are still very involved in it and they have had tremendous success. It was just way beyond what we wanted to do with our show experience. We found it to be very expensive, a bit too intense, competitive in a way that people weren’t very nice to each other, a little catty and drama-filled, but most importanlty we just weren’t having fun. After trading up to a third horse on trainer’s recommendations.. I realized we weren’t in Kansas anymore. My daughter wasn’t enjoying the experiences… and worst of all, we had bought a young horse to bring up, and the filly was killed in a training accident at the show barn. My heart was broken. So we brought our newest horse home and were done with it.

Many years later, my daughter wanted to take up lessons again. This time we went to a barn where I knew they had a mix of the breed specific show people and those who are just taking lessons or participating in Open shows. The barn is family friendly. We also met Heidi, who has taken my daughter under her wing and has introduced her to the world of Open and color breed shows with her horse, Beemer.

Just a year ago, Beemer was a horse nobody wanted.. he came to the barn very skinny and depressed. He was stubborn and unhappy – but Heidi saw something in those big brown eyes, bought him and took HIM under her wing too. What a turnaround… shows you what love can do.

SO!… what did we find this weekend at the Tri-State Horsemen’s Association first show of the season? …What a difference! There is still good competition, but it is less intense. So many breeds, so many beautiful horses!…. There is commeradery among competitors!… compassion! Smiles everywhere!.. doesn’t matter the color of the ribbon, although the blues are still the most desired. In general, the atmosphere is more user friendly, the cost is more affordable…and my girl is smiling ear to ear.

What a magnificent horse… I’d love one here at This Old House…

husband would file, tho, I’m sure of it.

Another team from the barn.. Maria & Apache…

A very pretty paint…

This horse wore very colorful “clothes”.

His owner was just as colorful.

They don’t melt in the rain

We packed up the Jeep and loaded the trailer and our fearless Leader Heidi and her horse Beemer took my girl to a two day horse show not too far away.

They tented it this weekend… and the forecast called for rain last night and today.

Cats & Dogs, I’m tellin ya.

Mike & I were up at 3am because the rain was so heavy it woke us.

All we could think of were the women in tents at the show

and how my daughter was probably not loving the cowgirl life

on this particular night.

At 5:30 am I got a text…

“we’re good! ”

Tent didn’t leak, but mattress deflated and bathroom runs

were succesfully avoided in the middle of the night – Amen.

I got there first thing this morning and oh, man was it all just muddy.

And rainy, wet, soggy, damp, cold, icky, yuck.

HOWEVER.. horse people are resilient, don’t ya know.

There were many entries, people lunging their horses in the rain,

riding through the mud in outdoor rings,

and thankfully most classes took place in the indoor,

where those of us who didn’t have to go out in it, stayed put.

The girls had alot of fun (most important!)

and Beemer was a real trooper..

They placed very well too, – icing on the cake.

Tomorrow is another day! Good luck Team Beemer!

What they wouldn’t do….

…for peanut butter rawhide lollipops.

Determined

Barn swallows are a determined lot… we’ve had them nest in all three of the barns we’ve had over the past 24 years. Barn rafters make natural sense… they are out of the way of traffic up in the eaves, they can come and go as they please through the big open barn doors.. and there are plenty of bugs just below them and out in the paddocks. For some reason, at This Old House.. they’ve chosen the kitchen slider porch instead of the barn, where there is heavy pedestrian traffic. The dogs sit right underneath them! I don’t get it. However.. I’m enjoying the process. Type A husband is trying real hard to ignore the mess underneath the commotion.

He’s been scolding us continuosly…

….Annoyed that he has to fly off every time we enter and exit.

I told him he could stay, but some things you just have to figure out for yourself.

This was built in two days. Pretty amazing.

With all the rain and mild temps this week.. the gardens have flourished…

I don’t always watch American Idol…

but I’ve checked in on the progress this season now and then…

for two reasons…

Steve Tyler and Phillip Phillips..

I just love them both.

And Phillip… you are a man for the ages..

what creative talent you have..

love for your family…

..just a geniune hometown boy with a real love for you music.

I do believe your version of “Home” is my favorite song. Ever.
I think anyone listening to this will feel uplifted…the soul stirred..
…will feel like they are truly home.

As if you’ll read this 🙂

See his version of HOME HERE…

A Hair raising experience

Frasier is a poodle spaniel mix, we think. What’s definite is his poodly hair. I’ve never had to deal with poodle hair before because in general I’ve never really been a poodle person. This I have learned with Bailey and Frasier… (both are poodle mixes, but Bailey has terrier hair)… Poodles are the smarts in this mix. I’m amazed at the intelligence of these dogs. When Frasier looks at you, it’s like he’s human…and they both wear their emotions on their .. proverbial sleeves.

So getting back to the hair. Frasier was definitely getting poofy in recent weeks, and it was clear that he was getting hot underneath the poof. I had an appointment with a friend who is a partner in rescue work and a dog groomer as well. She and I were the mobil unit looking for Frasier when he was turned loose by his adopter of 25 minutes.

But I’m impatient and Frasier was hot.

Although he looks so cute, like a stuffed animal with all that hair, don’t ya think?

I went to Petco and bought clippers, thinking I could just get this over with myself.

And I did. Felt like I was sheering a sheep.

It ain’t pretty… but it will do.

Just hush.

Someone’s moving in…

The two birdhouses on my patio pot ladder

were really just put there for ornamentation.
I didn’t think anyone would take it seriously.

Someone, apparently, is thinking

about moving in.

Which is OK by me…

but I think they won’t be happy with the patio traffic.

Just sayin.

Scene around the Farm..

Barn swallows like to rest under the eaves of our kitchen porch…

Frasier in need of a haircut. He got it last night..

I’m not showing you the pictures.

Good thing I didn’t aspire to become a dog groomer.

I love my chickens…..

Happy Perennials instead of annuals in pots or urns… who knew?…

These are chocolate coral bells..

Waiting for the rain….

Coady and Lacey wondering when it will be their turn for pasture time…

Have you done a ladder garden sculpture yet? If so.. submit photos to me!…

New batch of tomato plants in the ground…

first batch killed by frost.

Live and learn.

Squash, cukes, broccoli, lettuce, beans, peas….

..and finally.. the rain.

When a color speaks to you

ccording to Wikipedia, the word turquoise, which dates to the 16th century, is derived from an old french word for “Turkish”, because the mineral was first brought to Europe from Turkey , from the mines in historical Khorasian of Persia. In many cultures of the Old and New Worlds, this gemstone has been esteemed for thousands of years as a holy stone, a bringer of good fortune or a talisman. It is referred to as a ‘gemstone of the peoples’. Pueblo medicine men were considered of no power unless they were fully adorned in Turquoise.

I’ve always loved the jewelry, have a few pieces of my own, but don’t wear it often. My ‘go-to’ colors have always been black, nuetrals, etc. Mom has often said “you should wear more COLOR, Karen”. I’m not morbid or Goth… It’s just that I’ve always felt very at home in black…it’s easy to do. Color says something different, something I didn’t feel at home in. Oh, I’m sure there’s a freudian conclusion there… but seriously I don’t think it goes all that deep.

Anyway.. where am I going with this? For some reason, the color turquoise has spoken up in more than a whisper this year. I’m looking around This Old House.. which we have decorated in soft neutrals and some big splashes of reds, the antique version. It goes well with the wood work that abounds. I’m seeing places that need turquoise, though. The color is soothing and cheery. And so it’s my mission to start bringing it in, in little ways.

Yesterday I went to Pier 1 and found what I was looking for to use on the porch, which we use a lot. I like this to be a restful place.