Quad is sick

Quad is undergoing another sand colic.  This one doesn't appear to be as bad as he's had in the past, but this is the 3rd time.  The vet came out, tubed him, and wanted to put him down then and there.  No ranch owner said, "NO!" (thank goodness)...we will TRY to get him through this and then move him to the round pen, which is covered with manure.  She's rather have him eat manure than sand and it would give him more room to move around.

So, please send your prayers.  He has explosive diarrhea and he isn't pooping.  The sand isn't moving out...she'll keep an eye on him today and I'll return Sunday morning.

His head is down, he's exhausted...he IS drinking water, though...

A tired, exhausted, Quad.  He definitely isn't doing well right now.

Any ideas/ suggestions on getting the sand out?  He IS getting psyllium pellets, but he isn't eating much, so he isn't getting much...

Quad colic

I got an email last night from the ranch owner that Quad is uncomfortable and she will keep an eye on him and call the vet if needed. OYE!  Damn sand!  I have two rubber mats in his corral for him, but unless I go up there and sweep them off, YES....he is eating SAND off them!

Please say a little prayer for him.  My stomach is in knots, especially after just losing Lucille in August...

Thank you.
~Cheryl~

Deep Canyon video

Okay, I finished my first attempt at a YouTube video for Deep Canyon.  Deep Canyon is the canyon that stretches from Anza-Borrego up through the Santa Rosa mountains and Highway 74 runs along it.  Highway 74 is the road I take when I go visit the horses.  You can only look down into the canyon from a couple of places.  One place is the Cahuilla turnout, where you can park and hike.  I'll have to stop there sometime (again) and take some photos.  It goes out over the rim and one can look down into the canyon.  Anyway, I've traveled that road now for nearly 10 years, going up and down to the horse ranch!  Wow!  Where did the time go?

Anyway, if somebody has some suggestions on transitions or animations, PLEASE let me know.  This is the best I can do right now, with my limited knowledge and experience.

Would VIMEO be better to use?  Or, can you use photos with VIMEO?  I have no idea...sigh...

ALL tips or suggestions would be appreciated!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3038Dv6iEOM

Please DO leave a comment on You Tube!
Thanks!

Eastern Sierra Nevada

I was going through my YouTube videos the other day and I suddenly realized that I hadn't made one in 6 years.  6 YEARS!  WHERE did the time go?

Well, first I lost Beauty in 2009, then Cali in December of 2013.  Those double blows really set me back.  I didn't make another horse video.  I really should make one with Quad and his antics and I will when I find the right music to accompany HIS GOOFINESS!  Maybe "Dancing" from WallE?  That would be a good match.

Anyway, I wanted to get back into shape, so I made this one last night.  It's photos I took (except for the last 7) of our June trip to the Eastern Sierra Nevada.  This was the year of the 120% above normal snow pack and even in June, the mountains were COVERED with snow!  I sure hope they get a ton of snow this season!  California certainly can use all that water!

So, here it is!  Please do view it and you can leave a comment on YouTube or here.  Music is from the soundtrack, "Snow White and the Huntsman" by James Newton Howard.  I wanted something melancholy and soft for this one.
Here's the link:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbFRelwx95A

Fences in the mountains~Good Fences~102215

I took these photos last weekend (Sunday) when I drove up for a horse visit.  There were clouds hanging on the tops of the mountains and soon I was in fog.  It was wonderful!  I drove around Garner Valley, where the 5 acre horse ranches are located, and took some photos.  It was a good day for a mountain drive.  Good Fences for October 23, 2015.  To visit Good Fences, please follow this link:   http://run-a-roundranch.blogspot.com/

 This is the former thoroughbred breeding ranch, which is now a horse boarding ranch.

The fog loves to settle here in this little hollow.

A quick visit to the horses

I was out the door by 8:30 a.m. yesterday and I headed up the mountain, with 2 cameras in the car.  There were clouds hanging on them, but I didn't figure I'd run into fog.  So, I drove through Garner Valley, soaking in the smells and the cool air.  It was delightful!

I wanted to get up to the horse ranch first, to pay my monthly board, and second, to give the horses their coconut oil and chia seeds.  I'm giving them ORGANIC chia seeds instead of psyllium.  First, it provides them with nutrients that help their hair, hooves, and "insides".  Second, I buy organic seeds.  They make a really nice, thick GEL, but I can also just add them dry to their pellets.  You should see how shiny they are!  Well, not yesterday...they'd had 3 days of RAIN up there and everything was soaked.  I notice that Gigondas' tail is a lot fuller and Sunni's is growing out.  (Remember, Quad ate most of it last winter!)...sigh...

Here are some pics from yesterday:

 Looking out across Quad's pen...

A drizzly day...

Sunrise

I am usually on my way to school by this time, but yesterday afternoon, I felt like I'd been hit with a sledgehammer in my back.  Ugh....achy, tired, blah.  This morning, when I awoke, I knew there was NO WAY I'd make it through a day at school.  I think I have a major cold coming, so I'm going to rest, drink water with lemon, and sleep most of the day.  I NEED to get through the next 2 days after this.

So, I was looking at the various webcams from Toro Peak, which dominates the Santa Rosa mountains.  I travel next to them each time I go to check on the horses.  Toro Peak is at 8,000 feet and UC San Diego has 4 webcams up there.  I love to pop in and see the views.

This was the view this morning, looking west:

We're supposed to have scattered showers over today and the next two days...I'll keep you updated!

San Jacinto mountains last weekend

It was raining and too wet to take any of the horses out last weekend, but this week, it hasn't rained at all and I'll be heading up to the ranch this morning.  I always love to stop and admire the clouds and how they "hug" our mountains.  I was up in the Santa Rosa mountains, above Palm Desert, but looking out toward the San Jacinto mountains, above Palm Springs.  There are some nice views off Highway 74 and I pulled over a couple of times to take these photos.

It's the END of a LONG WEEK! Phew!

I can't even IMAGINE why this week was SO LOOOOOOOOONNNGGG!  I even took a personal day on Tuesday.  Maybe it's because I'm burned out?  This is my 30th year of teaching and yes, I AM BURNED OUT.  Took many kids who can't read in 3rd grade.  I have 5 that can't even write their numbers to 100.  WHAT IS GOING ON????  7 NON-readers!  Can't even read the word "the"...And, no, they don't read in Spanish, either.  They are illiterate.  And, I'm supposed to catch them up to 3rd grade level in 10 months?  Ain't gonna happen.  WHERE and WHAT have their parents been doing for 8 years?  That's the REAL question.  One boy doesn't bring homework.  I had another teacher call his home.  Nobody answered, so she left a message for the parent to set up an appointment with me.  It never happened.  He continues to "forget" his homework.  NO PARENTAL SUPPORT!

Okay...I'm done with my ranting and venting.  Teachers have to let loose every now & then.

So, anyway, on Tuesday, when I took my personal day, I stopped at the Whitewater Preserve, which is up a way into the San Bernardino mountains, off Interstate 10 near Palm Springs,  but the OTHER direction.  It's always so nice & peaceful up there...enjoy the photos!

 Those are the San Bernardino mountains in the background.  This is where the horrible fire was this summer.  Back in those mountains...This is looking up the Whitewater River.  The water from this river feeds into the huge underground water storage aquifer for the Coachella Valley.

 The picnic area and CLEAN restrooms!   :-)

 One of the waterfalls there.  The pond below has trout!  NO fishing allowed, however...

 The ranger station.  Very nice and clean.  I think I'll be a docent here when I retire! :-)

 Another view of the main pond...

Looking back to the mountains and the trail system.  The preserve is only .5 miles from the Pacific Crest Trail at this point.

Ranch and rain and fence~Good Fences~ 10/09/15

This was the view Sunday from the horse ranch up in Anza.  it was a drizzly day,  The horses were hungry, so they ALL got an extra feeding about noon.  Good Fences for October 9, 2015.   To visit Good Fences, please go to:   http://run-a-roundranch.blogspot.com/

Ranch photos Sunday

I took some photos of the horse ranch Sunday, but I forgot to upload them, so here are a few of them.  It was a dark and rainy day, but the rain stopped at the ranch once I arrived.  All the horses were glad to see me and they all got an extra meal!

 Yes!  it was raining!  REAL RAIN!!!

 Looking out across the Anza valley from the horse ranch...

LOTS of clouds!  It was WONDERFUL!

A change of scenery~~Oak Glen (apple country)

Yesterday our daughter and granddaughter and I took the day and drove up to our local apple country, Oak Glen.  It is about an hour's drive up in the San Bernardino mountains from our desert homes.  We wanted the little one to see the pumpkins and apple ranches up there and there is plenty to do and see!

We stopped in Banning for breakfast and I left my car there.  On the way to the first ranch, two deer crossed the road in front of us.  BONUS!   :-)

We stopped at Riley's Farm first.  You can pick your own basket of apples there and they have many interesting buildings and the staff dress up like Amish farmers!  We walked around and saw the pumpkins, the strawberries, and the raspberries.

Then we headed up the road, to the Los Rios Ranch.  This is where we always took our kids and our daughter fondly remembered it.  They have a petting zoo (the animals were ALL crying for their breakfast!).  They have a smoker and everyone was busy.  Corn was grilling on the BBQ and everyone was doing their chores!  We arrived there about 9:30 and got a parking space right near the front (a GOOD THING when you have a 2 year old!)

We went inside and looked at all the apples for sale.  EXPENSIVE!  And, not necessarily organic :-(   I didn't buy any, but I did buy a jar of apple butter and apricot butter and a coffee mug!  I LOVE my coffee mug and used it this morning!  We took the little one through the gift shop and she took quite a bit of time to check out the Christmas tree!

Then, outside so Grandma could sit down for a while and the little one could eat her chips.  I noticed that the Wetlands Conservacy had some land open for visitors, so off we went to explore their trails.  They are adding a pond in the next couple of weeks, too.  They have a hummingbird garden and a butterfly garden, so I'd LOVE to return and bring the husband.

After that, we hit the road and drove down through Yucaipa and over to Calimesa for lunch at George's German deli.  Oh, my!  LOTS of yummy stuff there.  We bought sandwiches and spent an hour out on their enclosed patio, which had a fountain and goldfish to occupy the little one!!!

Then, home, and Grandma took a 2 hour nap!

 It was a beautiful, autumn day in apple country!!!

 Our daughter and granddaughter.

 "Mommie" pointing out the raspberries.

 On the road to the next apple ranch.

 Grilling corn on the cob at Los Rios Ranch.

The Wetlands Conservacy land.  Nice trails there.

I liked the sign.  People were crossing the road to go pick their own baskets of apples.

Cooler temps~Finally!~

Well, we here in the desert are OUT OF the triple digit temps!  FINALLY~ Phew!  It was a LONG, HOT summer!  It will be in the 90's during the daytime and into the high 60's AT NIGHT!  We even turned off the air conditioner last night!

I got to babysit the granddaughter Wednesday afternoon because her mom had a band activity at her school at it was 102 degrees.  So, off to the park we went to "see the ducks" and waterfall and play on the slide.  Phew!  It's HARD keeping up with a 2 year old!  But, she had fun and of course, she didn't want to leave the park!  However, I bribed her with a promise to "go shopping at the maaaarrrrrket" (Whole Foods), so she was happy about that.  She brought along her little girls' shopping bag and we bought mommie some organic lemons and then we hit the salad bar, where the little one picked out strawberries, grapes, pineapple, and mandarin orange slices to eat (she WAS hot & tired by then!)

Mommie joined us and even hubby came over for dinner and Grandma slept REALLY WELL that night!   :-)

 She climbed this ladder all by herself!

DOWN the slide over and over and over!