Why do the weekends go by so quickly?

Another weekend is GONE and, once again, I have accomplished nothing.  I did drive up Saturday to check on the horses, but the owners were out for a ride, so I didn't take any of mine out.  It was HOT in the desert and even hot up in the mountains by the time I got up there, about 10:30 a.m.  Everybody is fine.  Quad was taking a siesta when I pulled in and could barely find the energy to lift his head!  I notice that he's now adopted the Paso creed of taking a morning and afternoon siesta.  Actually, I'm glad to see that.  It means he has finally relaxed and is comfortable, instead of cribbing all the time.  He seems to enjoy his little Paso neighbor, a filly.  Actually, about 4 of the horses in his row were taking morning siestas when I arrived!  That's Quad and his neighbor taking their nap!  He did get up when I stopped the car.  I mean, after all, FOOD might be coming!

Water for hikers~Friday's Fences~042712

Along the mountain road that I take to go visit my horses every weekend is a large turnout.  There's a trail post off to one side of it and I guess it's a fairly well-used trail.  I've never been on it, but apparently other hikers have. This past weekend, somebody was kind enough to put out bottles of drinking water for hikers.  It was over 105 degrees in the desert and probably over 100 degrees at this elevation, which is still mostly rocky terrain (as you can see).  There is NO shade, so I'm sure hikers really appreciate the water!  I'll have to stop and check it out next weekend, if I remember!  Friday's Fences for April 27, 2012.  Anyway, I have stopped there and have added water bottles during the heat of summer, too.  NOBODY wants to be stuck up there without water, believe me!  Friday Fences for April 27, 2012.  To visit FF, please go to:   http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/

Mountain storm coming

A storm is moving into our mountains and desert.  This isn't a Pacific storm or an Arctic storm.  Instead, it is a tropical storm moving up from Mexico.  In summer this would be a monsoon.  This time of year, well, we are just expecting a trace of rain here in the desert.  I have no idea how much rain the mountains will get.  I drove up to the horses Monday afternoon after school to buy pellets for them, since I was almost completely out.  The feed store was busy and I ran into the ranch owners there.  They were also buying pellets for their horses.  I always look for clouds up in the mountains before I drive up there, but I really didn't have much choice yesterday.  The horses didn't have enough pellets to get them through the week and my trainer was giving them all a lesson today and she always gives them pellets when she's done.  So, as I crested one hill, I looked out and saw these clouds spilling down from the mountains.  It was incredible.  They were moving and falling rapidly.  I could just feet the moisture and smell wet cement and soil.  I really didn't want to go home!  I saw a hawk take off from one tree and fly across the highway to another one (a red-tailed hawk) and a stillness settled throughout the valley.  The clouds are really moving in tonight, down here in the desert, and our rain will be starting within 24 hours.

Horse time~finally

I had a good morning today, brushing and then lunging both Scout and Cali.  They are both much more responsive, thanks to all the hard work of my trainer, Maia.  And, Scout now comes to me on command...Cali, er...well, she needs to practice some more!  I was able to get some SWAT fly repellent on Cali.  It was 90 degrees or so up there today (105 in the desert), so it was pretty hot.  They all got their lesson last week and will have another one this Tuesday.  I wanted to brush and groom Quad, but after taking two hikes before I got to the ranch, I was pretty much wiped out and didn't have the energy to brush him out, so I'll ask Maia to do that on Tuesday.  He likes to roll in his manure pile (...sigh...).  I noticed that Cali immediately rolled, too, right after I groomed her.  I emptied out the mustangs' water trough, scrubbed it, and then realized I had a couple of errands to do down in the desert.  So, there I was with my shirt covered with MUD and filth from the water trough...oh, well...I'm going to have to keep on top of Cali and make sure she gets her fly mask put on because I believe the flies will be absolutely horrid this year due to the early heat, although temps are supposed to dip 10 degrees tomorrow and another 10 more degrees by Thursday.  We should be back into "normal" temps for this time of year instead of the record-breaking ones we've had lately.  Oh, I added a new header photo today, of Scout.  She was very calm and pensive while I was there this morning and I think it captured her emotions pretty well. I brushed and brushed the girls today and the more I brushed, the more there was TO BRUSH, so I gave up.  I also trimmed both of their tails as they are getting very long.  At least Cali hasn't eaten Scout's tail this winter (although Quad DID eat Sunni's!)

Fences and mountain snow~Friday's Fences~April 20, 2012

Our local mountains had a snow storm come through last Friday and Saturday and Sunday I drove up through Garner Valley.  My cousin, Valerie, has 5 acres up there and she and her family move their horses up there about mid-June, for the summer.  I love to drive around and just look at the beautiful gates and fences, especially after a storm.  The way the weather is this year, however, this might not be the last snow storm!  I've driven through this area once, about 40 years ago, and it was snowing in JUNE!!!  Who knows this year?   Everything looks so different with snow.  Friday Fences for April 20, 2012.  With temperatures up into the 80's and even the 90's this weekend, the snow is already gone!!!  To visit Friday's Fences, please go to:   http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/

The best laid plans of mice and MEN!!!!!

You know, I work hard ALL week!  Most afternoons, I come home, take an hour's nap, then struggle to stay awake until 9:00 p.m....And, for the last several weeks, it HAS been a struggle.  I don't know if it is the time change or what, but I've been exhausted every day!  I haven't had the energy to get up to the horses mid-week yet and, with the time change, I'd really LOVE to do that.  But, I'm finding that once I get home and sit down, that's IT!  So, I only have the weekends to go visit them and work them (if it isn't too cold or windy or muddy!)  I'm also finding that sometimes I'm just too tired on Saturday to drive (and battle) the mountain road.  Sometimes I'll just look up at it and think, "I really don't have the energy to drive that road!".  I guess I'm getting old.  So, tonight, when hubby asked me if I wanted to come by the hotel where he works and take photos of a celebrity golf tournament on Sunday, I thought, "Are you KIDDING me?"  Why would I want to take photos of a bunch of people playing golf?  First of all, I'm not the least interested in golf.  Second, weekends are...HORSE TIME.  I figured he knew that by now....(apparently not...)  I mumbled something to him about "horse time" and went back to my laptop...Also, I just had an appointment with my dermatologist and he burnt a BUNCH of pre-skin-cancerous rough spots off my face and arms and back and the LAST thing I need right now is to be stuck out in the sun taking photos.  At least up at the ranch, I can wear my long-sleeved denim shirt and put on a hat and the horses don't care!  So, now I'm in the position of telling him, "Er, uh, no thanks!" and possibly hurting his feelings.  Of course, HE will be there taking pictures, but that's HIS work and part of HIS job...Do any of you have family members who insist on infringing on YOUR horse time?  Do they just NOT get it?  Do they cause you to bite your nails, like mine does?

Smooch look-alike

Linda, of The 7MSN, often talks about her dog, Smooch.  Well, this weekend I saw a dog that looked so much like Smooch, I did a double take. Unfortunately, I was shooting into the sun and the photos are awful, but you get the idea, right?  He also was running up and down the fence, like Smooch sometimes does!  Here he is!