It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Doesn't matter what the temp says - it's always beautiful out here. We're blessed!

Christmas photos 2008

Time to round up the kiddos and get some photos taken for the season. The kids are now 4 & 5. The roan mare is 5 now, turning out to be a super horse - one or both of these kids is going to have a jam up rodeo horse someday.

Riding lessons

We haven't been able to find a suitable replacement for Fuzzy, so our next best idea was to get our daughter some riding lessons on trusted lesson horses. Lately we have been hauling her once a week to a 3-Day eventing trainer. She looks so tiny up there! The horse she's riding in the photos is "Socks" - reg. name Mi High Socks. He's an advanced eventing horse but does really well with the little ones too. All the private owner and lesson horses were body clipped for the winter show season. He's a shameless treat-beggar, and known as the "King of Carrots", so the crest on his hip is a crown and carrots crossed like sabers.

Texas Swing in the Big Empty

'Spanish Two-Step' was a simple melody that Bob Wills had made up in the early '30s. He'd written the fun instrumental piece when he was living and working as a barber in Roy, New Mexico, inspired by a style of dance out here. He recorded it in 1935, and renamed it 'San Antonio Rose'.

"The Big Empty" refers to the beautiful expansive rolling prairie, east of the Canadian River, from the northeastern New Mexico Highlands to the Texas panhandle. Those who love this area appreciate it for what it was and what it still is.

Wagon Mound Supply puts on a dinner and dance through the summer months known as the "Solano Starlight Ballroom" out in Solano, NM, which is between Roy and Mosquero.

Here is a photo of the historic buildings where the dances are held. They string the lights and spread corn meal on the dance floor. The band sets up on a flatbed trailer. It's a great time, next year will be their third year to hold the dances. They have four of them - from June - Sept. and it's always a good turnout. Good clean community and family fun.

Via con Dios, Fuzzy. And thank you....

BEYOND THE FENCELINE

When you look beyond the fenceline
and see that I'm not there,
Please remember that I'll never forget
how much you really cared.
I appreciate all the love you put into my soul,
often making me feel as though I was once again,
a newborn foal.

When you look beyond the fenceline
and see an empty space,
I'm hoping for thoughts of joy
to replace those tears on your face.
Although our time together was taken away too soon,
I'll always be watching over you -
through the sun, the stars and the moon.

When you look beyond the fenceline
you should not feel all alone,
for a part of you came with me
the day I went to God's home.
Although I didn't want to so soon, to be put to rest,
I assure you dear friend,
that my spirit and soul still feel the very best.

When you look beyond the fenceline
and think of me for a while,
remember all the fun we shared and
those times I made you smile.
Remember how we'd run the fields but never run away,
I'll never forget your gentle touch on my coat of bay.

So when you look beyond the fenceline,
don't think we're far apart,
for every time you think of me,
I'm right there in your heart.

When The Rains Came

We've been blessed this summer with nearly daily rains since June. I wouldn't mind enough days of dry weather to get the hay cut and cured - as long as it comes back for a good while once the hay's up.

Of Colts and Critters

It's been awhile since I've posted about Gator and Smokey. Both were sent down to Josh Armstrong back in Feb. 08 for 60 days to be started and are riding great. We're putting mostly ranch riding miles on them this year. Gator will be one of my barrel horses and Smokey will be Dale's cutting horse.

All creatures great and small....
This little guy needed my help the other morning and spent about 45 minutes getting back on his feet sitting on my hand while I fed him. Just call me "The Bird Whisperer".

A girl and her pony

Meet Fuzzy. We used to not let Jayden ride when she was really little as all we had were colts. Once I got a nice quiet mare she refused to ride. I was sure I'd ruined her on horses for good. Her dad was tickled...less mouths to feed, tack to buy, farrier work to be done, you get the idea. But recently she has started asking for a pony. Ponies are an endangered species in New Mexico, even rotten ponies. So we forgot about it for awhile and stocked her up on bright pink and purple riding gear (an obvious barrel racer in the making) to keep her occupied. Then a couple weeks ago, someone donated 2 horses to the ranch. Lifelong companions, one a team roping horse, the other...Fuzzy. A 27 yr. old "gummer" mare who really I'm sure thought her riding days were over. But that she's needing some specialized care, we offered to do that for her, took her off welfare and asked Jayden if she'd like to have her own horse. Jayden laid eyes on her and it was love at first sight. She wanted to ride her as soon as she could get into the corral. That smile hasn't left her face. She's caught the bug. She loves Fuzzy. She thinks this old toothless mare is the greatest horse there ever was. It chokes me up to see her busting with pride telling everyone she meets about her Fuzzy. Wants to ride her morning and night and makes sure we're feeding her correctly and when it's time to go inside for the evening, always tells her "Goodnight Fuzzy...I love you."