Silver Bell, first day home... 14 weeks old... a Water Hound! Portuguese Water Dog - Walker Hound cross.

I took this picture at 3:00 pm today. Dan just uncovered her and plugged her
in. I will send a long another picture of her uncovered... We have had a lot of
snow today!

Boys will be boys!

Boys will be boys, this is Ollie on the left and Hawk on the right... they are playing in the blizzard. Lots of rearing, biting, running, bucking and kicking... lots of fun has been had by all of them!

Charm!

I love this picture of Charm standing over Jewel!

First snow fall of the 2010-11 winter. She sure has not changed much, has she?

I think he is cute with a huge blaze of white! Reminds me of that phrase, "GOT MILK?"

CUTE BOY!

Our funny horse Hawk.

Hawk enjoyed his first snow of the year. He just cracks us up.

Bright Color, Please!

When life becomes the unexpected, what do you do?

Getting sick at the beginning of a life changing opportunity has caused me to feel feelings I had not wanted to feel again. I feel sad, I feel a dream opportunity has been lost, again.

I am trying to see the positive in this moment. I am looking for that glimmer of gold that comes from looking deep into a situation... There must be a nugget here for me to hold onto!

I was so looking forward to starting Charm with Farrah's guidance. I was so looking forward to playing, working and writing about my experience. I had to give that up because I could not breath.

I was talking to a friend today and in the conversation I said, "I wonder if I had taken some allergy meds before I left, if I would have gotten sick?" Hind-site!

18 months ago a Dr suggested I start taking allergy medication by March 15th. He thought that if I did this I might avoid the spring cold/asthma attacks that plagued me most years. He is the one who told me that I am suffering from allergy induced asthma, until than I was always told it was a cold induced asthma. It never occurred to me that I may suffer an allergy/asthma attack this time of year. I don't know what exactly caused it either. Which is also frustrating! Was it this, this or that? Was it a combination of things? How do I avoid this in the future?

All I know is that today,  I am sad, disappointed and frustrated because I was forced to give up on a dream opportunity.

As my body heals from this "event" I will find another "door" to open somewhere, which will lead me to another adventure, even better than what was behind the door that was just shut. Now, I just need to start looking for that door.... If you see it, please paint it a very BRIGHT color so I don't miss it!

Moving Forward

I have decided that even though I started this blog for my trip to SD, I am going to continue it. Writing is an experience that comes from my heart. It is a gift of sorts that others have always encouraged me to do and share.  So, I am moving forward with my writing.

While Charm and I were gone, Dan put Hawk in with Jewel. They were fine in the barn. They had been together for 2 weeks a couple hours a day out in the pasture, but they had been separated when they came back into the barn/track system. Since, Jewel and Hawk were being really good barn buddies, I decided that Charm could just go in with them. Interestingly, she was way to tired to be rude when I put her in with Jewel and Hawk. Jewel moved her away from Hawk and stayed between the two for some time. This morning they were all playing together, running, bucking, biting each other on the butt and running around on the tracks. It is so good to have this herd established before winter arrives.

I am feeling much better with my meds on board. Having an allergy/asthma attack is NOT FUN. Now my lungs/throat/sinuses need time to heal.

Humm, still licking and Chewing...

Long story short, I am BACK from SD. I went out, I got sick, came back... Charm was a gem... a little RBI in the trailer, she was blinking, calm, quiet, but she did not want to eat any treats... just dropped them... it was a 4 hour trip each way... she stabled with a strange horse and came RUNNING to me every time I checked on her... Even calling out to me when she heard my voice... All and all a very different experience than I expected, but a good one.

99.9% Packed

YES, I have done it, I am ready! Well, as ready as I am going to be tonight. Just a few odds and ends to toss in tomorrow AM. Then load up Charm and we are headed west.

I trimmed 3 dogs and 2 horses today too. The others will be OK until my return. Dan made steak and squash for my last night at home. What a guy... It will be up to me to cook for myself while I am on my adventure. That in itself will be very interesting...

Time for dinner! Gotta go! I am leaving at 9 AM tomorrow morning! Next post will be from SD!

Packing/Laughing

I am packing and laughing, cause the comment my good friend made to me a week or so ago, "Pack a weeks worth of cloths," keeps going through my head! Yea right... a weeks worth of Fall cloths, Riding cloths, and Winter cloths... equals 3 weeks worth of cloths... along with shoes, boots, gloves, hats and jackets. What a hoot... but, I am finally starting to put things in BAGS... OH MY I am really going!

Planning/Packing

How does one plan to be gone from home for 2-8 weeks, with their horse? What do I take. What do I need? What will I forget? What can I do to help make life easier for my wonderful husband Dan, who will be home with the rest of the herd, cats and dogs?

I have made lists, and bought essentials. I have bought Nibble Nets to hopefully streamline feeding and help the horses to eat like they do all summer 24/7 on the tracks. As I will not be home to throw hay out more often.

I have washed everything I can think of and started packing. The trailer is clean, with food, minerals, salt, Saddle, 12, 22, hackamore, bareback pad, saddle, pad etc all ready to go.

Where am I headed? I am headed to Baltic SD to spend time with Farrah Green my 3 Star Parelli Instructor and friend, for 2-8 weeks. I will be the Temporary Office Manager, while Heartland Venture's Office Manager is out on Maternity leave.

I am excited and open to the adventure that lies ahead for Charm and I. I always say that when Farrah comes into my life, that it is "life changing." I am ready for the next leg of my adventure.

I THINK!

I leave on Sunday for the 3.5 hour drive to Baltic SD.