Some "goings on "

Thanks to all for all of the good wishes and support. I am feeling much better 

A few things going on this weekend . Saturday was yard work, and getting things set up to process calves today . The we attended a dinner for a lovely lady on her birthday. Dolores is  my BIL Mikes mom and we were invited to attend with all the family . Wonderful dinner and a great evening visiting .

Up this morning and ready to get to work. 

Because of my arthritis and back issues , I was kind of sidelined today , the crew we had was not letting me get into the thick of things like I usually do. The did let me help bring the cows up, and sort , but beyond that I was relegated to vaccinating , and staying out of the way . Sigh 

 This fellow  was watching the activity from a safe distance 

Winston , and Abigail  ,watching and supervising  

 The crew,Martin , Cory , Cindy, and of course our very own Dr Oakley

 Beer and BBQ after a workout! 

 All smiles, this little supervisor, she seemed to have a good day , training , my friend Cindy and I to play fetch among other things

 After everyone left I did have some work to do ,Martin went out ahead to patch the fence in a couple spots , and I gathered the  herd up and took them out to the field .Shirley asked on FB if I took them out with a horse. Sigh ,head hanging in shame I did not . Johnnie and Wilder were , pretty eager to help and followed along the fence too, but as I was by myself ,it seemed easier to hop on and off the quad as needed for gates and such, and to  go hurry up the slow ones. Could have got Angela to stay and ride with or I really could have likely done it alone with Johnnie but I did not . Next time I had better saddle up! 

 I did however get some good photos.

In other news , I got an email from Kat, the young lady who  bought Sparks Image (Maggie )She and Maggie are doing well, and she sent several photos as well. just waiting for her permission to post them on the blog . She looks great! so nice to see the "kids " do well 

Falling behind

No Fridays for sale post from me today , but check out Shirley's post at  Ride a Good  Horse   there are some darn nice  horses !
I am just falling behind this week, falling behind posting and reading . Picked up a bug last weekend , and I thought I had kicked it till Monday when it hit me full force again . I wont get into  super details other that to say it was a full body experience! Yeesh! I feel like a worn out dishrag today , but I am in fact on the mend .
Will be  processing the calves  on Sunday , and turning the bulk of the herd out  to pasture , or at least all but the last couple. Normally this late in the year I would just let the stragglers calve on pasture, but it has been an odd season,(understatement  of the week! ) And I would prefer to see the last  couple up and going before we turn them out .This season has severely kicked my bum!All farmers know we have good years and bad, and this wasn't as bad as some folks have had .The wet spring brought scours to many farms and other issues as well. All in all it hasn't been to bad , I just have gotten spoiled with some very good years lately.
But as I quoted my late Uncle a few posts back . If you have livestock ...

So sorry if I have been absent from your blogs, I have read, just not always commenting . and as for here , updates with pics will come . And soon enough we will begin to watch for the foals!
Meanwhile stay safe my friends

"Fixed up"

 The Phoenix, waiting on the farrier 

 Hanging out  with (let me proudly introduce to you all finally ) Dr Angela Oakley DVM!!!

who Phoenix  believes is his own personal doctor should the need arise 

 After his much needed pedicure , we loaded him up and took him to his  new trainer 

Geoff Hoar  at Innisfail AB
 video

Does someone want to tell me how this road trip took 4 hours to get there, and a little over 2.5 to get home?? he is not that big a horse! 

Anyhow he traveled well , and I am looking forward to seeing him progress

Before the trip, I hosted a little barbecue . All of the Oakley kids (honorary nieces and nephew) were home do the family came over ,also my sister Heather , and BIL Marc . We enjoyed BBQ roast beef, potato salad that I prepared , Deb  brought coleslaw, and beans ,and fresh corn.Angela prepared grilled veggies and Kale  Heather ,her yummy macaroni salad , and apple cobbler . This all was washed down with Marc's homemade wine ! 

A wonderful meal , and evening spent with wonderful people .

So that pretty much wrapped up our Victoria  day weekend , other than the regular  farm work, and a calf , that is at least temporarily  needing some extra TLC, and her fire breathing dragon of a momma! 

life is pretty good here

Hope all is well  with everyone 

Stay safe 

Fridays for sale (taking a shot)

This is a bit of a different take on Fridays for sale. Yes I still have 2 horses to sell, but have yet to really begin to promote Comet and Quinn, other than here on the blog and in  flyer's at the Mane event .Hoping to clean them up a bit and get after it this weekend. But meanwhile I am trying something a little different. I have my books and photo cards to sell, and I do  by times take in outside mares for breeding so I need to promote my business. Most print advertising  seems to be cost prohibitive and , what we are willing to pay for (1/4 pg ads or smaller , really seem to get lost in the shuffle .
I have come upon an opportunity this month though that while a  bit more than I would normally choose to spend, is a screamin' deal for what I am getting!
Fern Valley Appaloosas are going to be  featured on the front page, and also on a 1/2 page ad inside of Saddle Up Magazine !
June will be an Appaloosa feature, so it seems to be just the right time to get my name in there.
Again , not something I might normally do, but I have to take a chance now and then. The add will also feature my books and a link to them. And the Editor has agreed to read and do a  review and article on both books in the next while.

The picture, we are hoping to put on the cover is a favorite of mine.

edited to add this photo is the one I was hoping to use, however I really like them both

FV A Shocking Comet

This picture is one I was never really sure if it would turn out , with the odd lighting and the  movement . Glad I took the shot as it has truly become a favorite so ,like with the photo , I am going to "take a shot " with the add and see where it takes me

Wish me luck, and  as always  my dear friends

Stay safe  

  

Looks like I need to do some spot cleaning

 Finally found some grass that I could let Comet and Quinn out  on 

 As you can see they are nearly shed out

 but it appears before I can  do the online ads and flyers I want 

 I need to spend a little time removing  the spots that don't belong

 Quinn is pretty clean , but Mr  Cutie pie  has some really unique  patterns going on. 

 Palomino with a blanket, white spots, green and brown stains...

Looks like the boys have been "spotted" by a couple of lady "spotters"

Have a great week, stay safe! 

Happy Mothers day

For all the moms, and grandmas 

A mother

Whether she is near or far

Or in the light of a   star

Your mother is with you always

It the things that you do

The traditions you knew

And the life that you live

 all of your days  

The lessons you learned

And the grey hairs she earned

Those moments she held on to tightly

The way that she smiled

With love for her child

And worried and prayed for you nightly

In the way you keep house

Or run from a mouse

She is there in so much of

Who you are

 She is there in your eyes,

In the way that you try

And all of the things that you do

The tilt of your head,

The words that she said

Will forever keep her so close

The woman who’s love helped to form you

With the sun on your face,

Remember her grace

And let her  love still warm you 

Picture this

This is another of my little walks,mostly a picture post . I always try to take the camera, sometimes I get great shots, sometimes none at all , but this evening as I went out to check cows...

 The late day sun in spring sets the world alight  

 coppery reds

 golds and green seem lit from within

 the grass seems to  somehow have  an emerald tone 

even more muted colors seem to be crisper & brighter 

Definitely a good time of day to be taking pictures. and it doesn't hurt to have such  beautiful  subjects to photograph, though  I might be a little biased .

Not much new here, hope to get some things done over the weekend with the horses. Comet had an odd injury high in his inner hind that needs a bit of follow up cleaning(he is not sore any more just watching to be sure it heals well ) Also I am going to work on my flower beds too(those who know me and  my gardening skills try not to laugh)   

Stay safe everyone, and have a wonderful Mothers day . 

Because snakes don't have armpits

Waiting still for the last few calves to come. The waiting seems longer this year , as we have had a couple problems, and the time in between the last calf born and now is quite long.Maybe also because we have such a small cow herd .

Likely it has something to do with the fact we had a couple bulls get in with our herd last summer for a few days, which you might think would speed things up, but they have to spend a day or so fighting and jockeying for position in the herd , and can be so busy doing that , they forget the "task at hand " so to speak.Or they took a break for some odd reason. No lameness issues or hoof rot last summer with the bulls so , who knows ,maybe like the title says its just  one of those things. Anyhow I wish they would step it up a bit , I want to get the cows out on pasture soon and  start watching the mares . Looks like Peps is not bred, and Jazz? hard to say for sure. Jewels on the other hand looks large and hugely uncomfortable so I guess we will have one or 2 foals to watch for this year.That's farming though , gotta go with the flow and  things can change pretty quick from what you planned to what you get. For no real reason other than "Snakes don't have armpits" yes ,in point of fact there is a little more science to it than I am letting on , and ways to assure some of the variables are out of the mix, but the mares were confirmed , and sometimes they lose a foal early on. And the cows were checked as well. Any way you look , it is what it is, and we will be done calving, right after the last calf is born.

Just a quickie video of the gang so far 

Stay safe everyone 

Just needed a chuckle this Monday

Sleepy Saturday

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

What?did you hear something?

 Just relax little bro', I will keep watch a while

Stay safe everyone

For the ladies

Today and the past few have been sad days for a few of us. Shirley posted that her Mother in Law passed away, she and Ted will be traveling to the funeral this coming week. My Aunt suffered a cardiac event on Tues, and sadly passed away on Thurs. Many friends and family will spend the upcoming  Mother’s day , in a state of remembrance, for mother's grandmothers, aunts and  friends who have gone on ahead .I , am blessed that my mom has come through  so much and is still with me, but we all know the pain of some loss. Those wonderful women who helped to shape us in our lives and taught us, oh so much. Every spring when the geese arrive I still, so many years later find myself reaching for the phone to call Grandma Blaine. And although I lost her when I was just a kid, my Grandma Horricks , runs through my mind every week when I scrub  my sink and bleach  my dish rag . These women were our foundation, and though they may be gone, they will live on in each of the lives they touched.
I love this song, it touches on so much of who they, and we are. So here, for the ladies..

No secret

So  today is my birthday, and rather than hide from the fact that I am getting older I am embracing it , after all the alternative sucks

30 ish years ago 

The real secret to never aging , is likely dying young. Seeing as I am not prepared to do that , I am instead going to celebrate my age. My grey hairs , crows feet, the works. Because with age comes experience and knowledge and a certain sense of satifaction in what we have learned and accomplished . And what we have still to do.

3 yrs ago 

Martin and I last fall, 

So today I  proudly celebrate the Silver anniversay of my 20th birthday !

And thank God  for the gifts I have recieved in my life. The family and friends I adore , the lessons  learned , and the goals I have achieved , here's to the next  45 years!

And remember , everyone looks younger when they smile! 

Stay safe 

The Mane event

Hi all! I made it home! 

Attended the Mane Event  over the weekend and what an event it was! 

Spent Thursday getting packed up, and running around here getting things set up for the weekend. We had snow forecast for Friday , so with cows calving I  wanted to make sure we had dry pens. Took out  3 bales of straw , fed the geldings , cleaned the house ,and  went through what chores needed to be done with the neighbor and my cousin Kirk, who with my brother in law Marc ,kindly offered to help out while I was away .

Up at %am on Friday , did chores and away I went ! Picked up my sister in law Connie (who was sharing the booth with me , and we drove through a  bit of a blizzard till we got to highway 2 .

Arrived in Red Deer at 9 ,plenty of time to  unpack and set up the booth (not) for 11am opening . But we got it done! .

As you can see we had a shared booth , this worked well for us manning the booth (after all we need to  go to the ladies room now and then ) But the big banner for the insurance proved to be a bit confusing to patrons , so we took it down Saturday . Connie still got lots of contacts and inquiries , but it reduced the confusion and I also  was able to  make sales and speak to folks 

 My side of the table , I had my calenders there and flyers for Comet and Quinn, no calenders sold , but  several people took a flyer for both colts. Also my photo cards were there.Interesting  outcome with that, no cards sold , but I had a couple people ask if I would sell the photos (enlarged ) to them , as a poster size. I gave them my email, and we will see if there is any follow up on that . I did sign and sell some books as well, and got to meet some wonderful folks as well as to see  several friends . Crystal , came for a book , and a visit , and we finally had a good chance to hang out and  really visit. Matter of fact we talked her into having dinner out with Connie and I as well !

I fully intended to get to some of the sessions , and do some shopping and picture taking , but it just did not happen. We had a young lady from Denmark with us, selling "Cadence beads " and she was such a sweetie, and so excited to see all the things , Connie and I  felt like we would have another chance to see the things , so we let her go to most of it . I did do some shopping , but mostly managed to earn more than I spent ! 

Course if I had seen this...

Saw a gal walking  by with it , and just had to grab a shot of it for Mikey! 

 This little guy was one of so many kids  that fell in love with our rocking horse (I bought this  a few years ago,one for Miss Abigail, and I guess one for a spare), I actually had agreed to sell it at the end of the show , but I think most folks that said they wanted it were long gone by then , almost wish I had more of them , it was a pretty popular item!LOL Oh well, I like it and there are lots of little ones in my life who will enjoy it 

 The show was  11-9 Friday 9-8:30 Saturday and 9-5:30 Sunday 

A lot of hours! sitting standing walking etc. It was great fun, and a success, however I am one pooped  participant , and I believe my feet have filed for divorce! 

Home today , and after the wonderful care over the weekend I had to take over  and get back at it . The family and friends did great and all was well here when I got home. 

When I got up this morning , not so much. But that is a story  for another day 

Stay safe and well 

Wish me luck!

Heading out first thing in the morning to Red Deer, for the Mane Event .I am excited and a little  LOT nervous!!

What if they don't like the book? what if no one stops what if???

 I have to just suck it up and go , it will be fun,I hope, and I will take pictures. I hope to have some time to visit and also to watch some of the clinicians . and maybe even if I can I will shop!
At the very least I know I am going to get to see some of my blogging  buddies, and for that reason I already know it will be a  wonderful weekend!
Stay safe

Wordless Wednesday

Walk with me

After a rotten weekend 

I took a walk alone 

first I saw Comet and Quinn

And marveled how they have grown

The I spied Miss Callie, basking in the sun

in her special hiding spot 

I didn't spoil her fun

  down to check the calving pen

 they are growing strong and tall

 I also found this feathered  guy 

strutting and  sounding a call

 then I heard a tapping , high up in a tree 

and I saw this little friend 

but he did not see me

Now that my walk is done 

I feel a little smile 

I guess the best cure for me 

is to walk a little while

Stay safe