I think there may be a Winston calender after all this year

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

This is one of my all time favorite Christmas songs . I have always loved it and yet often struggled to remember the words. I had looked it up a few years ago and written it down  , and later found in one of my beloved grandfathers diaries , the lyrics all written out in his hand . Funny that ,I always wished I could journal like my Grandad , who chronicled his daily life in his journals in his own hand for years. My gift to him each Christmas for many years was a nice new journal , and after he passed away they came to me . AS I looked through them, I felt I came to know him better, and I learned a lot about what made him who he was .I never did get the hang of journalling , or  well, at least not till I began to blog.Maybe not quite the same  but ,it works for me .He has been on my mind a lot today , and I knew his birthday was right around now . I am ashamed to admit that I had to ask my sister the exact day , which would be tomorrow, December 22. So I guess this proves to be a timely post in a way .
I Heard the Bells on Christmas day
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), 1867)

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

For those who would like to listen to it . This is the Carpenters version.

Encore performance

So while I should have been wrapping presents, or soaking cabbage to prepare cabbage rolls or ...
I was playing on the computer .at what you ask?
Well Skeeter and Phoenix have their daily dance, and I sometimes just watch and laugh , but today I caught it again on camera.I seems they have "upped their game" a bit and even involved Winston in the performance this evening !
So I though I would share it . Forgive my choice of music( I like the song ) and I don't have a lot downloaded so my choices are limited. Between that and A slight stumble over my Christmas spirit today I chose this song  because it fit the mood I, and it appears Phoenix also was in .
Those who know me well, and knew or at least knew of my old friend "Chips " will understand that I had to cover the original video sounds to cover,vocal encouragement  of Skeeter and  the "hitch" in my voice and the sniffles . For just a moment there I thought I could see the old boy again and it brought a melancholy tear  .

Anyhow , I seem to have that "stumble" under control, and have been wrapping some gifts , and playing Christmas music at full volume again . Martin is very good at wrapping gifts , and he will be home tomorrow , so to be honest I am just making an effort to look like I was busy wrapping , and he will take over when he gets here (yup I am a bad*ss) But I do still have some baking , to do and those cabbage rolls wont make themselves ...
Stay Safe and warm my friends
edited to add here is the link to the video in a larger format (different music, but a bit easier to see )
Dog and Pony show

Walk with me

We had a light snowfall last night , followed by a bright beautiful day

So after church , I grabbed my camera , to go for a walk!, are you coming?

The Phoenix looking regal in the frost

walk a little further now

 the cows , waiting for feeding time

Cactus , wanders up to say hello

 the right lighting , can even make livestock equipment pretty

note to self ,do not take a picture of a woodpecker while he is busy, you wind up with a creepy shot of a headless woodpecker!

Skeeter seeking something?



 The ever handsome Winston

deep in thought

Hi GL! hugs and snuggles from Johnnie Handsome!

Looking pretty good for an old fellow(Stryker 22 years young this year)

Wilder(Mr low key quiet guy )

Another cute overload from the blonds

a quick stop with Tommy Toes and my miniature Aslan

then back to the house for coffee and Baileys , you coming?

other than that , got the baking caught up for now , and the house is all decorated. Just have one or two last minute things to pick up. The wrap presents , make cabbage rolls, and Cinnamon  buns , and I am ready for Santa!

Stay safe and warm

Repost: messin with the music

Re posting this from some of the lost posts of the last year . Had to make a few changes to the  body  to reflect the changing faces here at Fern Valley .I will have a new post soon with hopefully some current pictures , we have huge fat snowflakes falling tonight and the landscape will be much prettier  soon .
From Johnnie to Santa
Jolly old Saint Nicholas,Lean your ear this way!
Don't you tell a single soul
What I'm going to say:
Christmas Eve is coming soon;
Now, you dear old man
Whisper what you'll bring to me;
Tell me if you can.

When the clock is striking twelve,
When I'm fast asleep
through the pastures cold and white,
With your pack you'll creep
All the horses you will find
Standing in a pen
I will be the shortest one,Somewhere near the end

Wilder wants a carrot please
Peps, She wants some oats
Cactus ,some pretty girls, with some spotted coats
Quinn wants a pail of crunch
 Stryker ,just wants hay
Annie and ,Andy , say ,they just want to play
Ritchie, Ici,Jazzy,are happy as they are,
Digger wants his DVM
Comet  wants to be a star

Now I think ,I leave to you
What to give the rest
And for me, dear Santa Claus;
mums love is the best .

 Speaking of changes , The Morgan team has found a new home , with a couple who drive heavy horses and are looking to do some light driving competitions as well . Hope I will be able to follow up on them now and then .It is always nice to be able to do that . I am just happy that this handsome pair has found a home where they will be used and cared for .

Busy days here, spent much of today outside  getting the horses caught up with feed and bedding , and then spent the afternoon baking cookies . Whipped shortbread, is done, next will be my fancy pastry cookies (its what I call them , easiest cookies in the world to make , but they are pretty and look complicated )

Meanwhile , stay safe and warm everyone!

Treasures

Most  of the decorations or collections in the previous post and in this are items I have had  for many years. Treasured gifts from family and friends . An heirloom church from my grandmothers home and of course gifts from my hubby . I got some pictures of the rest of the collections today and a couple very special items as well!

A bit random , this group, but mostly snowmen and candle holders

Snow globe train and other snow globes (the larger ones are musical) My favorite musical one is the centre one it plays The dance of the Sugar Plum fairy from the Nutcracker Suite

A ballet I saw several times as a child with my mom

The gingerbread village I commented on and liked on a visit to Hammond's Candy factory in Denver several years ago with my friend Linda. She remembered ,and ordered it for me the following year!

And a variety of musical ornaments some from hubby and  the wooden horse one is one from when I was quite young , from my mom. She would buy us one or two  decorations  per year ,so when we moved out we would have our own Christmas display .

Then

this arrived

in the mail !!!!!!!

And is Proudly displayed at my entrance! Thanks to Jennifer Mac Neill-Traylor

of The Mare's Tales - Gypsy Mare Studios for sending it so quickly!

I  mentioned also that my Nativity was not displayed this year , the old decorated shoe box that has housed it this many years , was on its last legs (I think I made it when I was about 18 )

 When I took it down last year I tried to clean it up, and sadly it really fell to disarray then . So I was hoping to make something new for it .

Well time got away on me and I had nothing done . Martin said "oh maybe when I am home next time I can help you with it ."

Well I went to work yesterday ,  came home in time to take him to the airport , and what should I find??

Hand made from fence boards he cleaned up , to make it look more authentic...

Better than a shoe box , and made with love!

There you have my Christmas treasures , the ornaments and the treasured people who help make the memories !

Stay safe and warm

Nearly there!

Martin and I brought the tree in this morning to get things going on the decorations . As you can see we had some additional technical support making sure the stand was straight!

"a little to the left dad!"

The Martin went shopping and left me with the rest .I took my time and got most of it done

My snow baby display

the view from the dining room to the kitchen

(last year , my nativity sat there , but as I said then the shoe box I had made for a creche was pretty dilapidated , and it did not come down well. hoping to make a new one for this year )

 A whimsical display of bears

 My Christmas village and  Santa train

My Carousel display , the Calliope is a little temperamental after 25 years and only plays at one volume (used to be able to turn it down or mute )but it is still going strong

 My dining room table

The Tree

And it just is not Christmas until my Grandma Horricks ' church is set out .It plays Silent night , when you wind it up. and sometimes during a particularly magical moment it plays all on its own!

I  have a few other  displays set up , but it was dark when I was done and they don't photograph well  in poor light .

Anyhow we are getting caught up , still have the cards to write and some baking to do ,but it seems manageable .

Stay safe and warm my friends

Working on it

Still slogging away at my list of things to do. As far as I got decorating was to get out my Christmas table cloths  and put them out . But I am off tomorrow so ,there is hope !

Dandy's new owner did make it out for a brief visit Friday evening , and is hoping to try again Monday in the daylight . She seems very pleased ,commenting on face book 20 min after she left , how she LOVED  her new boy! I have to say ,the more I communicate with this little lady the happier I am about Dandy going to her . Another Fern Valley  colt has hit the  "good owner lottery" I believe!

The book signing was quiet, actually I was a little worried it would be a total wash , but near the end I got a few  people and did actually make some sales . Onoway is a small town and it is pretty close to Christmas so...

Brother in law Marc, my sister Heather and my good friend Deb popped in to hang out with me , and that made a huge difference as well.

Had a visit from my Aunt and cousin as well, then Martin and I headed off to town to do some shopping and have a visit with his folks.

Today , was the Church pageant and Christmas dinner , then off to town again to meet mom and dad and give them a little help with shopping . Aside from the crowds it went well,but I do have to ask why retailers feel the need to park the 1/2 acre fragrance section ,right smack in the entrance ? Seriously ,put it in the back somewhere , where in the unlikely event that I decide I want a migraine I can got there and leave the rest of the shoppers  to their day!

Home now and blogging when I should be writing and addressing Christmas cards. Oh well I am just a renegade! Better get at it! here is a preview

Stay safe and warm everyone!

Whats up for the weekend

Falling behind a little here with posting . seems like I took that little holiday , and forgot to come back!
Lots going on these days . Martin got home Tues for his week off, and we are trying to get a few things  going for Christmas . Friday , I am off work , and we are hoping to get the decorations out so I can work on putting them up over the weekend . Dandy's new owner is hoping to stop by for a visit , and in the afternoon I am going to town to take mom out shopping for a while . Saturday I will be at a local restaurant doing a "book signing " for my book Telling Tails  I will also have some of my Fern Valley calenders there . and Sunday is our church Christmas pageant  and dinner .
Mixed in with all that we need to go get square bales , do regular chores ,write my Christmas cards  and the rest of the day to day stuff . It is manageable , but its gonna take some focus and planning to get it all done. I also need to get off  where I sit and get at some baking!
Feeling a little jealous of this guy

Winston , embracing his new "dolly"

Hope Skeeter does not shred this one right away!

Anyhow , stay warm and safe everyone!

The pictures

Greg ,Heather , and Murray , on the Kingston ferry

Greg, myself  and Murray

The whole works! well almost

from left to right . Randy , and Enid ,me again, Murray, and the tiny blonde is his sweetie Anita , then Heather and Greg. Gregs wife Shelly was unable to be with us as her mother is gravely ill . and Heather and my hubbie's, got left behind on this trip , as it was a "sister weekend "

having trouble getting the other pictures to load , they are of the house and the ferry trip we took. but I think this covers the  basics .

bustin' a move

Skeeter loves to play with Fix , I think he thinks Phoenix is "his " horse . I let it go as they are having fun , as long as we keep the fence between them

Out and about

Group Hug

So ,you may or may not have noticed that I was absent from bloggerland for a day or so.
I was on a little adventure!
Actual pictures to follow , but for now I will just tell you that my sister and I took a quick weekend trip to Seattle to visit family , and it was WONDERFUL!!!!!!!
My Aunt and Uncle there are the most gracious hosts ever , and our cousins Greg, Murray and Enid, along with their families, manage to treat us like gold every single time !Heather and I both noticed, and Greg commented  as well, that it doesn't seem to matter how long it is betweeen visits with these folks, we alway are able to pick up where we left off ! Just like we saw them yesterday . That is such a great feeling .We had a wonderful visit, and as nice as it is to come home, I almost  didn't want to leave !
So with the holiday season upon us , what better time to remember our families and reach out to those we don't see or hear from as often, and those who are close by as well. Reconnect with someone and remember all the wonderful reasons you want them in your life.
Love to all, stay warm and safe!

Why Appaloosas?

I have raised Appaloosas for a long time now . Started when I was very young with my first Appy (you can find her story under honorable mentions ) And I not only fell in love with the horse , but as the years went on the bred itself.
I started out riding the typical stock type Quarter horses that most Alberta farm kids ride . Stout solid working horses, not all were particularly kind or gently (though many were ) But they were good dependable working horses .

I tell ya, when I came home with an Appaloosa, well to some  you would have thought the sky was gonna fall! Breed prejudice?? Oh hail ya! But slowly over the years the versatility and toughness of the breed began to win over the naysayers .It also did not hurt that my beloved Catana was ,well flat out gorgeous and truly able to do it all ! The biggest of the naysayers had to admit she was one heck of a horse !

The breed has been an interesting, and wonderful  one to work with, Appaloosas are smart and thinking horses, tough and stoic, and versatile as the competition Challenge of the breeds has shown over and over .
Ranch horse,trail, driving , dressage , hunter jumper , you name it (for give me here but I gotta )

"We've got an App for that"

It isn't where I started, but Appaloosas is where I will stay .
So what brought you to the breed you chose?