...reflects back on my days with Chopper

I had a recent request from my new friend Pony Girl to post a few pictures of my childhood appy, Chopper and I am more than happy to oblige! In fact, great minds think alike, because on that very same day, I had picked up a bunch of pictures from my mom's house, thinking that it would be fun to show some childhood riding pictures. I'm still going through the archives, but here are a few that I've found. Eventually, I'm hoping to get a lot of these on CDs...man, are we spoiled with digital photography now, or what?! ;)

First up we have me riding bareback around our pasture...I think I was six here. He was such a good boy when I was a wee little youngster. Isn't it funny how horses just seem to know when they're in charge of a little one and that they better be on their best behavior? 'Cause trust me, he wasn't always this compliant!

Such as here, where we have a picture taken during my hunter/jumper wannabe days. He had had about enough of our "jumping course" and decided it was time to scrape my pre-teen butt off of his back, with the help of some low-hanging Douglas Fir tree branches. Well, that's what he thought he was gonna do, anyway. I sure taught him! Wasn't the funnest way to end a ride, but I stayed on (with this gnarly tree branch for company) and my mom took this picture to prove it! I remember this day well, just like it was yesterday...even though it was more like sixteen years ago. Man, I'm getting OLD!!!

Last up, we have a photo taken by my mom of us frolicking in the field. I'm not really sure what I was doing here, but I do know I was lookin' pretty snazzy in my equestrian get up. Who gets dressed up like this to ride around their pasture? Me at twelve, that's who! I was the epitome of "equestrian chic"...just like the people I saw in my horse books. Only, the coat I have on is my mom's work blazer...she was so sweet to go along with my charade! ;)

Well, I think that's it for now...stay tuned, though, because I'm sure I will be adding more as I sort through the archives. None of these photos show Chopper from the side and that's a sight you gotta see! He had the funniest mane, it stuck straight up like a Zebra's! I also know that there are a few pics somewhere of my mom at a western pleasure show with him that I really love.

For now, suffice it to say that looking through these pictures has again reminded me of how LUCKY I was to grow up with a horse in my life. Sure, I had moments where I wanted to live in the same neighborhoods as my friends and "hang out" after school, but looking back, I am so thankful for what I had instead. A steadfast friend who was always ready for a hug after a hard "pre-teen" day at school. A loyal companion who taught me the value of both patience and persistance....and....a big fat pain in my butt who gave my arms a constant work out, which in turn helped me to master the 23 second arm hang on the Presidental Fitness Test in sixth grade! Hey, don't laugh...that was a major accomplishment for a kid who ran a seventeen minute mile! ;) P.S...I still loathe running. Sprinting, I enjoy, but jogging...bor-ing!

...has started project #1 of 50!

I've officially kicked off my "project season". Boy, do I have A LOT to do this year. All fun stuff, though, so I'm not complaining. Although, some of the projects will definitely be more fun than others. This particular project is not so bad and the reward at the end will be so worth it. As I mentioned in my previous post, we are going to have some footing material brought in for our "mini arena". I don't really know what else to call this area...it's about 60'x80'...bigger than a round pen, but I feel corny calling it an arena, arena. Like I'm a wannabe. "Horse workin' area" is too big of a mouthful, so "mini arena" it is. Fits the scale of our "mini farm". ;)

Anyway, before we get this material brought in we have to get the area leveled out. Being that it borders our neighbor's property and our land around it slopes away, I have to build a retaining wall to contain the material. I've never actually built a retaining wall, so I did a bunch of reading up on it and then just dove right in! For the most part, I enjoy working with wood, as long as it only involves a chop saw and a drill...so this project is perfect for me. No table saw required! ;)

My favorite part of this project is that I'm working where Caspian is and he visits me the whole time I'm out there. We've really been bonding over this project! He watches over me, making sure everything's level, nudging my back, so I remember he's there, and occasionally playing with the drill...he's such a curious guy! It's been nice to have his supervision....er, company!

I thought I would post a couple pics of project #1, to keep track of the progress over the next couple of weeks. I have a feeling the look of the area will change very quickly! Can't wait 'till it's done! Then, it will be on to my fencing and landscaping projects! Never a dull moment! :) Of course, you know I will also make sure to leave time to put this new area to use!

...has a prince in the backyard!

Prince Caspian that is!

Caspian is my beautiful (or handsome as I'm sure he prefers), 7 year old Arabian gelding whom I adoped last September from a local rescue organization, Cowgirl Spirit Rescue Drill Team. You can learn more about this amazing organization at http://csrdt.org/.

I was first introduced to Cowgirl Spirit on a warm July evening, at a local state drill competition. I have a good friend on a sister drill team and my mom and I love to check out their performances. What a fun way to spend a summer evening! On the way out, I was wistfully thinking of when I might someday get to own my own horse again. I grew up with an Appaloosa, Chopper, but he passed away in his thirties my senior year in high school. He was such a wonderful companion for me growing up, that I vowed I would someday own a horse again and that my future children would have a chance to grow up the way that I did.

As my mom and I discussed this during our drive, she asked me if I had ever considered adopting a rescue horse. To be honest, I hadn’t really given it much thought, but the idea intrigued me. Then, as fate would have it, Cowgirl Spirit had their horses in the same barn that my friend’s horse was in. My mom took me down to the end of the barn where I first met Salsa. She was a beautiful "Morab". My heart started pounding and I got so excited to see her as an example of the type of horse that might be available for adoption. However, I tucked the idea away, as our property was still not fenced at that point and I had quite a few projects that needed finishing before I could even think about fencing! Then, fate stepped in again about a month later when my friend e-mailed me about another horse that was available for adoption. His name was Prince Caspian and after looking at his profile online, I instantly fell in love with him. A week later, I met him, applied for adoption and the rest is history! I spent two weekends getting fencing up (although there's still more to do!) and my non-horsey husband helped out by putting up a shelter for him, which turned out really great!

Caspian is such a great horse, exactly the type of horse I was hoping for. He even reminds me a little bit of Chopper! Other than the fact that he’s missing the spots on his rump, his coloring (and personality!) are very similar.

I am so impressed with Cowgirl Spirit and their positive role in the horse community. It seems that now, more than ever, there is such a need for responsible rescue programs such as theirs.

Caspian and I were lucky enough to hit the trails with a couple of my girlfriends before the yucky weather season started and it was a BLAST! I hadn't been on the trails since I was about twelve, so I was in heaven! Unfortunately, I don't have a trailer yet, so I think most of my riding will be pretty local for awhile. I don't mind that though, in fact I'm currently working on getting my "mini-arena" ready so Caspian and I can get going on some training (more on that in a future post). When I adopted him, I knew that he was still pretty green, but I'm really excited to train with him, espcially since I'm still pretty green myself, really! When I was younger I rode all the time, but that's definitely been awhile and I never did have any formal training, mostly just read a lot of "how to" books! ;) I've been in touch with a couple of local trainers, who will hopefully be willing to work with me at my house, at least for now. The arena footing should be installed within the next couple of weeks, and hopefully by then the weather will be improving a little. Today is a lovely combination of snow mixed with rain. Brrr...

I feel so fortunate to have a horse in my life again and can't wait to see what the future holds for us!

...is often reminded of why I don't buy fancy jeans!

I really covet those designer jeans that I see gals wearing these days. You know the kind - with interesting detailing on the pockets, creases in just the right places, and the perfect "faded but not worn out" patches. I'm constantly on a hunt for the perfect pair. I only have one problem...I can't get past the price tag! Aahhh! $100.00-$150.00 for a pair of jeans?! Or more?! I think I'll stick with my $20.00 Arizona jeans. Not oober stylish, but just trendy enough...

Now, I've heard many arguements touting the benefits of owning these fancier jeans. If you've ever watched "What Not to Wear" Stacy London is constantly insisting that EVERY wardrobe needs a few good pairs of "denim". As she says, they're an investment! Plus, good "denim" is supposed to be super durable and if well cared for can last a really long time, which makes the price tag a little more reasonable. I see her point...there's only one problem with that for me. Here's how I "care for" my jeans.

Trust me, this isn't even the worst of it. We're talkin' grass stains on the knees, muddy bootie, the whole nine yards. In my defense, I have every intention of treating my "denim" better than this. However, sometimes the best of intentions fall short, right? Such as on this day, when I had worked in my yard all morning and most of the afternoon in my "appropriate" work clothes. I decided to knock off a little early that day, run some errands, take the doggies for a walk, etc. When I was all done with that though, there was still daylight left in the sky! The dogs were in their pen eating, horse was fed, groceries put away...hmmm..."what should I do with this daylight I have left?", I thought to myself. Answer: get a jump start on some weeding! Perfect! The conversation in my head continued..."Should I go in and change?" "Nah, it won't get too messy, I'll just put my work shoes on and be fine..."

Yeah....I should know better than that. It's absoutely impossible for me to do anything in my yard without getting caked with dirt (or mud this time of year). I'm just a messy gardener, project doer, etc. Thankfully, I have a good washing machine and my trusty ol' denim keeps on keepin' on. But trust me, I notice the subtle stains around the hem that refuse to come out because my "denim" has given up the fight. So, I definitely feel better that they're my $20 Arizona jeans from JC Penny and not the fancy jeans that are on my wish list!

...would like to share a yummy soup recipe with you!

Today was one of those quintessential early spring days in Washington. I was determined to get some work done in my yard, hoping to get a jump start on what I know is going to be a very busy summer, but the weather just wasn't understanding my need to get mucho work accomplished. Sure, there were some periods of no rain, but for the most part, it was replaced by chilly, chilly wind! At one point, I even had to go back in the house to warm up. I'm such a wuss! It wasn't until the evening that the cold wind let up a bit (replaced by more showers, of course). However, I was determined to get some work done, so work hard, I did!

How does this have anything to do with soup, you may ask? Well, one of my favorite things to make after a long, chilly day outside is the soup I'm about to share with you. But first, a pretty picture afforded by the very spring-timey weather today.

Ok, back to soup.

This recipe is actually brought to you by my wonderful neighbor, who made it for me once when I was sick. Yes, neighbors really still do that in this day and age! Especially when you have a neighbor like mine. ;)

Introducing....Matzo Ball Soup! This is the soup that I never knew I always wanted. (Name that movie!)

I love this soup because it's very simple, yet VERY tasty. Everyone likes it, even men, which is hard to believe being that it doesn't contain any meat!

What you will need:

• Matzo meal
• Chicken stock
• Celery (must have, in my opinion)
• Any other veggies you like!
• Herbs, if you're feeling adventurous

Sometimes, matzo meal can be hard to find, so if you come across it, stock up! Most stores have it around Passover, as it's generally used in Jewish dishes during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. I use the kind pictured below, but there are other brands to choose from.

Side note: Please pay special attention to the box. This particular brand has just matzo meal boxes AND matzo meal (and soup) boxes. The first time I made this, my box had only matzo meal packets, no soup mix. So it didn't matter what packet I mixed my ingredients with. The second or third time around, I discovered that just 'cause the box looks the same, the contents are not! I mixed my ingredients with the "soup" packet and needless to say, had to start all over with the correct mix. Duh!

Moving on...

Making this meal is "souper" simple! Ha, ha, ha! Just follow the directions on the box to make the matzo balls (making sure you're using the matzo meal!) ;)

One variation; instead of bringing water to a boil, substitute it with chicken stock. This brings so much more flavor to the matzo balls. In fact, it imparts so much flavor that you really don't need the "soup" packet seasoning. I actually prefer it without, as the soup seasoning is pretty salty! So, if you're trying to take it easy on the sodium, feel free to leave that out. Or, maybe just use a small portion of the packet. If you go this route, you might use low sodium chicken stock.

Drop your matzo balls into the water and then add any veggies you like. One veggie that you can't do without (in my humble opinion) is celery. Chop up a few stalks (leaves and all) and throw into the pot with the matzo balls. I personally don't care for cooked carrots, but I know a lot of people put them in too. Maybe you could even add onions...or leeks! Or chopped apples! Uh, oh...did I go too far with that? Does the thought of apples in a soup make you cringe? Hmmm...I think I'm gonna try it next time. There's something about pairing sweet with salty that works for me. That's the great thing about this soup. It's very versatile! Once the garden starts growing around here, I might even try mixing some herbs into my matzo balls.

Okay, so once everything's in your pot, boil it up for about 30 minutes, and then that's it! Pour yourself a big steamin' bowl and enjoy! Bon appetit!

...lives in a house run by two Weimaraners

So, my in-laws got me this sign for my birthday and I have to say, it's totally fitting for life around here. Allow me to introduce you to Cabela and Caleb, my canine co-habitators! Cabela is two and Caleb is one, turning two in June. These two seriously own me. They are so much a part of my life now that I cannot imagine how things in this house would be without them! I might be a little bit of a crazy dog person now, but that's okay with me! If you knew these two, you would understand! Cabela is our girl and in my opinion, the more human-like out of the two of them. She gives hugs that make my heart melt and seems to always understand exactly what I'm saying. She just doesn't always like to acknowledge that understanding! Sometimes, she's too smart for her own good, which can make her obedience a bit of a challenge. ;) For the most part she's very good, but she's definitely the one more likely to go running off at high speed towards the neighbor's house (which she knows is not allowed) without so much as a backward glance. I definitely get my workout in chasing her around! Caleb, on the other hand is much more obedient and is the biggest love! He seems to realize he's a dog, where Cabela is in total denial of that fact. When we first got Caleb, Cabela was not too keen on having to share our attention, but she finally (reluctantly) accepted that Caleb wasn't going anywhere. They're the best of friends and I know that she really loves having him around. As you can see here, neither one is lacking in the comfort department. However, I do have certain rules, I promise. For instance, I'm fine with them being on the couch, but both of them know that standing on (and/or running up and over) the couch is unacceptable. ;) Yes, they may get to eat yogurt off a spoon, but they are not allowed in the kitchen at dinner time. You get the idea. Anyway, I say "spoiled" is subject to interpretation.

I like to think of it as "well cared for". Yeah, that's it...

…is eagerly anticipating the arrival of spring!

Well, the countdown’s on! Just days left until spring time officially arrives! Unfortunately, up here in the Pacific Northwest, just because the calendar says it’s spring, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Mother Nature has gotten the memo. I always know when it’s getting close, though, because my fingers start itching to get digging in the dirt! I have BIG plans for my yard, pasture, and garden area this year. You see, it’s a major work in progress at this point.

My husband and I just finished building our house a little less than two years ago. The house building process took up some MAJOR energy, so the yard took the back burner for a little while. I started on a little bit of the landscaping during late summer in 2007, worked hard (but got only a small portion accomplished) last summer, and this spring and summer I’m DETERMINED to get everything 100% completed. My list of things to do in order to get that accomplished is as follows:

* Excavating of horse arena/lawn area/wooded area in the back of our property.
* Finish horse fencing (major project).
* Painting of horse’s loafing shed.
* Complete cutting garden fencing/install beds/plant garden.
* Seed lawn after excavating is done and sprinklers are installed.
* Install remaining beds in yard.
* Finish backyard pond.
* Build pergola in backyard with sitting area.

I’m sure there’s more, but I think that’s the majority of the big tasks. Hopefully, having a list will help keep me on track! I think I’ll post some before and after pics as my projects progress. My husband’s nickname for me is “50 projects” ‘cause I always have a million things on my list. What can ya do though, right? Gotta work hard to get things the way you want!

Happy almost spring to everyone! Time to dust off those gardening gloves and get the crocs out!

For those like me who have to wait a little longer to enjoy spring outdoors, here’s a tip I learned from Marianne Binetti, a local gardener in my area - I took this off the HGTV website, where she was featured on “Gardening by the Yard.” This trick is a great way to bring spring indoors while you’re waiting!

FORCING BRANCHES, STEP BY STEP:

Almost any branch that blooms can be forced. The best time to prune is when the weather is mild-midday to mid afternoon--preferably when the temperature is above freezing. Experiment with shrubs throughout the yard. Binetti planted a flowering quince and a forsythia just for winter forcing. Neither shrub looks like much in the winter, but in just a week or two, branches from either will be beautiful. Wherever a cut is made, the branch will sprout, providing potential new cuttings for next year.
The branches can be long or short, depending on your vase or design.
Bring the cut branches inside, fill your vases, and put the cut ends immediately in water. Have on hand, a cutting board, a small hammer, pruners, a mister and newspaper or plastic bags. Then one by one, taking each branch from the vase, and re-cut them. "After you cut them outside, they began forming a new scab. You want a fresh cut so it can absorb lots of water."

Pound the end of the stems with the hammer. This helps to create more surface area for the stems to take in water. Little branches can be cut and pounded together. After pounding the stems, place branches in a vase filled with water.
Provide extra humidity, at least for the first few days. Depending on where you live, indoor humidity in the wintertime is usually much lower than that outside. Binetti wraps a newspaper around the branches, then mists it. Plastic wrap will serve the same function.

Set the plants in a cool place for a few days, then remove the newspaper or plastic wrap and wait for the show to begin. "After just a couple of weeks, depending on how warm your house is, the buds are going to swell and you're going to have all this color."

Add water every few days. Forced branches will last several weeks inside and when they're done, just throw them on the compost pile.

Plants that can't be forced:
Some plants, such as lavender, can't be forced. "Don't cut lavender in the winter," Binetti says. "It's a Mediterranean plant. If I were to prune this plant now, it would send out new growth, and winter cold would kill it to the ground." To be sure, don't try to force any plant that comes from a climate that's warmer than yours.

Pictured here are a couple of different types of branches that I have forced. Neither of these are a flowering type, but I love the catkins on the willow branches. Plus, a great benefit of forcing any type of willow is that most likely it will start rooting right in your vase, as mine have done here. Once temperatures warm up outside, I’ll plant these in pots and see what happens! I’ve done this with corkscrew willow and they’re now growing into little trees! Easy peasy! In the meantime, they make for a unique spring time arrangement.

...is jumping on the blogging bandwagon!

Well, even though I'm a pretty simple, non-technology-embracing country girl at heart, I figure it's about time I step into the 21st century and join this crazy blogosphere! I generally think of myself as a little bit old school and a little bit new school when it comes to technology. On one hand, I love the conveniences, opportunities, and general entertainment that the internet (and other new technology) provides me with. It's endless! On the other hand, I do not ever want to get so carried away with it that I forget to stop and smell the roses (or whatever else might be smelling out here in the country) because I'm too busy checking my Blackberry (or Crackberry as a good friend of mine calls it)! To that end, I have decided that I WILL NOT own a Blackberry. I just won't. Mark my words. I've always been just a few steps behind most other people my age as far as technology goes, so I might as well keep up the trend, right?

Along that same train of thought, can you believe that I just recently got an iPod? My hubby bought it for me this past Christmas, and I'm totally loving it! Would I have bought one for myself? Probably not...again, always a little behind.

High speed internet...until just under a year ago, I was fully embracing my low speed connection. After all, if I didn't have high speed, I wouldn't be tempted to waste countless hours playing on the 'net, right? There's too much WORK to be done out here on the mini-farm that we call home. Well, the hubby wasn't having any of that and as soon as we found out that high speed was finally available out here in the boonies, we signed up. We also went from $9.99 internet to $65.99 internet. GULP. I'm also horribly frugal and high speed doesn't come cheap when you live in the tullies! Oh, well...now that I have it, I wouldn't dream of going back to low speed!

DVR...we've had satellite TV for about two years now, and I've finally JUST had the lightbulb go off that I can DVR the Ellen Show! Not to mention all the home improvement programs I love on HGTV! Score! Two thumbs up for TV technology!

Are you detecting the pattern here? I might be highly resistant, but I always end up seeing the benefits of new technology. But I'm not caving on the Blackberry!

Anyway, welcome to my blog (for those few of you who might stop by...hi mom!). Hopefully, I can provide some entertainment for my fellow bloggers, as well as a little kuntry livin' wisdom that I've picked up along the way!