The weekend is here!!1

Oh my gosh, it's been a busy week! But the weekend is here, and quilt time is here!! I am excited to get some more done. David yells at me earlier this week, " You better have that quilt done this weekend!" and then he gives me this ridiculous smirk, I just want to smack him good!

But, I have a new plan to incorporate into this quilt, and I am so excited to get these next squares done. I am not telling, but if I can get this all done and laid out by Monday (am much thankful for holidays), then Tuesday there will be a picture of how its all going to come together. 

I am planning on sticking Jonny on Cookie this weekend and he is ready to do so, but he wants a much more manly name for this horse than Cookie, so I told him lets just change the spelling to Kuki. So he looks at me and says I am going, and he went on to school. I just don't understand my kids. (OMG, I am giggling too much right now.) I think they think I am a little Kuku.

Anyway, all is well. David and I were walking by the chilis, and we have been so disappointed in their mildness. I have walked by and picked and ate some of them, it was just like eating bellpeppers. So, we stopped, looked at them and I grabbed one off and said, its like eating bell peppers, bit into mine, and it was just like a bell pepper. His wasn't, I guess it was a little spicy, ha ha, but he chewed it and swallowed. I love it when a plan comes together. 

So, monsoons haven't left yet, they are still coming, and all around us we have had lots of rain, which we really needed. Some roads have been washed out and up in Clifton they had to shut down a road because of running water. The road to the Clonts farm apparently was washed out to a pretty good drop off. But we need it.

Taco sneaks in the house every chance he gets now, and the dogs are really put out that he got to come in. They won't let him near their food, and really try to keep him in line and where they want him. Its funny to watch, every time I see these dogs and cats interact, I just think of Snoopy and him saying Stupid cat. I am not sure which one is smarter, they definitely think very differently, the thought process is fun to watch.

Have a very wonderful blessed and safe weekend. Love ya all.

Weekends

Well, I had a really good weekend, worked on my quilt (forgot to take pics) and have accomplished cutting up squares to draw on. I have added two more drawings to the denim and have another one in the making. I need to copy it and get it ready to lay down on the fabric. I don't quilt the way they probably teach, I just kind of wing it as I go, and so far they have turned out pretty good. After I get the square done that I am getting ready to do, I will take pictures to add to the going collection.

I turned George loose, and he was very happy to go and eat my tree. The good thing is the goats keep it trimmed, the bad thing, George will keep it trimmed up higher and my little goats won't get any fresh leaves to eat now. But, we are going to put a fence up soon, as this tree really produces some good pecans, and we don't get a chance to eat them because of the goats. Haha, they are eating machines, let me tell you. And I love pecan pie and homemade is the best!!!

Well, Cookie was worked and rode yesterday, and he is so smart. He did so very very good, and David was really impressed with him. He rode him for about ten minutes, and he had worked him for maybe 20 in the round pen before, seeing how he would handle. Its no fun to get on a horse with no handle, it can be crazy.He didn't do any wrong at all and once he figured out what to do, he did it. 

And, brother Rob got on ole Mo, but he wouldn't move. Soo, being the good sister that I am, I climbed the fence, and walked over and took his lead rope and said come on Mo, and he kindof wasn't sure that he wanted to move, but he did. And as long as I was walking, he walked too, for about the first 5 minutes. He then figured out it was okay to continue to walk. He really covers ground, and balked only a couple of times. Rob rode him for about 15 minutes and they did really good.

Robert and my oldest brother Bevan competed in a triathlon and they did good, it was Bevan's first. I wished I was as tough as they were. Hee hee. 

So a busy weekend, a good weekend, and we received some more rain. 

Pacino

He hunkered down, running as fast as he could, streamlining against the ground, holding his tail as low as he could without losing balance, tongue hanging out, and just looking like he was the happiest critter alive!! You could see laughter and joy in eyes, his whole face, as he raced around the yard, and bee-lining it for Taco, to nip at him, and then take off again. He thought that he was racing, going a hundred miles and hour, ha ha, but, no, he's a little slowpoke compared to Ralfie, but it doesn't keep him still. This Pacino has a face and personality that keeps the smiles coming, laughter and tears in my own eyes of joy. Love this little guy. 

Cookie and Quilting

Well, I did take some pictures, but they are from my phone, which actually does a really nice job, but sometimes I just don't get quite what I want. Nonetheless, here we go.

This is Cookie, its not the greatest picture, but he doesn't cooperate the way he is supposed too. He was in my face trying to give me kisses, nibbling on me, trying to see what my phone was, trying to eat the phone, just being a little ornery. But, at least this is him. I just love this guy.

These are the beginnings of my quilt. I am undecided to just use flannel on the back with no batting, or if I should use some light weight fleece in the middle. I will decide when the time comes. 

This is my horse, some of these are just doodles from work, some I actually put some thought into them.

The denim really takes the sharpie well, it didn't run, absorb past where I was working, and it didn't bleed through really much at all.

I used to draw so much this way, leaving just the highlights lite or white. It is one of my favorite ways, when I use pen, and sometimes pen and ink.I also like using the india ink this way, but you really have to be careful with it because it is controlled by the pen you dip in the ink and how far you dip in.

This is a picture of Taco I took with my phone, and I modified it with the Paper Artist on my phone, I really liked the effects of it. I have not played with it much, but this one I do like. He was sitting in my lap and the picture was taken with my Samsung Galaxy S3. I really like this phone, I still have so much to learn.

On Friday, I started Cookie in the round pen, and he is so silly, so intelligent. He did what I wanted him to do, listened really well, and I couldn't be more pleased. He looks like he will be a dream to ride, so smooth looking, and his running walk is awesome. I just love this guy, I hope we keep him for a long while. 

Our weekend was good, quiet but nice. I had one riding lesson on Saturday, and the girl did awesome. She listens well, and wants to learn. I canceled my other because it started raining so we did it Sunday morning. And we sold one of our lesson horses to this young lady's dad, she is only 7, but it was so cute, brought tears to my eyes to see her joy, excitement, just bursting from the seams knowing that she was getting a horse. He is the nicest horse, and I am glad to know he will be well loved. He is over 20, and just perfect for beginners. So, it made me so happy to know he will be doted over, probably by the whole family. Yeah!!

Until next time, have lots of hope, love, faith and patience. 

Quilts and Cookie

I am going for the record here, two days in a row!! It's been a while since I have had the time or energy to post two days in a row. Pretty lazy, huh?

Anyway, I have started a new quilt. It's a little different, and of course, I am building it from the middle out as I go. Well, I have been wanting to get a spray bottle and make a solution of bleach and water, make some stencils of my own design, and bleach onto denim. Well, that hasn't happened, for lack of ..... fill in the blank. BUT, I have decided to draw on squares of denim, my own designs, whatever I happen to sketch at work killing time on the phone, getting meter counts, etc. etc. I am using a Sharpie, on a whim, and so far have been happy with the result. I love the simpleness of black and white, or in this case, denim. I love pencil and the effects I get from it, and so this is good for me until I get back into oils and acrylics.

So, I have two 12 by 12 squares done, which will finish to 11" squares. Of course, no pictures yet, but maybe tonite it will happen. (I apologize for the wrong shortened spellings at times, its just sometimes easier for me :)  ) I am excited to see the outcome, as it will be me and my art.

So, I am still not over letting Mo go, but, Cookie gives me alot of kisses and will quit eating to come say hello to me, just like Mo. Cookie is a black and white paint, that came to us about 3 years ago as a yearling , and he ended up being ours because the owner couldn't keep up on boarding. He was a skinny in need of groceries little guy. We got him going, loved him, brushed him, even played around with saddles and the pack saddle with him. He never seemed to care too much. We sold him to a friend that wanted a nice horse, and he was going to finish him and such, but he didn't. He didn't do much, and we ended up with him back, shy on groceries again. Poor little guy, but he has really grown well.

He seems like he might have a touch of Tennessee Walker in him too, he is gaited. Right now he is pushing over 14 hands, and is very sweet. I didn't want to fall in love again, and with a horse, but you know how it is, with a mushbrain romantic. UGH!!!

Anyway, I kindof have him started under a saddle with David's help, and I am hoping to get him ridable by the end of the month, not for me, but for David and Jon. I don't get on green horses anymore, I am shicken to do so. Haha, but I can pet, and groom, and love em to death.

So, pictures, pictures, pictures, I promise will be coming. Jon finally gave me the go ahead to delete pictures form the memory card on the camera. (He had filled her up with pics of Brooke, him and their adventures) He is supposed to get his own card to use, so that I can fill mine up by myself. So, I will take pictures of the blocks for the quilt, I will get a pic of Cookie, and as we go.

So here I am, enjoying some quiet time. We have an angora goat that is very sweet. His name is George or Jorge. He is very friendly and likes the other goats, whom have taken the opportunity to break into his pen and help eat his food. But I have not caught him being mean at all to any of them. He towers above them, yet seems to like the goat company.

We still only have the 3 babies, but there are a couple that are looking like they are finally getting close as well. Only time will tell. 

These babies can easily run under George. 

We had a heck of a storm Saturday afternoon that was insane. It took down power poles, blew garbage cans everywhere,  took out part of Bashas's roof. It blew so hard with the rain that we couldn't see halfway through the arena.  There are big puddles everywhere. It had filled the drains up with running water that water was out in the streets clear to the second lane. There were a lot of trees blown over, most were dead ones that I had seen, but none the less, big ones blown over.

The roofing on one of the older motels had been placed with the metal siding/roofing, and there were quite a few of those pieces that had been ripped up. There were shingles missing from a lot of homes, fences blown over, just really crazy. It put down quite a bit of water in a short amount of time as well. Jon had to stay a little longer at one of his friends house because their street had power poles down on it. Jon also told me that there was a heck of a hailstorm as well. There was a palm tree hit by lightning up by Walgreens as well. Pima and San Jose didn't receive any rain, just Central, Safford and Thatcher I suppose. It was quite intense.

Love the monsoons, you just never know what it's going to do.

I moved Mo to Rob's house, the purebred Arabian that was given to me. It made me really sad, I just can't believe it, I cried. (He is like 300 feet away. I can see him from my kitchen window.)But, I do know that he will bond to Rob just fine, he just wants to. Apparently he was playing with one of the cows, running back and forth, both of them chasing each other. So, he is happy. These dang animals trap me in their fingers of love and emotion so strongly, that it really gets to me. I am just getting to be such a big baby I guess, don't get me going on my kids. I really become a baby if you get me at the wrong moment, haha.   :)

Cows, goats and baby doves

Oh my gosh!! This has been a crazy last week or two, I have been setting up interviews, then interviewing and I finally hired a girl for our other store and have been going back and forth to train in Silver City. But, it looks like its going to be a good mix for all of us. YEAH!!!

Well, lets see, what is going on new in my life? Umm, we found a home for the two new donkeys in Willcox, I have had 3 baby goats born, two males and one female. I have a baby dove as well, and they grow soo fast, its amazing.

This is Spot and he is a little billy.

This is our little dove about a week ago. Pretty scruffy looking, they are born with no feathers. They really grow their feathers quickly.

This is after a week of growing.

And this girl is thinking the feed tray is perfect for a nest. I don't know what she is thinking, but I wont move her egg. I will be putting some hay up there for her.

David had a busy week last week trimming steers feet in preparation for the Saila show that was happening last weekend. He did about 13 to 16 steers, plus the regular horse trimmings. He was pretty pooped out, but is doing good.

This chute is neat because you walk your cow/steer/bull in there, it catches their heads and then there is a black belting that is picked up around the belly with a crank winch that lifts them barely off the ground but supports them to allow their hooves to be trimmed. He then has a stirrup type brace for each leg to go in to hold the animal steady while he trims. Cows cannot stand and support their weight well on 3 legs, and these ones are being fed for the fairs. There were 3 or 4 over 1200 lbs.

The chiles are growing good, but are not very hot, which is a bummer. But, it makes it easier for me to eat them. My squashes went kaput, but my herbs are doing well. Its been a strange but fun  year, and I cannot wait to see the rest of our babies be born. 

I am hoping for a good weekend, we have a birthday party to take Tomasa too, she was requested for horse rides, and will have a bag of apples waiting for her. Haha, our great neice loves her and calls her Meecha.

Love and hugs to you, have a great weekend.