Tripp wants to help tell a story about the little things...

"Hi, as you ALL know (because who on this Earth would not know me???) I am Tripp the mustang.  I am 8 yrs old this year and the apple of my two legged girls eye!  I know...I have seen myself in her eyes, and once I see myself her eyes sparkle more.  What else is there to say?

The two legged girl and sometimes Batman the mustang get to tell what all is happening around here, and I decided I should take one for the team and take a turn too.  (Nicker snort snort!)"

"WHOA BABY!!!!  Check out the babe!  Hmm hmmm, I mean, I would like to bring to your attention Tandee, the Grandma of the herd.  She and the two legged girl have been together for 26 years!  Wow, the two legged girl sure is old!  Nicker snort nicker!  Isn't Tandee beautiful?  She is full of energy, smiles all the time, and keeps a close watch on Batman.  Okay, Batman is a spoiled brat and knows he can get away with stuff because he runs over to Grandma Tandee when he has been a turd!"

(Here is Grandma Tandee playing in the yard.  She was leading her team mates in a game of chase!" )

"AND THERE GOES THE HOTTIE THE OTHER DIRECTION!  Hmmm hmmm, I mean, I would like to bring to your attention the versatility of Grandma Tandee (dang she is hot!...just kidding!  That would be weird seeing as she is our resident Grandma!)....when you run to the left, you also should run to the right...or something like that.  I learned that from Clinton Anderson."

(Tandee being followed by Red)

"REALLY?  Who let him in the story?  He has only been here 4 months and already has more air time than I do.  Hmpf!  Oh hey, maybe he is the Iams dog and is 'too beautiful' to stay forever!  Nicker snort!"

Hemi:  "Hi, I look like the Iams dog, and I am beautiful!"

"As much as I love to think so, life doesn't revolve around me, I mean Grandma Tandee.  There is Thomas, the big orange cat who can care less about Nakita, the white eyed dog (what is up with that?) that tries to talk him into running so she can chase him....then there are the bees who are having a grand time bringing pollen back to the hives.  Just think, two years ago I knew what a bee was, but not what it looks like when it carries pollen, and that the white boxes sitting in the garden were bee houses called 'hives'.  Another neat thing about the pollen is some of it is dark yellow, while some other bees are carrying pollen that is very light in color.  Regardless, I think I like my house of wide open spaces better and I love that I don't have to carry buckets of stuff around on my legs all day long."
   

(This wire is off now - we put it on so the mice can't get in during the winter)

(The bee on the top left has the light colored pollen)

"My time here is almost over for the day, and what better way to end this entry ...A SELF PORTRAIT! I was asked to be in it, but there is something about sharing a mug shot with a face like that.  So I decided on my own, as in it was my own decision, nobody elses, to let Hemi have the spotlight one last time.   He should have the chance to know what it is like being ME.  Snort nicker snort!  Thank you for letting me narrate the story.  I really enjoyed it.  Maybe the two legged girl will let me narrate more!"

"Until later....the two legged girl and me, Tripp, the mustang who has realized he loves blogging!  :-)"

Shelter Insurance Garden Flowers

It is that Springy time of year again, and Shelter Insurance Garden is blooming!

A certain time of the day you can walk around the garden and look up....in the tree branches you will find sleeping squirrels...their little feet hanging on each side of a branch.  I was out later this day than usual, so no sleeping squirrels, but the tree sure was pretty!

There is a park bench close to the bird feeder...it is one of my favorite places to sit because I have the feeder close by and a huge wind chime.  This little squirrel was checking me out, then later ran over to the tree (which is also close) and started chattering and shaking its tail.  It was giving me a cussing!  Ha ha !

Pretty pink flowers.

Woodpecker.  I think this is the first time I have seen a woodpecker in the garden.

The purple color Iris always seem to bloom first.  They are so pretty!

I don't know what these are, but they are pretty.  :-)

An ocean of pink...

The sun was hitting the Japanese Maples and they seemed to glow...but my camera just doesn't come close to catching the beauty I saw.  This is a peaceful little area.

Another angle of the Japanese Garden.

And another angle...

And another angle.  :-)

Close up of an Iris.

Pink Iris...so pretty!

This little guy from the Japanese Garden reminds me of Hemi the bulldog!  :-)

I am lucky to have a place like this so close to hang out at lunch time.  Shelter Insurance Garden is open to the public and admission is free.  During the summer months they also have concerts in the garden and literally hundreds of people show up with lawn chairs to listen...also free.  The bands set up in the gazebo - everything from local bluegrass, big band to Latin.  They get quite a variety of local entertainment and it is a big hit.

Like they say in The Sound of Music....these are a few of my favorite things.  :-)

Until later...Karen and Tripp who is tough enough to love pink flowers!

Red (a.k.a. Loverboy and Romeo)

I would like to formally introduce Red, also known as Loverboy and Romeo.  Red belongs to Jay who now has Boom, and I am going to be doing some ground work with him, and whatever else I can think of to do.  :-)

When Red arrived he didn't know what to think.  Chase the llama thinks he has to approve all new comers, so Red got to see a galloping llama coming his direction.  ACK!  There was a lot of sniffing going on...and each of them thought the other smelled funny.

Batman is the head mustang around here and he let Red know it!  No funny business mister!

Tandee is giving the impression she is annoyed with Reds presence.  She is such an actress!!!

Yep, quite the actress....because here is the real Tandee!  She was quite the hussy, nickering, showing herself to him....geez!  Then Red showed himself to her!  YIKES!  I did not leave them alone because he was acting like a gentleman stallion (I was impressed since he is so young) and Tandee is 31.  Don't need any accidents.  I did inquire and Red was gelded in December 2011 and had never been exposed to a mare other than his Mom.  Whew!

The day after we brought Red home I got sick, and that stuff hung on for a 2 full weeks and I still didn't feel that great going into the 3rd week.  So working with Red has been pretty non-existent.I would go out, love on him, move him around a little bit to find out where his mind was at, walk him thru the yard to play with a couple of the obstacles, then let him eat grass.  Just that little bit would wear me out.  I am feeling better now so look out!  Woo hoo!

Red was not so sure about the Pool Noodle Curtain.  He did not think it was necessary to walk thru it - what was the purpose?  We took our time and I flipped noodles around....then I made a little gap for him and he sneaked thru.  That was no so bad!

Oh geez....it is hard for a young man to concentrate on the lessons when he has a girl flirting with him.

Tandee loves him!  But Red is busy and she needs to move on!  She was not happy, so she gave me her little head shake and trotted off in a huff.

Tandee showed up out of nowhere again...she is going to help Red over the Bridge of Love.

It did not take Red long to tell Chase that his actions are not acceptable.  Red wants Chase to quit flirting with him...he isn't that kind of horse...and besides, he belongs to Tandee.  :-)

Hmmmm, what are these long eared things?  And why are they not hanging around with us?  I will go investigate....
Donks are wondering why they are being stalked by the new guy.

ACK!  The new guy is chasing us!  What is wrong with him, and why are we running?

Wyoming is standing behind Red.  Wy is on a slight incline, but he is still a good bit taller than Red.  Red is a shorter stockier horse and I am told he has cutting horse breeding. 

Helllllooooo.........

That is all folks....I will keep you posted as my adventures begin.  My new part-time girl is feeling better so we are going to start working.  I am excited because I want to show her that I am a fast learner!

Red really is a cute little horse and he is so social and sweet!  The first couple of days with the group in the yard he was aggressive about his private space but the second they would move he would relax.  I was very happy to see that...he is no different than I am when someone gets in my bubble....MOVE!  NOW!!!  Ha ha!  The past couple of times I have let them all in the yard he has mingled and all was well.  He is still in a pen by himself because I don't want anybody getting cornered while we are gone during the day, but they can still talk thru the fence rails.  He is a talker too...he is the 2nd one to talk to me in the mornings.  Tandee is the first.

Hope everyone is doing well!
Until later....Karen and Tripp who is trying to figure out what the big deal is about this new guy.  

Boom moves in with the Cowboy with Magic Tennis Shoes...

Wait!  Where's Karen????

OH!  There she is!  In that big friggin' tire!!!

When we pulled into Jay's place the first thing I notice is this awesome tire!  I am always looking for new obstacle ideas, and this one fits the bill!  The tread on it is 5 or 6 inches thick and it is pretty darn heavy....which is good for Jay.  If it was not so darn big and heavy, he just might have found it at our place.  :-)

So here we are...the big decision.  Short version of how this panned out.  We knew I could work with Boom and he and I both would grow.  The problem is he needs more consistent work, and I don't have the time for what he needs.  Also, do to my confidence with him (or lack of) on his back, it will take longer than what Boom would have patience for.  One minute I would be fine on him, and the next not so fine.....  I just happened to know someone who loves this horse as much as we do, so I sent him a message asking if he was interested in the Boomster.  His wife Brenda is my Brian....she has shut the gate on Jay.  The only way another horse can come in is if a horse leaves.  Brian and I both knew that if this worked out, Boom would be soaring to the heights we know he can go...but a lot quicker!  The Cowboy with the Magic Tennis Shoes was ecstatic!  Yes, Jay would love to give Boom a new home.  He has a couple horses he thought he had homes for, but when we arrived they were still there.  Oops!  No worries....he has another horse that he would like me to do some ground work with, so we brought him home.  So....one goes in, one goes out.  :-)  The only condition with Boom was the same one we did with Flash.....if Jay can't keep him we get first shot at getting him back.  We don't want Boom getting lost in the system.


Boom is loaded up and ready to go...he knows I am up to something.
  

Weather was yucky on the way there!  We drove in rain most of the way...ugh!
Look at that blue spot in the sky...that was the teaser!

Boom looked around, and I am sure he remembered visiting before.

Jay was cleaning out the round pen and started in on Boom with the shovel....Boom was thinking "What the??????"

Oh, not so bad....the two legged did not get hurt by the weird flat bottomed thing that seemed to make a weird screaching sound while scooting around the ground....Whew!

YIKES!!!!  What now????  That yellow thing is outrunning the two legged!  Look how it is in front and won't let the two legged by to save me!  

Maybe if I stop and face it head on....yes, this is working.  I stopped and it slowed down.  Once it even went the other direction dragging the two legged along behind it!  This is serious!

ACK!  It is aimed at me and moving again!!!!

(This is my favorite picture...the looks on both of their faces is awesome!)

So far the two legged is still moving, and the big yellow thing has not touched me.  I think I will keep my eye on it just in case...

Sniff sniff....Mystery Manure!  I love Mystery Manure!  Oh, I mean 'Hmmm, someone else was here before me.  Whatever."

I have new brothers!

Here is Levi, the horse that had surgery on his eyes.  Levi update - he has lost sight in his right eye but can still see out of the left.  Due to the meds he was on, he lost some of the pigment around his eyes, so the skin is white.  He is such a sweetie!  I had a hard time getting pictures because he wanted to be loved on.  Behind him is Red, the horse we are bringing back with us for a while.

Red is 3 1/2 yrs old and cute as he can be!  He has 3 or 4 rides on him but Jay would like some more ground work done with him. 

Brian has great eyesight!  This silo was quite a ways behind Jay's place and there is a buzzard in the window.  You can see the white speck...this is his head.  I tried to zoom in but it pixilated too much.

So there you have it....Boom is at a new home and I have a new project for a while.  Jay was talking about some people he knows doing Team Sorting and he can't wait to get a couple of cows in front of Boom.  :-)  Boom and Jay will be great together!

Until later....Karen and Tripp who is glad that Boom has moved on....not that he felt threatened by how sexy Boom is...he wanted me to make that clear.  :-)