March 1, 2014.....Tripp trotting with me aboard...

Oh I hope this works!!!!  This is me trotting on Tripp.  You would not even know anything was a little 'off' with my wrist just by watching!  Woo hoo!

Until later...Karen and Tripp who has missed how good HE, I mean WE look together!  ;-)

March 2014 welcomes me with another ride! Woo hoo!

March welcomes me with another horse ride!  It took me almost an hour to go .7 miles.  As in not even one full mile.  HA HA!  But I was on for an hour, and it was FUN FUN FUN!  The plan was to wait for it to warm up a bit, then Brian was going to hook up the trailer for me to head to the Conservation area.  (I still can't hook it by myself...which sucks!)  Instead of warming up it started to get colder!  Yikes!  Brian had his son holler at me to let me know the temps were dropping, and he had Tripp in the hay storage area for me.  Good husband!  :-)

Tripp is sticking his tongue out...there is one in every group!  Hee hee!

Two of the neighbors geese came over to visit, so we 'herded' them...

A little bit closer......

Then they flew over the fence....

My rope/rein management skills are lacking.  Oh my...glad this was Tripp!  :-)
I did not know which rein I had....the loop or the mecate.






Tripp is proud of me...and slightly embarrassed that this will be documented....

We rode over the bridge...

And over the log.....

Tripp worked so hard his face sweated...so he scratched it on my boot...
Okay, he really didn't sweat.... :-)

Tripp was interested in Ace and wondering what fun he was having...

HEY!  Maybe this is why I only got .7 miles!  Because while I was riding around Brian was messing with his phone that had the GPS on.  Hmmmmm....
(I had to hand it over for him to contact someone...then I forgot that is what I was recording distance with...OOPS!)

It was short but very fun.  I still couldn't get on by myself because of the pain and lack of strength, but that is okay.  I notice a positive difference very single day.  I even trotted!  Yep, I sure did!!!!  :-D
HAPPY HAPPY!
And why would I think about going to the Conservation area if I can't get on?  The wheel well is high enough for me to slide over.  :-)  And I know where the tall logs are along the trail.  :-)  And if I can't get on I planned on walking.  I am out of shape!

Until later...Karen and Tripp who is starting to wonder just what tricks I have up my riding sleeve...

February 2014 in one post...winter and my youngest sister gets married!

February is one of those months that let you know winter is not over, and it has a few pretty days to remind you spring is around the corner.  Sometimes it is a really BIG corner!

After a rough winter day what is there to do besides nap?

The snow doesn't stop Hemi from nosing around the yard.  He might not be able to see much of anything but he can smell and touch it.

During one of the winter storms we were watching the news.  Zach Paul came on t.v. and Hemi sat up to listen to the weather report.  I sent this picture to Zach...he loved it!

Back in the day they were called self portraits and they were fun.  Now they are called selfies and everyone is doing them.  We were doing self portraits before self portraits were cool.  I found one of myself when I was in 5th or 6th grade.  It was taken with a little instamatic camera.  Oh the memories!

Thomas the indoor/outdoor cat.

When I get home from work, this is the view out of my mirror.  Laramie and Misty waiting on me.  :-)

Hemi's footprint with the hard little snow that looks like that overpriced Dip-n-Dots.

I stomped out a heart for Brian...

On the nice evenings I enjoyed spending time with the horses...oh how I missed them!

My youngest sister got married and we had a family weekend.  This is probably the best group of people you will ever see in a courthouse!  Ha ha!
Left to right: My Mom, Me, My Sis and her new hubby, and hubby's brother.
Other sisters, brother, cousins, aunts, and friends are all behind us.

The day after the wedding we had a gathering at one of my others sisters place.  I didn't get to shoot guns - I didn't have the strength to hold it up (they were not too keen on me balancing it on the top of my forearm....hee hee) but the others got to shoot.  This is my awesome Auntie LuLu from Phoenix, AZ.  It was a little chilly here for her.  :-)

Before they let her cut loose, she got instruction from my other sisters husband, Tom.

On the way to the shooting area we got to visit the young steers.

Everyone hanging out at the shooting area.

Me and my Auntie LuLu.

The new bride showing her stuff.

The Gasconade River....

Me and my niece Shawnee...

Brian shooting clay pigeons...

The opening of the cave...

It is a small opening that opens up into a very large room, then it goes back a ways into what I call a mature traditional cave with stalagmites and tites.  It really is beautiful!  We did not go all the way in this time.

My sister - the one who owns the place.  Yes, I have a sister with a cave!  :-)

View from the inside out....

Self portrait with my wonderful husband, Brian.

Self portrait with my Mom...

My brother and one of his sons getting ready to shoot.  I loved watching them together.  :-)

Zephyr is eating with the others....this is a big deal.  She still makes faces but not as much as she used to.

Up to this point, this was the biggest flock of geese that flew over...

Our silly family!
Left to right by age (I am the oldest): Me, Kim, Kandi, Kisha (new bride) and my brother Wade.  My Mom is in the front.  I love this picture of her because this is a real laugh...we had a great day!

The new bride and her husband.  They are so happy!

All five of us kids and our spouses (minus one), and my Mom and her Hubby.

My sisters and brother.  We don't get together very often, so this was a treat.

February came and went...and it was good.  It is hard to believe spring is right around the corner.

Until later...Karen and Tripp who says he hopes it is a really really big corner...he is enjoying the break!