July 2014.....animals....hay hauling....

Yes, I am still trying to get caught up on blog entries.  I asked myself why bother?  Why not just start again beginning now?  This weekend I was looking for a few pictures and as I was going through the blog, I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more......
So I will continue to get caught up.  The blog is like a public diary and I really do love looking back. It reminds me of what I did wrong, what I did to improve, what obstacles I encountered and what I did right.  It also reminds me of the things I did that were only dreams many years ago!

My friend Sharon sent home a bouquet of her flowers from her arbor.  Thomas thought they were as pretty as I did!  Thank you Sharon!

Laramie thinks they are purdy also.  :-)






Horses.....my therapy.

Hee hee hee...it is things like this that get them in trouble with Brian.  We have so much fence to fix and build better.  Or maybe we should just plant all the greener grass on the other side...that should solve it, right?  Ha ha!

My father-in-law got some old wheels from an auction, so I took a few pictures and played with the black/white settings and the cropping.  I need to print them out and put them in some frames I have. That like many other things will be on my 'to-do' list.

There really is nothing to say about this....it is more of a feeling than anything else.

Epona and Tripp hoping to be cute enough to get hand fulls of grass from the garden area.
Yes, they were cute enough!  How can I deny them?

As you know, the summer was one of no riding because of the wrist.  It is amazing what small area of the body can cause such big problems.  But what I have been doing is working with Wyoming with things like this.  He wore the big rubber pan for a while.  Brian had mentioned he could tell I was doing things with Wy because Wy was making some changes for the better.  Yay!  That always makes me feel good.  They are not huge changes, but any change for the better is a step in the right direction.

Laramie looking cute!  At this point he has been with us almost a year.  August 2014 will be his 1 year anniversary with us.  We sure do love this little dog!

They eye of Ace...





This is the eye of an annoyed horse....annoyed because I am trying to get a cool eye shot with the sunflowers in the background and he wants to be left alone.  They do show their pleasure or displeasure.  :-)






And then all of a sudden they are happy again!
HELLOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!






I love hauling hay out of this field.  It is at Brian's Grandpa's old place, and it is just beautiful! Awesome sky, awesome clouds, and good help!  We get enough hay for his Dad first, then we bring the rest back home.  We usually get a couple big loads out of it.

Double checking the equipment before they get started....they found a bumble bee nest in it.

We wait in the shade while they take care of the bee nest.  I hate they had to move it, but there was no other option.  It was small and full of larvae.






Checking the moisture the old fashioned way....






Not much prettier than a field that is already cut and ready for baling and blue skies letting you know there is no race against rain.

Art comes in all forms.....

One of my many favorite photos...






Madison and I waiting until we are needed...

Madison in the hay field with us; she is always ready to help!  She has been like that since she was little....stuck to her Dad's side like glue and ready to do what she can to help with whatever he is doing.

Madison endulges me during self portrait time!  :-)

Madison was helping throw bales from the hay trailer to the flatbed trailer that will go home with us.






The fruits of everyone's labor...

This old cedar tree is changing form every year...

We got the hay home (2 hours away) and Madison helped unload.  I could not lift anything (yes, the wrist) but I could drag them.   So she was pulling off the trailer to me, and I would drag them to Brian for stacking.

I volunteered at Cedar Creek Therapeutic Riding Center for the summer session.  It was AWESOME!!!  I met the most awesome people, and watching what the horses do with and for the kids and adults warms the heart.  It also is a big reminder of how blessed I am in so many ways.  Not just because I am me, but because I have horses in my life every single day.  I do need to get the wrist fixed before I do this again.  Some of the horses like to pull on ya, and by the end of the sessions I was in a lot of pain.  I am hoping to volunteer the summer of 2015 again.

And that my friends is the end of July 2014.

Until later...Karen and Tripp who is still enjoying his time off.

A few pictures of Chase the llama over the years....and he still blesses us with his presence...

I have been training a new gal at work, and we got to talking about horses, dogs, etc.  Someone mentioned the llama and she got very excited.  She said she is obsessed with llamas.  I told her I would find a few pictures and post them in a blog entry.  This is just a few over the years.

Chase joined our family in 2009 as a yearling.  His name started out as Bruce, but then he kept chasing Jester the donkey.  We decided he was picking his name - Chase. Jester finally quit running, and Chase didn't think it was fun any more.  We went through our ups and downs.  He got pushy and obnoxious and would body slam me.  I threatened him by telling him BBQ sauce makes everything taste good, so he better watch himself!  Ha ha!  I also looked it up and in South America they not only use them for packing, but also for food.  It isn't as common in the U.S.A., but that doesn't mean we won't do it!  ;-)

Well, that was several years ago.....we got him gelded, that seemed to help a little bit, and I started talking to him in his language.  That means when he got pushy, I got pushy back and I would body slam him.  Yes, that sounds horrible, and somewhat humorous (it was) but it seemed to work.  He has never spit at a human, but he does not hesitate to spit at the horses and donkeys.  When he gets mad at the horses and donkeys, he runs and screams at them.  He sounds like Godzilla!  No joke!  When he is in a new place he hums, which sounds so sad.

Here are a few pictures that are not in any particular order.

I was teaching him to lead...he isn't happy about it but he did quite well.

His hair doesn't look soft, but it is, and it insulates very well.  He decided he had enough of laying out in the blizzard.

When the horses run and play, he likes to run too.

This look means he is going to spit - and Red knows it.

He has bottom teeth just like cartoon llamas.

Chase sporting a snow toupe'....

He likes to be tall.

Red had enough of Chase and his b.s.....and is not hesitating to tell him about it.

We have a big dirt/manure pile in the field and one day they 'donkey group' got out.  My fault...oops! They ran and played a while, and Chase found the highest spot that he believed was worthy of his presence.  He is the Jahli Llama after all!

After all that running and playing, Chase and the horses needed a water break.

Sometimes we let the 'donkey group' which consists of Chase, three donks, three mini horses, and a couple big horses, into the yard to eat grass.  We have a small pool for the dogs to cool off and Chase enjoys it too.

Chase is introducing himself to Tripplette, one of the skinny mini's we brought home from the auction barn.

Chase likes to think he is smoking hot!  ;-)  (This is after his dust bath)

Chase was very interested in the new mustang, Zephyr.  Zeph was not so sure about him.

Whenever I am in the barn, the peanut gallery has to check out what I am doing.

Dramatic sky...dramatic llama...

Very funny story here!  We let the 'donkey group' in the yard to eat grass.  When it was time to put everyone back, Chase was missing.  We had a few round bales in the front yard waiting to be moved to the storage area.  Chase found a shady quiet spot to lay down - AND GOT STUCK!!!!  We couldn't get him out so brian got the tractor and had to move 7 round bales.  Yes, llamas can be embarassed.  :-)

This little mustang, Epona, should not be with his group, and he is questioning her as to why she is here.  (she slipped through the barn door when I was feeding....she lives on the other side of the barn)

Chase got to participate in a living nativity.  He was not thrilled about sharing a stall with the turkeys; he is above that.

Pimp Daddy the tom turkey is showing his stuff and Chase just wants him to go away.  They live together at home, but not in close quarters like this.
 

ZOOM ZOOM!

Llamas are great at self portraits!

Sometimes llamas look dead - but they are not.  They are just sleeping after a good roll.

It looks like they are having a discussion.  Wyoming the mustang is telling Chase the llama and Batman the honorary mustang all about his trip to the Conservation Area.  :-)

I love this picture!  Chase and his Holy Glow.




He has been quite a character!  Every once in a while Brian asks "How long do llamas live?"  I looked it up and they live 20 - 25 yrs on the average, and can be up to 30!  HA HA!  Yep, this goof ball will be around a while!  :-)
Brian just said "Good grief!  We are going to be 70 years old!"  HA HA!  Yes we are!

Until later....Karen and Tripp who thinks Chase is the perfect color.