Well, it has been just 5 weeks since we took in the 3 feral cats. Two are in one cage and we are calling them Tabby and Franny. They are doing very well. No more cowering in the corners or hiding in the covered bed. They sit calmly and watch us work around the tack room, they don't cower backwards when we tend inside their cat playpen, and they let us put treats right in front of them, smell our hands, roll on their backs, and seem genuinely relaxed and happy. Especially Franny. Often we find their cage in disarray, and watching thru the tack room door window, we've learned it's because they like to play with their catnip toys, batting them like crazy all over. I have high hopes for them!
The cat in the single cage that we were strongly warned about, Big Meow, aka Missy, however, is a bit of a puzzle. When it was just her in the cage with a litter box, food, water and a bed, she would watch us, ears not flat, but not up, but would occasionally offer a blink back and forth. We put a perch in to give her an alternative to just the bed, more places to move around on and under, and she proceeded to pull the towel on it over so that she was completely hidden. She seems to have been more nasty since she went into hiding.
So, we pulled the towel out the rungs of the cage, as she hiss and spat and struck, and tied it so she couldn't "really" pull it back in. She has tried to pull the placemat under her food and water over the perch, we pull it back, she strongly protests with the hissing etc.
She seemed to be acclimating better being forced to be in the open. She has taken to being under cover most of the time. I don't want to stress her, so I guess we'll just take one more step to ensure she can't pull anything over the perch and will at least be able to see us and us her. As long as we don't get near her that way, she is fine.
I feel very, very strongly that taking on ferals requires a minimum of 6 weeks in the cage. The difference in the two's demeanor is amazing from when we first got them. You can tell that they *mostly* trust us, and given the right time and timing, I really think they will feel that us and our barn are their safe haven and home.
We got a rabbit hutch that we are going to cover with insulation and a layer of barn board, cut the legs so it's not 5 feet high but more like 3 feet high, and put it just outside the door from the tack room to the barn aisle. We'll line it with some straw, make a ramp that has a wind proof entrance, and leave it in the barn for a couple months as we start to let them acclimate outside their cages.
In another week or two we'll start letting the two out at night, and see how that goes for a week or so. Our hope is they run back into their cages when we enter the tack room so we can close them in for the daylight hours to keep them from running out of the opening and closing door to the outside. The cat door that goes into the barn is duct taped shut for now. Once we see that they are comfy in their tack room, we'll open the cat door and let them explore the barn at night. The barn aisle doors will be kept shut. The horses have in/out stalls, but the cats would have to jump over their aisle doors into their stalls. I'm thinking that where they've never seen a horse before, they will be too intimidated to do that. The rabbit hutch remodeled to a cat hutch will be right where they go thru the cat door, and I'll put food in there at night also. That way, they'll become familiar with the hutch in the barn. Once I see them venturing outside, I'll put that hutch outside as a shelter for them. But, I plan to lock them in during the day for as long as I can, let them play in the barn at night until they seem ready to venture to the outdoors on their own.
Not sure when we'll let Missy out of her cage. I suppose a couple weeks after the other two seem to get in a routine. I think she will probably hide in a corner, and scoot out a door as soon as she can.
Sad to see her so distrustful. You know that it was a fellow human that instilled that fear. We will do all we can to try to do right by her. Food and water in the tack room, covered boxes in the barn to escape to and a shelter outside will hopefully keep them safe and happy.
It's gratifying to be part of a positive transformation. I have the opportunity to know a handful of young adults, kids, who have had unfortunate upbringings. They are distrustful, fearful, uncertain, and remind me of these cats, or rather, the cats of them. So many people feel that animals, pets, feral cats, have no meaning, no place, no purpose, no right to share our earth. I'm sure there are many humans who are also thought of in that way. To take the time to use love and caring as a foundation to try and help another being, be it a cat or a human, can have such amazing impact. If only it were as simple with the humans as it can be with these feral felines.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Back to work with the mare, Back to work on my riding
Today was my favorite kind of day. Fall weather. Any leaves left in the trees are a brilliant orange, red or yellow. Things are thinning out so you can see deep into the woods. The air is crisp and clean and just cool enough to need a coat but with the sun warm enough to still feel warm when you are working about.
It has been 3 months since my mare needed time off from our first long trail ride, where she came up unsound and presented with apparent weak suspensories. This, of course, is the mare we got once we realized our beloved gelding, Tango, was no longer a candidate for long trail rides with anything over a walk, if at all.
My first rides on her were close to perfect. On the first long trail ride, within 40 minutes she was trippy and became more and more nervous. The handful of rides after that made it clear that something was up, and the vet confirmed her fetlocks were, indeed, dropping in an exaggerated fashion, probably due to weak suspensory ligaments, and to give her time to rest.
We have owned our property for almost 3 years, and I've yet to really use and enjoy the fruits of our labor. First, because of Tango's injury. Second, because it took me up til last fall to find the right horse that did not have "issues" which needed either serious retraining, a rider with less residual injuries and more patience for nonsensical antics under saddle, or was so young and green that they were a blank slate with a big personality. Much to my dismay, the rider I used to be, the one that got on anything and could sit any buck or rear, the rider that didn't mind explosions or antics, actually got a kick out of them, that rider is gone. I am now older, with bones that have sustained enough injuries they cannot take another fall, and frankly, my realization that there is potential for serious injury has given me much pause, and changed what I enjoy under saddle.
Now that she is able, we are working on basics and conditioning. Today we started in the round pen. This is where you let the horse run loose "at liberty" and direct their movement and speed with as little movement on your part as possible. It's actually much more complicated than that, but a wonderful tool and a blast.
I used to round pen Tango frequently. I did it to exercise him without a rider, and to get to know each other. Some people say too much round penning is bad; I suppose too much of anything is bad. But for Tango and I, it was our way of talking. He thoroughly enjoyed his sessions, and would even mimic our "work" from the round pen to the pasture. I can remember playing with him at a boarding stable, watching him hop and spin and come at me, stop short, and run away, stop and look back at me as if to say "C'mon Mom, try and catch me!" The fact that his gaits now over a walk are impaired is often hard to swallow, but his spirit is still big and happy; large and in charge.
Katy is a perfect horse to round pen. She gets every flinch of your face and body and reacts accordingly. Never too much. Sometimes too little. Always respectful and present. She is a good partner. I, however, have more to learn about and from her. How to keep her going without too much energy. Her lessons inevitably become mine.
When we finished round penning, we walked to our riding ring in back. I walked on foot because, with my past confidence issues from the fall that fractured my spine in 5 places, I was more comfortable with the light shining directly in our eyes, making it hard to see where you were going along our woods line. One thing I have learned: ALWAYS listen to YOUR instincts. Others can't see what you or your horse feels, no matter HOW much they think they know.
It was the first time I rode in our ring alone, on my own, without a trainer or another person. What a thrill! We walked over ground poles, went around bending poles and a barrel, and covered the ring in all directions. There were distractions all around us with the woods and whatever lurks in there. Katy was on high alert for the first part of the ride, but eventually started to relax. We did figure eights around the mounting block that she loves to stop at until she stopped stopping. The lesson for me was when her head popped up, or as she kept looking left to right, I made sure my seat was deep and relaxed, that I was breathing and looking where I wanted to go. No attention given to the anxiety that could come from peering in the woods, watching her head pop up. I needed to be the confident, calm leader. It was a success.
We rode over the plank of wood onto the path along the paddocks, talking to "the boys" chewing on grass, and headed up to our large grass paddock across the driveway. Katy would've preferred to go back to the barn, but she did as I asked politely, checking with me that I was sure I didn't really want to go back to the barn.
Her walk was much faster in the field. We walked the entire fence line, stopping occasionally to breath. She does exactly what I ask, even if it is clear she is concerned. Sometimes she would nicker to me. We trotted up the hill, reluctantly. This is something we will work on. A few times she turned her head wanting to go back to the barn, but was agreeable to staying the course.
She is a good girl.
We ended our time together on foot, trotting together from spot to spot as I hooked up the electric fence so that they could all go out and have some good grass time. She trotted right with me, and gave me "the nose" as I took her halter off. She never runs off away from me, rather, she stays with me for a few seconds before I turn away.
She is a very good girl. And I can't wait for our next time together! I'm not sure who is learning more from our "lessons"; her or me!
It has been 3 months since my mare needed time off from our first long trail ride, where she came up unsound and presented with apparent weak suspensories. This, of course, is the mare we got once we realized our beloved gelding, Tango, was no longer a candidate for long trail rides with anything over a walk, if at all.
My first rides on her were close to perfect. On the first long trail ride, within 40 minutes she was trippy and became more and more nervous. The handful of rides after that made it clear that something was up, and the vet confirmed her fetlocks were, indeed, dropping in an exaggerated fashion, probably due to weak suspensory ligaments, and to give her time to rest.
We have owned our property for almost 3 years, and I've yet to really use and enjoy the fruits of our labor. First, because of Tango's injury. Second, because it took me up til last fall to find the right horse that did not have "issues" which needed either serious retraining, a rider with less residual injuries and more patience for nonsensical antics under saddle, or was so young and green that they were a blank slate with a big personality. Much to my dismay, the rider I used to be, the one that got on anything and could sit any buck or rear, the rider that didn't mind explosions or antics, actually got a kick out of them, that rider is gone. I am now older, with bones that have sustained enough injuries they cannot take another fall, and frankly, my realization that there is potential for serious injury has given me much pause, and changed what I enjoy under saddle.
Now that she is able, we are working on basics and conditioning. Today we started in the round pen. This is where you let the horse run loose "at liberty" and direct their movement and speed with as little movement on your part as possible. It's actually much more complicated than that, but a wonderful tool and a blast.
I used to round pen Tango frequently. I did it to exercise him without a rider, and to get to know each other. Some people say too much round penning is bad; I suppose too much of anything is bad. But for Tango and I, it was our way of talking. He thoroughly enjoyed his sessions, and would even mimic our "work" from the round pen to the pasture. I can remember playing with him at a boarding stable, watching him hop and spin and come at me, stop short, and run away, stop and look back at me as if to say "C'mon Mom, try and catch me!" The fact that his gaits now over a walk are impaired is often hard to swallow, but his spirit is still big and happy; large and in charge.
Katy is a perfect horse to round pen. She gets every flinch of your face and body and reacts accordingly. Never too much. Sometimes too little. Always respectful and present. She is a good partner. I, however, have more to learn about and from her. How to keep her going without too much energy. Her lessons inevitably become mine.
When we finished round penning, we walked to our riding ring in back. I walked on foot because, with my past confidence issues from the fall that fractured my spine in 5 places, I was more comfortable with the light shining directly in our eyes, making it hard to see where you were going along our woods line. One thing I have learned: ALWAYS listen to YOUR instincts. Others can't see what you or your horse feels, no matter HOW much they think they know.
It was the first time I rode in our ring alone, on my own, without a trainer or another person. What a thrill! We walked over ground poles, went around bending poles and a barrel, and covered the ring in all directions. There were distractions all around us with the woods and whatever lurks in there. Katy was on high alert for the first part of the ride, but eventually started to relax. We did figure eights around the mounting block that she loves to stop at until she stopped stopping. The lesson for me was when her head popped up, or as she kept looking left to right, I made sure my seat was deep and relaxed, that I was breathing and looking where I wanted to go. No attention given to the anxiety that could come from peering in the woods, watching her head pop up. I needed to be the confident, calm leader. It was a success.
We rode over the plank of wood onto the path along the paddocks, talking to "the boys" chewing on grass, and headed up to our large grass paddock across the driveway. Katy would've preferred to go back to the barn, but she did as I asked politely, checking with me that I was sure I didn't really want to go back to the barn.
Her walk was much faster in the field. We walked the entire fence line, stopping occasionally to breath. She does exactly what I ask, even if it is clear she is concerned. Sometimes she would nicker to me. We trotted up the hill, reluctantly. This is something we will work on. A few times she turned her head wanting to go back to the barn, but was agreeable to staying the course.
She is a good girl.
We ended our time together on foot, trotting together from spot to spot as I hooked up the electric fence so that they could all go out and have some good grass time. She trotted right with me, and gave me "the nose" as I took her halter off. She never runs off away from me, rather, she stays with me for a few seconds before I turn away.
She is a very good girl. And I can't wait for our next time together! I'm not sure who is learning more from our "lessons"; her or me!
Acclimating and Hope
So, Bob and I apparently have a talent for acclimating. Barn cats. And other things. We had a barn cat that 3 years ago I got a call he needed a home TOMORROW. He had became cage raged, lashing out at anyone trying to feed him, etc. At first I thought, we were just in our new home/life for a month, did I want to take a crazy feline on right away? But, then I thought, that's why I'm here. So we took him. And you know what? It took many months for him to come near us. More for him to rub against us. Even more for us to touch him. But in 3 1/2 years, he was rubbing against our legs, we could pat him anywhere, put stuff on him if he needed it.....he was a Very happy cat and we LOVED him. It was worth the effort. The effort that, at first, we wanted nothing to do with.
Coyotes, fisher cats, who knows what, but, our beloved Milo was missing for two days when my dogs were barking crazy at a coyote on our property. Me on my riding mower could not scare, move, or intimidate him (much to my horror) and here we were, with a cat-less barn.
Tonight there are 3 "feral" type of cats in our barn, hopefully to become our new barn cat family.
Big Meow they told us terrifying stories about. Warned us, wear gloves. Don't look in her eyes. Nasty cat.
So far we've spooned food, filled water, taken the litter in and out, removed a "cat hut bed" and replaced it with a regular round flat bed with no incident. OOOOooooo. Scary cat? Maybe just ignorant people? No judgment here............
Then there's Tapioca & (brave sistah kitty to) Franconia. Long hair PRETTY girls..........Tappy is the balls of the 2. Franky (sorry Bob) is constantly in the shadows, MIA. Maybe that should be her name.Mia.
Either way, we had them in the dog crate they came in. Franky kept crushing the cat hut MIA was in. Mia has confidence issues obviously. No big deal til...
Someone pooped outside the box, near the food, near the cat hut...................the dog crate is small and this effected EVERYTHING. Months in a cage means poop cannot be outside the litter box and near the food/water.
I cleaned the poop etc. and Bob and I set up the new, larger (craigslist God driven story) new cage. Which is perfect. God driven I tell ya!
We set the new cage up, and take the old cage with cats in it, attempting to make the transfer.
Open both doors. Move the food and water. Enticing? The cat's should want this new cage, right? Not.
Bob then starts to do the cat transfer dance by moving the cages close, tipping one, pushing this, pulling that, and eventually the kitty sistahs go into the new cage.
Ahhhh...............PHEW!!
WE feel free.
Not sure about the cats.
But, these cats, once lived off the land, outdoors, all the time. People meant nastiness to them. Something NOT to be trusted. Scary People.
Yet, tonight, they looked RIGHT at us, no fear, just questions. And Big Meow, looked me square in the eyes, ears UP, not flat, and blinked. She blinked. Softly.BIG deal!!!
We see thing we don't like, don't understand, disagree with, makes us uncomfortable, question, and we are hard, and scowling.
No one beats us, thankfully.
We didn't go without food and water and shelter.
But, we scowl. A LOT .....
But, we can realize, we have A LOT to be thankful. Despite all we have to be"miserable" about.How bad is it, really? Think about it...
What if we decide to focus ONLY on the positive?? If we keep pouring into the positive???
Then what?
Does the positive grow? Do things get worse? Spend your time HOPING and what then?
Well, the time you spent was spent on
Hope....................
Not a bad thing....
To be continued.............. :)
Unwelcome Canine Story
Yesterday at 5:00 after I brought the horses in, I came back up to the house to get ready to run out to pick up meat for dog food. The 3 dogs were still outside, where I put them when I go bring the horses in at night. They started to bark excitedly. Now, this is a rural area, but we do have people jogging and biking along our road. I assumed that was the culprit, and checked out side because, well, we always check! This time they were barking at the woods. Hmmm...
I walked out my slider and looked in the direction and saw a large animal inside my fenced paddock near my woods. I called the dogs, and shouted at the intruder that, at first, I thought was a loose german shepard. It ducked under the fence, and stopped in the trail looking at us. I grabbed the dogs, who refused to come when called, and put them in the house, looking back at this animal staring at me.
It was not a shepard, for sure, and as it trotted into the woods, I knew for sure it was something wild. Too big to be a coyote I thought.
Then I thought of our barn cat, Milo, that's been missing, and looked at my 2 little dogs, the 14 year old slow moving Westie Ollie and the 11 year old, but brazen, spaniel, Casey, who weighs about 12 pounds. Our larger dog, a lab mix, Jacki, who had neurological problems last year was still smaller than this canine in our woods, and I got very territorial and protective feeling.
I ran to the tractor, thinking if I hopped on and drove near the woods it would scare the thing off. It sputtered and died. So, I jumped on my lawn mower! I putt putted it up to where I had seen the large dog like animal, going along the outside of the fence, looking in to see if there was evidence of a kill, or defecation, or something. I drove back and forth along the fence line, and nothing. So, I spun around in the trail, with the woods now to my right and started to head back to the house.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw, what I thought was a stump, move in the woods. I stopped and looked closer, and there was the coyote. A big, beefy, hybrid wolf looking coyote. He/she was gorgeous with a thick reddish coat, bushy tail, big ears and snout. I stopped the mower, thinking that the human and machine and noise would scare the wildlife away, and it took a step, then stopped and just stared at me. The realization that this was a wild animal took me over, and I headed back to the house as quick as my lawn mower could putt, looking back over my shoulder hoping I wasn't being chased. Little Red Riding Hood I am not!
I got off the mower at the house, shaking, and surprised that I was as nervous as I was! I love wildlife, but this freaked me out that this wild animal had no fear of me.
I ran to my covered porch, looking for my camera and binoculars, and peering into the woods. The phone rang, and it was my girlfriend, who was greeted with my shrieks and high speed account of what happened. She told me of a flyer she saw for a lost dog that was shepard looking, and I started to think, what if it's that dog? So I started to call the name out my window. There it was in the woods, taking a few steps, stopping, looking in the window, a few more steps, a few more looks, then it trotted off.
According to the fish and game man, it was most likely a big eastern coyote. He gave me great tips on how to co-exhist and to keep our animals safe. Very exciting! But, next time, I'd like it to be a little less up close and personal, and hopefully, I can get a picture of that beautiful animal. Great to see, but don't want him sharing our land and eating our pets!
Parting...."sweet?" sorrow, with our Arab gelding from June 5, 2010
Tomorrow our Arab is leaving us on a 30 day trial to a women (Arab lover) who potentially is going to give him his new (final) home. I bought this boy as a second riding horse when my first one, whom I spent years rehabbing and retraining, ended up having physical issues limiting his capabilities. The Arab ended up being too much for me and my residual anxieties from a bad accident. Too forward, too quick, too opinionated under saddle. A gem on the ground. We've had him 2 years, bought him from a man diagnosed with terminal cancer, and have not been able to do much with him. All the work, money, time, effort and frustration that went into trying to make it work added up to him needing a new home. The person taking him had a blast riding him (as I watched them trot/walk the whole ride thinking....not for me!) and seems to be a quality horse person. However, I'm feeling so sad. Sad to see him go as I realize how much a part of our family he became, and how bonded we really are, despite not riding. Sad to let the original owners down. Sad to know he's going to a "new" environment, out of his comfort zone, because of my inability. I am fighting playing over and over in my head what more I could have, or SHOULD have done, questioning WHY I lost my nerve that made him so scary to me, and feeling so bad that the forever home I promised him I am now reneging on. This is the part of horse ownership I hate. But I'm trying to do the right thing, for him and us. Wealth does not springing eternal, we are getting older, and the horses needs far outweigh the returns we get at this point. I pray God supernaturally intervenes and pours out a spirit of acceptance and peace on me, and him, and the new "owner" so that the adjustment for all of us is favorable. I know MANY others have been through this, and some, a number of times. My first time parting with a horse I "owned" was much easier. This is the hardest ever. It has been a lesson to me, at his expense I feel, and I hope the days coming are easier in all ways horse related for us, and better for him at his new home, where he will reign as king, I'm sure. So hard to say goodbye when you hoped for a different outcome.
June 2009 Excitment in the midst of persistant rain
Another "old note" I found that I found quite funny recollecting. In the midst of our rainiest season on record, we had some interesting excitement. If my Dad were still alive, he would've been thrilled also! Guess that's where I get it from!
We unloaded our car and promptly brought them in so they could relax and dry out in their stalls, with their in/out run ins open for the night as usual. After an hour or so, everyone was back to their tranquil state and all was well. We figured we'd never know what went on, but were hoping it was not the sound of the rain on the metal roof scaring them.
Today, more rain, and the horses had an extended breakfast in their stalls. I figure with all the wet and rain and dreariness, there was no rush to get them out to the paddock, and they were all very content chewing hay and hanging out "on the barn side."
Well, we just got back from turning them out onto the paddock. In our "travels" Bob noticed something in the field that was very unusual and unfamiliar to us. We are accustomed to seeing deer droppings all around, but this was NOT deer droppings. We marveled at it between walking horses in and out(yes, marveled!!), and then sort of studied it before we went on to the rest of our chores. I was about to start paying bills on line (my first at home chore for the day) and told Bob I was going to first see if I could find a "wildlife poop identification" website (he thought that was quite funny). Well, I did, and I want to share what I found with you all. The picture you see is what is out in our field.
Black Bear (Ursus americanus)
Photo compliments of Jennifer Schloth. Note the size of the droppings in comparison to the shovel. Bear droppings can be huge. They can also exhibit a wide variety of colors depending on what the bear is eating.
Be sure to measure diameter of scat as it is useful to distinguish from other droppings.
Black bear droppings. Photo by Jennifer Schloth
WOW!!!!!!!!! That explains the horses being nuts yesterday!! For the record, our "scat" is NOT huge, but about medium dog size. Our bird feeders are still intact, and we've yet to see our visitor, but we are both excited and hope to catch a glimpse. We have heard on the news that this is the time of year when they are most active, leaving their dens with their babies. They are black bear, are not typically carnivorous, most active at night, not as big as one may think and are prevelant in our area. Our neighbor next door Kathy (the horse is next door, her house is across the street) has seen one in her yard and crossing Valley Road frequently, so we are assuming it is the same bear. We will be monitoring our bird feeders and bringing them in at night if necessary, but so far, nothing has been disturbed. Because our property butts up to 150+ acres of conservation, has lots of thick underbrush and wetlands, it is a great "home" for the black bear. As you all know Bob and I are both avid wildlife lovers, so this is very exciting for us!
I've done some research and everything I've learned has told me that neither we nor our animals have any reason to worry, and we are very excited to think we may catch a glimpse of a real life wild black bear. We see deer, hawks and turkeys regularly (we were woken one night by the motion light out the back of our bedroom to find a doe munching around the vernal pool out our window, subsequently the light's been turned off). We have seen procupine, "herds" of butterfly and dragonfly, large woodpeckers, owls, fox, fisher cate, and coyote (they sound so mesmorizing at night) but this is truly exciting. Makes me smile because if my Dad were here, he'd be off in search of said bear. Dad and I had a great common interest in wildlife! AND I just got our video camera working so that we can use it with the computer. Who knows, we may just be sharing a video of the visitor in our yard sometime with you all soon!
Winter Notes from 2008
Just found this note that I had blogged elsewhere from our first winter in our new home of 2008, and with this oncoming winter, I thought it would be interesting to add it, and then compare where I am at 2 years later. Progress? Guess we'll see!!
An eventful fall/summer/year. My stepdaughter survived, quite eloquently, I'll add, the year anniversary of her dearly beloved mom's untimely passing. She is an unexpected gift in our life, more than we could've imagined. My son is doing better than even he expected this semester, and you know, school is hard for him, but he keeps plugging. We have great kids. They are battling back against all odds and we are so proud to see them standing tall.
Our grandson is a bright light in this world. His spirit and integrity is beyond comprehension. He is nothing more or less than joy. Thank you Lois for helping to bring him here. He continues the spirit you gave both him and your daugher. You know, the good stuff!! Babies do not know the grief and troubles that the world bestows on them. We should all be so infantile.
My equine soulmate, Tango, has a fractured hip. Most horses are euthanized for that. But his spirit is so big that he is still thriving, albeit, lame. I will contine the path before me, of breaking ground and treatment and see where we end. It wil all be what the Divine's plan is. We'll just have to wait and see. He is my beacon; the baseline to my heart. In the meantime, I am finally ready and excited to pursue my relatinonship with Beau, my Polish Arabian, and exquisite horse that may just take me places I never dreamed. Again, He has a plan, and I am just trying to follow it.
We've had setbacks beyond imagination, but we, too, are still standing. We do not have control, but choices. We walk on the path we choose. I believe that the Almighty gives us options, and if we stop, and listen, and pay attention to what feels truly right, then we are in sync with what He and the universe planned for us, and we are on our way. There are obstacles, twists and turns, but if we stay true to our hearts, and therefore, the will of God, we find our way. There are hardships, but we get where we need to be and with the least amount of trials if we believe and walk the walk of faith. A lot of life is just getting up, doing the best we can that day, and going to bed. Sounds trivial, but it's a challenge many lose. It's a narrow path, and the ways that are broader are so much easier to follow, but lead to nothing but heartbreak. Stay steadfast ,my friends. Your rewards for good deeds and doing what is right will blow your mind. I, personally, have come so far in my emotional and spiritual life, and am thankful for all the lessons, good and bad, that I've endured. I am still me, in a new land so to speak (cow hampshire) and I still love laughter,wine, song, and life, and all that it holds. I miss many of my friends and family and am sad that so many relationships have fallen by the wayside since my move, but I know that those who love me are there for me, and are true to what is important. We will always be together. God bless y'all. If I don't see you in the future, I'll see you in the pasture!!
Our grandson is a bright light in this world. His spirit and integrity is beyond comprehension. He is nothing more or less than joy. Thank you Lois for helping to bring him here. He continues the spirit you gave both him and your daugher. You know, the good stuff!! Babies do not know the grief and troubles that the world bestows on them. We should all be so infantile.
My equine soulmate, Tango, has a fractured hip. Most horses are euthanized for that. But his spirit is so big that he is still thriving, albeit, lame. I will contine the path before me, of breaking ground and treatment and see where we end. It wil all be what the Divine's plan is. We'll just have to wait and see. He is my beacon; the baseline to my heart. In the meantime, I am finally ready and excited to pursue my relatinonship with Beau, my Polish Arabian, and exquisite horse that may just take me places I never dreamed. Again, He has a plan, and I am just trying to follow it.
We've had setbacks beyond imagination, but we, too, are still standing. We do not have control, but choices. We walk on the path we choose. I believe that the Almighty gives us options, and if we stop, and listen, and pay attention to what feels truly right, then we are in sync with what He and the universe planned for us, and we are on our way. There are obstacles, twists and turns, but if we stay true to our hearts, and therefore, the will of God, we find our way. There are hardships, but we get where we need to be and with the least amount of trials if we believe and walk the walk of faith. A lot of life is just getting up, doing the best we can that day, and going to bed. Sounds trivial, but it's a challenge many lose. It's a narrow path, and the ways that are broader are so much easier to follow, but lead to nothing but heartbreak. Stay steadfast ,my friends. Your rewards for good deeds and doing what is right will blow your mind. I, personally, have come so far in my emotional and spiritual life, and am thankful for all the lessons, good and bad, that I've endured. I am still me, in a new land so to speak (cow hampshire) and I still love laughter,wine, song, and life, and all that it holds. I miss many of my friends and family and am sad that so many relationships have fallen by the wayside since my move, but I know that those who love me are there for me, and are true to what is important. We will always be together. God bless y'all. If I don't see you in the future, I'll see you in the pasture!!
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