2010 Happy New Year!

Another New Year! Thank God! I'm not going to lament the passing of another year, I'm going to rejoice the coming new one. I'm full of plans and optimision for 2010.

Some highlights from 2009 include Gord getting laid off work in October, then getting hired back at the end of November (Yeah!!), our trip to Ontario with four horses. I'd never gone past the Sask. border, so I had an eye opener on just how big this great country really is. We sold a total of 10 horses this year, some young stock, some our broodmares so we could downsize. The drought really took a toll on the farm, we also downsized the goat herd from 60 to 40.

Me and Mira did take in one show this year, and it was great to see every one and all their lovely horses. Then I sold Mira to Guy from Andrew. It was a hard decision to make, but she went to a great home and is ridden and used way more than I ever could.

Health wise, we are facing challenges for the New year. I did manage to drop 22 lbs with help from my good freind Lesa and weight watchers, I'm looking forward to losing another 20. It makes getting on and off your horse way easier!!LOL. My hip is also thanking me. Tyler managed to break his wrist and then dislocate his elbow on his other arm, so he had two broken wings for awhile. All sport related of course! Wesley has been making a conserted effort to lose weight as well and has dropped about 30 lbs, lost 4 inches off his waist and is lifting weights. Don't ask me how much, but I think he can now lift small cars. Gord is looking at laser surgery for his back. It is now being offered in Edmonton at the U of A. His back is significantly worse, and the pain is getting to be unmanagble, so he has to do something. Aparently they take the laser and zap away the bone calcium deposits from the old injuries that are pressing on the spinal cord. Here's hoping, because I want my old riding partner back!!

I'm still driving my school bus, Wes is still going to school in St Paul, Tyler is in grade 9 now and playing every sport offered in school and Gord is looking forward to hitting the iceroads again. Kidding has started with a set of triplets and then a large single baby. We have several more waiting to pop, then the rest will hold off until Feb and March. I only have one foal due this year, Scarlet was bred to Money, I can hardly wait to see what this cross produces.

Been hitting the arena now that it's too cold to ride. I've enjoyed riding Java and getting her gaits set, have got on Wilbur and Belle, so we are off to a good start. I've also made some new freinds thanks to the horses, Dianne and Tara Lynn. Horses sure do bring people together. Looking forward to trail riding with all my trail riding buddies in 2010 and attending a few shows. So much to look forward too.

Mane Event 2009

This year the Canadain Reg. of the Tennessee Walking Horse pulled out all stops for the Mane Event in Red Deer. We put together an awsome demo team consiting of four riders and buggy. I think we did a good job of showing the different things you can do with your walking horse. I brought Mira again, and she was super good. We even cantered when I rode western, but I wasn't confident enough to do it saddle seat as I hadn't ridden in that saddle since last year.

Riders are: Carla Freeman, Lorrie Dyberg, Bill Roy, Me, and in the buggy Keith Oberlie

New additions

We have some new additions! Glory gave us a new filly on May 1 a real pretty little girl. Right on her due date too. Two names that we like are "A Going Concern" or "Glory Be".

I also posted a picture of Jake, our new puppy.

We had hiway clean up today, the weather was real nice, and we had pizza afterward. 4-h is really picking up with the beef show at the end of the month and then the multi show on June 20, so Tyler has lots of work with his steer and Mira.

I've got an incubator now, with 40 eggs on the go, 9 duck eggs the rest chicken. It will be so cool when they start to hatch, I can hardly wait.

so much news, so little time

Here I was going to faithfully update my blog every week, and would you look at it, months have flown by. Gord left Feb. 7 to go drive on the ice roads up north and got back 31 days later as they were done. Lots of contracts were cancelled so the season was quite short. He took lots of cool pictures. This is my favorite. I guess the crazy bird hitched a ride for 2 miles. They only go 15 km/h, so hanging on was no problem. Gord even unrolled the window for a better picture. He got pictures of wild Buffalo standing on the side of the road, 7 bobcats sitting in the snow, a fox who stole somebody's boot, lots of trucks and snow and ice. I think he enjoyed the challenge, because he is all set to go up next year. And no, he didn't make a years income like in the TV show, that's only if you own your own truck, don't have any breakdowns, never get sick, bad weather and the hundred other things that prevent a trucker from working.

It warmed up!!

Finially, it has warmed up. OK, I tried to get a picture of the babies playing on the hill and as soon as I got close enough all the mothers ran up to me to say hello. Goofy things. I also got a shot of Penny, a foal from Money and Blondie. She's turning into a deep liver chestnut, but now I noticed that her legs are getting lighter. So who knows what colour she might end up.

Worked with Dee and Star today. Dee is going to be a big girl, we worked on lunging mostly. She has a hard time going in one direction but I think we made headway today and I should be able to saddle her next time I work with her. Star is just coming 2. He is going to be a real sweety. I had him tied to the fence waiting and he fell asleep! Just worked on picking up his feet, accepting things on and around him and giving to preasure (hips over, that kind of stuff).

Hey, I just discovered that you can click on the pictures and make them huge. If you click on the goat pics, you can see all babies.

New Year's Resolutions

All right, who made a New Year's Resolution? I've decided that I'm not going to make one for losing weight, getting in shape or even riding more. No, I''m going to try and go a little deeper into my self. My resolution is going to be anther cliche. "BE HAPPY" Sounds simple right? But that means not relieing on someone or something else for that happiness. Finding it within and then passing it on. Be happy means instead of fretting over what I can't buy (hmmm new horses?) be happy with what I have. Be happy meands not stressing over what I think my children can succeed at, but what they ARE succeeding at. Be happy means not whining that my husband isn't home, but when he is home make this the best, most positive home we can be in.

Fran

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

So much has happened around here since I last posted. We had several 4-H events which took up several weekends. I did make it to the arena once with Rascal. Had a good ride on him. Tyler took Mira for one 4-h project lesson.

Then the cold weather hit and so did kidding. So far in two weeks we have kidded out 33 goats and have 50 live babies. Not bad considering it was -40 for three days in a row. All right before christmas too! We had upwards of 16 babies in the house at night as I just did not have enough heat lamps to go around. And when the babies are first born, they don't know enough to stay under the lights and are in danger of freezing to death. So we take the babies into the house right after birth to get them completely dry and warmed up, back to mom for some bonding time and maybe a drink then back in the house. I tell you, they are noisy!!

But it is much nicer outside now, all but two have kidded and things are settling down. Just a few bottle babies to feed.

The house water froze up for a few days, the heater tipped over under the house and everything froze up solid. Of course, this was when we had all those babies in the house! Still no water in the kitchen, but at least the bathroom works.

Got another week before school, so I hope to get some riding in. I really want to get some work on Raz and Carpet, and some ground work on those long two year olds started. I did get some time in on Dee and Bell. Tied Wilbure up and gave him a good grooming. Got lots of horse feet to trim and goat feet too, so I should be pretty busy during the holidays.