Hot Rod Cowgirl

Happy Tuesday with memories and more…You can click on the pictures that I upload to the blog and they will enlarge with one click…then if you click them again they will blow up double. There are a few that do not blow up but most of them do.

This is a picture of Annie’s eye…I love how the picture shows her spirit…and heart.

She has changed a bit huh?

She has become a beauty and a classic quarter horse…and I love her blood-red bay color!  Time for a cowgirl lesson. Annie is built like the horses we used to have in the 50’s and 60’s…which I grew up with and I LOVE…I love the big hip and deep girth and good shoulder as that is a built horse that will ride nice. Annie has a nice trot and lope as she is balanced…I have three old-fashioned quarter horses and you know what…I love their big hind ends as they carry themselves well.

Lottie was my main horse for almost 20 years…she was put together with balance and she carried herself right. She knew how to cut a cow if needed…she knew how to chase after cows in the mountains…over logs…through streams…up and down mountains…she covered many miles with me.

When we moved to Central Oregon to run our first ranch in 1991…we lived in this 100-year-old house at Post, OR…Lottie and I had another adjustment to handle…rattle snakes…we had low land rattlers and timber rattlers…no matter where she and I went to move cows we had to watch for them.

Yes I am the red-head on the sorrel horse with the long ponytail.

“Wild Bill where are we?”

Then we went to Wyoming…we lived in the log house on the left…incredible views huh? That is the reason I said OK to WB when he said we are moving to Wyoming!

We lived at 7500′ elevation…Lottie had to deal with buffalo…moose…antelope…elk…-60 degree wind chills…and she did it with the class of an American Quarter Horse.

I loved Wyoming…it was incredible to experience the scenery and the weather…yes we had wind…everyday at noon on…it blew…and there is still a part of my heart there.

Ok now that we have had our horse lesson for this post…lets get on to some late August pictures…

We are enjoying our summer nights as much as we can…already it is feeling like fall…I have to put my jacket on as the sun sets…oh my gosh did we have a summer this year?

We have not hit 100 degrees yet…that is abnormal…we usually have a few weeks of HOT 100 degree temperatures and some very warm nights…that usually results in moans and groans around here.

Our dogs like us hanging out on the patio…good rubs and lots of treats…and of course some good games of fetch. Go Texas A and M!!!

And did I say lots of good loving…our youngest and she is a joy to have!

As I was shooting pictures last night Annie kept nickering for a scratch…I rubbed her neck and found all her itchy places…she wanted attention like the dogs were getting:)

And then there was Minnie who also wanted some attention too….she is a sweet girl and truly is the heart of our house. She is now 16 years old and in great health…she plays with her toys tossing them up in the air so she can jump and roll around with them…she is fun to watch and I do think she understands what we say. She fetches her toys bringing them back to me to throw again!

However Minnie is not too sure on our grandson Tucker….Watch the sequence below of Minnie and Tucker.

Minnie spots Tucker….hmmmm…what is he doing?

Uh oh…he sees me and is coming after me…oh cr**…run for her life…Minnie is gone…she does not want anything to do with that noisy funny looking small person!

Tucker is learning to walk and sort of does this part crawl…walk thing on his feet and hands… I call it the “Tuck-A-Tude”.

Yes we have two Tuckers…Tucker our Australian Shepherd and Tucker our grandson..I need to get a picture of the two together as they both have red hair!

Tucker with his Grandpa and Dad…Grandpa is 6′ tall and not a midget…son Greg is 6’5″ tall.  Notice who is not sucking their thumb!

Once again the colors last night were incredible…

Words escape me at times…there is beauty all around us…we often forget to look up or out and take in the view.

Stop and smell the roses…I know corny but so true.

Life is constantly changing…take time out to enjoy it…breathe deeply of this life we have…and even though we run as fast as we can…I challenge you to find beauty every day this new week.

Another beautiful end to another peaceful night in Juniper Canyon.

Night Annie….sleep well.

I am still waiting on a “Harvest Moon”…golden yellow…orange with a bit of red.