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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Oh the DREADED morning drive.

I am worried about my drive this morning, as the wind is banging my storm doors as if they were open.  The hallowing around my windows is of a horror movie and the drive to the barn last night was a winter wonder land.

If the snow at the barn last night was an inch thick... and I was there at dusk... there is no telling how bad it is up there now!

I am sure the road is ice as it was wet and getting no less as I drove home in the dark AFTER having a sit on my neighbors porch lit with Christmas lights that glistened and shown the beauty of the snow and frozen fog on every tree limb around the mountain.

Last night was BEAUTIFUL! but I am dreading the possible issues this morning.
OFF to check out the roads...
Much love to the world!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

WOW... what a task

It is funny!   I think all the plans for this ride from Asheville to Nashville with my two "children" HORSES is more  of a mental exhaustion than I EVER expected it to be.

Calling HP
Calling forest rangers
Making sure I am getting EVERYTHING for the horses as well as myself.  (REI has got to love me by now)

I am about to start driving my route to make my final decisions.
I may even knock on a few doors as ask for help ahead of time just to see how things may work.  Although you have to admit, people are going to be more likely to turn me away while I am in a car ... as apposed to when I am holding the led of two horses.  You gotta laugh!

But once again I am hoping humanity will show a bright light and allow me a safe, short (meaning without issues) eventful trip.

I know my camping skills will be tested,
my patience with my horses, as I can only expect at some point they will get loose?  You gotta have a plan.
I wonder more about my own body holding out, being able to do all I am going to ask of it! But ... if not I'll cut back my daily trek and "recalculate" as all the GPSs say!

Much love to the world...
Hope you get to read my riding blog .... click here! ...
if not I hope you are enjoying your own time with your animals etc...
Amber

Saturday, November 19, 2011

life...

"Life is not the years you live, but the LIFE in your years"...  Abraham Lincoln

One one of the many quotes I love!

But my adventures as of late while NOT horse related always revolved around travel and animals.

I have to say with going to Ecuador if I ever wanted to jump on a band wagon it would be one to save the Amazon.    The area not of my favorite in the world but the potential and the resources are at a minimum.  the rain forest there needs a rest, needs to be protected and the people need life resources.  As with any where else the area is in need of money and they give away things others will take advantage of.  I can only pray a local gets the education, experience, and goes back to share it with his or her family, neighbors, and community.    I am an outsider and can not do this for them.  It needs to be one of them! BUT in reality they have little chance of doing so IF any.

I do not trust most organizations that say they will help, as they do not educate, they just insist on change, that their way is better, when in fact it may NOT be.  It needs to be someone that can speak their language, live their life style, and SHARE ideas and education.    I only wish I was such a person!   I can not speak Spanish much less their language (of which I can't spell)

after a little rain... 
SAVE the Amazon is all I can do! One more thing on my next life list!

Friday, November 18, 2011

Yes I have been away.

I dare say... I do not put when I am going away... But that I have been away and try to have a post of two scheduled for while gone.

Thus I shall catch you up on my little adventure tomorrow!   Not an adventure of horses, or animals other than we humans expanding our world and accepting things better than we know from those whom are more humble.

My view of Ecuador tomorrow!

Yep, Highlands and down to the Napo river, that runs as part the Amazon basin.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Swing...Snooze... SSSsssnnnnooooozzzeee

got a hammock for the trip today!   There will be times I just want to hang out without sitting on my ? toockus so a packing/ traveling hammock it is.

You have got to check this out... eno hammock company  I sat in it watching the horses, then lay'd down and before I realized it I was asleep.

Yep anyone wants to get me ANY for Christmas ... the rain cover is what I want!   I am so going to enjoy this thing!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Funny thing about horses.

Jerry comes to the barn today and wonders why we have Navarre locked in the barn stall.  

I never lock him up! 

I had just fed both horses, and Sweet Pea will NOT defend her food in front of the kids! Lily, Grace and Brenda were at the barn as well.  They have all see it, Sweet Pea will not defend her food till we all turn our backs, and are walking out of the barn yard.  Then you hear a thud, and a grunt! she has kicked or bitten him.  

When the kids are there she will only kindly nip at his face to get him out of her bowl.  So we all got tired of him pushing her around and started locking him in the stall.  Of course he quickly figured out how to open the 200lb door, so we had to adapt its lock system with each try.  I think we have it about down pat, but he uses his brain I'm sure he'll figure out something! 


Wednesday, November 9, 2011

a Quote

"I am grateful for what I am and what I have.
I live in perpetual thanksgiving."
        -  Henry David Thoreau -

       There is little riding going on at this time, as we (the vet and myself) are worried about Navarre not having poured pads in his front feet.  I would rather allow him this time off than to cause him to have shin splints or pain in the future.

I have backed off my expected miles for my trip starting with only 10 miles for the first three days then working up to 15 etc... I will be doing 25 miles a day by the end of the trip!  

Check out my plans at...
MY Ride Blog Only...

Much love to the world!

Amber

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Life goes on.

Life is a huge palette of paints.
You see your tiny little area, but rarely see the big picture.
We all look at the same things, but we each see them very differently.  Therefore we react differently!

this is a snippit of a painting I once did...  I figure this is my tiny little part of the world.   I see it this way, but someone else may see it another. as example ...
When in fact...
The large picture eludes us all ...
Life is the big picture, but so many never see it.
This is so typical of life, people around us, and our futures....
What will you do today to see the big picture instead of only your tiny part of the world?

Saturday, November 5, 2011

something about me.

I have found I do my writing early in the morning before the sun comes up, or late at night when I should be asleep.

My mind runs amok ( as a child story teller would say) with imaginative things for my week, life, and my present day.  Today is always my first thing to mind.  Making it good, making it right (regardless of society) and making my day fit who I AM not who someone wants me to be.

Today is paperwork day...
but I have to do 6 horses, then mine.
I need the feed store to have all my supplies! ha ha ha
I need go to the banks before they close.
I need to relax at some point today

Then I will work on my route some more for the ride.   This is a harder task than I ever imagined... BUT! it is what it is and needs to get done.

I also at some point need to find my panniers and get some on their way to me... so I can take off for the weekend and get get in some good camping to work out some kinks.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Help from Jerry!

My life as of late has been .... more than FULL it has been scheduled to the minute.
I have two pay checks still in my pocket with no time to deposit.
I have several animals this weekend.
I have all rooms checking in today.
I am lucky to re-heat a cup of coffee from not having enough time to finish several times a day (same cup)

I am taking this weekend to.
Schedule out post for this and the RIDE BLOG
I am hoping to get another container , feed, supplements, and bags to take care of that winter emergency food bin.

But I was SO busy yesterday .. I had to get JERRY, yep! my husband to help out at the barn.  He let in the water guy! YEP... after draining the water container... TWICE this year I bit the bullet and got them some water so I would no longer have this weight on me.
He DID! He never said a cross word, although he did call me and say he couldn't get them back in.

Discussion of what he had in his hand, how he was approaching them, and SLOWING down his breathing/heart beat were talked over.

NO eye contact,
a steady pace, that is not stalking in nature
HIDE a rope!
and love on them once you are next to them.

HE QUICKLY got them in!

THANK YOU Jerry! Thank you VERY much my love.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

fast pace...

I had a wonderful weekend with Tabatha!!~     I love it when she is here, hate it when she leaves, and can only plan another time for us to get together.

I have done very little on my trip plans.
I can not ride Navarre as much as I need as pads were not poured in his feet this time.  my fault! I wasn't there for the farrier, so I can't expect him to read my mind. I am afraid the hard cold road will cause him to founder... rotating the coffin, and allowing the hoof to separate! it is common among wagon horses so I have to prevent instead of have him lame... and costing me more money in the long run.

Awaiting results of epm test on Navarre! (lucky me... one more issue with this horse)

Having water delivered for the water container hopefully Thursday.

Decks are up but no railings yet. I am contemplating something crazy! three decks, three different railings? we shall see.

Rocks are up against the mud wall for winter... DONE!

I have straw to put around water container as soon as it gets filled.

Need to work on routes...

Have several horse clients this week. WED ,and the WEEKEND...

Need to winter emergency food for my horses as soon as I can, we have after all already gotten our first sweet snow.  Tabatha was here! Not even November, and it was spitting sleet, then turned into snow Saturday.

I need more hay for the barn as soon as I can. already on winter quantities...

ALL of this has to get done in the next week!

WISH me LUCK! or ... expect me to be gone for a while as I desperately need a vacation!

signing off as desperate!
Amber

November

November: from the novem, Latin for "nine"