Sunday Stills

Christmas lights and decorations..... I could have gone around town to take photos of the many fabulous decorated yards and houses, but getting my butt out of the house in the evenings is a tough chore! Too cuddly with the wood stove going, and Christmas movies on...
So instead, here are some of my tree. I went with blue and silver this year. I bought some of those new LED lights that are a little bigger than the mini lights and their colour sure is intense.

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you all have a wonderful time with family and friends.

White Christmas?

Things have been kind of green here lately, but this afternoon, it started snowing- we just might have it stick around for Christmas.

Nice big flakes that stuck to Josie's fuzzy thick fur.

Rio and Josie seemed to enjoy the weather change....

I've never really seen Rio pull some of the moves that Beamer has... until today.... the patented all 4 feet up move- finally I caught him doing it!

Got some hang time! And then one of these:

Only when Beamer does that, his tail is straight up in the air.

Josie, d'ya think you will learn that move?

Meanwhile I took Beamer for a little ride, bareback just to give him some exercise.

Got a little cold, guess I should start wearing my winter clothes! 

Wordless Wednesday

A few firsts today

It warmed up beautifully today, so it was a good day to do things with the horses. Shayla came over, and the original plan was she'd ride Beamer, I'd ride Rio and we'd go for a tour down the road. However, that left Josie home alone, and you all know how kids left home alone get in trouble! So I changed up the plan; Shayla rode Rio and I led Josie. But just as we were about to head out, my husband decided it was time for Josie to experience her first saddle. What! you say? She's only 9 months old!!! Well, yes, but we didn't think she'd mind much....

A few sniffs... a few side steps.... and next thing you know, she's saddled and ready! (For the Christmas elf, maybe!)

So, after her first saddling, it was time for the first excursion off the property. Well, leading was getting a little boring for me, so I handed Shayla the lead rope and she taught Rio how to pony.

Josie wasn't too sure about it at first; I have never tied her up except in the horse trailer on her trip from Alberta the day I brought her home, and have only led her around from her pen to her turn out pasture.

Rio learned to pull for the first time. Shortly after I snapped this photo, Josie leaped ahead and Rio got a little worried, so I had Shayla drop Josie's lead rope and concentrate on settling Rio down. After that, we walked a bit and then tried again. Once again, Josie took a little exception to things and we had to regroup. But it wasn't long before they all got it sorted out.

I like to see the ponied horse facing the pony horse when they stop, and Josie did this naturally.

It was a good day and a good lesson! Thanks Shayla!

All the photos were taken with my pocket camera; I think I'm getting spoiled with my big camera for the lovely crisp photos I get with it. But this little one is so handy!

Josie's turn

It's not only Rio and Beamer that are lighter than air, little Josie has the talent too.

Turn out yesterday with Rio. You can sure tell they are brother and sister.

But I'm prettier!

Wordless Wednesday

Airs above the ground- Rio style

We all know how Beamer loves to do his patented leap with all four feet off the ground.... well, Rio has his version!
You know how I'm always bragging about Rio's floaty trot? Well here's proof. I turned him out today and the footing was a little slippery because we just got an inch of snow on top of hard frozen ground, so this is how he went around the pen:

 He was floating every stride in that extended trot, snorting all the way! He really enjoyed his turn out.

Good genetics shine through

One of the Facebook pages I follow posts photos of the old time Quarter Horses, and they recently posted one of Mr. San Peppy, who is Beamer's Grandsire. Here he is:

I know I was surprised that little Josie was born a solid sorrel, but looking at this fellow, you can sure see the genetic resemblance.

 Give her a few more years and she's going to be the spittin' image of her great granddaddy.
Also you can sure see where Beamer gets his pretty from.This is an older photo, but you can sure see the resemblance; a black version!

Sunday Stills

The first Sunday Stills post was pets,  I remember doing that one  5 years ago, so this is the beginning of the 6th year for SS.

This is my Reba, also known as the 12 o'clock dog. Technically she is a working dog, not a pet. I've been taking a bunch of photos of her lately because she is 12 years old now, although she really doesn't show it unless I'm out on a trail ride then she can't keep up. So I leave her at home now if I'm going any distance.
The explanation of the 12 o'clock thing is the natural border collie balance; it's their instinct to get on the other side of the herd from you, the 12 o'clock position, and then push the herd towards you. It's called balance, she naturally balances at 12 o'clock from whatever position I am in.

She sure is looking good for 12 years old.

In this next photo she is hustling to get around the two hooligans.

That's my Reba- always working!

Baby it's cold outside!

So it looks like the arctic air mass is descending on all of us, although it isn't s cold here as it is on the prairies, it still is as cold as it was on the coldest day last winter- a month earlier though. I turn the horses out in the afternoon, and they all had an opinion when I went to bring them in. Lets start with Beamer:

Oh there you are! Finally! I have been waiting so long here by the gate that my toes is froze!

Waaaah! I want my nice snug stall with its deep straw!

The other two horses were also waiting by the gate but I ignored them for a bit- because of course, I couldn't waste a good photo op with the way the light was and the mysterious look of the mountains.

I was using my little camera as the big one was getting its battery charged. One of the neat things I can do with this one is point the camera at something to get a different light reading and then move the camera to a different subject for the picture and hold that light reading, which is what I did in this next one:

Meanwhile, Josie was not amused....

and Rio was being very helpful in true Rio fashion:

Here's Josie's halter, she wants it on really she does!!!!

And here's mine! C'n we go in now can we huh? I really wanna bury my head in my hay pile!

What a pathetic crew!

Made it!

I was kickin' myself for not taking my camera with me yesterday. I went to pick up Tess, who was visiting her boyfriend, and it was a beautiful sunny day- they got a lot of snow so the mountains were amazing.
However, I knew the roads would be icy, and they were, and since I couldn't leave til 1 PM and wanted to get back before dark I figured I didn't need any distractions. Tess and I made it home safe and sound. The expected date for puppies is Feb. 1 to Feb 3rd, somewhere in there.
To all the people who think it's a crime to breed dogs when there are so many in the shelters who need homes- these dogs aren't the kind you can find in the shelters around here. They go to working homes first, and I do have people who are waiting for pups. It took 2 years to get this upcoming litter; I first tried when Tess was 5, and she had a phantom pregnancy, and last year it didn't work out with the farm where the sire is, so I waited for her next heat which took another 11 months. This will be her second and last litter, as she is 7 years old now. So this is well planned. I just hope that she doesn't have as many pups as she did with her first litter- there were 10 of the little hooligans!
 This is a photo of her last litter:

The one on the far right is Jenn's dog Abby, the one who is acing her Rally Obedience classes and is showing in agility. The one on the far left is Janice's dog Kali, who helps Janice bring in the horses, and of the rest of them, two went as companions to single women, one is a family dog and all the rest went to ranch homes.
I can't wait! Puppies! That will definitely keep away the February Blahs.

Not too bad

I only bought a couple of things at the auction, and have rehomed them already. I did good! Ted did even better, he only bought one tool. And Buttons- yes, there was a ladder in the auction, I thought of you as it was selling! Since I was clerking, I didn't take any photos, but here is one of the Roy Gene Franks print I bought, which I have already found a home for.

The big storm that hit Alberta and caused many road closures and power outages didn't affect us much here. We're down on the valley bottom, and the town of Creston is just above us. You can see the snow line in this photo I took when I turned Beamer out this afternoon.

Yes those are mud knots in his tail; it drags on the ground and I want to try and keep it clean.
By mid afternoon the wind had come howling in from the northeast (Alberta!) and Beamer was talking to me; he wanted back in his nice snug shelter!

Even the cats didn't want to be outside; when I had Foose out, he stretched up my leg, pleadingly....

and almost tripped me trying to get picked up to go back in the house.

I was supposed to go pick up Tess today, she is about done romancing her boyfriend Moss, but it's a 2 hour drive and they really got nailed with snow. Janice figured up to 2 feet with the wind drifts, so I'll likely have to wait another day or two to bring Tess home.

I bet the wind emptied the feeders, hopefully tomorrow it won't be windy, these little guys need all the help they can get!