It's A Mish-Mosh

You would think with all of the projects I have going on, I could find something to post about...

Right?

Not so much.

It's all pretty boring stuff.

You have to admit, watching paint dry is not interesting...LOL.

That is kind of where I am at. The electrician came and fixed the last couple of things I needed them to do in the house. The plumber came and fixed all of that. I will say it is very nice to have the swamp cooler and fan going in the house. So much nicer to work in there now.

Now it is back to the tedious and boring work of patching, priming and painting. I have finished ONE room...Yay me!

That would be the master bath. All it needs now is the little finishing touches-a mirror, towel racks, etc. I am not in the mood to think about that stuff just yet.

Pretty much everything else is in various stages of disarray.

I went totally and completely nuts in the garden department at Lowes and spent the last couple of weeks planting each haul of hugely discounted perennials in the garden...and expanding a few already 'started' flower beds.

I seriously want to go back and pick up a bunch of shrubs and bushes. But I am sick of planting crap. I have been fighting with myself mentally and refusing to give in to the temptation to go and load up on some of the bigger plants. You have no idea how hard it has been to not rush into town and buy several of those beautiful Azalea bushes they had on sale for $10.

The horses are surviving. I think the boys in the pasture feel a bit neglected. Turk is none too happy to be locked in a pen. I have rode him a couple of times and although he still has a long way to go, it sure feels nice to ride him and not feel him limping.

Rip's knee is coming down (it was a soft tissue injury), but it will take months for it to completely heal and he is feeling frustrated at being confined.

We had two days of thunderstorm-ish weather and humidity. It wreaked havoc on poor Mouse. He was stiff, could barely hobble around and spent a lot of time laying down. I think his time is nearly up. He is pretty spry in the dry heat, but the arthritis in his hips and hind fetlocks just kicks his poor little butt when the weather changes. He is no spring chicken. Around 25y/o or so. Not ancient as pony's go, but as they say...It's not the years...It's the miles. I suspect that pony has a million miles on him. He spend many a year being hauled just as much as some of the big horses.

The only one who seems to be loving his life is Gunner. He has a big pen, his shelter and he absolutely loves his misters. He will stand under them, slowly rotating so he gets completely soaked, all day. Wonder what he is going to think about having to go back to the ranch?

I'll be taking Rip and Gunner back home in a couple of weeks. Megan will be starting school and will not have time for the horses, not that she has put any effort into that in the last month. The kid flaked out on me...yet again and has not made any attempt to take care of her horses. Teenage girls!!! It's a wonder any of us women survived to adulthood. So my mom said to bring the big blue horse home to heal. I have done what needs to be done with Gunner, so there is no reason for him to stand around here. He will get acquiented with his sister-Beretta and get to spend some time in the pasture. That will muscle him up and get rid of that pot-belly on him. He aught to look like a new horse in a couple of months.

I am still debating as to whether to take Mouse home and have him put to sleep. I know that is coming, but damn...it's getting harder and harder. Four horses in four years...

It's like the changing of the guard...from one generation to the next...And when you have spent 10...15...20+ years with these animals, it's hard on the heart when their time is up.

Oh well, enough of that...It's the cold hard facts of owning and raising animals your entire life...they just don't live as long as we do. When it's time, it's time and being selfish isn't doing them any favors.

It was my intention to bring Sandy out with me when I come back...

I really want to get this horse started on the barrels. But the year will probably draw to a close before I would have him ready to go, so I don't know if I will bring him right now or not.

I will be bringing this little mare out to Colorado with me...
This little girl is way to nice to let set another year or so. She is our 8y/o grand-daughter of Boon Bar. I'm not sure exactly what direction I will go with her. She is pretty much unlimited in the performance department. She could Cut, do Working Cowhorse, be a barrel or a pole horse or would make an outstanding little break-a-way and/or heel horse. She's broke, but like so many of my other's just needs riding.

Sandy is far more broke and finished, so it makes sense to hold off bringing him at the moment. He isn't going to get left behind though.

I can only ride so many though. I currently have 4 riders, Boon will make 5. I WILL have both the sorrel horse, Bugs and the leggy bay horse, Jet going this year as well. That makes 7 head.

Oh yea, and then there is this guy...
Yep, sometime in the near future, Shooter needs to move into the ranks of riding horse as well. Time does fly doesn't it?