Friday, August 30, 2013

Driving Miss Crazy, Part V

It is after five o'clock and we haven't left yet. Our destination is at least a four-hour drive away. We'll be setting up in the dark. This won't be the first time. ACK!!!

Definitely crazy now, at . . .

Driving Miss Crazy, Part IV

Yesterday: chores inside and out, back to the Fair, a dash about Salem buying groceries, home for more chores and packing.

While at the Fair I looked at the horse show photographer's proofs and loved several, but his prices for prints OR digital images were too rich for my blood. Instead, I spent my money on some practical things I can use for years – and a yummy cinnamon roll. That brought my "Fair Food" total (over four different days) to two falafels, one raspberry milkshake, a shared marionberry milkshake, and that cinnamon roll, and I'm pretty sure I walked or sweated all that off. Brian had an elephant ear yesterday; I just can't hack that much grease anymore!

He's eating it at the only place we actually sat down yesterday, a well-done educational show on raptors. Such beautiful hunters they are! I took photos until my camera died.










Unfortunately that was before I went to the arts and crafts exhibits, so no quilt photos. :-(   I looked for the paintings by a young woman in our church and never could find them.

Before the raptor show, we visited a wildlife rehab exhibit with some great animals. You could pay to have your photo taken with this young tiger cub (asleep here, but later rather fiesty!),

and I couldn't get enough of watching this adorable six-month-old Syrian Brown Bear cub playing in her pen (I always wondered about the Bible story of David killing a bear; I didn't realize this close relative of the grizzly and Kodiak used to populate the Middle East!).


It was a smaller Fair this year, with lower attendance; that makes me sad and worried about its future. So many states have eliminated most or all of the agriculture-related things from their fairs – if they even hold one anymore. I sure hope ours survives!

Now back to work on getting ready for our camping trip, laundry, running to town to do payroll and a few time-sensitive errands, and maybe a bit of much-needed cleaning while Rick does his scheduled calls. Hopefully we'll get to camp before dark! I am looking forward to time to SIT, relax, and visit, as well as riding my horse on the trails.

That's it for August from . . .

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Driving Miss Crazy, Part III

If Part II was devoid of decent photos, the lack in Part III may get me shot! In my defense, it is not possible to take photos of oneself riding, and when I wasn't in the saddle, I didn't have my camera on me. The owner of my horse's sire took a few photos with her phone which I swiped off of FaceBook, so they will have to do. (When I'm at the Fair today, I'm going to check the proofs at the show photographer's booth in case he got any that I just have to buy.)   ;-)

It was a long, warm, HUMID day; I don't think I've ever sweat so much. But my horse was a rock star (I know, I know; I always say this – but it's true), and I had fun hanging out with the mustang exhibitors and Wanda, who came and supported me with her friendship and ready help for most of the day. (She brought knitting and I brought a spindle project, but neither of us had a chance to touch fiber other than horse hair!) There were some strangers in the stands that really took a liking to my handsome Lance, giving me thumbs-up and big smiles when I rode by, and clapping and cheering wildly for him. The judge didn't favor him as much; we came home with five pretty ribbons, but none of the blue or red variety. (You can visit my horse blog for more details when I can get to it.) It was good experience for Lance, but I think we'll stick to dressage shows and casual trail-riding from now on.
First halter class for either of us – and he mostly stood still!
Negotiating the trail course – the only entrants in English tack
Lance and me, next to his handsome Kiger mustang daddy!
Just as soon as Brian and I can take care of things here this morning, we'll zoom back to the Fair to join Rick, who is the Horse Show vet for the day. Brian will squawk, but he and I will head home before too late so he can get to bed at a decent hour and I can start loading the camper. We're leaving tomorrow after Rick's one scheduled appointment for a horse-camping trip, and we aren't CLOSE to being ready!

Driving ever closer to the edge of crazy, at . . .



Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Driving Miss Crazy, Part II

Tuesday afternoon, as soon as Brian finished competing in the State Fair Draft Show, I jumped in my truck and headed north on the interstate. Franna was in Chehalis, WA, waiting very patiently for me to pick up her ram. When I arrived, she guided me back so our trucks were tailgate-to-tailgate, making it a quick, easy task to walk Nightcap from her crate to my crate. In that short time, I took in his handsome head, typey little tail, perfect size, smooth noggin, and gorgeous neck wool with its incredible crimp, color, and handle.

I arrived home at dusk, and proceeded to play "upset the sheep basket." First I moved Blake and Browning into the sheepfold, then caught each of my three breeding ewes and put them in the ram lot, leaving Bramble and the other three wethers in the wooded lot for the duration. Then I put Nightcap in with his intendeds. By this time it was too dark for good photos, but there was magic in the air and I can prove it. ;-)
See the "fairy dust"? (Nightcap is the one in the CLEAN coat.)

I was so impressed with Nightcap's calm demeanor, both while loading and unloading, and when I put him in the girls. The ewes gathered around him and they all sniffed noses, then he quietly sniffed tails as allowed.
This morning things were still calm in the honeymoon suite of the Ram-ada Inn. Mind you, I don't want things TOO calm; I do want lambs in about five months, after all!

It was a beautiful morning. I was up early to haul my horse to the State Fair to compete in the Mustang Show. Almost not early enough, it turned out, but we made it.

More to come from . . .




Driving Miss Crazy, Part I

Well, it's been a whirlwind couple of days, and it's not over yet! But first things first.

Yesterday morning I drove Brian to the State Fair to compete in his Draft Horse, Junior Driver 13 and Under class. If you want the privilege, you do the work!

While he helped clean the wagon and harness, I walked around taking snapshots.

Then it was time to hitch up the team,
Brian got rid of those bright gloves before showtime

head to the warm-up ring, and get in a little more time with these energetic Clydesdale girls before show time!
Brian with his 2013 team, shown with the team he drove in 2012

Soon, it was show time.
Brian placed third, an excellent result with this team. I congratulated him, and gathered my things to leave. But before I could exit, stage right, Brian was offered the reins for the Youth Cart class because a teen driver didn't show up. How could I miss that?


There were seven youth in the class, Brian being the youngest. He finished last, but considering that this was a "catch ride" with a mare who had only been driven solo once before the class, just the night before, we thought he did great.

The excitement over, I jumped in the truck and headed north. I had a ram to pick up!

More to come on that, from . . .