Why we have Children

This was sent to me by a friend. Don't know where it came from to start with but it was to good to pass up.

> To those of us who have children in our lives,> whether they are our own> grandchildren,> nieces,> nephews,> or students...> here is something to make you chuckle.> > Whenever your children are out of control,> you can take comfort from the thought that> even God's omnipotence did not extend> to His own children.> > After creating heaven and earth,> God created Adam and Eve.> > And the first thing he said was> "DON'T!"> > "Don't what?"> Adam replied. > > "Don't eat the forbidden fruit."> God said.> > "Forbidden fruit?> We have forbidden fruit?> Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit!"> > "No Way!"> > "Why?"> > "Do NOT eat the fruit! "> said God.> > "Why?"> > "Because I am your Father and I said so! "> God replied,> wondering why He hadn't stopped> creation after making the elephants.> > A few minutes later,> God saw His children having an apple break> and He was ticked!> > > "Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit? "> God asked.> > "Uh huh,"> Adam replied.> > "Then why did you? "> said the Father.> > > "I don't know,"> said Eve. > > "She started it! "> Adam said.> > "Did not! " > > "Did too! "> > "DID NOT! "> > Having had it with the two of them,> God's punishment was that Adam and Eve> should have children of their own.> > Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.> > > > BUT THERE IS REASSURANCE IN THE STORY!> >
If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give> children wisdom and> they haven't taken it,> don't be hard on yourself.> > If God had trouble raising children,> what makes you think it would be> a piece of cake for you?> > THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!> >
1. You spend the first two years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.
2. Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your own children.
3. Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young.
4. Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said.
5. The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own.
6. We childproofed our homes, but they are still getting in.
ADVICE FOR THE DAY:> > Be nice to your kids ...> for one day they will choose your nursing home.> >
AND FINALLY:> > IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF TENSION> AND YOU GET A HEADACHE,> DO WHAT IT SAYS> ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE:> >
"TAKE TWO ASPIRIN"> AND "KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN"!!!!!> > Quick,> send this on to ten people> within the next five minutes. > > Nothing will happen if you don't,> but if you do,> ten people will be laughing> >

Again

Again I have been either to busy or to tired to think about writing. My son, Dustin, called last night to tell me he was coming up from Los Cruces, NM this evening to pick up a horse for his boss and take it back tomarrow. One of those big, fancy, paint saddlebred stallions that his boss has. Well I guess seeing Dustin for a few minutes is better than not at all. That is how our life seems to go anymore. Thank goodness for cell phones and email.
Sometimes I wonder how we used to be able to do things without these modern conviences. And to think that by the time my son has children and they are grown cell phones, computers, and such will be outdated.

Katrina

Here at the Tumbleweed Crossing our thoughts, sympathy and good wishes for a safe recovery go out to all those affected by the hurricane Katrina. We will help as much as we can, although I am not sure what we can do at this time.

Wild Sunflower

Sunflowers help brighten up my day.

Rats, Oh, Rats

Matmouse, and Mickey Mouse, Miney Mouse, Jerry Mouse, and even Pixie and Dixie Mouses are all good mice. Especially Mighty Mouse. But then there are the real mice. The little tiny creatures that invade your hay barn, and my junk shed. They are so tame they sit there and stare at you with those beady little eyes, just daring you to invade "Their domain" . And I do. But it doesn't make them leave. They just dive into those tiny little hiding places they have discovered, and wait for me to leave. As they are sure that I will.

Well, here is fair warning to all you mices.

I am declaring WAR.

So for the count is mice - 7. Me -2. And my cats - 4.
Sigh - seems the mice are winning.
I have been setting mouse traps but have only caught 2. I have 5 cats but they haven't bought me but 4 mice. Hopefully they are catching others that I am not aware of. Oh, and Codee, my German Shepherd dog was chasing one out through the tumbleweed this morning. But she let it get away.

More on the WAR of the MICE later.

(I hate those mices to pieces.)

Flowers

It may be hot here at the Tumbleweed Crossing but the summer wild flowers are doing fine. Blooming their little hearts out. The wild sunflowers are huge. Some as tall as 6 foot and as much as 12 foot in diameter, with hundreds of small sunflowers covering the bushes. Blossoms are usually only about 4 inches across which is very small compared to their hy-bred cousins. But I think they are much more cheerful to look at. And the small birds love the seeds.
My wild four-o-clock is even bigger this year than last. It is trying to choke out a lilac bush and some iris that were growing near it. It is covered with small fushia blossoms every evening just as the sun goes down. About a 20 x 20 mass of green leaves and blossoms. Surprisingly there is a clump of comas near by that are the same fushia color. Who says mother nature can't think about how to plant her flowers for color combinations.
I, also, now have morning glories blooming as well as marigolds, and a few struggling roses. I love the big yellow/orange blossoms of the pumpkins and guards, and squarsh. I have more zucchini squarsh than I can eat. Wish I knew some one who liked it as much as I do to give some to.

Writers Block

Heres hoping those little emails complimenting me on my entry to the romance writers contest will help bannish the writers block I have been experencing over the past few months. It seems like either I don't have time to sit down and write or if I try to I can't seem to write. Even my blog has been suffering. I won't promise to write more 'cause it won't happen, but I will think about it.
Shame on me! Write! Write! and Write! Even if it don't make since or no one ever reads it.

Self Esteem

A little bit of praise can go a long way in upping my self esteem. I was so thrilled when I received so many emails from the readers of the contest junkies site. I couldn't beleive it. I appoligize to for not getting back to all the readers yet. Now I can't wait to see who wins the contest. More on it when the winners are announced sometime in Oct.

Contest

Don't forget to go to www.contestjunkies.com and vote for this weeks stories. There are some really good ones.

Long Time No See

Sorry I haven't had a chance to post anything for a while. Hope I haven't been completely diserted by my faithfull readers, but work and life caught up with me. Work is driving me crazy but I'm sure you are all saying yours does to.
My walk in closet is full of little, tiny, very hungry moths, or millers, or some sort of flying bug. They don't do any thing but eat. I am dismantling everything in the closet and cleaning throughly. Then while outside putting a rough, sort of deck/porch/walkway around the hayshed and tackroom this little whirlwind came by and took the roof off of one of the horse shelters/shed. So we're in the process of putting it back on.
If life settles down again I will try to write more.

MattMice

I found out what a matmice or rather who a matmice is. A stuffed mouse named Matt. You can see him at www.emilyboyd.com/whois mat/
He reminds me of a stuffed bear named Cindy that my niece used to take with her everywhere. Oh, do I remember the days of looking for a lost CindyBear. And my son, Dustin, had to stuffed animals. A seal, and a rabbit. Although his infatuation with Sealy and Rabbit didn't last as long as Cindy's did with CindyBear. (Yeah, you got it right. She named her bear after herself. At about the age of one year. And yes she is still that vain.)

Sean's Site

Josie from Josie's Journel has helped her son Sean set up a website. It is really a good site. www.matmice.com/home/king_ghidorah
Even if I don't know what a matmice is. Where we live we have field mice that like to try to get into the barn. My black cat Murphy is proving to be a really good mouser.

other blogs

Don't forget to keep trying other blogs. Here are some I really like.

Josie's Journal at http://menfreya.tblog.com

Hold Yer Horses at http://holdyerhorses.blogspot.com

http://www.instapundit.com

Rain

We had rain yesterday. Blessed rain. Rain gage had about a half inch in it. And it cooled things off here today. Even if it was humid, it was so good to have rain. Parts of New Mexico got even more and there was flash flood warning out. Can't beleive anyone is stupid enought to drive into a creek, or arroyo, or even down some of our city streets when we get this much rain. Here's hoping the firefighters get some to help with all the fires.

writing contest

One of the readers sent in a site that is a romance writers contest site. I think I managed to get in under the dead line and entered one of my stories. If you are interested you can go to the site and read the first chapter and vote on the ones you like. Or don't like. At least it is fun to see what other people are writing. I'm not supposed to let you know which one is mine, and the reader didn't let me know which one is hers - so it would be fair.

http://www.contestjunkies.com/

Fire Danger

Hope no one is to close to all those horrible fires that are going on in so many of our states. I here on the news that they are really bad in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, and Colorado. I watched at least a dozen slurry planes take off from the Albuquerque airport, circle to the west, come over my place, and then circle to head north. Not sure where they were going but I hope they help with what ever fire they were headed for. At this time I haven't heard of any here in New Mexico but with the lightning we are having today it is only a matter of time.

Please everyone be as careful with any kind of fire as you can be, burning weeds or trash, firecrackers, matches, or campers. We can't do much about lightning but we can watch what we do. Our forests, homes, and country are to precious to put in danger.

BlackJack

BlackJack is the second horse that I bought. I have had him for almost three years. He is a twelve year old Morgan gelding, and as you may have guessed he is black. Or almost black. Some might call him a very dark bay, as he does have some brown on his muzzle and flanks but he is black everywhere else. Except for the star on his forehead. I seem to have a thing for solid horses with stars. I didn't purposely chose these colors, it just happened. But I do like them.
Jack has had some really good training in the past, I think, but he has also had several owners who were not as smart as he is, and he has learned to think of what he can do to get out of doing what his owner/rider wants him to do. After I bought him, I was told that he had laid down and rolled with his owner and saddle on him. The owner wasn't quick enough to stop him, or didn't know how, and just jumped off in time to keep from getting rolled on. The saddle did get rolled on. So I was prepared for him to try this with me, but it was several weeks before he did. I had riden him for about an hour, and he was getting a bit tired and sweaty. I rode out into the center of the field and felt him start to drop to his knees. I kicked him hard in the flanks. Boy did he seem surprised, and took off at a trot instead of trying to roll. He never has tried it again with me.
But the past few days he has decided he wouldn't come to me, nor let me walk up to him, when he is in the field. Instead he takes off at a trot or a canter. Today I had had enough. I spent a good hour letting him, even incourging him, to walk, trot, canter and even gallap around and around. Ever so often I would let him stop, and try to get him to come to me. Nothing doing. I though he would never give up and let me put the halter on him. It took a long time. He tried to stop and roll as he was getting sweaty. He tried to stop and get a drink, but I wouldn't let him do that either. He never did come to me, but finally he stood still and let me walk up and put the halter on.
I wonder if that will be the end or if I will have to spend more time getting him to come to me as he used to do. I know it is just another of the games he dreams up to play with me. Games that he likes and I don't. Games I have to learn how to not play with him.

Star

My First Horse

I wanted a horse ever since I could remember, but I was well into middle age before I got one. And of course I did exactly what all the horse books, trainers, and long time equine owners tell you not to do. They say don't start with a young, untrained horse, no matter how cute and inexpensive they are. It is much better to get one that is older, gentle, and above all, well trained. The additional expense is worth it. And I totally agree. But who is practical when buying their first horse. I fell in love with a yearling, sorrel filly with a star on her forehead that was being offered by a man who bought and sold horses. She was a lot smaller than the others he had but something about her caught my eye. Part of it might have been that she was a lot cheaper, but I think most of it was that I thought I saw something special in the gentle, brown eyes that gazed at me and pleaded that I take her home. It turned out that he had purchased the filly at an auction near the town of Gallup, NM. It was thought that she had come from one of the Indian reservations near there. The seller was quick to inform me that she had never been handled and didn't know how to even be lead. He emphasized that basically I would be buying a wild horse. Determined to do all the wrong things that so many first time horse buyers do I bought that wild, untamed, baby horse.
Actually everything went better than could have been expected. The seller helped my son and I get her into a trailer and to her new home where we already had Dusty’s yearling Quarter Horse, Goldy. Dusty had bought Goldy just a few months before. We were both doing the brand-new, first-horse ownership thing and were proud of it. Thrilled, delighted and ecstatic would describe it even better. It didn’t take Dusty and I long to teach her that good behavior resulted in food. In just a few days we were able to take her halter off and put it back on, lead her around, and brush her, except for her tail. It took me a long month to get all the burrs, brambles, snags, and snarls combed out of her ratty little tail. Being still a baby it really wasn’t much of a tail yet. She quickly learned her name – Star. I thought and though and tried dozens of names but kept coming back to Star even though it is such a common name for horses and it stuck.
I always want to name my animals something unusual and unique but invariably seem to finally settle on something common and simple.
It soon became apparent that Star wasn’t the gentle, easy-to-train horse that I would have preferred. She was to smart for that. She was quick to try her darn’est to get out of doing anything she didn’t want to do. That is typical horse mindset. But Star seemed better at it than the average horse. Maybe it had a lot to do with the fact that she was a wild horse, and had never been around humans for the first year of her life. She had apparently learned the wild horse way of life well from her mama. We have even suspected that she might have a lot of true mustang blood in her. And of course she was a lot better for Dusty - a big, strong, young man, who could man-handle her if need be, rather than me – a middle-aged, not-so-big and strong woman.
Time passed, and Star and I fell into a semblance of a way of life. She would lead really well most of the time but when she didn’t want to there was no way I could get her to go in the direction I wanted her to. She would plant her feet and not move or run off dragging me behind her. Of course food was usually the main objective. She was sure to stop at the first clump of grass or weeds that was with in her sight. Eventfully she was taught to wear a bridle, sort-of; and to carry a saddle, sort-of, and to let me ride her, sort-of. But I don’t ever expect her to be a really great riding horse.
For one thing Star never got very big. In fact she really isn’t a horse. She is what is considered a large pony. Equine critters are measured in what are called hands. Many, many, many moons ago, somewhere over in Europe, when not everyone carried a tape measure or ruler in their pocket, horses were measured by the width of a man’s hand. A hand is now considered equal to four inches. The different in a horse and a pony is height. A pony is an equine animal up to 14 and a half hands. A horse is an equine animal over 14 and a half hands. Star is only 13 and a half hands, which makes her officially a pony.
But then you have to consider the fact that I am bad, really bad about calling all my horses ponies. It is just a slang way I have of referring to my equines. And remember Equine is the Latin term for all single-hoofed animals – horses, ponies, zebras, donkeys, mules, ect.
Star is now about seven years old, and is no longer a filly but a mare. (I will add this information as I have so many people who ask. A baby horse is a foal, then called a weanling from about six months to a year old. At a year they become a yearling. Males are called colts (sometimes ‘colt’ can refer to either sex) and a female is called a filly. At about three years of age a filly becomes a mare, and a colt becomes either a stallion or a gelding. A gelding is a male horse that has been castrated.
Star is a stubborn, pony mare. But she is still much loved, petted, feed, pampered and spoiled. She is just one of three in my small stable. Join me for more about Star and her friends at this blog.

This is Nita, my Quarter Horse mare. The quality is not that great on these photos but at least I am getting them on the blog.

This is Star. She was my first horse. She is a Mustang/Appy cross. In the winter she is a sorrel. In the summer she gets a lot of little white spots all over her chest and neck. But very few on her butt where most appys have them.

http://ponytracks.myblogsite.com

http://www.horsecity.com

Readers

Gosh! Am I ever surprised and delighted at how many readers I getting to the Tumbleweed Crossing. It is just thrilling. I will try my best to keep finding interesting tidbits to let you know about. As you may have noticed I finally figured out how to get a photo on my site. Eventually I will figure out how to post links to some of the sites/blogs that I read.

Information on Mars

You can find a little more information on the Mars event this month at this website http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/marsopposition.html

I haven't been able to spot it yet but our night skies have been full of clouds lately. (But no rain). Hope you have better luck where you are.

Thank You

My many thanks to all of you who leave your comments. It is so wonderful to know that someone, anyone, is reading what I write.

This is BlackJack, my Morgan gelding. He had just enjoyed a bath. For the next few minutes he will look very handsome, then he will be a mudball, as soon as he can roll in the dirt.

Summer

Summer has fully arrived. It is hot, and I mean hot. I can't seem to keep the horse buckets, dog buckets, or the bird trays full of water. Neither can I keep enough water on the trees and garden. I finally was able to pull a zucchini squarsh, and have another one coming on, but no tomatoes yet. I do have some very tiny green ones but nothing showing any sign of red. By this time last year we had more tomatoes than we knew what to do with. I was giving them away, and eating them at every meal. Still not sure I would want to eat fried green tomatoes yet after all we ate last year.
The flowers have finally started blooming a bit. Have a very nice hot pink zinna that is doing well especially since Tuffee, my border collie, broke it before it ever started blooming. Didn't figure it would survive the break, but guess it repaired itself, and has had three nice blossoms since. Actually the best zinna I have ever grown.

Morning glories are sort of blooming. And so are the roses. Have a couple of goards coming on. But my two small pumkins are already turning yellow. Very strange.

We have had hints of rain, and a lot of the rest of state has had some, but not here. Could really use it.

Corny Thoughts

One news channel gave a brief blurb about the fact that it is estimated that 30 percent of the US corn crop was already lost. Don't know if this is a fact yet or not but I can see the price of anything with corn in it rising as we speak. And have you ever considered how many products have corn in them?
Corn on the cob, corn in the can, and frozen corn in the bag.

Corn Flakes, (and all other cereals that have corn in them), corn tortillas, tamales, cornmeal, cornbread, corn fritters, corndogs-----and speaking of dogs, have you looked at the ingredient's in the dog and cat food lately? Corn is usually the number one item in that sack of food for your pet that you thought was mostly meat products. Then there is corn in the grain for your horse, cow, pig, sheep, and goat. And yes, that means the price of meat will take a jump as well.

Mars

My email pal sent me this information. Don't know how true it might be. I have been trying to find out more. If you know anything about it let me know. I know if it is true I want to see it. And hope it will be more specticular than Haley's Comet was.

Mars The Red Planet is about to be spectacular! This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again.The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification. Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.\ By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month. Share this with your children and grandchildren. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN
this is a once in a lifetime experience.

Good Advice

Old Farmer's Advice

*Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight, bull-strong.

* Keep skunks, bankers, and lawyers at a distance.

* Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

* A bumblebee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.

* Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.

* Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.

*Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.

* Do not corner something you know is meaner than you

* It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.

* You cannot unsay a cruel word.

* Every path has a few puddles.

* When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

*Most of the stuff people worry about ain’t never gonna happen anyway.

* Don't judge folks by their relatives.

* Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

*Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.

* Don't interfere with somethin' that ain’t botherin' you none.

* Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

* If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

* Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.

* The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin'.

*Always drink upstream from the herd.

* Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

* Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.

* If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence;

try orderin' somebody else's dog around.·

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

Leave the rest to God...· Mother Nature......

and the Great Spirit.

From Friends

Some times I have an email friend that seens me something that is just to good to keep to my self. Recently that has happened quite a bit. Here is one I got today. I had a good laugh when I read it, hope you do to.

Women & Men

Cash, check or charge?" I asked, after folding items the woman wished to purchase.
As she fumbled for her wallet I noticed a remote control for a television set in her purse."So, do you always carry your TV remote?" I asked. "No," she replied, " but my husband refused to come shopping with me,
and I figured this was the most evil thing I could do to him legally."UNDERSTANDING WOMEN
(A MAN'S PERSPECTIVE) I know I'm not going to understand women. I'll never understand how you can take boiling hot wax,
pour it onto your upper thigh, rip the hair out by the root,
and still be afraid of a spider.
MARRIAGE SEMINAR While attending a Marriage Seminar dealing with communication,
Tom and his wife Grace listened to the instructor,
"It is essential that husbands and wives know each other's likes and dislikes." He addressed the man,"Can you name your wife's favorite flower?"Tom leaned over, touched his wife's arm gently and whispered, "It's Pillsbury, isn't it? CIGARETTES AND TAMPONS A man walks into a pharmacy and wanders up and down the aisles.
The sales girl notices him and asks him if she can help him.
He answers that he is looking for a box of tampons for his wife.
She directs him down the correct aisle.
A few minutes later, he deposits a huge bag of cotton balls and a ball of string on the counter. She says, confused, "Sir, I thought you were looking for some tampons for your wife? He answers, " You see, it's like this,
yesterday, I sent my wife to the store to get me a carton of cigarettes, and she came back with a tin of tobacco and some rolling papers; cause it's sooo-ooo--oo-ooo much cheaper. So, I figure if I have to roll my own .......... so does she. ( I figure this guy is the one on the milk carton! )
WIFE VS. HUSBAND A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word.
An earlier discussion had led to an argument and
neither of them wanted to concede their position.
As they passed a barnyard of mules, goats, and pigs,
the husband asked sarcastically, "Relatives of yours?" "Yep," the wife replied, "in-laws."

W O R D S
A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day...
30,000 to a man's 15,000.The wife replied, "The reason has to be because we have to repeat everything to men... The husband then turned to his wife and asked, "What?"

CREATION A man said to his wife one day, "I don't know how you can be
so stupid and so beautiful all at the same time. " The wife responded, "Allow me to explain.
God made me beautiful so you would be attracted to me; God made me stupid so I would be attracted to you!
WHO DOES WHATA man and his wife were having an argument about whoshould brew the coffee each morning.The wife said, "You should do it, because you get up first,
and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee." The husband said, " You are in charge of cooking around here and
you should do it, because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee."Wife replies, "No, you should do it, and besides, it is in the Bible
that the man should do the coffee."Husband replies, "I can't believe that, show me."So she fetched the Bible, and opened the New Testament
and showed him at the top of several pages, that it indeed says.........."HEBREWS"

The Silent TreatmentA man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving eachother the silent treatment. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day,he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight.
Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5:00 AM." He left it where he knew she would find it.The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AMand he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go andsee why his wife hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper bythe bed. The paper said, "It is 5:00 AM. Wake up."Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.

God may have created man before woman,
but there is always a rough draft before the masterpiece.SEND THIS TO SMART WOMEN WHO NEED A LAUGH AND TO MEN YOU THINK CAN HANDLE IT !

Cats

Cats know exactly how we feel.
They don't give a damn,
But they know.

Ain't that the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Visitors to the Crossing

I was surprised to see a goldfinch eating sunflower seeds this morning while I was watering my tomatos and trees. Can it be migatory season already? We never see these tiny golden finchs except for their breif appearence as they dart through on their migatory route either north or south. They are such a pleasure to watch. You can get within a few feet and as they are feeding on sunflower seeds, cosmas seeds, or wild grass seeds. I don't think I saw any going north this spring and this one seemed to be a bit early for southern trip.

I have seen several large jack rabbits that have taken up residence in the two acreas behind my place. There is nothing there except sage, tumbleweeds, and wild sunflowers. A perfect jack rabbit home.

Kacie, my gray and white cat was watching the rabbits from atop one of the corner fence posts. I told her not to try to take on one of those big rabbits, that they were bigger than she is. When they stand up on their long legs, these jack rabbits look to be as tall as my Border Collie, Tuffee. Tuffee, Cody, my German Shepherd, and Niki, my lab cross, always chase the rabbits that come in the yard, but the rabbits are faster than they are.

DisneyLand Birthday

Happy Birthday To You! DisneyLand!
Yes, Disneyland is having a big birtday party this month. That most wonderfull of all theme parks is 50 years old. I wanted so much to be part of the celabration. But it was not to be. But my sister and my neice that I brag on so much and my nephew were able to be there. They said it was fantastic.
Horrors! With all that the news media has to report on there was almost no mention of this wonderful event. Or not that I say.
Again I want to say Happy Birthday to Disneyland, and Mickey Mouse. They have helped us to keep young at heart.

Supreme Court Judge

Recently Sanda Day O'Conner retired as a Supreme Court Judge. It is our right to have a person who will represent us propertly as her replacement. Make sure you let your senators and others in political offices know who you want to fill this important possition. Remember it is a possition that is appointed and that person may be a Supreme Court Judge for many years. We need a person who will support our country and our ways. Not someone out to support himself or herself.

Additonally remember this possition may have to be filled twice this year. We need the right people as our highest Judges. I make no suggestions. I leave that up to you. But do let your senators and President Bush know how you feel.

Socks

Did you ever notice that if you buy a pair of socks and really like them that sure as shottin' one, and I say again, just one (1) of them is bound to disappear. And believe me you will never find it again. It doesn't matter how hard you look for it. I have come to think that there must be little, bitty, tiny gremlins, or elves, or space aliens that live in my house and they have a great fondness for just one brand, new sock. I have yet to figure out what they find so great about one sock or where they take it to.
And if that isn't bad enough; if you have a pair of sock you don't really care for they will hang around for a life time. Oh, those awfully socks may straight all out of shape, fade into really weird colors, and srink to a smaller size, but you'll always be able to find them when you can't find any other socks in your sock drawer. And you will be forced to wear them.

Lightning Fires

Just so that no one worries I thought I should let you know that the report on Good Morning America was wrong. Don't know if the same report was put out on any other news shows or not. They said that there were fires in Albuquerque and homes had to be evacuated. Not so. We did have a fire on Kirtland Air Force Base and one in the Bosque near Bernallio (town) but no one had to leave homes. Golf course at Kirtland was all that was evacuated. Some people in Bernallio were ready to but never had to. Stupid news reporters never get anything right. We did have a heck of a sandstorm that day here in Albuquerqe and lots of lightning. Lightning causes those two fires plus one in a house in Albuq. and some small fires in National Forests. None of them were major. One at Kirtland was about 500 acrea in the flat land area on part of base that is never seen by non military and from the pictures on the news we saw there was nothing on it but tumbleweeds The one in Bernillio was in a Bosque area (wild native area) near river and about 200 acreas. The smoke from both was bad. We could smell it real heavy in the call center where I work as it came through air conditioning unit.We did get a lot of lighning again yesterday but no fires (unless there were some in forests that weren't mentioned) and we got some rain. Supposed to do it again today. I sure hope so as we really need the rain. Humity is high today but at least there isn't that big puff of dust with every step I take in the yard. Horses look a bit cleaner, too. Just wish the dogs didn't insist on rolling in either the dust or the mud. Everyone take care where ever you are.

Animal Abuse

Go to www.ahdf.org This is the site for the American Horse Defence Fund. It tells of the horrible things done to horses at slaughter and of the Sweeny/Sprat Act to stop it. But it is not enough. We can't stop now. This is the start. No animal- horse, dog, cat, whale, or human deseres to be killed simply to fill the need of people who want to eat a so-called delicasy. Neither do any of these animals ever need to be abused in any way. Slaughtering horses is the worst. What will it be next? Slaughtering dogs and cats for the people in countries that eat them? Keep sending those letters to your senators. And don't forget about the need to stop the abuse of racehorses, showhorses (especially the paso finas, saddlebreds, and any others that are made to do gaits that are unnatural) grayhounds, dog fighting, and abuse of children. If a person will do one they will do the rest. And get the cattle off of our public lands. That will not only save the wild horses, but deer, elk, songbirds, fish, eagles, hawks, buffalo, all wildlife, and our natural grasses, wildflowers, and soil.

I have 4 horses. They looked so terrible when I got them. They came from different places. One is a wild horse, two are QH's, and one is Morgan. Now they are good riding horses. I have three dogs that where thrown out as puppys. Now they are good pets in all ways. I have 5 cats -same thing. They were thrown out as kittens. They are great company for me. We all need to educate the public on the love and uses of pets.

Don't let America become a nation of intentional cruelty to animals and people.

New Job

I have a new job. Can't say much for it. It is a call center. And what can I say about call centers, except that ---- well I guess they don't want me putting that kind of language in my blog. But it is a job. And I will keep plugging along at it. Just that I hate to be treated like a 6-year-old. Or else they treat you like you get treated in the military. And yeah, I know about that too. And I got out as soon as I could, a long time ago. So if you call in to a call center you might just get me. The one I work at services several different products.

Where is Clatskanie?

One reader wants to know 'where is Clatskanie?' It's in Oregon. Yes, I understand that everyone might not know where such a small town with such a strange name might be. It is my understanding that the name comes from an Oregon tribe the Tlatskanai. It is just to the west of the big city of Portland which means it is in the northwest part of the state.

I got to go there once about four years ago. I have to say it is the exact opposite of the desert country here. It is GREEN. All year round it is GREEN. Except when it snows, which isn't that offten. It is a very small town about 1800 population. Most of the homes seem to be on large, country type lots. Everywhere you look are trees. Great big beautiful trees. All kinds of trees. It does rain quite a bit there, and many days you can't see the sun for the clouds. But I think that would be OK. At least they don't have as much wind as we do and not near the blowing sand. Some day I hope to visit there again.

Check out www.clatskanie.com and www.clatskanie.com/chamber/

The Boys

And not to leave out the other three I will brag on them for a bit. You can read about my son, Dustin in my story about my trip to Cloudcroft. Dustin is in college at New Mexico State learning all about horses. (One of my favorite subjects, too). He is an inturn at the ranch where he is working.

And Cyndi's older brother Eric just returned from six months in France as an exchange student. He was able to visit many other countries while he was there. Eric is studying film and acting at a college in Orange, CA.

Cyndi's oldest brother, James, graduated from New Mexcio Tech last year and is now helping to make design vehicile saftey air bags in Moses Lake, WA. He is married to a wonderful woman and they have two adorable little boys.

My sister, her husband, and my husband and I are very proud of our four children.

Still Bragging

Well, to top off everthing else she has done, my neice Cyndi now has her picture and an article on the front and last page of her home town newspaper the Clatskanie Chief. Her grade point average of 4.0 and her work on the school newspaper, as well as the Clatskanie Chief, and other things has earned her a Presidential Scholarship from Southern Oregon University where she will start this fall. Way to go, Cyndi!

Cloudcroft - Continued

That evening Dustin and I spent some time visiting with Eve. She owns the property where Dustin keeps Emme and CW. Eve is a wonderful person to talk to. She is in her 80’s and was recovering from recent hip surgery. She talked to us about a lot of things in the Cloudcroft area. She had moved there in the 50’s, saying that as soon as she saw it she knew that was where she wanted to live from then on. I hope I will be doing as well as she is when I am her age.

The next day I went with Dustin to visit more of Cloudcroft and the surrounding area.
In the late 1800’s lumberjacks were logging the area around what is now Cloudcroft, and a railroad was built to take the logs down the mountain. Soon the hotels, gift shops, and restraints were built to accommodate the tourists that were finding Cloudcroft a great place to visit.

We played tourist and went to many of the little gift shops along the main street of town. You can walk on the boardwalk there and sometimes watch artists hard at work. Then we had lunch at a café, and then on to the gift shops in the huge lodge near the golf course. The Lodge has a spa, as well as fine dining, and a live in ghost, named Rebecca. I didn’t see her but some people say they do. It was there that I bought a postcard to mail to my sister in Oregon and a necklace as a high school graduation gift for my niece. I didn’t get much on my shopping trip but it was fun. Most of my souvenirs are always the ton of photos I take everywhere I go.


It is a wonderful place to visit, but you need to remember that it is at about the 9000-foot elevation, which can cause some people problems. If nothing else you may find climbing in elevation can cause you shortness of breath and to want to sleep quite a bit until you become used to the change. But the climb to Cloudcroft is well worth it. The area is covered in tall, stately spruce and ponderosa pine trees as well as aspen and oak. Even in mid-May it was still cool enough that we needed our jackets and the oak hadn’t leafed out yet. The grass was green and a few wildflowers where just starting to peak out. I knew that within a few weeks there would be wildflowers everywhere you wanted to look. Since we were driving the Jeep, Dustin and I took one side trip down a dirt road meant only for 4-wheel-drive vehicles. It was rough but gave us a great look at the true wild life of the Sacramento Mountains. Not only did we see the trees and plant life but we saw several elk. It would be a great place to go hiking. We saw some patches of snow left in shady spots and remembered that Cloudcroft is a great winter playground for skiers, and snowmobiling.

While we were out we saw the turnoff to Sunspot, NM. It sits on Sacramento Peck, a high moutain, a few miles from Cloudcroft. I had never heard of it. After doing some checking I sure wished we had gone there. Sunspot is an astronomy center. It is well regarded as having one of the most air pollutant free places in the United States. There is a big visitors center and you can look through some of the impressive telescopes and see the stars. I will certainly go there the next time I visit Cloudcroft.

That evening we went to feed Emme and CW and there were three deer in the field with them. I had seen six deer along the road near the ski resort when I had first got to Cloudcroft. Dustin told me of several big, bull elk that had hung around the ranch all winter. There is much more wild life there including raccoons, skunk, bobcat, bears, squirrels, and rabbits. I saw a red-tailed hawk floating over the ranch one afternoon as he tried to spot a mouse or mole in a field.

I took many photos of all the beautiful horses at the ranch. All together I think there were about twenty-five horses there. The babies were so cute and precious, the yearlings adorable, and the stallions were stunning. Dustin took the time to groom Arte, and then worked with him in the round pen for a bit, letting him run, buck, and play.

To my great disappointment no other foals were born while I was there. On the last day I watched as Dustin and the ranch manager brought in first one Saddlebred stallion and then the other to collect semen from them that was to be shipped next-day-delivery to mares in states far away for artificial insemination. After that the local veterinarian came by to do an ultrasound on one of the mares that had recently foaled to see if she was ready to breed again. She was, so some of the semen that had just been collected from a stallion was used to inseminate her so she would have a baby about 11 months from then. That is how long it takes horses to have their babies. Many horse breeders are using the artificial insemination process with their horses because it is so much safer for both the mare and the stallion.

I didn’t want to leave the mountain hideout that I had found but knew I must so early one morning I left for the low country. I followed the same route back to Albuquerque and wasn’t disappointed in the sights even though I now felt familiar with them as I went from high mountain country to low desert. It was all beautiful. I plan on going there again soon.

If you are interested in learning more about Cloudcroft and the other towns I have mentioned you can visit these websites.
www.cloudcroft.com
www.golbalhemp.com/News/2000/December/discoveries_in_cave_speak.html
www.alamogordo.com
www.townofcarrizozo.org
www.socorro-nm.com
www.albchamber.com
www.belennm.com
www.chacaro.com
www.newmexico.org
http://nsosp.nso.edu/

Trip to Cloudcroft

Trip to Cloudcroft

In mid May I packed a few things into my Jeep Wrangler. Things like a small ice chest full of water and sodas, small mechanical tools for working on the Jeep in case it broke down (thankfully I didn’t have to use them), a bag with a few snacks in case I got hungry, a jacket for the cool weather still in the higher elevations, and a small suitcase with enough clothes for a week. Oh, and did I mention the two, fifty pound bags of horse cookies requested by my son. He can’t buy the kind he wants where he is living near Cloudcroft, NM. So he had asked me to bring him some. And did I mention that two bags of horse cookies doesn’t leave much room for anything else in a Jeep Wrangler. It was a good thing I didn’t plan on being there very long.

I left Albuquerque, New Mexico about 9:00 am. It took me about an hour to go through what is called the Westside part of the city, then out South Coors past Isleta Pueblo to catch highway I-25 south to Los Lunas, Tome, Belen, Bernardo, and Lemitar. Then came Socorro, population 18,000 and where last year at this time I was attending the graduation of my nephew, James, from New Mexico Tech. From Socorro I went a few more miles south to the exit for San Antonio, New Mexico home of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge where thousands of sandhill cranes can be viewed each winter along with lots of ducks, geese, turkey, deer, coyotes, hawks, eagles, quail and once in a while a rare whooping crane. I have visited the refuge often and really enjoy going there, but it is not my goal today. At San Antonio I turned east on New Mexico State Road 380.

I love all the names of the town in New Mexico. I have heard these names all my life but hate to admit that I don’t know the meaning behind most of them. I decide I will look them up on the Internet when I get a chance. Some of them are cute, or quaint, or catchy. Most come from words that are of an Indian (Native American) or Spanish background. Many have been corrupted from the original pronunciation, and are really different from the orgional meaning. But what I really like about a lot of them is how they simply roll of your tongue when you say them.

Heading east I was on a simple two-lane road instead of the four-lane interstate. I couldn’t go as fast but it was a much more pleasant drive. It was desert country and the desert was in bloom on this fine spring morning. Coming around one turn I caught my breath at the sight of a golden yellow field of wild flowers with a rocky ridge pushing up behind it. Right along the edge of the road was several clumps of light pink penstimmons that were about three feet tall in full bloom surrounded by bees and other flying insects. When I stopped to take a photo a blue-tail lizard darted away.

South of this area of New Mexico is a place called Jornada Del Muerto on the map. It means Journey of Death. If you have ever read any New Mexico history you will remember that this was a section of the country that all travelers learned to avoid if it was at all possible. It covers several hundred square miles, and there is nothing out there. And I mean nothing (or at least that is what I have read, as I have never ventured out into it). Oh, there is cactus, sagebrush and a few other desert plants but nothing else and this includes water. Especially water. Even in this day and age it would be suicidal for anyone to try to cross the Jornada Del Muerto with out plenty of water and food, plus extra gasoline for their vehicle, if you can even find a road through it. I have to add that a lot of it is government land and only the military are allowed on it. Since this is the 'place of death' it kind of seems like that might be one reason that the government decided that was where they should set off the first atomic bomb on July 16, 1945. I saw the gate to go to the Trinity Site near a wide spot in the road called Bingham. I decided that maybe, just maybe, I should take one of the tours that are offered at the Site twice a year, the next time one is available.

Just before the next town I saw an area called The Malpais, meaning The Badlands. This is a common name for very old, long-cooled rivers of lava flows. There were large collections of the state flower of New Mexico, the yucca, over much of the lava. I was disappointed that the yucca weren’t in bloom yet. The tall flowers of the yucca were referred to by the conquistadors as the candles of the lord and were thought to light the way at night. The white, waxy flowers do stand out even in the dark. I pulled into the tiny little community of Carrizozo, population near 1000, about noon No I didn’t misspell that name. It refers to a type of native grass in the region. I stopped at a gas station to use the restroom and grab a snack. There was Mexican music playing inside, and the people were friendly, and the smell of burritos got to me. I bought one and went on my way savoring the rich, spicy chili, cheese, and meat inside the flour tortilla.

From Carrizozo I went south on New Mexico State Road 54. There wasn’t much to see on this stretch of road, except very flat desert, a few cars and pickups and numerous big rigs. I did get a faint glimpse of the white sands in the White Sands National Monument. Or it may have been part of the White Sands Missile Range, which is not open to the public. I made Tularosa about 1:00 pm. Tularosa means reeds or cattails, and the population is about 2,800. I didn’t stop, as I wanted to get on to Alamogordo. I was unable to find out the meaning of the name, Alamogordo, but the population is about 35,000. Near by is Holloman Air Force Base, which is the home of the Stealth Fighter planes. Again I didn’t stop but took the east turn on New Mexico State Road 82. I did stop for a moment when I reached the tunnel that is about midway between Alamogordo and Cloudcroft. I took pictures of the tunnel, a bit longer than a football field and the canyon beside it that has a sign saying it is part of the Lincoln National Forest. It had another sign saying that the canyon was home to the Fresnel Shelter Site which is two caves that archaeologists first found fifty some years ago. The caves had many things in them like arrowheads, hemp sandals, baskets, brooms, bedding, and a 3000-year-old corncob thought to be from a native culture of gatherers before the time of the Anasazi. Lincoln National Forest is, also, famous for being the home of Smokey the Bear. Smokey was found as a tiny cub after a bad forest fire. He went on to become the symbol of the Forest Service for fighting fires. He was fond of saying, “Only you can prevent forest fires,” which is still very true.

It was about 2:00 pm when I reached the town of Cloudcroft, meaning a croft or meadow in the clouds, population about 800, with an elevation at 8663 feet. Another words its way up there in the clouds. It is a beautiful little town with several motels, restaurants, and lots of gift shops. I stopped long enough to call Dustin, my son, so he would be out at the corner of the road I was to turn on to get to the small horse ranch where he works, which was my final destination.

Six more miles down the road east of Cloudcroft I saw Dustin standing beside his truck and waving at me. He jumped in it and led the way to Chacaro Oh-So-Black Arabian and Pinto Ranch. The ranch is a small one as ranches go so don’t go thinking in terms of cowboys, as there isn’t a cow on the place. It is a horse-breeding ranch. The raise Arabians and Saddlebred horses.

The first thing we did was put my suitcase and stuff in Dustin’s small apartment in one end of the main barn. The next thing we did was go to see Darkan’s Mystic Art or as he is better known as Arte. It is pronounced Art-ee. Arte is the yearling colt that Dustin’s mare Emme had last spring. I had seen him once before at about five months. Now he was a bit over a year old and just gorgeous. He is a handsome, fine-looking colt. But then I might be a bit opinionated. Arte is half Arabian and half Saddlebred or National Show Horse as the half Saddlebred horses are called. He is black with his mama’s long white stocking, and two lightning bolt stripes down over his left side and flank. He really has a pretty Arabian head like his sire Black Lord Darkan.

Next it was off to see the two mares that had recently foaled. Both off them were black Arabians that had been bred to the two Saddlebred stallions owned by the ranch. Both babies were adorable little fillies. Both were black with white stockings. One had a white splotch on her withers, and the other had a large white band around her middle. I couldn’t help but want to hold and love them but they wouldn’t stand for that. They were curious and wanted to nibble on everything they could put their mouths on, but have to be taught not to bit on humans.

After meeting all the horses, Dustin and I went to feed his two mares that he was keeping at another place a few miles away. There I got reacquainted with Emme, and CW. Emme is Arte’s mom and is a beautiful black and white pinto. CW (Charging Walk) is a big, bay Thoroughbred mare that is very, very pregnant. I have hopes that she will have it while I am here but she is not due for about another month.

To be Continued---------

Comments

Thanks to any one who has taken the time to read my blog, and thanks again to those of you who have left comments. Maybe someday I will figure out how to add links to your sites, and add photos to my blogs.

Newspaper Article

I'm still bragging on my neice. The Longview, WA newspaper wrote a great article about her. You can see it at http://www.tdn.com/articles/2005/06/09/area_news/news02.txt
But you can't see her picture on the online version. It was in the paper. Maybe she can help me learn how to add pictures to my blog.

Flip Side

Today I watched as a sudden rain storm rumbled and clattered in from the west causing all three dogs to follow me from here to there with fear in their eyes, ears dropping, and try to lay on top of me if I sat down. Thats a lap full of German Shepherd, Border Collie and Lab mutt. Today I thought of the mud that would be tramped into my house that I had just cleaned so well. Today I watched three horses take cover in their shelters and one, BlackJack, stand out in the field as close as he could get to the electric power pole. Today I heard the snap, crackle, and firey pop of a power pole being hit. I expected to find Jack lying dead on the ground but, thankfully it wasn't so. It didn't matter that for two hours we had no electricty, and my computer had lost the paragraph I was writing to post on this blog, since Jack was Okay. The lightning had hit a pole about a quarter of a mile away. I rewrote the blog, then slogged through the mud to feed the horses with the dogs following, as they still expected to hear more thunder. But that was alright since Jack was Okay. As he eats his hay, I stand beside him put my arms around his neck and whisper into his ear. He flicks the ear and shoves his nose under my arm for a moment . Its as if he is telling me that everything is Okay.

Rain

As happens frequently in New Mexico there were thoughts of rain. That usually happens when a cloud covers up the sun for a few moments, and usually it then goes on it's way to where ever clouds go. First of all today there were big, white, fluffy clouds that looked like you could reach up and pull one down to use as a pillow to take a nap on. Then those big, white, fluffy clouds begain piling up one on top of another until they were making thunderheads. Gradually they got bigger and darker, and bigger and darker. Gradually there was a low grumble of thunder off to the west. The west wind picked up, came sailing in and rattled the leaves of the trees and ruffled the new, feathery growth on the native gray sage that grows so well here.

Today big drops of rain splattered down onto the dry, thirsty dirt to bring that wonderful smell that only a person who has lived in the desert and prayed repeatedly for rain can understand. Today the rain came and washed the dust off the trees, sage, and a few roses. Today there was the sound of huge splats on the roof, the concrete patio, and the metal chimney in my fireplace. Today the dust was washed off my red Jeep Wrangler making it red again. Today I savored the sounds, smells, and sharpe splashes of lightning that split the sky. Today I relished the sound of thunder crackling, and rumbling as it passed overhead. Today I watched as the rain storm came at me and mine, drinched the land, and moved to the east to do the same to other thristy parts of New Mexico.

Midnight

I couldn't sleep last night and the dogs wanted out so we went outside to visit the horses. Apparently they couldn't sleep either or else they just thought it was a treat to get petted at midnight. At first it was still and quiet, then I began noticing all the traffic. What is it that has people up and going someplace at midnight on a Sunday night? Or should I say at midnight on a very early Monday morning? I was amazed as I counted all the cars and pickups coming and going at the Tumbleweed Crossing. It wasn't just a few it was dozens of them. Some of them going south on the street to the east of me, others going south and north on my street Tenth, and other east and west on I St. Or should I say on our dirt roads. In a bigger comunity I would have expected this much traffic. Even more. But here we are in our small, rural area with all these comings and goings. Doesn't make since. But then what was I doing up at midnight out walking the dogs and petting the horses? Maybe it was a night of no sleep for everyone.

other Bloggers

I recently found to other blogs that I like. Check them out if you get a chance.
http://holdyerhorses.blogspot.com is about horses, and http://menfreya.tblog.com is Josie's Journal; Josie is a writer.
Also don't for get to try http://wonderinwords.blogspot.com
and http://ponytracks.blogsite.com

No Punctuation

I have been trying to read other blogs and I am finding it very difficult. What is with this idea that you don't have to punctuate what you write any more? I refuse to read blogs or anything else on the net that has no capitalization, punctuation, and can't even spell the most simple of words. I'm not saying everything has to be perfect, but come on, why should I have to figure out where one sentence ends and another begins. Reading what someone else wrote can be to much of a chore when it is punctuated. Why can't you, the writer capitalize the names of people, cities, countries or your pets names? To my way of thinking if you don't capitalize these few things it means you do not care for them. This is just another way of saying you are not educated, and do not want to learn. Voicing your opinion is a good thing, but if no one can figure out what you are saying what good is writing it? Again I will simple refuse to read your blog, no matter how intersting it might be if it doens't have some punctuation.

Bragging Rights

I have to brag. My neice graduated from high school today. You say thats nice but nothing special. Maybe so, but she graduated with all A's. And not just in highschool. She had all A's from kindergarden through 12th grade. 13 years of all A's on her reportcards. Yes that is something to brag about in my opinion. She will start college in the fall, and is planning on majoring in journelism. Someday you will be reading her articles in the newspapers or here on line.

Roses

My roses are blooming. I have three yellow ones and two red ones. I am very proud that I can raise roses in the desert. My secret, if anyone should want to know it, is that I feed them bananas. Yes, you got that right bananas. Along with a can of beer and a handfull of epson salts, and another handfull of horse manure. (Thats 'cause I got all the horse poop I can use, and then some). I make a bucket of the beer, epson salts and a gallon of water and pour it on. Then I shove a shovel down about six inches and about twelve inches away from the base of the rose. I then shove a ripe banana into the hole made by the shovel and cover it up again. Next scatter a good handfull of well dryed horse manure around the base of the rose. Never, never put it up against the trunk of the rose. And always make sure it is well dried. If you don't have your own supply of manure, get some steer manure from your local nursery. If it says heat treated, so much the better. Make sure you never over do it with the manure. It is so easy to burn up plants, roses, and trees by using to much manure or fresh stuff. Water well, and I mean well. At least a couple of gallons of water every other day. Oh, and if your just planning those roses, don't forget to add some top soil, and a good multch.

Only in America

This has been a better day. Wind is only breezing today. Don't feel as if I am going to be blown away, all the way to Kansas, or at least to somewhere else. And no offence against Kansas, in fact I have never been to Kansas. Wouldn't mind going as it is one of the few states I have never been to.

At some point I would like to be able to say I have at least been in all 50 states.

I have lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Pampa, Texas; Burlington, Vermont; Los Vegas, Nevada; Tampa, Florida; Tucson, Arizona; Sandpoint, Idaho, back to Albuquerque, New Mexico; Chandler, Arizona; San Diego, California; Waukegan, Illinois; Honolulu, Hawaii; Silver City, New Mexico; and back to Albuquerque, New Mexico again. That is 10 states, and 12 cities.

With all that traveling and even more what with vacations. I have been in

Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, and Hawaii. Thats 32 different states. I am hoping I didn't leave anything out.

I really do hope I can add the other 18 states to the list sometime in the near future. And I would like to meet someone who has been in all 50 states. I am sure there are some politicians out there at least that have been in all states. But what about the common, everyday type people.

Ut - Oh! Maybe I just goofed. What are the common, everyday type of people?

Anyway if you have been in a lot of our great 50 states let me know.

Things that don't make since

Someone emailed me this. I just had to share it with everyone.

If money doesn't grow on trees then why do banks have branches?

Since bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round?

Why do you have to "put your two cents in".. . but it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to?

Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?

Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

What disease did cured ham actually have?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up like every two hours?

If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

If you drink Pepsi at work in the Coke factory, will they fire you?

Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

How come we choose from just two people for President and fifty for Miss America?

Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They're going to see you naked anyway.

If a 911 operator has a heart attack, whom does he/she call?

Why is "bra" singular and "panties" plural?

Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet soup?

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out!"

Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?

When your photo is taken for your driver's license, why do they tell you to smile? If you are stopped by the police and asked for your license, are you going to be smiling?

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?

Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane?

If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?

Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their crotch when they ask where the bathroom is?

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!

What do you call male ballerinas?

Can blind people see their dreams?

Do they dream?If Wyle E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Is Disney World the only people trap operated by a mouse?

Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?Why did you just try singing the two songs above?

Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it's in your butt?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride; he sticks his head out the window?

Do you ever wonder why you gave me your e-mail address in the first place?

Wonderin' Words

I have started a new blog. You can see it at
http://wonderinwords.blogspot.com
At Wondrin' Words I will be posting some of the short stories I have been writing. Take a look and a read and send me your comments and feedback.

Full Moon

The full moon may bring out the crazy people and make normal people crazy but I still think it is beautiful and a very special time. A full moon affects the tides and animals as well as people. I notice that my animals seem to get into sort of crazy moods during a full moon. The horses act more skitish and spook at every little thing. They prefer to stay out in the field rather than come into their small pens. The cats try their darnest to get out at night and stay out refussing to be persuided to come in. And of course the dogs actually go out and howl at the moon. My German Shepherd, Codee, looks up at the moon and barks and growls at it.

Okay, even I feel the pull of the moon when it is full. I stay outside and watch the moon as it comes up over the Sandia Mountains to the east of Albuquerque. It is usually a pretty sight. The big round moon, more white than yellow, peaking up over the mountain, pushing through the small clouds that are in its way until it is shining down so it can light up the desert so I can see without the need of a light. I stare trying to see the man-in-the-moon, or the bear-in-the-moon. I sometimes feel I can actually see the craters. I don't know if I can or if it is just wishful thinking.

A shudder runs through my body and I wonder if the ghosts and goblins, are out watching the moon come up with me. Maybe a vampire is hiding in a clump of cactus. I hear coyotes howling, and watch rabbits playing in the light of the moon. Even they feel the pull.

I toss my head back, open my mouth and try to mimic the coyotes. I, too, am feeling a bit crazy.

Full Moon Crazies

Did you ever notice how a full moon brings out the crazy people? It seems as if a full moon can make the normal people act insane. Monday May 23rd will be another full moon, but already I am seeing stupid, dumb, idiot stunts by normall people. Take for instance - drivers are a lot worse about speeding, tail-gating, and driving to slow than ususal. Some parent on our street is letting their children ride their bikes in the dark on a busy intersection (Tumbleweed Crossing). I saw them and had time to stop, another women came closer to hitting one, (and she wasn't speeding), she stopped and told them they shouldn't be riding there, but it didn't do any good. Over in the arroyo a large group is having a party (I guess that is what you call it). They have their music so loud I can hear it. Now mind you they are about a quarter of a mile away from me. I sure hope they turn it down soon, and I am sure my neighbors wish the same thing. Did those people stop to think that there are people who actually live out here and don't want those from somewhere else invading our neighborhood to have their cookouts and parties? No, of course they didn't.

I think a full moon is a beautiful sight up in the sky with the stars surrounding it, but everytime we have one I hope it is over soon and that no one gets hurt.

National Friendship Week

An email friend sent this to me. I think it is very important to remember our friends, be they someone we see everyday at work or home or someone we only know throught email. Please feel free to copy this and send it to your friends. Let them know you consider them your friend.

True Friend>>> A girl asked a guy if he thought she was pretty, He said...no. She asked him if he would want to be with her forever..... and he said no. She then asked him if she were to leave would he cry, and once again he replied with a no. She had heard enough. As she walked away, tears streaming down her face the boy grabbed her arm and said....

You're not pretty you're beautiful.. I don't want to be with you forever. I NEED to be with you forever. And I wouldn't cry if you walked away...I'd die...

Remember: "A good friend will not come bail you out of jail.... But a true friend will be sitting next to you saying ... WE screwed up!

Remember: I'm proud to be your Friend!

I've learned....That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned....That we should be glad God doesn't give useverything we ask for.

I've learned....That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned....That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned...That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned....That the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes methink I can?

I've learned....That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I've learned....That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned...That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned....That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned....That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned....That there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

I've learned...That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned....That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned...That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned....That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned...That I wish I could have told those I cared about that I love them one more time before they passed away.

I've learned....That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them. I've learned....That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks

I've learned....That I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

I've learned....That when your newly born child holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

I've learned....That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness, and growth happen while you're climbing it.

I've learned....That the less time I have to work, the more things I get done.

To all of you ... It's National Friendship Week. Show your friends how much you care. Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND If it comes back to you, then you'll know you have a circle of friends. HAPPY FRIENDSHIP WEEK TO YOU!!!!!! YOU ARE MY FRIEND AND I AM HONORED SO NOW I WILL SAY---- I like you because of who you are to me.... MY FRIEND

Vacation

I took a weeks vacation and went to see my son in Cloudcroft, NM. I had never been there before so it was with excited antipication that I went. I had always heard how pretty it was there and it was. It is way up in the mountains and clouds, at an elivation of 9000 feet. I will be writing alot more about my trip in some up coming articles. Keep an eye out for them.

Sandy Rain

We are having typical New Mexico rain. It is made up of a mix of a dozen gallons of blowing sand mixed with three tiny little rain drops, and 35 mile per hour winds. I think that makes for a wonderful mix. It gets the soil moved around. It adds a bit of mosture and humidity to the air, it drys out the skin and hair while evaporating the water in the plants, horse and dog water buckets.

Fan Fiction

Did the title of this article get your attention? Do you know what fan fiction is? Most people don't. So I will try to explain. Fan fiction is fiction stories writen by you and I or anyone else about TV showes and movies. Another wards you really, really are a fan of a certain show - I'll use Gunsmoke as an example - and you think that maybe you could write stories as good or a lot better than the ones you are watching on TV. Okay so you sit down and write your story. Only what do you do with it now? You can try to get your family and friends to read it. (You find out that they really don't like the show and don't want to read your story. Or if they do read it, they don't like it and you can't figure out why) You can shove it in a desk drawer and forget it. Or - you can send it to a fan fiction publisher and see if you will publish it with the next batch of fan fiction stories.

When I first got into fan fiction most of it was published by small time publishers that did it in as cheep as possible, in a cheep magazine or newpaper form, (usually on an old printer) and then sold it to the people writing the stories for an outragious price. ($10 and up was not unusual for a copy of anywhere form 10 to 50 pages of stories. The more pages the higher the price.) Most of them were sold at flee markets, garage sales, rummage sales, school craft sales, Star Trek conventions, etc. Another words there wasn't much market for them. And no one, the publisher included, made any money.

Then came computer published. That really helped the fan fiction writer. Don't think your going to make any money writing fan fiction. You can't get paid for writing about a set and characters that someone else has already made up.

But it is fun. It is a great way to find out if you really have what it takes to write. And sometimes it is more fun to read what others have read.

So - give it a try.

One of my favorite fan fiction sites is www.womenwritersblock.com

Most of the stories are about all the western TV show that have been around longer that most of us have been alive. Women writers block is easy to get around on, find the new and old stories, by either the name of the show or the writers. You can find some of my fan fiction stories there under my fan fiction name of Stardust.

Let me know what you think of them.

Email Address Names

Humans have a tendency to collect things. It seems to be something that is genetically breed into us. No other animal or critter on earth collects things to the extent that the human animal does. Each and everyone out there collects something. I don’t think we intentionally start out to collect things, but we do it anyway. We find something we like and start collecting them. Many people collect art objects, or antiques, or books, or plants, or pets, (as I do, along with everything else I have listed here). Others may collect children, or husbands, or rocks, or stuffed toys, or Disneyland stuff, or shoes, or videos, or CD’s, or records, or photos, or – well I could go on and on. Anyway you get the picture. Anything that has ever been invented, found, made, or dreamed up is collected somewhere by someone.
But did you ever realize that there seems to be a trend toward collecting email address. When email first became part of our modern culture, and way of life, most people were thrilled to have just one email. Now I talk to people and it seems everyone has several email address, maybe even a dozen or so. It seems that most of my family has on average at least five email address’. I have four at this time. And I remember having at least five others that are now dead.
So I got to thinking about what makes people want to have so many email addresses. First we get our first one. It’s thrilling. It makes us feel special. It makes us feel one of the crowd. It makes us feel as if we are fitting into the now generation of computer nerds. Okay. But I have noticed a different trend toward getting emails in odd and very strange names. If you have to have an email at work it is usually something related to your true name. The one you received from your parents when you were born. Those that get an email address for their own private use, usually for there home PC, invariably chose something weird, or something that pertains to a hobby they have, or their children, or the name they wish their parents had named them. That last idea seems to be one of the most popular ideas for email address, especially if the user of the email doesn’t intend to let anyone know about his/her secret email, with his/her secret name. Think about a few of my old ones, - nicdee, codee, ponyeetails, ponee333, starrdust, and some others I have known, - maxtus, laddybugg, cooldude, mickymanic, frilling, cattmom, sagegray, shadyjade. These don’t even sound like names at all to me.
So you ask if it’s so secret how do I know people do this? Well, it doesn’t seem to take much to get people to admit that they have a secret email, which uses their secret name. Do you know anyone that really likes his or her birth name? Neither do I. Be it Mary, or Charles, or George, or Jane we all wish it was something else. Like –(and I’m still talking first names here) Mairya, or Rainbow, or Jade, or Chance, or Paisley, or Colby, or Blue, or Trent, or Chase, or Lilia, or Tally. Or maybe your name is Rainbow and you wish it was just plain Jane. Or Chase wants to be a common name like Henry.
Getting that email in your fantasy name is a great way to express yourself for who you really are. And if getting an email fantasy name is great, getting your own website in your own special name is even better. Used to be we had to pay to get that special domain name. Now there are homepages and even better are blog sites. On blog sites we can do more than have that secret name, we can write about and actually (sort of) publish our dreams, longing, thoughts, opinions, and long withheld personal stories.
To top that off it seem as if any name that you dream up has already been dreamed up by one or even a dozen other people. Take my two blog names. I thought they were really unique and different when I chose them and, wonder of wonder; I was the first to choose them for the bog sites I applied for. Only when I put the names into some of the search engines to see if they came up – like in Google, MSN search, Yahoo search, and others. Well you know what happened. There they were, already used by lots and lots of people for lots and lots of different reasons.
So here I am trying to come up with a new and different email address and blog site name that no one and I mean no one else will have ever used.
Yeah, I hear you; you’re saying GOOD LUCK, and NO SUCH THING.

Mother's Violets

My favorite flower is the wood violet. Violets always remind me of my mother. She always had lots, and lots of them in her yard. Of course any flower could remind me of Mother. She had a very special way of being able to grow just about anything. But violets always jog my memories of her. I remember how she would pick one of the tiny, little, purple blossoms, smell it, then hand it to me and say, “Smell it. It will make you feel better.” And it would. When they were blooming in the early spring she would always keep a tiny vase filled with them and sitting on a shelf over the kitchen sink where she could see and smell them. I hope that where ever Mother is now she has time to ‘Stop and smell the violets’ as well as all the other flowers she used to grow.
With that in mind let me give you a few hints about raising violets. First of all they may not be very big but they certainly send out a lot of very fragrant, heady perfume. Violets are usually one of the earliest flowers to bloom each year. They start blooming in late winter here in the southwest, and in early spring in other parts of the United States. In fact I found my first one this winter on New Year’s Day. One doesn’t expect to find flowers, let alone such a wonderful perfume, from such a small usually unnoticed plant.
There are lots of different kinds of violets, or violas, which are kin to the pansy. Mine seems to have the sweetest order of any I have smelled. I got my start from my mom and she got hers from her mom, and that’s going back more than fifty years so I couldn’t say for sure which verity it actually is. They grow rapidly from seed and division by clumps and become a pest if not kept under control. Mine are larger than the wild violets but not near as big as a pansy. And are a deep purple in color.
I have found that a pot of violets makes a great gift at any time especially for the beginning gardener, or for that special mom on Mother’s Day. I have seen and even eaten some violets that were candied and used for decorations on cakes and cookies. My Mother used to do it, but I haven’t tried it yet.
Next time you want to try something a bit different in your flowerbeds, give violets a try. I have let them invade a small flowerbed right by my front door. I know that this wonderful little flower will great me, and any visitors I have, with a lovely sight and a profusion of smell for about 6 weeks each spring. Give them a try, and maybe they will remind you of someone special.

Looking East

It is my understanding that many Native Americans place their homes so that the opening is to the east. This is so that the morning sun will wake them, warm them, and bring good things into their lives that day. My house has two doors. One that faces west and one that faces east. The one facing west is the front door according to the builder. I can’t really say we have a back yard and a front yard as it is more or less all one yard. But I am glad that the so-called back door faces east. It is the door I always look out first thing every morning. Of course that is where I let the dogs out as soon as I get up, so of course I look out it. It opens up onto a small yard where I have a desert garden of sorts. Behind the little garden is about 2 areas of true desert, made up of mostly sagebrush and tumbleweeds. So far the owner of those 2 areas has never shown his face around here that I know of and I hope he/she never does. It would just really ruin my view if a house were ever built there. From there I can look across a few more areas of desert, across a large arroyo, more desert that has a gradual rise to it, and then far in the distance I see the Sandia Mountains that are to the east of Albuquerque. Do to that little desert ridge I get to miss seeing a big residential area to the west of Albuquerque.
Every morning I watch the sun rise over the north end of the Sandia Mountains. Many times there is a yellow, and orange sunrise just as that big ball of fire tips its way over the mountain. On summer days it shines down onto the desert foretelling the shearing dry heat of another day. Other times, after a rain, the sun lights up each drop of water that still sits on the sage and cactus, or hangs off the my wire fence as if it were a sparkling diamond. On winter days after a snow I watch as the sun first spotlights the white expanse of desert and then gradually melts the white stuff into a life-giving but muddy mess.
Every morning I do as the Native Americans do and give a simple thank you that the sun did come up and that I am still alive to appreciate it. I listen to the singing of a curved bill thrush that is building a nest in a nearby cactus. I marvel at the beauty of the new leaves on the trees that I planted last year, and laugh at the antics of my one-year-old Border Collie, Tuffee. I let the cats out and watch as Murphy, our black tomcat climbs up a fence post, and sits there looking off to the east, as if he, too, is watching the sun come up and saying thanks to it. Who knows, maybe he really is.

Windy Night

The tumbleweeds are crossing tonight. Drifing, floating, swirling here and there at the wim of the west wind. The wind came back this afternoon, and now it is midnight with the wind blowing the dry weeds, and clouds floating across the dark sky, and spits of rain coming now and then. I can hear the whine of the wind whishing in the power lines that hang from the power poles behind the house. Sometimes it worries me when I see the electic and phone lines swinging in the wind. But so far none have ever come down. I walk outside and check on the horses who seem to be sound asleep in their pens. I stop under one of the cottonwood trees I planted last spring to listen to the rattle of the new leaves that have just emerged with the warmth of spring. I give a small prayer that the wind doesn't strip them off the young tree. I like to hear the russle of tree leaves but now they are fluttering way to fast.

A pickup truck goes through our intersetion of 'I' Street and Tenth Street much faster than the speed limit, a sterio blasting it's music for the world to hear, even if they don't want to. Off in the distance I hear the howl of a coyote. It sounds as if he might be down in the arroyo. An airplane drones across the sky.

Codee my German Shepherd wonders into the range of the motion light on the hay shed and it comes on. She comes back to me, jumps up on the wooden platform I use to mount my horses, and swipes a warm tounge across my hand. "Sit still," I tell her. Moments later we see one of the baby cottontail rabbits that live under the hay shed come out to munch on a piece of hay near the shed door. I put a hand to Codee's colar so she can't go chase it. Although we are still it suddenly seems to since we are watching and darts back under the shed.

"Come, Codee, it's time to try to sleep again."

Sunday Morning Thoughts

Its cool, and cloudy and quiet. Or I thought it was quiet. Hot air balloons are up and at it again. What kind of a person can get up that early and drive all the way out to our section of the world to inflate a balloon and fly it over people, dogs, and horses that don't want to see and hear them?

Horses are fed and not fussing to much at balloons. Dogs have stopped barking at them. Hope they are all down, packed up and gone.

I was going to ride this morning but not sure now. BlackJack has a nasty scrape on side of his head near his eye and where bridle would rub it, and off his feed a bit. We are now changing this to a day of rest for him and me. Might decide to work with Star and Nita. They could use it. Or with the dogs.

Me rest! Hah! The doctor told me I have sciatica. Damage to the sciatic nerve. The nerve that runs down your spine and then down each leg. It doesn't hurt to bad when I'm standing, but when I sit down or lay down it pinches the nerve and starts cutting of the circulation, as well as causing lots of pain and muscle spasms. Who would have ever thought of that happening. Rest is not all that easy to come by anymore.

Have laundry to do and want to plant some more morning glory and sunflower seeds up by the front gate. Don't know if they will grow there or not but going to give it a try.