They are GONE!

Well all good things have to come to an end I guess. Our guests have been returned to their parents so Dogpound North is a much quieter place tonight than it has been for a while. They climbed in the truck and Ella drove them out of the yard and off down the highway to Rocky this morning after we fed them breakfast.

Well even though Ella was driving, they were in her Dad’s truck and towing their boat home with them while the “Jeep Car” was riding in the back of the pickup. We had a great week with the girls and certainly came to know them a lot better over the 8 days they were here. Ella is a real big sister and is always looking out for Alle. Yep, like all big sisters a little bossy from time to time but as protective as a guard dog too. and Alle is just like most younger siblings, always trying to get into stuff and keeping her sis, and Grandma, busy keeping up with her.

The girls went on a shopping trip with Grandma and on a sleepover at Aunty Becky’s house for one night so they were pretty busy. And between trips they were going non-stop here so Grandma is pretty much exhausted. Ella was keen to get out and be around the horses every time it got even a slight bit warmer and we had a few heart warming moments with those equine pals of ours and her. She is fearless around them and like most animals they know that she wouldn’t hurt them so they are exceedingly gentle when they are her. Sometimes when folks are down visiting them they can crowd around and intimidate people but with Ella they each in turn came over and had a visit with her and then stepped back to let the next pony come up for some pets. Facebook friends of mine have been subjected to countless pictures and video’s of her and the horses but I will just try and stick one YouTube video in this journal. Coal is my son’s big Percheron/Quarter cross horse and is usually a little shy around folks but he was the first one to come over and introduce himself to Ella on her visit down in the pasture. Too bad the breeze was a little noisy, the questions she was asking are the same ones an old horseman would have been asking if he had been there. How old is he, broke, etc.

 

Just for the record Alle did get down to visit the horse but since she was being carried by the cameraman she never made any of the pictures, and while we were watching some training videos and the Buck film she was riveted to the screen every time the horses were on. As Brenda says I might get a barrel racing girl around the place yet.

Now that the girls have gone back to Rocky it is back to the real world for us, a busy week on the medical front, MRI’s, Dentists, Orthopaedic Surgeons, and tests, all to combat the ravages of old age I guess, well old age for me and the side effects of waiting on me hand and foot for my bride, but really just to get us ready for another year of travel. And God willing and the creek don’t rise we will actually bring the bus out of the barn and do a little RV’ing next weekend.

Stay tuned for the next report from a VERY quiet little spot just down the road from Dogpound.

In a Land just North of Summer

Really, since we have got back north of the Medicine Line we have enjoyed an extended period of winter like weather. I guess maybe wintering at Dogpound South has made us soft but even though the temps have not been terribly cold it seems like it has snowed every day since we got home. But the forecast is for warmer weather and maybe even some of those mystical April showers. That should get the snow knocked down and make it a little more spring like here down the road from Dogpound. I haven’t done much riding but the horses are enjoying their time off and making the most of their freedom.

We kept them in for a couple of days and then turned them out with the rest of the remuda, so it is time for them to just be horses and do a little pawing through that snow for their fed. Don’t worry those that were here all winter are much fatter than our hand fed southern ponies so I am sure they are doing just fine, and I do walk down every day just to make sure all is well. And now that the weather is turning around I will be able to start working with some of our northern horses, to start getting them in shape for the summer.

Turned Out VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

But we didn’t head home just to make sure we got a little snow and salt all over our vehicles. Our, daughter and son-in-law, Lacey and Clayton, were heading to Cuba to celebrate Lace’s 30th birthday so a couple of little girls were looking for a place to hang out till their parents came home and Grandma and I are glad to have them here. Although looking after two kids under 4 is keeping us hopping I have to say. Well, really, Brenda is hopping, and I am just trying to stay out of the way for the most part.

The Anderson Girls VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

We are having a riot with the girls and should have them well and properly spoiled by the time their parents get home.

On other fronts I am back at my regular pool and doing 2500 meters (~a mile and a half) five days a week, and both Brenda and I are heading into battery of tests and doctors appointments over the next couple of weeks so we can get that out of the way before it is time to head back to Dogpound South.

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In a Land just to the North of Summer

Things are starting to settle down here a little. It was a sad homecoming but the world keeps turning and each day the great stories Dad told get better and the bad ones fade into the sunset.

I thought I would recap our trip home as lots of folks ask how that works. We loaded Blue and Willow bright and early on Tuesday morning the 2nd of April and headed north. We weren’t exactly sure where we were going to get to but had figured on 8-10 hours on the road per day. The first day we got to Fillmore, Utah and found a spot at the rodeo grounds where the ponies could get out of the trailer and spend the night in a box stall. Not ideal but there is a great facility there and would have been room to get them a little exercise if Brenda’s Jeep hadn’t cratered on the highway just south of Fillmore. It had a light on that had come on and off all winter. The manual says it is just an alert and something you need to check out, well before we got it checked out it quit. We used our AAA and had it towed into Provo, Utah to the Larry Miller Dodge Jeep dealer there.

In the morning once again about 0600 hours we loaded the horses and headed north into Provo, Utah to figure out what was wrong with Brenda’s Jeep and how long it would be. We had great service from the dealer there and it was only a couple of hours till they had diagnosed the problem, as the alternator, and told us it wouldn’t be ready till quitting time Wednesday night. At that point we decided that I better hit the road north and Brenda would wait for the Jeep and follow a day behind.

I managed to make the rodeo grounds in Great Falls, Mt that night and although we got in late we found a couple of stalls and the horses were able to stretch their legs with a walk around the grounds before we all hit the hay for the night.

The next morning I once again hit the trail towards Dogpound North. After a confusing stop at the border where the customs guys and the vets disagreed on what papers I needed, the vet won, and I had those papers, I was again headed north. If you read my previous blog you know what happened from there on, so I am going to jump ahead to some of the more recent happenings.

Our friends from south of the Medicine Line must have sent this escort to make sure we got back home safe and sound, thanks. Other than the inevitable stuff connected with a loved one passing we have been trying to get life back to normal as much as we can. I ran down to Foxhollow Farms just south of us to watch Madison’s lessons and Claire riding her little paint Oscar.

Both girls are doing great and have improved a lot over the winter. Next week their horses are coming home to Dogpound North so they will get some outdoor riding done then.

Although Brenda was a day behind me and actually hit a little bit of winter around Great Falls, Mt she got home on Friday and on Sunday we got all the kids except Paul and Terri and their bunch out here down the road from Dogpound. It was a short visit but gave Brenda the grandchild fix she needed.

Kids, Grandkids and Grandkids to come VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

 

The next weekend the kids got their horses back on the place here so they were out playing around the yard.

Big Horse and Little VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Matt and Michelle have a couple of half brothers Razz and Coal who are Percheron crosses and Madison has Spanky a Welsh/Quarter cross while Claire has a small paint named Oscar. The big guys are pretty tall to climb up on and Spanky is a little small for me but I am thinking I might like to try out that little paint. After seeing Bill’s Mr. Shorty (Fred) down south I might like a horse that I can swing my leg over without reaching for the stirrup.

Eat your heart out Lazybarr Bill

So today Mr. Oscar and I had a short ride around Dogpound North and just to deal with a little excess energy he had we took a spin around the cultivated field next door. That deep mud seems to burn that energy up pretty quick. He is a pretty catty little horse and I think is pretty used to getting his own way with the kids, but once he gets a few miles on him I think he will be a great kids horse. Not exactly the size that a fellow of my generous proportions needs but fun for a short tune-up ride once in a while.

And just in case you think a little snow can stop a confirmed flip-flop wearer, evidence of lunacy below.

and Down again

I have made it back to Dogpound South after a quick trip back to the Northern Ranges. The weather up there was pretty cooperative too as it didn’t drop below freezing until long after dark and the days were up in the high 30’s. Anytime you get above freezing in January in that country you gotta count your blessings. I managed to get around and see all of our grandchildren while I was up there and most of the kids, although Ved and Clayton had to work.

Visiting the Family VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I was back home to give my Dad a hand getting around to some medical appointments and procedures and just for the record those all went fine and he is back home. Here is a picture we got with four generations of Brown Boys all together one day when we snuck out for brunch together with my son Paul and my grandson Lucas.

All the pictures up to this point in this entry were taken with my phone camera so I am thinking of throwing out all the DSLR’s I have and just packing the phone..lol.

Dad was all done with the medico’s on Saturday at noon and I was quick to get on the plane south that afternoon. Seems that the fine weather I was enjoying was about to change. This time the weatherman wasn’t lying the bottom was dropping out of the thermometer about the time I landed at Sky Harbor in Phoenix. Rumour has it that it is –28C (-19F) back home as I write this.

Sunday Brenda and I had an engagement planned with the Southwest Ranch Roping Association. One of our local ladies had asked us to pop by and take some photos of the roping here in Maricopa. We had a great time and once we figured out the scoring system it all started to make a little sense too. Thanks for the tutoring Dick.

Ranch roping is a lot different than some of the more mainstream types of roping events, a lot slower paced and much more like what happens on real ranches than some of the other events. Keeping the stock calm and minimizing the stress on the cattle is held at a premium at this event. I won’t try to explain the scoring system here, mostly because I am still trying to figure it out myself but I will hook you up to a link if you are curious.

Brenda and I took about 700 pictures at this event so if you are really curious you can follow the links below to those pics.

Brenda’s shots – below is a great one she took.

 

My shots

Today Brenda and I took the dogs along on a ride up Vekol Wash. The dogs enjoy getting out and there are only a limited number of cacti along the way.

Vekol Wash with the Pups VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL