Why Do They Call Them Blue Bonnets

Every Spring Texas has blue bonnets!  They are our State flower, and thanks to the work of Lady Bird Johnson, they grow everywhere.  Some Springs have more rain than others, and in those years,  the Blue Bonnets are even more spectacular growing along the road sides.  This is one of those years!

There are banks of them on the side of every road, highway,

 and in every other corner and place in the State!

What is it About Some People

Blue is a horse that my dad would describe as "ornery."

This is her most famous picture, she had been watching the grand-children swinging on this swing set...  It looked like so much fun to her!  So she jumped the fence one day right after they left, and gave it a try... it didn't go as planned.  What in the world would made an animal as large as her think she could swing on a swing set...  I mean I could see a monkey... even a dog maybe... but a horse???  

She has a mind of her own, and she "runs," as in bosses, that pasture.  All the other horses realize she is boss too.  She bows to no one, well no one but Randy.

On her latest adventure she pushed down the back fence and escaped to the neighbor's greener pasture, and it took a couple of hours, a couple of deputy sheriffs, a bucket of feed... which she ignored, Michael and Stephan, and lots of coaching to get her back home.  Once we had walked her down the highway, she wouldn't cross the cattle guard, so we had to go get boards and lay them out, finally about three hours into it, we got her back in the pasture.

Remember I said she bows to no one but Randy, well he got in from Baghdad last night, and this morning he went out to feed the horses.  No more had he gotten out the door, than Ross, the next door neighbor called and said she was down at his place again.  I went out on the porch to wave Randy up to where I was so I could tell him he needed to go get her.  Out of the corner of my eye while I was still talking on the phone to Ross, I see her tearing across the front lawn, run straight back to the tack barn where she had seen Randy from the neighbor's place.

I told Ross she was already home, hung up the phone, and watched as she greeted her friend, coach, and "boss."  She whinnied softly to him, nuzzled him, and otherwise demonstrated her joy at his being home.  He simply opened the gate, (she had once again somehow managed to get out of her halter,) and she trotted in... amazing... simply amazing.

I have always said Randy is the kind of leader who some would follow anywhere, guess that applies to animals as well.  I've got to admit, it made me a little jealous, after all I am here all the time.  I feed her, brush her, treat her wounds when she gets cut going over fences, and otherwise spoil her.  She just looks at me as though I have lost my mind when I try to get her to get with the program, and do what she knows she is supposed to do.  All that had to happen for that to be the case this morning, was for her to get a glimpse of Randy out by the tack barn, and she came rushing home.  Pretty awesome to watch actually.  What is it about that man?  I guess I will just start calling him the horse whisperer.  Animals are such
 an interesting blessing to mankind.  

I Got Up in the Middle of the Night, Looking for Santa!

I tip-toed into the living room, all was quiet...

The Christmas tree was sparkling in the dark...

 

Then sure enough... I found him!!!

Santa is in the house!!!

 

Think I'll go back to bed...

 

 

 

He Pitched a Tent for the Sun

 

Psalm 19

New International Version (NIV)

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

^1.  The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands 

^2.  Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.

^3.  They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them. 

^4.  Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
    In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
^5.  It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
^6.   It rises at one end of the heavens
    and makes its circuit to the other;
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

I Need a Hunter

For two days now, the horses have hesitated to come up for feeding.  That has never ever happened before.  There is always a joyous race to the stables, usually a competitive race. There is nothing in the pastures,  so I am feeding twice a day, both complete feed, and a generous to go out and actually walk them in this morning, I knew something had to be wrong.  I examined all them; there were no wounds, no signs among them of illness, and as I  turned, all of them followed me very slowly, as close as they could get to me without stepping on me.  When we got to the stables they all seemed to want affection rather than to eat...  I had already put their portion of feed in the feeders, and thrown out four bales of hay.   Those girls love to eat,... really love to eat.

I started thinking, both yesterday and today they have been standing just beyond the tree line of the woods on the side where I have heard the night noises, and this morning they were unwilling to walk past the tree line without an escort.  The fields are so muddy, they can't move as fast as they usually can, or kick as freely without slipping in the mud.  Their only natural defense is slightly compromised in the thick, black mud, which is known around here as "black gumbo."

They have always come up at night and sheltered under the stalls for the night.  I had noticed they were staying way back at the back of the pasture for several nights now.  I didn't think much of it. There is a sense between the horses and I, a communication that doesn't include human sounds, nor horse sounds to be in the same language, we are both bi-lingual.  Once when I was really having a loneliness for my husband, who was deployed to Afghanistan, I went to the pasture for the comfort I knew they would bring.  I began to cry, and Three Chicks, the quarter horse responded, and she is the one most sensitive to my moods.  She came and hooked her head and neck over my shoulder, began her little sounds of affection, nibbled softly at my arm, and I just leaned into her, and let it flow.  It did not bring out distress in her, she just steadfastly murmured her comfort and understanding of my inner pain. They always know when something is wrong with me, and  I always know when something is wrong them, there is an edginess, which can display itself in different tones.

I can tell when there is a personality conflict among them, and they are all female except for one poor soul, good old Rocky.  Sometimes they act like a bunch of eight grade cheer-leaders and the haughty can catty comes out in them.  I am not tolerant of that.  If one of them is ailing, they will surround that one, and there is a certain edginess about that behavior that has its' own flavor.  I can tell when one them has their feelings hurt, and yes, they do get their feelings hurt. 

 Never have I encountered the mood in the horses that I did this morning, this edginess is caution, fear, mistrust, and I am afraid there is some experience that goes with this edginess.  Last night Patti made one fierce bark from the porch.  When I went to see  what it was, she began fiercely barking, right after she ran behind my long skirt.  She would peek around in the direction of the woods, and she became so agitated that she peed as she barked.  She hasn't done that in a since she matured past her puppyhood. I got the 410 shotgun, fired three rounds in succession in the air, as she shook in terror.  I thought it was coyotes, but then again, I began thinking... I haven't heard a thing out of the coyotes in the past few nights... There is definitely something out there in the woods... I can not harm an animal,  I need a hunter willing to stay up all night, before something really bad happens.

JUST A LITTLE SOMETHING THAT FIFTY PERCENT OF HUMANITY SHOULD BEAR IN MIND

I'm not saying which half should bear it in mind...

That is self explanatory. 

Post by Debra LeCompte.

THE SILENCE IS DEAFENING!

THE CHURCHES ARE SILENT.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/27/a-global-slaughter-of-christians-but-america-s-churches-stay-silent.html

THE MEDIA IS SILENT.

http://www.thecommentator.com/article/3079/christians_slaughtered_world_yawns


THE WHITE HOUSE IS SILENT.

 http://www.afa.net/Detail.aspx?id=2147539915



A WAY TO SUPPORT THE MARTYRED.
 
 http://frrme.org/

TOUGH KILLER SQUIRREL

Of course you have to develop your fear factor, reputation as a tough guy is soooo important.

 Would not want to meet him in a dark alley.  

http://youtu.be/L15z9_UGzSA

 Randy taught him everything he knows!

My Husband is Home From Baghdad, and I Have Been Busy, But Taking Lots of Pictures!

For about a week the full moon made for some absolutely beautiful photos!  Thought I would share some with you...

   

Open Letter to My Husband

Dear Sir,

I know that you are aware that my natural gifts and talents do not lie in area of the higher math skills, such as statistics and probabilities... Sir,... that stuff just flew right over my head in college.
Do you remember how cute those two little rabbits were that I brought home last  summer when the grand-children were here visiting?  You know they just had 5 little baby bunnies that are so cute about six weeks ago.  We've been enjoying them so much!

                                            

Here's the thing... it seems those two original little rabbits are enjoying the romance of the century. Frankly Sir, they are madly in love...

We now have 5 more NEWER baby bunnies, just as cute as that last bunch, of which I have not given any away yet... and I have been reminded of the limited level of academic success I had in that Statistics class I took in college...

So I am thinking while you are home on leave next, the first project should probably be a new and bigger rabbit hutch.  Also we should actively try to befriend all the small children with gullible parents that we can, and invite them to visit the ranch.  Preferably their parents should have my same level of skill and talent in higher mathematics.   

Sir, however I don't want you to worry that the rabbit feed bill is going to increase...  Brenda and I are making up Easter baskets, putting the rabbits in them, and thus making the rabbits more marketable.  We are going to sell them in the Walmart parking lot in Sealy.  We do not wish you to take Wade Cashion up on his offer, and let him have them to train his retrievers.  They are just as cute as that last batch as you can see.  Have a good day Sir, we will take really good care of your rabbits!  I will get all the tools out, and some lumber and wire just before you get home on leave, so you won't have to work so hard.


             
 








 

Bellville, Texas, Located In South Texas Directly Under Heaven

For All My Northern Friends!

Not to worry my friends, spring is coming!

 

My photos are all proprietary, and you must have permission to use them!