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The Saddle Again!

It's been roughly ten years since I have ridden a horse!

I started riding pretty young. The first time I was ever on the back of a horse, I was just a few months old. My sister held me in front of her as she rode around on her horse Cherokee.

I started taking lessons around the age of 9 or so and rode at every opportunity that presented itself. 

My parents bought me a horse the year of my thirteenth birthday.

He was a bay gelding named Rebel. He and I were fast buddies and spent many a hour riding in the local arena or out on the trail with friends.

Flash forward to my twenties and I rode off and on every few years or so.

I rode a few times with a friends daughter after we moved here and then stopped.

Well today....I decided to end the dry spell.

After Countrychick was done riding this morning with her 4-H group, I borrowed Gizmoe and went for a cruise around the arena.

It all came rushing back!

The smells, the feelings, the happiness!

It was pure joy!

I now have an excuse to buy a new pair of boots! Because I fully intend to do this again!

And again, and again, and again!

I rode minus a helmet only because there wasn't won on site that fit my apparently large head!

I'll have to remedy that too, getting a helmet that is!

Back in the saddle again.

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh

Rockin' to and fro

Back in the saddle again

I go my way

Back in the saddle again!

WOOT!!

Thursday's Things In A Row

My offerings for Thursday's Things In A Row hosted by Pat at A View From The Edge.

I'm seeing rows wherever I go!

Both of these photos were taken in our little desert valley over the past week.

High voltage lines run through our valley, going south and west.

Poles, lines and insulators in a row.

Antelope relaxing in a row.

To see more fun and unique Things In A Row take a moment and visit Pat.

Happy Thursday Everyone!

I Shall Call Him...

Wile E. Coyote!

This young coyote pup has been hanging around the farm lately.

He stays in the fields chasing voles, mice and gophers.

Just before this photo was taken he was pouncing like a playful pup through the alfalfa.

I suspect he was chasing dinner!

He watched us for a bit...

And then returned to the business of finding his dinner.

Sundays Are For...

Napping!

 With a smile on your face!

Perched and Waiting

On my way home from work yesterday evening, I spotted this hawk sitting atop one of our pivot towers.

This is a common occurrence and usually as I slow the car down and get the camera out they fly off.

This one did not move from his perch as I stopped the car, rolled down the window and started to snap photos.

The hawk seemed interested in what I was doing and kept its eye on me, but never took flight.

I think this regal little hawk had his eye on dinner which was scurrying around in the field below.

Thursday's Things In A Row

I thought I would try doing this fun linky that Pat over at A View From The Edge has been hosting.

Gail from At The Farm swears it is addicting and I have a feeling she is right!

I'm starting to see things in a row wherever I go and need to remember to keep my camera handy.

Through a window...

 Antique lights hanging in a local Basque restaurant.

Visit A View From The Edge to see more Thursday's Things In A Row.

Mid-Week Humor

Finally....

A computer setting I understand!

Now...

Someone just needs to figure out how to get the computer to dispense the wine!

Go Here

Chocolate on My Cranium

(This is my neighbor's blog. She is an amazing, talented lady with a beautiful family!)

To see what happened in our neck of the desert yesterday!

I received a call yesterday, at work, around noon alerting me to the fact that there was a fire somewhere on the road that leads to our valley. It wasn't until several hours later that I found out what the cause was.

Everything is so very, very dry here now and this could have ended up so much worse!

The Best Thing

About today....

My niece and her husband welcomed their beautiful baby boy into this world!

Which officially makes me a Great Auntie!

My sister a Great Aunt!

My brother a Grandpa!

And my parents, Great Grandparents for the first time! 

Bliss

When I found the recipe for gluten free angle food cake, let's just say I was skeptical!

Before having to go gluten free, I could make an angel food cake in my sleep!

People always think they are so hard to make and bake...that's so not true!

But since going gluten free my confidence in baking (and converting) recipes has been well let's just say a bit on the lacking side.

It's not always easy to convert a gluten recipe into a gluten free recipe.

I have found some wonderful blogs that help with this and have some amazing recipes to try as well. These sites are listed on my side bar.

Two weeks ago I came across this recipe for Gluten Free Angel Food Cake at GF In the City.

It sounded easy enough and I had everything needed to make it.

So I took a leap of faith and whipped it up! I even pitted the cherries by hand for the topping. I have the bruise on my hand to prove it!

Oh Boy!

This cake was A...MAZ...ING!

You can find the recipe at the blog mentioned above or you can make a regular angel food cake, the choice is yours. An whichever you choose, I know you can do it and will be totally happy that you did!

The topping was simple. I took 2 cups of pitted fresh cherries, 1/2 cup of sugar, a 1/4 cup of water and several splashes of Grand Marnier Liqueur and added it all to a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer and simmer until thickened. I just left my on very low heat until ready to serve.

This was a wonderful, simple, easy topping and oh so yummy!

I was in a state of bliss while shoveling this cake into my very happy mouth!

Trail Class Work

As promised (did I hear a groan...lol), more horse show photos.

Below, Country Chick and Gizmoe working their way through the trail course.

Picking up the correct lead and doing their side passing had been a stress earlier in the week.

They did both with ease!

Somehow I managed to miss inserting the mail box photo!

They did that obstacle beautifully!

The judge was pleased with their ride!

It was indeed a Blue Ribbon Ride! 

The Thrill of the Event

I can't even begin to tell you how PROUD I am of my daughter!

Last year at this time she said to me that she would be riding in the 4-H horse show in 2011.

I told her that was all well and good, but she had to find a horse to use since we don't own one.

So she "took the bull by the horns" as they say and found a horse to use and two amazing leaders to teach her how to ride. This is the third horse show she has ridden in this year and during this show she was moved up to the senior age division and she rode against youth that have been riding for years and years! She has been riding steady for just six months! In that six months, her riding skills have improved on a steady basis!

She is as they say, "a natural" rider!

Her horse sense blows me away!

I have watched her take other horses that are skittish and spooky and ground work them like she has been doing it forever!

It just blows me away! (and makes me all teary eyed)

By riding in the 4-H show on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, Country Chick completed the goal that she set for herself last year at this time! She stuck with it through the rough spots and never lost sight of what she wanted to accomplish!

Is she done now....No! There will be more shows in her future, more events, more lessons, more goals!

Welcome to the world of horsemanship Country Chick. You have a natural born talent and I can't wait to see where it takes you!

This is one of my favorite shots of the show!

It was taken at the end of one of the speed events!

Country Chick and Gizmoe

August 3, 2011

4-H County Horse Show

Stay tuned....rest assured there will be more horse show photos coming up!