Saturday, May 9, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
So I have been knitting, AND I turned Mary out with the boys.
A friend of mine at Global Family Room (open invite to anyone who wants to check it out, I have a huge ad for the place right down there on the lower right hand side, lol!) has a thread where she occasionally posts craft ideas. I decided to try one out the other day, it was this one:
"Maner" head band thingie.
I didn't want to risk wasting good yarn on it so I used some that was sport weight fuzzy stuff in a colour that I like to call "needs to be washed really bad sorta pink". I also used size 10 circulars. These are NOT what the "How To" calls for but it was what I had available at the time. So this is how it turned out:
So today I made a slightly narrower one in this black yarn with kind of pastel coloured flecks in it and I really like it. I am now making one with fun fur yarn. It's triple strand plain black worsted with one strand black fun fur and one strand multi blue fun fur. I think it will be a very cute winter one that should nicely hide the fact that I only have about 14 hairs these days.
The whole thing maybe takes an hour start to finish, though the fun fur one is taking longer because knitting the three strands is a little more fumbly for me.
So, I had Mary back out next to the boys and they were nice and calm. Then I saw the weather report and it said possible rain for the next several days. BLARG! I decided to go for it and stick Mary in with the boys. I shooed them back away from the gate with a longe whip and lead her through and Sparrow, the snot, blasted past me and ran right through the gate I was holding to get to the grass. Busted the hot wire, zapped us both. But I got Mary in there and closed the other two strands of gate. She ran right up to Brego, turned around and squirted his front legs. The little hussy is in heat and didn't so much as wink at him until they were in together.
I fixed the gate wire, caught Sparrow and stuffed him back in with the other two and off they went all over again.
The main difference being when Mary is sick of running she turns her butt to Brego and backs him down. He did try to corner her at point but she blasted past him and since then they have been fine with very little drama. I worked on the fence some for about an hour, getting it ready to take down the center divider fence so they have more room to run around. Kept an eye on them. Took some pictures.
Brego thinks she smells funny:
The two stubbies seem glad to be back together. They also like to confuse Brego when he tries to run them by splitting up. Then he is like, "What? Who should I keep running after??"
Thankfully the running was done before the rain hit.
I gave Breg his lunch and stuck around to make sure he ate it ok. That was part of his problem at his former home, he got pushed around by his pasture buddies. I wanted to make sure he didn't let Mary chase him away from his food. Even if she did it is up too high for her to eat but still....
You can see she wants it:
Sparrow wants it too, but Brego doesn't feel like sharing:
If they get closer than that he turns his but to them and hops his hind legs and they take off.
Last time I went out to check on them they were all three standing in the barn out of the rain, and Sparrow was asleep.
"Maner" head band thingie.
I didn't want to risk wasting good yarn on it so I used some that was sport weight fuzzy stuff in a colour that I like to call "needs to be washed really bad sorta pink". I also used size 10 circulars. These are NOT what the "How To" calls for but it was what I had available at the time. So this is how it turned out:
So today I made a slightly narrower one in this black yarn with kind of pastel coloured flecks in it and I really like it. I am now making one with fun fur yarn. It's triple strand plain black worsted with one strand black fun fur and one strand multi blue fun fur. I think it will be a very cute winter one that should nicely hide the fact that I only have about 14 hairs these days.
The whole thing maybe takes an hour start to finish, though the fun fur one is taking longer because knitting the three strands is a little more fumbly for me.
So, I had Mary back out next to the boys and they were nice and calm. Then I saw the weather report and it said possible rain for the next several days. BLARG! I decided to go for it and stick Mary in with the boys. I shooed them back away from the gate with a longe whip and lead her through and Sparrow, the snot, blasted past me and ran right through the gate I was holding to get to the grass. Busted the hot wire, zapped us both. But I got Mary in there and closed the other two strands of gate. She ran right up to Brego, turned around and squirted his front legs. The little hussy is in heat and didn't so much as wink at him until they were in together.
I fixed the gate wire, caught Sparrow and stuffed him back in with the other two and off they went all over again.
The main difference being when Mary is sick of running she turns her butt to Brego and backs him down. He did try to corner her at point but she blasted past him and since then they have been fine with very little drama. I worked on the fence some for about an hour, getting it ready to take down the center divider fence so they have more room to run around. Kept an eye on them. Took some pictures.
Brego thinks she smells funny:
The two stubbies seem glad to be back together. They also like to confuse Brego when he tries to run them by splitting up. Then he is like, "What? Who should I keep running after??"
Thankfully the running was done before the rain hit.
I gave Breg his lunch and stuck around to make sure he ate it ok. That was part of his problem at his former home, he got pushed around by his pasture buddies. I wanted to make sure he didn't let Mary chase him away from his food. Even if she did it is up too high for her to eat but still....
You can see she wants it:
Sparrow wants it too, but Brego doesn't feel like sharing:
If they get closer than that he turns his but to them and hops his hind legs and they take off.
Last time I went out to check on them they were all three standing in the barn out of the rain, and Sparrow was asleep.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Yesterday, Sparrow and Brego back out together.
The boys finally got to go back out together again yesterday. No silliness this time at all! I was trying to top off the water tank and every time I would come back out the hose would be on the ground. Hm, I wonder why?
SOMEONE is a camera hog, and wants to keep the limelight for himself. I wonder who THAT might be?
HEY! You cheeky monkey you!
Then today Mary went out next to them (SHE is the one making all the noise, lol):
and the rooster is still stalking me!!!!
Oh, and I finally finished my knee socks.
Oh, and, um, flowers!
SOMEONE is a camera hog, and wants to keep the limelight for himself. I wonder who THAT might be?
HEY! You cheeky monkey you!
Then today Mary went out next to them (SHE is the one making all the noise, lol):
and the rooster is still stalking me!!!!
Oh, and I finally finished my knee socks.
Oh, and, um, flowers!
I have a stalker. *panic*
I am dead serious. I have a stalker.
I walk outside and there is no one around. I do my business around the yard and turn around and what do I see?
He was over at the neighbors house when I came outside, I know it because I could hear him over there crowing and generally making a nuisance of himself. How in the heck did he get over here so fast?
I tried to ignore him, walked about 20 feet and looked back...
every time I looked back he would just stop and stare at me. I never saw him actually move toward me.
I walked over to the side and looked back...
AAAAHHHHH!!!!!!
Why is he stalking me? WHAT IS HIS EVIL PLAN?????
I ran toward my garden and looked back...
I turned and ran back toward the house.
At this point I actually stopped being amused and started to feel creeped out.
So I decided to head back into the house because I was totally creeped out and as I rounded the side of the house to head up toward the porch HE WAS ALREADY IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE!!!!
How the HECK did he DO that???
For being so obnoxious and down right creepy, he sure is a handsome bird. IMO.
I walk outside and there is no one around. I do my business around the yard and turn around and what do I see?
He was over at the neighbors house when I came outside, I know it because I could hear him over there crowing and generally making a nuisance of himself. How in the heck did he get over here so fast?
I tried to ignore him, walked about 20 feet and looked back...
every time I looked back he would just stop and stare at me. I never saw him actually move toward me.
I walked over to the side and looked back...
AAAAHHHHH!!!!!!
Why is he stalking me? WHAT IS HIS EVIL PLAN?????
I ran toward my garden and looked back...
I turned and ran back toward the house.
At this point I actually stopped being amused and started to feel creeped out.
So I decided to head back into the house because I was totally creeped out and as I rounded the side of the house to head up toward the porch HE WAS ALREADY IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE!!!!
How the HECK did he DO that???
For being so obnoxious and down right creepy, he sure is a handsome bird. IMO.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Another beautiful day, this one went much better!
It's finally GREEN! green enough to let the stubbies out on some of it to munch. It doesn't take them long to mow the lawn at all!
They are enjoying the fact that I am spending most of my work time on Brego and they are just being lazy. They should enjoy it while they can because in another few weeks it is back to work for them as well.
I didn't want yesterdays behaviour to set in Brego's mind for too long. The last thing I want is to set him up from day one to be a run away. So I decided to do something different today. Instead of trying to use the long lines (which I much prefer) I decided today to do a different method. Instead of long lines and the bare back pad I just put his halter on him with some reins. I spent twice as long getting him to give me his head in each direction and with me standing on either side, while I stood next to him with my hands over his back. Then I asked him to walk around me by tapping him lightly on the butt and saying "walk on". Very good both ways. Then, I asked him to go straight.
Sure enough he bunched himself up, gathered himself to burst forward, and the second he started to go I just pulled his head around to the side. You should have seen his eyes! "OH CRAP! She got me!!!!" He tried to go sideways and I just kept pulling him around. Half a circle and he was done. We did more circles both ways, with me on either side, went straight with me on the off side. He bunched up like he was going to try it again, I tugged the right rein just enough to remind him I was there and he let out this long dejected sigh and just went on walking straight. Hahaha! Nipped that little drama in the bud.
So, I guess that is how I will work him on this for now, instead of long lines. He did REALLY well today and I am sure he felt he earned his lunch.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The weather is lovely, the sun is out...
... what a beautiful day to spend training my horse!
But no one told Brego this was supposed to be a nice easy day, hahaha!
I just got back in the house, I'm exhausted and I think he is glad to see me gone. It started fantastic, went horribly horribly wrong, then we managed to salvage it.
Warm ups went great, he was laid back and relaxed all through grooming and tacking up (aside from silliness about giving me his hind feet to pick out and trying to kneel down when he thought I'd been messing with one front foot too long) even though I was intentionally being quick and kind of gruff about it. I flopped the bare back pad up on him, and off of him, and back on him, about 5 times. Girthed him up (buckled up 4 holes on each side instead of 5 so he is filling out some). Ran the long lines. He gave me his head nicely both directions and instead of continuing to work him on that I decided to head right into ground driving.
In retrospect, I think I rushed it. *whacks self with a news paper*
Anyway, we did some slow circles, super. We did some slow figure 8s, also super. We walked along the side of the barn going straight and he lost it. Tucked his tail as tight down as he could, bunched his hind quarters up... I saw something coming and tried to get his head pulled around and the smart little stinker tucked his head into his chest, planted both hind feet and leaped forward like a pulling horse on a stone boat. I skied behind him for a bit then just let him go. He made it half way around the barn before he realized that stepping on the lead rope and reins and jerking his own halter around was "Not Fun". THIS is why I start in a halter and not in a bit.
He just stood there looking at me like "What? I didn't do NOTHIN' I'm just standing here looking handsome in this weird crap, minding my own business. Hum dee dum." he didn't even have the decency to look startled or freaked out or anything, lol.
*rolls eyes*
So I walked right up to him, grabbed the rope and the reins, and sent him back to doing circles and figure 8s. Then when I asked him to go straight it was like instant repeat. I managed to get his head around to the side some but he just powered his way through me. So I let his stepping on the lead stop him again and went and grabbed the lead and the reins and explained that we were going to do this until I got a good straight walk of at least 10 steps out of him, but first, we were going to do a lot more circles and figure 8s. At one point he tried to see if he could just power through my hands in a circle and I took his head away from him to the inside and he looked shocked. THAT was the turning point.
Once he went both ways nicely without trying to be a brat I turned him off the circle and we made it all the way up one fence line. Then I thanked him for giving me a way to stop on a good note because i was sick and tired of circles, lol.
So, at this point I took off the long lines, put on shorted riding reins, grabbed my milk crate mounting block, and practiced laying over his back. It went really well, aside from some dancing around the first time I leaned over him on his off side. I was able to put my entire weight on his back and he fidgeted a little but not much. I did this for quite a while and he was starting to doze off, hehe. I figured I should leave well enough alone at that point, considering how awful things had gone earlier. So I untacked him and gave him his lunch.
I seriously want to get my wood posts up and I am going to use them to make a round pen. This working in the barn lot isn't cutting it. In a round pen when he pulled this crap he would hit curved fence before he got his momentum up and I could just take his head away from him when he was forced to go to the side. Plus, there are two dead trees and a barn in that barn lot. If it weren't for those I might have tried sitting on him today but they are just not safe.
The funny thing is you can see he obviously wants to make me happy, but I rushed the "going straight under control" issue. MY mistake. It's been almost 20 years since I started anything other than a mini ground driving and minis are just... very different. So I need to keep reminding myself to slow down a bit, especially when he has had a week off due to weather and when he is all full of himself because the weather is nice and he is getting lots of yummies to keep him fired up.
I just took a break to run out and see him and took the camera....
He still loves me enough to follow me around while I try to get pictures of him:
Trying to show me his itty bitty mustache (if you click on it for the massive view you can see the little 'stache better. It makes me giggle):
I finally tricked him by putting some pellets on the barn door stoop. Hehehe. This is when he realized what I was up to:
*wistful sigh* Even when he is a stinker I wuvs him bunches and bunches. *hearts and flowers and sparkles*
"There she goes again, taking pictures of my butt." *rolls eyes*
But no one told Brego this was supposed to be a nice easy day, hahaha!
I just got back in the house, I'm exhausted and I think he is glad to see me gone. It started fantastic, went horribly horribly wrong, then we managed to salvage it.
Warm ups went great, he was laid back and relaxed all through grooming and tacking up (aside from silliness about giving me his hind feet to pick out and trying to kneel down when he thought I'd been messing with one front foot too long) even though I was intentionally being quick and kind of gruff about it. I flopped the bare back pad up on him, and off of him, and back on him, about 5 times. Girthed him up (buckled up 4 holes on each side instead of 5 so he is filling out some). Ran the long lines. He gave me his head nicely both directions and instead of continuing to work him on that I decided to head right into ground driving.
In retrospect, I think I rushed it. *whacks self with a news paper*
Anyway, we did some slow circles, super. We did some slow figure 8s, also super. We walked along the side of the barn going straight and he lost it. Tucked his tail as tight down as he could, bunched his hind quarters up... I saw something coming and tried to get his head pulled around and the smart little stinker tucked his head into his chest, planted both hind feet and leaped forward like a pulling horse on a stone boat. I skied behind him for a bit then just let him go. He made it half way around the barn before he realized that stepping on the lead rope and reins and jerking his own halter around was "Not Fun". THIS is why I start in a halter and not in a bit.
He just stood there looking at me like "What? I didn't do NOTHIN' I'm just standing here looking handsome in this weird crap, minding my own business. Hum dee dum." he didn't even have the decency to look startled or freaked out or anything, lol.
*rolls eyes*
So I walked right up to him, grabbed the rope and the reins, and sent him back to doing circles and figure 8s. Then when I asked him to go straight it was like instant repeat. I managed to get his head around to the side some but he just powered his way through me. So I let his stepping on the lead stop him again and went and grabbed the lead and the reins and explained that we were going to do this until I got a good straight walk of at least 10 steps out of him, but first, we were going to do a lot more circles and figure 8s. At one point he tried to see if he could just power through my hands in a circle and I took his head away from him to the inside and he looked shocked. THAT was the turning point.
Once he went both ways nicely without trying to be a brat I turned him off the circle and we made it all the way up one fence line. Then I thanked him for giving me a way to stop on a good note because i was sick and tired of circles, lol.
So, at this point I took off the long lines, put on shorted riding reins, grabbed my milk crate mounting block, and practiced laying over his back. It went really well, aside from some dancing around the first time I leaned over him on his off side. I was able to put my entire weight on his back and he fidgeted a little but not much. I did this for quite a while and he was starting to doze off, hehe. I figured I should leave well enough alone at that point, considering how awful things had gone earlier. So I untacked him and gave him his lunch.
I seriously want to get my wood posts up and I am going to use them to make a round pen. This working in the barn lot isn't cutting it. In a round pen when he pulled this crap he would hit curved fence before he got his momentum up and I could just take his head away from him when he was forced to go to the side. Plus, there are two dead trees and a barn in that barn lot. If it weren't for those I might have tried sitting on him today but they are just not safe.
The funny thing is you can see he obviously wants to make me happy, but I rushed the "going straight under control" issue. MY mistake. It's been almost 20 years since I started anything other than a mini ground driving and minis are just... very different. So I need to keep reminding myself to slow down a bit, especially when he has had a week off due to weather and when he is all full of himself because the weather is nice and he is getting lots of yummies to keep him fired up.
I just took a break to run out and see him and took the camera....
He still loves me enough to follow me around while I try to get pictures of him:
Trying to show me his itty bitty mustache (if you click on it for the massive view you can see the little 'stache better. It makes me giggle):
I finally tricked him by putting some pellets on the barn door stoop. Hehehe. This is when he realized what I was up to:
*wistful sigh* Even when he is a stinker I wuvs him bunches and bunches. *hearts and flowers and sparkles*
"There she goes again, taking pictures of my butt." *rolls eyes*
This has to be a joke. Or a mis-speak. $35,000 handbag?
Good Morning America Sunday is touting an upcoming segment to see if people can tell the difference between a $35 handbag and a $35,000 handbag.
They said it about 14 times. Thirty Five Thousand Dollars.
Are you freakin' KIDDING me? SERIOUSLY?
OK, I understand, I'm not rich. I've never been rich. For a while I had grandparents who were really well off but they got hosed in the LAST housing crash. But I do not see how it is even physically possible to manufacture a freakin' HANDBAG that would be worth $35,000 even if you made it out of Spotted Owl skin and coated it in pure gold.
Even if it is $3500, you can buy a decent used car for that much money! People out there, real live people, even people who are not rich, actually spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on a BAG?!?!?!
I'm dumbfounded. I guess I just never thought of it before. I'm sure they probably think I am just as crazy for spending a couple of grand to buy a horse but honestly I am just blown away by the fact that a dang PURSE that costs more than some people's HOUSE even exists. I mean SERIOUSLY?
Not only that, but most of them are ugly. OK, I get it that I am low brow country folk and I just don't understand... and also that I have horrid taste in almost everything. I usually buy my purses at Salvation Army for $3. My last purse I splurged and spent a whopping $20 to buy it new at Wal Mart. Now I don't even carry one anymore. I use my wallet and my goofy wallet chain. Which I spent about $12 for total. If I need more room I fill a pocket.
I just can't believe anyone would spend more than three digits for a BAG! I can almost understand it getting into the hundreds of dollars. Quality leather, hand made workmanship, blahblahblah. Like shoes. I've worn cheap shoes all my life, but I've tried on some $1000 shoes and you can FEEL the difference. It might not be worth the $975 difference in price but they DO feel a LOT better on your tootsies. But tens of thousands of dollars for shoes? Again, are you KIDDING me?
I know, I know, it is their money and they are free to do with it as they please. I fully support that for everyone, but honestly I have to admit if I find out any of you spend multiple thousands of dollars on a handbag I might just have to slap you silly.
edit to add: the $35,000 was not a mis-speak. not only that but check THIS out:
Are you KIDDING ME?
They said it about 14 times. Thirty Five Thousand Dollars.
Are you freakin' KIDDING me? SERIOUSLY?
OK, I understand, I'm not rich. I've never been rich. For a while I had grandparents who were really well off but they got hosed in the LAST housing crash. But I do not see how it is even physically possible to manufacture a freakin' HANDBAG that would be worth $35,000 even if you made it out of Spotted Owl skin and coated it in pure gold.
Even if it is $3500, you can buy a decent used car for that much money! People out there, real live people, even people who are not rich, actually spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on a BAG?!?!?!
I'm dumbfounded. I guess I just never thought of it before. I'm sure they probably think I am just as crazy for spending a couple of grand to buy a horse but honestly I am just blown away by the fact that a dang PURSE that costs more than some people's HOUSE even exists. I mean SERIOUSLY?
Not only that, but most of them are ugly. OK, I get it that I am low brow country folk and I just don't understand... and also that I have horrid taste in almost everything. I usually buy my purses at Salvation Army for $3. My last purse I splurged and spent a whopping $20 to buy it new at Wal Mart. Now I don't even carry one anymore. I use my wallet and my goofy wallet chain. Which I spent about $12 for total. If I need more room I fill a pocket.
I just can't believe anyone would spend more than three digits for a BAG! I can almost understand it getting into the hundreds of dollars. Quality leather, hand made workmanship, blahblahblah. Like shoes. I've worn cheap shoes all my life, but I've tried on some $1000 shoes and you can FEEL the difference. It might not be worth the $975 difference in price but they DO feel a LOT better on your tootsies. But tens of thousands of dollars for shoes? Again, are you KIDDING me?
I know, I know, it is their money and they are free to do with it as they please. I fully support that for everyone, but honestly I have to admit if I find out any of you spend multiple thousands of dollars on a handbag I might just have to slap you silly.
edit to add: the $35,000 was not a mis-speak. not only that but check THIS out:
Are you KIDDING ME?
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