Monday, September 13, 2010

Art

Disclaimer: I am in no way a art aficionado. I never took an art class or art appreciation class. I never paid any attention to anyone that had a clue about art. I can't tell one style or artist from another. But I like what I like. So I am going to share with you my latest purchase.





http://doremanburns.com/

I love the colors in his work. I bought "Between Rides" and "What a Day". I took them to the local Arons Frames and had them matted and framed. I love, love, love them.

When I was at Arons the young man that was helping me said that he liked the movement in the strings on the ladies pants. O.k. he was obviously not a cowboy. I smiled and said that that was fringe on her chaps. I really didn't see what he was talking about but he was a little different, if you get my drift. Perfect man for the job none the less. Very creative and he (unlike me) understood color. He was very helpful in picking out the matting. So when selecting the matting for the print of the pants with moving strings; he turned the print to how he thought it was supposed to be hanging on the wall. But he had it sideways. He realized it when he saw the artists signature going the wrong direction. What I saw was the movenment in the fringe. Go figure.

See what I am talking about?

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Update on the bad dogs.

So you know how I said the BT's will probably do it again. Boy did I call that one! I just didn't think it would be so soon. Little suckers did it again the very next day! This time I banished them outside and ignored them. For HOURS. This is the first time I have ever made them stay outside. They have a doggie door that they use to go in and out at will. It isn't like it was a tough punishment, it was like 70 degrees outside and they had food and water. They thought they were dying. Absolutely pouting about it. I would have left them out all night because I was steamed, but my husband took pity on them and let them in at about 11pm. I can't wait to see what they have done today. :(

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

The lost dog and my BT'S

We still haven't found our daughters dog. We have come to the conclusion that someone must have picked him up. He is a really cute Brittany Spaniel and very smart. A little hyperactive and ADD.
I have been impressed with my daughters vigilance in finding this dog! She has sent at least 50 flyers out to vets, animal shelters, businesses etc. She has posted, and reposted his information on Facebook. She has called the pet chip people, vets offices, animal control, and put ads in 4 or 5 local papers. She has searched for him out in the rice fields for days. We even have a family friend that took her up in his plane for over an hour to look for him. It was like he was abducted by aliens. He is no where to be found. I have my fingers crossed that he will show up or if someone has him the will do they right thing and turn him in.


That brings me to my dogs. I have two Boston Terrors.

Bubba
This dog is really handsome for a Boston, but he is dumb, dumb, dumb. I love him bunches. He is like a little mentally handicapped kid. You just have to love him.


Roxie

She is the queen bee. The alpha female. If she were a human, she would be a female WWF Wrestler.




And no, that is not a typo. I meant to say Terrors. Last night I came home and they weren't at the door like normal. They greet me every night. Flat noses pushed up against the glass on the door dancing like little fools waiting for me to come in. But not last night. Bubba the very handsome, but brainless male was hiding under the coffee table and Roxie the not so attractive alpha female was no where to be seen. As I walked into the house I called out to her and found she was cowering under the dining room table. As I round the corner into the kitchen, I see it. They had a busy day in the kitchen dumping over the garbage can, spreading garbage all over the kitchen. Not only that, they had been on the counter and ate the last piece of German Chocolate cake I made on Monday. Both of their dinner bowls still had breakfast in them - untouched. I don't know if I was more annoyed that they did it or that they knew what they did was wrong. Now I know that people say dogs can't comprehend things like right and wrong and if you can't punish them within seconds of the misdeed, they don't understand why you are punishing them. I call bullshit! Those little bugggers knew exactly what they did wrong. They knew before I got home they were going to be in trouble. If I raise my voice they know they are in trouble. You don't have to spank them or anything just change your body language and tone of voice and they get it. And I swear I can give Roxie a look and she just knows. So I had a fit, yelled, called them names while I cleaned up the mess. I stomped around cursing and asking them WHY, WHY, WHY did they do this. They both hid out the whole time refusing to even look at me. Later on that evening as we sat down to eat, they slinked out to take up their dinner time begging position at my feet. I was still mad at them. I banished them back to the front room and they went! They never go when you tell them to. They usually put their ears up and cock their heads as if to say "you don't really mean it, we are too cute" and let them stay. But last night I only had to tell them once and they slinked right back into the front room. Later Bubba came in and jumped up on my bed and I banished him again. And he went! He never goes. He usually lays down and rolls over on his back like he is playing dead dog. You can not tell me that they didn't know they had made a huge mistake. OOOHHHHH they knew. Does this mean that they won't tip over the garbage can ever again, probably not. I am just thankful that they didn't throw up German Chocolate cake all over the place. It was really good German Chocolate cake too. Darn those dogs.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Ms Lily



Introducing "Picka Tiger Lily" aka "Ms Lily"


(Sorry about the picture quality. I took them by myself with my Iphone. FYI... That saddle is the saddle that my mom bought me for my 12th or 13th birthday. It is the only one that I own that fits her short little back. I hadn't ridden in it for years because my backside was way to big but if fits pretty darn good now! )

Ms Lily is the second foal from my bay mare "Picka Irish Rose" or "Rosie" as we like to call her. She is half of the "twisted sisters" at our place. Lily's daddy is "His Steadfast Heart" or "Joe" (his barn name) - rope horse deluxe!





"His Steadfast Heart"

Isn't he just amazing? I love his temperment, his conformation is near perfect, he has and continues to prove himself in the showpen, and he is a gorgeous color , what more could you ask for?

I had two Joe babies, her and her full brother. Her full brother is JoJo and boy is he a looker. He is a light buckskin with a long, long mane and tail. He has that roan frosting on his mane and tail that makes him look even more striking. The thing with these two horses is that they are small. Like pony sized. I was pony sized too. Not good for a pony to be riding a pony. I traded JoJo to a trainer for a filly that I hope will have a little more size to her and will make a nice working cowhorse. He has gone on to do very well with JoJo and won a buckle in reining this summer. He has nothing but good things to say about him. I just can't help being proud. He was mine for 3 years and I feel like I gave him a good beginning.

But now that I have lost weight, I don't feel that I am too pony sized to ride Ms Lily. I am not even miniture horse sized! Whoopie. I am healthy human sized and Ms Lily has no problem packing me around.

I moved Lily to the boarding facility last Friday so that I could ride her this winter and hopefully someday start showing her in working cowhorse. For now she is going to lope a lot of circles and work on the basics. She is so smooth and willing. She is really quick on her feet and her movement is completely different than Sempers. I love riding her. I love that she is green and I do get a sense of accomplishment when I feel that I have taught her something. The downside of this is that now I have two horses to ride at the boarding facility. No fooling around now.