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Slow Down to Go Faster - Simply

When I get frenzied and wound up in "type A" mode, my husband a race car driver in a previous life reminds me "slow down to go faster" And while moving to Big Sky country was definitely a step to living life in a simple way, I still find myself on that merry go round. Plato tells us that "In order to seek one's own direction, one must simplify the mechanics of ordinary, everyday life." But as we step back and consider how to achieve a life lived simply, we are confronted with and amazed by the reality that our own life has become so convoluted, despite the fact that many of the complications we face everyday are purely of our own doing!

Embracing a simple lifestyle is a way to slow down to go faster by reducing external clutter, and cultivating (pun intended) a relationship with nature so that our lives reflect its natural processes by minimizing what we take from it. Simple living also allows us freedom to take a bit of that precious commodity, time, to appreciate and enjoy the experiences of life that make our journey what it is. Nothing like the ripping sound of Fish Creek as I finish up a ride on GaZi and he's drinking up

The goods news is that with a little bit of focused consciousness, it can be done, and you will find that your life is more connected with all that exists around you in a very positive way. You will begin to experience the raw innocence of a simplicity that is actually innate in all of us fto the point where I find myself avoiding the clutter" existence

Are you an unconscious pack rat? I've long ascribed to the theory "clean up your closets and your life will work". A good place to start is your wardrobe—we all maintain a sense of personal style for the various aspects of our life, and for many of us, conscious consumerism includes keeping an eye out for bargains that update our wardrobe. This is just dandy until you open the closet and are confronted with more clothes, more shoes, and more accessories than you will ever need! And if we purchase items seasonally, most of us forget or don't take the time to sift through our outdated things and donate or pass them on to others. Git 'r done simply:

• Write yourself a reminder note to take stock of your wardrobe one weekend every six months. Be honest about how much use you get out of a piece—if you’re not enjoying it, it’s likely that someone else will.
• Don’t get swept away by the latest fad or glitzy advertising—really consider the usefulness of each piece before you make a purchase. Back to the principle of reuse.

Deeep breath . Society applauds us for being quick and thinking fast on our feet. If you ever find yourself in a precarious situation like those on the show ‘Survivor,’ you’ll note that reacting instantly is more likely to hamper your natural survival instincts. One thing labout country living where there's actually 4 seasons..Have you listened lately for the soundtrack of the seasons?

• Winter time is perfect for cozying up at home by the fire
• Summertime provides ample opportunity for finding an outdoor picnic spot and watching the sunset (after a great trail ride on the horses).
• Fall is great for observing the vibrant and varied hues of the leaves as you take hike, ride, whatever.
• Spring beckons you out for a bike ride together to look for the first flowers in bloom not to mention putting up fences that winter has knocked down (simple does not equal easy).

Git 'r done, simply.. Time does expand to include it all. And remember .. none of us makes it out of here alive. So while you're here enjoy the view, keep on doing what you do.. hold on tight we'll muddle through, one day at a time.

The Roundup of Roundup

What will this day be like? I wonder.
What will my future be? I wonder.
It could be so exciting to be out in the world, to be free My heart should be wildly rejoicing Oh, what's the matter with me? I've always longed for adventure To do the things I've never dared Here I'm facing adventure
Then why am I so scared
Oh, I must stop these doubts, all these worries If I don't I just know I'll turn back
I must dream of the things I am seeking I am seeking the courage I lack
Maria - The Sound of Music

When I am completely and utterly outside of my element, I find that aspects of my life – my habits and thought patterns, even my conscious and unconscious beliefs - become clear to me in ways that they otherwise would not.-on fear and confidence issues.
But why then, do so many people give-up or deny their dreams? That is an easy one to answer…..They give up because they are afraid, afraid of failure. Fear is what stops us from following our dreams. Fear is the darkness that casts a shadow over our light. And, fear is what we need to overcome if we want to reach for our dream

Roundup Rendevous Friday dawned snowy, rainy and cold. I went out to feed and was definitely close to bailing on our upcoming journey for my first endurance ride in Roundup. I thought I had prayed it out and went back up to the house at which point Dan looked up without missing a beat and pronounced we were going and that I'd totally regret not going and I had the sounds of chickening out. And while the motto of endurance riding is "To Finish is to Win", I thought about revising it to "To Go is to Win Out of my head went thoughts of not going and a trailer loading we went. That in itself is a logistical exercise packing hay, feed and the equine essentials for the vet checks.

The trip to took an hour longer than planned since we had some good ol' weather along the way. It 'd clear up for 2 minutes followed by snow, hail, pelting rain and any combination therein. The ride managers Susie and Alan Churchill were incredible. They totally got my pre-ride nerves since it was my first ride and they and their volunteers did a yeoman job of calming me down. The volunteers who ranged from long time endurance riders to folks who'd never done rides, from the number takers to the guys who weighed tack at the end of the ride... completely selfless. Trust me, running a bed and breakfast, and a horse-friendly one at that.. it's all about the guests needs. And having volunteered at marathons and crewed at the infamous Badwater 135, volunteering is often plum more tiring than being an actual participant. These guys were gracious and managed to maintain a sense of humor throughout (Walmart are you listening?)

My first fear of not passing the vet-check in were quickly allayed as vet Bill gave GaZi A scores on everything. One hurdle down

It helps to know your destination when facing fears... Where do you want to go? Small, successful baby steps will help you reach your goal. For most , their destination is confidence. That may be confidence in the saddle, confidence on the ground, Many riders have lost their confidence through an accident, a fall, or another traumatic event. Mine was to complete with a healthy horse passing the final vet checks Regardless, they love horses and want to effectively communicate and enjoy the magnificent creatures they both love and fear. It is very frustrating to be terrified of the very thing you love intensely. It's a doubled edge- sword.

The pre-ride meeting was presided over by the jovial Alan Churchill who'd spent the better part of the day in the freezing rain/snow marking trail and making sure it was as negotiable as possible with all the mud and muck. One of my fears is getting lost. The course markings here were so great you almost had to work at getting lost. Very informative with liberal doses of humor thrown in to lighten things up. And while I and one other rider were the sole newbies in the bunch, the endurance "family" just embraced us and answered those "questions that have probably been asked a million times" like it was the first time they'd heard it.

Whatever the journey, are your fellow travelers - Who will journey with you? The best laid plans... if you plan to ride with someone, you gotta see if you're horses are simpatico. Some people prefer to travel alone, others do not. Some journeys are safer with traveling companions, and with others, it does not matter as much. A good horse to ride, a good trainer, and good horse friends are huge. Fellow travelers make the Journey to Confidence safer and a lot more fun!And while alot of this ride I did ride alone.. I found that awesome as well. A huge victory for me not as I do ride alone alot, but here I was on Gazi doing a great steady trot on trails I've never been on and not feeling real tentative about it.

But the true spirit of the sport came when about 2 miles from the end of the first loop, GaZi and I were trotting along and a combination of a rock I think he slipped on and other horses caused let us say a "temporary separation". I immediately called Dan on my cell who talked me back down to the trail hoping Gazi'd make his way back to camp. I was hoping Gazi'd not gone galloping off somewhere into the Bull Mountains Praying as I jogged back, 3 riders that we'd passed earlier saw me and in typical endurance rider fashion, their agenda was done.. it was about my horse and my safety. About 100 yards up the trail they spotted him grazing in the pasture a little bit wondering why he was alone but they easily corraled him, I remounted and we all pressed on easily into camp. He pulsed down just fine and Alan who'd already gone on his four wheeler to find him was alerted that we were safe and sound. Passing vet check, and now in hold time, Susie asked if I was going on. I said "hell yeah" and she cheered.

Talk about karma, I found out later at the awards banquet that the girl who'd helped me, suffered an "unforced dismount" about 15 minutes later, and several riders happened on her and helped her out in much the same way. In this world of "lead, follow or get outta my way", the comraderie and spirit is incredible.

Gazi ate and drank well during the hold and we headed out alone on the second loop. By this time, the weather had turned sunny and warm.. a stark contrast from the Montana winter of the day before . A true amen ! During the first section here the "little man " as I call him and I were just enjoying the journey together and it was a good time to just "be", be with the trail, my horse in our continuing partnership. I did catch up with other newbie who hailed from South Dakota, though she's had way more seat time than I . We enjoyed the rest of the loop together making sure the "kids" took ample water along the way. I trotted in ahead though I stopped him well before the finish line to walk him in to pulse down.

Dan was standing there and I could see him saying from the distance "Are you happy"? And all i could do was give him two thumbs up. Even happier that the entire ride I was never alone... G-d was right there holding the reins . We did the final vet check and come to find out were were in the top ten. Awesome since we got to check and re-check GaZi's recovery rates and that's where my prayers were truly answered. He finished tired but healthy.

We got to visit for quite awhile with the vet after the ride who while busy vetting in the other 30 milers and 55 milers was a wealth of info on conditioning and overall equine advice. GaZi was pronounced fit, sound and ready to go. Proving that a successful partnership be it equine or personal must be 100%/100%.

The town of Roundup is a friendly welcoming town and the landowners were so gracious in allowing us to make use of their land for the tour. What I got out of this journey despite all my initial trepidations is first, trust G-d, second, Start the Journey! As i always say when I mount... "here we go, best ride ever". There is a world of equestrian adventure out there, awaiting those who are brave enough to find it. You can overcome it (heck I took a huge baby step-- hmmm is that an oxymoron?), if you are willing to put the time, energy, hard work, and often, money, into making your dreams come true. The rewards are incredible. Riding your horse on a beautiful mountain trail and enjoying every step of the way is a satisfaction like no other. And in reaching the finish line of this endurance journey, I know I have come home. If your happy trails bring you to Montana, I'd run dont walk (or would that be gallop not walk) to this ride.

Do I hear an amen? Trot on friends, trot on.

Horses are Proof that G-d loves us and Wants us to Be Happy.
-- Old Prairie Song

No Kvetching on Mother's Day

Fortunately I don' t have the "typical Jewish mother"... but for mother's day... select don't settle with these possibilities from Jewtee.com Only a mother can love. No kvetching on mother's day... have a glass of wine, not whine. Here’s the timeless “If Famous People Had Jewish Mothers” joke:

MONA LISA’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“This you call a smile, after all the money your father and I spent on
braces?”

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS’ JEWISH MOTHER:
“I don’t care what you’ve discovered, you still should have written!”

MICHELANGELO’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“Why can’t you paint on walls like other children? Do you know how hard
it is to get this junk off the ceiling?”

NAPOLEON’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“All right, if you’re not hiding your report card inside your jacket,
take your hand out of there and show me!”

ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“Again with the hat! Why can’t you wear a baseball cap like the other
kids?”

GEORGE WASHINGTON’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“Next time I catch you throwing money across the Potomac, you can kiss
your allowance good-bye!”

THOMAS EDISON’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“Of course I’m proud that you invented the electric light bulb. Now
turn it off and go to sleep!”

PAUL REVERE’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“I don’t care where you think you have to go, young man,midnightis long
past your curfew!”

And then these two, who really did have Jewish mothers:

ALBERT EINSTEIN’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“But it’s your senior photo! Couldn’t you have done something
about your hair?”

MOSES’ JEWISH MOTHER:
“That’s a good story! Now tell me where you’ve really been for the last
forty years.”

Now pick up the phone and call the womb from whence you came. As daddy used to day "if you didnt have a parent, we'd have to go out and buy you one. ." Shalom ya'll

The Blessing Way of Horses

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.
- Carl Jung

All there is is now not what happened yesterday's ride or what will next weekend's ride be like. Everytime we take off I say "here we go , best ride ever".

.We all strive for this promising moment where we find that true bond that is stronger then love. Only horses can give us the fulfilling magic. This magic can be instant; it may be discovered the second your eyes meet their devoted eyes. Or it may not be realised until you first make it through that tough show. Such was the case with Alle

Whenever or wherever it is revealed, treasure it forever, for you may not find the special magic with every horse you affectionately ride or take care of. Take every breathtaking chance you have to live these excitedly shared moments. Memories of magic

Through the eyes of a horse, you learn all your horse wants is love. In the eyes of a horse, you see it wants to be near you always. You know that you’re not alone when you’re lonely. You know that your horse will give you a hug without physically touching. And you know he touches your soul. During hard times, you look in his eyes and feel better.

Just another way of communicating... look in his eyes.. what's he saying? Have you looked into your horses eyes lately? Next time you go to see your loving mount, give him or her a loving hug. The measure of greatness is not found in your accomplishments. Its in how much discouragement it takes to stop you.

So today we celebrate both the birthday of Israel and our first endurance ride together. Do I hear a serious amen? Keep us in the prayer that we finish with G-man feeling healthy , fit and fast.. See you on the other side.

Opening the Barn Door

Maria: When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window.
From one of my all time favorite movies:
- The Sound of Music

As GaZi and I had an "team Gazi ride" just he and me.. Open doors...I've prayed for open doors many times and perhaps you have too. I'm stressing about next weekend's endurance ride... and pray that the door is open for a successful ride.. even a successful start. I'm worrying what if he doesnt pass the "pre ride veteterinary check"? And while I've heard that it's a common worry among endurance riders, regardless of "time in seat" as it were.. worry comes down to ... loss of faith. So I prayed to the Heavenly Father whilst on GaZi The longer I walk or in this case ride this Christian life, however, I learn that everything we need...we already have. That goes for open doors as well.

So I went back t ot he beginning as it were and re-read Genesis 1 again. My first thought earlier that morning had been "Open Doors", In Gen: 1:2 when the Lord spoke..."Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there IS and open door. Quit looking for an open door...I am the door." Whoa! (pardon the pun)My mind raced to that scripture in Revelation 3:8, "See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut..."

In the Old Testament when the children of Israel were to follow the cloud by day? When the cloud would move...they loaded up their goods and followed. The Spirit of the Lord moved those millions of people from place to place so that they would be provided for. Had they not moved, they would have died in the desert and on their tombstones would have been written..."Failed to follow the Spirit of God".

So what does all of this have to do with doors? Where the Spirit of the Lord is...there IS an open door. Following that spirit is the key that unlocks our ability to see open doors. He sees open doors and knows which doors are closing before it even happens. If we will listen, He will position us in just the right spot. This has to do with going when He says go, and staying when He says stay.

A recent horsey example was when Picken was for hte first time since I got her .. unrideable due to some injury she'd sustained we guessed running in the pasture. She wouldn't tell us :) THe same day we took her to the vet for x-rays etc came on the email photogs of what was to be be my purchase of GaZi. A "g-dincidence " if ever there were one. Everything just lined up for his arrival here. And while Picken was on "rest and rehab", it was GaZi and my time to start to learn each other.

As we finished our ride back to the barn I dropped my reins and lifted my hands and eyes skyward as I prayed. And I was filled with such a peaceful spirit. Yes, and in the next instant the "monkey mind" kicks in with doubts So, when you are looking for open doors, remember,G-d is the door ...Genesis 1:1...In the beginning God. All we need to do is ask, look and listen. The hills are alive.

Do I hear an amen?

Talk to the Animals

This is not an original story, and the author is unknown but it's an old Cherokee Native American tale. I found it originally at Serious Things. It says a lot of what I've been wanting to share but haven't known exactly how. I hope you enjoy it.

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith"

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Today, as I rush around in the flurry of last preparations for our first endurance ride this weekend, (our first together, since Gazi's a veteran of 21 rides) I thought about my fears and what "wolf" am I feeding? I sat down and wrote out a pretty good list of exactly what tmy horsey goals are. These are not in any particular order, and most of them are synergistic - in other words, they work together, and build on each other.

• I want the horse to like me and want to be around me.
• For the horse to like having me touch it and direct it anywhere I want it to go.
• To have the horse trust me implicitly, completely, joyfully.
• For the horse to understand that my desire is to have FUN with the horse, and that I am constantly improving the horse's skills and personality as well as my own, because I want what is best for the horse.
• To have the horse willing to do whatever I want.Get to the point where we start a ride and despite the "excitement" at the start..
• For me to be consistent so that the horse expects to have to behave, but also a job that's fun and desirable, and safe - - trust.
• To pick up on the horse's slightest signals to know what it is thinking and to anticipate its needs/desires.
• For the horse to do the same for me, so that it looks like we think the same thoughts.
• For the horse and I to be as ONE. especially as we embark on our endurance rides together.. Talk about mile sto go before I sleep.. And despite the "excitement" start of the ride, I can look down and say "Gazi, my partner let's git 'r done"... and we're a team

Tis a work in progress and to paraphrase the legend horse trainer Ray Hunt .. you have a vision and you keep correcting til you get as close as possible to those goals. The challenges are what make it interesting, and the successes, the moments where things just "flow" between you and a horse, are nothing short of being "of G-d"

I see the work of the L-rd in each ride , be it on Picken, Gazi or Alle . God has been showing me the last few months that this is His attitude towards me! He has blessed me with three perfect choices .. they each teach me such different lessons.. apparently ones I need to learn :) Through Picken, G-d teaches me,courage patience and acceptance. Despite the fact she's 15 , she's a Thoroughbred and will always want to be first and running.

He wants me to trust Him completely. He wants me to like being with Him. He wants me to know that He knows me better than I know myself. He wants me to learn to pick up His small signals to anticipate our next direction.

In the last months, I've realized why I have this love for horses. God knows I can be a stubborn, fearful person with control issues, born out of fear of the future. He knew I would have a hard time knowing that He is good and only wants good for me, even if I have to go through hard stuff sometimes to get to where He is taking me. He knew I would be someone who likes directing my own life.

So, among the many not so "G-dincidences" and blessings, He directed our path of a kid's dream to move to Montana and a a fascination with horses I can see, through the horses, just how much He loves me and what He wants for me. And as I expect a lot from my horses, because that is what's best for them, God expects a lot from me because that is what is best for me.

Git 'r done and git 'r slung .. safely whereever the journey takes you. Do I hear an amen?

The Motherlode

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers. ~Jewish Proverb

Mother’s Day is a nice holiday, but it isn’t quite one of those cushy weekday government holidays when folks get to sleep late, the banks are closed, and there’s no mail delivery. Still, the second Sunday in May is put aside for everyone to honor poor old Mom.

As a kid, I never could figure out why there wasn’t a Daughter’s Day or maybe a Twin's Day or something so that I could get flowers, candy, cash, and maybe that cool new ping pong table we saw at Big 5 – so I could kick brother older bro Jeff's butt at something

Sure, I figured my momma was deserving of a special day, I mean, she worked long hours and still managed to cook supper for the five of us most nights, No accident her nickname was "LS", Lazy Squaw. Money was tight and she made sure we had nice clean clothes to wear – albeit she made us iron our clothes and wear half-slips under our skirts to temple.

All through history, people set aside a day to honor mothers. Natives danced in their birthday suits around trees, the early English had a Mothering Sunday and gave Dear Mom a ‘Mothering Cake,’ and here in the U.S. after constant nagging from suffragists and moms everywhere, President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day a national observance every year.

Moms have always nurtured, sacrificed, and baked cakes for their offspring. Just take a look at Jesus’ mom Mary — she’s so famous that if your buttermilk biscuit looked like her, you could sell it on eBay and earn a small fortune.

With all the motherly rearing comes motherly advice. I always wondered if Mary got frustrated with Jesus and said, “Shut that door, were you born in a barn?” Or if the founder of the Home Depot store’s mom told him, “Move out of the way, you make a better door than a window!”

I can’t count the times "LS" told me:

• “Don’t make that face/cross your eyes or it’ll freeze like that!”

• “What do you think — money grows on trees?”

• “Did we get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?”

• “Finish up the old before you start the new!” That included bread that had been in the bread drawer 3 weeks.

• “Don’t make me come back there!”

• “How many times do I have to tell you – NO!”

• “If all your friends jumped in a lake, would you jump too?”

• “If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all.”

• “You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar.”

There were several suggestions she had regarding food:

• “We have two choices on tonight’s menu: take it or leave it.”

• “Your eyes are bigger than your stomach.”

• “You know what the best diet is??? Push yourself away from the table.”

• “You ate all that? You must have a hollow leg!”

And you know she had something to say about hygiene:

• “Don’t put that in your mouth – there’s no tellin’ where it’s been!”

• “Always wear clean underwear, ya never know when you’ll be in an accident.”

Not to mention, she taught me logic like " If you fall off that swing and break your neck, you can't go to the store with me."
L.S. also taught me medicine - like, "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they're going to freeze that way." and of course
she taught me to meet a challenge- "Where's your brother and don't talk with food in your mouth. Answer me!"

Yes, moms are special and they really deserve a day to be honored, Consider yourself lucky if you have two parents or even just one. As daddy used to say, "if you didnt have a father/mother, we'd have to go out and buy you one". Parental units aren't perfect, but chances are, no one will ever love you the same way.

Especially if you act the way you did.

Mom's Day in the Kitchen

Kitchen gadgets aren't just for cooking experts. Sure you can go overboard; after all, there are virtually thousands of contraptions to choose from. But here's a list of some really useful kitchen gadgets you can buy for mom—and each one is under $50!

1. Silicone Oven Mitt: These babies are hot in kitchens right now. They can withstand temps up to 500 degrees and you can toss them in the dishwasher for an easy cleaning. Target these babies by Orka You will also find trivets made out of the same silicone, too. So useful!
2. Pepper Mill: If you’re still shaking pepper out of a plastic jar, you are missing out on a whole world of spice with fresh milled pepper. There’s tremendous variety to choose from: some are tiny and also sport a section with salt, others are 2 feet tall , and a bunch are even battery powered and do the milling for you. I prefer manual grinding with a simple twist of the wrist in a see-thru acrylic material that is easy to clean
3. Knife Sharpener: If you keep wondering why you're ripping your tomatoes apart when slicing them, it’s because your knives are dull. I love this particular knife sharpener because it’s simple to use and it has no moving parts such as little wheels. Just three or four flicks of the blade through this and you’ll be slicing pretty again.
4. Wine Bottle Opener: Forget those crazy old fashioned corkscrews that leave you wrecking the cork and leaving bits of it in your wine. This full-proof opener works with a simple flick of the handle.
5. Silicone Basting Brush: This handy brush is wonderful when you’ve got to brush olive oil on a chicken, sweep egg white on a pie shell or a whole host of other important little tasks. Tons better than using one of those wooden brushes with bristles. Those darned bristles always shed and are nearly impossible to keep clean. Just pop the silicone brush into your dishwasher and you’ve got zilch to worry about.
6. Automatic Sugar Dispenser: If you drink coffee every day you’ll love this thing. No mess, no fuss—just push the button and an exactly measure ½ teaspoon falls into your cup of brew. Want more? Just push the button to clean; that's it. And it's easy to refill, too. Kinda fun for the person that needs a little taste of sugar each day, but doesn't want to go overboard!
7. The Teastick: Perfect for that afternoon spot of tea. It holds loose tea leaves tight and allows them to steep in hot water. Must be some scones out there somewhere.

And yes. there are some scones bakin' for that afternoon tea (or breakfast for that matter!) right here from Recipezaar

Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup cold butter
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg white, additional sugar for top

1. Combine dry ingredients.
2. Cut in butter to coarse crumbs.
3. Stir in raisins and buttermilk.
4. Stir just until moistened.
5. Place on floured surface,knead a few times (6-8).
6. Pat into an 8in circle,cut into 12 wedges.
7. Place on greased cookie sheet.
8. Beat egg white until foamy, brush scones.
9. Sprinkle with sugar.
10. Bake at 400* for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Top with jam of choice

Tons more kitchen gadgets and tools here.. you're only limited by your imagination.. or your budget and storage room.

Trot on friends, trot on.

Run Horsies Run

Did the morning run up to Kronenberger's ranch this a.m. with a Manker dog in pacing mode. I'm always amazed by his herd. THe more equines he acquires, the less he rides.. **sigh**. I ’m just a person—one single human body, about 5′3" and (never mind) pounds. I’m far away from the safety of my car, and I’m standing in the middle of the pasture, totally exposed. If they wanted to, the mares could charge me and totally wipe me out and finish me off by stomping on my abdomen or my sternum or my lower pelvic region in a New York minute. But instead, they run.

They run as if I’m the most threatening creature they’ve ever seen, much more threatening than the 1,100-pound cows or 1,800-pound bulls they sometimes come across, or the wild coyotes that roam our ranch looking for their next meal.

And I just don’t get it. I’m a really nice girl. I spoke to them in a soft, gentle voice. I was doing my best to hang with the homegirls.

Was it something I said ? It’s enough to give a middle child like me a complex.

As if I needed one more thing.

The 10 Commandments of Country Etiquette

From Manhattan to Madison-Jefferson County. I've often hear longtime locals complain about the bad habits that newcomers bring with them when they move from a city to a rural community, I thought I'd put together another in my sometime series, The 10 Commandments (could actually be 20 for that matter) of Country Etiquette. Help you ease on down the road so you can feel at home on the range.. sooner rather than later.

1. Thou shalt drive slowly. Rural communities are loaded with animals, tractors, and dirt roads. This is a hard one for the "lead, follow or get outa my way" types. You never know what's around the next bend. Also, unlike most cities, people in rural communities usually know someone in the sheriff's office and won't hesitate to call in a report if they are offended by your driving.

2. Thou shalt turn off your outdoor lights at night. Country folk enjoy looking at the stars.

3. Thou shalt not hang wind chimes. People in rural communities like to hear the sounds of nature -- birds chirping, leaves rustling in the wind, the peaceful sound of the creek flowing... not metal clinking against metal.

4. Thou shalt bag it... Your garbage that is. and keep a lid on it as well. Folks don't like to see your junk food wrappers and soda cans co-mingling with the flowers in their gardens.

5 .Thou shalt drive in the right hand lane when on roads that have more than one lane in each direction/ pass in the left-hand lane. Once you have passed, get back over into the right-hand lane, so that other people can pass.

6. Thou shalt respect your neighbor's space. Folks live here precisely because they like their personal space and privacy.

7. Thou shalt spread out. When driving in a rural area, there is no reason to tailgate or drive in the blind spot of another driver. This is not the Long Island Expressway. Same goes for crowding people when standing in lines.

8. Thou shalt be doubly aware f you see someone on horseback. Sudden movements and loud noises frighten most horses. Slow down while passing, and don't honk when you see a rider on the side of the road.

9. Thou shalt not feed other people's horses without permission. Some horses colic easily and/or may be on special diets.

10. Thou shalt discover the power of contribution. Make a difference in your new community by getting involved. Find a way to help make it a better place by adopting a highway, especially if you have a business. We're members of the chamber of commerce, D.H. head of 4-H shooting sports for two counties.

Shabbat shalom . Trot on friends, trot on...

A Kiss on the Nose and a Shema

הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם עַל־לְבָבֶךָ: וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ: וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל־יָדֶךָ וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ: ט וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל־מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ:

Hear, O Israel; The L-rd our G-d is one L-rd; And you shall love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart; And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the posts of your house, and on your gates

I always (or almost always) recite the Shema and kiss the horse du jour on the nose. I somehow feel laced with grace when I do that. How do we live Torah?” and we can try to live out Torah on our own or like our People through history we can draw on our Jewish tradition. This is one of the most innovative parts of Messianic Judaism in that to be credible we must come to respect Jewish tradition and live in the G-d given way of life that has been preserved over the last 2000 years. So much of Jewish life is based in tradition

Having evolved more towards Messianic Judaism from being Reform, Messianic Judaism is a Jewish congregational movement that is (or should be) firmly grounded in Jewish soil. So then for the building of a mature Messianic Judaism, we must respect Jewish tradition, which serves us in that it is the way for us to live out the Torah in our lives each day. Judaism with a Messiah in our midst is such a powerful part of our identity

So apropros of horses.. I had a good chuckle on this one. It's only an old joke if you havent heard it before

Charlie was a regular visitor at the racetrack. One afternoon he noticed an unusual sight.

Right before the first race, an Orthodox Rabbi visited one of the horses in the stable area and gave it a blessing.

Charlie watched the horse race very carefully and sure enough, the blessed horse came in first!

Charlie followed the Rabbi before the next race and again, he went to the stables and performed a similar procedure.

Charlie played hunch and put a couple of dollars on the blessed horse. Sure enough, the blessed horse came in by two lengths and Charlie won close to fifty bucks!

The Rabbi continued the same procedure through the next few races and Charlie won each time. He was now ahead $1,000, so between races, Charlie left the track and went to the bank and withdraw his life's savings $20,000.

The biggest race of the day was the last one. Charlie followed the Rabbi and watched carefully which horse he blessed.

He then went to the betting window and put his whole $21,000 bundle of cash on that horse to win.

Then Charlie went out to watch the horses race. Down the stretch they came and, as they crossed the finish line, the horse that Charlie bet on, was dead last!

Charlie was crushed.

He located the Rabbi and told him that he had been watching him bless the horses all day and they all became winners, except for the last horse on which he had bet his life's savings.

Charlie then asked, "What happened to the last horse whom you blessed?
Why didn't it win like the others?"

"That's the trouble with you Reformed Jews," sighed the Rabbi. "You can never tell the difference between a blessing and Kaddish."

You can say a blessing over this blueberry muffin cake.. our guests uh ate it up... from recipezaar

TOPPING
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (can use more)
FOR THE CAKE
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup cold butter, and cut into pea-size pieces

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries (or fresh)
1. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9 x 9-inch baking pan, and dust with flour.
3. For the topping, stir all ingredients together in a small bowl; set aside.
4. For the cake, whisk the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla in a small bowl to blend.
5. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and baking powder to blend.
6. Using your fingertips, rub the cold butter into the dry flour mixture, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
7. Add in the buttermilk/egg mixture; stir JUST until blended (don't over mix!) stir in the blueberries.
8. Transfer the batter to prepared baking pan.
9. Sprinkle the reserved topping mix over the batter.
10. Bake for approximately 50 minutes to 1 hour.
11. Remove from oven, and cool the cake in pan on a wire rack.

Do I hear an amen? Shabbat Shalom

Weather or Not

Here in Montana.. drive 5 miles or wait 5 minutes and the weather's guranteed to change. 60 degrees on Thanksgiving and 20 degrees and 5 inches of snow when you wake up on Memorial Day . This time of year especially.. you can get plum weather weary. Spring teases you for a few days with balmy temps and sunny skies and you think at last... spring is finally here. Then you wake up to howling winds and snow covered horses forcing a collective "ugh"

But alas, weather happens.

That fact is lost on some people - especially local weather forecasters.

Watching a local weather forecast is much like reading the Sierra Club's treatise on the environment. You know, that the earth will collapse in three years because of people who refuse to put a brick in their toilet tank.

The local weathergeek takes great pride in making the storm on their channel sound bigger, nastier and more destructive than the storm on any other channel. And, by God, they're going to stay in the newsroom weather center all night to prove it.

Although local weathergoobs' penchant for turning a dust devil into a Class 4 twister could be attributed to Nielsen ratings, I've come to the conclusion the reason is much more sinister than that.

Either:

1) Said weathergeek is as paranoid as a small dog and any drop in the barometric pressure pushes him into a Stephen Kingesque world where fluffy, cumulous clouds are controlled by Satan.

"The humidity is 85 percent. Expect a few clouds today. Wind will be out of the northwest at 10 mph and we'll have periods of light rain," weathergeek says before grabbing his head and screaming, "Oh my God, we're all going to die."

Or, 2) None of these weather guys know what they're talking about.

This is evident in the fact that although their newsroom weather centers have more computing power than the Sstarship Enterprise, none of the local forecasts agree, but none are ever correct. Typical prognostications

Ohhh, I'm getting great vibes. Temperatures should be warmer this Summer than they will be in the Winter.

Now this is interesting. For sure. There will be a tendency certainly for temperatures to be cooler at night than they will be during the day.

Instead of relying on a local weather forecast, maybe you should just tell yourself, "Hmmm, it's summer. Maybe I should wear shorts."

Going with the premise that weathergeeks couldn't tell you the current weather conditions by walking outside and looking up, the following are points teachers obviously don't cover in meterology 101:

• Winter is cold. Winter happens the same time each year. People already know they're supposed to wear a hat when it's cold - you don't have to take up valuable air time reminding them.
• July is hot. Heck, it's summer. It's hot in the summer, every summer. Anywhere it's summer, it's going to be hot. That's not something to panic over.
• As with cold in winter, if it's 115 degrees, people already know it's probably not a good idea to put on a parka and tar a roof. If they're stupid enough to do this, let them.
• It rains in the spring.
• It rains in the fall.
• Sometimes it rains in the summer, and sometimes it rains in the winter. It's just freakin' rain. If you find yourself having chest pains related to anxiety because it's going to rain, have a Chardonnay t and a nap.

And true to Jeff Foxworthy , you might (or in this case know) your're from Montana when:

• you often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again.
• You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching.
• Your 4th of July BBQ is moved inside due to the blizzard

Yeah, weather happens. I thought people would be used to it by now.Just another day in paradise.

Montana's Glamour Kid

Horses.. In some ways ,they are the ultimate Montana glamour animal, possessed of almost mythical strength (ever been pushed by one of 'em?) , speed , savvy, size and for some unfathomable reason, a natural willingness to work with dogs, men, women and kids.

Not even the wolf can match a horse for popularity in Montana's animal kingdom. Definitely the winner of the Congentiality title besides they smell good.

The expression "work like a horse" means something because they do work hard. For a bit of feed, water and some care, they keep coming back to a "job" day after day. But in the end, it's the bulk, and beauty of the horse that sell him/her to us .. One of those mysteries in life that really do not require explanation. A horse is a horse.. nuff said.

In the equine world, there's that wonderful look
When your horse meets you up close -- he'll read you like a book
And if you are gentle, if you are kind, you may be rewarded
By a soft loving nuzzle ...
The powerful build and the magnificent stare
And the way a horse moves as if it has nothing to dread
A horse is a creature of G-d.. and that's enough said

Trot on friends, trot on.

In the eye of the beholder

It's been a busy coupla weeks here with guests, spring trying to make its presence known amid the snowflakes It's been a time warp... I've had to look at the calendar; is it December or April?

An entourage came in last Wednesday from England. Having given them the tour around in what was a very normal sort of day for me I did get to see the farm through someone else’s eyes, but it wasn’t the looks of the place or all that stood undone. These visitors helped me see the wonder of this place and the delight of it. They loved herding the cows along to a new pasture; they had great fun with our horses and watching their antics as we moved them from one pasture to another. Their kids loved going down to Fish Creek with Manker. At one point I heard one of the kids say, “I wish we could just go around and be on ranches with animals.

.Toward the end of their visit we stopped and they asked me several questions about how I’d come to from big city life to running a bed and breakfast in Montana. I gave them a little of the background—that I had balways wanted to live in Montana since i was a young 'un and the innkeeping dream came in more recent years when I traveleld alot to races. We'd decided to leave the stress of the city and move to the last best place to make a go of it.

“Do you feel you’re living a dream?” the husband of one of the staff members asked. I stumbled on the question. More often than not these days I do, In the dead of winter, it sometimes doesnt with all of the bills piled up, the work to be done, care and feeding of guests and animals, when it's 10 below not counting the "winds of Whitehall" chill factor . to feed my animals for another day. “I answered that it was, but there is a lot of stress involved.” It's not as easy the homemade muffins and fresh hot coffee make it look like it is".

Gratefulness has never been my strong suite. I am a goal oriented person and when I get one thing finished I move on to the next and forget to be thankful for what I’ve been fortunate enough to accomplish or have. But with these visitors I was given new eyes on what I am doing innkeeping and I do feel grateful for the opportunity. With all of the stress of the work,from barn repairs to bookeeping to hay hauling each day is different. For which I am very thankful, I could never go back to the "corporate world." Owning a piece of G-d's country and the opportunity to share it; we do have it good . I am grateful for that and to the people who help me stop to see it.

I am also grateful for the infamous The Joy of Cooking which provides all kinds of great treats. When i think of a vegan baked good, the word treat does not come to mind. I expect a dense and chewy lump of who knows what. But there is a recipe in the joy of cooking that is great when dessert is required and the fridge is low on eggs. It’s the dairy-free chocolate cake (vegan) from the Joy of Cooking.

On with the cake!

dairy-free chocolate cake (vegan) from the joy of cooking

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. grease and flour one 8 x 8 inch pan or line the bottom with wax or parchment paper.

Sift together in a large bowl:

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened nonalkalized cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

combine and add:

• 1 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Here's to a Happy Friday and a kick ass weekend. Trot on friends, trot on.

Focused or Frazzled?

Let’s see … start the laundry and load the dishwasher. And that's before I head out for morning run and gathering of the horses for their morning feed. While those are running, put on the accounting hat, balance the books, (note to self... dont forget to throw laundry in dryer enroute to grocery shopping). After heading home, putting away the groceries, get the breakfast menu ready do last check around and last minute straightening up the house, before guests arrive.. When all that’s finished, get in a ride on either Gazi or Alle getting them ready for their next competitions. I mean G-d doesnt want me to give them up does He? My acquisitions of them for endurance and showing, respectively have truly been G-dincidences. Glancing at the watch, do the perfunctory grooming so I can tidy up, welcome guests, do do the welcome tour and fall into bed, thinking about all the things you still didn’t finish. Ah the joys of innkeeping even more so now since we're in high season.

Sound familiar? Do you feel like all your minutes are accounted for before you even have time to think, carry on a meaningful conversation with your spouse, or relax? Rather than feeling like you actually participate in and enjoy your days, you're being driven through life by all the things you must do?

Both Joani 's fellowship and taking the time on Sundays for a bit of Sabbath has given me the proverbial food for thought .. In an effort to be the best innkeeper and wife or simply to serve God to the best of our abilities, we often find ourselves overcommitted, overextended. and str-r-r-retched . Is this the way God intended it? you wonder.

The truth is, God never intended us to live frazzled lives. But it takes faith, discipline, and persistence to manage time God’s way. Frazzle = stress. And stress produces anxiety, frustration, , and crankiness.. In an effort to do it all, however, we forget what’s most important — and end up accomplishing nothing. As my DH always says "slow down to go faster".

I’m convinced that the solution to our time problems can be found in Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”

As I consider the phrase, “all these things will be provided for you,” I think of what provisions I need — peace, stability, and energy to do the things that are necessary.The key is to filter out the things that aren’t necessary and remind myself of my ultimate priority. Jesus didn’t say, “Seek first to complete your daily to-do list, clean the inn, ride the horses and to take care of your family.” Instead, He said, “Seek first the kingdom of God.”

Seeking first the kingdom of God is the most overlooked spiritual principle today. By trying to do so many things — even good things — we often leave little time to do the best thing. I’ve come to learn that just because something serves God’s kingdom doesn’t mean that I was meant to be the multi-tasking servant who is spread too thin. Instead, 1 Corinthians 10 :31 reminds us to do it all for the glory of G-d... Be it horses, the inn.. it's ultimately all His

Whoever He is... Do you ever wonder who Jesus really is.

1.There are 3 good arguments that Jesus was Jewish:
He went into his father's business.
He lived at home until he was 33.
He was sure his Mother was a virgin and his Mother was sure he was God.

2. Then there are 3 good arguments that Jesus was Italian:
He talked with his hands.
He had wine with his meals.
He used olive oil.

3. And then there are 3 good arguments that Jesus was a Californian:
He never cut his hair.
He walked around barefoot all the time.
He started a new religion.

4. But maybe he was an American Indian:
He was at peace with nature.
He ate a lot of fish.
He talked about the Great Spirit.

5. But the most compelling evidence of all -- 3 proofs that Jesus was a woman:
He fed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was no food.
He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it.
And even when he was dead, he had to get up because there was work to do

And when I feel the stress o meter rising, I can always be found reciting a Philippians 4:13 or a Shema. There now I feel better

What spiritual quotes help you? Either way, do I hear an amen?

By The Seat of My Pants

I continue to be amazed, pleasantly so how the training on Alle teaches me to ride Gazi and vice versa. and I are working on patterns for Western and English. c.lasses. The balance, timing and seemingly imperceptible cues with shoulders and the shifting of reins is truly a dance when mastered. Alle the "been there done that " horse in the show ring is being patient while I catch up and learn the steps. Learning patterns not only gives me more control over the horse, but calso mixes it up and keeps the arena interesting. Fine tuning the "conversation" works really great out there in the "big bad world" with my endurance partner GaZi, Even more so when he seems to think it's time for a "spook".

Ah yes, those great expectations. Much more so on the trail than in the arena I've found . . Each time you go to ride your horse it's a brand new day.. Even if I ride the same trail three days in a row, it's three totally different rides and experiences. . Of course you can continue to build on the training you worked on yesterday, but today is a new day. Yesterday is dead and gone. You gotta go for those great expectations from your horse this day. . Prior to my purchase of GaZi, Carol had said " he needs a confident rider"... Somedays I go out and when I think of that depending on my state of mind.. I think.. "good, we'll have to go out and find one" :) But as Carol said.. it's very "zen like" with him (and with Alle in showmanship too for that matter). When I put my "confident " hat on... methinks my demeanor, body language changes and as I tell my mount du jour .. "I'm the leader in this girl's army"... followed by a kiss on their nose of course.

A good example is when Picken spooked at a tin can that hadnt been on the trail before. I could 've had that expectation of "uh oh" the next time up there. The question becomes "what are you expecting when you are approaching the "scene of the crime? If I'm expecting the horse to get scared, of course he/she will do what you expect of him. If your energy is tense and scared your horse will feel that. A horse is a mirror of the human on board.

I have trouble being 100% in any moment, whether at work, at home, at church, or on my horse. Raise your hand if you dont suffer from this malaise. From the moment—the instant—I’m conscious each morning, my thoughts are rolling and roaring like ocean waves, tossing about the priorities of the day . orses are the perfect lesson in "be here now" and trust and knowing G-d's presence .
If a horse can feel a tiny little fly land on him, you better believe he can feel your emotions. A horse can even feel when you are holding your breath. When that happens, or you change your breathing the horse will sense something is wrong.Before riding on a trail, in a horse show, or even practicing in the arena get your confidence in check and your horse will follow. Keep your breathing deep and steady. In a nutshell, expect success and the mirror that is your horse will be Great expectations and zen like. I tell you ... my horses are gonna make an equestrienne outa me yet...

Where do you fall into the trap of "great expectations" Do I hear an amen

Mending Fences Not for the Sheepish

Trust me , cheap fences are the most expensive. Lazy farmers build the best fences because they don’t want to have to do it a second time. If you want to save money, drive an old pickup and use the thousands of dollars saved to build good fences. This is especially true on small farms ( 20 acres or thereabouts) because you won’t be running a fence a mile into the sunset and so won’t have a huge outlay for fencing.

When we first moved here ... we had to redo the fences long in disrepair. As newbies to these here parts, we pride ourselves on having the new "World and Olympic record" since our sheep arrived about a week earlier than scheduled... But I digress. The search for a cheap fence brought us electric fencing, which has its place in some kinds of pasture farming where the fence needs to be moved frequently for grazing purposes. But please believe me. Your perimeter fences, your boundary fences between you and your neighbors, should be more formidable, not only to keep your livestock in but big dogs out. If you decide to ignore that advice, you will end up spending about as much money for a really reliable electric fence as you would putting up a good, woven wire fence. And your livestock will sooner or later find a way through the electric one, usually when you are 400 miles away on vacation. One cow causing an accident on the road can cost you plenty.

Here’s some imaginative, cheap (in out-of-pocket cost) fence ideas, from my observations and experiences:

a.) Junked school bus bodies, end to end. Ugly as sin, but the buses double as housing for baby pigs, lambs, whatever. Yes, I have seen this done. No, we do not recommend it.

b.) Old railroad ties laid up like a zigzag rail fence. This makes a fairly good cheap fence (also ugly) if you can get the railroad to give you old ties which they perversely will seldom do anymore.

c.) English-type hurdles make a fairly good, short term fence if you own a woodlot. you can make hurdles by splitting five inch or so diameter saplings in two, using the splits like you would boards to nail a gate together. In a farm junk pile, our neighbor found a huge pile of old steel fence posts with the ends rusted off where the posts had spent their first life sticking in the ground. They were still five feet long and driven into the ground two feet left three feet above ground — enough to hold the hurdles up.

d. Shipping pallets make a fair fence. Often you will see huge piles of them racked up outside factories. If you can affect a sweet Mother Teresa air of supplication and approach the factory officials on bended knee, you might be able to get a truck load or more for nothing, if you have the truck. Good for short stretches of fence and they last ten years fairly well. Of course, you’ll need posts or trees to anchor them. The rusted off steel posts mentioned above will keep this kind of fence up too. Sometimes you can find used steel posts at farm sales that sell cheap. Doesn’t seem like anyone knows that even after they rust off at the bottom, there are a zillion uses for what’s left.

e.) If you have your own woodlot, you will be tempted to split logs for rails like Abe Lincoln and make an old-fashioned rail fence Ah the newbie naiveete revealed. After Dan split out about 20 rails, the idea of buying woven wire became overwhelmingly appealing.

Hopefully, I have talked you out of trying to save money on fencing. A woven wire livestock fence with a strand of barbed wire on top, if you are contemplating horses or cows, is a good choice. You need the barb on top to keep horses and cows from sticking their necks over the fence for some imagined goody on the other side and weighing it down. A strand of electric fence in place of the barb is better.

Nothing however, could talk me out of rustling up one of my all time favorites.. .good old fashioned country corn bread This cornbread browns nicely in the hot oven. For a crustier cornbread, heat the pan while the oven preheats before pouring in the batter. From allrecipes

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 1/2 cups flour
* 1 1/4 cups stone ground cornmeal
* 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 large eggs
* 1 cup buttermilk
* 1/4 cup melted butter, cooled slightly
* 1/4 cup honey

PREPARATION:
Heat oven to 425°. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan or spray with baking spray. Combine the flour, meal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the buttermilk, butter, and honey. Pour the egg mixture into the dry mixture and stir just until combined. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Git 'r done.

Mares Eat Oats and Other Horse Lessons

Ah yes the things we have learned and continue to learn from our horses. No matter how long you have been around horses, you will never "know it all". True, there are people who are very knowledgeable and some might consider them experts. No matter how much you know, you will always find a horse (and a human) that will teach you something new.

I learned from thoroughbred mare.. what "running" was all about. I learned that "goosing Gazi" equaled a one way trip to the ground equaled pain.I know that is a little funny you see we really do learn a lot from our horses, and yes a lot of us learned how to fall off.

There are more things that we have learned however For example we know when our horse isnt feeling well just by looking at them. We know when they come moping around that something isnt quite right with them.In situations like this we have also learned how to pester the Vet to death,we keep insisting that he or she make a house call because our horse just looks to terrible to trailer. When the vet finally gets there he realizes there is nothing wrong with your horse but he has a small case of cold.Then there comes your humiliation wich is also accompanied by a two hundred dollar vet bill all for coming to your house.

We also learn when our horse is tired especially when they lay down with you still on board at a local rodeo in front of all your friends who are by now busting with laughter and you are covered in red dirt and your face is turning red but not because of the dirt.It is all so crazy the things us and our horses will get into. Another thing we learn from horses is that babies are a small clan of horse eating pygmies. Garbage Bags will climb onto your face and suffocate you to death before you can say amen. Garbage Cans will swallow horses whole at least most of our horses think so.And while your on that trail we know how to keep a look out for those little ground nesting birds cause we know as soon as we get near them they are going to fly out right in front of your horses face meanwhile we will be on the ground trying to regain conciousness. These are just a few of the lessons I have learned from my horse. I think we will all benefit from these lessons though because our horses are our best teachers. (if I can just maintain the full and upright position)

But i do know.. they love oats... as do we here one of my most favorite cookies ever.

Oatmeal Jam squares. Just thinking about them I can smell the delicious aroma of baked fruit, butter and oatmeal. mmm..

Oatmeal Jam squares-

2 cups Oats
1- 3/4 cups flour
1 cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup jam, jelly, applesauce or mashed up fruit.

Preheat your oven to 375

Mix everything but the jam together in a bowl.

Separate 2 cups of the mixture, press the rest of it into a 13x9in greased pan.

Spread the jam over that, evenly. Sprinkle the rest of the mixture on top of the preserves. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool. Cut into little squares.

Make sure you let the cookies completely cool before trying to cut them, or you'll end up with something simular to oatmeal.

Even if you're not a big fan of sweets, you'll love this recipe. Sure, its pretty sweet, but its so delicious and SO GOOD. And it makes your house smell like you've been cooking all day, so whip up a batch just before having people over to win over their olfactory senses and ensure your place as the domestic Goddess (or God) that you are.

Trot on friends, trot on.

Walk with the Animals

Driving down the gravel road to the mailboxes and then a "stage right" to town, I saw an antelope staring at me. It was then that the thought occurred to me that the antelope out number the people in Montana. It's almost guaranteed that in one day you will see more antelope than you will people.

The antelope here run in groups of fifteen plus and don't care if their blocking roads or holding up traffic. After all, we humans are the minority here so why should they care? So, if you ever hear a rumor about the wildlife outnumbering the people in Wyoming, believe it because it is true. I think there is a two to one ratio here, which is why I would never move. We may not make the news and we may not have a lot of people here or anything to do, but the wildlife (antelope) are well worth being here.

I feel since we've moved here and now with the horses , I know I've come home.Out in nature unknown places, somewhere close to our Heavenly Father and all things free. We I can’t live separate from all other species. They are the soul of me. Let’s hear it for passion that shakes us up, wakes us up, and hopefully makes us feel a little strange.

Dylan Thomas wrote:
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light…

He speaks of our awakening at the end of days, and feeling that so much is left undone.

I say let us be awake and wild every day.
Let us see infinite possibility all around us, here and now.
And let it whisper to us from beyond the next hill, and the next sunrise.
Let us not give in to the dying that we suffer daily when we fall into tired, empty habits.
Let us not listen to the voices that ask us to always speak in a measured, mediocre way.

Shabbat shalom friends, trot on, trot on.

Are you the Hunter or the Hunted?

Bringing in the horses this morning and watching their "marching order" I could clearly see their "pecking " order. GaZi Man left them and headed straight to me. (BIG HUG gazi-man).. Thoroughbred mare not to be outdone turned quickly and came over followed by Whistler who's the lead mare and Brady number 4 but constantly challenging newcomer GaZi.

Watching their dance
Most people wonder endlessly about why their lives are the way they are. Being stuck in a job that they hate, staying in an unhealthy relationship, or never really achieving their purpose in life. . Instead of having the courage to face their adversities, question the direction their lives are headed in, and actively seek true success, they opt to wander through life aimlessly with no real ambition and a lack of any real purpose .

In the animal kingdom there is a food chain that has maintained itself since the beginning. What we don’t realize is that in our society there is also a food chain that we are a part of everyday. The chain is cloaked by our civilized society and no one gets eaten, but in some ways the effects are more brutal than a cheetah pouncing on a gazelle. The sad fact is that many of the people that are on the losing end of the food chain perpetuate their own status by their actions and who they choose to associate with.

The difference between us and the real animals in the world is that we choose which life we want to live. Although most people don’t know it, they have chosen whether they want to be a hunter, scavenger, or prey. The decisions they make on a daily or even an hourly basis reinforces the lifestyle that most represents what they think of themselves.

Animal Characteristics

The people with the underlying helpless outlook on situations that they feel they have no control over are clearly the prey. They present themselves as not being strong enough to effect the conditions around them and not courageous enough to stand up for themselves. So what happens? They get eaten. Those who wait for others to take actions are living their lives like scavengers. They are the ones who may take action if and only if absolutely necessary but usually wait for others to take action first. The hunters are the ones who will go out and control their environment. They understand that in order to get what you want, you must gain instinct, timing, courage as well as the ability to risk what you have in order to get what you want.

All people possess hunter, scavenger, and prey characteristics. In order to make your way in this world sometimes you need to be a scavenger and sometimes you need to hunt. Learning when to take on certain characteristic is a valuable skill. Whenever I talk to people who complain about their job, I like to ask them what they are doing to change whatever it is that they are complaining about. Answers range from "it's not my job" to overall feelings of helplessness.. .what difference does it make? . They are usually convinced that nothing will ever change. Then there are the few people that look at a situation like that and take action .

There is a time to be submissive and there is a time to be aggressive. The hunter mentality does not apply to all things in life. Submitting yourself to authority, a higher power, or leaders is often a positive thing. However, within that submission, there should be a readiness to act as a hunter when the occasion calls. In general, being passive about goals, desires, and your purpose is a huge mistake .

In order for you to truly control certain circumstances around you, there must be an increase in your hunter characteristics. Here are some characteristics of a good hunter.

Find your Habitat- Animals who are predators always develop and grow separately from their prey but they live in the same or adjacent habitat. Cheetahs, lions, tigers, share the same land as their food. Otherwise there would be no opportunity to hunt. You must find the habitat where your opportunities are.

Practice your pounce-Wolf pups often chase each other around pretending to hunt one another. This pretend hunting is actually training for when they are older and are responsible for capturing their own food. There is usually a set of skills needed in order to succeed at anything. It's the old "how do I get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice practice. Practicing those skills are vital.

Hunt for your life-Find that thing that you love and pursue it as if it is the one thing that sustains your life! And it's an ever evolving process. It 's gonna be different now than it was 5-10 years down the road. For me it's innkeeping (aka G-d's inn) and the horses The majority of people in the world are afraid to go after what they truly want because they are afraid failure. If a lion misses a kill, it doesn’t give up, it tries again. Hunters understand that if they don’t hunt, they don’t eat. Find that one thing that will truly satisfy you and go after it. The most successful people in the world are successful because they’ve found that one thing in their lives that is their “food”. They pursue it because they cannot imagine doing anything else in with lives. Find your “food” and chase it until you capture it!

Trot on friends, trot on.

Uplifted when I Sing

Lord, I lift Your name on high;
Lord, I love to sing Your praises;
I'm so glad You're in my life;
I'm so glad You came to save us. You came from Heaven to earth;
To show the way,
From the earth to the cross,
My debt to pay,
From the cross to the grave,
From the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift Your name on high!

I sang this worship song both recently at church and in the past at our synagogue. Regardless of the rendition, I'm uplifted for days after I hear and sing it. It becomes one of those songs you " cant get out of your head." It becomes a "mantra" as it were since I tend to repeat the stanzas without really "thinking" about it. I'll do that when I'm waiting for my class to go at a show or if I'm tacking GaZi for a ride. and I'm feeling a little nervous. The gift of song is a precious connection for me to G-d.

And while this one doesn't refer to G-d as "He" , notice I said "He". If I said praise the lord for "She" is good, well, i think we all know the reaction I would get from our esteemed male population . God, I think, has to be a male .. or maybe not? . Take a look at the Bible. He created men first, Adam... maybe that's when "L-rd let there be light" came into being... What ever was He thinking? Think of names in the bible, now think of male names. Lets see, David, Peter, John, and it goes on. Now let's think of Womens names. Mary, Eve....uh, there was probably a Donna or a Susan in there somewhere. But I digress.

The Lord God, or Jesus, or both, created the world with the blink of an eye. It took him six days, and supposedly he rested on the seventh. "On the eight day, God had a cocktail." But as I said to my father when I was "knee high to a grasshopper" after Hebrew School... it's all different roads to the same G-d." I think I'll go sing a Psalm of David.. hmmm or would that be Donna?

Do I hear an amen?

What Will You Do?

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

This is perhaps one of my favorite Proverbs... it's etched in stone in my brain and heart. When "life happens" as they say.. I find myself asking "What's G-d''s will " here? God chooses to reveal His plans for us in many ways. He doesn't usually give us a specific "sign" or audible voice with intricate instructions, or a clear road map with step by step directions. Instead, He wants to us to have a close relationship with Him, spending time praying and in His Word, asking Him to show us His Will.

Often He chooses to lead us one step at a time, and we must step out in faith, trusting that He will stop us One sure sign I've discovered recently y experiencing His peace in my heart. An inner joy and serenity. It's a "thank you G-d amen" confirmation that He is with us and in the decision we're making; when we don't experience that peace, it's a good sign that we need to seek Him further and wait on Him before proceeding with our plans. This peace has NOTHING to do with outward circumstances -- it is regardless of the circumstances. A real "aha" for me. I may be totally bummed by the negative or fearful stuff going on and still have the peace of the Lord and confirmation that he's on the right path. I can take a deep breath "Thank you G-d, I know youare with me".. (just as GaZi takes off in gallop mode again!)

How often do we plan something that "seems good" and then later look back and see that God was at work through our plans? That's happened to me so many times when I think I have a plan and it goes awry according to my pictures and then realize in hindsight... oh that is the plan.. .. G-d's plan even though at the moment it feels like it NOT. I think when trying to discern God’s will, you need to pray, search the scriptures, and then take available opportunities. To quote frommy favorite movie, The Sound of Music, " Where the L-rd closes a door He opens a window".

Take time to work- It is the price of success.

Take time to think- It is the source of power.

Take time to read- It is the fountain of wisdom.

Take time to dream- It is hitching your wagon to a star.

Take time to be friendly, to love and be loved- It is the road to happiness.

Take time to play- It is the secret of perpetual youth.

Take time to look around- It is too short a day to be selfish.

Take time to laugh- It is the music of the soul.

Do I hear an amen?

Spread the Joy

Horse trainer and good friend Joanie sent me her daily portal of prayer on Joy. She included her intrpretation that she'd sent ot her daughter who was having affairs of the heart. .. .Couldnt have said it better myself. On Joy

John 15:11 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete”.

When things are going well, we feel elated. When hardships come, we sink into depression. But true joy transcends the rolling waves of circumstance. JOY comes from a consistent relationship with Jesus Christ. When our lives are intertwined with His, He will help us walk through adversity without sinking into debilitating lows and manage prosperity without moving into deceptive highs. The joy of living with the L-rd daily will keep us level headed,no matter how high or low our circumstances.

Okay, raise your hand if you 've got that one handled...:) Words to live by ..

Girl friends, best friends, long lost friends, school friends, friends reunited, old friends, boy friends, work friends, furry friends, pretend friends, forgotten friends, friends to the end, cyber friends, a friend in need, , new friends, forever friends, friends of the earth, dearly departed friends, friends for life..... Joy

And horses. Spread the joy

How Green is Your Garden-

One of the things I've discovered in my ongoing quest to live in an environmentally responsible manner is, the more I learn, the more reasons I find to live even greener and more sustainably.

April has been designated as National Gardening Month. Five years ago, the National Gardening Association began pushing the Greening of America, one garden at a time.Imagine the positive impact if everyone planted something. It doesn’t have to be a whole garden, but just something. Grass is just a flower bed in waiting. A pot of herbs, a container full of salad greens or a hanging pot of flowers on a deck. I encourage you to decide to do something to celebrate National Gardening Month in your little corner of the world.

Thought I'd give a brief tour of my greenhouse. It is an amazing thing to bundle up against the cold in February and walk to the greenhouse....the bitter wind, perhaps even snow, is stinging my eyes and I shiver as I walk. But once I step into the greenhouse, I am comfortable in a T-shirt and jeans and the smell....the warmth...it is like stepping into spring!

My greenhouse is heated. It is a large professional greenhouse , fortunately here and ready to go when we moved here. The hanging fan is one of the circulating fans. Installed on the ceiling are thermostats which will turn the heat on and off at specified temperatures.

Heres a list of frugal possibilities to get you moving:

1. Let your fingers do the walking. git 'r growing here at Gardenweb.. tons of inspiration and info..

2. Find out if your community has a local garden club. If so, put the next meeting on your calendar & make arrangements to attend.

3. If you have kids or grandkids that visit, plant something with them. Radishes are probably the speediest crop you could choose, but beans, lettuces and carrots are fun too.

4. Contact your city to see if they sponsor a city wide clean up day. If so, volunteer to help clean up one of their targeted areas.

5. If your city has a spring yard waste program, plan to participate by cleaning out a new garden area in your yard. Many cities are going Green by turning all the yard wastes into usable compost.

6. If you've never planted a vegetable garden, start now. If you've always had a veggie garden, plant at least one extra row and donate to your local food bank at harvest time.

7. If you don't have space to plant a big garden but want to, make arrangements with a local P-Patch or Community Garden Plot and get to planting.

8. Contact your local Master Gardeners program. If they do soil testing, take in a sample of your garden soil for evaluation.

9. Research public gardens in your area and make plans to view them when they are at their peak.

10. If you have any plants, share them this month. Take a cutting to a friend, divide a houseplant and share one with a nursing home resident…spread the green. And remember, a weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows.