Camera Lens

So I was heading to Drumheller to do the MS Walk on the first and sometimes before I go I like to look and see whats on the buy and sell for that town cause I'm going and can pick it up easier than trying to make plans to get something when I wasn't going anyways.  Actually worked well that day cause it was the first of the month so the groceries were 15% off at my grocery store as well.
Anyway the walk was pretty successful, they raised 22,000.  I guess its down from previous years but the economy is too so not surprising.  Wasn't a real well organized walk, you could do 1,4, or 6K but no one kept track or even made sure you did walk.  They sorta had the paths marked but not very well, no one knew where the different lengths started and we knew the path so we were lucky it worked out well.  But they had lunch donated afterwards and it was really nice day so am glad I got to go with friends and walk.  We did the 6k, I probly coulda done more but that was a good walk and I had a blister from my new shoes rubbing where my sock fell down.

(here's the crew of us, and the picture taker I dunno why hes not in the photo)

Anyways I saw a lady advertising a camera like mine with regular lens and a zoom lens, and on the off chance I just asked if she would split them and just sell the zoom.  Took her forever to get back to me but she said she would.  Yay!  Way cheaper than new price so I was super excited!

I hooked it on my camera and needed to try it out right away, not much was around to take pics of but got a few when I got home fixing the fence so the horses could have a bit of grass.

(Bull laying down outside fence)

(wishing I would let him in)

(Closeup of the eye)

(Couple geese I think nesting in bull pasture)

(the one didn't even get up, no nest that I could find)

(our calf that was starving, hes felling fuller now)

(the cow, her bag was really chapped and dry much better now)

(Trio)

(Dee)

(mmm grass)

Turned out the horses hoping to get some fun pics but they couldn't lift up there heads.

Back to What I know

On Saturday afternoon Neil wanted to move cows, he figured I could take Easy but not yet hes too worried about ground and then the cows would just be too exciting, too much yet, but it will happen we got lots of summer yet.  So I grabbed Jessie, weakend, that's why I wanted to sell her so I have to use someone else but I know she's good we've done it so many times before.  Razz is good but not by herself real well, although shes better than I give her credit for sometimes.  And Dee is awful by herself and so hard to steer after riding broke horses haha.  And Pally well shes probly good but never have yet so Jessie it was.
 It was hot.
Got all saddled, had to take the back cinch off she is too fat for it to fit)  and Neil come in and wanted a drink cause he was out checking fences and was hot, so was I and all I did was walk forever to catch horses and then saddled.  So a pop later we were ready.  Left out past stackyards and Neil wanted to check on the horned owls nest that he saw in the tree, of course harder to see now that its leafed out and he went down the hill and still couldn't see anything and she never flew out so who knows.

Then to look at the teepee ring, its easy to see on horseback but he has hard time finding it with Bob, even though I was standing inside it, shoulda got him to take a pic of us but Jess was not wanting to stand still, her greatest fault.  Then over to the cows, Neil took the far way towards the creek and I gathered from where we were and just pushed North.  One cow without calf didn't want to go until I got close enough, but she did, we woulda left those not calved yet behind but sometimes that doesn't work very well, they get up front cause not worried about where there calf is.

Then as I was pushing slowly up one side cause they were moving quite nice I see a cow heading towards the creek on the other end, so off we go to get her.  She stopped as we got closer so I slowed down and then she wouldn't move till I was right up to her.

(I coulda cut the last 2 minutes off this 

its just walking across the prairie

 but I still cant figure out how I used to do it)

And then I saw Neil pushing cows towards my bunch so I left them for him and went and got the others that had past the gate and most were in except a few calves and so he brought them up with Bob and I cut off the cows (and used my serious voice haha) and we got them all in.  My reins are so long haha I could probly shorten them some so I wouldn't have to move my hand so much.

Then on the way home, went back the way I came, let her lope a ways home cause she wanted too :)  and why not there's a real nice patch about half mile long and then through the first gate and we trotted that and then she knows to walk as we get to the hay corral and I can kick my feet out of the stirrups, drop the reins and she takes me right to the trailer :)  Got a few pics on the way home.

(Cow skull)

(we are almost at the top of the world!)

(home in the distance)

(into hay corral)

(and back at the trailer)

(sweaty tired pony)

Then I tied her up with the cinch loosened and stopped for another drink.  Unsaddled her gave her some grain and turned her out with her friends again.  I think she liked it, only the second time she's been out this spring and if all goes well she will go to a friend for the summer to do some trail rides on, pretty easy summer for her.  And then I have big plans for her for next year we will see how it goes.

Out In The Big Wide Open

So today my arena was perfect weather was warm and it was time to ride :)  Was later than i planned for having to give Neil a ride to pick up his tractor and cultivator cause he was finished farming.  But none the less I was going anyways.  So went to catch Easy and Pally and Pally walked away which was fine I didn't know if I wanted both today anyways.  So walked into the arena where I had my cones set up with pinwheels in them and he walked by them like its no big deal, yay new things aren't too scary.

Then I saddled and rode in the arena for about 10 minutes and he was kinda being a dork going towards the gate where Pally was but not too bad but I was getting bored and he was listening so thought we would walk out to the bull field.  Hes been out but everything is so different here and hes pretty used to flat ground and not watching his feet so I'm taking it slow for now cause no idea how hell react but if its bad it will be big sideways and I don't last too long on that.

He was actually pretty good, we talked to Neil, hes actually really good in the yard hes used to all that stuff going on he was a bit looky cause its all so different but never hesitated to go anywhere I asked.  It was only a short trip cause oh boy were the bugs bad, I had no idea they aren't bad in the yard but out where the grass was a little long by the water eww, shoulda wore bugspray.

(after he was tied up a bit he gets a treat and gets to graze for a few minutes, 

he's getting soft gonna have to ride him more if we wanna be fit enough to cut)

(Some pony was pretty sad she got left behind.  

Maybe this afternoon will be her turn)

Came back past Neil and then the north horses come thundering up, i heard them long before we seen them and then he wanted to go over there but I said no and we went back to the arena and rode around in there for a few more minutes till he was more settled.  Every other pony was calling its quite annoying, guess they all need more work.  When they are like that I wish I just had one, its frustrating cause there is nothing I can do about it.

Spring Storm

Part of the deal when I took Easy home was that I was gonna ride him every day.  Well almost he gets one day off a week, maybe 2 after a show.  Not all hard rides but he needs to be kept in shape.  Well since he came home and he was a bit of a nutcase I left him to settle in.  Then I rode him a few times and I will be honest I was a bit worried about riding him here but as soon as I sat my butt in the saddle he was like OK I know how to do this and just was like normal, whew!  Then I got busy and then it snowed and so I haven't rode him a whole lot.  I really got to get back to it.  Arena is way too wet to ride in now, hoping tomorrow or Friday I can work it and then ride.  I guess that's the downfall of dirt, if it was sand I could work it and ride anyways even if it was wet.  I really would like to show on the 8th and the 14th, will depend on if the barn is going to them shows cause I'm not confident enough to go on my own.  If I had been riding him more I probly could go ride out but not sure he's ready (or me) to walk on the soggy wet uneven ground.

(Sunday)

(Sunday)

(Monday, the poplar that looks like a weeping willow)

(Monday, looks way better)

Oh snow, we really needed moisture but if you know me I don't like snow, so was super happy when I got up on Sunday and there was no snow on the ground thought that was the worst of it, then headed up to the Mane Event with a neighbor and it was quite nice up there and come home and its white all over here :(  But while I was up there I went to see Brigitte Meyer of Vitality Equine and won a hat and a gift certificate!  Yay.  Will definitely have to use that, someday I think Easy would like that (maybe)  And visited with Louisa there as well, that was fun to have someone to talk to that understands this cutting thing and as well just getting into it.

So yesterday it was fairly nice out and I was bored cause too soggy to do much and so figured Id got for a walk (road is good) and get some pics of the ponies in the snow.  Well saw gooses and the ponies had no snow it had already melted!

(silly gooses in the snow)

(Razz, Jess, George)

(I love our 2 mile long driveway :) )

(An antelope track, never saw him though expect its bent horn)

(Razz watchin and Jess can't stop eating)

(the geese were back as I got home)

(hard to see but they are flying over the fence)

(the arena is pretty wet yet)

(lawn looking good, even see some new dandelions in there)

(A bit of water in the perennial bed, 

guess I won't have to water your rose for a few days Shirley)

(and melting out behind the house, new lake)

(and the bottom of our stairs needs to be landscaped 

feels like we are gonna get sucked in one day)

So toady will do another walk and maybe can work the garden tomorrow.