Mild Weather Riding

This month is turning out to be very mild as far as the weather goes. We've had a little rain here and there but the temps are in the 40's and 50's.  Personally, I'm loving the temperatures but we could really use some moisture.  The mountains have a little snow on them and while every bit that we get is greatly appreciated, it is no where near enough to bring the water levels of many reservoirs, lakes and rivers back to where they need to be.  I've been told that it will take a couple years of good moisture to bring relief from the drought. So in the mean time, I will continue to pray for rain, give thanks for any we get and trust in God for its all in His hands.  Droughts are nothing new to this world.

  

   This mild weather has made getting out to ride really nice-don't have to bundle up to much. My arena shows just how much salt is in this soil around here-it looks like its been dusted with snow.

  Riata and I

 Jessie making some circles with Nina-kind of fun to make 'patterns' when the ground is all white and your tracks are brown.

  I'm not convinced that its been 't-shirt' weather but then again, I'm not 15 anymore so what do i know?

  Lena's turn!  She was so thrilled-not!  This means that her winter 'flub' is in danger of disappearing.

 Checking her feet-a good habit to have.

 Cooling down together

 So my pics are not in order but here I'm checking Riata up before I hop on; always a good idea even on a broke horse.

  The best part after a ride and a good brushing-gotta roll and make sure that the dirt is really rubbed in.

 Getting up......and then a good shake......

 ta-da!......nice a dirty again....just the way they like it!

 Riata's turn!  They do take turns too; they think they all have to roll in the same spot so they go one at a time.

'White' horses are never really all white; nothing like a good dirt bath!!

Taking Time

Sometimes, we all need a reminder to slow down from all of the daily to-do's and take some time to enjoy things, sit and ponder things and make sure our loved ones get some quality time.

  Marisa to this day still loves to snuggle and sometimes we just need to sit down and do just that.....Angel thinks she 'needs' to snuggle too.   For Marisa and myself, this is a great on an emotional level and also a personal level-she loves to tell me whats on her mind!!  I love it!

  Hank think he needs more time too; that is, time spent chasing the 'flashy' thing on the camera.

  Squirrel and Badger love the cuddle time that they get with Jessie and she loves giving it to them; it means that she gets to bring the 'outdoor' kitties inside.

   The dogs love chore time!!  Its time to go run around, bark at each other, growl at each other of 'green' piles of nasty(yes, they have fought over poo) and tease a few cats plus, when all of the other critters are fed its then time for them to get their food. I'm trying to help them with taking time to enjoy their food while they eat, to savor each bite but I think I am wasting my time with that one.

 As far as the horses go, its always a good time to eat!  Once they've all settled into their 'spots' they do actually seem to take the time to enjoy whats been put out.

 This is one of my most favorite times of the day and I really do get bummed when I miss it-the sunset!  The beauty that is displayed day after day never gets boring-its always amazing!  Its a good reminder for me to take the time to give thanks to the Lord for getting me through another day.

Looking Forward

I think that as the years go by I am getting less 'tolerant' of the colder weather.  I used to have no problem bundling up and going about things outside and just simply dealing with it but now, I procrastinate quite a bit.  I realize that the changing of seasons is good-they were put in place by God, however, I struggle with what might all be good with it, namely the cold.  Bryan has reminded me though, that just like us-all things need rest and the cold can be a blessing for summer time when there are less bugs.  The less bugs is a nice thought, especially the biting kinds.  The cold has also been a good reminder of how discontent we can be-we complain when its hot and then we complain when its cold as if the complaining is really going to change things.  

    So, I guess the 'root' of the problem would be discontentment-a humbling thought.  Goes to show that I should make sure not to put my hope and trust in the world itself but in the One that made the world and sees to it that the seasons keep coming around year after year. I should strive to look at all the things that I have to be thankful for especially on the days that I am feeling down and dreary knowing that ultimately if my hope and trust is in Christ I have much to look forward to-winter will pass, spring and summer will come etc......but beyond that, the Lord will come!

  So, with that in mind, it doesn't mean I shouldn't look forward to warmer days but that I should look at each day as a gift, an opportunity to bring glory to God in all that I do.

  As the days start getting longer and warmer, the changes from winter to spring are a good reminder of God's unfailing love for all of us, and also how we ourselves go through changes and seasons of growth.

 Each day is another page in this life that we have been given......

Bryan says to remember this world is not our home, we are strangers here. Someday our Lord will call us home. We are not supposed to feel 'comfortable' here, we are at enmity with the world.

  This is not to say that we are not suppose to enjoy the things that God has created and has put in order.

He made it and called it good!  He made us and put us here to care for it and enjoy it.

 "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those that fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those that fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them."  Psalm 103:11-18

  It is sin that has 'tainted' the good things that God has made but praise be to the Lord that Christ has conquered sin and death!
   " The earth, O Lord, is full or your mercy; teach me Your statues"  Psalm 119:64

"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, therefore I hope in Him!' The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."  Lam. 3:22-26

Happy New Year 2015

Happy New Year!! 

Well, it has been about 8 months since my last post; it took me a while to remember how to get signed in to my blog-I had forgotten my google password so by the time I remembered it I had to go through some 'security' questions to make sure it was really me.

So, this year I am really going to try to get better at blogging more then a few times a year along with a few other things that I'm going to try to get better at-we'll see how it goes!  

We're not ones to typically stay up until the New Year and last night was no exception-we were all in bed by 9:45 but we did wake up to the fireworks that were set off to bring in the New Year so I guess you could say we were at the very least 'aware' of it.   

As you may know, I'm the type of homeschooling mom that doesn't take much time off for the holidays so after a week off for Christmas we are right back at it hence one of the reasons we didn't stay up last night; the other reason-we were tired.

So as the girls are working hard at math and science on New Year's day, here are a few photos of how our critters spend a New Year's day.......or any other cold day of the year for that matter.

   Abe in front of the fireplace-can't say I don't blame him.

  Angel has made herself quite comfortable again on a pile of blankets that I just washed-can't say i don't blame her either.

  Badger and a sunny spot on the deck; I'd be finding the sunny spots outside too if that's where I was at however, I personally know of a better spot in my opinion and as you'll see in a few pics, Felix, one of our many other cats know of the spot I'm talking about.

 Riata, Nina and Lena just hanging out bored out of their minds I'm sure and really hoping that I had brought them a snack or something.

 Felix sunning himself on the south side of the haystack by a black tarp and tires on another heavy tarp-its quite warm actually even though it is 32 degrees out.

 Old Sierra really likes 'her' spot in the little dog house full of straw with the opening to the south-warms right up!!

 If your a hen, the spot to be is in the coup until the egg has been layed.

   The goats like the south side of the garage-nice and warm and with their belly's full of hay its nap time!

  Then there's Hank.  It doesn't matter the day of the year or the temperature as long as your outside with him-any day is a good day to try and find a 'shiny', shadow or flying bird to chase.  If he's left outside though in cold weather, he all of a sudden becomes very cold to the point of shivering and likes to come in and enjoy the wood stove.

   After laying their egg for the day, the chickens are out and about looking for those tasty little morsels of bugs and new weeds; the bugs of course are pretty much non-existent at the moment but unfortunately the mild winter is causing some of the weeds to already sprout!!!

 This is Rabbit and she loves to get up on the roof of the house on a sunny day-can't blame her either-they know where the warm spots are.

So on this chilly New Year's day, while the beginning of a new year is of some importance to many of us and for good reason life in general is still a day to day process.   I like looking back over the last year  and reflecting on what we did, where we went, what trials and successes we went through etc..... and then like most people, I like to make 'plans' for the next year; goals that I want to reach or areas that I would like to 'better' myself in.   I usually make myself a list too that way I have a reminder but as I look back over the years I am reminded that my plans are not always God's plans and if 'my' plans are God's plans, then it actually was God's plan for me in the first place-this of course meaning that God is ultimately the One with the 'plan' and I as a servant of His, am going to try my best to go along with it giving thanks to Him knowing that He see's the whole picture from beginning to end.

 Isaiah 32:8  " But he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands."

Jeremiah 29:11  "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Psalm 71:5 " For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth."