A little Artsy...

Camryn here:
Coupla weeks ago Mom was at a local tack store.  They take stuff including Artwork on consignment, Mom talked to the owner about bringing in some of her stuff.  The owner mentioned a local rescue place (Happy Trails Animal Sanctuary) that was having a fundraiser called the Art Barn.  The rescue takes in all farm animals not just horses, the animals must either come to them via the legal system or from Amish who are retiring their animals.  It's a real good place.
So Mom went home, picked out a few things to sell & one to donate for the fundraiser...

We hope it will bring in some money for the rescue to help feed the animals.

 

Mom just finished another painting, it's of ME!!!

She did it from a photo she took of me in the pasture over the summer.  Course my mane isn't really that white!  And we don't got no little orange flowers growing in the pasture either. I'd have ate them if we did.  The ample bottom though is truly mine!

Later

All that and more...

Camryn here:
Wow, the peoples at Sensation Saddlery really do awesome work.  Must give pats on the back.  service was super, Kate was so nice and helpful too.  Mom ordered Jan. 25th, they had my saddle made and delivered by Feb. 23rd!  Unbelievable! 
The saddle is just "Oooo LaLa" it looks good, feels good, and smells good too!

"Is it really mine?"

"Ahhhh the smell of good leather at it's finest"

"Thanks Mom, Thanks Sensation peoples"

 

So of course I did more than just sniff and ogle my saddle.  Mom thought it was quite amazing that the Sensation peoples even arranged for decent weather to boot!  Can you even imagine, the very day my saddle arrives it's not raining, snowing OR freezing even!  That is super service.  Oh, they aren't paying me nothing to say these things either.

It feels really good on too!  Feels like it provides more stucture than my old treeless did, and boy is it made good.  Quality all the way for me Mom says. 

Mom longed me in it (just a walk on account of hard frozen/muddyness) so I'd get a feel for it.  And she could cinch it up a bit more too. 

 Cinching took some time, the leathers being new are kinda stiff, and me being soooo chunky fluffy from winter n all.  It's a way cool girth, it's hard to describe how it works, but it's self centers itself which is awesome!

Darn, were is a mirror when a gurl needs one!  "How do I look?  I feel stunning!"

Then Mom put my reins on, popped on her helmet,mounted up and we took a plod around the paddock.  Course she didn't ask for a trot cause of the ground situation.  But, besides walking, we backed, bended round trees, whoa'd off Mom's seat n stuff.  Being her hasn't ridden me since November AND I behaved so wonderful, Mom says the saddle is a success.
The saddle fits up offa my whithers real good, Mom thought my Skito pad sat down on my whithers though, her did the string test both out of and in the saddle with the string pulling right thru.  Her'll see what my trimmer thinks of how the pad sits next time she comes.  Sherry is one of the two people we know with treeless experiance.
We're hoping to putz in the paddock more as spring gets closer.
Later
Mom LOVES, LOVES, LOVES my saddle, almost as much as her loves me I think! 
Later

Waiting, waiting, waiting...

Camryn here:
While awaiting my new saddle, Mom's been tracking it (nearly every 5 minutes) as it travels to us.  Right now it's in San Francisco, a place neither Mom or I have ever been!!!  We're also awaiting spring, SIGH will it ever come.  Here is what I seem to recall it looking like...

All flowery n green stuff...

Me looking a lot less fuzzy & surrounded by yummy greenery.

Course with allergies to midges spring isn't always a good thing.  I expect to look like this lots too!

Whilst we wait other things go on.  Such as I had my pedicure/manicure today, Sherry says my feets are awesome as usual.  Though she did also mention I'm a bit to ample!  Grrrr, shoulda misbehaved after that rude comment!  Stead I just leaned on her to she'd get a good feel of my ampleness hee hee!

Also proving what a good girl I am, while Mom was providing room service & I was munching the gate blew open yesterday.  Mom saw my head pop way up, she looked outa my room and saw the gate to the yard was open.  As I took a few steps forward Mom shouted Whoa!  Good girl that I am, I whoa'd.  Mom walked past me, shut the gate, then told me how wonderful I am.  Darn, if I hadn't been a good girl, I'd have headed out the gate and had some good munches.  Maybe next time?

Later

 

It's on the way...

Camryn here:
Mom gotted email yesterday from Sensation Saddlery in Canada.  My saddle was supposed to ship out March 1st.  But, guess what!!!  It's already done and on the way, Mom came down to the barn to tell me right away.  Kate also sent a picture of MY new saddle all finished...

Can I just say WOWZA!!! 

Mom printed the pikture for me too, I'm trying not to get drool all over it.  Don't know who is more excited, or going to be more comfortable Me or Mom?  It'll be a toss up.  Dad even likes it and thinks the colors will rock on me. Mom added a few features like the strings for tying saddle bag, camera, water bottle n stuff, a pommel bolster so her'll sit good n deep, plus poron for her seat.  The poron is supposed to keep her ample bootie from bouncing big time my back when sitting the trot.  Very thoughtful of you Mom.  Mom is tracking it's travel via the tracking number that Sensation Saddle peoples sent us.  My saddle is now out of Canada and in the U.S.!  Yes, we didn't buy American, but Canada is our neighbors and since they sent soldiers to help brother Chris in Iraq, we know they be good peoples for sure.  Mom's gotten my Skito Pad all washed up, now her's gonna clean my saddle rack n stirrups so my saddle won't be embarrased for having dirty stirrups attached or dusty rack to sit it's beautiful self upon!  Mom is really hoping the self centering girth fits and that the weather cooperates so we can try it out real soon. 

Later

So true...

Camryn here:
Mom found this on Facebook today and thought is very funny and so true...

Mind you it's not because riding us Mares is scary.  Just the opposite, us Mares gots ballz where geldings don't! Literally, they don't got no ballz!!

 And of course being Mares, we have our own opinions and will from time to time offer up these opinions.  Again not a bad thing because being Mares, our opinions are more often than not, the correct opinion!  Course humans don't appreciate these opinions so much if it involves backing our bum into a geldings face, whilst our human is in the saddle.  Don't ask how I know this! 

Nothing scares us Mares so our humans can't scare easily either as we'll do anything, and go anywhere.  Unlike a few geldings I've been out riding with!

Later

Just shake it off...

Camryn here:
More snow!  But, not to worry cause I can just:

Shake it off!!!!

After of course, I go have a munch of hay, then a nice nap.  Of course when I wake up I'll just have to shake it off all over again.  Love fresh air naps, it's kinda like camping ya know.
Later

Gramps and Gramma update...

Camryn here:
A little update on Gramps n Gramma.
Gramps is doing great, he's been released by his surgeon and hasn't felt dizzy at all since his surgery.  Of course he is still 81, so he won't be doing any cartwheels or riding me none.  Though he did say once that if Mom could find away to get him on me, he would!
Gramma's Dr. did an ultrasound today and found the tumor has shrunk yet again!  Yipee!!!  Gramm doesn't want to talk about that she'll still be having surgery though!  She will however talk about any and everything else!  Her secret nickname is "the talking machine!"  She's a real sweetie but, we can really only listen to the same story a hundred times.
Today every sentence ended with "but, I'm not complaining", Mom finally told that if "your sentence includes the word complain, then you really are complaining!"  Gotta go get Mom some Advil I think!
Later

Shhhh, don't tell...

Camryn here:

Shhhhhh, I gots a secret, don't tell anyone specially Dad!

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Seems Margeaux has this strong desire to become an house cat!  Sometimes she sneaks in so fast when Mom lets the dogs in/out that she doesn't even know Margeaux is in the house.  When this happens, she's usually found on Dads side of the bed!

     When Margeaux hears Mom getting ready to head down to the barn, she normally wakes up and volunteers to go out too!  The dogs don't mind a bit, which is how she's able to sneak in and stay in.  If you biggify the second picture you can see Promise watching from between Margeaux ears.

     We heard from one of the neighbors that Margeaux likes to sunbath on their deck.  She lays just outside the sliding glass doors tormenting their wee little dog.  As the dog barks, Margeaux simply rolls over on her back stretching out to torment him even more.  Luckily they think Margeaux is the sweetest cat they've ever met and think it's quite funny!

Later

Yup, still winter...

Camryn here:
Some talk about how snow blankets the ground, round here we talk about how snow blankets me!

 This was after I shook off all the loose powdered stuff.  I had quite a lot more of a snow blanket before Mom got close enough with the camera!  What's left is kinda icy crystalized stuff.
  

Yup, I think it's still winter round here!

 

Mmmmm, think maybe I need a shave?

Ok Mom, put the camera away now so I can eat in peace!

Mom brushes the snow off while providing mid-day room service.  By the time I'm finished with lunch, I'm dry and ready for a new blanket of snow.

Oh, I am beginning my shedding, just a little bit.  So, I know spring is indeed on the way.

Later

Onyx tribute...

Camryn here:
While I'm content with the cats for company, I must say we're still missing Onyx.  Course we have plenty of trophies, ribbons, pictures and a few pieces Mom did of Onyx over the years.  And of course his childrens will continue him in one of the best ways ever. 
Yet Mom still felt that wasn't enough.  Nothing ever truly will be but, she decided a good way to remember our dear friend was in a painting.  One that showed him doing something he truly loved & that was playing with Mom:

R.I.P. our dear Onyx you will always be loved by all who knew you.  Specially Mom n Me.

Later

Only the shadow knows...

Camryn here:
So today being Feb 2nd and all with no groundhog in sight I decided to do my own shadow check.  Promise & Ivy were the judges:

Ivy: "Hold still Camryn while I get a better look"

Camryn: "Well?  Do I have a shadow or not?  Hurry up, my neck is getting stiff girls"

Promise:  "Mmmmm, I'm not sure.  Ivy what do you think?"

Ivy: "NO SHADOW, Camryn has NO SHADOW!"

 

Promise & Ivy: "WHOOT, WHOOT, no shadow Mom, that means spring is just around the corner!"

 

Margeaux: "Bout friggin time I say.  Snow is highly over rated!"

Later

 

If you can't beat it...

Camryn here:
About the weather!!!  Yup it's been 5 minutes which means it's changed yet again.  So, I've rewritten and old saying to be my new motto:

"If you can't beat it, NAP IN IT"

Mom, being human isn't to thrilled to look out the kitchen window to see me covered in a layer of snow.  She's figured out that if I were cold, I certainly wouldn't be comfy enough to snooze!  Not to worry peoples, I can go in the barn outa the weather any time I choose.  It's just that 9 out of 10 times I choose not to do so.

Other news, a little black cat has shown up at Chris house.  Being he sometimes travels two weeks at a time, & Sam being preggers can't mess with a litter box it can't stay.  They have of course been feeding it and set up a warm area while trying to find it a home.  Mom's been checking in with the Vet clinic she used to work at.  They sometimes take in "friendly" strays, spay/nueter and all that stuff.  Then they rehome them.  Finally they have room for the black kitty so she's taking it in today.  Margeaux n Maizee argue enough amongst themselves, so Mom felt the addition of another in my house wouldn't be the best idea.

Later