Quiet Day Saturday with Memories

Saturday was another chill day. I thought I was going to feel great but that didn't quite happen.

Instead of hiking or taking a nice long walk, I took a dive down memory lane.

I decided to look at the photos my brother scanned from Dad's slides and shared with us online in a private album. 

My brother picked out slides from my Dad's enormous collection of photos that covered many years of our lives. My favorite ones are those of us  staying together in Hawai'i on the Big Island. 

My Dad had an friend at work who had a vacation home. Dad saw some lovely pictures of it and asked if he could rent it and take our family on a vacation. My dad's friend said sure and quoted him a price. Dad took him up on the offer.

He then told my dad it was in Hawai'i not in Florida. Dad wasn't fazed. Apparently he said yes and our first big adventure began.

Hawai'i became a state in 1959. This was 1965 [I think]. Around Christmas Dad had us sit down and watch a TV show. Unusual, because my Dad worked in Advertising and never insisted we watch the 'Boob' Tube.

A commercial for United Airlines came up with Hawaiian music in the background. The voice over said, "Guess what Tom Rogers is getting his family for Christmas! A trip to Hawai'i!...Fly the Friendly Skies of United!"

We kids sat stunned. 
Heck, I didn't even know there was a place called Hawai'i. 

Mom got our schoolwork from our teachers since we went during the school year. Mom was probably the hardest teacher we ever had. 

But here is what I recall.

My sister and I were inseparable. We played endlessly 'on the rocks'. We scoured the tidal pools and made up stories and pretended to be horses. We'd trot across the rocks in flip flops to lead our imaginary herds to safety.

We would build coral homes for our trolls to live in and then redo them after the tides washed the coral away.

It was a place like no other. Sometimes we would just sit and watch the waves crash into the lava rocks.

The photo below is of my sister and I in orange. The neighbor next door had gotten a great job at the newly built Mauna Kea Beach Hotel up the road. He had a Luau to celebrate and everyone that lived near was invited. Even us Haoles. [white people]

My sister and I are peeling cooked flesh off the pigs head.

Here is my mother in one of her beautiful dresses. I recall my father doing this 'shoot'. We kids were giggling. Dad was fussing with his camera. We were probably making faces and being idiots. But wow. It was an amazing shot with the sunset. Mom looked like a goddess.

The photo below is of my dad pointing out the island Maui to my sister. I'm sure my brother took the shot for Dad. He rarely was out from behind the camera.

We made trips to see the volcano. The road we drove on was called the 'Chain of Craters Road'. It wound around different sleeping  volcano craters. 

I recall Dad saying he wouldn't want to live near this area, he was sure that the Volcanoes  were not sleeping. He was proven right a few years later.

Mom took on a part time job to help pay for our rental. She caught the bug of Deep Sea Fishing and we booked at least one trip a week while there. 

I can say one thing mom was pretty ingenious. She packed our clothes in coolers. On the way back, the coolers were filled with dry ice and Mahi Mahi, along with Tuna. Our clothes were sent home in the mail.

We spent all year budgeting and saving for our yearly trip. I suppose folks wondered if it was all worth it. I say. Yes. We skimped on many things so we could go and spend a month on an island.

Our last trip was when my brother was a Senior. College tuition and life changes ended our trips. We had a good run. Nine years of summer adventures like no other.

The photo below is of myself on the left as you face this photo. My mom on the right. Spitting images of each other right?

However, that was not the end of that story.

In 2001, my father was legally blind and no longer drove. He wanted to go back to Hawai'i. My brother asked me to chaperone Dad on a two week trip to Hawai'i. 

It was another memorable trip. I took so many photos of Dad. This time I was the one behind the camera.

We went on crazy adventures together. At that time the wild donkeys of Kona were still wandering freely and there was a movement to find them a sanctuary as they kept getting hit on the highway.

I made some phone calls and inquiries and ended up talking with the head of their version of the DNR on the island. I inquired at coffee shops and other places on how to find and photograph the donkeys. It paid off.

We found them. 

I wrote a lengthy article for Mules and More Magazine and a sent a copy to the Governor of Hawai'i. 

[Eventually donkeys were captured and moved to a Ranch to be cared for not my doing really, but it was exciting to do some legwork while I was there with Dad.]

Dad passed away in 2005. When we talked on the phone before his death, the subject turned to Hawai'i and how happy he'd been there. How he wished he could be in Hawai'i forever.

In 2010 I went back with my son and his first wife. I carried Dad's ashes with me and ... well. He got his wish.

I'm with my Dad on this. Hawai'i was a magical place where we created and lived some of the calmest and loving times as a family. 

The rest of our summers were spent in another remote place in Wisconsin. We'd live with mom in a small cottage on my Grandparent's place and garden, fish, and play. No TV, no phone, no hot water, and no bathtub. 

Before school began, we'd pack up our canned and frozen produce to take back to the suburbs and adjust to Suburban Life. 

There are so many warm and wonderful memories of being on the island together.

I'm a lucky one. My parents gave us experiences that not many other families got to have.

I got to spend 9 summer vacations on the Big Island. I got to spend the rest of my summers in a remote location where I learned skills from my Grandmother and we essentially ran a bit wild with my cousins. 

Maybe it was all the different places and adventures I'd had through my childhood that makes me yearn to travel again.

Me in the 1970's
with a stray dog

My last trip to Hawai'i. Sunset over the ocean on a drive back from seeing the volcanoes with my son.

The sound of the ocean
Soothes my restless soul
The sound of the ocean
Rocks me all night long...

Last night in my dream
I saw your face again
on the white sandy beaches
of Hawai'i.

IZ 
White Sandy Beaches of Hawai'i

 

Farm life

This summer we had a lightening strike that literally exploded a tree that was in Thor's paddock.
Thor seemed fine at the time, just very shook up. When I checked out the wires in his paddock they had been fused together. Thor didn't act much different but he started to lose some weight.

The vet said that he probably had some residual effects from the lightening strike and hadn't been struck directly but since it melted the wires in his paddock, it probably affected him somehow. Otherwise Thor seemed almost normal. The vet said there was really nothing we could do other than just watch and wait.

Thor was born on our place and was a super funny character as a donkey.

I will miss Thor's constant antics. He would take his water bucket and flip it outside the paddock. If he could find a branch...well,...

He'd hold up sticks and present them to you like a dog. Sometimes in the summer he'd stack all sticks he could find in his water tub. He loved attention and would bray at the sound of a vehicle, coyote, owl, or the neighbor's mini jack a mile away on the ridge top.
Thor was vocal. So vocal that one of the guys at CrossFit said "Oh, you are the donkey lady! The one with that loud Donkey!"

Yes, he could heart Thor from 1 mile away on certain days.

Each morning Thor would greet me when I brought him hay. It was generally a series of grunts and groans that precluded a long loud bray.

Yesterday morning, he wasn't there. I dropped his feed and went looking for him. He was laying down but didn't wake up when I approached.

He was still slightly warm but had no pulse.
Gone.

Your voice will echo through this hills for a long time and I will miss you every day.

Goodbye you big goofy donkey.

What about Bob?

I had some very favorite animals here on our place.
All of them were quite loved.

But here is Bob.
Quiet and gentle Bob. Bob is 14 years old and the father of Sundance.

Sundance

As with any stud one should always be careful.
Bob stays because Bob is just...

Well.
Special.

I can handle him and take care of him. He has perfect manners.
I thought about gelding him, but the vet said it would be risky. So Bob doesn't leave. That is quite the commitment. Bob could be around for another 20 years easily.

I was asked recently why would we keep any of these animals? Fred is aged 30-something. He has been with my husband since he was 2 years old. Fred, that is...
Plus the grand kids have all learned to ride on Fred.

Siera. She is a fine gentle 12 yr old mule. She has a gentleness around children that makes me sigh. And my grand kids can ride her. Ariel rode Siera last year and they got along quite well.

Sunshine. Sunshine was born literally in my lap 17 years ago. My mare Cheyanne was having trouble and I went out to help her. She has matured gracefully and has become one of my best rides ever.

Mica. Mica is ride-able aged mule, but has some health issues. She will stay here until her health takes her away.

But Bob. Why on earth would you keep Bob? A Donkey Jack?

And I say. Why not?
Besides, Bob thinks I'm a good person.
He even gave me a cockeyed grin yesterday after his bath and grooming session.

Sold.

Well I advertised on the local board, I called a few numbers and left messages, and then we went to visit an Amish friend yesterday.

I had phone calls regarding the horses. One lady wanted me to train one for her husband who didn't know how to ride.
Well, I told her she should get a nice quiet well broke horse. She explained how hard they were to find and I told her I empathized but was keeping my well broke mules. She wished I'd sell her one. I thanked her but said "sorry".

Our Amish friend of more than 20+ years was definitely interested in the donkeys. He made an appointment with us to come out and look them over.

My cell phone rang while I was working in the garden. It was Lester the Amish fellow. He said he had to pick up a horse nearby could he come this evening? I said sure.

True to his word, he and a fellow with a large truck and trailer came down our driveway. Lester stepped out and greeted us. He looked over the donkeys and checked out their feet. Lester is a farrier and we used to haul our mules to him when we needed shoes. He also knows our current farrier Dan Tesar. He admired the donkey trim jobs and then looked at our mares.

He said he had jobs for the donkeys waiting for them. They would begin new careers in teaching calves to lead and colts to lead. Lester takes very good care of his animals.
His driver was rather unimpressed with our donkeys and said so.
Lester explained that a donkey was much safer to be around than a horse as he helped Emma into the trailer.
The driver shrugged and slapped Eddie across the rump when he wouldn't move. Lester stopped him.
"None of that, we don't slap donkeys." He stated. The two men clasped their hands and lifted Eddie forward.
The driver complained, "He's gonna kick the h-ll outta me!"
Lester laughed and said, "No, a horse would. This donkey just doesn't know we want to leave before dark!"
The driver laughed, "So donkeys are nice?"
Lester grinned, "Of course they are, a saddle horse will try to hurt you!"
"No kidding," said the driver, "my saddle horse tries to kill me all of the time!"

The cheerful banter kept up and my husband stood to the side watching. I know Rich says he can't keep up on rapid fire discussions. I could tell that he wanted to be a part of the banter as he normally would have...but couldn't.

Lester turned to me. "I'll take the mares," he said, "I can find homes for them."
He saw a look in my eyes.
"No slaughter, I promise. You can be assured they will be well taken care of."

The mares were loaded up. The door slammed shut.
Lester counted out the money and handed me the cash.
The driver hopped into the truck and proceeded to begin to turn the rig around.

Lester gave me a hug and said quietly, "Take care of him Val. He is a good man. I've known him for years. Things will work out."
He drew back and in a flash they were gone.

Rich stared at the now empty area. The quiet was so loud.

For Sale...Um...

The phone rang while I was visiting with my son and daughter in law.

"Hey this is Julie, you got them horses for sale?"
Me: "Yes I have 3 mares for sale."
"Okay, we'll be right out."

I woke up Rich from his nap and told him that Julie and her new 'Bo' were coming out to see the mares. He got up and we greeted them when they arrived.

Julie stepped out of the car. She wrinkled her face a bit and said hello to myself and Rich. She looked out at the winter paddock and said, "Where's your grass?"
I pointed to the yard and said, "There it is, just mowed it."

Her 'guy' got out of the van and walked around.
He looked around and said, "So which ones are the horses for sale?"
I pointed, "The red dun mare, the palomino mare, the blue roan mare."
"What do they do?" he asked.
Rich started to answer. "Well not much really." He began to search for words and looked uncomfortable.

I answered: "They eat and they poop. That is their specialty."

The man scuffed his boot on the driveway.
"Well," he said, "I can sell good quiet well broke geldings. I don't like mares too much. I have people looking for geldings."
He pointed to our three riding mules in their paddock.
"What do your mules do?"

"Everything they are asked to," I replied.
"I don't deal in mules much," he began.
"Those are not for sale," I said.
He ignored me and turned to Rich. "What about those mules?"

Rich smiled and tried to explain which mule was which and how the grand-kids and I rode them. He didn't get the idea that this guy was fishing for a price on them.

"They are not for sale." I stated. Rich smiled. I know that the conversation was hard on him and he wanted to be so much a part of it. He stood quietly. It was uncomfortable for a man who just weeks ago would have talked an arm and leg off from anyone.

The guy pointed to Lil' Richard. "What about him?"
"What about him." I was getting a bit cranky now.
"Does he ride?" he asked.
Rich piped in, "Yes my wife rides him to get the mail."
"For sale?" he asked.
"Not for sale," I replied. "He is a stud pony. He is also our weed wacker. He stays here until he dies."
Again the man deferred to my husband.
"For sale?"

Rich smiled and tried to explain that Lil' Richard had been here for years and used to be our teasing stud when we bred mares to donkeys.

The man leaned up against the van. He sighed.
"Well you have nothing here and I won't waste your time. I'm looking for well broke quiet geldings."

Rich smiled.
I smiled through gritted teeth. "Yep, I had said we had mares for sale and that is what we have, unless you are looking for some nice jennets or guard mules."

"Those mules..." he took a last stab at Sunshine, Fred, and Siera... "for sale?"
"Absolutely not." I replied.
He looked at me and then said, "Well you better get to training some horses, eh?"

I thought. And you best get in your vehicle and get out of here.

By this time I was sort of rubbed the wrong way.
I smiled nicely.
I did not bare my teeth.

Julie got her van keys out and jingled them.

The man turned and looked at me. "So you better get riding huh?"
His body language and tone of voice was Snarky.

Rich said as best as he could, "Well Val is sure busy, she is taking care of everything and me right now..."

They got in their van and Rich waved goodbye with a smile on his face.
I waved good riddance.

All this before I put the ad on the local ad board.
What kind of nutcases am I going to see?

My ad will read:
3 Mares for sale. Red Dun, Palomino, Blue Roan. They eat and they poop.
3 Jennets, one gelding Donkeys. Nice to be around. They eat and poop.
3 Mules for sale. Will keep coyotes off property. They eat and poop.
Serious inquires only.

Just Picture it!

OH I know ... I know!
I ranted about editing just a bit ago, saying take that shot, make it perfect, be...a true perfectionist.

However.
Here is a sample of a before [above] and after editing [below]. I used a graduated filter in PaintShopProX7 to give the sky a bit more of a punch and the water a bit more blue.
The shot below is what is looked like to me in my mind's eye.

I like to change things up and sometimes when I take a fall or winter photo all the colors just seem wrong.
What I see in my eyes is not what the camera shows me no matter how hard I work at it.

For example, I was out in the pasture the two days ago and the lighting was subdued but the colors were absolutely brilliant.

There is not much difference between the Original here and the edit. Just enough added warmth added in Viveza 2, from the Nik Collection. [The Nik Collection is free for download now as they are not developing it any further.]

More of a difference here. The yellows are more defined without the saturation becoming too offensive. This is more how my 'eyes' saw it. However, my camera is set to 'natural' and doesn't 'up' the saturation. There are settings on most cameras that allow you to take jpegs on a more colorful setting.

Here is two of our elderly donkeys. On the left is Princess and on the right is Emma.

I took this shot into ON1, a program that is now my favorite.
I took a bit of liberty with how I wanted this image to brighten up.

And then there was Julie...she was kind enough to pose again.

I thought the clouds and the skies were fantastic and needed to be brought out in the photo.

For this edit, I used PaintShopProX7 and Topaz Adjust 5. I edited the sky and the foreground separately.

And then one more edit. Julie's colors seem dim in this shot now. So I went back and did a bit of dodging on her body...

I do edit. I like to keep it somewhat realistic unless I am going for something completely odd and fun.

There you go. Fall color edits with donkeys as my star models.

Busy day

El Nino hasn't been kind to us.  Sure the weather is milder and wetter, but we are swimming in mud and goo.

According to our farrier most of the equine he has had to trim have been in the sticky muck.  As he then said, "Hey, I chose this job."

Before he arrived we got each of the donkeys and gave their feet a bath and then put them in the round pen picking them out so our farrier wouldn't have to.

Not all of the donks liked getting their feet washed, but we got it done anyway.

Two hours later when Dewey showed up he was pleasantly surprised and very happy that we'd taken care and time to wash and clean the feet so he wasn't handling gooey mud caked hooves.

After Dewey finished, we talked about Siera and her frog issues on her one foot. We decided to see how trimming and regular 'in hand' exercise would work before we decided to go with special shoes.

I love Siera and she is a great ride.  Everyday I get her out, clean her up and either hand walk her up the gravel road or lunge her a bit in the round pen.  She enjoys the attention and the work so much that she trots to the gate every time I am in the yard.

Lil' Richard had his second training session.  In the first one, he was full of nonsense.  I put a rope halter on him for this session and we lunged on a line.
Between the last session and this session, he must have decided that he was going to be a smart pony and work very intelligently.

His Whoa became instant.  He learned to walk to me with finger pressure on the rope.  He learned to back up with finger pressure on the rope.  In all of his years with us, he has just been led around, trimmed, and basically had no formal training.

He took to this like candy.  He even took on the ever fearful blanket.  Lil' Richard gave it the stink eye, then walked over it after only a few minutes.
I put it on him and he smelled it and stared at it and then promptly ignored it.

He is a very quick study.

At the end of his session, I spent a bit of time with grooming.  He still has burrs in his forelock and in his tail from his late summer grazing.  He stands like a statue when I work on these.
Of course I've done this for years with him, so I didn't expect anything else.

He may make a great little mount after all.  He won't be for anyone who weighs over approximately 115 lbs, but that is fine because he'll work for me to get little short rides in.

My feet will only be about 3 inches off the ground.  My inseam is 3 inches less than his height.

I'm looking at an older donkey to start under saddle and with this mild winter I may have time to do that also.

So I guess El Nino may have some good things after all.

I look across the pastures and see Pedro, one of my favorite not trained mules. I'd started him quite a while ago but had that ended when I had to have multiple shoulder and elbow surgeries years ago.

Hmmmm.

Silliness abounds on the Farm

Really?  What IS the hold up?

Mustang Sally

So you've got a camera and I want to be a star!

Is this my better side?

Or perhaps you want a face on?

As you can see none of the other herd members are interested in getting portraits done!

There is of course...that lazy no good Jack Russell...

Creative Mowing, the Organic Way...

I did this once before I believe in 2006 when hubby hadn't felt well and I'd had surgery on my shoulder.

The grass got long and out of control, not to mention the $4 price of gasoline.

We found that they actually did a very good job.

When the gals were finished 'mowing' and 'fertilizing' we put them out on pasture and simply raked the fertilizer and mowed the leftovers down.

Except I realized that sharing the laundry line with donkeys was not the best idea.  They loved to put their faces in it and hide from the flies.

Although my favorite time was when we 'lent' the yard to an equine was when our old mare had a foal.  It was nice to take a lawn chair and sit with Cheyanne and her foal Sundance.

We kept her very close so we could keep an eye on Cheyanne who had had a difficult birth.

Last night I fenced off a large section of the yard for Siera, Fred, and Dyna. I know these 3 respect a single line fence and will do a good job of 'mowing' for me.

I have two more sections that I wish for them to clean up before I let them into the meadow.  Then I think that with a self propelled mower I may be able to keep up between the long drives.
If not, I'll keep using the organic method.
I've gotten very good at creative fencing and these 3 mules have gotten very good at adapting to moving about often.

My Daughter and her hubby ... and the kids may be up this weekend and apparently I could get help with the yard!  Whooo!

I'd like to plant some flowers too and cheer things up around here.

Let us not forget our best 'weed whacker' that we have, who doubles as a guard pony.

And he is a great yard trimmer, along with being a pal to Morris.

I'd like to get Morris to come home for a visit this weekend.
It will be a 3 day weekend and if the grand kids are here, they will want to have him along to take walks.

I do miss the farm comedian.  

Chores are a bit easier now that the gals are out on the Meadow.  I soon hope to have some other places for rotation.
I'll have to sneak off into the woods and string some new wire.  We 'meant' to do it last year.

It is an old forest pasture but there are many goodies to be found in it!
I don't want to waste the opportunity to save my energy by having it available as pasture!

Well off to wake up hubby and start the process for the day.
Today is a super long day.  

Have a great one.

Thinking again...

I was thinking ... again how I really need to get back at working with Eddie and Princess.

I was reading The Dancing Donkey today and it got me thinkin'.  I started with good intentions last May with Princess.  But I did stupidly put my finger in her mouth and that ended my good intentions ... for a while.
By then summer was in full swing and Princess was forgotten as preparations for Grandma & Grandpa Camp got under way.

She is a very gentle donkey and not much seems to bother her.

When we got her, it was a daring thing to do to try and pick up her hind legs.
But I worked with her and now she stands quietly and picks up her feet properly for the farrier.

I actually did saddle her and sit on her in the round pen last year with that aching owie finger.

We've even gone on hikes together and she seems willing enough just to follow me down the deer trails and stop to browse when I am trimming the riding trail.

My sister asked me once how on earth do you train a Donkey?  She has trained and had her horses trained for show.

I simply said.
It isn't hard, if you make it routine, they are good with that, donkeys love routine.

If you convince the donkey that to ride under saddle, cross streams, logs, and ride down a trail is their idea, then it is a piece of cake.

If I also take her down my riding trail a few times, I won't have to bother with guiding her.  She'll know the way out and know the way home.

This spring...this spring....oh please let me get this done this spring!