Lets have some fun...

Adventure in ...
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

Okay tomorrow is Thursday which is recess day for me if I have all of my homework done for the week. We are supposed to get rain snow sleet and whatnot tonite. That ought to make it fun to get outside and take a walk in the woods.
Oh yeah I went ahead and did it, I couldn't resist uploading a small video clip of Miss Ariel dancing with Morris in the kitchen to Wipe Out of all things. She likes hard past fast music.

I'm not sure I am ready for her style of dancing yet.
Youtube link.

Sick, sick, sick...

The fungi Tree
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

Yikes I am so darned sick of being sick. Another cold and this is the second one this year.
Okay, get over it!
;-)

Well I will and I'll feel much better soon I am sure. Tomorrow I go see the orthopedic surgeon's PA about my right shoulder. Seems it is going to cause me some sort of saga similar to my last year's problems.
For joy of joys!

I can't wait for the weekend and get Badger or Cheyenne out to ride!

I'm trying to think of something clever tonite to post, but doing 4 hours of homework has taken creativity and tossed it out the window.
I can however, if you need to know explain what an 'Unhappy Triad' is in medical terms. I can tell you the different types of bones that make up a skeleton and name those bones in the very hands that we type with.
Impressed?
I am.
I never thought I'd even take a slight interest in this sort of thing.

Life throught the eyes of...

A grandaughter. She took my hand this weekend and said 'let's go exploring!' Of course I followed diligently as any good GM would do. We went through the bridge, which is an old wash rack...and hiked the mountain [a small hill] to the Great Muddy Forest. While there I was informed that 'OH NO, we are LOST!' But with her cunning 3 yr old skills we were safely led back through the Great Muddy Forest and to the yard.
Next month we have made plans to explore the great big Pasture Woods and hunt for sticks and things.
Oh yeah, being a kid again....

Playing in the woods

I'm looking forward to some more time spent walking in the woods looking for the elusive whitetail and hopefully bouncing one in hubby's direction. It is cloudy and dreary out a perfect day to be outside in my opinion. Is there ever a bad day?
Yesterday I found some interesting tracks that gave me some pause. I photoed them and showed them to Rich and he said they could have been something I didn't want to 'run' into. Very long claw marks. So yep, I'm keeping the .22 with me as well as the camera.










I'm going to be spending the rest of today [after another small adventure in the woods] with the 'grandkids'. I love spending the time with them. And enjoy sitting around the house jabbering. But hate being tied to one spot all of the time I love to move around and get things done...even if it is just walking. Being still, unless it is studying is fairly worthless in my opinion.
Oh I took one of those fun quizzes today and here is the results:

You Are 100% Psychic

You are so very psychic. But you already predicted that, didn't you? You have "the gift" - and you use it daily to connect with others. You're very tapped into the world around you... Just make sure to use your powers for good!

Are You Psychic?

Brown Time of Year

Oak leaves
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

Everything seems just plain brown. I dislike brown. Brown is the color of mud, dead leaves, and well just plain yucky. It isn't even the nice brown of chocolate which I DO like. Perhaps it is just the short days that I dislike so much and not being able to get out and hike like I do all of the time [deer hunting~gun season--not a good idea to be wandering in the woods now!]
Seems I always get a bit bummed this time of year. I have midterms to finish and family to visit with. I'd rather in some ways be doing the midterms.

Bad me, eh?

Oh and I should add this, thanks to Liz I took this quiz, it was fun and interesting:

You Are 74% Perfectionist

You are a true perfectionist. You are both demanding of yourself and others. While it's great to have goals and standards, they don't need to be sky high!

Are You a Perfectionist?

I'm sort of a perfectionist. I'm not a neat freak though. I like to be in control of my environment and HATE it when things don't go according to plan. In school I am driving to keep a perfect 4.0 grade average and get horribly frustrated when I can't get my employer to work according to my high standards of getting things done.
Yuck more than you needed to know right?

Higher level of education

Higher level of education
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

I took to the tree stand on Sunday to study in the November afternoon sunlight. It was a nice quiet place with no disturbances other than the occasional squirrel or bird.

I hate Mule Bashing...

Most people who own and ride mules are used to the occasional comment on their mount. Of course being a mule rider means you need to have a sense of humor when dealing with all those comments.

A few weeks ago my gal friend who I’ve traveled to endurance rides with, came over with her horse. We saddled up and went for a ride on the back roads where I live. She has a beautiful black Arab horse and I ride my bay mule Badger.

Down the road we go, my friend is quick to point out that any bad behavior on her horse’s part is because ‘that is the way she is supposed to be’. I shrug it off as we’ve had so many discussions over bad behavior and simple training along with equine manners. I am not going to convince her that her horses ‘bad’ behaviors are fixable with some discipline.

We are stopped by a couple of fellows who are driving down the road. The driver jumps out and asks excitedly—“Is that a Mule? Wow, what a good looking mule!” Badger stands patiently as the stranger approaches and pets him on the neck.

“So is it true that mules are stubborn, like to kick, and bite, and are mean?” he asks.

Don’t we always get this question?

I grin and reply, “Oh no sir, that is not true about mules at all, it is the owners that are that way.” He laughs and his partner laughs. Both men are now petting Badger and admiring him. My gal friend pipes up, “I’m riding an Egyptian Arab!” The men glance over at the pretty black mare that is pawing, snorting, shaking her head, and causing the rider distress. They sort of shrug and turn back to me, pet Badger again and leave. We ride on. At another point my gal friend has to get off and use the bushes. I hold onto her horse then help her remount the Arab-in-motion who won’t stand still. I drop Badger’s reins and he becomes ground tied while I deal with the horse and rider.

Back down the road we go. We see cattle, enjoy the beautiful quiet countryside and eventually meet up with a fella who is out splitting wood with an axe. His Labrador mix dog slides out and gives a little ‘ruff’. This fella looks up and stops what he is doing. We say hello and suddenly he says—“Is THAT a mule?” My gal friend huffs and puffs and then hollers at the man to get his dog under control, it is making her horse nervous. The man pats his leg and the dog comes and sits next to my mule. Of course this fellow wants to know all about mules and why I ride them and goes on and on … as my gal friend struggles to make her horse stand and behave. Finally she says, “I hate to cut short your visiting, but my mare won’t stand still any longer so we have to go.”

We say our goodbyes and move on.

We finish our ride and say our goodbyes.

The next morning she calls me at work. “What is wrong with people? Why didn’t they notice my horse? After all she is a pure black Egyptian Arab! All they wanted to do was look at your mule. I mean I paid a good dollar for this horse and all they wanted to do was pet your mule! And besides that, no mules have ever done well in endurance; no mule has ever won Tevis. Just look at the results they are all Arabs. Arabians are the ONLY horse to have if you are doing distance riding.” Of course she went on while I remained silently shocked. This was a good friend I thought. Her ‘nice’ Arab has never gotten silly and dumped her while riding with Badger, but any time she rides with someone else the mare ends up hurting her. I sigh and hang up the phone after listening to her diatribe.

Then a thought occurred to me. Was she just jealous of the attention my mule got? Perhaps. Maybe if her horse had manners?

Did I deserve the mule bashing? Well mule bashing comes with the territory and I get pretty tired of it, but try to keep my good humor. When asked why I ride a mule instead of a horse, I generally shrug and say: Because not everyone else does!

We as mule riders deal with mule ‘bashing’ constantly. How have I solved my issue with my gal friend? Oh easily. She can call and request to ride with me if she wants. I’ll take a mule again.

I do want to add here that I am not bashing Arabian horses. I have a half Arab who has wonderful manners and I ride with many horses that are excellent and fantastic mounts. Any equine of any breed should have manners and discipline not excuses for bad behavior.

Yeppers, I got 'shot' the first buck and he is a dandy. I was doing chores whilst all the big deer hunter dudes were in the woods. The mules and donkeys notified me that something was going on in the woods. I walked to where their ears pointed and watched carefully.
After standing stock still for a long time I saw him and yeah I got 'buck' fever sure enough. I could hardly control my hands as I carefully pulled off my gloves and slowly reached to open my itty bitty pointy shooty camera. It is a fuzzy picture because I had to use digital zoom to capture him. He was with a nice doe. I got his photo and watched as he picked his way through the woods and moved on.
Hah. I 'got' the trophy buck, and was he ever gorgeous. Hubby is very jealous!

The first day of Deer Season

On the radio the song 'Second Week of Deer Camp' by the DaYuppers is playing, I can hear gunshots echoing in the woods. Of course it brings back fond memories of long time ago. The deer hunting songs are played with great fevor on the opening day.




"It's the second week of deer camp
And all the guys are here
We drink play cards and shoot the bull
But never shoot no deer
The only time we leave the camp
Is when we go for beer
The second week of deer camp
Is the greatest time of year"

Oh gosh the memories, and that bad part of this? I know all the darned words to the song!

This year though hubby IS hunting and it is so we can put food on our BIL's table seeing as they are pretty darned short of food and cash. We can help put food on the table and I think hubby is actually enjoying the time off in the woods. He's worked pretty hard all fall to get things ready for winter and we've pretty much gotten all the goals accomplished.

Oh yeah! I got my first report card! ;-) I got an 'A' in my first class. Okay don't jump and shout, but I was pretty happy.

Weekend

Daughter in Law
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

I could chose almost any photo I want from this weekend, but looking them over I couldn't help but pick this one. My DIL. Yes we were target practicing and enjoying each other's company. My son, she, and their dog came for the weekend and we had a wonderful time.
Of course we did the Currier and Ives sort of thing...you know the hiking, target shooting, throwing snowballs, and messing around in the woods...okay
not Currier and Ives, not even the Waltons.
But we sure did have some fun.

To sum it up. We had a blast.

Can't sleep, then Blog!

Morris keeping an eye...
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

Nope can't sleep, have so many things on my mind. I need to get my assignments done and tests done before the 'kids' come to visit. I am settling into a routine now that works well for me. Thanks to my older son -- I got some help on some homework now isn't that role reversal?

I know that rain or shine cold or not, I have to get on my mule and get out to ride again this weekend!

Oh yeah two weeks ago I went riding with my Arab galfriend [she owns and Arab]. Apparently the fact that my mule was so well behaved and her horse was a doo doo head--and the fact that everyone we ran into 'fawned' over Mr. Mule.
She called me to tell me about how mules were NOT the best riding animals for distance...and went on to trash my mule. I think she was jealous or upset that my animal is just plain well mannered.

I decided if she needed a riding partner now she sure can call me or ride with her other buddy ... she always gets dumped riding with her.

I'm just so sick and tired of mule bashing.
They don't get no respect.

With my buddy...

Mr. Mule says--
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

I spent 4 hours in the woods with Mr. Mule on Sunday. We rode all over the neighbor's land, stopping and looking at things...just moseying along. It was a great stress buster from the busy week of school I had. We found many deer trails to follow and stopped for a picnic in the 'back valley' where I took this picture.
My menu: PB&J sandwhich
Mr. Mule's menu: grass

I found a little water falls that I've got to come back without a mule or have a good lead rope to tie him up as I have to climb through lots of barbed wire to view it.
Something to consider for this weekend's visitors!

In the woods...

Turkey Fans
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

Yesterday I took off into the woods with my pistol and an old open sited .22 rifle to do some target practicing. I wore a camo coat and sat still as could be in the woods. Interesting that some guys walking not far away in PeeWee's land never saw me. I sat quiet as a mouse and listened to them bumble through the brush.

They did spook up a nice buck who nearly ran into me before running off.

I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the woods. I enjoyed being 'invisible'. I also had a grand time target practicing. I found I can really nail a target with a rifle.

It was a great break from studies.

The big chill

November 1st Sunset
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

Taking a break from homework to make a quick hello and howdy post. Seems the weather has decided to become bone chilling and windy. Yikes I think it never got above 35 degrees today. Now that is darned cold especially with the wind.

With the time change, I've been seeing some dramatic sunsets on my drives home from work. I love the colors in the sky this time of year.

Okay.
I love sunrises and sunsets any time of the year.