Here She Is

My girl... she's so sweet. We have gone on a few good rides lately, usually a couple hours at a crack. We conquer the hills and endure the aftermath of the recent wind storm. It's fantastic. She's quite the little trooper and so grown up these days. On one of our rides last week we found ourselves in the midst of a LOT of jagger bushes as high as my knees (and I was on her back! Those are HIGH!) Thorn trees greeted us at every turn. Oh the poor thing! We finally found our way around a different way and all was fine and dandy. On another ride we were met by a ferocious dog that actually never barked, but just found that we were intruding upon his territory. The hair stood up along his back as we trodged past him and he reluctantly returned to the heel of his owner upon a stern call. The dog actually caught her by surprise, but once she found that I was not afraid, she put her little head down and continued on as if it had never startled her. We trotted along the edges of fields and on trails that wind through the woods. I'm so delighted with her. I can't wait for our next ride, which reminds me... why am I not on her right now??? Hmmmm... I've gotta go!

Car-Woes

We took our car for inspection, dropping it off the night of September 24th. The current inspection runs out September 30th. That day I worked from home, so my Handy Hubby could take my car to work. But it wasn't done the next day. So Amanda and John so graciously let us borrow one of their vehicles. Days go by and still NO CAR!!! What in the world?!!! Apparently there were at least 4 codes of items gone wrong causing it to NOT pass the emissions test that is required. Finally, yesterday they called and said we could pick it up this morning... except there is a catch...

It is STILL not inspected!!!!!! In order to run the tests again, it has to be run through a series of road tests. First we have to turn on the air and rear defrost for one and a half minutes, then turn of the air but leave the defrost on for so long then run it on the highway half-throttle for so many minutes then three-quarter throttle for so many minutes and eventually come to a rolling stop and I don't know what else, but we can't touch the brake the entire time so how the heck can ANYONE actually accomplish this? So we parked it near a major highway and will return later to run the test because all of this has to occur from a cold start. Is anyone as annoyed as I am after reading this? Seriously, how is anyone supposed to be able to do this unless they live on a major highway???? And honestly after they have had the car for over a week now... how far are we in debt? I have asked them twice, but they haven't tallied it up yet. Really... If it might cost more than the car is worth, I would just tell them to forget it. Worst of all, we have to do this formula run with it tonight at midnight and hope we don't mistakenly hit the brake AND if we should possibly get pulled over we are out of inspection and will have to explain this all over again to the authorities. Then we have to take it back to them and let them run the codes again to see if it passes.

We are SO GRATEFUL for Amanda and John's generously letting us use their vehicle. I'm not sure what we would have done without it.

We just keep repeating to ourselves that this car is a provision of the Lord and as such what will be will be. Whatever funds it takes are also the provision of the Lord and we must keep the faith that God will continue to provide. But really... it's hard to keep a positive outlook in this situation. UGH!

Re-cap...

No I'm not lost. I'm just on a blogging hiatus. Just so much going on. I'm stretched for time almost every day. It leaves me wishing for more solid routines and such.


















Last weekend I went to a Friesian Keurig. Are these not the most beautiful animals you have ever seen? The event is not the same as a horse-show, but more of a grading, which can increase the value of the horses significantly. With these horses, it's pretty much.. you've seen one, you've seen them all. They are almost all black, every one of them. There is a rare reddish color, which we had the opportunity to see, but by rare we are talking there may be less than 10 in the world. The Association brings judges and runners from overseas. If you view the website, the runners we had were the East Team; although one of the runners now resides in Texas. They take the horse at the gate and hold them for the judge. Then they run them around the ring. They look for particular characteristics and a certain level of action in their trot. All in all, it was an educational experience.

After the Keurig, we had lunch at the Dumplin Haus in Volant, and then visited the Amish tack-shop and an Amish farm for some fall flowers. We got a steal-of-a-deal on our mums paying only $12 for 4 pots of them. The cornstalk were selling for $1 a bundle for which we informed the nice Amish lady that she was being ripped off royally. In our town they would go for somewhere between $8 and $15. She said "Tomorrow we'll make them $1.25." What a riot! The pumpkins there were voluminous, but we were out of room in the car, so we passed on those. I hope to get back up there and get some. They are very reasonably priced.

Tuesdays With Jen... My Memoirs

When I started this series way way back I had intended to recap some journal entries of days gone by... so I think I shall do that this week...

September 19, 2003 I wrote...

Grandma's recent decline in health has grabbed my attention. I have
been trying to spend more time with her lately as I realize that our days
are numbered. She has kept many journals over the years. Someday
I will read them. The other day she encouraged me to write things down
now because memories fade over time. The last couple of weeks have
brought some changes for her. Two Saturdays ago I scrubbed her
cabinets in the kitchen and put new knobs on them to brighten the room. It never occurred to me that she wasn't able to clean her home. Last Saturday I cleaned some in her living room. I found a can of Tinker Toys that I played with as a child. I was able to clean up enough to give a little extra leg-room in the trailer. Amanda bought Gram a recliner. It's green and plush. She has been having trouble lying down to sleep so this was a
welcomed gift. I helped clean out her bedroom, organize her closet, and
lay a carpet to cover most of her bedroom floor. While cleaning her bedroom I found a checkbook from the 1970's which she wanted to keep.


September 20, 2003 I wrote...
Tonight I sat on the porch swing at the farmhouse shucking sweetcorn for dinner while two deer lazily ate grass near the garden. They were so beautiful. They ducked into the woods when the Cox's arrived.

September 21, 2003 I wrote...
Oh what a beautiful day. On my way to church this morning, I was noting the splendor of this place we live. The sky was blue and the sun was shining. God is so glorious! Grandma didn't sleep very well. She was a little winded this morning and had forgotten some of her things for her breathing treatments. She and I sat on the couch in the dining room drinking coffee and chatting as the morning sun lit the room. Last night I mentioned to her that I'd like to take her to Niagra Falls and for a horse buggy ride there. She proceded to tell me of a time when she was a teenager and had gone for a buggy ride on a Sunday. She said that it rained horribly and that the horse ran furiously coming to a halt inside a stable. She shared her lesson of not forgetting to keep the Sabbath Day holy.

Blessings Monday

This week I'm counting the abundant blessings of the harvest. My good friends Rene'e and Lee gave me a pile of vegetables... fresh dug potatoes, some sweet onions, green peppers, hot peppers, and about 2 bushel of beautiful tomatoes this past weekend. My Mom (bless her heart) helped me to can about a bushel of stewed tomatoes and about a bushel of tomato juice. The cupboards are stocked with tomatoes ready for making stew, chili, and soups.

Sunday evening there was a harvest party at the farm. A bunch of us met after dinner to share what we made from the harvest. There was eggplant parmasan (my favorite), sausage with fresh onions and peppers, fresh salsa with chips, two kinds of soup, pear pie, and more. We sat, relaxed, and enjoyed the harvest goods.

Come share your blessings with others. Go to Marci's blog at Down On The Farm and link up.

Jeff-fah fah

Achmed... this is SO wrong!

Sneak Peaks

Wow! What a week! Do you ever come to the end of a week where you can't really remember everything from the week? Let's see...

Monday - work, "Wising Up" Ladies Bible Study at church

Tuesday - work, "John" Bible Study at church

Wednesday - work, farm-chores, Administrative Board Meeting at Church

Thursday - work, farm-chores, ride Penny, water the flowers

Friday - work, farm-chores, (raining - yippie!), out to dinner w/ hubby

Saturday - work at farmers market (oh my aching feet!), nap, dinner with Zombecks, out to show "Jeff Dunham" (OH SO FUNNY)

Sunday - church, lunch with hubby, Dinner is in the crock-pot, thinking about a little nap.

Milestone

My beloved Penny has been back with me since June 28th. On August 5th I FINALLY started riding her again. It's been on and off since then. I'm learning the trails and gaining confidence with each new ride. It's funny that when I get on her I'm mentally riding her from years ago... when she was a real pistol. She keeps amazing me. She is so grown-up now. She's such a willing little trooper. I'm delighted to report that tonight we went on our first SOLO ride. I thought I wouldn't make it down the driveway or even around the field without a fight, but with a little pressure and some encouraging words she put one foot infront of the other and off we went.

We did well until we crossed the road and walked up a portion of paved driveway. She REALLY didn't want to go, but again... a little pressure, a few firm words, and a tiny little crack and she reluctantly moved forward. There were some big scarey things on that old road like tarps and wood piles. This was the neighbor that reported seeing a rather large black bear this summer and thus I was not truly very dedicated to following this trail on my own. After we went far enough I turned her around and headed in a different direction. I figured it best to stay close to home just in case a mini disaster might occur... so I might be found and not left lying out in the wilderness with no way to reach anyone. (15 years ago that would not have even crossed my mind)

We went down a little hill into a rather dried up creek-bed. She was not very happy with this scenario. When she started to slide in the mud she got nervous, but a few calm words and encouragement and she stood in the midst of it without any major fuss. Now... if there were only some WATER in that creek we'd be making great strides. (although I suspect that someone spent some time working with her on crossing water in the past couple of years.)

We zig-zagged all over the forrest behind the barn. There are very nice trails that are trimmed and wide enough to ride two-wide. We went up the hill and down and around and over the river and thru the woods... you get the idea. She worked up quite a sweat and we leisurely walked back home. I'm so pleased!!!! This solo ride was a milestone... like I'm chipping away at my goals one ride at a time. It's fantastic!!!

Now if I'd just learn to TAKE the camera with me! I even strapped on the saddle bag that K got me for my birthday, but didn't have anything in it. Ugh.

The barn-time came to a close after giving her a cool sponge bath and spoiling her with a couple of apples. What a way to close out my day!

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for the change of season which is approaching quicker than we might think. The cooler, fall-like weather has put a spring in my step. As I commute each morning my eyes search the horizon for the first glimpse of the Lord's splash of color that I'm so anxious to witness. The days are warm and comfortable and the mornings and evenings are crisp. Oh how I love the change of seasons!

Sting My Heart is the host of Thankful Thursday. Join us in sharing what we are thankful for.

Tuesdays With Jen... My Memoirs

It's time for "Back to School" for many children. I was thinking last night about how direction-less I was in my school days. I always knew that school was necessary, but I wasn't sure why. I went because I had to. It's not that I didn't enjoy learning, but looking back I really don't think I had the ability to maintain focus throughout my classes. I really didn't do very poorly overall, just average. Except 4th grade Social Studies... I didn't want to learn about the indians! I had a recurring nightmare about indians and this was not something I had any desire to learn about. Thus... I got a big fat F for that six-week period. OOPS! I think if I had comprehended the true purpose of education I might have been something different... or done better at it at the time.

After I graduated highschool, I went to Community College for a few semesters... still searching for my niche. I had landed a job in a doctors office and eventually spent a few years working there instead of schooling. The doctors there believed that I was smart and pushed me to go back to school and thus I did...

I went to Business school and studied "Medical Management." I thought maybe I'd be an office manager or something of that nature. I already had some experience in the office and billing so why not. Actually these studies came very easy for me due to my experience and I am pleased to report that I graduated only 2nd in my class. I almost tied for first, but my friend Jennifer beat me by .1 in th end. WOW! So schooling was a success and I was off to find a new job.

I had a few jobs before I found the one I'm in now. When I found the job, I had not even realized there were such persons out there... credentialing practitioners and/or Medical Staff Secretarial work was not in my radar, but the woman who hired me said that my experience working with docs and my plans and projects for office improvement at my then current job were signs that I was perfect for such a position. It paid $50 more each week taboot! Sign me up!!!! I've been at this job for 6+ years now and my position has evolved several times. I LOVE change and this is a constant in my current position.

God has a plan for all of us, but he gives us the free will to choose our own path. I'm not suggesting that by not having direction back in school days that I have deferred from the Lord's path for me... I am simply voicing my regret for having lack of insight into my future earlier on. I am pleased with where life has brought me and recognize the abundant blessings that have been showered on me for the paths I did choose.

Blessings Monday

This morning I am counting the many blessings of the summer that is quickly coming to a close, much of which is recapped below. I'm grateful for my pony and the sweet sweet lady that is keeping her for me. I'm grateful for long summer rides that take me back to times gone by. I'm thankful that my husband is so very loving to know that I needed her and to set aside funds to make that dream a reality. I'm thankful for the vegetable harvest and family that supports one another by sharing. I'm thankful for my sweet grandmother of years ago who showed me how to can stewed tomatoes and the mother who keeps that experience a reality. I was blessed by the little ones who visited us this summer, the pitter-patter of their little feet, the enlightened expressions upon greeting our pets, and the laughs, cries, and whines that we experience only a few times each year.

There are so many blessings to count. Come join us in sharing them so others may be blessed by what the Lord has bestowed upon you. Go to Down On The Farm and link up. Thanks Marci!!!

The Farm

The Horses

Penny :)

Dee

Sir &

Rambo

Gorgious Gaylie

Uncle K shares the birdies

The blue ones name is Gonzo and the yellow is Sunshine.

Dogs and Cats

Essie Rides Penny

Cheap Kitty Entertainment

Summer is slipping away...

Wow. I have barely posted all summer long. You know when someone has a new child they kind of find themselves too busy for all the activities of their former life???? Well... having my pony is like having a child. For me anyway. I am spending a lot of time spoiling her. I guess I'm making up for lost time or something. It's like I'm falling in love with her all over again and with each new ride it just keeps getting better and better!





I had a fantastic birthday. I'm a whopping 35 now. Despite usual morning aches and pains I still don't really feel old. Although... one night K wanted to go out for a drink and I told him it needed to be some place quiet because I'm 35 now and I prefer the prim and proper scene as opposed to the loud and obnoxious ones. HA!!! K got me this fantastic PINK riding helmet which is getting much use these days. I never used to wear a helmet for trail riding, but now that I'm older I'm a little more safety conscious. It's a good thing. He also got me a small PNK bag that hangs on the horn of my western saddle so I can potentially take my camera riding with me or a bottle of water or whatever. Renee & Janet got me a new black saddle pad, a purple and black halter for her, a purple lead rope, and a lick-it treat for her. I need to get her a lickit holder. I was pleased to be so spoiled with equine related birthday goodies!

Aside from my birthday, I've been busy with WORK, helping some friends put in hay, and other little things. We had a visit from my sister and her family while the kids participated in Mom's "Grandma Camp" for a week. I took some time off to enjoy their visit and had another special date with Esther to ride the horses and play with the doggies. While they were in town we had a whole-family portrait taken. This includes my parents, siblings with inlaws and their children.

K had the opportunity to assist me putting in hay this past Friday. For his trouble he was offered the opportunity to ride with us. We were out for two and a half hours and it was fantastic. My dream is to one day have a place where we can have at least 2 horses so we can ride together more often. He does like to go, but rarely has the opportunity since we only have one horse. Many thanks to Janet for allowing him to use one of hers.

Yesterday I helped Mom can some stewed tomatoes. The kitchen here is just so small. I canned last year, but it was not efficient. Uncle Charlie supplied the goods and we split the end result 3-ways. That was great because it was just about the amount we'll use between now and next summer. Someday I'd like to have a garden to produce my own vegetables for canning and I'd like to have a large kitchen and pantry for preserving such things. That's something I remember from childhood... always canning and freezing in the summer and enjoying the goods all year round. FRESH frozen corn for Thanksgiving.... Nothing like it!

That's about it I suppose. Back to the grind now. I hope to get better at regular posting in the weeks to come. Actually, I have a long list of aspirations for the fall season which I'd like to accomplish.

Milking Cows

I just had to post this because Carrie posted a similar picture from her families recent trip to the zoo. Ha ha ha... too cute! I see they are way more sophisticated these days... they give you a bucket!

I always say... I was born to milk cows!

More Miles

I had another really great ride tonight. Oh I'm so falling in love with her all over again. She is just a gem!!!! I never before enjoyed riding her as much as I have this week! This ride was even better than the last. We went on different trails than before... mountainous hills, beautiful valleys, blazing through overgrown territory in the heart of the forrest, over logs, under branches, across the creek, and out into wide open prairie-like fields where the grass was as tall as my horse. There were some trails on posted property where my friend has permission to ride. They are extremely nice wide groomed trails where all-terrain vehicles are forbidden. This is prime hunting ground in its time. There are tree stands and such and even a few cameras that flash with motion sensors. That was a real treat... she jumped, but didn't miss a step. I think it shocked me more than her. We chuckled wondering what the land owner will say when he sees the look on our faces in those pictures.

Keith has had our camera because he was at the Pocono race last weekend. He's been taking it to work to show off his photos. I'm going to have to steal it back and take some pictures of our rides. I need to get a small saddle bag to take along such things for our rides. The last time out we saw a red-tailed hawk from very close... a few days earlier I spied a bald eagle nearby. The neighbors of the farm say there is a black bear estimated to be about 400 pounds who has frequented their property. I'm not real keen on meeting up with him, but I'm intrigued to know they are nearby.

Back In The Saddle Again

I RODE MY PONY TODAY!!!! SHE WAS A PEACH!!!! I'M ELATED!!!!

You have to understand that SHE hasn't been ridden since springtime and I haven't ridden for what... a YEAR or more!!!!

She kicked and fussed for about the first 5 minutes. I think she really hates having to wear a saddle that is tightened. We went up a really big hill and she forgot whatever it was that was annoying her. We walked the countryside for over an hour, up and down big mountainous hills, and even into the creek. I've never actually ridden her in water before, but she tramped right into it and was rather surprised to find her feet wet. She hadn't been watching where she was going, but too busy putting her nose where it didn't belong... in the butt of Sir, the horse in front of us. None the less, I am quite the proud rider. She did WAY better than I had expected all around.

I can feel tightening in my legs and shoulders already. Oh I am SO going to feel this in the morning. (But it is SO worth it!!!) I already took some precautionary tylenol! I might need a handicap spot to park tomorrow... I may or may not be able to walk... But it feels good to be so active and pursuing what I love... riding my horse.

My friend took a couple pictures when we got back. She couldn't stop talking about just how CUTE my Penny is. I know... she is... what can I say? Thanks :) I love love love her!!!! But alas I forgot to ask if she would be able to e-mail those to me or if she has to get them developed. So... if they aren't too bad... I will post them when I get them.

Tuesdays With Jen... My Memoirs

It's still early in August and we have already blown through a few birthdays in the first 4 days. Seriously, August has always been like the month of birthdays, not just for my family, but for friends and acquaintences as well. For instance, I know of at least 3 people who share my very own birthday. I know of at least 4 that share my Dad's birthday PLUS someone who celebrates an anniversary that day too.

I remember as a child celebrating the August birthdays. Mom made a tiered cake. The biggest lower level was for Grandpa's birthday (29th), then another layer for Dad's (13th), then a layer for me (17th), and a layer for Amanda (16th). I do believe she wrote our names on each layer with icing. That was a cool idea Mom.

When Amanda introduced me to John, who is now her husband. I liked him for two reasons. 1) He opened both my car door and hers (gentleman) and more significantly 2) We share our birthday - August 17th. COOL!

I always thought it would be really cool to have a gigantic birthday bash in the month of August and invite everyone I know who has a birthday this month... but alas it's never happened. Maybe because its mid-summer and everyone is so busy with summer activities? Vacations? Farm Show? Fairs? Etc. And now starting to prepare for back-to-school already!

So let me give a big shout out to all my August Birthday Pals!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Blessings Monday

We recently got a letter from my Aunt who lives in Arizona. I try to keep in touch with her by writing occasional letters. She is not physically well these days, so it is a challenge for her to return a written response, although I know that she loves to exchange letters.

The letter explained the multiple physical barriers she is enduring at this stage in her life. She is basically bed-ridden and relies on her husband to cook, clean, and care for her.

Along with the letter was an unexpected gift of money with a note to buy something that we have both been wanting. Oh the possibilities. Oh the fun in dreaming them up! We sat on it and prayed on it for a while.

As we were preparing for our incoming guests last week, we decided what things we have both been wanting... a new area rug and a small tv stand for the living room. Our living room decor includes deep red walls, a grey couch, white full length curtains, and some black accent pieces of furniture.

The correspondence and the gift were appreciated blessings. We are grateful to have the opportunity to splurge on a little something that we have been wanting. THANK YOU!!!! God is SO good and provides in such unforseen ways. I love it!!!

Do you have blessings to share? Stop over to Down On The Farm and share with us! Thanks Marci for hosting once again.

Sneak-Peak Sunday

Handy Hubby has been at the Nascar Race in the Poconos all weekend. I've talked to him a couple of times and he is bubbling over with excitement. He got a lot of autographs, including Keifer Sutherland, the grand marshall for the race and a bunch of drivers too. He's on his way home now... I'm glad he was able to go. He really enjoys that stuff.

Why wasn't I at the race? Well, I had committed to attending a Beth Moore conference that was being held in Louiseville, KY and in over 700 locations world-wide via simalcast. Myself and four other ladies from church signed up to attend at another local church a couple months ago. If you aren't familar with Living Proof Ministries, follow the link and get acquainted. What I love about Beth Moore is that she is so very real. Her work is not about her. It's about God and she takes absolutely NO credit for her work. She speaks most specifically to women with a humorous, down-to-earth attitude. She's comical and sincere... and it was a fantastic weekend of praise and study. AND... I love that I ran into my very own physician in attendance. It's nice to know that your PCP is a godly person. I knew that about her before, but it was more confirmation to see her actively seeking the truth... right before my eyes. Just to share one simple key point from the program that has settled deep within my heart... Guard your heart because Satan is seeking to snatch the word from it and HE CANT HAVE IT!!!! I never thought of it quite like that before. The Lord tells us to write his word on our heart so we do not depart from it, but it is true that Satan seeks to take our focus from that. Simple, yet profound.

What else have I done??? I spend some more time in study and prayer. Relaxed. Enjoyed the peace and quiet. Let the birds out for a bit. They are silly... they put themselves back in their cage. I watered the plants. Did some laundry. Met Amanda and John for dinner and chat. I was thinking about doing some work, but never did. I see I'm getting a ton of spam on my work e-mail, so I didn't want to open it up at home. I get it on my Blackberry. That's how I know it's there.

So now it's late on Sunday. It's time to call it a day and kiss the weekend goodbye. My darling husband will be home sometime between now and the crack of dawn... probably closer to the latter. I missed him so much.