Progress

This summer is progressing with the rising and setting of the sun each day.

 Hercules welcomes the new day.
There is just no stopping time. And
it seems like it is going too fast.  I feel like I am making little progress on my To-Do List for the summer.  I could look at it as Barack Obama sees our struggling economy, when he said, "We have to acknowledge the progress we made, but understand that we still have a long way to go... that things are better, but still not good enough."  

      Although, when I look at the things I have made good progress on,  like Roni... Benjamin Franklin's quote comes to mind, "Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning."  So, I do feel like I have accomplished a fair amount since summer began.  As I progress though the New Testament with my daily Bible readings, I also try to keep growing in my walk with God.

    It rained off and on all day last Wednesday the 15th.  Outside work and riding would have to wait.  So I worked on my Blog, read a book, and played with the cat and dog.  I ate snacks throughout the day,  looked out the window wondering how long the rain would continue, and stepped out between showers to see how wet it was and to visit my farm pets.  Is this progress?

The moon early one morning.

      Courtney and I are really hoping our horses will get over their lameness soon.  We really need to see progress in this area.  It is just heart breaking to have a horse and not be able to ride it after spending so much time and money training it and taking riding lessons.  For now, I have the honor and privilege of being able to work with Roni.  I have discovered with Amiga, that the more you work with a horse, the more they bond to you and you to them.  And now, Roni and I are becoming quite attached.  It stormed Tuesday night so I went out at 2:30am to close doors and check on the horses.  I stood and talked to Roni and petted him for several minutes because he seemed nervous about the approaching storm. (My rain coat and wind pants flapping in the breeze probably didn't help any.)  I am trying to get Roni to relax, which usually he does when no one is riding him. He was quite jumpy when he first got here but has settled in now. I'll take any progress I can get.

      Wednesday night we finally caught the big yellow barn cat.  He looked rather beat up, but was not hurting for food.  Joe released him out in the country on his way to work Thursday morning.  When I went out to get Roni, I discovered that Brother had hurt himself jumping down out of the hay loft.  He was howling it hurt so bad, and he would not put any weight on his front left leg. I shut him in the tack room and then went back to retrieving Roni.  He was out back with the cow boys.  I called for him, he lifted his head, finished chewing his mouthful of grass and whinnied. Then he quietly walked all the way from the SE corner to where I was standing and followed me  back to the barn.  He is such a sweet horse.  It is when he is being ridden that he gets so nervous.  He needs to learn to trust his rider. That is my continued goal with him.  I loaded up Roni and headed to Marj's.  We ended up being there from 9 to 5.  I had a wonderfully fun yet exhausting day.  I think it wore Roni out too.

Marj took a bunch of pictures of Roni, to put in her on-line "for sale" ad.  Here are a few of my favorites:

 







    Four other young ladies were at the barn working with/training horses and riding.  Marj spent time instructing us each individually, and as a group. 

Casey, Lacey, and Dani                            Natalie









Dani and Prego                                         Lacey and Fed. Ex

Marj treated us all to a pizza lunch which was a nice restful break and then we returned to the riding fun.  She also got some pictures of us riding.  Here are a few of Roni and I.   

When he gets worked up or nervous, he shows his teeth.  I don't know if this needs to be or if it can be fixed.  I can tell, while riding, when he is getting agitated, but don't realize when he is showing his teeth.

     Marj had us simulate an open horse show with her as the judge.  When she cranked up the Latino music you could just see and feel Roni take his energy up a notch. The "judge" didn't kick us out of the ring, but we did get some check marks.  However....there were "moments of greatness" and Roni did earn some points.  It was just "for fun" and it was.

     While at Marj's, I discovered this little guy in one of the stalls and have fallen in love with yet another one of God's beautiful creatures.  "Bambi" as Marj and I call him.  Her son Adam found him abandoned along the roadside and rescued him.  He is the newest (and I think cutest) addition to Marj's barn.


     Daniel has kept me up-dated by answering my e-mail questions and sending photos.  The one to the right is of the 236th guidon, a flag signifying their unit.  He has talked about his "work", which is old news....but I have not yet shared it.  They all worked hard to begin with, but then things slowed down and they started to get days off and have real shifts.... great progress.

Picture of the deck under construction in their work area and photos of the mountains seen from around the work yard.  The last one is of the new tactical vehicles that are replacing the HUMVEE, which is no longer allowed to leave the wire.

These next two are of the work office which they spent time remodeling. Dan then had to set up and get working many of the computers.

 And these last two he took one day riding back from work in the gunners turret of a HUMVEE.  The one to the right is of the main road that is 1.5 miles straight, parallel with the run way that is called "Disney".











He got to drive the Commander's personal truck to drop off mail and pick up his computer he had turned in for repair.  He said "It's going to be hard to get used to driving at home, cause here the max anywhere on post is 15 mph, and only 5 mph when in loading areas around the flight line.  When I ride my bike I'm going about 10 mph, often beating the bus to work since they have to stop for traffic and bus stops."

     A serene mood just after sunrise of Amiga out in a grazing pen Friday morning.

     I decided to let Roni rest some more on Friday.  It was kind of a non-productive day. I guess I needed to rest too.

     I straightened up the house and yard.  I tried reading a book out in a lawn chair, but it didn't last long because it was so windy. 

     I ran over (not literally) to Marj's to feed Bambi.  We had a nice chat while I was there.   Zoie helped me with giving Bambi his bottle.

Then I hauled 2 cats and the dog to the vet for their annual shots and check up.  Kaysha needs a dental and Abbey to lose weight.  Brothers leg is not broken, but swollen and he needs to be on barn arrest....not allowed to run around.  Joe and I had an early dinner of marinated grilled chicken.  (It was one of our roosters Joe butchered last fall.) Then I had a nice peaceful ride
on Roni. I saw some different behavior out of him
when I went to catch him.  He did not come up to me as usual. :-(  And after I walked up to him, when I lifted the halter up he ran off.  On the second try he didn't even let me get close to him...but trotted over to the corn crib gate.  Then he just stood there.  I walked up and stared petting him and talking to him.  Slipped the halter on and led him to the round pen where I brushed and tacked him at the hitching post.  Marj said he is starting to finally wake up and mentally have a say in the matter, which is a good thing as long as his opinion isn't going to get anyone hurt.  Roni is starting to relax and come out of his shell, which means that he is starting to use his brain to think because he has nothing to fear and can be himself.

    
     Saturday morning I took Roni for a nice long ride.  We did our usual Villhauer farm tour and then I took him to Brian's and back and then out to Becks and around there for two big loops.  His continued improvement is so awesome.  There were a few times when he asked to turn back but I massaged the outside rain and told him no, keep walking.  Several times I had to circle him when he was being especially anxious to return.  But I had a great ride and think he is great.  

     Joe and I then got cleaned up and dressed up and went to a wedding, of  Bob's daughter Becky.  It was a beautiful outdoor wedding.

And was followed by a fun reception at Bone Student center. We met some nice people, ate some great food, and had a good time dancing.















Joe gets in on the dollar dance.

     Sunday morning, just after I got the horses out into their grazing pens, a storm blew in and I got drenched getting them back in the barn.  Joe was stuck at work so I ended up going to late Church by myself again.  I sat with Kristen, a lady from our growth group and ended up helping her with communion because they were short a person.  From there I went to school
                                                                                    to water in the
  green house, and then I had a long grocery trip before I finally rolled in to home at 3pm.  I worked in the yard with tree trimming and branch pick-up, giving Roni the day off....too muddy and wet to ride.  However, Roni enjoyed rolling in the mud. 

     Monday began with a big storm rolling in at 5:45.  I saw it coming so held up on farm chores.  Did chores late and then another storm moved in.  We had thunderstorms throughout the day until mid afternoon.  I read, worked on my Blog, drove to Marj's to feed Bambi, mailed a package to Daniel and went to Growth Group. 

While there, there was a little accident back here with Zorro.  Joe had tied Zorro out by the barn to graze and Zorro got his back left leg wrapped up in the rope... freaked out, pulling it tighter and hurt his foot/ankle.  Joe freed Zorro as quickly as possible.  The rope had rubbed his ankle raw, didn't cut it, but caused it to swell a fair amount.  Courtney came right out, called Dr. Carlson and cared for Zorro as suggested.  She did a great job....but this is going to hinder his progress in becoming sound (not lame) once again.
                      Roni is a dirty mess.
     Tuesday was finally a day with some sunshine.... partly.  It was also quite breezy and much cooler. After sitting here at my computer for a few hours, Marj came over and wrapped Zorro's leg.  I had just brought Amiga and Zorro in and was brushing Roni at the time.  He was filthy from his roll in the paddock mud.  Once finished, I set off on him towards Marj's.  I had a nice, relatively relaxed and uneventful ride down.  Fed Bambi while there and then headed back home.  Finally got the three replacement pine trees planted out back, mowed some, worked on the burn pile by the tracks while hauling all the branches out there that I had trimmed earlier.  It didn't burn too hot, and eventually went out.  Courtney came over and soon Marj did too and we cleaned, dressed and re-wrapped Zorro's foot.  Then Courtney decided to try loading Zorro.  It took us 75 minutes to finally get him on the trailer. 

     Today the weather was rather iffy.  Marj joined me for a ride.  Actually, I took Roni to her place and we explored out and around there.  Roni was very wound up almost the whole time.  I realized (Marj pointed out) that I have been giving him too much reign when trying to get him to gait.  If I gather them up a bit more, he tucks his chin and does a much better job.  Once back at the barn I worked Roni in the indoor arena for a bit and then worked with Bambi.   I used a calf halter but put it on like a dog halter and once I felt he couldn't escape it, took him out to try eating real grass.  He really liked the clover, especially the flowers.  After Bambi's bottle, I headed home without Roni.  Left him there for Marj's vet to look at and work on. 

Believe it or not, this is progress.  The cow boys are chewing their cud, digesting their grass, and putting meat on their bones.

     Other than a nap and messing around here on the computer, it was an unproductive (non-progressive) afternoon. Courtney came out after work and we proceeded to load the horses...Zorro took 45 min and Amiga 20.  ugh...but they were on; and off to U of I in Champaign we went.  Courtney and I both reflected on the time when we could easily load them both on the little trailer and go to Marj's for our weekly lesson.  We had made such good progress.  I can tell that not working with Amiga has caused her to regress....won't load, is less trusting, wouldn't even go with me into the stall at the Vet building.  Backward progress is so disheartening.

As of today, the hours of daylight are starting to get shorter....
is this backward progress?
.