Back Again for Now

In a previous life, I repaired computers for a living   as a punishment for my sins in a previous life as my job.  I now scrub toilets, and I highly recommend it.

I had my hard drive fail earlier this year, and lost all my pictures.  Last week the whole damn computer went down and guess what...

I can't be taught, just trained.  There must be consequences, or it doesn't sink in.  Apparently the consequences need to be more dire than merely loosing all my pics forever, or I will just not back anything up.

Go ahead.  Ask me if I have backed up any of the photos I have taken THIS week.

Bill Imadork

People Picnic...or Horse Picnic?

We're busy...we've been running full for a while now...and we've really been trying to get out on the horses.  Today, we made it!!!!

Would you look at the SMILE on this boy's face at the thought of a picnic ride!!

And l u s h.......all of our extra snow is making a great show.

Some of you might remember this trail...leading down into the aspens?

Coming out of the aspen/meadow...and sunshine.

And of course, our obligatory "aspen" shot.  Bill's pic came out better than mine.

Ranger really, really thought the water tasted good.  We stayed 'parked' in this spot a long time...

Cool, clear water - lots of it.  Jesse just waded to the middle and 'cooled her heels'.

We got to our picnic spot next to the lake, tossed down the blanket and enjoyed some down time...but that grass tickles the nose!

Lots of wild flowers this year, again thanks to the moisture.

And lots of Canadian Thistle....now you see them....

...now you don't.  She is the most delicate thistle eater I have ever seen.

You just curl your lips back and snap off the top with your teeth, then continue down the stalk.

It sounded like a person eating celery.

Not to be left out, Bill offered Ranger a peanut butter granola bar.  He claimed Ranger liked them...

Not....  Three times Ranger sniffed it and turned his head away.  I think he preferred the green grass hanging from his lips.   However, he was a very happy camper....

as soon as that tree limb he kept stepping on quit hitting him in the tail!

There were many happy moments today....like mounting my horse from the ground...

not graceful yet, but it can be accomplished!

And I have my girl back;  Jesse was a tuned up power house.

Whether it was looking at more down hill....

...or leading out in front...or trying to run down Ranger for cutting cross country and hitting the trail in front of her at a trot.  She must like my new hips because she has her great ground-eating walk back...and Ranger doesn't trust her to make the right turns toward home because she always picks the 'other' trail.

Meeker Peak...on the way home.  Lots more stories to tell our guests....

Juanita

Why Me?

Completely clueless.  

No, really.  I have no idea.  

I usually have an inkling, but not this time.

 I went out to move the minivan Monday after GunDiva's birthday party Sunday and found it on the seat.

Who could have done such a thing?

Plastic severed hand.

Who, oh who, would have  left this on my car seat?

Could it have been the hiking guide who's pie's I have sabotaged in years past?

Could it have been the other hiking guide that I have teased unmercifully for years?

Could it have been the friend visiting who's truck received magnetic bullet holes from me in years past? 

Could it have been GunDiva getting back at me for "hair implants"?

Could it have been any of my other kids just getting back at me for now long forgotten pranks I have played?

I really don't know.

Okay, maybe the question isn't "who would", but "who wouldn't".

By my count, there were 22 people at the party.

Guess I'll have to get them all....

Bill

(Gunna be a long summer, I'm guessing)

Riding Ranger!

This is a BIG first for me - riding Ranger.  We've had the horse eleven years and I could NOT be convinced to "hop on him".  You see, I've seen what that boy can do; picked Bill up many times and watched in horror as "bronc riders" couldn't stay on.  OK, a lot of this was undeniably "early on " in his training, yet these pictures tend to stay with you.  GunDiva has ridden him; another friend has ridden him a few times; and .... nope.  That's it.  In his lifetime with us, that's all that have braved the Ranger except Beel.  Well, now that I am bionic, I had to bite the bullet, so to speak, so when Bill said, "Let's mix it up a bit today.  You ride Ranger, I'll ride Jesse and J can ride Washoe."  So OK.....

 Mounted up!  Whew..I tried not to hold my breath.

On our way....

Proper way to cross a road....

J had to work on some navigational skills with Washoe, but they got it figured out.

She is a granddaughter of a friend visiting; not used to riding but game anyway.  She soon figured out the rein thing and convinced Washoe that the trees were NOT the way to go.  Bill commented on hearing a lot of funny noises that sounded like giggling.

Ranger was the perfect gentleman that GunDiva says he is.  Bill's saddle I can do without; OK, it's just the taps that drive me nuts.  I can't set my feet right in them 'cause they bite me in the ankle.

We did some hill climbing....

On the way home, we both relaxed.  He was pretty timid when we started out..and I was nervous.

It was a great ride!!!

Going home....

Thanks Bill - and Ranger - for expanding my horizons.

Juanita

Time to Clean

It was time to clean the corral again.

Ranger the bonehead mustang is convinced that when I think I am scraping manure, that actually I am CHASING HIM WITH THE TRACTOR.  And sure enough, he runs in a half panic just ahead of me, and I drive in circles just behind him.  For a half an hour.

"Hey, Juanita!  Why don't you come over and see if you can get pictures of Ranger freaking out?" 

I fired up the tractor and headed into the coral.

Ranger ran over behind Juanita and hid. 

And hid.

And hid.

And hid.

And hid some more.

I got to make a half dozen passes without him running ahead of me, until Juanita got bored and went back to the lodge.

Then... OH NO HE'S CHASING ME WITH THE TRACTOR!  And round and round we went.  Pictures aren't too good as I was focusing on  driving in circles scraping manure trying to run down a horse at 3 miles an hour.

HALP!  BEEL'S CHASUN ME WITH THE TRACTER!




None of the other horses much care as long as Ranger isn't chasing them away from the horse eating tractor.

Bonehead.

Bill

RoofTop Rodeo Parade

We went and saw the Roof Top Rodeo parade in Estes Park today.

Fire trucks.

Pretty girls

Our youngest boy driving a "deuce and a half"

Pretty girls

Big team.

Pretty girls.

Little team.

Pretty girls.

Stage coach.

Pretty Girls.

Dead float.

Pretty girls.

Fire trucks.

Pretty girls.

Good little parade.

I noticed I posted a couple images of fire trucks. I must subconsciously REALLY LIKE fire trucks.


Bill

Portrait of a Picnic

 We're going for a picnic!

MMMM!  Picnic!

Yumm!  Thanks Beel!

 

*FLASH*

GAH!

WHAT WAS THAT, BEEL?!?

You had BETTER be sorry.  That little silver box in your hand just BLEW UP!

*FLASH*

YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!

 

You shouldn't do that to your horse, Beel.

It's RUDE!

I'm keeping a eye on you, Beel.

Beel...err...Bill