Strolling ...

It was just too nice today to not get the horses out.  Jesse promptly stuck her head in the halter; Ranger was even amenable.  Jesse did have a huge mud rump that I chose to NOT brush, as it was really wet.  Besides, it made her look like she had her spots back (she is a paint, you know).

We turned the corner and spotted the Post Mistress out for her lunch time walk.

She strode out ahead of us and soon put our guys - and us - to shame, with our pokey about town.  Even with four days of close to 60* weather, we still have considerable snow on the ground.  Talk about perfect:  snow on the sides of the road, and dry road for playing on!

... and this is why I ride with a towel!!!

 Bionic Cowgirl

A Bed and Breakfast Near Estes Park

We have had somewhere in the neighborhood of 48 inches of snow this month.  We're really not sure how much, because after a while, we stopped giving a rodent's rectum how much was falling, and just wanted it to stop.

Now don't get me wrong.  I KNOW we need the moisture.  Just not all at once.  Rain in July is nice, too.

Since we couldn't ride our horses this month, I spent some time playing with the web and working on "marketing" our bed and breakfast.

As we are not actually IN Estes Park, we can't take advantage of some of the marketing tools that the city has for the local businesses. 

We are on our own.  Again, not complaining.  Nearest traffic light is almost 14 miles from here.

 A great many marketing consultants seem to believe that the social networking sites are where it's at.  So I have done some playing around with facefirst.

WOW!
Golly!
Say!
Now you can like us on facebook at "Allenspark Lodge B&B"!!!

To paraphrase Sally Field, "You like me, you really LIKE me!" or any one of a dozen children's books "Will you be my friend?"

It's very hard for me to do.  I mostly use faceoff to see pictures of the grandkids.

Earlier this winter, I posted a special deal from the lodge on faceplant.  "Stay one night, get the second night for 1/2 price!"

It got about 50 views in 3 months.  Hrumph.

A couple days ago in a fit of frustration at the weather this month, I posted a shot of me in my underwear in the back yard.

No, really.


I wandered by Juanita and said, "Grab a camera"

She asked, "Do I want to ask?"

"No."

So we had an impromptu photo shoot.

And as a word to the wise, if you fake zinc oxide with Liquid Paper, you will need to scrub your nose with a green "Scotch Brite" pad and alcohol to  remove it.

Almost 1500 views in 24 hours.  Sex sells.  And I can't tell you how troubled I am.



I guess if I want the REALLY big numbers, I need to get a cat...




Bill Martin, Marketing Whiz

It's Different Down There

Juanita and I ran down the mountain today on some errands.  Like the "Health Fair" our oldest daughter is involved with.  It's a pretty nice day down in town.

We saw a fox heading down along residential street like he owned the place.

Fox Trot

We saw a flock of pea-fowl by the road.

What you don't see in those pictures is snow.  Some leaves on the trees, and the grass is green.

It's like spring.


This is about where we were driving up to.  On the far side of the ridge-line.

So we head back up.

About 2 miles from home-

 And finally home.

Not so much like spring.  But I have faith.  At least the sun is shining today.


Bill

It's Snowing!!!! Again!

We had a beautiful, sunny morning and early afternoon - then we looked out the window and saw ....

... great big, floaty snowflakes coming down, landing on our guests' cars.  Checked the thermometer; yep, it's still 37* out there.  Today was predicted for 46* with chance of precipitation; they got the precip right, anyway!  Most of the other 29" from earlier this week has melted, so it was time, and the horses had time to dry out.
Bionic Cowgirl

I'ts Continuing ....

I've lost track of how many inches of snow.  I will go back soon and do a count.  You see, every time I go out to feed, I judge how much snow we have gotten by how much snow is in/on top of the horses' feed bowls (about 8" in diameter and 4" deep) since the last time I fed.  I feed bowl food twice a day, so it's a pretty good indicator, and then I write it on the calendar.

Yesterday morning - Is there a car under there?

There it is!

Aaah.  A path to the road.  Now to find the hay shed ....

I'm pretty sure there IS hay in there somewhere .... or I'm in big trouble!

Did you just take a picture of me?!  I'm eating here ...

What's that on your feet, guys?

Spring feedings always include knocking ice balls off the fetlocks.

Their tales get so long over the winter, that sometimes they get caught up in the ice balls.

If course, I had to show the snow was knee-deep on me, too, but at least I don't develop ice balls on my fetlocks!

Then we went 'to town' for grocery buying, etc. and saw our favorite other animals on the way home.

Rocky Mountain big horn sheep.  Some sort of girls day out.

Bionic Cowgirl

What?

This is Ranger.  The horse.

On this day I am going to try to tell you how hard it is to talk to peoples.

Early in the before time I could not understand peoples AT ALL.  They are crazy and can not talk normally.  They mostly make barking sounds like dogs.  Who could understand that?

When a horse goes up to another horse and shows her tooths and the scary part of her eyes and puts her ears back against her head it means she is now going to hurt you bad.  When peoples walk up to you like that it means thay are happy to be near you and want to touch your face nice. 

Not really the same

Crazy.

Some one should explain to them that they are doing it wrong.

It is also hard for me to talk to them.  Even when I make sounds they get it wrong.  When Waneeta comes out of the people barn I holler to her.  She barks back something quiet and nice. 

I think she hears me saying HEY.  Like hello.

I am saying HAY.  Like use those thumbs and open the door in the food place and give me some HAY.

Now that I have been around peoples for a bunch of summers I am finally understanding them a little better.

They are not normal.

Ranger.  The horse.

A Late Night Guest

A couple weeks ago, we had some sort of unknown nocturnal visitor come and bug the horses.

Our oldest daughter, the "GunDiva", took exception to any local wildlife bothering the horses and remaining anonymous, so she purchased a game camera for us to post by the horses.

Cool.

I set the camera up about 30' from the horses feeder thinking they would be far enough away to not trigger the camera.

I was wrong.

During that 24 hour period, I got 1124 pictures of horses eating.  That is One Thousand One Hundred Twenty Four pictures of our horses eating their hay.

Epic.

I reset the camera to take pictures only at night, and Juanita repositioned the camera slightly away from the feeder.

During the next 2 nights, it only took 30 pictures.  Better.  And a couple of them were of an intruder.

I figure the coyote was chasing a mouse in the flake of hay on the ground.

Or maybe he was eating the horses hay.

That would explain why the horses were so pi$$ed off...

Bill

These Is Good

B- Hey Ranger, we're going to try some new food tonight.

R- New food is dangerous Beel.  It can give you a belly ache.

B- LOTS of horses eat this food, Ranger.  We call it "oats" and horses have eaten it for many, many years.

R- Lots of horses eat worm-paste too. And it is very bad.

B- Try some, buddy.  You'll love it.

R- No.

B- Ranger, TREAT!

R- You have a treat?  I will eat a treat.

B- There you go, Ranger.  I know you will only eat a little the first time, so that's all I brought.

R-  It is a good treat Beel.  I will have some more now.

B-  Sorry, buddy.  Only a cup full of oats.  The rest is for the other two horses.

R- I will eat their oats.  Oats is a good treat.

B-  Now, you leave their bowls alone.  You NEVER eat this much of a new food! We will give you more oats tomorrow.

R-  The cold white is starting to fall from the sky Beel.  I will starve and freeze if I do not get more oats treat.

B-  Tomorrow, my friend.  Fill up on hay tonight.

R-  Okay Beel.  You will know where to find my bony and frozen body when the sun comes home tomorrow.

B-  If you're still alive in the morning, I'll get you some more oats.  We'll make a plow horse out of you yet.

R-  If plow horses eat oats treats I will learn.

A Light Snow

We have had a light, continuous snow falling for a couple of days now.  Six or seven inches of wet snow.  It's a REALLY wet snow.  You know, the kind that makes killer snowballs that when you whop your brother/sister with it makes them cry?  GOOD snow.

Not good riding weather.   So, I do what any good horse owner does when you can't ride.

I break out the horse gear catalogs.


B- Hey Ranger, I need to get some more wormer for you.

R-  No Beel.

B-  This stuff is cheap.
R- Tastes bad Beel.

B-  These guys gave me a ball cap.
R-  Tastes bad Beel.

B-  This is apple flavored, Ranger
R-  You must not have ever eated an apple Beel.




B-  Okay, so no wormer today.  How about a new head stall?

B-  Look!  It's got 2 bits!  You would be a 2 bit horse!  Would that make you a quarter horse, Ranger?

R-  It would not be good for you to try to put that in my mouth Beel.  Not good at all.



B-  How about a new halter?

B-  Get it Ranger?  It looks like a halter that...oh, never mind.

R- No.



B-  How about a set of these?  In case you are feeling a little "light headed"?  Get it Ranger? Light head? Little?

R-  Stop now Beel.



B-  Say now!  You'd be styling in this!

 R-  That may be your worst idea ever Beel.



B-  Wait!  I found it!

B-  AWESOME!

B-  Ranger?        Ranger?



R-  Here Beel.  I finded a shirt for you to wear.

 R-  It says  "Kick me"



B-  You know, since I own horses, maybe a tattoo...