I'm up in the land of shiny cars and cold running water. I took my time and made it a two day trip, instead of that long, long 12 hour, butt-numbing, maniac ride.

Are you wondering why I speak of cold running water? In our little Mexican village the water pipes aren't buried very deep, AND we have a big water container on our roof (like a thousand liters) in case the town water goes off for awhile. Those two things combined make for warm cold water all summer. Many people just turn off their water heaters until October, when overnight temps cool down, and still shower comfortably in tepid water.
I foolishly filled my hot tub thinking I would be able to dip my feet and enjoy a cool bath. After I put the solar blanket on it for a day to keep out wind borne bougainvillea flowers the temp went all the way up to 110. I guess that wasn't a good idea. Nothing refreshing about that.

And, of course, there are plenty of shiny and fancy Mexican vehicles, but not like up here. Every other car up here seems to be less than a year old shiny BMW or Prius. You know that car you drove 15 years ago and traded in 10 years ago? It now lives a nice leisurely life in Mexico, puffing oil and forgetting it ever had a muffler. Oh, I was thinking that our old-car enthusiasts might consider going down into Mexico to find that certain cherry '55 Buick. There are plenty to pick from under swaying palms. And, they're probably still running.

I'm on the first leg of visiting my sisters. My daughter is here at my 'Merican house with me for the first part of the visit. It's so easy to spoil her, we just drop right back into our Mother/Daughter roles. Then, sister Susan is picking me up (in her shiny 2 month old Prius) and taking me to her home in LA. After a haircut and a visit to the Pilates studio (duh) we are heading up to Barbie's house in Oregon for less than a week. Think of all the cold running water up there! We are all coming right back down in the shiny car and then I am driving Barbie back to Mexico with me. It's a busy trip.

Horses are such quick learners. If they see the smallest bit of weakness in their riders they go for it relentlessly. We ended up on the lunge line going in circles so we could actually learn a few pieces of riding etiquette. This horse crazy girl was a quick learner, too. She understood the reason behind using only the ball of the foot in the stirrup. Then, she learned how to get off safely.
Then she had to go in and speak to Bella and give her a bit of a brushing.

Horse Crazy

Once again I am lucky enough to meet another 10 year old girl who imagines horses in everything she does everyday all day long. She has memorized a few body parts on the horse and I gave her a little more information. We discussed the chestnut and the hock and how over thousands of years the leg developed like that, and then I gave her an assignment for our next trip out to the barn. On Sunday we took the time to measure several of the horses with my carpenter's measuring tape. Anyone who has never measured a horse might not be aware that horses don't particularly like having long, skinny, snake-looking things held up next to their body. Doing this exercise taught Brittany how to introduce an unsavory object to a horse with patience, where exactly a horse is supposed to be measured, and we reassured the horses that we could be trusted.
Bella is almost too easy because she tends to trust me with anything but the fly-spray bottle. She came out to 53 inches. Her mother is only an inch taller at 54 inches. Bella's sister, Sonora, is 51 inches. And the other yearling, Cita, is 52 inches. All little horses for sure. Billy measured out at 60 inches. Oh, and baby Paulina is 44 inches. Amazing, but she trusted us very soon after we introduced her to the tape. I figured she'd be the toughest to get, but it was Billy who just didn't have time in his busy schedule to fool with tapes and people without candy. I explained to Brittany that this wasn't a very scientific experiment because the dirt floors are uneven and a real measuring stick has that top part that rests on the withers to guarantee a level measurement. Her assignment is to write all the horses names and figure out the number of hands and the date. Next time she comes to visit her grandma we can do it again and see who has grown.
Meanwhile, I'm thinking that maybe tomorrow we should saddle someone up and take a short ride. I would love to get a picture of her on-board and see if her smile can get any bigger. I have an old black and white picture of myself, at around 9 or 10 years old, on an old flea-bitten white mare, Comet (who I thought was gorgeous!) and this look of cowgirl confidence under my hat.

A new day dawns.

Baby's First Step

I got on Bella last night. She's been such a willing little lady all week and I had complete confidence in her last night, so I saddled her and then stepped up on top. Well, to be more exact, I had decided to put her saddle on as I was driving out to see her. She had been out all day in the desert with some of the others and so had whatever attitude already bucked out of her. As I led her out of her stall she just followed along sweetly so I took her all the way out to my car (no use schlepping my saddle into the barnyard.) I had her little bucket in the back of the car and she always knows that. I let her have her bucket and just started saddling her right there, next to the car, not tied up. That was fine, she hardly noticed. Then, Diane (the barn owner) came out of her house and laughingly asked what was I thinking, and then said she'd get on her. I just replied that if she had had enough to drink, she was welcome. She hadn't had a thing to drink but was certain that Bella would be wonderful. So, she came over and we got the cinch nicely snug. I took Bella's almost finished bucket away so she could focus, and Diane put some weight in the stirrup. Bella hardly blinked. Diane then put weight in the stirrup again and just swung on over. Bella stood still and thought about it and then asked for her bucket back. Diane got off and we hugged the baby and then I found myself back by the stirrup and I decided to do the same thing Diane had. I put my weight in the stirrup several times before going ahead and swinging on over. She stood like a statue. I talked to her and patted her all over and rubbed her neck and then got off. Maybe a 60 second first start. She was completely happy with herself and now wanted the rest of her bucket.
After a few more minutes of us fawning all over her being such a big girl we brought out the bridle and put that on her too. She took all of this like a little well-trained girl. I do need advice though, on what bit I should start her with. I have a nice big full-cheek snaffle that I've used for years, but I'd like to really protect her mouth while at the same time having that direct contact. Any choices you have started with and think works well?
So, Bella's been broke.

I just got a new phone (pink, razr, the one everyone bought ages ago) and I wanted Bella on it. I think my real camera does a better job. So, I've figured out how to send pictures back and forth via Bluetooth with my computer. The quality of the phone camera is different, of course, but one out of ten pictures turns out almost useable. It might help if I would put my glasses on so I could actually see what I'm taking.

I can't believe Bella has so much forelock. I suppose I should braid it, but whenever I do something...um...girlie I get teased about these not being California horses. Mexican horses do not have a bridle path, so after I mentioned my clippers once to Diane and got a sniff in response, I put them back in the drawer. I will say however, that since I've been giving Bella suppliments and daily brushing since around last October, she is the one horse that has the softest coat and combed out tail. Some of it is her breeding, some from attention. I'm slipping Pony, her mother, a little grooming and tail combing, and putting Swat on her belly-sore from fly bites. Pony's tail is almost hopeless with such a mess of dreadlocks. Little by little, stroke by stroke, maybe I'll make some headway. Before we know it they'll all look like show ponies. Cowboy Magic anyone?

sshhhh

Plumeria
That's my neighbor's tree as it was just starting to bloom. That was a couple of months ago, I think, and now it is full of leaves and few blooms left. It is one of our favorites since the fragrance is delightful.

June Monsoon is doing very well and is as active as a foal can be in a large pen. We let the mare and baby out into the yard everyday so the baby can explore and learn a little. We never let them out of our sight since there are always troubling things for a foal to get into. The Mexican owner is very happy with his new baby and is happily surprised that she lets us handle her. He has named her Paulina, which is lovely, and I think it's in honor of her being born on St. Paul's day. I suppose I'll always think of her as June, though. Thanks for the sweet comments.

Last evening Diane, the barn owner, led a group of City Slickers out into the desert to see the sunset and I got to go along on Pony, and bring up the rear. It was a lovely, warm (can you say HOT?) evening and the sunset was colorful. Pony has more and more confidence in me and we are becoming quite bonded. She's starting to do as I ask and not question my decisions. We had to move through the herd several times when someone dropped a rein, or needed to hand over a water bottle, and she only had to be told once what and where. I don't own her, but I do own her daughter, and I can only hope that Bella has such a logical head on her thick shoulders. It seems so now, but time will tell. Several nights ago we took another tour over to the beach and had a sunset over the water. People just seem to love horses on beaches, yet certainly not all horses love the waves. Splashing through the waves is not possible on many horses, but fancy side passes are well practiced as the horse tries to avoid that moving water. All was well with our group both coming and going, and I let out a deep breath as we get everyone back home safely after dark. No wrecks, no falls, no harm. Our little barn has some amazingly safe and sound horses.

It's certainly not getting any cooler these days and we had our first big thunder storm late last night. Lightening was slashing all over the bay, the waves were beating the shore and bouncing the surf miles high, and the wind had the palm trees bent over asking for forgiveness.

Seems like the perfect time for a long overdue mare to foal, huh? The Mexican owner said the mare was due at the end of May and we believed him since she was obviously carrying a load of watermelons or a nice foal. The baby didn't come at the full moon. The baby didn't come at the new moon. The mare acted like everything was fine just leave her alone and she would make the calendar choices. Finally last night with the heavenly fireworks and the people safely tucked in and not paying any more attention she said, ok, now is the time. I guess the owner forgot what month he bred her.



Can you imagine this baby is less than 12 hours old?!



Mama is a good 15.2 or 15.3 hands.



She's not mine to name, but I think June Monsoon is fitting.



And Bella thinks she's still a baby and should have all this attention too.
"Hello!"

What I did yesterday with all that extra daylight in the day. I remembered to take a picture of my bright tree. I love that front yard tree at this time of year. It just blooms it's heart out and looks so lovely from far or near. Most of the year it drops those little leaves all over the patio but nevertheless it provides shady cover. I don't know what it is called because I've had several different names offered. Someone said it is a Red Jacaranda, and it probably is.



Then, Olivia (my friend's grand-daughter) and I took the girls out into the desert for a brief excursion. The sun was unrelenting and the whole group was ready to go back home within the hour. Olivia is a new horsewoman convert. Everyone welcome her into the club now. I put her on old Mochie because he would be the safest of our multi-safe horse family. Olivia is 10 and is about to sleep, eat, dream of horses. I have given her some of my most elementary and important lessons when working around horses, but haven't scared her off yet. Stuff like don't get down on your knees when cleaning hooves. (How many of you started sweating just then?) There does seem to be a very fine line in teaching respect for what the horse is capable of and the pure joy of being around them.

Happy Solstice

My daughter and I look forward to this summer solstice for 6 months. It's like Christmas to us. But when it's over, it's over. Since we are so far south now our day/night length of times doesn't change nearly as much as it did when we lived in Washington. My sun rose down here this morning around 5:30 and will be set by 7:30 tonight. Now don't you northerners laugh at me. I know you have 43 hours of daylight per day.

So let's get the most out of our daylight today.

Little Sonora at her first birthday. That cute little white nose makes it hard to get a pretty picture of her. She is the sweetest little girl ever and has no bad manners. Diane halters her, ties her, picks up all of her feet. I predict she'll be very easy to train the rest of the way because she just doesn't have a mean bone in her body.

There. That's a little better view of her beauty. And you can see that white marking around her neck that I call her pearls.

And here's handsome Billie, waiting his turn for a tidbit of attention.

Since the weather has heated up considerably many of the northerners have fled back up across the border and left us to enjoy the town with vacationing Mexicans. A few of my horse owner friends left explicit instructions to spoil their babies like I do my little Paris-Hilton-Bella, Princess of the barn. I love them all (except one big red gelding who must have been abused because of his attitude) and it's easy to want to spend extra time on each one. Yesterday I got Pony out to brush and curry and then applied the bright pink Swat to her belly sore. I also took her around to the hose area and sprayed off all the unwanted pee splatter from her back legs. Next I got out Billie to brush off and have a little chat with. Poor guy. He has really missed his man and yet is too proud to show it very much. I did catch him standing in the corner looking at the wall. He is a handsome paint who thinks he is in charge of the mares...which I guess most of those geldings think. After that the barn owner came out and said we should just put all the horses out into the desert for an hour so they could roll the flies off and chew on a few bushes. They were all thrilled for the freedom and the babies kicked up, caused havoc, and acted like it was a jail break.

About a week ago, little Miss Bella was out with her mother and sisters in the desert. Mom and the girls all came home in a few hours without Bella. Luckily Joe had seen her hanging around McCoy, a big black quarter horse gelding who roams the desert most of the time within a mile radius of his owners' home. Diane knew where McCoy hangs out on hot days and so went out looking for Bella. There she was standing over him as he lay under a tree (smoking a cigerette no doubt.) Diane had taken a rope along and easily put it over her head and started dragging her back home. Bella called back to McCoy the whole way home. When I showed up that evening Bella was staring longingly out the gate at McCoy who was waiting for her. She had that I-love-Shaun-Cassidy look on her face that my daughter used to get when looking at her poster-filled room. Poor little girl. Next heat cycle she's grounded.

Today is Sonora's first birthday. I'm going to go and try hard to get a good picture of her. She just doesn't photograph as cute as she is. I'll share if I get any good ones.

Dressage artistique/Artistic dressage

I guess Bella and I have quite a ways to go to achieve this.

Estados Unidos

We drove up and loaded up this weekend. The car was embarrassingly overfull on the trip back. A friend had requested 12 (twelve!) new bed pillows. Well that would have filled the whole back end so we only piled 6 in. It was a nice trip and, oh, we bought my husband the Sirius radio for his car. It's pretty wonderful to have live radio in English when we drive through the desert.
What did we buy besides pillows and a radio? Let's see. Tons of groceries. A new clock. Some blank DVD's. A new cheap phone. More groceries. A few bags full of Trader Joe's goodies. Some Asian food things. Soup. Celery salt. Of course, cheese, wine, mustard. BREAD.
I can buy some odd things down here that I prefer buying in the states. Maybe it's just because I'm used to my certain products. And, little by little we are finding more and more common products down here.
We lived in North Carolina way back in the mid 70's. At that time there weren't any Mexican food products there. So, I would haul refried beans and tortilla shells back from California so we could indulge. I guess my whole married life I've drug food from one location to another, so this isn't so completely different.
Oh AND I've got some new horse feed to introduce to Bella. I'm anxious to see how she responds to it. The old baby food I was supplimenting was so delicious that I'm sure she will be disappointed. We'll see.

Blue Moon

Tomorrow, when we get our full moon, we get to sing along:

"Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone..."

I sing it with a really smoky voice that sounds like I've had too many drinks.

When a season contains four full Moons, the third is called a Blue Moon.

Why is the third full Moon identified as the extra one in a season with four? Because only then will the names of the other full Moons, such as the Moon Before Yule and the Moon After Yule, fall at the proper times relative to the solstices and equinoxes.

Ok. Whatever. I just know it's the second full moon this month and I expect all mares to foal tonight or tomorrow night. Heads up MiKael!

Sunday Ride



We went out in the desert for a short ride yesterday. I got to ride my filly's mother, Pony. She's normally a sweet little paint mare and yesterday, while she was sweet, she was also in heat. She was constantly trying to get as close to Billy as she could take me so she could flirt and enjoy his masculine presence. I was constantly legging her away. Anyway the little ride was fun because we took the yearlings and my filly.



They just come along with us and get to kick up their heels and frolic about.



And eat all these neat desert plants that look like dried grass or weeds, and all kinds of shrubs.
These girls aren't even sweaty but the temp is around 95 and they've just been running along with each other. That's my little grulla, Bella, back there that looks like a donkey. Sonora is the paint and Cita is the sorrel. They both will be a year old next month.



The desert surprises us with so much color, even when we haven't seen a drop of rain since last September.

Somewhere in May
What day is today? Friday? Already? And the mini-splits are almost, allll most, done. Brother. And then there was the tanaka that is our own little water tank on our roof. It got messed up and one thing has led to another and now we're getting the shut-off valve replaced. At one point I had 3 men up on my roof, hanging their butts over the edge and making my knees weak.
I know we all hate waiting, but I'm pretty good at it. Because of all this waiting-for-workers business I was able to start a new book that I'm enjoying very much. The Soloist by Mark Salzman. I think it's about a 10 year old book. My husband, who eats books like potato chips, couldn't get into it but I'm taking it slow so it doesn't end too soon.
Today dawns bright and cool and I feel more energetic due to the low humidity. The women in town are holding a fishing tournament on this Memorial Day Weekend. They will be looking for Marlin and Dorado which I hear have migrated up the Sea of Cortez along with the warmer water. I don't participate in these sports since I get so darn sea sick. It's just not worth it for everyone and for me. I have taken pills and gone out on very smooth seas and thoroughly enjoyed myself but I prefer kayaking in the bay...when it's smooth. Or just flopping down and snorkeling along the shoreline. Although, I can get seasick doing that too.
I put my all purpose English saddle on Bella the other day. Since the girth was too long I didn't leave the saddle on for a walk, for fear it could slip and ruin the whole good experience. Oh, and the day before that we had a good lesson with being tied to a poll in a good rope halter and getting her tail washed. She is not in the least afraid of the hose but decided this tail washing business wasn't a good idea and so did some good pulling. She didn't go so far as to slip or scramble but the pulling was one of those sacking-out kind that can only be done with a good halter and pole. I just stayed quiet and let her settle down. It didn't last long and she got over it after two tries. She's pretty smart and figures stuff out pretty quickly. I'm going to put her western saddle on again for a little longer this weekend.
One more thing, a guy opened a little at-home car wash business down the street and around the corner. I was his first customer yesterday so I'll feel responsible for his success forever. He did a lovely job on my filthy, dusty car for only $8. I'll be visiting him often since Bella lives out a long dirt road that I travel daily.
Happy Friday.

Sunday
Nothing went as planned yesterday. The material was backordered for my sofa. The mini-split guy couldn't come afterall and will be here tomorrow, or Manana, whichever comes first. And that lovely Street Sense was beat by a slight nostral.
Life goes on.

Lots of little and big appointments today. We are finally getting our couch recovered. Yes it's a sectional sofa and I realize it is very '80's in look and style but it fits our living room so well that it is the final decision on what to do, what to do. So I get to inspect the material this morning and decide if it is exactly what I chose. I'll try to take before and after pictures.
Also, we are going to have mini-splits installed in the remaining 2 bedrooms. When we bought this house it had a 10 ton unit that cooled and heated beautifully but was so inefficient that it was embarrassing. So, we had it dismantled and taken away and started replacing it with mini-splits in each room. I've seen these little units in Europe and Mexico but never in the US. They are wonderfully efficient and not so loud and ugly as the window air conditioners. We decided not to add heat to these last two units, just the AC. Our winters are so mild here that we almost never use heat except in the early morning in January occasionally. But AC is another story, and last summer when Barbie and Sybil came to visit they had to share a room since it was the only extra one with AC.
I am looking forward to the Preakness today even though I saw the fatal step last year. Street Sense is so gorgeous and so thoroughbred. I hope he has a good race.

And, LA LA LA, I'm trying to get used to this new computer I lusted after. We're coming along as a team.

Happy Mother's Day

It is nice to get to thank all of those nurturers who we admire as care-givers and hand-holders. I always get cards from both my daughter and daughter-in-law, but feel like I'm cheating since they have the "mother" jobs now and mine is long over. I always say that they deserve the special treatment.
My daughter has never had children but she teaches school and tends to her husband and pets. That's pretty busy mother things. My daughter-in-law has our two grandsons, who are 15 and 12. You know she gets the hugs and kisses and gold stars for her time-in-service. She's doing a great job in the motherhood department. I applaud both of these hard working women.
Mother's Day down here in Mexico was last Thursday. I think they have it on May 10th every year whatever day that happens to be. It seemed to be a holiday for the school kids so they could stay home and spend time with their mothers. Isn't that sweet? And everywhere we went we saw kids with their Moms.
Have a lovely Sunday.