I rode Bella today in the arena and she wore out before I did. I've got to try to work her every few days since she has gained, oh, just a tiny bit of weight. Tonight, as she got her coffee cup of pellets, she had regained her energy because she ate it like a dog.
Easy Keeper!

Winos In Paradise

So no sooner did we get home from California but we had friends come down to help celebrate a rather inconsequential birthday. They brought 6 packs of wine...3 of them. And their 3 dogs.

Mugs of wine and shrimp tacos. Onion rings. Watermelon. Carnitas. Pineapple. Tamales.

Our friends have gone back up across the border and they replaced the wine with fresh squeezed orange juice and kilos of fresh shrimp.

Time to get back to basics.

Yes

We drove back down into Mexico yesterday. It was a lovely trip if a little too windy. Our SUV was bumped by wind the whole way. And, we did not see any border trouble at all. It seems to be somewhere else that they are talking about.

Obama is in Mexico today discussing the drug/gun border problems. Do you think he might stop by for a piece of my birthday cake?

One of my favorite things in memory is sharing daily life with my big sisters. We played outside until after dark...together...me trying to be as big as them, while they made sure I could keep up. We three girls have been best friends forever, and we always introduce our new friends to our sisters.

Having the privilege of meeting, and being included into, a new form of family in the blog-world has simply been delicious to me. The more the merrier.

I love my real sisters, my real-life girlfriends, and now my blog friends. You are all my sisters.

Carolynn passed on this Sisterhood Award and I just want to say how much I appreciate it. I have a few women to pass it to that you may or may not know. Check them out and they may become your sister too.

Kristy who is a delight and a sister.

Stacey who owns the biggest horse.

Donna who was one of my first blog sisters and I think of daily.

Anne who turns a phrase so well and is raising a sister.

MiKael who is the ultimate sister with her stamina and determination.

Happy Easter!


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Saturday at the College of the Desert Outdoor Market

Sunday at La Quinta's quaint Farmer's Market

It doesn't get more "California" than this. Designer dogs in backpacks, amazing fruit and vegetables picked very close by, everyone carrying home fresh eggs and local bread.

We've been eating strawberries everyday since then. Sliced strawberries with sugar and Meyer lemon juice. I can't quite get enough.

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Bounty

That is our first crop of oranges from our little tree in our tiny yard up here in California. The next crop is already starting now that the deliciously fragrant blossoms have fallen off and left baby oranges the rest of the year to gestate on the tree.

The wine? Yes, well now that is just for my restful mind. I received the sweetest un-birthday present from Carolynn, the book Radiant Body, Restful Mind along with a fancy Lavender sachet from L'Occitane that is sitting right here next to my computer. Thank you a million times, my friend. I read through the first chapter yesterday and found myself breathing deeply and relaxing with a handful of raisins and my legs in the sun. Treating myself properly.

Since my birthday is marching up the lane this month I am going to do the same thing she did and offer this lovely book up to someone who just needs a reminder to treat yourself like the valuable human you are. If you would like to receive my own un-birthday gift being passed forward leave a comment and I'll do some random eeny meeny miny moe thing. All of my blogger buddies are valuable, you know.

Barn Puppies @ 9 Weeks

I got so lucky! Diane gave away all the puppies but these two little girls. Now she simply refuses to let these two go. Last year several of her old dogs passed away and she has been missing her pack that goes out in the desert with her when she rides or walks.

Do you see that one of them is my precious Dot? Diane tried to name her something else that didn't fit and is now back to Dotty. The other puppy is Guapa who seems loaded with personality. Dot tends to be a little shy, which is so endearing, but she knows me and comes running.

I will work at getting a real picture of them some other time. They are in perpetual motion. As this picture was snapped they were about to attack the cat. The cat loved it. I guess they are his puppies, too. They are about the size of the cat at this time.

We are going to be driving back north across the border in a few days and I don't have even one moment of doubt that we will be safe. It's really a shame that the drug problems have gotten so bad that people are worried about traveling down into Mexico. We see none of the trouble.

Maybe it is time to legalize marijuana.

The dreaded cell phone pictures again.

Gary and Bella went out in the desert for a ride with friendly Larry on Rubio. My girl was quite pooped after cantering in circles and then walking with her buddies. So much stimulation.
I didn't take another picture of how lovely she was after rolling in the poop pile after being unsaddled.

I've been up in California for 2 weeks and today was my first day back out to see Bella. Gary worked with her a few times while I was gone and showed me what they have been doing. He has her really understanding leg pressure and moving off the leg. Also, the canter is coming along.

Gary is a retired trainer. He got lonesome for horseflesh while down here for the winter. He'll be gone in a few weeks.

I couldn't have been more fortunate. He is soft and light with Bella. A perfectly wonderful man and she is an amazing little horse.

Our Sundial

Our mountains can almost tell the time of day/time of year with their shadows on our bay.

Barn Puppies @ 4 Weeks

This beauty has already been chosen.


These two dolls are still up for grabs.


And then there's Dot.


You can see why we call her that.



I'm not taking a puppy. Nope. Really. Nada. But I wish my neighbor would decide she needs to take Dot home.
I'm going to take her out to the barn this week sometime and just put Dot in her hands. If she gets one whiff of that puppy smell I think she'll be a goner.

Does she look like an Arab yet?

My friend, the retired Arab trainer, was willing to teach Bella to collect herself. I think she looks like her Andalusian side of the family.

With our limited facilities and no, (zero, zip) tack stores we can improvise fairly well.

Cabalgata=Cavalcade



There was a horse get-together today, or maybe better to say a cowboy get-together on horseback. They met up at 8am, rode a few miles before stopping for breakfast and cervezas, and then rode on some more. They should be done before nightfall.

The horses were all pretty well mannered as they paraded by us. One friend refilled her soft-sided cooler with fresh beer that we handed over.

Could be some of Bella's relatives.

Thursday Haiku

Pelicans swirling
Like clouds over schooling fish
Dive-bombing, full throats

Full Moon Monday Morning Sunrise

The sunrises are heading north again, over the hills, on the other side of the palm trees, and the water turns to copper for only a few minutes as the colorful clouds are reflected on the smooth sea.

Finger over the cell phone lens.

Still it is us out on a "real" trail ride.

I was pretty happy with Bella and she was almost as happy with me. We want to do more of this kind of riding.

Sandy and Brent rode with me.

It was 80 degrees this morning before noon.

There just doesn't have to be drama.

Awful Cell Phone Pictures of Cute Week Old Mexican Barn Puppies

4 boys, 4 girls. Little piggies are growing like ticks and about to open their eyes.

Nope, I'm not going take one home but I am already partial to Dot, the cute little black and white female with the prominent dot on her forehead.