Well,
Barack Obama's been in office for 100 days and swine flu!
(Laugh!!!)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama pledged "great vigilance" in confronting the swine flu outbreak Wednesday night as it spread coast to coast across the U.S. The outbreak hit 11 states and closed schools amid confirmation of the first U.S. death.
The Geneva-based World Health Organization, a United Nations agency, sounded its own ominous alarm, raising its alert level to one notch below a full-fledged global pandemic. Said WHO Director General Margaret Chan: "It really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic."
Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in Atlanta there were confirmed cases in ten states, including 51 in New York, 16 in Texas and 14 in California. The CDC counted scattered cases in Kansas, Massachusetts , Michigan, Arizona, Indiana, Nevada and Ohio.
In Mexico, where the flu is believed to have originated, officials said Wednesday that the disease was now suspected in 168 deaths, and nearly 2,500 illnesses.
Despite calls from many U.S. lawmakers for tightening controls over the Mexico-US border, Obama ruled out that option, even though the swine flu outbreak has been at its most virulent and may have begun there.
At a prime-time news conference on his 100th day in office, Obama said he would heed the advice of health officials, to whom blocking the border "would be akin to closing the barn door after the horses are out, because we already have cases here in the United States."
Is this swine flu going to be as deadly as predicted? I guess that's the big question these days. Should we worry? Change our lifestyles? I've been coughing for almost three months now. My cough has not gone away from the bronchitis/allergies bout I had. My son is also coughing. It's kind of a lame "cough, cough" but it's impossible to hold back. When I go around stores and school, I am amazed at how many other chronic "cough, coughers" there are at this time. Why are we still coughing? Are we contagious? How would I recognize someone who is really sick? With swine flu, for instance? Would you consider wearing a mask? Did you know there are very many different kinds of flu? Swine flu is not new either. There have been flu epidemics before with thousands of people dying. Bird flu was feared a few years back and it sort of fizzled rather than spreading. I'm not sure what to think. It hasn't been confirmed in New Mexico, YET, but I'm sure it will show up. Is it worth worrying about? Or maybe the best precaution is to wash hands often with soap, especially before eating and not touch one's face. Duh! What else is new?
But, still, it is SCARY!!
And on a side note, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU TUBE??? It won't play any videos for me! I guess YouTube sorted out their problems for now.
David Bowie - Seven Years In Tibet [Mandarin Version]
Why pigs can fly - song: Seven Years in Tibet, artist: David Bowie, album: Earthling
Here's a closeup. Is it just the coat pattern or a birthmark?
Then I added cracked corn and sweet feed and divided it up. Everyone got some. Yummy!!! See the big smile on Annie?
Scout finished his and started scrouging for leftovers. As if!!?!
Swallows have been coming to my barn every year since it was built and the first pair came and built their nest. Now, the babies of the babies come back. Last year I counted at least three dozen flying around until they finally settled into their nesting arrangements. I usually have about six working nests in my barn all summer. Earlier this week, I saw a few pairs and yesterday, I counted about a dozen birds. You can just make out some nests in the rafters. They love to use the horsehair for linings in their nests.
I love hearing their chatter as they court and set up housekeeping in the barn rafters. 
See 
I believe these are common sparrows. My current grass hay has lots of seeds that the birds love to eat.
One of my favorite views
Can't pass up showing an old barn, now can I?
Betty rode Sugar 
while I rode Morgunn. 
We rode around the corral for a while and then we rode out on the mesa for a little trail ride. 
Then Betty gave me the go-ahead to work him a bit. I asked him into a tolt and it was VERY nice although we didn't go very fast. Maybe I'll get to ride him again in an arena and then we can really open up with the flying pace. A long time ago I rode a Tennessee Walker stallion and we did the running walk. I think the tolt is similar because they are both four beat lateral gaits. 
So is Sugar. Here's Lisa with Sugar.
and the way their horses can come right up to the house. They keep an immaculate horse yard too; I didn't see any horse apples anywhere! Those horses are very lucky to have Dan and Betty as owners. 
Every town has a church.
Outdoor mass is celebrated every Sunday.
People leave rosaries, crosses, and candles at the various shrines.
Even the bordering horse fence is decorated with crosses brought by pilgrims on Good Friday.
Val: Whoa, Nadia, I'm still setting up!
Annie: Hey, I'm all dressed up! It was so cold this morning that I got to wear a blanket. (This wasn't planned even though yesterday's post mentioned dressing up Annie! I couldn't stand seeing Annie shivering in the cold so I put a blanket on her, for the first time ever!)
Annie: Nadia, I don't know if Baby Doll is coming. It looks really bad out there.
Nadia: She'll come. It's her birthday tomorrow so this party is for her too.
Nadia: Okay, let's get the photo shoot over and start the party!
Everyone has to wear silly party hats! Even you, Annie!
Scout: Bobbing for apples! All right! Let me at 'em.
But, I better save some for the rest.
Baby Doll: Let me try! Let me try!!
Baby Doll: Blehh, Scout slobbered in the water.
Nadia: This is harder than it looked. Oh, yep, I got one!
Nadia: My, that cake looks good! 
(Considering the weather, isn't it fitting that the cakes are on a 'snowman' tray?)
Annie: Go away, Scout! You had yours!
Annie: Just kidding! I still like you.
Three cheers for the party girls!
