Sunday ("T" 11/29/09)

This week's challenge is the letter T.
Here's a thinker to get started,
my Terra, trees and train depots, a tiger,

and how about three horses?

For more Sunday Stills, visit here.

Sunday - song: Sunday, artist: David Bowie, album: Heathen

keeps all your dead hair

A week ago, I received a letter back from the Arabian Horse Association about registering Yalla, actually two letters, regarding the DNA testing of both Annie and Yalla. The AHA requires all horses to be DNA tested before approving registration in order to verify parentage. Annie's papers say that she was blood tyed to prove her parentage but I guess it's not enough anymore. Both she and Yalla needed to have DNA testing done. In each envelope was a form with an area to "Affix the Pulled Hair Sample." One form was marked Fantastyk Gal and the other form was marked Yalla FantastyKheema so I guess that will be her name, lol.

I asked my son to come out and help me (well, take pictures!) so that I could get the hair samples sent in. They need 25-50 hairs pulled from the mane. They suggested wrapping a few strands around your fingers and yanking because the root must be enclosed. As you can see, my horses' hair samples aren't as long as the form allows. There is a box to place the roots and then stretch the hairs along the form, taping down the middle and other end. I hope I got enough hairs there. Yalla was easy to halter and I didn't have any problem pulling hairs from her at all. Matter of fact, just look at her mane and forelock! I think she has the longest forelock of all my horses!! Isn't that crazy?
In fact, she was very curious about the entire process!Annie was easy too. I didn't even bother to halter her. I just figured I'd leave Yalla haltered a little bit longer than I needed, as a little lesson. She loves to be with me so it sure wasn't to keep her around. Here I am trying to sort out Annie's mane. I have way too much hair in this first photo. I'm not sure what this picture is all about. I'm holding the pulled lock of hair but I must have gotten a hair in my mouth?? I think Annie looks cute, kind of quarter horsey with all that winter fuzz, don't ya think?

The really good thing about Annie and Yalla being different colors is that I had no problems keeping the hair samples separated and, with my son's help, we affixed the samples right then and there.The letters state that they do not send results of the DNA testing back to me. Isn't that unfair? I paid $65.00 for each sample test! I'm going to submit a stamped, self addressed envelope back with each sample, requesting a copy of the results. I would love to see them, wouldn't you?

These are the photos I took the other day, before Yalla's leg stretch. She looks fat there, doesn't she?
Annie looked really cute with her head tucked under but when she saw me she lifted her head. It's crazy, I'm standng several hundred yards away from her, at my back porch!Scout was still asleep here. He lifted his head and then it began dropping again by degrees. He doesn't pay as much attention to his surroundings as do Annie and, especially, Yalla. Yalla will neigh to me every time I step outside of my house, even when I drive up. Just like a kid, she sees all!I didn't take a photo of Nadia because she was the only one standing, I guess. So here's a picture I took of her a few mornings ago.

keeps all your dead hair - song: Jean Genie, artist: David Bowie, album: Aladdin Sane

Friday Foto

Friday - song: Friday on my Mind, artist: David Bowie covering the EasyBeats, album: Pinups

Unfurl the flag

This weekend, I took a quick trip out of town. As we drove through Moriarty and Stanley, two of the towns near Albuquerque, we were surprised to see fire trucks and police cars stationed at every crossroads.

Then we came upon this display.

At first, my son and I wondered what it was for. Then, as we passed the Stanley cemetary just ahead, we remembered. Our Ex Governor, Bruce King, had died last week and was being buried. He was a resident of Stanley and the owner of the King Ranch. It seems that we had come through just after the funeral processional.It felt strange driving under this HUGE American flag.

RIP Governor King. You will be missed by many.

For more information on our three time governor, check here.

Unfurl the flag - song: Boys Keep Swinging, artist: David Bowie, album: Lodger

Sunday (Horses 11-22-09)

How could I possibly miss this one? ;)

For more Sunday Stills, please visit here.

Sunday - song: Sunday, artist: David Bowie, Album: Heathen

Friday Foto

Friday - song: Friday on my Mind, artist: David Bowie covering EasyBeats, album: Pinups

Sunday (11-15-09 Fins, Feathers, and Fur)

This week's Sunday Stills photo challenge is Fins, Feathers, and Fur!

I was at WalMart the other day and this tree was in the parking lot. I was impressed with the yellow leaves against the blue sky. Then I noticed all the big black birds in it.

Can you see the birds? I think there were five or six!What kind of bird are they? They're all over the parking lot!

I haven't taken photos of my cats for a while. Here's Simba from last night.

And here's Daisy snoozing.

Okay, so I cheated on this last one! I took this photo at our local aquarium a few months ago.

So here's a poor photo of one of my very own fish. For more sunday stills, please visit here.

Sunday - song: Sunday, artist: David Bowie, album: Heathen

Man in the Middle

The other day I had an appointment with the farrier. I decided to let him do Yalla first. She wasn't so sure about him and gave me a little trouble getting haltered. But then she stood pretty well for him. She tried to pull her hoof away a few times but otherwise she accepted him and his working on her feet.After I let Yalla go, and the farrier went to work on her mama, she showed her curiosity and sniffed him and his tools.

I notice that Yalla's knees are already the size of all my other horses. I asked him if this was normal. I also asked what he thought of her feet and legs and he said she had some good solid bone. He thinks she will be taller than her mama, Annie. Notice that Annie is only wearing a rope on her nose and poll. I created a makeshift halter from the lead rope I used with Yalla. She stands so well for her foot trims if I stand with her. It's a far cry from this day.
Sorry for the poor quality of the photos. I was using my cell phone.


Man in the Middle - song: Man in the Middle, artist: David Bowie

Friday Foto

Survival!

Friday - song: Friday on my Mind, artist: David Bowie covering EasyBeats, album: Pinups

So young and pure

I need to register Yalla with the Arabian Horse Association! I keep forgetting to do it and now time is running out! She must be registered before she is 6 months old or it costs more. I already contacted the stallion owner and she has signed and sent the papers to me so now all I need to do is fill in the markings. Easy, huh! Not really. Not for me, with this horse! For one thing, I have been wondering what color she'll be. She has a very dark brown head and neck, almost black, and a brown body with reddish highlights. She has black legs and dark brown/black mane and tail. She's bay, right? However, with her mother being gray, she may actually be a gray. When I part her body hair I notice a grayish tinge to her undercoat. Is this just baby hair or will she turn gray eventually? These next three photos were taken on the same day.Bay or future gray? I think I'll flip a coin.

I need to draw in her markings too. I'm lucky; she doesn't have many. In the last month, as her legs blackened, a white half coronet appeared on her front foot. Because of the snow we had, I noticed that this hoof is parti-colored. Otherwise, she has all black legs and hooves. Her star is another story. Now I know why they shave Arabian foal's heads! What started out as a round feathery plume now appears as an 'f', a running/jumping horse, or a smudge. Sometimes, it's very narrow, sometimes it appears to be fat. With all her thick winter hair, the mark moves around all the time and rearranges slightly. I guess I'll just draw something in. Gosh, I would hate to have to draw the color breeds! I can only imagine what a nightmare Scout would be if I had to draw in all of his spots!

Yalla! will need to be DNA typed and I guess I need to have Annie DNA typed too. It says on her papers that she was DNA typed but when I called them about it they couldn't find any record of it.

I'm thinking of getting a microchip in Yalla! Has anyone done this? It is painless and cheap ($25) and it's scannable so that she can be easily identified. However, I would like to know about tracking devices, 'tags', that can be traced. What does anyone know about them? Are they available for horses here in the US? That way, if I ever lose her, she can be found.

So young and pure - song: Fall in Love with Me, artist: Iggy Pop, album: Lust for Life

Sunday (11-8-09 Currency)

I wasn't going to do this challenge because I thought it would be too hard. Then I just said "the heck with it" and gave it my "two cents" worth. ;)

This is all that's left in my Honey Bear BankHere's some dollars! Notice the Cayman one dollar bill? The Cayman Islands are part of the British West Indies. They use all American currency: dollars, quarters, nickels, pennies, and dimes, but with British rulers pictured, like the Canadians. Cayman currency is worth more than American. I didn't have any Canadian dollars, which is worth less than American.

I love this bank! It's cast iron and VERY HEAVY!! I bought it in the El Paso airport and carried it home with me. Yes, on the airplane, as a carry on package. Good thing there wasn't a weight limit in those days! He's a bit dusty since he sits by my fireplace. I think he's full of quarters too.

Here's some funny money and collector's coins.

How about a special issue "Bowie" 10 pound note?

Or a Bowie dollar?

Here is some foreign money.I like "horsey" money but unfortunately all my money goes for horses!
For more Sunday Stills check here!

Sunday - song: Sunday, artist: David Bowie, album: Heathen