Robin Gates needs our help!

One of my greatest fears has been realized... but not by me.

Robin Gates, a Liberty Horse Trainer, has been severely kicked by her horse and is in dire need of our prayers.



From her website:
On the evening of June 4th 2013, Robin Gates (Liberty Horse Training) was severely kicked in the face by her horse (Red). She was found unconscious in the paddock and rushed to the nearest hospital. She was then immediately airlifted to Stanford Medical Center where she remains in treatment. 

Robin sustained multiple facial fractures, a broken shoulder and a few broken ribs. Luckily she has no neurological or brain damage. Today (Monday, June 10th) she will undergo facial reconstructive surgery. If all goes well, she will be released from the hospital in a few weeks and begin what is expected to be a 6 month journey to a full recovery.

Robin is in remarkably good spirits and still has her sense of humor intact. She is an amazing example to us all.

Now for the bad news . . . at the time of the accident, Robin was not covered by Health Insurance. The cost of her medical transport, care, surgery and rehabilitation is yet unknown, but estimated to be well over $100,000. Robin and her husband Neil need our help. Calling all angels . . . we need your donations (none too small) to support this dynamic teacher of life, love and wisdom who has touched us all so deeply and in so many different ways.

We will keep you updated on Robin's progress here so check back often. Please leave your comments, blessings, insights and inspirations for she will be reading them and feeling your support.

With Gratitude and Love ~ Suzen Dyslin


Here is a link to her website for donations. I'm sure anything would help.

As I grow older, and since my broken ankle, I feel more vulnerable than I ever used to. I feel awful about this happening to her. It is such a risk when we own horses, isn't it? Does anyone else feel that way?

Friday Foto

Friday Foto

Friday Foto

Friday Foto

The Next Day

Have I fallen off the face of the Earth, you ask? Not really, but sometimes it feels like I am in a vast and deep abyss with no way out. But really, I have been putting in lots of extra time at work since one of the other girls quit. I've been doing her work and now I'm training the new replacement...

Also, I've been dealing with family members' medical issues these last six months...

But time never stops and life moves on...too quickly sometimes, but that's the way it is.

I did back Yalla! as you can see by the header photo. We haven't put in very many rides but she is doing all right.

Hope to spend more time here in the future.


The Next Day- David Bowie's newest album after a 10 year hiatus.

Hallo Spaceboy!!

Commander Chris Hadfield sang Bowie's song, Space Oddity, from the International Space Station in outer space. Enjoy!
 

Sunday Stills (07-22-12 Up In the Sky)

This week's Sunday Stills challenge is to photograph things we see up in the sky. Around New Mexico, spotting a hot air balloon is a common occurence.

The clouds were unusually heavy on the mountaintops on this day and the moon was still visible in the day-time sky.

This contrail is straight up and down. I wasn't sure if I could get the photo because the sun was right there, but I think it came out pretty cool.

Everyone sees stars in the sky, but stars made of clouds? I don't know if this was caused by one plane playing or what, but it was very cool.

Here are two experimental planes out for a morning soar.

And lastly, it's always a bad thing when one sees smoke in the sky. This was from a recent fire in the bosque (little woods) down by the Rio Grande river and within city limits. It spread quickly, jumping the river and threatening to engulf houses but, fortunately, was put out before causing massive damage (like Colorado Springs) other than a few hundred acres of trees. On my way home from work, I drove under the smoke and it was very eerie, causing everything I saw to take on a golden hue for a few seconds.

For more Sunday Stills, please visit here. 

Friday Foto

Meeting the dogs...

Sunday Stills (07-15-12 Pick Two)

I am choosing Roads from 07-01-12 because I missed that challenge and Weather, because I took photographs while driving through a thunderstorm. This curvy little road is a steep downhill grade with cliffs on the right hand side. It's scary, especially when you come across a roadside cross or bent guardrails, where you know someone has had an accident or died.

Here are some pretty cool cloud formations

then the storm clouds moved in,

 

the heavens opened, and it poured.

Next thing I knew, the skies are clearing and I'm wondering if it even rained here.

 I do love this little country church and road.

Oh the crazy things you'll find on roads.

Port-a-potty on the go, anyone?

For more Sunday Stills, please visit here.

Friday Foto

Maybe they didn't have a level at the time??

A day well spent

The day started out with my son's car not starting. So, it's off to the store to buy a battery which, fortunately, fixed the problem. Whatever happened to $59 or $89 batteries? This one cost $119.00!

I've been carrying around an eyeglass prescription for several weeks, meaning to order a pair. Since my son was with me yesterday, I put him to the task of helping me select the right ones. I detest choosing glasses on my own. I know what I don't like, but I don't feel secure enough to pick them out without a second opinion. So, several hundred dollars later, I am now waiting on my sunglasses and clear lens glasses order. I decided to go far vision only on my sunglasses and mono-vision on the clear ones. I've never tried bifocals and I don't want to start.

Then, it's off to a gas station. Gas prices vary from 3.19 to 3.59 in a fifty mile radius. Thank goodness, my cars only take 10-12 gallons in a fill-up. The person before me at the gas pump rang up $90!

My mother was telling me she heard on the news about a little pizza place in town that was voted not only one of the city's finest, but also one of the best in the whole United States. I called my son and his girlfriend to meet us there. When my younger son and I arrived at the pizza place, we decided we had better make alternate plans. There were about twenty people lined up outside and the place wasn't even open yet. I guess other people heard about the top ratings too. So, I have a Groupon I purchased several months ago for Pizza 9 that was getting ready to expire. I called my son to meet us there. Then I realized the coupon said to call ahead. So I did and they told me the coupon had been used. WHAT? How, when I've never even been there before? So much for that! I will never buy any Living Social or Groupon coupons again. I've had several expire on me and now, this! Well, we decided to go ahead and eat there anyway since we'd made arrangements to meet up. But, when we got there, it's take-out only. See, I've never been there before! So, we decided to go across the street to Weck's, a breakfast and lunch only restaurant.

Yummy! My younger son and I split a taco salad. My older son and his girlfriend split a meal too. There was so much food and boy, was it good!

Afterwards, my son and I went cat shopping. Since Terra died, mice have moved into my garage. We stopped at a pet store where PACA, a rescue organization, was holding a kitty sale. They had four kittens: one was spoken for, one was a maybe, and two were available. It didn't take long for us to decide to buy them both. They have been spayed and neutered, micro-chipped, had their shots, and are confirmed healthy with blood tests. Without further ado, please meet

Ramona (Mona Lisa)


and Gerry (Geronimo). 
 

Ramona is so tiny! 

I really wanted a Japanese Bobtail for my next cat but they are very rare and expensive! Int the photo above, little Ramona looks like one, except for her tail curled around her feet. JBTs are the model cats for Hello Kitty and Maneki Neko, or waving cat, which is considered good luck in Asia. Oh well, maybe some day. Meanwhile, our new little kitties celebrate their three month birthday today. Happy birthday kitties, and welcome!

Sunday Stills (07-08-12 Winter Pictures)

For this week's Sunday Stills photo challenge, we may use archival photos, unless we can find fresh snow. ;)

Louise seems to like the snow, Thelma, not so much. See little Sophie at bottom right, only a month old.

Although beautiful, snow makes for treacherous driving conditions.

Skyy loves to frolic in the cold wet stuff.

Here's a younger Skyy in action. 

Snow can be so pretty and peaceful, and a reminder of work set aside.

On a winter's morning, I look outside my window and see...snow!

 

Snow reminds me of the Christmas season.

Here's Sandy surveying the foggy, snowy morning.

This is my backyard, a winter wonderland.

Here's fuzzy Yalla! after a roll in the snow.

For more Sunday Stills, please visit Ed's website.

Friday Foto

Here's to living on the edge...

Happy Fourth!

I hope everyone has a very happy Fourth of July!