Wednesday Thoughts

It's 5:30 in the morning and the day has begun. It's still fairly quiet, except for the roosters' happy Good Mornings and an occasional mare squeal. With so many equines, someone is always in heat.
The local TV station wants to come and do a program on our young volunteers. Hope they can all make it. We have special girls who give it their all.
Not having pictures to show you makes me look at things more closely, so I can share them with you.
The lower stock tank gets filled each morning. Jake the red roan Belgian and Quincy the sorrel Quarab love to splash and swish in the tank. Water flies out and they love it. I don't know how she does it, but little Sweetie Pie the Hackney Pony just gets right in and plays IN the tank. My, oh, my, does the water go everywhere. The rest of the lower herd just waits til the ruckus is over to get their drinks.
While the tank is filling, I sit and enjoy the peace. The hillside is bare as you can imagine. When we first moved here we wondered how we would get rid of all the star thistle. No problem. Every time something green pokes its head up, it's eaten.
There are oak trees to provide shade, some manzanita and a few pines. We put in a small watering tub in the ground outside of the fence so there will always be water for the turkeys, deer, skunks, raccoons and who ever else might wander through.
The back part of our property is designated for the turkeys to breed (don't know if they read the state proclamation but they seem to raise their families there) and as a winter feeding area for the indigenous deer herd. The dogs help the critters stay out of the garden, but leave them alone in their area.
A seasonal creek runs in the back and we have springs that follow a course from the front of our property down to the back. There is still a little water in one of the springs, though the wells are beginning to feel the effects of Summer.
We have two 5000 gallon tanks for our use and so Cal Fire can hook up and get water if they need it. One of the tanks is at the lower well. Sunshine and solar panels pump the water to the upper tank.
While I sit and wait for the stock tank to fill, Zoe, Love and Keecha dogs come and sit with me, if the gophers don't distract them. Old Mac dog doesn't come down any more. His old legs just can't carry him that far. He waits for us at the house. The other dogs and I have a good "love-in" and maybe a little grooming. The stickers and burrs are thick.
It is the quiet time of the mornings that I love best. It is time to think, pray, and put things in the right prospective. Troubles and their solutions can often come to terms there. At least there is the sense of what we are doing and for whom.
The lower herd consists of Jake the Belgian, his very best buddy Smokey the Rocky Mountain Horse, Smoke the Quarter horse, Tucker the mule and his love, Sweetie Pie, Quincy and his lady Tiger Lily the Kiger mustang, Lucky the pony and his mate Cricket, Bonita the Draft cross and her friends Jet, Pearl and Brandie the Quarabs, Stoney the Quarter horse, Leeso the Paint, Lady Bug the mule and Navajo the Quarter horse. That should be 17 as we moved Molly mule to the back yard.
They have the biggest turnout because they are the youngest and most active group. They wait for me by the fence and follow the tractor to where ever I feed them. In the day time I try to go down near the well so they will be closer to the water, but at night I feed them closer to the barn. There is water there, too. We do have wild critters- bears and lions- and at night I like them closer to the dogs, though I guess a mule can take care of the herd pretty easily.
In the Summer there is a cloud of dust as they gallop along with the tractor. I throw out many extra flakes as we don't want any hungry horses. My red tractor and I chug along dispensing food.
Most of the snakes have left the country, but we have frogs and lizards galore. Lots of birds with the ravens, acorn woodpeckers, swallows and the cute little yellow ones who like to eat the sunflowers leaves being the most prominent. There are a few hummers, too.
Jim is rustling around. Mac has been out and in again. There are stirrings in the back yard and I guess it's time to begin the rest of the day. Jim cooks most of the meals, but I do breakfasts and Holidays.
After we eat Jim will pull on his boots and out we go to feed, water, medicate, clean up, etc. Jim is going to Chico today to see his friend John and the animals and I will have to get along without him. We will tend the garden, do laundry, clean a little and maybe read some. He'll be home in time for dinner and evening chores.
Thank you to all who support us with your kind words, thoughts, and yes, donations.
We know we could not do this without you.

A sanctuary kind of day

Here, at Home At Last, there is a quiet and peace which is very special. The sanctuary exists to provide a lifetime home for the animals. The daily activities and chores are directed towards this mission. It is not glamorous or romantic work. In fact, it's pretty mundane and dirty. The thing is, without it, these great animals would be dead. Their lives, which they value as much as we value ours, depend on us. That is a big responsibility. We have been asked, "Why would you work so hard and give up so much to take care of a bunch of unwanted, old, injured, abused, starved animals?". Our answer evolved over the years. We used to try to explain or clarify. Now we say, "It's what we do". It's the content of our day. We take care of the herd and it's needs, but it's not a one way street. They meet our needs. Their peace and gentle ways are always there for us. We have a number of our critters literally in the back yard. These are our most needy. These are the ones that have been the most abused or are old or facing lifetime injuries. Because we are constantly with them, among them, they soon accept us. Animals that have not allowed people near them in years soften and trust and quiet. And, so do we. We're in our late 60"s. We've both dodged the bullet a few times. We know this is a short ride. We wouldn't trade what we do for anything else. Some folks say to us , "You sacrifice so much". Our answer, "For us it's an inconvenience, for them it's life or death". It may not be romantic or glamorous, but it sure is special.

A Bright New Day! Yesterday was hard. We love our babies and it's really painful to lose them. Fortunately, our critters show us the way. There's no doubt that Teddy was affected by the loss of Tess. His good byes moved us to tears. But then he returned to the herd, was comforted and got on with it. So, that's what we do. The chores are a sweet and comforting routine. Hay over to Margaret's "summer camp". Water tanks to rinse and refill. The thanks as the horses drink the cool clean water even as the tanks are filling. A pat or scratch or nuzzle here, a head rub or horse-hug there. The gentle quiet pattern of the herd is a force which moves you forward. I don't think we'll ever get used to the emotional impact of losing our equine friends. They become such a usual part of your day that they're absence leaves a big blank spot. The herd folds around that empty place and you feel the peace they are so willing to share. I wish every single person on this earth could experience what we feel everyday. It touches your heart and soul like nothing else.

Good Bye Callie Good Bye Tess

Found the pictures but can't get them here yet.
Yesterday was a difficult day. Dr. Darling and his assistant Ashley came in the morning and we did an evaluation of the horses on our Watch List. This is never done lightly . Every aspect of each animal is considered with quality of life the main focus.
Sweet Callie mule was the first. She came to Home At Last with a broken knee, terrible teeth and a large lump in her jaw. The lump was old and decaying food that she could not dislodge. Dr D did a float plus other dental work. Because her teeth were so bad it was hard to give her an accurate age. She was somewhere between 35-100 according to Dr D. During the cold months her knee was especially painful.
Callie was well loved by everyone who met her. She loved her long ears rubbed and had several special places that she loved to have scratched. Love is the key word. Callie was a love. She was everyone's friend. She wandered all over the backyard and often closed herself in the barn. She did not like baths.
She had begun bumping onto things and could not process her food. Her belly was big, full of hay and grain, but her hips were caved in. Even though she had food she was hungry. She was slowly starving to death.
It was decided after much discussion and many tears that it was time to give Callie the last gift of kindness. She was ready. She walked right into the trailer and said her good-byes. We will miss you, sweet girl.
Tess was next. Tess was a beautiful bay Arabian mare in her 30's. She had belonged to a large herd owned by a former soap opera star. When the man died he had made no provisions for the horses and they had to be rescued. Because Tess was old no one wanted to adopt her.
When she came to Home At Last she and Amira became best friends. Then Marnie joined their circle.
Last fall Tess got the strangles which internalized and she lost a tremendous amount of weight. Though she was shiny and had a big belly, like Callie she could no longer process her food. Like Callie we put her in the barn and gave her grain, supplements and extra feed.
While she was in the barn she and Teddy the Thoroughbred became inseparable. They were side by side day in and day out. We turned them loose in the backyard and they became the Backyard Sweethearts.
It was determined that she, too, was slowing starving to death. It is a painful way to die.
Because of the close bond between Teddy and Tess we led Teddy to the trailer with Tess. After she was put down Teddy was allowed to have as much time as he needed to say good-bye. He sniffed her all over, stepped back, thought about it and then sniffed her again. Finally, he accepted she was gone and turned away. We led him back to the backyard, where first Frankie met him, then AnnaBelle, then Moon Dancer. All snoofed his nose then welcomed him into the herd. Rosie sought him out and stayed by his side all day. They were still together this morning.
Not once did Teddy call for Tess, as he did before if they were separated. Allowing him to say good-bye in his own way provided him with the closure he needed. What a good lesson for us all.
Good bye, Tess. You provided us with beauty and a certain sparkle to life. We will miss you.

Hay, water, and teeth. From Jim Went to pick up hay today. The usual 6 tons for the week. Lyle puts up great hay for horses. It's beardless wheat with some rye grass. It's carefully baled, not loose, no mold, very few weeds-none toxic, and no foreign matter. Hay works well with horses because it provides their gut with bulk and they're kept busy eating it, which means they're not bored and getting into trouble. It's good for their minds because they are grazing animals and have a strong urge to chew on stuff. Hay is dried pasture plants. It packs a lot more food value pound for pound because it has less moisture (water content). So, for a horse's gut to work properly they need to drink a lot of water to reconstitute the hay's moisture so they can digest it-or the micro-organisms can. How much hay is enough? We like to feed so that some is always left on the ground. Because our animals live in herds, we spread it out so the more timid guys get plenty. We also put out water in a lot of spots for the same reason. None of this means a thing, if the horse, donk, or mule can't chew. We have the vet check teeth regularly. When teeth become hooked or get sharp it really compromises the animals well-being. Floating teeth is just a normal part of equine upkeep. The quality of an equine's rest squarely on having enough groceries and the necessary equipment in good working order to use them. The sound of the herd eating-the grinding of hay-is sweet, sweet music!

Mid-morning blog by Jim: Doing the chores this morning it occurred to me that we have alot of horses, donkeys and mules. It also occurred to me that we know each and every one of them and they know each other. By knowing them, I don't mean we just know their names and can recognize them. I mean we know their names, personalities, issues, friends, quirks, and so on and so on. They are unique individuals. You might think that 75 critters would be alot to come to know, but they make is really easy, because they want to know us. They know Donna is the "food horse" and therefore, important. They know I'm the "water horse" and don't count for much. They know we can be trusted and walking in front of the tractor or helping with fence repairs is safe. They know to a certainty that they will never be handled roughly or painfully. They pretty much don't like the vet and sort of put up with the shoer. They pay back what they are given and express their gratitude the only way their kind can. They grow fat and shiny. They share their peace. They look at us with soft gentle eyes. They don't flinch when we touch them. They get over being head-shy. They trust having their hooves cared for. We can lead them with a piece of baling twine or just by asking them to follow closely. They forgive our kind even after the horrible abuse, neglect, and mistreatment they've had. Yep! It's pretty easy to get to know all of them.

This blog is by Jim: Today was spent doing alot of little chores and gathering donated materials to build some horse shelters. The highlight of the day was Horse Plus taking delivery of the tractor. Tawnee and Jason are so special and we hope the tractor can really help out at their rescue. We're going to use some of money from the tractor to pay the vet bill. Dr. Darling will be here Friday to float some of our old guys' teeth and check up on those on the "watch list". It's getting late in the summer and some hard decisions will have to be made before the weather changes. Because we are committed to make sure there is a good quality of life for our equine friends, we have to face these tough moments. Thank goodness we have a great vet to help us get it right. We sure want to thank those of you that have contributed to AnnaBelle's surgery fund. We still need about $1000 to schedule with the Doc. We're hoping that it happen pretty soon. AnnaBelle is just a great pony, full of life and gentle as can be. We have to keep our promise to her for a good quality of life and need your help to do it. Lastly, while I was watering the upper corrals-Chance and Harmony, Daisy and Levi-I looked down the road to the lower barn and saw it lined with our beautiful animals. Listening to the water tank fill and the sounds of hay being chewed, while a tail swish now and then shooed a pesky fly, was the perfect music for the wonderful scene before me. I hope all of you have moments each day as nice as this was for me!

Lost Found Lost Again

Found my pictures, but can't get them to the blog. Oh well. At least I know they are there just waiting for a genius to show me how to get them back.
Yesterday was a great day. It started with a breakfast at the Eagle's. What a wonderful breakfast and really good company. Thank you Harley, Loren, Spencer and Bill and Chico Eagles Aerie 215.
The Eagles have been helping folks since 1898. Here are some of the charities they help support- the Art Ehrman Cancer Fund, the City of Hope, a Scholarship Fund, the Jimmy Durante Children's Fund, the Max Baer Heart Fund and many more, plus local charities- Home At Last included.
We met many new friends and will be glad to have some new volunteers.
After breakfast (and banking and shopping) I returned home to find volunteer Emily working on horses. Then Tina, Leah and Carly showed up and the stalls were cleaned. Thanks, everyone.
Next Sunday is our Board meeting. We have several new members joining us.
It's been hot and I'm ready for Fall and cool weather and even rain and mud.
Our barn residents have been getting lots of extra food, but I'm really worried about them. Friday Dr. Darling will be here to help us evaluate them. Tucker's bowed tendon is really bothering him. He's down quite a bit and lets us know he is hurting. We will evaluate him, too. This is the part that we find so hard in having a sanctuary. We love them so much, but must do what is the best for them. Quality of life is our promise to them.
Question. When a bean is planted is there a predestined number of little beans it will have or does the number depend on soil, water, etc?
Our beans seem to be very prolific as do the tomatoes and zucchini. The cucumbers gave it their all, then just quit.
Our chicken coup is covered with morning glories. It is not only pretty, but keeps the coop a whole lot cooler.
The tadpoles have changed into frogs and their are little hopppers all over the place.
Jim has been getting really good at FaceBokk and I want him to do some blogs, too. He's a very clever fellow. maybe he can figure out how to get the pictures here.
Thanks to all who have been so supportive.

Thursday Already What Happened?

Got my printer to talk to my computer but now I have lost most recent pictures.
We have many new friends and thought we'd tell them a little about Home at Last Equine Sanctuary. We are a 501C3 non-profit that provides a permanent home to more than 70 horses, donkeys and mules, plus 4 goats, 2 calves, 4 dogs and 8 cats- all rescues and a flock of Banty chickens and guinea hens. Once an animal comes to live with us they live out their life here. We do not resell or rehome, but do have a couple of wonderful foster homes where 6 of our friends live. Four horses go across the street for the summer in a ten acre pasture. They come home in the Fall.
Many of our animals are oldies- over 30 years old with some over 40!!!! There are lots of 20 year olds and some as young as 4 years old. Some have been badly abused- beaten, starved, over worked or just plain neglected. Some were taken from the slaughter trucks or auction yards awaiting the slaughter trucks. Some have been well-loved and were placed here by caring owners.
We are an all breed sanctuary. There are Arabians, Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Standardbreds, mules, hinnies, donkeys, various types of ponies, Drafts, Quarabs, Tennesse Walking Horses, a Rocky Mountain Horse, Mustangs, a Haflinger, Appaloosas, an Oldenberg, a Saddlebred, an AngloArab, minis, and a few who have us puzzled.
There are no paid employees and Jim and I do most of the daily work ourselves.
Our vet Dr Gary Darling is on our Board and is a vital part in our operation. He takes an active interest in every animal on the ranch. He respects them and helps us to give them the best quality of life they can have,
Home At Last is about good quality of life. We constantly evaluate each animal and give each one the care a beloved pet or fancy show horse deserves. Each critter who can be caught gets dental and foot care, plus vaccinations and special diets, if needed. We have a few who are wild and uncatchable.
We feel that our animals are priceless. Their value is in their existence. They have blessed us with their presence and their trust. We honor them and hope to make their time here as good as it can be.
Jim and I are in our late 60's and are former educators. We did not set out to have a sanctuary, but the need was there. The sanctuary took on a life of its own and we have been lucky enough to go along with it.
Our Board is a supportive group of animal lovers who give of their time and efforts to make the sanctuary successful. Our volunteers are hard working, dedicated and creative in helping us on the ranch and to raise funds.
We are against slaughter and over breeding. We ask anyone who owns an animal, please, be responsible. We urge folks who are looking for a pet or a riding animals to rescue one. We want people to report abuse or neglect and insist that authorities follow up on your report.
We exist solely on donations and hope that folks will find a place for us in their hearts, thoughts and prayers.
Our ranch is totally off-grid. We rely on solar and wind power.
Please, check our website http://homeatlastsanctuary.webs.com.
You can contact us by phone 530-514-1439
by email homeatlastsanctuary@gmail.com or write to us
Home At Last Sanctuary POBox 4129 Yankee Hill CA 95965
Thank you to all who have been so kind, generous and supportive.
Donna and Jim Kyle

Suddenly Sunday

Posey is a hinny. Her mom was a miniature horse and her dad was a donkey. At the auction she was being ridden by a full size man who was whipping her in the face with a coiled rope to make her spin. She does not like people. She is so cute. Callie and Tess are in the barn enjoying three meals a day. We hope that the girls will put on some weight. Both girls have bellies, but their hips are sunk in. Both girls are very old. This is a flashback to early Summer when granddaughter Beth was visiting. She loves the ranch and all the critters.
Don't forget to visit the Thrift Store 611 Walnut Chico. Closed Mondays. There are always lots of good things to buy. Everything from horse wear to housewares to clothing to boutique items. Little Poe came to us after his mother had been killed by a mountain lion right in their pen!! Poe was so nervous about being in the place where the lion had been that he needed a safe place to live. He is a miniature about 10 years old. When he came he was a real head butter, but he has learned to be gentle and just get petted. He waggles his little tail and is one happy boy. He lives with the other goats.

He was named by the fire fighters right after the Poe fire here in Yankee Hill. Love dog says she's had enough of today's heat. Time for a snooze. Good idea, Love, think I'll try for a nap, too. Had a few clouds for a while this morning. Made me think of the coming Fall. I'm ready.

The ravens are back-Maven and Cliff Caven. For a while there was only one and I was afraid that something happened, but maybe Maven was just nesting. Any way, they are back, clattering their beaks like castanets.

Have a wonderful afternoon and be ready for the new week.

Next Sunday is volunteer day 10-2. Going to work on horse blankets for the ladies. No, the blankets are not for the ladies. The working on them is. The guys have some heavy duty stuff with Jim.

Finally, Friday

What would life be without the beauty of nature, or critters, or friends and family, or kindness or.......?

Poor thin Tess was moved to the back yard today. Tomorrow I am going to put her in the barn with Callie and see if I can't get some meat on their skinny bodies. If you remember last fall we had a horrible siege of strangles. Both Tess and Callie had it and they have been unable to gain back the weight they lost. Dr Darling feels that their internal organs have been compromised. We'll see if we can't help them with intensive care.

At first Tess missed Amira and Marnie, but when the grain came out she left them in a flash. Tonight our chameleon pony Bucky was a Thoroughbred. He and Teddy spend a lot of time together. Before I got the camera Teddy and Juan mule were standing head to head with Bucky between them, his tail towards their heads. He didn't know if he was a mule or a horse.

All the critters who are in the back yard are compatible. You never know who will be with whom. Honey cat is announcing that it is dinner time. Where's the fish??? AnnaBelle is telling Jimmy about her good people friends are raising money for her surgery. Will you help AnnaBelle?
While we were out today we saw a terrible accident and it reminded us how short and special life can be. Be good to others. Be good to yourself. Be kind to others. Be kind to yourself. Make your life worthwhile.

We welcome each morning and rejoice each evening. We have made it another day. Our backs may be sore but our hearts are happy. All the critters are safe and sound. We have good friends of all species and life is good. The little frogs have stopped singing. The tadpoles are almost all grown up. But Home At Last is a safe sanctuary for them, too. This little guy was perched way up on this plant. AnnaBelle says Thanks to Ursula and Walt C, Ruth C and Eileen G for their support of her upcoming surgery. Meet Chad, a retired therapeutic riding horse. He's about 25 with a bad back (like most of us) and really poor teeth. He was with the front herd and Tess for a while, but seemed a little stand-offish, so we put him in the back yard with the party animals. He's much happier now. He can hang with the guys, Frankie, Jimmy, Teddy and Juan or be cool with the girls Rosie, Moon Dancer and AnnaBelle. He seems to like the long ears, too and the ponies are fine, so the back yard is his. Isn't he a beauty? Here are the old, torn, ripped, bedraggled fly masks awaiting their fate. Can I really do it? Can I throw them away??? There they are in the trash. Whew!! I feel much better. Only rechecked them twice to make sure they were really goners.
This week-end I'll start on the blankets and maybe, just maybe, get the correct side of the garage cleaned so Jim can do some sawing.
If any of you need a barn or building call our good friend and supporter Dallas Harreld at www.barnconsultants.com. They have been so good to us. Give Dallas a call at 916-300-6589 and tell him thanks for being generous with Home At Last.
Check us out on Facebook under Donna Kyle or our website http://homeatlastsanctuary.webs.com
Don't forget about AnnaBelle and her upcoming surgery.

Peaceful Tuesday

This is the garden's harvest from this morning.
Today was a peaceful, quiet day with a visit from our good friends from HorsePlus. Thank you, Tawnee, for helping fold clothes. Isn't it great to have a friend who just fits your life?
HorsePlus is raising money to buy our tractor so we can use the money for special horse needs. Check their blog and FaceBook to read all about it.
Tomorrow I'm going to the Thrift Store to drop off items. Stop by and say Hi. There are lots of good school items there.

I was way off last night when I said AnnaBelle's surgery was $1000.00 It will be more than $3000.00 . Isn't she a cutie? Won't you help her, please? Dunny, Dancing Drum and Star are always ready to say Hi and to eat. These are three happy faces that greet us each morning and evening. Star is a Tennessee Walking Horse with equine MS. He wasn't supposed to live more than a couple of months, but he's been with us for two years.

Dancing Drum is a Thoroughbred mare who was raced, used as a broodmare, then thrown away. She takes care of her boys.

Dunny is a wonderful young Quarter Horse who has juvenile cataracts. His mother foundered when she was carrying him. He has the cutest, most friendly attitude. Everyone is his friend. Sugar, Maggie, Gracie and Jonathan like to eat all day. Though Maggie and Jonathan are thin they are still enjoying life. Sugar is not thin and really enjoys life. Little Gracie is getting very old. Her back legs are getting wobbly, but she's still a happy girl. After cleaning the garage yesterday so Jim could get to his saws (though I put everything on the wrong side and he still couldn't get to his tools) I realized I am a hoarder.

A hoarder is someone who cannot say no to an item and keeps unneeded items. I hoard fly masks. I have old, holey, torn masks that just might come in handy sometime. Maybe I could use the velcro from one. Maybe I could use the soft fluff from another. Maybe I could sew the torn eye parts. Or maybe, just maybe I can throw them away. Thanks to all who sent lovely new masks. I'll do it!!!!! Tomorrow the multitude of useless masks will go in the trash. I'll even take a picture of my cure.

Next I'll work on my obessions with torn, ragged and unusable horse blankets.

Hurray!! Pictures

Hurray!! Pictures!!
Home At Last is back in the picture business. Now if I could only get the printer and computer to talk I'd be a happy computer user.
Jim just said, "It's almost bedtime and we just got up- 16 hours ago."
The garden has outdone itself this year.

The sunflowers have been spectacular. This is AnnaBelle who has a cleft palate. We are currently trying to raise $1000.00 to pay for her surgery. The cleft is clear to the back of her throat and is open to the esophagus, the trachea and her nasal passage. It is a miracle that she has survive for so long. Can you help us help AnnaBelle?

She can choke at any time. She could ,also, get food in her lungs and get pneumonia. She is a sweet girl and deserves to have a great quality of life.

AnnaBelle and our new boy, Jimmy, have become close friends. Don't they make a sweet couple? Teddy is one of our new boys. He's a big, beautiful Thoroughbred. He likes to investigate everything.

Teddy has made a lot of friends since coming to Home At Last. Amira and Marnie watch as he nibbles some hay. Frankie and Teddy enjoy an evening play. Rosie watches her boys and wonders if boys are the same world wide. Yes, they are Rosie. Come on, Teddy. Just one more romp. Please!!!!!! It's been a busy day, as always. Time for bed.

We, along with Patches, wish you sweet dreams.

Some People

Some people are wonderful. We have super volunteers who give all they have to help us. Sweet Mallory who is going onto the 6th grade just brought more money that she has earned and raised to help with AnnaBelle's surgery. Her folks are teaching her great life lessons. Tina, Leah and Carly work hard at making Home At Last a success. Laura is a dedicated friend and volunteer who is always there for us. Christeen, Carolyn, Loren, Harley and Bill are our newest volunteers and are proving to be invaluable. Helen and Ron run a Thrift Store for the benefit of Home At Last. Our Board serves without compensation and give their time, money and energy to us.
Friends give support and kind words. FaceBook friends have been most generous. Our vet and farrier are dedicated to the critters here. Our family has been right there for us always. We have sponsors who faithfully donate to the horses. We have folks who send donations to the Thrift Store.
Tractor Supply Company is most supportive. Folks who pass give generously because they care about the animals. Spaulding Flies and Wilson's Worms make our life so much easier. Our foster families provide great homes for some of the horses.
Home Tech Charter School has been very generous with their time, talents and their class projects have given us much needed funds.
We want to thank each person who has sent good wishes, money, items and have spent time and energy helping us. If I failed to mention you, I'm sorry but here is a big THANK YOU for you.
Once in while we have some people who just don't get it. Tonight at 8 PM a couple opened our closed gate, came in and were reaching through the electric fence to pet the horses. It was feeding time and fingers could look like food( Is that where finger food came from?) Any way they had no respect for the closed gate, no respect for the fact that the horses were hungry and no respect for our time. They wanted to know if we sold or rented out horses. NO and NO!!
Other people seem to think we are here for their convenience. Our time means nothing to them. We try to be gracious when we have visitors, but honestly, folks, having 70 equines takes most of our time. If you have an appointment please be on time. Please, realize the sanctuary exists for the animals first and foremost. We are not an attraction for your kids to go racing around.
Once we had a woman drop off her preteen at 9:30AM in the rain. The poor child had no coat, no food and no idea what to do. Of course, no one could be reached by phone. At 4:30, grandma came to get her and was quite upset when we told her we didn't do child care.
Enough ranting. Today I paid to have more picture storage so tomorrow we should have pictures. Today we also went to another estate sale to get items for the Thrift Store. Robert Ulrich and Judy Briscow are so good to us. They always let us have the items that didn't sell. Thank you. Aaron and Amy helped us pick them up.
We love what we do and we love most of the people we come in contact with. We appreciate the efforts others make. We value what folks do when they help others. We truly believe that each person becomes better by serving something other than self.

Thurs Again

Even though this post is first in line it is second for tonight.
There are some very special ladies who had a birthday and asked their friends to donate to Home At Last instead of buying gifts. Thank you to the birthday gals Sue Holt and Sue Bilodeau and to their guests Kathleen McFarren, Susan Taylor, and Lynn Hutfield. What a wonderful and thoughtful thing to do. You are Home At Last angels. Now come and see us, so we can thank you in person.
Information on voting tomorrow for Home At Last to win a Toyota. Toyota chose 500 non-profits to participate. Voting goes on for 100 days. Each non-profit competes with 4 others on a particular day. The one who gets the most votes for that day WINS!!!! There will be 100 winners.
Go to https://www.facebook.com/toyota?sk=app 192385320793841
Please, vote. Have all your friends and family vote. Heck, even ask your enemies to vote. Thank you. Allow the application to interact with your profile then you can decide between Home At Last and 4 other non-profits. I think that's all for tonight.

Thursday Already, I Think

Finally!! A few quiet moments to blog. Tomorrow is the day to vote for Home At Last winning a Toyota. Will try to figure out how to get it here so you can vote for us.
Our newest family member is Chad, a beautiful buckskin from a therapeutic riding organization. Check them out at http://horseplayriding.org. Debra brought Chad out and now Chad and Tess are inseparable. Tess is still on our watch list, but maybe having a horse of her own will help her gain weight.
We have been so busy with every day and not so every day chores.
Our volunteer Sunday was great. We have two new volunteers. Welcome Christeen and Carolyn. Glad to see Harley, Loren, Bill, Tina, Leah, Carly, Jess and Mallory. (Mallory worked all summer and gave her earnings to the sanctuary. Thank you, Mallory. You are one special 6th grader) We washed one pony Little Dog at his foster home, cleaned stalls and ate some yummy lunch. Thanks Su and Jerry.
Had another frustrating round with the DMV. Hey, guys, all I want to do is register the truck Jim bought to help us haul hay. 1 1/2 hours of an 18month old poking me while Mom said Be nice. She was a cute little girl, but I didn't go there to baby-sit while mom visited. Then no help. Bought the truck two days too soon for the DMV's approval. They wouldn't answer my questions either, again. I've now spent a total of almost 5 hours with them. I think some changes need to be made. Even if they would just post a sign that says We Don't Answer Questions. That would save a lot of folks a lot of time. Oh well. Will try again Friday.
Sat is our day to take Teddy to Tractor Supply Store in Oroville. If you want to buy a raffle ticket for the bucket of goodies from TSC it is only $5.00. We'll be there from 10-2. It is there Pet Appreciation Week and they have all kinds of good things there- prizes, too, I'm told.
Sunday we pick up more items from an estate sale. Robert and Judy are so good to us. They let us have whatever is not sold to go to the Thrift Store. We are good to them because we haul away everything- even trash. Works out for everyone.
Check out HorsePlus Humane Society's blog. They want to buy a tractor from us with money going to help with AnnaBelle's surgery. We can use all the help we can get. This is a life threatening situation for AnnaBelle. Her cleft palate is so large that Dr Darling could feel her trachea, esophagus and the opening to her nose. It is amazing that she hasn't choked to death or gotten pneumonia from food going into those openings. Can you help us?
Because we take horses who have been seized we don't write much about them for their own protection. It doesn't mean we don't love them and aren't proud of them, it is for safety reasons. We do have some and they are doing well. If you are willing to help sponsor one of them, please, let us know.
530-514-1439
Check our website http://homeatlastsanctuary.webs.com
Does anyone know how I can get pictures on our blog without having to pay?
Made zucchini bread today. Mmmmm. We were good. Just one slice with cream cheese, then into the freezer for another time. All day the bread has been calling, Eat me. Eat me.
All the critters are enjoying the slightly cooler weather. The delta breeze from Sacramento has reached us and we are only in the 80's. They are stretched out in the sun, warming their old bones. Must be sauna like to them. A few are in the barn or under the shade of the trees, tail swishing and grooming one another.
We feed at 7:45 PM when the sun is no longer blazing. By the time we get in it is almost 9 and we are exhausted. What is easy in the AM is a lot harder at night. Getting old? Maybe.
If you want to get in touch with us by email here is our address homeatlastsanctuary@gmail.com.
Our mailingaddress is Home At Last POBox 4129 Yankee Hill CA 95965
Love to hear from you.