A New Day, An Old Memory and A New Box

The sun was bright this morning reminding us that we get to start anew each day. That reminded me of a visit I had with my dad several years ago.
We lived next to my folks in So Calif and shared 5 acres. My dad loved farming and would be up early each morning to tend his trees and his garden. One day he went out in his pajamas to get the paper. That was odd, so I asked him about it. He said, "I'm 75 years old now and I want to read the obituaries before I get dressed." "Why, Dad?" With a twinkle in his eye he said, "Because if I'm in there I'm not going to get dressed."
So every day I wake up not dead is a good day.

Day 4 of no new outbreaks. The herd is looking good and seems to be feeling good.

Do your cats play in the bathtub? Ours do. Patches carries things into the tub then invites the others in for a good time.

Fiesty couldn't resist.

Come on, Princess. It's fun.

Yep. It is fun.

Told you so.

A while back we did a cat in the box blog. Well, a new box arrived and the fun began again. Princess in the box.

Fiesty in a box.

Fiesty asleep in the box.

Patches in the box.

Thought I'd seen it all, then Fiesty and Princess got in the box.

Tomorrow Dr Darling will be here to give inoculations. We'll see what he says about the strangles.

Thank you for all the kind words and good thoughts you have been sending our way. It really helps.
We have paid some on our vet bill but it is still over $2000.00.

Tory and Pico

Tory was an AngloArab gelding in his early 30s. There was nothing he liked better than to be free on the ranch. He could wander wherever he wanted and if someone should show up he could be right there with them. Many times when Tory was out I would be working along only to find a big grey friend willing to help. He loved to be scratched and petted . He would nicker vigorously for his grain.
As he got older he could not hold his weight. He spent the days nibbling at the grain, ignoring the hay and dozing in the sun.

Granddaughter Beth got to ride him once and he still had lots of vim and vinegar. Tory boy, there is an empty space in the barn and in our hearts. You were a great horse.

We made the decision to put Tory down because he was starving to death. He had plenty of good food, supplements, vet care and love, yet he just got thinner and thinner. Starving is starving whether it is from lack of food or because the body can no longer process the food. Either way starvation is not a good way to die. Our final gift to Tory was to give him his angel wings.

Pico was an early teens Westphalian. He had been injured in training and came to Home At Last because his former owner wanted a safe loving place for him. He had a presence that drew people to him.


He was a big boy 17.2 hands, but loved to be loved.

Pico was every one's friend.

Sunday morning Pico was not at his usual place -first in line for food. He was standing with his head down behind the barn. Jim took his stethoscope but could get no gut sounds. That is very bad. Pico was given 2 pain shots and just before Dr Darling arrive he started to drink a little.

Dr D did a thorough exam, even an internal palpation, but the news was sad. Apparently an abscess had internalized causing a torsion in his intestine. There was nothing to do. He was in extreme pain. We had to make the tearful decision to put him down.

That was late morning and all of us could not believe we lost 2 wonderful horses. Our hearts were heavy. Early afternoon the rumpus started. From the lower well the horses came thundering up the hill, tails flowing, feet thudding and many whinnies. The herd whirled around went back down and came up again with even the mules and donkeys joining in. It was beautiful.

I think that Tory's and Pico's spirits were galloping across the heavens to their final pasture and their earthly herd joined them in part of their journey.
It made the rest of the day a little easier to bear.

Sad Sunday

This morning Tory and Pico had to be put down. It is a very sad day here. More news tomorrow

Names Part 2

Today was quiet. A good thing perhaps. No new outbreaks and all who are sickly are OK. Tory seems to have the heaviest congestion, and is listless. The others are eating and drinking, so perhaps they will not get any sicker.
The weather has been pleasant and chores don't take too long.
Some of our critters are named for specific people. (For a while I was naming all my chickens after deceased friends.) Maggie B, the mini mule, is named for our friend Margaret. She went to Berry Creek with us to get Maggie B and Sugar- then unnamed- and I told her we'd name one of them after her. Because Margaret is slight she thought it would only be proper to name the thinnest one of the two after her.
When Maggie B came home she was pitifully thin. She has only 3 chewing teeth and cannot get any nutrition from hay. She gets a special grain diet twice a day. She had been abused then abandoned and is really mistrustful of people. She has a mighty bray that lets us know when it is mealtime. She is over 30 years old.
Remember a mule has a horse mom and a donkey dad.

Mac's full name is Mac Beth, named for both the king and granddaughter Beth. Mac is getting old-12 years, and has trouble with is hips. He was thrown from a truck onto the road when he was a pup. In the picture below Beth had wrapped him in blankets while they were playing. Mac is the only dog who sleeps in the house. When he lies down he thunks his head really hard on the floor. It always makes us jump.

Keecha is named for my former oncologist Dr Keech. They both are blonds. Keecha was rescued from PAWS and had been kept in a garage for the first 6 months of her life. Her full name is Keecha Shadow Chaser Pond Sitter. There is nothing she likes better than to chase shadows then sit in the yucky fish pond. She is a truly joyful animal.

Ben Barn Cat is named for a beloved professor, Dr Ben Gantz, at Cal Poly Pomona who helped Jim when he was a student. Dr. Gantz was a sweet, kind, brilliant man who was murdered. Ben cat showed up at the sanctuary shortly after we moved in. He has an eye disease and we thought he might not make it. He is a loving cat who just wants some pets, a little food and a safe place to be. He shares his meals with anyone, even the mice. He and Daphne share the tack room.

Jim and Brian just brought in some root beer and rocky road ice cream. Made me think of our dating days when we'd go to the A&W drive -in and have a frosty mug of root beer. Jim used to ask me if I wanted anything and I'd say no, then eat half of his. He soon learned to order two or more of everything. What a guy!! No wonder we've been married for 45 years.

Mac just thunked his head and the goodies are calling.

Thank you Ursula and Ruthie for your donations.

Horse names Part 1

This morning while I was typing the list of critters for the vet visit next Wed. I realized there are some interesting names and classifications. In the drink category here is Too Much Brandie.

And here is Chardonnay.

Then there is the insect category. Lady Bug

And Cricket.

Barn cat Daphne wanted a starring role in today's blog. She was born in the wood pile when we lived in Magalia, so she was a wood pile cat first, then a barn cat.

Her full name is Daphne Braveheart Thistledown. She's a real talker.

The tack room has storage above. You can see the window the barncats have to hop into the tack room.

They have a climber to use, too.

Hi, Daphne.

You are certainly beautiful and fluffy.

After morning chores I went "across the street," as Margaret calls Highway 70, to take some hay to our horses there and to visit with Margaret.

The horses spend the Spring, Summer and Fall enjoying the pasture that she seeds every year.

Bruno came to say Hi.

Bruno is a really big boy.

Aurora, Sunny and Chardonnay have been eating nonstop since April. The girls have BIG bellies.

Mike came to help carry the hay to the barn. If Mike doesn't help then Margaret and I cut the bales and haul the hay in the wheelbarrow. Thank you, Mike, you saved us a lot of work.

Lift and load.

Load and lift. Whew!!

The girls say, "Whatcha got?"

"Hey, Mike. Where are you going?"

"Wait for us." They chased Mike all the way up the hill, nibbling as they went.

Dobbin thought you'd like to see how beautiful he is. Front view.

Yes, Jenny. You are beautiful, too.

And Jessie, you are gorgeous.

Dobbin- back view. Dare I say it? An ass's ass.

Zoe, Brian and Jim finish the day with a good visit.

No new sick animals today. Hopefully, we are coming to the end of the strangles siege