Many Celebrations One Big Concern

Yesterday was magical. Of course, I forgot my camera, but it was dark anyway so I went back for some daylight pictures today.
Dear friends and Board members Su and Jerry Schlecht hosted a very successful fundraising event at their ranch. About 50 people attended and Dr Darling will be so happy with the generous donations.
Folks had popcorn, lemonade cookies and.......

First you must meet Fiddler's Solo

and his son Fiddler's Echo. They helped with the event.

No boys, no popcorn for you. You'll need to feel your best for later on.

I know. It looks really good. Sorry.

Lloyd Cooper and Tumbleweed productions had built a western town for the performance.

All the money raised was donated to Home At Last to help with our large vet bill. Lloyd, his horses and ponies, plus Solo and Echo put on a touching performance.

The town served as a backdrop for the performance.

The weather cooperated and the wind didn't blow- which is unusual for Wind Ridge.

The animals performed beautifully and seemed to really enjoy stealing the show. Thank you Lloyd for your generosity.

This morning Su and Lloyd finished the clean-up .

We were touched and so very grateful to the kindness and generosity of those presenting the program and those attending. Thank you every one. You really made it a special time.

When we got home we celebrated many more things- like having full water tanks at the end of a long dry summer.

And Callie's dry nose

We are glad that Lexi and Gracie did not get sick since they were in the barn the whole time

Although she is thin we are celebrating Tessie's recovery

and Amira's good health.

It makes us happy that Belle is still moving around.

We celebrate that none of Rico's herd have been sick.

Frankie's recovery and Moon Dancer's great appetite make us smile.

We are so grateful to Su, Jerry, Lloyd and Tumbleweed Productions, to CC Curtis and the stunning video made dedicated to us, and to the caring generous donors who gave to Home At Last.


Our big concern is Dunny's cellulitis. His leg is swollen and sore. He is making a little progress, but his condition is still "iffy."

We have had no new outbreaks. It could very well be we will be open again next Sunday. D Darling will check Dunny to make sure his condition is not contagious.. We'll let you know.

Camelot Equestrian Park in Butte Valley is a supporter of Home At Last. Sat. Oct 16 is their annual Ride and Dine. It is a great event . Don't miss it. Check out their website Camelot Equstrian Park. com Connie and Mike Ballou will make sure you have a wonderful time. Call them with your reservation.

Clearly Candid Photography does beautiful things. Contact CC at ClearlyCandid@gmail.com.

Special thanks to Sally and Fred Hugg, Bill and Nancy Lui, and Michelle at Summit Property Management.

Marti is a special friend who gives generously to Home At Last. Thank you , Marti, for all you do.

We are going to start the week more optimisitically that we have for quite a while.

Hopeful Saturday

Not only do the horses have strangles but Sal the computer (couldn't name it HAL could we) and Cameranna the camera seems to be infected with a choking disease, too. Every once in a while every thing shuts down. Nothing moves. No messages in nor out. Will try to finish this before the next episode hits.
The cats got a new friend, Mr Mouse. Mr Mouse is supposed to be for scratching but mostly he is for sniffing. Every once on a while he gets jumped on. Mr Mouse is good, but the box is better.

Another day with out a new outbreak. However, Dunny has a swollen leg from his shoulder to the foot. It could be a reaction to his vaccines, an injury or Pigeon fever. He is getting 4 shots a day. We'll have to wait and see. The vets at Davis say there is an outbreak of Pigeon fever in the Valley. We don't need that.

Last night the clouds were beautiful. The rain is predicted to come in on Sunday.

Should have some great pictures tomorrow. Having a special fundraising event tonight at Su and Jerry's.
If Cameranna will work I'll have some good pictures

All but Callie mule seem to be doing well. Callie has a runny nose still, but is eating and drinking. The horses who lost weight during their illnesses are starting to gain it back. Babe, Tess and Amira are eating lots and lots. Smokey and Brandie are back to their usual weight and Jet, Lucky and Maggie never lost weight.

This has been an overwhelming and exhausting chapter in our lives. We hope it is about over.

Thank you for all the kindnesses you have shown us.

Vet Day

The computer is being goofy so I'll try this once again with no pictures.
A huge thank you to Intervet who provided Home At Last with rabies and 5 way vaccines at no charge. They have a wonderful program that helps rescues. Aaron and Helen came to help catch horses. We got almost everyone done.
No new sickness!!! Callie still has a runny yucky nose, but no one else yet. If we can stay clear for another week we should be OK. The virus hangs around in the ground, etc for over a month after the last outbreak. Visitors and volunteers with horses will need to wash really well and change their clothes and shoes before they go home. Maybe by Sun Oct 3 we will be back in business. Keep your fingers crossed.
The funniest part of the day was the Tucker experience. In the past he has been a real pickle when getting treated. We were all ready for a fight. We took a deep breath and in a second it was all over. No fuss. No muss. Tucker looked at us and said "What?" What a good good boy.
It was a busy, but productive day. Thanks Dr D, Kelly, Helen and Aaron.

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.