Warming leftovers

Nice huh? Not too cold and I'm hungry!


With the high cost of living these days being frugal doesn't have to be misery. I always enjoy the fire so why not take the opportunity to camp out a little. Tonight we're having Pizza & German Sausage with a cold one of course.


Names have been sent to the AQHA for registration on the weanling's, I'll post them ASAP. Hey-Girl was taking her mid mourning nap Monday when I decided to see how far she had settled down. I was amazed that she did not get up when I entered the pen. Matter of fact I actually touched her rump and back before lifting. Not wanting to annoy her to much I used the nonchalant approach for a while, which got her curious, and she approached me in a few minutes. This was rewarding because I only recently trusted enough to take the halter off. The halter remained on as long as she was fearful and shy which meant the only way to catch her up was with a rope. Her reward for this was a gentle curry job supplemented with a portion of sweet feed, and grass hay, nice. Boy all this work is making me hungry.

Better go in and see what's for lunch, leftovers look good, you'd think these guys would clean this stuff up better, guess my eyes are bigger than our appetites. Hi Brian, sure let's take that carburetor apart we can do it. Matter of fact over the next two and a half hours we did it three times. Testing indicates it is the fuel pump after all, DARN IT! Boy that makes me hungry,let's start the fire and have a cold one.


Kathleen will be excited to see that I have resumed posting photos without bothering her, I'm sure. The fire was taken with my Blackberry without the flash working, sorry.

See you there-----Mikey

That Darn Tractor

Let's see, where was I before I was so rudely interrupted two weeks ago?

Oh yeah that darn tractor. Better check it out. Having called a local mechanic or two and getting little interest in my plight, it seemed to me that I should be able to get this thing to run with a little TLC and common sense. As it happened one of the locals, Brian, came by for a social visit since the wind was making things too difficult for him as a tree trimmer. As he explained when you make a cut don't let the wind dictate where the fall is going. Seems I am getting quite an education on trees recently.

After a few minutes greetings and looking at the tractor we starting testing different components of the system, cleaning as much as we could, looking for spark,fuel things of that nature, we got the tractor running by priming it. This resulted in the conclusion that the carburetor would require more attention(at a later date) by a mechanic.

Brian spent most of his 50+ years logging and cutting firewood in Arizona. Much of the time we share stories about the places we each have visited in Arizona. Often times this goes to places where he cut wood and at sometime I was there following the rodeo. Brian did pretty well at some of the lumberjack rodeos down there for many years. He explained to me at one point he won Payson's log cutting competition which included a personal 16 hour class by factory engineers explaining the detailed workings of chain saws. I just happen to have some very hard chunks of tree right over here Brian, that are too hard for me. Yes sir this took some of the disappointment out of that tractor. The saw he had with him wasn't the perfect saw for the job, so he offered to come back the next day with his large saw.


Upon arrival with his new saw we started in on the chunks of wood, I was given step by step tutoring in chainsaw safety; design;speeds; and characteristics of many various trees. The stumps were Mulberry noted by the smell while cutting. I could tell this would supply some long winded conversations around the fire this season. Aromatic too! It's November now cool tempuratures, breezes, early sunsets seems like the perfect time to start a fire.


See you there------Mikey

Easter Gets New Shoes

Hello Everyone,


Yes Easter is all happy now, he got all the attention to himself for a while. Trying to get something done out in the desert is always a challenge. Although Larry and I keep the horses feet trimmed we're not set up to shoe properly. Finding some one to help requires a lot of research.

Recently one afternoon I went down to a neighbor of ours to see if he would like to review a couple new weanling's that just arrived. Rigo (Hispanic) is very well known in the valley for his horsemanship and roping prowess. He accepted my offer along with Danial who was visiting to take a look. When we were finished Rigo and Danial decided to check out Easter while I put Hey Boy back. Rego pointed out that Easter needed shoes or trimmed. This was true and I explained Easter gets regular trims from Larry, as do all the horses here, but we don't worry about shoes that much because of the soft soil we usually ride on. After a cold one I took Rego and Danial home.

Last Tuesday, Larry and I were sitting here having lunch when a couple of (Hispanic) fellows drove onto the ranch and were checking out the corrals, I was curious but not concerned because they were dressed appropriately. I also suspect Rego had sent them down to see me. Between Larry; Lorenso; Pedro and myself we understood that Lorenzo was a farrier with pretty fair prices. To make further arrangements I would have to call the number on his business card and make an appointment using Jose (his 10 yo grandson) who spoke English.

Lorenzo arrived with two helpers he seemed have in training. It was fun because one of them seemed to have some grasp of English, along with Larry's understanding a little cowboy Spanish, it was made clear that Easter is more than just MY horse. Easter at first wasn't too sure if these people were supposed to be messing with him, but he behaved himself pretty darn well. All in All a Harmonious outcome. Every day on the LMA brings new challenges that require the needs of the ranch to be put first. Adopting strategies to move progress along means adopting new strategies when you have to for a harmonious outcome. Fighting with stressed horses is not the way to go.


We'll see you around the campfire, and have a cold one. Mikey

Bless her Soul

The other day upon further investigation.


Troubled by the unusual behavior of Ginger jumping into the apple tree, Larry had Wednesday , with sunlight to look for tracks around the apple tree. There were no signs of coyotes, or dogs. Neighbors often ride past yet no fresh horse tracks of any kind to be found. There were however plenty of chicken tracks leading to some weeds and brush near the tree. Further investigation revealed the remains of a rattle snake. All that remained of the Mojave Green was his head;soft skin;rattles. Apparently the chickens had taken care of the rest. Ginger probably didn't know she had tromped the fellow before she panicked into the apple tree.

I have never seen a live Mojave Green on the LMA, although I have spotted them a few miles away. This is beautiful country, the Mojave Desert is vast, rugged and hot much of the year. A creature has to be tough to survive out there, this one met a mustang. To really appreciate the Mojave one must spend time in it, there are other places I enjoy for what they offer, yet for some reason I have spent most of my life out here.

I am happy to report Ginger will not have much of a mark from the ordeal, some good old fashion horse salve dried the wound up, and sealed it. She didn't lose any hair to speak of. Jackie Jo was glad to see her pal back in the big arena, letting Ginger know she would be there to help her out.

Getting dark earlier, and cooler, guess I'll go start the fire up and have a cold one.

Mikey.

Hey Boy

Mikey sent me this photo of Hey Boy, so I thought I'd post it for him...

Three Days Off--Yea

Good mourning, yeh.


Sunday, nice and chilly this mourning, suns out so it will warm up soon. October is the time of year when the LMA starts getting some much needed TLC. 94 consecutive days over 100 degrees this summer Mikey was in hybernation. Today will be a good time to start cleaning up around the place I believe some of these old vehicles are due to be recycled. Let's see if the lawn and garden tractor will start, nope. Yeh, OK, Since I took two weeks to fix the tires on this trailer my brother sold me, I will put the fenders on it and fix the lights just for fun, or maybe just put the fenders on since it takes a 104 mile round trip to get the lights for it. Hey that worked now what? I see the garden needs to be turned under, Jackie Jo likes it under that Texas Fan Ash tree, lots of fresh feed there. OK Ginger, Easter is upset with me anyhow would you like to go to the Apple tree for a little while? Sure is warming up nicely, good day to work outside, love this time of year. Where does the time go when you're having fun? Next project, lunch have some round steak and potatos leftover from dinner last night, yum yum. Be a chance to call Larry Miller for the combination to start the L&G tractor, never had any problem before.

Sure do appreciate the good job Jerry Echkout does on the Sprucetree Ranch raising this great beef for me. Price is right and quality unmatched. Easter it's not your turn today, what are you raising a fuss about? Jackie Jo seems to be all right in front there. I'm threw with lunch better see if I can get that tractor going. Easter is raising a fuss about something. First I'll put Jackie Jo up, she'll be ready for her afternoon nap. Looks like Ginger is taking one, I can't see her for all the weeds and grass that grew over there. OMG! Folk's this is where the day turns into you know what.

Now I know what Easter was fussing about! For some unknown reason good old Ginger, 16 YO mustang mare, easy keeper you ever saw has not only wrapped her lead around the apple tree a half dozen times, evidently she tried to jump through the middle of it lodging herself like she was in a sling shot. Boy Ginger that's going to leave a mark. Folk's this is no time for Mikey to think about anything but what to do to help poor old Gin Gin. Girl I'm sure this is going to leave a mark. Ginger knows this is not the time to decide for herself what to do next. Has anybody out there tried to fell a tree with a horse in it? Be sure when that starts to happen you are on the far side of the tree. OK girl, I don't know what brought all this on, as soon as I rearrange all the horses, DUDE not now! Poor old Ginger is not really in the mood for you! Yeh. OK what am I doing? Take a deap breath and calm down. Where does the time go when you are having fun? Yeh. There you go girl, I'm sure those weinlings still get along together you come in this pen for now we'll get you fixed up before I put you and Jackie Jo back together even though you girls seem to have worked out your differences lately. What am I doing? Take this bloody shirt with all the stickers in it and burn it! OUCH! boy those things are sharp. Yeh. OK Larry she might need some stitches, has a couple big bruises, she's calm now. I'll wait for you to come home from work, just had to let you know, she'll be fine. I think that one is going to leave a mark.

Nothing like a good cold one after a quite day on the ranch eh Larry? This western style of living sure does your sole good. Maybe that's not going to leave much of a mark after all. Her eating and drinking is a good sign. Yes I would like another one since you asked. Yeh it is nice out here by the fire, sure have missed this over the summer. I know you're tired, that trip to town gets long after a few days. Good night.



Mikey--LYB

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