My Weekly Smile; April 29, 2020

On April 29, 2020 By DianaIn Living life, weekly smile12 Comments

I have a lot to smile about as this week is half over and last week I was so busy I was not able to write my weekly smile. So this weeks smile will include what I was working on last week. It has been a whirlwind of events as my girlfriend and I have moved our horses to a new stable in our horse town in Norco, CA. While we were preparing the stalls at the new stables we needed some shade cloth that we put up in front of the stalls to help shade and keep our shavings from blowing away when it gets windy. While at Lowe’s I decided to buy some plants/veggie starts to plant in my containers. I am so happy I finally was able to get my tiny garden planted, so I have two things to SMILE about this week! YAY! 😀 😀 😀

*My veggies if they survive and the bunnies don’t jump in and eat them!*

*Pretty flowering perennial’s in another container!*

*My third container I put a Calla lily and Iris. I will split them up as I have a fourth container if it gets too crowded for them.*

I Love to garden partly because I am outdoors and I am a neophyte learning as I go with gardening and just try the best I can and sometimes I have a green thumb, and sometimes not so much. I try to fit so much into my busy schedule – working full-time – owning two horses and dogs, cats a house to clean – oh my, I am getting tired thinking about it all! Then I add gardening which takes care and some love or it will not do well. It so makes me smile when I go out and see the flowers bloom and/or the tomatoes grow! I will keep you posted now and again on how my tiny garden grows!

*They are enjoying a turn out at the new ranch!*

*My girlfriends horse Gracie and behind her Miss Chloe walking around and checking things out!*

We were able to spend as many days as we needed to fix up the new stalls at the new ranch. We moved some railroad ties to the front of the stall with some shade cloth to help keep the shavings on the ground from blowing through the pipes and out into the aisle or another stall. We will still lose some shavings probably but this will help keep a lot in our stalls. We get winds here that are very strong called the Santa Ana Winds! So it was worth all the work we put in and am grateful the stalls were empty so we could work on them. We moved a week early after putting in our 30 day notice where we were, mostly because my girlfriend and I were able to take extra days off of work. (We are essential workers in the medical field).

We moved because my girlfriend really needed more shade for her horse as she has aged, she has some sun sensitivities and with my two horses I should be able to save a few dollars. I wanted to help her out and this place is a nice place and sometimes it is just nice to change it up! I Love the stables I was at, there are always pros and cons at any facility and I will not go into all of that here. I think sometimes a change is needed, enough said on that subject! We now need to give the horses time to settle in and they are doing just that! ❤

*Miss Chloe is such a good girl and I am so blessed to have her, love her so much!*

Thank you for visiting my smile and I hope you are all doing well. I am so enjoying my tiny garden and my horses as they get acclimated. I like how they can look out over their stalls at this new place! The old place is nice but the pens have a link fencing that they can’t look out over the doors or fencing. It’s just a nice change and they can even scratch each others back if they wanted too. I hope you all have a great rest of your week!

Happy Gardening Cowgirl!

~Diana ❤

Weekend Coffee Share; Keeping Busy!

On April 20, 2020 By DianaIn Barn stories, Living life, weekend coffee share15 Comments

*Weekend Coffee share is a time for us to take a break out of our busy lives and enjoy some time catching up with friends (old and new). Please grab a cup of coffee or tea and share with us!*

This last weekend came and went like a whirlwind for me and I so wanted to participate in the Weekend Coffee Share and decided to call this the weekend wrap up. At this point it may be a little late to offer you coffee and for me it is lunch here. Can I get you some Ice Tea? or maybe some lemonade? I am a tea drinker and prefer tea over lemonade, or maybe we can mix it and make it an Arnold Palmer!! I ate breakfast so it will have to be lunch, sandwich with potato salad for me, can I make you the same? Sounds yummy. 😀

I wanted to share some photos as I always do and I also am going to just go through my weekend and the fun I had as you know I am always mixing it up with my crafting and horse back riding. The first photo is of a project I am working on for my sister. I am thinking of making a bunch of these as gifts as they stitch together easily and I am so happy I finished one! On to the second one, after I tie up and stitch in the ends! They come in a pair! SO FUN! 😀

*Finger-less mittens. I know it’s Spring now, but they will come in handy this next winter!*

I also finished another baby blanket for my nephew and his wife. Their baby is due in May. Here is a photo, look familiar? I made the same one for my grandson, only I chose a different blue so no two are alike, that’s how I roll! I have to personalize them. This baby blanket stitches up fast. So fast I may make more in different colors and sell them at the local craft fair!

*I used a baby blue for baby Teddy (my grandson). I Love this too! Lots of boys this year adding to the family tree!*

I stitch at home in the afternoons before I have to sleep. Since I work night shift I need to have some down time so I crochet while I watch some TV. Usually I am watching recorded cooking shows, I am really into them and like the competition shows the best. I feel like an old lady saying that, but oh well, I’m probably an old lady! HAHA! I watch other shows too…. some news but that gets old after awhile and there’s other recorded drama shows my hubby and I watch together. Holy smokes, how did I get on that subject! So silly. On to my weekend, and I really wanted to share a few photos from my trail ride. 😀

*My best friend on Gracie, the chestnut and I am riding Miss Chloe and ponying Zack!*

We were heading back to the barn when another best friend was heading out and saw us and stopped and took a couple of photos of us coming in and I am so thankful for these photos as I am terrible about asking someone to take them of me riding! AND we have our masks on too, so it will be our photos to look back on during a pandemic! CRAZY DAYS! Our friends at the stables call each other pony sister’s, so Thank You Jane, my pony sister for these wonderful photos. ❤

*Zack looks like he’s thinking, are we done now? We went for a longer ride so I think he is tired!*

*I gave Chloe a bath after my ride this weekend! She is SO SWEET!!*

After our ride I cleaned up Zack and put him away and then gave Miss Chloe a bath. I really need to give Zack a bath and am waiting until it warms up this week. By Thursday it will be in the 90’s (32 Celsius) so I will give him a bath then as he takes longer to dry. His coat isn’t as short as Chloe’s and I would like it to be nice and warm for him since he is a bit older.

As I wrap this up I have all these thoughts running through my head. I usually try hard to write my blog with a theme, whether it be my horses, or my family or sometimes just my crafting. I think I’ve mixed my crafting and horses often as I do take the most photos of these two things. I am finding that my mind is kind of all over the place, probably because our every day lives are a bit tenuous, and that is probably an understatement. I want to stay positive and keep this post about the weekend, I think you all won’t mind. 😀

These two brothers are just amazing to me. How can you not say – AWWW! Sending my hugs like these two kitties, from my house to yours!

Happy thoughts, Happy Loving Cowgirl,

~Diana

My Weekly Smile; April 15, 2020

On April 15, 2020 By DianaIn Family is important, Living life, Love being Grandma, weekly smile15 Comments

What a difference a week makes! I had to look back at last weeks smile partly because when I looked at my stats, last weeks smile was viewed and read by many, and so I thank you all for the reads. I also am grateful and thankful for all who comment. It was so wet last week, so much rain. This week is sunny and bright! The sun has finally decided to stay for awhile and I can’t tell you how happy the sun makes me feel. I think this is true for us all, we all need the sun!! I have a lot to SMILE about this week!

My smile this week also goes to my family. Sunday was a fabulous day as I was able to video chat with my family in Arizona. Oh my, it was THE BEST MEDICINE in these times. I laughed so much as my grand daughter was so entertaining! She watches her mama put on makeup and she gave her some so now she has her own. Her mama also watches makeup videos and so Alice was explaining how to put the makeup on! She did a great job considering, but had me in stitches as she applied eye makeup to only one eye, and blush to one cheek and lip gloss. I suppose you had to be there, makes me giggle just thinking about it!

*I am really blurry, so much so I took myself out of one photo. I think I like seeing both of us though as you can see how much fun we have together!*

She is so adorable, I can’t say enough about being able to spend time with family even remotely! Baby Teddy was very sleepy. He opened his eyes literally for a minute before dosing back into mama’s arms. I didn’t get a good photo of him this time, such a little guy but just as adorable as ever. Of course I am prejudice as ever, loving my grand babies, I’m in grandma heaven! ❤ ❤ ❤

The next day, Monday April 13th was my hubby’s birthday! We ordered an early dinner from a nice restaurant and he bought a pie too. We are continuing the celebration of birthday week as I made a chocolate cake today which I will frost after it cools. The next day April 14th was my daughter’s birthday! We video chatted and she was able to celebrate with her best friend who she also works with so they see each other every day. I am so thankful her friend was able to make her birthday a special day, and these birthday’s will be longed remembered – Birthday’s – during a pandemic.

*Happy Birthday, Love You! I can’t wait until I can come and visit, hopefully soon!*

I want to continue my smile post with more things I found to smile at which includes the flowers I like to share that I found on my walk this morning. The sun hitting them as it rose in the sky. I am trying to motivate myself to get to Home Depot to buy some starters for my container garden. At one point some weeks ago there was long lines to get in and I totally understand why as they were only letting in so many at a time. I will have to set aside half of my day just to buy or shop for what I’d like to plant, my how things have changed. Praying for a return to normal, for us all.

*On my walk this morning! That’s the morning sun making flowers bright and beautiful!*

*Same flowers from above but really close up! This is my phones “live focus” feature.* ❤

I will end with the last photo my son sent to me of the brothers. For those of you who follow my blog, these kitties were split up (in my family, different houses) and then reunited. I have the sister kitties which I share often and are doing great! I hope this week finds you well. What makes you smile? There must be one thing or some things? I am staring out my front window of snow peaked mountains, as the snow has not melted away yet from last weeks storms. The world is a beautiful place, the plants blooming from spring rain, and we all need to stay strong as we can get through this and we can do it with a smile! 😀

Smiling, happy, grandma!

~Diana

Weekend Coffee Share; Hope and Dreams

On April 11, 2020 By DianaIn blogging, Living life, weekend coffee share21 Comments

As I wrapped my scarf around my neck with my Fitbit on and my phone in my pocket I headed out the door this morning for my first walk in a week. It has been raining so much this week that it was difficult to get in my walking. I did some morning stretches and then did some stride walking stretches to help my self loosen up as I headed up the hill listening to the peacocks scream, or cry! Their piercing screams reverberate through the silent morning as the sun tries to break through the soft clouds.

As I walk down the hill I see the huge water puddle that the storm drain just can’t handle. We live in a hilly area so this valley between the hills always floods and floods the small park that is closed. I took some photos of the flooded area and am enamored with water and its amazing mirror qualities! I forgot to offer you coffee, but I am not home yet from my walk so am hoping you can wait for my return?

*This is the flooded street! The storm drain is near that fence post along the trail.*

*My beautiful mirrored photo! This park always floods, the lighting is perfect this morning!*

As I walk by this park after I took some photos I could here so many birds singing. And then I heard the morning doves cooing as they softly do but definitely loud enough that I could hear their beauty. The crispness in the air was so refreshing as my creaky bones are moving more smoothly as I rise up the next hill and then turn the corner I spy all the soft clouds in the sky. They looked like cotton candy this morning. I could not believe how soft they appear as if someone was trying to paint the morning view and got frustrated and took their fingers and just smeared all the clouds together! Completely different clouds than the big giant white cotton like clouds that we often see.

*View of our Norco hills and the soft, cotton candy clouds!*

*The sun trying to burst through, blueish cotton candy, yes!*

On my walk I felt the hope that what we are doing is working. I have read some reports that scientists are doing studies especially concerning the interesting developments in our state, California. There is a belief and hopefully studies will show that there is already some herd immunity that started way back in November of last year. Thousands upon thousands of people from China visit California every month, and they brought with them this virus that has made its way to many people here. I can count at least 5 people that believe has had this virus in Nov and/or Dec of last year. Same symptoms, and even though not tested if I know 5 people and you do the math there may be thousands if not more that have been exposed.

This could explain the nature of how things are panning out in our area. I am seeing some hope and pray that things will return to normal, whatever normal will be in our future. As I walk I am feeling better and pray for those souls lost and pray for all affected. I am home now, can I get you that cup of coffee or tea? I wanted to share a flower, I saw some blooms on my walk. I know we will have tons of blooms with all this rain!!

*Happy Easter! Looks like a little bird ready to take off at the top of the flower!*

Thank you for visiting my coffee share. I dream for our country to get back to where it was and I dream that all that are unemployed get employment back soon, very soon as I worry about what is happening to this country and to those affected by no work. I pray for hope and happiness, that those suffering with anything and everything, disease, money, survival. I hope we can look forward to a wonderful future, that we can all get together for Love and happy gatherings. Someday…. This will happen again!

Dreaming, Hoping, Staying Strong,

~Diana ❤

Upside down is Beautiful!

On April 8, 2020 By DianaIn Barn stories, Horse stories, Living life6 Comments

*A break in the rain, pretty ponies in the water!* *I love the rippling in the water and the clouds in this photo!* ❤

I had a wonderful morning with my ponies. I donned my mask, put on my rubber boots and headed to the feed store to buy shavings for my horses stalls. Here at this stables and most in town, only the box stalls come with shavings. The paddocks are dry parcels and depending on the boarding facilities the owner of the horses supply their own shavings or bedding. We use these pelleted shavings and/or fine pine to help soak up the water and aide in a dry area for the horses to stand and eat and/or lay down at night. It’s worth every penny to put down some bedding to help keep a dry area during these wet days. I was able to turn out the horses and I believe that my two may be the only ones at these stables that thoroughly enjoy the lake in the corner of the arena!! Silly ponies! 😀

My girlfriends horse Gracie! She rolled a couple of times in the wet sand. She is so silly and was feeling so good today, trotting and running around the arena! You can see the small lake in the corner of the arena behind Gracie.

*I am enjoying these cool photos with the ripples and mirror images from the water! I just have to share all the photos I took today, SO MUCH FUN!*

*Zack looks like he is looking at himself in the mirror!! Haha!*

*Close up as they meander in the water. Love the ripples and I am too close to get their whole body in the mirror*.

It felt so very good to be outside. It has not rained all day but it is very cloudy out and more rain will be here soon. It is to rain all day long tomorrow and then ease up into Friday with the storm blowing away by the weekend. I heard some thunder rumbling in the distance when I finished up at the barn today. Stormy clouds all around with the sun breaking through here and there and I was so happy I was in the arena when the sun shone enough so I could get some really excellent photos. I saved the best for last. When I took the photo I did hold my phone upright instead of sideways and I snapped this photo. When I got home and I viewed my photos it was upside down! Wait, what? I believe it is partially because of they way I took it, but I decided to use it even though I could flip it around. I thought it was a really cool and BEAUTIFUL PHOTO!! One of the best reflections yet!! I hope you enjoy. 😀 😀 😀

*Upside and beautiful! Fun with photos, and my pretty ponies!*

There you have it! I thought the mirror image so very cool I wanted to share as it is ~ so exciting and so much fun!! I just keep staring at this photo, it’s so interesting. They all had some good exercise and then a good grooming as they ate their lunch. I really needed this time outside and am so grateful for my ponies. They bring me such joy and relaxation. I hope you all have a good week!

Crazy, Horse loving Cowgirl!

~Diana ❤

My Weekly Smile; April 7, 2020

On April 7, 2020 By DianaIn blogging, Living life, weekly smile8 Comments

*RAIN, please go away and come back another day!*

We need a break. Why can’t it rain a lot on one day and then we get a break for a few days? This year and last year it has rained weeks on end or a week at a time which just saturates everything to the point where flooding is inevitable. I want to smile at the rain, the only thing I like about the rain is the sound. I do love hearing it rain, and I love what happens after it rains. The air smells so fresh, and the flowers start to bloom. But it severely interrupts my daily activities, which is walking and riding and caring for my horses! Darn rain, I need to go buy shavings for my horses stall as it is getting very wet this week. 😀 (Trying to smile in the rain!)

*RAIN, is very hard to photograph! Haha, it is pouring in this photo!*

I’m wanting to write about smiling and all I can think about is how stressed I’ve been lately. My work has been very stressful, mostly because of all the changes taking place with the shutdowns it is causing my work to cut hours to employees. It is sad, but at least we are still working and hopefully this all won’t last too long. So last week was difficult but as I see it now, this week is much better. I feel calmer and less stressed so that is something to smile about! I have been continuing to share flowers, not daily but often. I am going to share the last 2 photos I took of some really pretty flowers at a stable I visited this last week. I hope it makes you smile! 😀

*My favorite! Such beautiful flowers all growing together!*

I feel like all I want to talk about is rain. It is to rain the rest of the week. I’m looking at 5 days of rain including today, which is almost over so that leaves me with 4 more days of rain. Haha, I have to be the crazy person writing about rain and I write about it often! Maybe my smile should be about how mother nature messes with me and I have to learn to smile! 😀 😀 😀

*Hi Miss Chloe! After a nice trail ride!*

As I sit here wanting to share and be uplifting I decided that I am going to share what makes me smile because I can’t help myself. YES, Zack and Chloe this last weekend looking at me in their most goofy ways and of course I just keep taking more photos. I can’t imagine how many photos I have of these two ponies. I take so many photos which is so much FUN!

I think as I am writing I am feeling better and better! YAY! I am so glad I am writing and sharing this week. Thank you for visiting my smile post and I hope you all aren’t going stir crazy. What makes you smile this week?

Stay safe and Stay Strong!

~Diana ❤

My Weekly Smile; It’s April!

On April 1, 2020 By DianaIn Living life, Smiles, weekly smile15 Comments

I took this photo on my walk today. I so needed to get out into the fresh air and clear my head. So many thoughts in my head I actually had trouble sleeping last night, my night off from work. Yes, I still work as we are essential – a Vet Lab and trying to do our part keeping beloved pets alive and well. I don’t usually make a big deal about the “things” you can see out of clouds but when I uploaded this photo and looked and stared at it I thought it looked amazing, like an eagle spreading its wings! All I know is it sure put a big SMILE on my face today. We are all looking for hope, for a smile, something good. What are you smiling about today? I LOVED the sun as it rose above the hills hitting my face on my walk this morning. It was grand, humbling, soothing, feeling good to be outside. I am very grateful to be here walking and sharing my smile with you today. 😀

*A friend told me this is a potato vine. I Love the purple flowers!*

I have been sharing a flower a day on social media. Just because it makes me smile, maybe it can bring a smile to others as well. I am putting them in a flower photo album which is the other reason I am sharing. This way they will all be in one place. I thought what a perfect time to share as it is Springtime now. I am trying to add a little hope and share this hope with others, this all shall pass, but it will be some time. I’m smiling at all the flowers which reminds me I need to get some flowers or am thinking of planting some veggies. I have my containers and maybe this year I will plant flowers instead! They will help fill my photo album and share my flower a day! Lol

*Sunset last night, wish I had a better view for a photo. It was beautiful to look at in person*

“Act as if what you do makes a difference. IT DOES.”

William James

I don’t often share quotes, Love this one! 😀

I wanted to share the kitties, they sure make us laugh with their antics and of course smile as they purr while we love on them. I think we all have a lot on our minds and if I can make you smile then maybe I’ve made a difference, so here is a cheer to smiling. The more you smile the better you feel. Find something to be grateful for today, it can be anything and am hoping you all are staying safe and are smiling. 😀 😀 😀

Smiling, Loving Life,

~Diana ❤

	Diana on Weekend Coffee Share; May 21,…
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	Diana on Wordless Wednesday
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Mylife-and-Horsestories

Month: April 2020

My Weekly Smile; April 29, 2020

My Weekly Smile; April 15, 2020

Upside down is Beautiful!

My Weekly Smile; April 7, 2020

My Weekly Smile; It’s April!