Weekend Coffee Share; July 4th Weekend!

On July 5, 2020 By dprastkaIn 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!***

May peace, love, and happiness always be with you! 
Wishing you a very happy Fourth of July ❤

Welcome, I got back from my first walk in about a month. I was giving my knee time to heal and it is progressing nicely. It got a little sore as I was on the last leg of my walk which was just under a mile which I didn’t mind because I knew it was a good sore. Meaning I need to strengthen my knee and I know I didn’t over do it, just got it working so that I can get back to my normal walks. I took a few photos when I was out this morning. It was a nice 65 degrees (18C) this morning which is so nice to walk when it is cool. The high today is expected to be in the 90’s – 96 (35C) to be exact and believe it or not as long as it stays under 100 degrees it is tolerable to be out and with my horses.

I forgot to offer you a some ice coffee or tea? I am thinking it is summer and already pretty warm and so the iced drinks are just so refreshing. It’s definitely summer and we try and ride early to beat the heat and am hoping we don’t see too many days over 100 degrees. We don’t ride when its that hot, and we try and keep the ponies cool by hosing them off on really hot days. My girlfriend and I have been enjoying this weekend and trail riding on our ponies. I was able to take a short video I will share. I have so many ropes to take care of when I am riding and taking Zack along ponying him that I have to be careful. Chloe is a steady trail horse and the trails we ride on they know very well. I am very grateful having such great trail horses!

*My girlfriend and I, not sure what she is pointing at? Lol*

Our 4th of July trail ride! LOVE our ponies! ❤

I hope the video plays correctly. I know the last one worked fine. It is so FUN to share, we have such a great time and our ponies bring us much joy and happiness. I say this all the time and can’t say this enough. We have such a connection with these giant beasts, they rely on us to keep them in a safe place and we in turn try and be gentle, kind and give them guidance in a way that is respectful for both horse and human. They really understand so much and they always amaze me how smart they are and how we can actually communicate with each other. So MUCH FUN!

Thank you so much for enjoying coffee with me today. This weekend we celebrate Independence day and I can’t believe how different this celebration has been this year. We heard and saw some far away fire works from our front porch. There was plenty of fire works going off around the neighborhood (which is illegal) but plenty still fire them off which I know can scare many animals. My horses do fine, I have one dog that gets nervous but they did great as we keep them near us through the worse of the fireworks going off.

I hope you all have a relaxing weekend. I hope you were able to get outside even if it is a walk around your block. I think being able to get out of the house and doing some sort of exercise is so important for your mental health. I am not an expert mind you, I just know that one needs to get some fresh air and keep moving no matter what age you are, this is so important and can sure bring smiles your way, I know it does for me! 😀

Happy 4th of July Weekend!

~Diana ❤

Weekend Coffee Share; Summer is Here!

On June 20, 2020 By dprastkaIn Living life, weekend coffee share13 Comments

She is clothed with strength and dignity
and laughs without fear of the future
                                                    ❤ Proverbs 31:25

I am sitting here enjoying my cup of coffee reflecting back to all the summers that have come and gone. Boy, has there been a lot of summers. Haha, I am getting old (but feel young) and don’t really want to count them all but I will say I usually have really fun summers. We live where in the summer it gets a bit hot but honestly, you can’t beat the weather here in Southern California. There is no humidity and we are close enough to the ocean that the nights cool off really well. There is a lot to do in the summer if you have the time. I am not retired, so I have to take vacation days to enjoy any extra days off to explore or enjoy weekend retreats. 😀

As I am finishing my coffee, may I get you something as we sit outside enjoying the cool morning? We are still in June and so we usually get a lot of marine layer that rolls in and keeps us cool. Us locals call June “June gloom” Haha, it is very welcoming as it is the last of the cool weather as we approach July. I am feeling more confident each day I see all the tomatoes growing in my container. I am watching a lot of Youtube videos learning lots about tomato gardening. I didn’t realize there is so much to this to get the best out of your plant and fruit! I have grown before, but my plants were tiny with barely any tomatoes. I am learning a lot this year!

I think it is fun to learn about gardening. I think container gardening is a great way to start, plus I don’t have to worry about gophers and I do not have any other critters that climb into my containers. My girlfriend who lives in a different area, about 15 miles from where I live planted veggies in a couple of containers last year and once the plants started to sprout up (she started with seedlings) something jumped into her containers and ate everything that she tried to grow! Maybe ground squirrels? She never saw the critters but needless to say she gave up after several attempts. She ended up giving me her containers. She is having better luck with fruit trees! How is your coffee? or can I get you something else? The sun is still not out, very overcast today.

*A combo photo, place mats are complete and started another baby blanket that is pink!*

I loved crocheting these pretty pastel placemats for my daughter. They are like doilies all connected only not as tiny as real doilies. They will be cute on her table in her apartment. I also am starting another sweet dreams baby blanket and this time it is for a girl! I just love this pattern and it stitches together quickly and I LOVE seeing how it comes together in a different color. So many babies this year!! This really eases my stress being able to create and make all my crochet fun creations. I thought I would share my latest projects.

I must say as we sit and chat enjoying this cool morning that my emotions and thoughts are all over the place. We are trying to figure out the best way to move to Arizona and oh my goodness, this is not going to be an easy thing to do at all. I find myself feeling anxious because this all takes time, and I feel like a little kid wanting answers and decisions right NOW! But that’s not how this is going to work, we need to take it one day at a time. SO I waffle back and forth with, screw this idea, this is HARD – to I can’t wait to move to where cost of living will be better and I will be close to family and friends in AZ and feeling excited. Holy Smokes! I need to think about our future as we age! Shoot…. I find the process frustrating. And that’s all I will share about this subject right now. Thought it would make me feel better sharing, haha, its just tough to know what will be best for us and our future. On to what I know makes me smile and keeps me sane! 😀

*Little patches of grass are delicious! Haha!*

Chloe and Zack running lose in the arena for exercise! Pretty ponies!

Oh my goodness! This day is so exciting! I FINALLY figured out how to upload a video! I am so silly. I have been trying and trying and finally found on the editor I am using the video icon. I take a lot of videos so ya’ll beware! You might being seeing a lot more of these. I have trail rides to share too. I get so EXCITED over silly things but I have been wanting to share videos of my horses for a very long time. (I am embarrassed to say how long, haha, I’m so happy I finally figured it out). I hope it plays correctly when I publish for everyone. All I can do is try and see if this works!! YAY!

Thanks for joining me for coffee this weekend. I showed you my tiny garden and enjoyed sharing my craft projects. We then chatted about the future, what is in your future plans? And finally we drove just over a mile to the stables as I turned out the ponies! I had so much fun with ya’ll!

Have a wonderful weekend!

~Diana ❤

Weekend Coffee Share; Days off are wonderful!

On June 14, 2020 By dprastkaIn Living life, weekend coffee share22 Comments

Welcome, can I get you a cup of coffee or tea? I am enjoying my coffee with some oatmeal and english muffin that I make on my days off. DAYS OFF! Oh how I love weekends and days off. I do have this weekend off, but usually my days off are split up and working night shift I actually like it this way. But I just worked a very long stretch covering for vacation, so I am extremely happy to get this much needed R&R. I am doing the things I love which is tending to my tiny garden and my horses. I love to walk but am taking a rest from walking around my neighborhood because I have injured my knee. I think I tweaked it riding a friends horse. I have been helping a lady with her young horse who is a very nice ride, but she is bouncy and I think I am out of shape and this made my knee a bit swollen and sore. Darn, I am getting old!

I was at work this last week and I tripped but didn’t fall down, my foot got caught on a wire I walked over (I know, not too smart but it was behind my big chemistry instrument and I just didn’t lift my foot up high enough) darn it all, I jerked my leg and pulled a tendon coming from my knee! UGH! so I have been taking care of it with hot and cold compresses and slow stretches and it is much better today. I just need to take it easy and not over do it as it heals! Sorry to go on so, I do not get injured often and I can’t stand to sit around so I am up and moving taking Ibprofen for pain and inflammation.

*Chloe and I, she is so sweet! She’s my muse!*

I was going through my photos and this was taken a couple years ago. I wanted to share because I do not share many photos of myself with my horses. I have more I took this weekend I will share.

I had FUN with my horses and my camera! You know I just can’t help myself as I enjoy their company so much. It truly is my therapy, these horses just help ones well being in so many ways. I think animals in general are therapeutic but these gentle giants have an intelligence that is so amazing as we have this relationship and understanding together as we get up on their backs and view the world from their point of view. They walk us all over our trails, since that is mostly what I do is trail ride and enjoy the weather and the beautiful days on this Earth. I wish I can thank them, and I do the best I can by providing them bedding for their stalls and nice meals to munch on each day. I enjoy grooming them and getting their coats to glisten in the sun. They mostly enjoy the grooming, Chloe enjoying it more than Zack. He has thin skin I think as he doesn’t enjoy it as much as Chloe! Silly ponies, they just melt my heart. ❤

How is your coffee or tea? Can I get you a refill? I hope you are all having a great weekend. I feel like I can just go on and on about my horses. I also think often of my family and will save those photos for my smile post this next week. I will just dedicate this post to my weekend fun. I am also crocheting a lot finishing one project and starting on another. My crochet is another relaxing thing I do to unwind and get my mind on to the creativity of my projects. Crochet is very rewarding in many ways! ❤

*Nice and clean after a beautiful trail ride!*

Thank you for sharing coffee with me today. The reason I get photos of my horses with their tongue out is I feed them treats after I ride. These are small pellets that are made for them and they just LOVE them. I have been buying treats that have alfalfa and raspberry flavors, I am not sure what all are in the treats but they smell wonderful. They love them and after I feed them they literally lick their lips over and over, YUMMY! So when I take a photo, it’s turning out to be pretty easy to get a photo with them sticking their tongue out! HAHA! I just love it and I hope you enjoy seeing my ponies this weekend.

Crazy horse loving girl!

~Diana ❤

Weekend Coffee Share; My Tiny Garden

On May 31, 2020 By dprastkaIn Living life, weekend coffee share11 Comments

Welcome and how are you today? I am having a nice cup of morning coffee with my oatmeal and english muffin with jam. I have bananas too, would you like to join me as we finish out this weekend and this month? Yesterday was my son’s birthday, and wish I could have been in Arizona to bake him a cake! That would have been divine but it was not in the cards and with all that is going on totally understandable. I miss him very much. I also miss his wife and 2 children too, so much my heart aches but we stay in touch as much as possible. How’s your coffee? or would you rather have some tea?

Before I get into my tiny garden photos my husband and I had an interesting conversation last evening. He got a call from a very good friend of his in Arizona and they asked him to ask me if I would be interested in living on 37 acres in Williams, Arizona? He explained that they were looking for themselves when they realized this is also horse property and wondered if I wanted to have a horse ranch there! WAIT, WHAT? I told my husband YES! This is just all thoughts from our friends, but they are thinking of purchasing the land. It would be 2 1/2 hours from my family there, much closer than where I am at here and the weather there is wonderful because it is higher elevation. It is only 35 miles from Flagstaff, Arizona which is a bigger city and I could find work there. Oh my, this is only the first conversation but if it were to come to fruition, it would be a dream come true. Enough land that I would have my own trails to ride on with my horses!! I just had to share, it may not happen. Maybe talking about it will get the ball rolling in that direction. Maybe?

On to my teeny tiny garden. But this tiny garden sure brings me big smiles! I believe I will get a few tomatoes and bell peppers. So far so good!

*My beautiful blooms! They make me smile!*

I will be doing some gardening work this afternoon and prune my roses and spray them for aphids. I use a mixture of a couple of drops of dawn soap in a spray bottle with water. It doesn’t hurt the plants but really gets rid of those darn bugs. We have an over abundance of earwigs this year, and have seen a fair amount of lizards which are eating those bugs. The roses continue to bloom and I believe once I prune them I will get some new growth with more blooms in the coming months!

I bought a small plant for my daughter to put on her patio table. I was surprised she had the same assorted plants as a canvas photo in her bathroom. Like minds think alike, and it was a purchase on a whim. I had to share, Love my daughter so much!

My explanation of the above photo is enough. I will say though that when I placed the plants on her patio table she told me she would probably kill them. I almost said, well at least you have a photo of them to enjoy! Hehe, these are rather hard to kill, and so hopefully she will have some success with them. If not, its all okay. She is doing really good, and I am so excited to hear where her next assignment will be. She will be moving at the end of this year.

*My son sent this and he set one of the brothers in a little sit up chair they bought the baby. I thought it was adorable and he said he sat there for a few minutes! Silly Kitty!*

Those brothers are just the best cats and to me very comical. I know I have shared some really wonderful photos of them, sleeping together is just so cute. When he shared this photo it made me laugh, its just too funny! He looks rather content even though he did not stay long in there, he is so mellow! I really enjoyed sharing coffee with you today. I really can’t believe it will be June tomorrow. The time sure flies, and I am looking forward to the summer but praying we don’t get too much heat. It can get pretty darn hot, but I think we will be okay until July. Have a great week!

~Diana ❤

Reflections, Smiles and Horsey Fun!

On May 26, 2020 By dprastkaIn Horse stories, Living life, weekly smile12 Comments

*A view across the hills where I live in California!*

I decided to label this post “Reflections” as I have been thinking a lot about how this year is almost half over. Next week will be June 1st and I know I can say for everyone, what the heck happened to this year 2020? I think it is a big WOW! and it almost feels like we are all in a movie and someone will come along and say “cut, that’s a take!” I think this because I am a big movie buff, to think we are living history when they look back and pick apart all the good and the bad ideas or things that happened during this pandemic. I think we are already seeing the looking back part within these last few months as we start pulling ourselves back into reality, or hopefully back to some normalcy. As I am writing this my hubby is saying let’s eat lunch out in a restaurant! Something that we truly miss even though its been great to eat more at home, something we should keep doing going forward. We lead very busy lives, so this all has been a real eye opener to slow down and reset, at least that is how it feels and hopefully we saved many lives in the process. ❤

I don’t think “normal” will be back. I think we will have a new normal, something akin to what it was but I believe there will be many changes that will stay with us for a very long time. Some of these changes I believe will benefit things like the normal flu season that always comes and goes, as one would think this last flu season got snuffed out a bit with all the social distancing and closing down. I pray we get the schools going again , sooner than later and I know this is a HUGE subject so I am only going to touch upon it by saying let’s all get back to work (carefully) and let’s get this country up and running again. I want to be able to look for a job in Arizona so that I can move my family there one day, sooner than later if possible. (I do believe it will be at least one more year, praying for next year to make this happen!)

As I reflect, I want to thank all my new followers and all my blogging friends who follow my blog. 😀 This has been a journey of sorts for me starting with what is blogging? I thought I would just write short stories, I suppose this can happen with wonderful photo prompts that I want to engage in someday from fellow bloggers. I feel like I have a yearning to mold my blog into what it’s titled My Life – And – Horse Stories. I stray sometimes from my model, and struggle with my brand sometimes. I am learning as I go and I have met some wonderful, beautiful, kind, amazing – really super fun people. I thank you for all your comments and I have grown as a person writing and sharing my thoughts with ya’ll. You make me humble, and very appreciative. Thank you for reading all about my reflections today, it makes me smile so much so I think I will use this as my smile post this week!

*Zack and Chloe this last weekend. They are completely settled in to their new stables!*

*Enjoying the trails before the heat. Summer is here as we warm up into the 90’sF (32C)*

Let’s switch gears to HORSES! YES! My passion, my muse they truly bring me such joy and happiness. I have recently moved them to another boarding facility in our horse town, it is across town and they have settled in nicely. It has been a month since I moved them, my how these weeks have flown by. We have been enjoying the trails, as I ride Chloe and pony Zack riding with my girlfriend on her horse Gracie. Chloe is 16 years old this year and doing GREAT! So happy with her as she has a bad back leg with an old stifle injury (this would be her knee). I can tell she has little to no pain in it any more which is wonderful. Zack is the white horse, he is 25 years old this year. He is starting to really show his age as gravity draws down on their top-line (this is where they sometimes start looking sway back) and they lose muscle tone. I am trying to keep him active and moving. Gracie turned 28 years old this year. She has been really showing her age, but is doing good.

*After our ride they both got a bath! More horsey fun on a beautiful day!*

I take so many photos of my horses. They look forward to my company as much as I look forward to theirs. They truly like getting out and about with me and since I have moved them I always take them out together. I want to start separating them a little bit more. They are herd animals and so it is very natural for them to be near each other and do things together. They do call to each other if you take one too far away, this is called herd bound and it is nice if you can take one off the property say with a friend without the other going nuts, as they wonder where their stable mate went too!! Chloe is not herd bound as much as Zack. Since they have each other and I do not go to horse shows, there isn’t a great need to break them up and make them be apart other than riding just Chloe without Zack is a bit easier… I’m getting really use to taking them together, so its all good.

I hope you all have a wonderful week. I always welcome your thoughts and I just had to share mine as I like to reflect now and again.

Reflecting Grandma Cowgirl,

~Diana ❤

Weekend Coffee Share; Mother’s day weekend!

On May 10, 2020 By dprastkaIn Family is important, Living life, weekend coffee share15 Comments

*Happy Mother’s Day to all you Mother’s out there! A rose from my garden!*

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!

I am so excited about this weekend as I am sitting here with my coffee and some cinnamon rolls ready to tell you why. I didn’t realize when I made these secret plans (shhh, don’t tell anyone but my son and I drove up to see my daughter this weekend) it is Mother’s day weekend. I had no idea and it was just a coincidence but a super, cool, wonderful, fantastic coincidence! We have been very good about keeping social distancing, and please, no judging as there was just the three of us at her apartment as we enjoyed visiting, helping her with some projects in her apartment and breaking bread together!

While we are here we only went out one day to see if we could find a dryer which she needs for her apartment. She already has a washing machine and really needs a dryer and so we went to Lowe’s and found the right model and it turns out she can buy it online. (She was hoping to get a military discount. But the dryer is on sale so they won’t apply another discount so she decided to just order it online). While out we went by our favorite ice cream store and we figured it would be closed, but it was open!! YAY, we had to eat it in the car and there was no tasting of the flavors, but we were very grateful it was open! A super good day.

*We rearranged the family room area, and her two guinea pigs taking a nap! Adorable!*

I so needed this break as my work has been very stressful lately. We have actually gotten very busy at work and I think it will stay this way for awhile. I think it is great, for many reasons including job security. We are there helping pets and animals from across the country, and so I guess everyone that needs to see the vet are heading there which is good for everyone! Anyways, it has been so wonderful to spend these few days with my daughter and son. We video chatted with my other son in Arizona!! I’ll share a few photos I took.

*My grand kids! My grand daughter is 4 1/2 and the baby is just 2 months old!* **❤ ❤ ❤**

It was GREAT FUN to video chat with them. We were going to do zoom, but decided to just do video chat instead. It worked out great and my son in Arizona put us on their TV and my grand daughter was just jumping up and down, so excited to see us practically larger than life! Haha, when he showed us on the TV it was a crack up. At least I thought it was. I’m old remember, so seeing all that technology does always amaze me and it was great fun. What a WONDERFUL way to spend Mother’s day weekend. I am in Mom Heaven!!

*I have been reading this book my daughter has near the bed I am sleeping in, Lagom – Not too little and not too much. The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced Happy Life!*

The Swedish people have it right and I am half Swedish! If I can find that balance of loving life, loving my family and loving myself no matter how silly, foolish, or crazy I can be sometimes than I will be one happy person. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family. To my Loving husband who puts up with all my animals and my horsey lifestyle, bless him as I probably spend too much money each month on those giant beasts. To my children, all grown up with family and busy lives of their own. I am one lucky lady, Mother and Grandmother. I hope each and everyone of you have a wonderful weekend, and for all the Mother’s out there, a Happy Mother’s Day!

Love, Diana ❤

Weekend Coffee Share; My Tiny Garden and Thinking of Family!

On May 1, 2020 By dprastkaIn Living life, weekend coffee share17 Comments

Welcome to my coffee share, can I get you a cup of Joe? or are you in the mood for some herbal tea? or Ice tea? It’s been very hot this last week, but I must say today and this weekend the weather is very nice and so this makes me very happy when I am out riding my horses! I am going to enjoy this weekend with the warm weather before it heats up again next week. We are close enough to the ocean to where it will cool off at night and we get coastal fog that pushes inland and cools things off. Thankful for this cooling affect as it makes these Spring days beautiful! 😀

I am really happy I started my tiny garden. So far I haven’t killed anything and so far no animal or varmint has eaten anything! I am doing good, this is week one. I am getting some new growth on my veggies as they settle into their new home. And the perennials are super happy and are blooming again! They were blooming when I bought them, then got very sad when I transplanted them, then decided they liked their new home and began to bloom again!! YAY! I am SMILING from ear to ear! Thank you tiny container garden! ❤

*This is my veggie container. I am seeing some new growth! I am so EXCITED!*

*I am SUPER HAPPY with my perennials! Look at all the pretty flowers! Makes me smile!*

*My roses are blooming! I need to trim them up and buy some rose food!*

I enjoy my gardening and need to get out there and do some weeding. Lucky I am doing container gardening so I just need to remove weeds around the containers. Since I am watering more often it is making the ground soft so the weeds come out pretty easily. I also need to trim my rose bushes. Some are blooming nicely and I know it will help the plant if I trim some of the older blooms. Maybe I will do this tomorrow as the weather should be nice and not too hot. High tomorrow 82 F (28 C) which is so much cooler than this next week it will be 102 F (39 C) YIKES!

On to my family – I MISS MY FAMILY! There, I said it and it is the truth! I know I will be able to see them hopefully sooner than later but I am thinking about them every day. I am actually messaging my daughter while I am writing this post. I just toggle back and forth from WordPress to Facebook messenger and I am finding it really FUN! I miss her so much! AND I miss my grand babies! ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

*Oh My, Teddy is growing! I have not met him in person yet! Darn it all!! SOON I hope!*

*This is my home screen on my phone! ADORABLE! My sweet grand children!!*

I’ll say it for you, AWW, I love them so very much and I cannot wait til the day where I am heading to their house in Arizona! I think its time for another video chat with them so I will contact my son and see how they are doing and if we can chat this weekend. Baby Teddy had his 2 months shots this last Wednesday and he was upset and grumpy that first day but was much better the next day so he should be feeling good this weekend. I’m excited. I really am so thankful for all of our technology.

I hope you enjoyed my coffee share today. I so enjoy sharing with you all and I hope this coffee share finds you well and doing good. I have to thank Eclectic Alli for hosting our meeting place for our coffee shares. I am not very good at creating a link, it should be here and if it works there will be other coffee shares to read. I well end with my other pretty rose photo!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Gardening Grandma,

~Diana ❤

My Weekly Smile; April 29, 2020

On April 29, 2020 By dprastkaIn 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 dprastkaIn Barn stories, Living life, weekend coffee share15 Comments

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 dprastkaIn Family is important, Living life, Love being Grandma, weekly smile14 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 dprastkaIn 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 dprastkaIn 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 ❤

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Mylife-and-Horsestories

Category: Living life

Reflections, Smiles and Horsey Fun!

My Weekly Smile; April 29, 2020

My Weekly Smile; April 15, 2020

Upside down is Beautiful!