Tag: #trailphotos

Weekend Coffee Share: It’s June 1st!

On By DianaIn Gardening, Living life, Projects, Smiles, weekend coffee share15 Comments
My roses LOVE the cool weather! Summer is almost here….

It is afternoon and I don’t have a photo of tea only coffee. So I decided to share my rose photo instead! I know rather random but it sure puts a smile on my face as I have some ice tea with some kettle corn as my afternoon snack. What are you doing this weekend? Would you like some ice coffee? tea? hot or cold? Weekend coffee share is to share what we are doing on our weekend, to share with friends old and new. I so enjoy sharing, my photos are all rather random as I don’t have a theme this weekend. I have been busy, so my photos show all that I have been doing these last few days! 😀

I am at the end of my walk up to my house. This is the side view as we live on a corner, our driveway leads to one street and our address is the other street along the front of the house!

I try and walk at least twice a week, I should walk more often but walk a fair amount at work and at the stables. It has been very gloomy in the mornings, the temps in the 50’s which is great walking weather! I wish I walked today, this is my walk from yesterday. The sun has not come out until noon this last week which is A-okay with me as the summer heat I know is right around the corner. I was scheduled with 2 days off in a row. The next photos are all the things I have been working on the last few days on my days off. I felt very productive, what do you do on your days off?

My daughter’s guinea pigs, time to clean their cage! So they are out getting some exercise, or maybe just eating! Haha! Love them! ❤
I have been working on these crochet zoo animals! I am almost done, there is still some detail work to finish up on the Hippo. They aren’t difficult but it has taken me awhile to get them done!
My days off include trail riding! These beautiful purple Jacaranda trees are in full bloom!
I know I’ve shared these blooms before, but they are going crazy! Pomegranate trees at the stables with TONS of blooms!

I have been wanting to try and start a garden but I had so much trouble last year that I haven’t gotten up the energy to give it another try and I probably should have put my energy into it because this year I think our weather would be so good for gardening. This time last year we were battling heat. It was a very hot year last year and even though I know I would still have to water a lot, the cooler weather I think is kinder to growing plants. I know it isn’t too late if I investigate and find what is good to start growing this time of year. I also could buy some starters instead of starting from seed. Hmm… just writing about this is making me think I will give it a try and grow just a little garden. I had gopher problems last year, but I could just stick with my containers. Okay, I think I’ve convinced myself, thanks for listening or reading my ramblings! Haha, writing is so cathartic, I hope I’m not boring!

I found the trick to photograph her sticking her tongue out! Feed her a treat, stand back to take a photo and here you go! Haha, She’s adorable!

I sure am enjoying sharing my tea with you today! I also did some house work, laundry, you know all the usual stuff. Its funny, I am so busy and since I have the horses and my family is busy with their responsibilities we do not plan on very many outings. I did when my kids were young children but since my grown children live in far away places I just plan my outings there, visiting in their towns or cities. So in two weeks I will be driving to Arizona to see my son and family, so excited as I can’t wait to see my granddaughter!! Since I trail ride so much and am outdoors with my horses, my other relaxing outlet is my crochet projects. What do you do to relax? I use to read but have been really bad about reading. I blame that on my horses! ❤ ❤ ❤

Feeling relaxed, weekend FUN,

-Diana

Memorial Day – Thank You!

On By DianaIn Barn stories, Family is important, Horse stories, Living life9 Comments

First I have to thank all our Veterans who have sacrificed with their lives as we honor all of those this Memorial Day. We are a military family, my husband was in the Air Force and my daughter is a Captain in the Air Force. My Dad was a Captain in the Army many years ago, rest in peace Dad. ❤ My heart goes out to all who serve or have served as it is a sacrifice that you would not know unless you have experienced. It is a Memorial Day too for all our fallen horses, too many to count in past wars throughout the ages.

Switching gears here, I was able to get out on the trails and I wanted to share some photo’s. I work night shift and so I have mornings free to ride with my friends at the stables. I do have this holiday off so I get to sleep tonight after a 5 day stretch. I usually have my week broken up with days off after a couple of days of work. My days off are all over the place, but it all works for me with my horses. 😀 😀 😀

My ride on Saturday in between rain storms.
Gracie looking at something on the trail today. It was a pretty morning, so cool at 60 degrees!
Heading down 6th street in Norco today. It was too cold and windy yesterday to ride! Haha, I can’t believe I am writing this at the end of May which is usually in the 80‘s! 😀

We have been having so much weather it is great! I am wondering if Summer is coming? I’m thinking that with the climate these days, maybe we will have a cooler Summer. I would not mind that at all! I have had a nice weekend even though I had to work. Enjoying my horses and being able to trail ride is always something near and dear to my heart so I am so grateful that I can fit this into my busy schedule!

Miss Chloe after our trail ride. She is such a veteran, with tons of trail miles and is a very steady mount! ❤

I had every intention of riding Zack today, but since I worked last night and then after my ride on Chloe I was feeling rather tired. So I decided to work him in the round pen and then gave him a proper grooming. I plan on riding him tomorrow. I am thinking a better plan of riding is riding one of them one day and the other the next as I usually end up biting off more than I can chew, as it were. I always set lofty goals, and then as the hours tick by my body is saying, nope. You need to stop and get some rest! ;D

We are really bonding and he had a nice little workout in the round pen!
Silly boy, he really stretches his head sideways for a treat. I could take so many photos of these cute horses! I guess I already do! HAHA! ❤

What ever your plans may be I hope each and every one of you has a WONDERFUL Memorial Day. I know it’s true meaning is for our fallen heros, we shall never forget. EVER!

Thankful, grateful and indebted,

-Diana

The Trails and My Horses!

On By DianaIn Barn stories, Horse stories, Love being Grandma, Memories8 Comments
My best friend on her horse Gracie, and Chloe looking in the field. ❤

I can’t express in words how truly lucky and blessed I am to own one of the BEST trail horses ever! She has some limitations as I can’t ride up or down steep hills, but there are plenty of other trails that I can ride that she is just perfect. That would be my girl Miss Chloe, she has so many trail miles and she completely enjoys our rides and is steady and strong. Not much ruffles her feathers as my girlfriend and I enjoy our rides each week. We are seeing so many wildflowers bloom with all our rain. Here are a few photo’s of a big field we ride by often, full of wildflowers! Are flowers blooming yet where you live? I feel fortunate to be in mild climate in Southern California.

A close up of flowers on this trail!
A big usually brown field full of growth! So beautiful! It will get plowed eventually.

I have written in other posts about all my riding in the past which rarely included trail rides. I use to show Hunter/Jumpers and my riding life was all arena riding with many jumping lessons and a ton of horse shows. My, how my horse enjoyment has changed, but then I have changed and grown old and my time and money are such that the trails are what I do each week. I dream of showing, but then am tired most of the time and wonder why I would want the stress of showing, plus I don’t own a show horse and the money it would take to get back into showing is a bit crazy. I think if I got back into any kind of horse showing it would be trail shows, or trail trials and I do not own a horse that can do this but I thought one day it would be fun to try competitive trail riding, maybe someday. 😀

They love their lunch, I LOVE her roan color! She is an amazing mare! ❤
He sheds in patches, crazy boy! He is tenacious in his old age! ❤
She watches me, and poses for these beautiful photos! ❤ Chloe, you melt my heart!

I use to not give trail riding much thought, like it was just this thing you do if you own a horse and can’t afford much else. Or if your horse has lameness issues or is restricted because of lameness issues and you can’t exercise them in the arena (which is all I really knew in the past was arena exercise). I’m coming to the realization that a true trail horse has extensive training and I don’t give myself enough credit for all the training I have done with my trail horses. Miss Chloe has a bad back leg so we only trail ride to keep her limber and in shape.

I am terrible to myself, I should be so proud as I bought Miss Chloe as an unbroken 2 year old and I broke her to ride which includes walk, trot and canter (lope) in the arena! She knows many things, side pass, turn on the haunches, turn on the forehand, backing up, moving off the leg and a bit of neck reining. We do not practice any more in the arena because all I ever do with her any more is TRAIL RIDING and she is a PRO! 😀 We have over 10 years under our belt of the best ever trail rides. She brings so much with her on the trails, so calm and reassuring to any horse that is nervous or spooky. I know I have helped her with all her training and I am so proud of my mare, she is one of a kind, my friend, my muse. ❤ ❤ ❤

This is from one year ago, my granddaughter and Chloe! She Loves Kids!

I can’t believe it has been one year since this photo of Alice on Chloe! I am missing Alice terribly since she has moved to Arizona but I have been visiting as often as I can and I am off to Arizona next week. I will be helping with babysitting and I can’t wait for my visit. I wish I could take the horses with me, but I can’t afford to take them and so they will be taken care of by my best friend, Gracie’s Mom.

I have so enjoyed sharing my ponies with you all and I have such great respect for all the trail riders out in this world. I know there are many kinds of trails, our trails are among residential houses which are mostly quite, only one busy street otherwise not much traffic. We also are close to a riverbed which is an all natural habitat but the sand is too deep for my horses. There is a lot to see and learn for the horses on our trails. Not much spooks our seasoned trail horses any more! THEY ARE THE BEST TRAIL PONIES! I can’t help myself, I have to brag, they deserve it!

Proud Trail Pony Mom,

-Diana 😀