visiting Magee

This is Magee and one of her mini's with its newest addition!

My neighbor Sam had school vacation this week. She is an eight year old who shares my love of horses, especially mini's. We went over to Moneta and visited my friend Magee, who has alot of mini's and also has a birthing set up at her farm, Homestead Acres. As luck would have it, the night before our visit, one of the mini Moms had her baby!

The new born found Sams fingers and began to suckle them! Sam was surprised that the baby had no teeth!

A few weeks prior two others Moms had their babies, both of them paints!

A visit to see the babies at Magee's is always the best Spring thing to do!

The Old Girl

My neighbors old mare 'went down' yesterday. She set her body with her feet angled at an uphill slant and when she decided to get up, she didn't have the strength in her old body to fight the gravity. I tryed coaxing her with a cookie to no avail. Another neighbor tryed scaring her . That didn't work either. Finally they got the tractor and a hoist and mechanically raised her to her wobbly feet. I'm afraid to call this morning to see how she is doing... For the past two winters we thought she wouldn't make it. Another Spring, and she is still here.

My fear of a horse lying down and not being able to get up stems from the loss of my old Appaloosa, 'Beast', who got cast in his stall in 1988 at the ripe old age of 32 years. I wrote a poem after he died...thought I would share....

Beast of Burden

I miss talking to you,

miss the weight of your shaggy head

draped over my shoulder.

You would listen, drowse, listen..

You would take on my sorrow..

it was mirrored in your huge brown eyes.

You were my beastie boy.

You listened with such compassion,

nickering softly at all the right times.

You held my weight,

carried me on your back,

and carried me through my pain.

You never asked for more than simple things,

a rub, a scratch behind your ears,

some water, hay and grain.

Those who have been lucky enough to own a horse know the feelings I speak about. We know that as caring humans we must make a decision for the animal, thinking only for its comfort, and not for our own selfish needs. But, it is a decision we sometimes wish God would make so we don't have to. The decision was made for Beastie, but in the end, either way, we grieve.....

Still looking for 'yonder'.

Having lived in this area for over two years now, there are still some things I don't quite understand.

One thing is the place called yonder. It seems to be everywhere. My girlfriend will describe a place to me as being right up yonder. I have heard it in several areas here in southwestern Virginia. This yonder is a very common place, but I have yet to find it. Seems it is elusive at best. I believe it is like tomorrow. Once you get there, it actually becomes today, and then there is always tomorrow.

Yonder can be up or down or over, although it seems to be less of a direction and more of a place. A destination. "When the roll is called up yonder" is part of a hymn I remember from childhood. I guess the question could be "is there really a yonder"? Do you ever reach yonder ?

I am still searching for a name for my little farmette here in the country....maybe Ill call it yonder-acres!!!