Sunday Stills ~ Light

 I haven’t seen Northern Lights in ages. And then the other night there they were! Putting on an amazing show and dancing across the sky. 

Unfortunately my camera battery was dead. All I had was my cell phone. So to get even these low quality pics kinda goes to show they were really something! 

Sunday Stills (on a Monday) ~ In Your Car/Truck

 I’m a bit late, the end of the week got a bit away from me when I started adjusting my sleep to be able to work night shifts. 

I snapped this photo when I got home after a night shift, so around 7.30-7.45am. Sunrise is so late now and sunset so early. 

Featured here is Daisy, my truck. With Didi my daily driver parked off to the side. 

My ride-a-long buddies are a dragon and a unicorn (kind of a barrel racer joke) and hanging from rhe mirror is a string of Mati beads 

Sunday Stills ~ Bug's Eye View

 For more Sunday Stills https://sundaystills2.blogspot.com/

Sunday Stills ~ Cat/Kitten(s)

The barn door has a cut out on it that acts as a pet door for the barn cats. It's an ever popular spot to catch a nap, as well as cute for photos.

This little black and white kitten has earned a spot in my heart, she's an orphan and the only one to survive of her litter of four. 

(maybe she should get her own post?) 

 And this adorable floof is Marbles. This picture is from last summer, she has now moved on to live on an acreage with some dear friends who moved into the area.
Along with her went kittens from this year… Sweet Pea (almost a mini Marbles), Dora (solid black and got her name for her sense of adventure and love of exploring) and Bob (a tuxedo) im happy to say my sweet Marbles (who was ONLY going to leave her to a special home) and the kittens are thriving and love their new home and people.

Sunday Stills ~ Eye(s)

 My boy Voodoo, 21 years old now, is a true black however when he was around 15 (I think?) this patch showed up around his eye. It changes size but it's always there now. I've been told its something that is fairly common in Arabian horses. Voodoo is grade but we're pretty sure he's an Arab x Quarter horse - if he doesn't have Arabian blood he sure shows a lot of similarities (physically and mentally) to them lol

Its hard to get it to show up clearly in pictures but his eye isn't a solid chocolate brown, its kind of marbled. A very wise old horseman called it marbled, and he said that those horses can be very tough to get along with but when you do its quite the relationship. That sure sounds like Voodoo too <3

Sunday Stills ~ Evening

An evening view from work

 

 

An evening view from my front porch

 

And an evening toward my road

Wordless Wednesday ~ Wolfie

 

Sunday Stills ~ Signs of Autumn

A sure sign of autumn is when the horses start losing their sleek summer coats, and that fluffy undercoat for fall winter starts to come in. 

(this is Frosty)

 Another sign of fall is getting hay for the winter.  This is a photo from the rounds off our hall field last year. I couldn't bear to share the one from this year, because it's just that. One. ONE freaking bale, and smaller than these. This drought needs to come to an end.

 

 

We do have hay sorted for this year, but it's been tough. Supply is scarce and prices are high. Thankfully I've got a supplier that is really good to us and sold us squares for the same price as last year. Then we managed to get in some rounds without being totally hijacked by the price. Not much you can do though except keep your head up.

Friday Funny

 

Wordless Wednesday ~ logo

 

Sundays Stills ~ Dogs

 Sam. My Samsam, Sammers, “little tiny puppy” (he loves being called that lol)

Not only a good pal & dog but a great part of our security system. Especially when teamed up with our other outdoor dog, Maisie. 

Bonus pic of Sam the very first time we saw him

Sunday Stills ~ Fences

 I didn’t have to go far for this one. I chose to feature fences around my place. 

First the slab fence along the perimeter of our pens 

Two for one here, the arena fence and the fence between our small pasture and the neighbour’s 6 acres. 

A close up of the fencing on one of the pens 

Sunday Stills ~ Black & White

Tucker. My favourite little black & white guy ❤️

 

Sunday Stills ~ Abstract

 

A well used warm up ring and the trail left by rolling a barrel back to the edge. 

Sunday Stills ~ Summer

 Summer means haying. Our yield has been decreasing the last few years due to the drought. Sadly this year it wasn’t just drought but also a plague of grasshoppers and this one bale is all we got. I won’t lie, I cried. 

Sunday Stills ~ Numbers

 At the beginning of every month I start a new white board in the barn outside my tack room. I track events, vet/farrier/bodywork appointments, rides, feed, etc. 

At the end of the month I update my day planner/notebook where I track everything to look back at when needed. 

Sunday Stills ~ Look Down

 My view late at night from 11 stories up (which is as high as I feel ok with being out on a roof lol) 

Kinda pretty but I much prefer my dark starry skies at home ;)

Sunday Stills ~ Where You Sit

Lefta

 

Probably my most favourite seat... with the queen <3

(and yes, I'm late again *facepalm*)

Sunday Stills ~ In Your Bag

I know, I know, it's not Sunday. My whole week got away on me last week. The theme was posted late and now so is my post *facepalm*

 This is my grooming bag. It's quick and easy to grab and throw in the trailer and has everything I need in it while I'm away. Basic brushes, hoof pick, mane & tail comb and brush, liniment, bute, mane & tail conditioner/detangler, syringes, massage tool, syringes, chicago screws, sweat scraper, fly spray, sunscreen. Everything is easily accessible and all the bottles stay upright and don't tip!

Hello My Name is ~

Voodoo <3

Black 2000 Grade gelding (suspected Arab x Quarter Horse)

 

Shirley over at Ride a Good Horse suggested that since it's been awhile and there have been some changes that I should introduce my herd.  

(good idea Shirley!)

I wasn't sure what order to go in... by age? by order they came to me? I'm still not sure what direction that will go in, but either way Voodoo would be #1. And #1 is who he thinks he is! lol 

Voodoo is a true black and he doesn't sun fade. In a couple of the photos he may look a bit brown/bleached but that was the settings on the auto adjust. He stands about 14.3 and is 21 this year.

If you watch my herd for a little bit you would think Voodoo was the boss, and he sure likes to give that impression. If you watch a little longer though you'd see Lefta is truly the one in charge with Voodoo being the enforcer. The only time he really challenges her is when putting feed out, Voodoo always gets his bucket first! lol

Voodoo came to me in the summer of 2009. We've trail rode, barrel raced, worked cows (team sorting, team penning, moving our little herd of Dexters when we still had them) As he got older we eased off the competitive stuff and enjoyed our time together "just riding"...

...and for a few years I spent winters taking English lessons with him.

 

He is hands down the smartest horse I've met. When you talk to him it seems like he understands what you're saying, regardless of tone. And there are times where you can feel/tell what he's wanting to say to you.

He figures out how to undo ropes, chains, and stall latches. There was more than one barrel racing where he untied himself and wandered around from trailer to trailer looking for me lol

In the years we've been together he has taught me, challenged me to grow, frustrated the heck out of me at times, and made me laugh and smile more times than I can count. I am forever grateful that he is in my life.

He is now more or less completely retired, at his choice. He does still have a couple important jobs though. He is still "boss horse" (or second in command to the lead mare at least) and he has helped the youngsters that have come along to learn herd manners and respect.

Sunday Stills ~ Flower/Floral

 

Wordless Wednesday ~ Hopes & Dreams

 

Sunday Stills ~ Red and White

 

I wasn’t planning to go with something as traditional as our flag however the extreme heat this week has taken its toll on the few white flowers I have around the yard this year. So the flag by the announcer stand at my arena got chosen. Bonus, the emergency info sign on the side is also red and white. 

Sunday Stills ~ Outfit of the Day

 I really had no idea what I was going to post for this week. Then yesterday after the slot race this hit me… my Air Conditioned Shirts (msport6.com) with my back numbers (they were assigned by draw order), and my hat. 

It was blazing hot in the valley and those shirts not only kept me cool but also block UV and saved me a sunburn. 

Sunday Stills ~ Morning

 We had a thunderstorm over night this week.  

It resulted in some pretty dark clouds with the morning sun breaking through.

Sunday Stills ~ Look Up

 I’m fortunate to have a nice shelterbelt around my yard. And while I like to lay out on a lounger under the poplars I don’t usually get under the “needle trees”. This ones limbs drape very gracefully and you can almost stand upright by the trunk. I thought the texture made this shot interesting. 

Wordless Wednesday ~ The Boys

 

Sunday Stills ~ Patterns

 I had no idea what I was going to do this week. Then I realized I’m surrounded by patterns at work. Below are two of my favourites 

The texture on this feature wall

And the pattern on this wallpaper. I always think it looks kind of like the Cheshire Cat appearing (disappearing?)

Wordless Wednesday ~ Hopes and Dreams

 

Sunday Stills ~ Leading Lines

 

Sunday Stills ~ Streets and Roads

1. This bridge is now a pedestrian bridge. It crosses the South Saskatchewan River and formerly was the bridge for the highway. 

You can see the old highway under the grates that now make up the bridge.  

And while it’s no longer used as a road, and nature is slowly reclaiming it, the old highway is still there.