Friday, November 19, 2021 (November’s fullest moon [“Beaver”] rises TONIGHT.)

It was one of the best rides! Ashley’s big jumping horse strolled slowly, my little pony easily stayed alongside. And, Ashley and I talked, really talked! I loved knowing her more.

She’s a do-er, has a terrific mind, is trustworthy. Besides, we both love our farrier, Russ. Ashley has known him since she was 13 years old. These days, he drives regularly from his home in California’s Mount Bishop, to Bend, to care for Avanto’s hooves. Somehow, I discovered Russ and he also cares for my ponies’ hooves.

For 30 years, Russ has been a farrier, and trims/shoes athletic horses, mules, and donkeys. He fully understands hoof shapes, equine movements, knows what he’s doing. Happily, his politics are similar to mine and we share viewpoints and humor as he’s working on my ponies.

Ashley’s has two adopted horses, both were free because they suffered from debilitating hoof conditions. She first adopted a big mare that fell into uselessness because she had hooves breaking apart and a club foot. Russ rescued the mare’s hooves, and Ashley rides her regularly. The horse walks rapidly, won’t be slowed, and companion riders usually trot to keep up.

For our ride, she brought tall Avanto. I had anticipated having to keep my pony, Sunni, trotting to stay up. But that big guy was easy, strolled slowly, and I could learn more his glorious story.

His jumping career was finished, his hooves broken and crumbling, himself very lame. Veterinarians and farriers considered his hooves beyond repair, his owners were seeking a gentle retirement home. Ashley heard about this.

She landed Avanto, after taking Russ to see and evaluate his hooves. Russ recognized the extent of damage, said he’d try to rehab those hooves. In those days, Russ while working on my horses told me about Avanto’s hooves, about some challenges ahead to make repairs.

Fast forward, to now. Avanto’s hooves still require some re-building using plasters and such, and he wears “bar shoes” created by Russ. One looking at Avanto notices that he moves straightly, beautifully, gracefully.

Last summer, Ashley entered Avanto in a major California jumping competition. She describes the instant Avanto exited her trailer, says he knew where he was. He changed completely, became very alert and poised to do his job. They had entered three classes. In the first, they took 7th place. In the second, 5th place, and in the third, “a biggie” class, took 3rd.

She rejoices that Avanto again jumps against competitors that are valued at $400,000, and might be on his way toward regaining dominance. They’ll return soon to CA for another major competition, where Avanto’s previous owners will see him in action.

Ashley is thrilled. Russ seems calmly proud of his work. I’m in awe.

Avanto’s recovery has pushed Ashley’s already-honed riding skills. She works with a top jumping trainer, to correctly sit on, exercise, and jump this horse.

He’s a gentle, kind beast. Looking at him, strolling alongside, one might consider him pretty without guessing he’s a world-class jumper. Ashley speaks of “finding a free” $400,000 horse, and has un-ending thanks for knowing Russ.

She says Russ has taken photos that document each step to rehabilitate Avanto’s hoofs. Next week Russ again will be in town, I’ll ask his plans for doing more with the story.

As to our trail ride, Avanto and Sunni were a cute pair. We enjoyed how alike they look (aside from size differences). Both are black-dappled, have “diamond & snip” face-markings, and both are “mouthy types”.

Dear Friends: Out riding, talking “horses-and-people”, my head’s a happy place. Diana

Thursday, November 18, 2021 (November’s fullest moon [“Beaver”] rises on the 19th.)

I’ve too little time to write this morning. It took longer than I anticipated to figure out how to order tickets for Bend’s Christmas Parade.

I ordered tickets, to march with Pimmy who’ll carry a rider (Maddie, the Gilberts’ granddaughter). That ticket order website is a disaster. It took some time to figure out where/how to order tickets.

Tomorrow is the last day to enter. Its questionable whether parade space still is available. Here’s hoping.

I should have been on this earlier, but a plan fell into place only yesterday.

Meanwhile, I did ride horseback. My pony traveled alongside Avanto, a tall, rangy and fabulous jumping horse. That big guy moseyed along, my Sunni easily staying with him. His rider and I talking nonstop had lots in common and enjoyed every minute of that outing.

Tomorrow, I’ll write more of the miraculous “Avanto story”.

I must go now and feed horses. I’s my early day at work to open the store.

Today’s header photo was texted by my cousin Mary. It’s of a nearly-full, fabulous Beaver Moon over California. Here in Oregon, the sky was too cloudy to see that moon.

Tomorrow evening Susie and I plan to head east and capture Beaver’s fullest rise over an Oregon horizon. With fingers crossed, for possible rain/snow are predicted.

Dear Friends: Yesterday turned into a setup for lots of fun ahead. Diana

Wednesday, November 17, 2021 (November’s fullest moon [“Beaver”] rises on the 19th.)

For certain today, I’ll ride horseback. It’ll be cold on the trail but forecasts anticipate the sun will shine. I’ll be bundled, my hands in new winter-warm gloves.

For days I’ve planned to ride horseback, and mainly, to be well prepared for today, to be efficient at the trailhead.

My riding buddy, Ashley, is very active with her horse, Avanto. Me lately, less active as a rider. I don’t want us waiting while I fumble with tack.

I managed last week to get out with the horses, rode one and ponied one. I got Sunni saddled, and correctly after a couple of tries. I had to turn her breast collar up, down, and all ways, to re-imagine how it fits on her. That’s an example of “fumbling around”. Maybe that recent time of doing will let me tack-up efficiently.

Ashley’s Avanto is a world class jumper, and I estimate at least 17 hands tall. I’ll ride Sunni, she’s almost 14 hands tall. Ashley says she can keep the big guy at a walk. Although his natural stride is long, maybe she can keep him slow.

Avanto was recognized worldwide, before having serious issues with his hooves, essentially in mid-career becoming very lame, which ended his jumping days. Veterinarians deemed his hooves un-treatable. Somehow Ashley discovered the horse’s story, did whatever was necessary to have him re-homed to her.

Our mutual farrier, Russ, is very experienced and capable. Over the past two or three years Russ has managed to rehabilitate Avanto’s damaged hooves. Each time Russ works with Avanto, he needs a whole day to rebuild hooves and re-shoe.

Ashley has done appropriate exercising to strengthen Avanto. She’s also working with a trainer and learning how to jump the horse. This year, she began entering competitions, and says jumping Avanto is an ecstatic experience. He’s a spectacular natural athlete.

Today, even if Sunni must hurry, to keep up, Worth it!. We’ll be part of the wonderful “Avanto, rescue and rehabilitation” story.

Dear Friends: My little Sunni, herself is a doggone good athlete, she’ll enjoy moving out more. Diana

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 (November’s fullest moon [“Beaver”] rises on the 19th.)

At my place, feeding birds is a biggie. Beside filling feeders for wild ones (currently migrating and numbering in the thousands), I keep domestic types. I’ve a small flock of young chickens, an elderly hen (x-flock) living in my garage, a Cockatoo named Peaches living between big windows in the living room, and rescued racing pigeon, Gilbert, a fixture in the dining room.

Feeding wild birds calls for bulk packaged feeds. My reward is watching various types busy at the feeders, and seeing dropped seeds drawing tiny ground-bound critters. Both birds and critters are quick observers, they appear immediately upon spotting available feed.

The old hen in my garage, Welsumer, watches all my moves, eagerly pressures me for food treats. She loves “gummie bugs”, lettuces, fruit, scrambled eggs, pizza, taquitos. Essentially, she gets lots of whatever Peaches is eating.

Peaches loves people food, particularly crunchies, anything with a crust. Plus, bacon, cheese, and chicken leg bones (he splits them and goes for marrow). He receives some of all those, plus parrot food, fruit, and unshelled nuts.

My little flock outside and living with the goats get to enjoy some of those. Their main food is a top-brand kibble, and they peck around for multi-grain scratch, sweet cob, and fruit. Their favorite treat is bread pieces, but I’ve become stingy because they grab eagerly and too-often find my fingers.

Easiest to feed is Gilbert, a very particular eater, refuses all except the foods he knows. His basic diet combines high-quality layer feed and small parrot kibbles. He gets “extras”, multi-grain scratch and blanched, unsalted, peanuts. Gilbert adores peanuts.

I shop for food with the birds in mind, they’re a big deal. I simply can’t find us lacking varieties of fresh lettuces, fruits, and cheeses, and without frozen little pizzas and taquitos. Thus, I eat the birds’ foods, but wine is mine alone.

Dear Friends: Last week, Old Welsummer laid a formed, very thin-shelled egg, she’s almost twelve! Diana

Monday, November 15, 2021 (November’s fullest moon [“Beaver”] rises on the 19th.)

Shoot! I didn’t manage to take that “fall ride” on horseback. Instead, I took care of business.

I drove east to pick up three stored Dogloos offered by a friend no longer needing them. I loaded the trio, brought it home, and disassembled and cleaned the big weather-beaters. They’re now installed on my deck, and today, I’ll search for appropriate pillows to assist my dogs’ comfort and warmth.

Locals here, with years of experience, expect coming winters to be very cold, often very windy. We seem to get less snow than in years before, and even enjoy some not-so-very-cold days, but mostly the winter atmosphere challenges.

The store where I’m a worker is sponsoring a used winter jacket drive. That’ll give some of us an opportunity to create space in closets. Over my years of working at Costco, I accidentally purchased duplicate jackets. Don’t ask me more about working there and unconsciously duplicating purchases–it just happens, that’s all.

Now, I’ll donate unneeded jackets to a good cause. That will ease using my jacket closet. Its doors won’t resist folding to open or close. It’ll be easier thumbing through fewer hanging options.

Anyway, I digress.

This winter my part-time job will keep me away for daylong stretches. In previous winters I’ve been home and keeping dogs inside through worst-weather periods. This year I don’t want my aging dogs outside unprotected. To the extent possible they’ll be inside until I return home. If they’re accidentally caught outdoors for a stretch, the Dogloos could help.

Hopefully they’ll use these shelters. My smart Border Collie mix, Osix, will, because I’ve seen her inside dog shelters. Not so sure about the others, they tend to dig holes and half-bury, or curl into balls against the cold and wind.

Anyway, I digress.

Today, I’ll try to get out with horses, taking a couple of non-arthritic dogs, to enjoy a fall horseback ride, with camera.

First though, an early focus on finding pillows.

Dear Friends: Winter is a challenging, beautiful season, and enjoying it needs preparing. Diana

Sunday, November 14, 2021 (November’s fullest moon [“Beaver”] rises on the 19th.)

Today will be another warm one, with temps reaching the high 60s. It’s not a workday for me, and so I’ll go riding.

Practice makes perfect. Another trailhead visit will let me tack-up again, and hopefully more smoothly than in my previous attempt following many months of not riding horseback. I needed pauses to recall some steps, like the sequence to attach Sunni’s English breast collar to her saddle. Then while poising to mount, I discovered Sunni’s saddle was crooked and listing to her off side. Re-do time! Then having tacked properly I rode, but getting us ready took too long.

Today should be easier. With practice now under my belt, I’ll ride Rosie. She’s a full sister to Sunni and with a less-round topside, so tacking her can be quicker. We’ll see.

Another reason to go riding is my wish to take photos of the desert in this fall season. That waterless landscape now clear of summer’s tough little blooms seems quieter, and it differs beautifully.

Dear Friends: Fortunate is the person with a horse to ride and a camera to carry. Diana

Saturday, November 13, 2021 (November’s fullest moon (“Beaver”) rises on the 19th.)

A co-worker who no longer needs her three “Dogloos” is giving them to me for my four dogs. I’m worried about working through cold days and whether to leave my now-older dogs outside. The youngest two are nine, and the oldest two are eleven and thirteen. I already have one Dogloo shelter, need more.

The Dogloo is designed like an Igloo, it’s an effective shelter and probably the best. My co-worker is offering a sweet gift.

Still I struggle over leaving the dogs outside in winter for long periods. My arthritis is a problem in early mornings while first moving around and avoiding stressing my little flexibility. The same should hold for dogs.

I’ll continue leaving them inside and unsupervised for long stretches. They’ll go outside briefly during lunchtimes, when I’ll also toss hay for the horses. They’ll be inside again until my after-work.

I’ll arrange the Dogloos and hope for the dogs to use them, which is doubtful. Through the years, their way of fighting cold has been to dig holes and bury half-self, or to curl into tight balls until invited inside.

This winter is different, for I like my job and wish to keep working. The dogs may remain inside, and I’ll learn what happens regarding a pack’s degree of “housebroken”, and its ability to get along with a cat and caged birds.

Nothing’s ever easy, so it’s best to go with the flow. If my dogs don’t shelter in the Dogloos and having them inside becomes too problematic, I’ll quit my job.

Aging in humans rearranges perspective as to almost everything. For pets it’s probably similar. I’m gambling that the dogs will “get it”, behave well overall, not be destructive.

Dear Friends: The mundane is less so while bolstering courage to support a life change. Diana

Friday, November 11, 2021 (November’s fullest moon (“Beaver”) rises on the 19th.)

After a couple rainy days, this one welcomes a glorious sky. Already, I couldn’t resist venturing outside to capture the beauty of an eastern sky. In a welcome change, today will be warmer.

The birds are migrating, all sorts flocking nearby and allowing for wonderful photos. Here are a couple currently feeding around my house.

This young Robin lets me mention that I’m testing these birds, hoping to discover “mine” from last summer. That fledgling left my care by flying off, as it should have, to mature on its own. I wish the bird will return, and in its “bird way” recognize my voice. I’d love some hint of an “Hello, again!”

Here’s a hawk that’s hanging around these days, and keeping its eyes mostly focused toward my neighbor’s pasture that has small wildlife. I think it’s a Red-tailed, young, and so its tail not yet red. If anyone finds it a different variety, I’d like to know.

Dear Friends: Enjoy this warm day and keep looking upward to a spectacularly clean sky. Diana

Thursday, November 11, 2021 (November’s fullest moon [“Beaver”] rises on the 19th.)

This morning, I became involved in writing something else, and now, have too little time to keep writing here.

It’s an early to-work day. I’ll help to open the store, and so, must very soon be outside, feeding and caring for large animals.

Yesterday, for the first time since last spring, I took the equines and my hound dog to go riding in weather, slightly foggy and very chilly.

I needed to practice saddling/bridling, to transition from a routine of harnessing my driving horses. Several embarrassing fumbles while tacking-up made it worthwhile to be alone at a trailhead. I needed plenty of time to think slowly through the process.

Good! I got the saddle on and cinched. I re-figured the bridle and breast collar arrangements. Then, mounted one horse, ponied another, and our donkey followed. My hound, Ranger (not showing signs of arthritis), led our way.

So good, sitting again in a saddle!

Lots of bulky inner and outer winter wear hindered my attempts to handle a cellphone, so no photos. Disappointing, because I love capturing winter scenery. We’ll soon go out again, and I’ll take lots of pictures.

Dear Friends: Last night fell much needed rain, and today watch for a wonderful sky. Diana

Wednesday, November 10, 2021 (November’s fullest moon [“Beaver”] rises on the 19th.)

There appeared before my cash register a young woman holding her pet snake. Now, we check-out types see lots of pets and enjoy them, but that was our first time for saying hi to a snake.

That snake’s person seemed one who might prefer having an unusual pet. I thought she’d be stand-off and remote, but she instead was articulate and friendly, loved talking about “Charcoal”, her snake. She said her relationship with him began after she lost a beloved pet hedgehog to old age. She went searching for another hedgehog, winding up at the local reptile shop and learning about Charcoal.

That shop sells reptiles, snakes, turtles, and such. Its owner is a very knowledgeable guy, who last summer explained how I should feed a rescued tiny Robin until it could be fledged.

In his shop I was fascinated by reptiles of many species, some I knew as very frightening and others I knew as docile and sweet. My visit happened at snake-feeding time. There were various sorts and sizes out of cages, stretched on floors, receiving meals. I left that shop wondering, if by not having explored reptiles as pets, I’d missed a boat.

Charcoal is about three years old, has lived a year with his person, could live on to around age twenty. He’s an endangered species from Florida wetlands, and an unusually-small version of his type. (Forgive me for having left notes about his exact variety in my locker, I’ll tag that information later onto this blog.)

His person explains that he’s very gentle, friendly, and well-behaved. We at the registers who didn’t feel intimidated by snakes handled him. His skin felt warm, slightly bumpy, and seemed very much like feeling a high-couture, ultra-expansive snakeskin boot or handbag. His sensing tongue works constantly and not threateningly.

Hey, reptile people, I get it!

In my personal journey, now isn’t appropriate for seeking new pets. But I am planning to visit again that reptile shop. My mind won’t be focused on caring for a needy bird, but on wishing to see, learn, and more enjoy the fascinating world of reptiles.

It’s fun to work in an animal feed store, where many kindred spirits shop.

Dear Friends: For experiences we tend to bypass, it’s well to pause, look, and learn to appreciate. Diana