The Eve of Y2K~Where Were You?

Y2K...all the hoopla...as if the world would never be the same as we new it in 1999.

As we two-stepped, waltzed, and put in a few good swing dances at a truck stop honky tonk in Portland Oregon, we waited for midnight to arrive...wondering...would any or all of the predictions about the millennium actually happen???

Well...no, as you well know.

We celebrated ringing in the Year 2000 with our best friends; 3 other couples, and we called ourselves the 8-pack. We danced until the band wouldn't play any more, and then headed over to the 24 hour diner to have some breakfast...at 2 AM...

That seems like a lifetime ago...

Last evening while feeding...it was beautiful.

The years go by...

One of the 8-pack passed away just a few years ago...another couple has divorced...and the other couple we haven't seen for 3-4 years...

How strange that things you think are forever...are not...

The eve of the full "Blue Moon" rising over Hat Butte.

I remember wearing one of my drill team costumes that night. I don't do much "bling" but I guess I thought I needed to have a lil' sparkle that night. Rhinestones and sequins were required for drill team costumes and I had a lot of those.

Toasting at midnight with champagne in plastic glasses. Than more dancing...it was a great night. My Man and I couldn't have asked for a better way to welcome in the year 2000.

Testing out the new camera...but I really should

have been using a tripod. I didn't realize the

moon was going to be rising at sunset.

And here we are...living a life we hadn't even dreamed of a decade ago...life is good.

Tonight? My Man and I are staying home...eating Smoked Prime Rib and fixin's...watching a movie...and if we can stay awake long enough, we'll have a rousting game of cribbage.

But, we do have a bottle of champagne!! I'm even going to bring out the fine glasses.

We will raise our glasses and say "cheers" to my friends and fellow bloggers. We wish ya'll a wonderful New Year with many blessings!

This is as close to a full Blue Moon as I'm going to get.

Tonight it's cloudy and raining.

So, I'll take what I got.

My question to you...where were you on the eve of Y2K? Please leave a comment...I'd love to hear!

Happy New Year!!

Wordless Wednesday

More "Wordless Wednesday" posts are listed here.

Can Animal Rescue Get Any Better Than This?

I can't help but post these two photos from the recent animal hoarding case here in Harney County.

It's amazing what just one adopter can do to change the life of a dog...

This photo was taken in the early part of December when the hoarding case was discovered.

Over 100 dogs scraping an existence in below zero temps

with little food and no shelter...

To this photo taken December 24.

Can Christmas get any better than this?

A loving home, a full belly and a snooze by

a warm fire...Amen~

You can read this dog's happy tail and see more photos and also read other updates at Harney County Save A Stray Rescue.

Macro Monday

My favorite photo from Christmas Day with my new camera...a Canon SX20 IS. The aperture setting actually works compared to my old digital!! This was taken with the "Super Macro" setting.

To see more macro photos, check out the comments section here!

Sunday Stills ~ Odds and Ends

This week's Sunday Stills photo challenge is Odds and Ends. We've all got plenty of them around don't we?

On a kitchen shelf is this odd combination of

a wine cork collection, my mom's old ricer (to make

potato rice for Lefse), a metal container for tea,

and a mini mixer truck.

These coaster aren't really odd, but they are

very special to me. My friend Debbie does

a lot of wood burning and she made these for me.

My sister-in-law found these at a garage

sale and immediately thought of us. It's just

ceramic with a golden glaze. I used a flash

and I thought the photo turned out pretty good.

This is an antique bolus applicator used to

get the bolus (big cow pills) down a cow's throat.

And of course we live with John Wayne!

Check out some other interesting Odd and Ends in the comments section here.

Enjoy your Sunday!

My Santa~~My Man

And what a good Santa My Man was to me!

I can't say that I thought I was really that good throughout the year...but maybe the stars were aligned "just right!"

This is my one and only gift...which was plenty...

and just what I wanted!

Of course, when you shop

for your own gift, it's not hard to get exactly

what you want! ;~)

The man in the brown truck brought it to our door over a week ago, and it's been sitting in the box (unopened) in the living room the whole time. My Man did wrap it for me on Christmas Eve to make it look official! Yes, he just wrapped the shipping box!

Lisa, over at the Laughing Orca Ranch, has a SX10 and I absolutely LOVE her photos! And Ed at Thoughts from the Road (Mr. Camera Man himself), thought it was the best camera for the money.

So far, I'm totally pleased with what I'm getting.

FYI, my Fuji FinePix was a good camera until the Auto Focus started messing up and driving me crazy...probably a lil' too much trail dust!

Rohan's beautiful strawberry roan coloring is exact!

As are the browns and tans of the alfalfa

field in the background.

The zoom...I'm in LOVE with the zoom!!

I'm sure I can take a photo of an owl's eye if I wanted to.

OK...I'll try that tomorrow!

Even with the dank, dark, brown yard the

action shots came out good.

Cowboy 'n Bella Jo enjoy a good game

of Tug 'n Run every day!

The zoom...did I mention that I LOVE the zoom?!?

This is our neighbor's house about a mile

up Anderson Valley...I'm amazed!

Cowboy's white eyelashes...too cute! Even in the

shadows I can see details of the subject.

The blue sky really is that blue in real life!

And, yes, the browns are brown, but the faint

sage green...ah yes...

I'm really liking the details the images pick up.

The lighting and colors are true.

Then there's the macro...not only does it have macro,

but it has a "Super Macro" too!!

What was this ant doing out in the dead of winter...

beats me?

My favorite photo of the day is a macro, and I'll

post it for Macro Monday this coming week!

My Man's a pretty good shopper if I say so myself!

Cindy Sue agrees ;~)

Thanks honey~~

Christmas Blessings to All

I wish the most blessed Christmas to everyone. My Man wrote this poem a few years back and would like to share it with you.

Makin’ Your Way

By John Simmons

The cold wind had a sharp bite

Snow was startin’ to fall

He had stayed too long in Montana

Longer than he should have stayed at all

He had drifted up here from Texas

Back when the calves were born in the spring

It was the talk of good payin’ wages

After a couple of pretty lean years

A lifetime a-doin’ cowboy work

Had helped to earn him top dollar

The thought brought on a smile

And warmed the cold air around his collar

Off down in a valley

His eye caught a light

Someplace dry and warm; even the old barn

Would suit this wintry night

As his foot hit the front porch step

The old dog alayin’ there begin to stir

The aging house door creaked slightly open

And what do ya want stranger

Was the first thing that was heard

Just a place to bed down for the night

I don’t mean no harm

Just a place for me and my pony

I’ll be gone for early dawn

Come on in stranger

I hope I didn’t come off too strong

The wife is a fixin’ some supper

It’ll soon be ready; won’t be long

He reached into his saddlebag

Some jerky and dry beans was all he had

There had to be some kind of offering

And this wouldn’t be bad

The young man told a story

Ranchin’ was the life he chose

Tryin’ to make a livin’ of hay and horses

And how the goin’ had really been slow

As they bowed their heads the young rancher prayed

And the stranger knew where he stood

And he tried to remember

When bread, beans and jerky tasted so good

He was offered to bed down by the fire

And his mind came to a slow pace

He dreamed of the nearing Christmas, his mother

And his ranch back at the home place

Leaving ‘fore dawn as he promised

He traced the mornin’ sun on the land

I’ve made my home and my life

Ridin’ the trail in Gods hands

Hoarding Case Update

Slowly but surely the dogs are being rescued from the terrible situation here in Harney County I posted about two weeks ago. Many of the dogs have been transported to rescue shelters and Humane Societies in the Willamette Valley. You will find contact names and numbers at the bottom of this post in the press release.

Time could run out on some of the remaining dogs and puppies...if anyone can help with donations, fostering, or adopting please contact Melanie of Harney County Save A Stray Rescue at 541-589-1104.

These lil' faces are enough to make the heart

hurt for them...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Harney County Hoarding Dogs Leaving White Christmas Behind

Multiple rescue groups convene to bring 20 of the dogs to warmth and safety.

December 22, 2009–Salem, OR–At least 20 dogs and puppies from the Princeton, OR hoarding case will be able to avoid a white Christmas this year – instead of burrowing under discarded lumber piles and huddling in empty 55-gallon drums to avoid the below zero temperatures and snow, the dogs will be in warm kennels, well fed and out of the elements while awaiting their forever homes.

Harney County Save a Stray will arrive with a U-Haul trailer-load of puppies and dogs taken from the owners’ property. The caravan will meet representatives from Greenhill Humane Society in Eugene, Heartland Humane Society in Corvallis, Willamette Humane Society in Salem, and Pet Adoption Network, a Philomath-based rescue group.

Each organization has committed to taking several dogs, each of which will receive medical exams and treatment and be temperament tested before being put up for adoption. The puppies will be going into a foster home with Pet Adoption Network where they will be socialized, receive veterinarian exams, and be temperament tested for a couple of weeks before being put up for adoption.

About 70 dogs were picked up by the Oregon Humane Society and taken to their Portland facility on December 9. Since then Harney County Save a Stray has been scrambling to find placement for the estimated 60 dogs and puppies that remained on the property.

Melanie Epping, Save a Stray Founder, has been begging for places for the remaining dogs to go. “Some are living in pens, walking on the beef carcasses that they were fed and on their own waste,” said Epping. “Last week it was 15 degrees below zero and there were dogs chained outside with only a 55-gallon drum for shelter. Our biggest challenge now is to capture the remaining dogs running loose and getting them transported. Any dogs we don’t catch and place soon will be killed – most likely by shooting them.”

Epping said the Burns Safeway manager, Merle Reid had six pallets of dog food brought in and donated to help feed the dogs.

One group of puppies will go into Cooper’s Boarding Kennel in Amity, OR where kennel owner Joan Cooper will help them get used to humans and also work on house training and general socialization. Cooper became aware of the dogs’ plight while talking with a PAN volunteer and decided that she could be of some help.

Epping said Save a Stray is looking for volunteers to help capture, transport, foster, socialize, and adopt a dog. At this point, time is running out for the dogs not already placed, and any help is welcomed. Contact Melanie Epping at 541-589-1104 or visit the website: www.harneycountysaveastray.com

Donations of food, supplies or money can be made to the individual shelters taking the dogs, or financial donations to the Save a Stray account at US Bank or mailed to HCSAS; PO Box 403; Burns, OR 97720

• Greenhill Humane Society: www.green-hill.org (541) 689-1503
• Heartland Humane Society: www.heartlandhumane.org (541) 757-9000
• Pet Adoption Network: www.pan.petfinder.com
• Willamette Humane Society: http://willamettehumane.org/ 503-585-5900

Salem Transfer Event Specifics:

When: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Where: Lowe’s parking lot, 1930 Turner Road Southeast, Salem, OR http://www.lowes.com
Contact: Linda Watkins (Pet Adoption Network) cell: 208-484-2534

It's Not a Buckle

Well, it's not the buckle I've been hopin' for...but I've known it for quite some time now. Back in July I posted that I thought I had achieved my goal in life...which is to win a belt buckle with a horse that I've trained.

It didn't happen...because of the point system that the club uses (I missed the last show and because I would rather be at the Pendleton Roundup), I took reserve champion reiner instead of champion reiner.

I don't mind at all. My friend Wendy made all three shows and got the points to make champion. She's worked hard all year showing multiple horses in the cutting club and the saddle club and deserves recognition. Way to go Wendy!

As reserve, I was awarded this great Oster

grooming kit. This will be perfect as a "show brush"

kit. It's totally appreciated...thanks to the

Great Basin Saddle Club!

So...my sights are on next year...there's a buckle out there somewhere with my name on it...right...???!!!???

Patience...and more hard work~~

Welcome to the Two Cow Ranch

Yep, as of yesterday...My Man and I are in the cow business! Meet Annabelle & Ellie~~

Two cows...that's not many...totally embarrassing compared to all the ranches in Harney County. But for us, it's a perfect number to start a lil' herd with.

Annabelle is the one with the horns.

Ellie is the curious one...she's trying to help My Man

put in the electric line for the tank heater!

We traded some hay for the cows. Ellie's had one calf and Annabelle has had two. They are both bred and should calve in late March or early April. I can't wait to see the lil' calves on the ground! But, there will be no naming of the calves...they're to sell and eat!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In other news, I'm home by myself once again after having My Man home since December 3 while he was recuperating from hernia surgery. He was pretty sore for the first few days and then needed to get up and moving...so that's where the painting came in. He was a great help! We got the living/dining rooms done as well as the master bedroom.

The windows still need painting (today's project) so I don't have anything up on the walls yet. I have a wood bench to paint too that will go at the foot of the bed. The French doors going into the master bathroom are getting a new coat of paint too...OK...got to get going!

The photo turned out funky colored, but the bedroom

is sage green and a sort of pink color. It looks much

better in real life!

The living/dining rooms are a brick color and a tan.

It's a very cozy warm feeling color.

Lastly, welcome Winter Solstice!!! My favorite day of the year...yippee!!!!!! I'm totally ready for the days to get longer again...come on spring!

Wordless Wednesday

Sunday Stills ~ Technology

This week's Sunday Stills photo challenge is Technology.

I'm one of the slowest people to get into the techno gadget thing...but the gadgets that I do have are useful to me...either daily or upon occasion.

This is my upon occasion gadget. I never thought I'd own

or want to own an iPod...it really bugs me to see

kids plugged into their iPods all day long...they're

loosing out on communicating and being social...IMHO.

But when my lil' brother brought his to a family get together

a couple of years ago and plugged it into a speaker device

I could see the possibilities!

MUSIC while camping without dragging around the

huge boom box and CD's!

We always take it camping and I also take it to

my hotel room when I'm doing my Ag Survey

trainings or field work...it's wonderful...

until I run out of battery power ;~)

This is our daily entertainment. Sirius satellite radio.

Without TV and only two radio stations in our area

(one of which we can only get during the daylight hours)

it's one of the best subscriptions we've ever made!

We love Willie's Place and Outlaw Country, and

I listen to The Coffee House most of the day.

My last subject is not so technologically advanced but I still consider it technology...it's a huge time saver to us and many others who own livestock or pets...

I'm sure whoever invented the water tank heater

is basking in the sun in Jamaica right now

enjoying a beverage with an umbrella in it!

Head on over to the comments Here at Sunday Stills and check out the other challenge participants!