Random 5 Friday & Other News

1.  There's a tiny bit of feel of spring...lots of showers, both snow and rain...sunshine and clouds...I've seen the first Bald Eagle. The Bald Eagle is the true sign that spring is coming...the sage rats will be running soon (food source for the eagles)!

2.  The husband is going the the men's sportsmen's dinner tonight...but he doesn't hunt. So, I'm sending him with a hot dish of roasted onions and sweet potatoes. They should eat something besides meat...right?!?!

3.  I keep telling myself that I'm going to hop on my cruiser bicycle and take the dogs for a run...OK...tomorrow!!

4.  The poinsettias are heading to the compost...unless you can tell me how to revive them!

5.  Oh, my...seed catalogs!! It's hard to plan a garden when you are thinking you'll be moving. I may do a mini garden again this year.

Well, I've made it through the first 8 days of the 21-Day Live Video Challenge!! I even made the leader-board...I'm happy!

Hey...have a wonderful weekend everyone!!

Big Town...Little Town?

#MLAChallenge Day 6

Are You Involved in Agriculture?

#MLAChallenge Day 7

Bail Off the Sugar Bus!

#MLAChallenge Day 8

With much LOVE,

#DoingLifeBetter

Aging Photo Challenge ~ 2008 to 2018

This has been going around, and I'm really enjoying everyone's photos! Do yourself or a critter...it doesn't matter.

So here's my once-in-a-life-time horse Colt! Hmmm...well, I guess I'm doing both Colt and me...since we're in both pics!! LOL!

2008 as a 3 year old I had competed with him in the Harney County Reined Stock Horse Futurity and we placed 2nd I think...gosh, I can't remember! This photo is from November that year when we helped the neighbors gather and load their cow/calf pairs. Colt was trying to "cut" all the cows!

2018 this past summer, we participated in a three-day Cowboy Dressage clinic. From cows to Cowboy Dressage...he can do it all. Well, that's what the American Quarter Horse is supposed to do!

And...my 21 Day Live Video Challenge...

3 Steps to Success 
#MLAChallenge Day 5

Have a wonderful Tuesday!!!

With much LOVE,

#DoingLifeBetter

I Didn't Cry Today!!!

OK...this 21 Day Live Video Challenge has be hard! Not in the way that I have a hard time pressing the "go live" button...but it's been hard telling my story about my journey with breast cancer. It's emotional! This crying thing totally took me by surprise!

If you've watched the videos, 1-3, you can see that I've been able to get my emotions toned down so I can talk...but I'm still weepy underneath. I had plans for this...like for weeks...to tell this story...and NEVER did I think I would break into tears.

What I think is that I stuffed my emotions into a box inside my heart and didn't look into or open the box...for a few years now. And when I began speaking about it all...BOOM...breakdown!

But, it was all for the good. I got the story out and the reactions and comments from people have been so uplifting! When people say that you are helping them...I've succeeded!

Are You Ready for the First Step?!?! #MLAChallenge Day 4

Here's the link to my FAV Dump Ranch Dressing!

If you want to get connected...leave me a comment or find me on Facebook HERE!

With much LOVE,

#DoingLifeBetter

Ahhhhhhh...Wonderful, Lazy Sundays!

Sundays are really the only day that I feel comfortable being lazy. I cook only two meals, we go to church at 5 PM, and I pick some things during the day that "I want to do" ... not need to do!!

I started doing the church bulletin and Facebook page a long time ago. One of the things that I enjoy is scrolling through my old photos and picking one to do a weekly post with...like the  one below. It's been fun and keeps my skills going and my mind in the Word.

I've decided to continue posting my 21 Day Video Challenge videos...because it puts them in one spot where I know I can find them...Facebook is where I go live with them, but I like to use my blog as a diary. Like when I took Colt through the Futurities...it's all documented! So, take a listen or not...no worries!

#MLAChallenge Day 2: Leading up to a Crash!

#MLAChallenge Day 3: My Method of Survival from the Elements! 

Thanks for stopping in, and enjoy your wonderful Sunday!!!

With much LOVE,

#DoingLifeBetter

Friday!! Random Five & the Video Challenge

Whoa...the week came and went FAST!! Here we are at Friday again!

Well...here are my Five Randoms for the day...

#1...I took a pretty nice shot this morning with my phone out the kitchen window (dirt and all) of the sunrise and the finches feasting at the feeder, and I hook the phone just now...and that photo is missing...with dozens of others...technology is a pain :(  So...here's Colt and Stanley after a hard few days at Crowley Ranch last fall working cow/calf pairs.

#2...My Day 1 with the video challenge could have been better...tomorrow, I'll turn on WiFi before I start, and I promise not to cry :'0

#3...Dinner is in the slow cooker and the house smells awesome!!!

#4...Speaking of food...I've been on a Paleo/Keto combo diet since March...and LOVE it!!! I honestly lost 11 pounds of inflammation in two weeks...no kidding! I have energy and sleep much better too!!

#5...OK...I'm still on food! The 7 chickens are picking up on their egg production...we're up to 3 a day. But, the rooster...well, there wasn't supposed to be a rooster!!! LOL!!

Linking up with Tom today!

Have an awesome weekend everyone!

With much LOVE,

#DoingLifeBetter

Testing...for the 21 Day LIVE Video Challenge!

21 Day Live Video Challenge !

This is a Test!!

Testing...Testing!

Well, it works! Gotta tell ya, livin' in the middle of nowhere has it's challenges with modern technology. Our cell phone signal isn't strong enough to support live video...some days it doesn't even support a simple phone call!!

But...with the new, stronger, (sort of) faster wireless router it seems to be doing the job!

So, leave me a shout out about what you think!

Live video on Facebook...then it's easily embedded into the blog!! 

Whooooooohooooooooo!!

Hey...if you would like to hook up on FB, just click this link!

With much LOVE,

#DoingLifeBetter

Hello from Bert!

Today, we have guest blogger Bert with us! You're on Bert!

Hellooooooo...I'm Bert!

Well, mom says I get to bark today!  I'm not sure how to put cuteness into dog words...as you can see, I'm VERY cute!!! BOL!!! (barkin' out loud)

January of last year, I was wandering the streets of Pendleton Oregon...just mindin' my own business, and a 2-legged picked me up, stuffed me in their auto and took me to prison!!!!! What? Why?????!!!! I hadn't done anything wrong! But, they said I had to wait for my owners to come and get me. Well...pffffffffttttttttttt...those lousy !?#$%@ never came to get me! What?!?!?!?!

I'm sooooooooo cute!!!!!

I have to admit, in the end, everything worked out to MY benefit!!! Well, except for the unlawful takin' of my jewels...those were MINE!!!!! Ahhhhh well...they're gone now, and I guess I don't really miss 'em that much...BOL!!

So, this nice lady saw me on the internet...Facebook in fact. And she said that she couldn't let such CUTENESS be left in prison...so she paid my bail! Whoooooooooohoooooooooooo...I was FREE! But, Oh My Dog...she had like 25 other dogs!! It was a bit overwhelming for me. But...then...something MAGICAL happened!!!

My mom saw my cute picture on Facebook!!
(that Facebook thing gets around)

The rest is history!!! I went for a 3-day sleep-over, and I never went back to the place with 25 dogs. Amen to that!!! Now, don't get me wrong...I love the lady who got me out of prison as she is a wonderful savior of many dogs...Dog Bless Her!!

I've landed the BEST place to live! Two great meals a day, sleepin' on the couch, snuggling with mom on the couch (you see, I love the couch!), lots of fun play time with the other dogs...and my mom. I absolutely LOVE my mom!!!

Well, I must go...all this barkin' has exhausted me...and the couch is callin' my name! Thanks for listenin' to my barkin'!!

With much LOVE,

Bert
who is also

#DoingLifeBetter

with

Cowboy Dressage~My New Love!

Well, here I am again...maybe I really can get this blog rollin'!! Thank you to those who have stopped by, and thanks to those who have left an awesome comment...great to hear from you all!!

A lot has happened in my life in the past 3 years...I wrote a quick summary that you will find in the right column called: Health & Life 2018 and Beyond. There's been a lifestyle change, hence the name change of the blog.

So...Cowboy Dressage...I had been searching for something to do with Colt besides moving cows...which in 2016 was all I was doing with him. As a team, Colt and I had competed in some reined cow horse and the local stock horse futurity for 5 years...and we completed the Mike Bridges 5 year Project building a bridle horse...and I was ready for something different...but I wanted to use Colt's skills.

Options...ranch horse versatility, western dressage, Cowboy Dressage, and others...well, there happened to be a Cowboy Dressage clinic in Bend with JoLinn and Mitch Hoover and Dee Myers. So, we went...and got hooked! Well, me for sure...not so sure about Colt...he was falling asleep...but he has all the training behind him to do well with the discipline!

Hooked, but not landed. My Man and I decided we wanted to move to Montana...so, our place has been on the market, and I didn't do anything much with Colt until I decided I was tired of waiting...waiting to move...and the move wasn't happening very quickly.

Fast forward to last summer...I HAD to move forward with Colt and Cowboy Dressage!! I found a clinic in Alfalfa with Lyn Ringrose-Moe! What a blessing...I was on the waiting list, but we got in!!

We had sooooooo much fun!! Three days of bliss!! The clinic was held at Flying Flower Ranch in Alfalfa...and all the meals were provided...it was a true vacation for me!!!!!

I only knew one person on day one...and after day three, I had a whole new circle of friends!! Everyone in Cowboy Dressage is rooting for each other. Great people with huge hearts...they love their horses and they love harmony with their horses and with their fellow man...what a concept in these frustrating days we live in now!

You'll notice that I'm riding Colt in the hackamore again...well, I LOVE riding him in the hackamore, and it's been a few years since I rode him in the bridle. So, that'll be part of our training this spring. But, one of the awesome things in Cowboy Dressage is that you are not forced to ride in head gear by the age of your horse. There are rules...but the main idea, is that you ride your horse with communication and harmony...striving for "soft feel." So, you can choose what you ride your horse in!

One last highlight...

...it was my birthday weekend...and My Man showed up, flowers in hand, to surprise me!! I was elated and feelin' LOVED...Colt...not so much as you can see by the look on his face!  LOL!!!

So, how do I feel about Cowboy Dressage? I'm totally hooked...and there is more, so stay tuned!!!

#DoingLifeBetter

With Much Love,

Willy-Nilly Friday 5 ~ Let's Video!

Linking up today with Tanya...who's linking up with Tom...

Yep, I'm confused who Willy-Nilly Friday 5 actually belongs to...but it sounds like FUN!!! I'm trying a video today...testing...testing...

Thanks to both Tanya and Tom (I'm sure one of you will tell me what I don't know!)!!

Confession...somewhere between reducing file size and uploading, I whacked half my head off. LOL!! I have some improvements to make on my video making!!

With much LOVE,

#DoingLifeBetter

Doing Life Better

Well...hello!!

LOOOOONG time, no see (since June of 2017 to be exact)!

 I seriously do miss blogging...and my blogging friends!

Is blogging again my resolution? No, I don't do resolutions!

"Doing Life Better" is my lifestyle change...every day...and for a lot of good reasons!

BUT! I plan on doing a lot more saddle time in 2019...including a

bunch of Cowboy Dressage with my trusty pard' Colt!!

So, what about you? What are you going to do in 2019?

I'd LOVE to hear from you!!

With love,

#DoingLifeBetter

Linking up with Thankful Thursday

It's a Small Town Life