Looking Forward to 2026

The day after Christmas, I set to organizing things and taking down the Christmas tree. 

Everyone was sad to see the tree come down so soon, but we have to shift gears for the New Years, a new batch of guests, and a wedding this weekend. 

Christmas itself had been so much fun. We made gingerbread houses with the grandsons.

On Christmas morning our daughter, with the help of her older brother, hosted a Christmas morning breakfast and tea. 

We filled up on savory and sweet crepes, specialty french toast with homemade huckleberry syrup, cinnamon rolls, bacon, and a black tea with bits of candy cane and a candy cane spoon. 

Honestly, we didn’t need to eat another thing all day, but we ended with our traditional cheese and meat fondues and gift giving. 

I feel refreshed to embrace the New Year. No plans, beyond the wedding, except to work with the horses and maybe visit the barn cats more often. (They’re getting along great now and seem very cozy in the Sanctuary.) 

I’ll take advantage of the slower pace to continue playing my instruments: piano, guitar and flute, and maybe even try to overcome my paralyzing stage fright. That would be a worthy endeavor for 2026, since it has plagued me for 46 years. 

How about you? Any plans for the New Year?

Merry Christmas!

I’m not sure where the time went, but here we are at Christmas Eve! There has been warm weather, wind storms, car issues, great grandbaby’s birth, gingerbread houses, a Christmas tea, Christmas parties with family and friends, and so much more that happened and is still to come. 

(Grandson and I made a little gingerbread house earlier, but the main gingerbread making will be tonight on Christmas Eve)

(Daughter and I took a moment last weekend for Christmas tea, accompanied by a beautiful Christmas harp.)

(We received a gorgeous centerpiece from our Texas kids. It’s just so lovely.)

(Grandpa and grandson placing the angel on top of the tree. The tree is 57 years young, and the angel is one I purchased from a fellow teacher, back in my days in education. I purchased it from her in 1990, and it is a little worse for wear, but part of our tradition. Seems like a lifetime ago.)

(The cats are nestled in the Sanctuary and getting along very well together.)

Our family Christmas party was last weekend. Lots of food, games, and gifts. It was our first since our dad passed.)

(And, speaking of my dad, we have been blessed with a robin in our front tree this winter.)

(I think he’s enjoying the little berries on our crab apple tree. Whatever the case, when I see robins, I think of my dad, who told us that is how he would say hi from the other side, IF such things are possible. And at Christmas, all things are possible!)

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Wind Storm!

 

We are currently being battered by high winds, but they were predicted, and we prepared for them. The airport near us recorded 75 mph gusts.

My husband cut down a partially dead tree yesterday, next to our house, to make sure it didn’t come down during the storm. 

I locked the horses inside the barn, and they made it safely through the night. We made sure the hay huts had new round bales to keep them down, as high winds have, in the past, lifted them. 

Inside the barn, my husband parked the tractor against the barn door for extra support. We lost that door a while back during a 70 mph windstorm. 

We haven’t lost electricity, but we do have a large generator ready to go if we do. 

In the sanctuary of the barn, the cats are forming bonds and getting along much better, but I returned Dan to his enclosure during the night because I suspected they’d get a little crazy with the darkness and wind. 

Earlier in the day he was finally calm and able to sleep on his cat tree. The wild look was gone from his eyes and he and Tuffy were no longer hissing at each other. 

I’ll probably leave his enclosure up for a few more days, but should be able to remove it by the end of the week. They’ll stay locked in the room for a couple of months. I want them to get used to it being their new home before I let them out. 

In other news, we put up the old family Christmas tree. It is 57 this year, and quite a chore to insert branches into worn out holes in the wood pole. But I love it so much. One of my sons has promised to get it to 100 for me. 

In the pasture, all the moisture has given rise to these mushrooms. Lyophyllaceae. 

My app says they are poisonous. 

Hope you’re all staying safe and warm where you are at. 

Unexpected Sunshine, Horse Time & Car Troubles

You may have read about our state in the news. We are getting massive flooding and high water levels. This photo was taken by me last night over the Spokane River in downtown Spokane. 

Our city has gone all out for Christmas this year and last night we took the grandsons downtown for the Christmas village and fireworks. 

It had been an amazingly warm day. Sunny and mid-50’s. That’s the bright side of the “Pineapple Express.”

Things are green here with these warm temps. I still have the volunteer petunias growing in front of the house and vines in front of the barn. 

I had time with Tumbleweed yesterday. We worked from the ground. About half way into it, I realized he was doing okay, but not tuned in as much as he should be. I stopped and thought about the energy I wanted to have, the intention, and the feel I needed. It changed everything, and we ended on a solid note. I’m hoping that will translate to a good ride on him today. I will go out better prepared to connect from the beginning. 

Earlier yesterday we took the grandsons on a train ride with Santa and laid wreaths on the headstones of veterans for Wreaths Across America. 

My dad was laid to rest in this cemetery, so we were able to place one on his headstone, too. 

A couple nights before yesterday we had the most beautiful purple sunset. It cast a blue light around the horses and framed Tweed in its aura. 

Earlier that day, you can see their frisky, muddy selves. 

Tweed and his mare herd heading towards me with determination. 

An update on our barn cat introduction. These photos are of Dangerous Dan’s first day out. He has been out several times since then, and he even escaped the room when my husband, unwittingly, opened the freedom door. 

Dan was born in a barn and, even at the age of 11, has the wild, feral instincts. 

Grady, on the other hand, was born to be a lap cat. He is enjoying his life of comfort and has no such need to fight or escape. 

We don’t have any plans today, except to ride Tweed, acclimate kitties, and fix one of our cars. 

Last week, we drove two hours to see our granddaughter perform in a community theater play. Before we left, our favorite (and oldest) car was making a funny noise. But we didn’t heed its warning. 

Instead, we jumped in and headed down the road. 

All was well until we were going back home with two of our other grandkids in tow. We were taking a different highway to get to their house in Idaho and drop them off, when all of a sudden we heard a loud banging as we were pulling into a small college town along the route. About that time, a couple fire engines passed us with their lights on, and we smelled something burning. My husband figured it was whatever they were rushing to, but the smell continued to follow us…because it was us!

Miraculously, the power cut out exactly as we were passing an open auto store (the only one opened at that time on a Sunday night). We coasted into the parking lot and turned it off. It was also, miraculously, nextdoor to a McDonald’s, which we took full advantage of as we waited. 

An employee at O’Reilly’s came out and helped my husband troubleshoot the problem. It was the idler pulley and serpentine belt. (That was the noise we heard before we left—the idler pulley was failing).

We couldn’t fix it that night, but O’Reilley’s allowed us to leave it there until we could have it repaired or towed home. 

When we realized it couldn’t be fixed, another granddaughter, and her fiancée, volunteered to drive two hours down to pick us up and save the day. 

Their wedding is in a few weeks and it gave us this wonderful opportunity to spend time with them. We loved every minute of it, even though we felt horrible that they had to venture so far, and so late at night, to save us. 

We haven’t had to be bailed out like that since we were kids. It reminded me of my dad having to come out and save my bacon on more than one occasion. 

There is something kind of magical about being helpless, and then being saved, by those you love. 

It was towed back a couple days later.  

And my husband has been working on it here and there ever since. 

A little at a time. 

He has it in the barn today and is putting it back together after taking off and replacing even more parts, pulleys, alternator, etc. he figured since he was doing it, he might as well replace everything.  

My husband is NOT a mechanic or, at least, he wasn’t. If it starts back up today, however, he will have earned that title!

Hodge Podge Post

It has been a long time since I did a non-horsey post, so this one will be a little of everything.

Tumbleweed’s siblings. As many of you will remember, Tumbleweed’s mama, Rosalee was sold to a breeding home near me. She has been bred to their stallion, Gunnaoutshinya. I think she has had three foals since that time. Here are two of them.

Gunna Step N Jac at the Reno Snaffle Bit Futurity. 

And their 2025 filly, same combo. You can see Rosalee behind the little cutey. (You can follow their program at Marcy McBride’s Facebook page, Betsy Hardin is the owner.)

Winter butterflies. I read The Very Hungry Caterpillar with my grandson, and we ordered caterpillars and a butterfly house so that we could watch the whole process.

Since they hatched in winter, we are now the proud owners of pet butterflies. Unfortunately, when I released them into the sunroom, they couldn’t fly. I’m not sure if they are going to make it. 

Horses in snow. Like Aurora, we received our first snow, and the horses all chose to be out in it. They had a couple round bales and I supplemented with alfalfa. These were taken on my way to check in on them one night. Since then, the weather changed to wind, rain, and mud, and they preferred to be in the barn. 

They are a very happy little herd, and they love snow.

Weighted reins. Last July I upgraded to weighted leather reins, and I loved the feel they give me. This fall, Buckaroo Leather had another sale, so I had them make me a pair that was a little longer. (My daughter is going to use the original set since Epona is shorter backed). These reins come already supple, but they do get even softer with use. Once you go weighted, you can never go back!

Cats. We have two sets of cats in two different places, but they are all getting old and Tuffy, in the barn, was all alone. I decided to introduce them and let them live together, but that is easier said than done. 

I first switched their cuddle furs to their different locations so they could each others scents. Then, I put the two who had been together, Dan and Grady, in our cat enclosure in the room. 

After one night, Grady was chill enough that I let him out for a bit. 

Dan, in the cage, would not come out. He was still hissing. 

Grady, however, was able to remain out after the 3rd day. He is in the chair. Tuffy is looking up at me. 

Tuffy, my barn cat, rubbing on my flute music. 

As of last night (and today) Dan still won’t come out. Grady, however, acts like he was born for this room. As I was leaving last night I caught a few photos of him chilling on the cat tree. 

It’s a long story how they came to be separated, but in a nutshell, Dan tried to run Tuffy out of his own barn. Back then, we also had Tuffy’s sister, so he had a companion. 

There was no enclosed barn room. So, I was forced to lock Dan and Grady in our house’s sunroom, (which has an attached outside cat enclosure) so that Dan couldn’t challenge Tuffy and his sister. Did I mention my husband is allergic to cats?

Anywho. 

Now that we have a completely enclosed barn room, I can acclimate them to each other and maybe by spring allow them inside / outside again. (This nutshell story is as clear as mud.)

Long story short, they are going to have to learn get along, and I’m willing to wait it out with dastardly Dan. 

They are fun to have in my barn room. I enjoy them more together. And I hated Tuffy living out there all alone.