Washing Windows

Today is a short post as I'm doing one of the twice-yearly jobs that I love (he said with a touch of sarcasm in his voice, or I guess fingers since I'm typing this) - washing windows.  This and mopping the floors (all our floors are tile) are two jobs that I plan to do twice a year - in the Fall and again in the Spring.

I usually do both just before Balloon Fiesta as we usually have company for that event.

And, no that's not me in the picture.  Except for a four foot ladder I use for the upper part of the bedroom windows and our large, living room windows, I keep my feet on the ground.

Today is September 30 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Jenna Elfman, Johnny Mathis, Robin Roberts, Angie Dickinson, Truman Capote, Deborah Kerr, and Elie Wiesel.

On this day in 1788 Pennsylvania elected the first two Senators to the new, US Senate, and they immediately tried to put $2 million dollars worth of earmarks into the Constitution (just kidding about that last part).  In 1846 ether was used for the first time as an anesthetic (when I was 6 and had my tonsils out, they were still using ether - bad experience).  In 1927 Babe Ruth hit his 60th home run to set a record that stood for a long time.  In 1954 the US Navy commissioned the first nuclear submarine, the SSN Nautilus.  In 1962, black student James Meredith registered at the University of Mississippi.  And, in 1982 the comedy "Cheers" made its debut on NBC.  

Manic Monday

I normally don't want to post about politcal things, but I have to say a few words about our idiots (oops, I mean congress folk) in Washington.  

I know this is a complicated situation and I have no idea what's the best thing to do.  I tend to be in favor of a free market that corrects itself, but I have to admit that with all the tinkering Washington has done in the past few decades, it's hard to say we actually have a free market any more.  Hopefully, more wiser heads than mine will eventually come to the fore (but I'm not holding my breath).

Most of all I'm so disappointed in the bickering and finger-pointing that is going on.  Are these leaders or spoiled kids?  I vote for spoiled kids.  In my years of service as a Navy officer and my years as a manager for a large corporation, I have never seen such a total lack of leadership.

It also amazes me that the people who helped create this mess can lie so easily as they blame others.

All I can say for Betty and me is at the end of the day, our trust is still in the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

Our founding fathers must be rolling over in their graves.

Today is September 29 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Bryant Gumble, Lech Walesa, Jerry Lee Lewis, Enrico Fermi, Stanley Kramer, Gene Autry, and Horatio Nelson.

On this day in 1789 Congress established a US Army.  In 1829 Scotland Yard was established.  In 1978 Pope John Paul I died.  And, in 2008 the US Congress lost any last shred of integrity.

Sunday Reflections - Balloons

"...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles..."  (Isaiah 40:31)

Yesterday was one of those beautiful Saturday mornings we have in the fall.  The skies were a deep blue with wispy clouds all over the place.

I went out to let Gletta out after feeding both horses in their stalls.  We have to shut Gletta's run out gate because she eats so much slower than Morgunn.  If we don't, he would finish his hay and then go to her stall and eat the rest of hers.

As I walked out to her stall I heard a familiar whooshing sound.  It was the sound of burning propane which is a very familiar sound in this area.  I looked up and there were about 6 or 7 balloons all across the sky and a couple were coming over close to our house.

I love this time of year.  The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta starts next Friday with the Albuquerque Fly In.  A lot of the balloons go to all the elementary, middle and high schools around the area and take off from the schools so the kids can watch them take off.  That means they come up all around us and it's a neat sight.

As I watched the balloons float across the sky it brought back memories from several years ago.  On Betty's birthday in May we were going to be out in Colorado visiting our son, Wade Daniel, and his new wife, Marie.  Betty and I had always wanted to take a balloon ride so our son arranged one.  It turned out we took our ride in South Park, Colorado (yes, that's where the creator of South Park got the name for their show).  We had a grand time.  We did a splash and dash where the pilot dropped the balloon down almost to a small river and then took off again.  We watched horses run beneath us as they seemed to want to play with us.

We had such a good time that we decided to do it again later that summer in August with our other son, Chris, and his wife, Tracy.  We took a wonderful balloon ride over the rolling green hills and corn fields of central Ohio.  We would fly low over a stand of trees and swoop across a highway and it was fun to watch the drivers as we surprised them by going over so low.  The pilot even lowered the balloon so we clipped the tops of corn stalks in a field and even flew through the tops of trees.

On both flights it was fun to watch people come out to see us and several times we could even talk with them because we were low enough.

Flying in a balloon is probably the closest I'll ever come to physically 'soaring on wings like eagles.'  However, it's a blessing to know that the God of the universe lives within me so that my spirit can 'soar on wings like eagles,' even in those times when I feel like I've had my wings clipped and been grounded by life.

Today is September 28 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Hillary Duff, Naomi Watts, Moon Unit Zappa (now that's a name), Brigitte Bardot, Al Capp, and Ed Sullivan.

On this day in 1066, William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy, invaded England (and the legend of Robin Hood was born).  In 1850 flogging was abolished as a form of punishment in the US Navy (I'm glad, being a Navy veteran).  In 1924 two US Army planes landed in Seattle completing the first around-the-world flight in 175 days).  And, in 2005 the US Treasury introduced the new, colorful $10 bill.

New Bit - Last Post

I took Morgunn out for a short ride this morning.  We rode down the street and South toward the arroyo that is in that direction.  There's a dirt road that goes along the arroyo and then circles back toward the houses that are across the street from us.  It was only about 30 minutes, but since we haven't ridden much at all this summer, he's definitely out of shape.  I want to work him gradually a little more each time we ride so he can work himself back into shape.

He did fine, even if a little slow since he's a little flabby (as I was until I started exercising again once Betty started to feel a little better).  He also did very well with the new Rocking S snaffle bit I recently got for him.  He was very calm with it and responded well with very little rein pressure.  He even did a couple of nice half-passes which I was happy to see because it's been a long time since I asked him to do that.  He walked with a nice, relaxed head position.  The couple of times I asked him to do a tolt (the Icelandic gait), he was a little trotty and we need to work some more with his collection.  However, I suspect that also is due to his being out of shape and that will get progressively better with more work.

This is a picture of the new bit in Morgunn's mouth.   A regular O-ring, Eggbutt, or D-ring snaffle would have the ring connected to the bar (the piece in his mouth) with the ring behind the mouth.  The reins would also attach directly to the ring.  With this Rocking S snaffle bit, the reins connect to small ring atop the inside ring.  This inside ring moves freely so whenever Morgunn wants to mouth the bit it floats as his mouth moves.  The reins are attached to the outside half ring. 

Here's a picture with rein pressure being applied to the bit (not much as I didn't want him to move his head).  The outside half-ring is the pressure point on the bit and it can move freely.  You almost get a side-pull effect.  The inside rings act almost like a full-cheek snaffle so you don't have to worry about accidently pulling the bit through his mouth.  Unlike a full-cheek snaffle you don't have to worry about the cheek pieces poking the horse.

For those who have no idea what I'm talking about here are pictures of the other types of snaffle bits that I mentioned above.

A picture of an O-ring snaffle bit:

A picture of an Eggbutt snaffle bit:

A picture of a D-ring snaffle bit:

A picture of a Full-cheek snaffle bit:

Enough about the new bit!

Today is September 27 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Gwyneth Paltrow, Shaun Cassidy, Mike Schmidt, Meat Loaf (singer, not the dish), Wilford Brimley, and William Conrad.

On this day in 1825 the first locomotive to haul a passenger train was operated in England.  In 1954 the "Tonight" show, hosted by Steve Allen, made its debut on NBC.  In 1964 the Warren Commission issued a report that said that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman in the Kennedy assassination.  In 1998 Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals hit his record setting 69th and 70th home runs (perhaps aided by a little juice?).  And in 1999 Detroit's Tiger stadium closed after 87 years as the home of the Detroit Tigers.

New Bit - Slight Delay

There were some good questions on yesterday's post about this new bit I'm trying with Morgunn.  I'll try to answer them today.  I'm not an expert by any means, but I'll give you my honest opinion.

Lisa (Laughing Orca Ranch) asked why I thought this particular bit would be good with Morgunn.  When I first got Morgunn he was in a leverage bit - one where the reins attach to shanks so there is more leverage on the bit when there is contact on the reins.  This is a good bit for a lot of horses, but it does require someone who is experienced enough to know how to be gentle with the hands and reins.  It's easy, with a leverage bit, to be too harsh with the horse's mouth.

After about a year and a half, I decided to give the bitless bridle a shot.  I wasn't having any trouble with Morgunn; it was just curiousity on my part.  He seemed to like it, but I didn't notice any real difference.  However, after a year or so, I noticed that we weren't improving in terms of our riding together.  We seemed to hit a plateau.  I'm sure it was more than just the bitless bridle, but I decided to go back to the bit to get a little more contact with him.  I didn't want to go back to a leverage bit as I feel any horse is capable of good performance with a simple snaffle if we're willing to put the time into training.  I don't mean to imply there are not good reasons to go to a leverage bit, but I don't recommend doing it as a shortcut instead of good training.

As I mentioned, I ran across this bit on Mark Rashid's web site.  He's a common-sense trainer who's not into being a celebrity trainer. I have a great respect for his methods and this is the only piece of tack he recommends.

7MSN asked if the bit was available in the local tack shops and I don't think so, but I'll check over the next couple of weeks and let you know for sure.  I bought mine at C&W Western Store (http://www.kyhorse.com/store/tack/reinsman/specialtysnaffles.htm).  Their price is about $30 cheaper than anyone else.

I had planned to ride Morgunn again this morning, but an e-mail from our friends, Max and Michelle, at Galloping Grace Youth Ranch got me to head out to the ranch this morning to help with a group of Girl Scouts who came out to ride.  It was a lot of fun.

I'm also going to the ranch tomorrow morning to help again.  So, it will be Saturday morning before I can ride Morgunn again.  I'll take some pictures so you can see how the bit works on him.  Look for them on the Saturday evening post.

Today is September 25 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Catherine Zeta-Jones, Will Smith, Scotty Pippen, Heather Locklear, Christopher Reeve, Mark Hamill, Michael Douglas, Barbara Walters, and William Faulkner.

On this day in 1789 the first US Congress adopted 12 amendments to the Constitution and sent them to the States for ratification.  The 10 that were ratified became the Bill of Rights.  In 1957 with 300 US Army troops standing guard, nine black children were escorted to Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.  And, in 1981 Sandra Day O'Connor was sworn in as the first female US Supreme Court Justice.  

New Bit - Part 2

I rode Morgunn today in our back lot with the new bit (picture to the left) and he did fine.  I believe he's still getting used to it since it's been a long while since he had a bit in his mouth.  He's always been good to accept a bit and that is still true with this one as well.

I like the floating ring that the reins attach to - it seems to make a lot of sense.  It also makes it easy to keep soft hands as the pull is more off to the side of the mouth instead of directly back into the mouth if the reins were attached to the main rings.

I'm planning to ride him again tomorrow and Saturday morning if all goes well.

Today is September 24 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Phil Harman, Linda McCartney, Jim Henson, Sheila MacRae, Jim McKay, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

On this day in 1869, financiers Jay Gould and James Fisk tried to corner the gold market, sending Wall Street into a panic and leaving thousands of investors in financial ruin (creepy, huh?).  In 1957 the Brooklyn Dodgers played their last game at Ebbetts Field before moving to Los Angeles.  In 1960 the USS Enterprise CVN-65, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was launched.  In 1968, "60 Minutes" premiered on CBS.  In 1991, author Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, died at ge 87.  And, in 2005, Hurricane Rita struck the Texas and Louisiana coasts.

New Bit

I'm trying a new bit with Morgunn.  For those of you who know, Morgunn has been in a bitless bridle for the last year and a half.  It worked fine in one respect, but I feel that we hit a plateau with it.  It didn't seem he was progressing in his training and in our riding together.  So, I decided to put him back into a bit.

Before the bitless bridle, I was using a Paso Fino bit based on the advice of the trainer who trained Morgunn.  It worked fine, but it's a little more harsh than I'm comfortable with.  I have a bias that almost every horse should be trainable and rideable in a snaffle bit.

We're a big fan of Mark Rashid and his training methods.  Mark normally doesn't sell any equipment - just his books and training DVDs.  However, he was given a new bit a year or so ago.  He admitted that he took it just to be nice, but threw it into a drawer.  Later, he had a horse that wasn't progressing in his training the way Mark wanted.  So, he decided to give the bit a try.  He didn't tell the owner/rider about it and he noticed a real difference in the horse.  He continued to try the bit with horses at his training clinics and in almost every case he could tell a real difference in each horse compared to his behavior in his original bit.

The bit is called the Rocking S Snaffle and it's made by Reinsman.  The circular rings are free to move, but what makes it different is the extra half ring that also moves freely.  The reins connect to this extra half ring so there is no pinching at all to this bit.

I put it on Morgunn the last couple of days while I did ground work with him and, after an initial mouthing it - probably because it's been so long since he had a bit in his mouth, he seemed fine.  I'm going to ride him tomorrow and see how well he does with his exercises with the new bit - flexion, lowering his head, moving his hindquarters, etc.

I'm always willing to try something new as long as I don't think it will hurt the horse in any way.

Today is September 23 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Jason Alexander, Bruce Springstein, Julio Iglesias, Ray Charles, and Mickey Rooney.

On this day in 63 B.C., Caesar Augustus was born in Rome.  In 1779 John Paul Jones said, "I have not yet begun to fight."  In 1806 Lewis and Clark returned to St. Louis after their explorations.  In 1846 the planet Neptune was discovered.  In 1939 Sigmund Freud died.  And, in 1952 Richard Nixon went on TV and did his "Checkers" speech that saved his Vice President role with President Eisenhower.

Happy Fall

At 9:44 AM this morning, Mountain Daylight Time, the sun crossed the autumnal equinox.  That means that it was directly above the Equator.  It will continue to head South of the Equator and our days will get even shorter and our weather cooler.

I don't know if pagans celebrate and I don't really care.  I celebrate the start of Fall as part of God's wondrous celestial mechanism that he created.  I also celebrate the beautiful colors we're seeing now and more are yet to come.

In our sage world, this is the time of the year for purple sage to bloom.  There is also a wild aster that blooms purple this time of year as well.  Then there are the wild sunflowers with their brilliant yellow blooms.  More yellow will come as the cottonwoods begin shortly to bloom in a brilliant blaze of gold and yellow.

Even the sunrises and sunsets are more magnificent this time of year.  The days are still warm and the nights are pleasantly cool.

I love our New Mexico Fall.

Today is September 22 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  My sister-in-law, Noel, and the wedding anniversary of my sister, Jane, and her husband Hack.  Also with:  Bonnie Hunt, Scott Baio, Joan Jett, Debby Boone, and Tommy Lasorda.

On this day in 1776 Nathan Hale ("I regret I only have one life to give for my country.") was hanged as a spy by the British.  In 1792 the French Republic was proclaimed.  And, in 1862 Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.  

Sunday Reflections - God, the Artist/Engineer

I want to talk about Cosmos.  No, today's Sunday Reflections is not about Carl Sagan's 'Cosmos.'  It's about a flower.

Cosmos grow very well here in Corrales, New Mexico.  We have a friend who grows beautiful flowers and sells them at the Corrales Growers Market on Sunday mornings.  We went there today to buy some late summer greens, green beans, beets, honey, and some oven bread.  While there we bought a bunch of purple Cosmos from her and they're sitting in our living room as I write this.

I like Cosmos.  I think they're beautiful.  They're delicate, but rich in their color.  Their stems are thin so they are able to flex easily in the winds that we often have here.  They're a tall plant so, even though they're fragile in appearance, they're majestic in their height.

They're a 'social' plant.  You never see a single Cosmos plant.  They always grow in bunches, usually fairly large bunches.

I love God's creativity.  There's no question in my mind that God is an Artist.  You only have to look around our world to see His artistic touch.  His colors are many and varied.  And, you never see colors clashing on God's canvas.  Look at the Cosmos in the picture above.  The yellows, purples and greens are magnificent together.

You rarely, if ever, see a straight line or an angle in God's artwork.  His creations flow, circle and glide in graceful ways.

But, God is also an Engineer.  His creations bring together flexibility and strength.  And, their intricacy is amazing.

I hope we can look around and see God's creation in the people who inhabit our lives.  I know the people in my life - both family and friends - are beautiful examples of God's artistry and engineering.  By the world's standards, we may not consider our selves as works of art, but God never creates junk.  We need to always remember that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made."

Today is September 21 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Nicole Richie, Faith Hill, Bill Murray, Stephen King, and H. G. Wells.

On this day in 1897 the New York Sun ran an editorial that answered a question from 8-year old Virginia O'Hanlon - "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."  In 1937 J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" was published.  And, in 1970 ABC's "Monday Night Football" debuted.  

Return to Our Childhood - Crossing Guards

When we were kids in elementary school, there were several jobs you could do.  

You could be a hall monitor, but no one liked them.  You were a snitch.  You could go out and clean erasers by beating them against one of the walls on the back of the building.  That was fun as it got you outside and it made a real, artistic mess on the wall - kind of a 1950's graffiti.

However, the really cool job was to be a member of the Safety Patrol.  You usually got an orange safety patrol belt to wear.  And, you got to hold a 'Stop' sign to control when the other kids crossed the road to school.  Of course, this was under the supervision of an adult, but it was still very cool.  (No, that's not a picture of either of us.  I found this picture on the web and it was made in 1951 when we would have been in the first grade.)

Well, Betty and I got to be Safety Patrol crossing guards this morning.  It wasn't for a school, but for a charity ride called the Corrales Recreational Ride.  It's an 8-mile loop ride through our community.

It starts at the local arena and goes first through one of the middle irrigation ditches.  This ditch path crosses several village roads and it helps to have volunteers who will stop traffic so the horseback riders can continue across safely without stopping and bunching up.

We worked from 9:00 to about 10:30 AM and, believe it or not, it was kind of fun.  After we finished we went home to feed the horses and then went back to the arena for a lunch provided by Perea's, a local Corrales restaurant - Green chile casserole, breakfast burritos, carne adovado wraps, green chile stew, and brown beans.  It was delicious.

(Just for the record, neither of us were actually on the Safety Patrol when we were kids.)

Here are some pictures of the riders as they passed our crossing guard position.  Notice how safe they look - all due to us!

Today is September 20 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Sophia Loren, Dr. Joyce Brothers, "Jelly Roll" Morton, and Upton Sinclair.

On this day in 1519 Magellan set out on his voyage to find a route to the Spice Islands and eventually went around the world.  In 1881 Chester A. Arthur was sworn in as the 21st President of the US after President James A. Garfield was assassinated.  In 1973 Billy Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in straight sets.  And, in 1998, after playing a record setting 2,632 straight games, Cal Ripken Jr., sat out a game.  

Breakfast at Flying Star

We have a local restaurant chain here in the Albuquerque area called the Flying Star.  It's a fun place to go, especially when you want to just hang out and talk with friends.

We're blessed to have great neighbors, one of whom, Carolyn, who lives behind us.  Carolyn is a neat lady.  She's intelligent, funny and has been a great friend as well as a great neighbor.  She's also a super BBQ cook and we have enjoyed her BBQ ribs several times.

Carolyn is an executive with the national YMCA and is about to take a temporary job that will require more travel than usual.  So she suggested that we get together for breakfast to catch up before she heads out of town.

Our local Flying Star is located close to the Bosque (the woods along the Rio Grande River) and has a wonderful outside seating area.  Betty and I have ridden our horses down here and enjoyed a late morning coffee on the patio.  However, it was a little too cool this morning to eat outside.

Flying Stars are known for their breakfasts.  They have their own bakery and their pastries, cakes and pies are to die for.  Both Carolyn and I had the Ranch breakast - scrambled eggs, bread, ranch fries, and maplewood bacon.  Betty had the French Toast breakfast.  This is Carolyn and Betty at the register.  Carolyn was gracious and treated us to breakfast this morning.  She said it was in payment for me being her "garbage can fairy."  Whenever Carolyn travels I make sure her garbage can doesn't sit in the street while she's gone.  It's a small thing to do for a great neighbor - besides I want to be sure we continue to enjoy her BBQ ribs in the future.

Carolyn filled us in on her challenges in the coming months and we brought her up-to-date on Betty's battle with this bacterial infection.  Carolyn even shared with us a grape-picking story.  She and another neighbor, Susan, who lives in front of us recently went to a local winery to pick grapes.  They even got to stomp some of the grapes in a wine barrel - with their bare feet.  Think of that the next time you buy a bottle of wine! 

It was a great morning for us as we greatly enjoy Carolyn's presence in our lives.  We are blessed to have her as our friend.

A Special Moment

As most of you know, we have a resident Roadrunner whom we call Simone.  Well, Betty and I had a special moment with Simone today.

We were finishing up feeding the horses their lunch.  During this time, Betty prepares their grain and supplements that we give them for dinner along with their hay.  I had finished cleaning up the manure and cleaning out their water tank, so I came into the tack room to talk with Betty as she finished her chores.

After she finished we walked out onto the little porch that's outside our tack room.  It's small - about 3' deep by 5' long.  Just as we got onto the porch we hear this clicking sound and looked down and there was Simone.  She had come around the end of the stall and was about 5' away from us.  We both stopped and stood as quietly as possible.

We expected her to run the other way since we were so close, but that didn't happen.

She kept making a clicking sound with her beak and looking up at us.  I talked back to her - asking her if she was having a good day (I know, stupid, but when you're starting a conversation with a Roadrunner you have to start light).  She kept clicking and started to walk toward us.  She got about 3' from us and we thought that would probably be it, but no.

She kept clicking and coming closer and eventually jumped up onto the little porch - looking at us all the time.  At this point, she was only about a foot and a half from both of us.  She stayed there for several seconds and then jumped back down and moved in front of us, again about two feet away. 

We have no idea what would have happened next because at that time a covey of quail came flying from the back of the stable heading for our courtyard.  If you've ever been around flying quail they make a "wooshing" sound with their wings.  This distracted Simone and she decided to walk over to the horses' water tank to get a drink.

Our special moment was over so we walked back to the house.  It was a great few minutes.

PS:  The picture of Simone above was taken just yesterday when she was on our picnic table just outside our living room windows.

Moon Rise

"I see the moon and the moon sees me.  God bless the moon and God bless me."

I remember that from my childhood and we used it with our kids when they were growing up.

The picture is the moon rise last night just as it was getting dark.  It's not yet the Harvest Moon.  That comes in October, but it's still a beautiful moon.

"As the moon reflects the sun's light, may we reflect the light of the Son."

Sunday Reflections - God and Bulls

As I write this I'm watching the live telecast of the Professional Bull Riding (PBR) event in Grand Rapids, Michigan (actually switching back and forth between it and the Denver/San Diego game).  I'm a big fan of the PBR for several reasons.

First, on a percentage basis, more bullriders are Christians than any other sport.  I guess this is not surprising considering they put their lives on the line every time they get on these 2,000 pound animals.

Second, it's a truly American sport.  I believe rodeo, NASCAR, and basketball are the only truly American sports.

Third, most bullriders make very little money.  They do it for their love of the sport.  They also say they don't compete with the other riders, but against the bull and against themselves.  You see this confirmed in their supportive comments and actions towards the other riders.

But, perhaps the main reason I love to watch the PBR is the bullfighters (there are usually 2 or 3 at every bull riding event).  Once the rider comes off the bull, he's in a vulnerable position and it's the bullfighters' job to distract the bull.  They try to get the bull to focus on them rather than the rider.

I just saw a bull get focused on a rider and was running him down.  He very well could have caused serious injury to the rider.  One of the bullfighters, Darryl Dieffenbach, immediately ran and threw his body between the bull and the rider, taking the full force of the bull's horns and head on his back.  He did this on purpose knowing full well he was going to take the impact of the bull's fury.  He was thrown up into the air and the rider was able to get away.  Fortunately, Darryl was not injured (other than some bruises he'll feel tomorrow).

Here's a picture I found on the Internet that is very similar to what I just saw live on TV...

The man in the blue and yellow is a bullfighter who purposely put his body between the bull and the rider who is falling down.

If a rider is injured coming off the bull, one of the bullfighters will throw his body over the downed rider to protect him from further harm, knowing full well he may take the full force of the angry bull on his own body.

I don't know how many times I have seen the bullfighters sacrifice their safety and health for the sake of the riders.  I have also seen bullfighters get seriously injured doing this, yet they come back and do it again after they recover.

It's an amazing display of a person laying down his life for another.  Wait, some one once told us that was a good thing.  I think his name was Jesus.

I would be happy if I had half the courage and sacrifice to lay my life down as they do for their friends.

It's Chile Time in New Mexico - Part Two

On September 4th, our post detailed our roasted green chile buying adventure at Wagners Market.  If you recall, we left the chiles as they were steaming in the plastic bags in our garage.  Later that evening we put them into the refrigerator.

As Paul Harvey says, "here's the rest of the story."

Here are the roasted green chiles in the plastic bags as we get ready to prepare them for freezing.

Yours truly cutting the stem off a roasted green chile.  Since these are Sandia Hot green chiles, it's prudent to wear gloves as the constant exposure to the chile oils can cause skin irritation.

This is a close up of me cutting off the green chile stems.  The pile on the left is skins from previous chiles.

The next step is to remove the skin.  The roasting and sitting over night in the refrigerator makes the skin slip right off - leaving the green 'meat' of the chile.  After removing the skin, we squeeze out as many seeds as possible.

Here are two bowls of green chile meat ready to put into freezer bags to freeze.

This will be good eatin' all through the winter.  Yum, yum!

Guest Post

I actually have a guest post today which is great.  Anyone who has ever done a blog knows how hard it can be to come up with something to write that people might want to read.

My oldest son, Daniel, who lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with his lovely wife, Marie, and the world's greatest granddaughter, Juliet (no bias on my part).  

Daniel is a good Christian man, a great husband and a great father.  He's also a good writer (again no bias on my part).   He said that 'he just wanted to get something off his chest.'  So, here it is...

Politics as Usual

I don’t consider myself a political person. My party affiliation has become almost exclusively an economic and size-of-government consideration. But I have a pet peeve with the political language used in commercials and by pundits that I’d like to get off my chest. 

My beef is with the terms “uninformed” and “failure to understand” (I have even seen “under-informed” used). They are frequently touted to make a candidate seem dangerously uneducated on a position or issue concerning the voting public. The underlying problem I see, however, is what I’ll call the “I’m right, you’re wrong” approach to politics. Saying that someone is uninformed is really saying, “if you knew all the facts, you would have no choice but to see things the way I do.” 

That’s fine rhetoric if you are talking about a bridge that is washed out down the road—there is such a thing as absolute truth—but it has no value in issues like the war in Iraq, the economy, or the energy situation. I imagine the candidates are ten times more “informed” than the average citizen will ever be. But each will look at those issues and see a different problem, a different solution. 

I’m sensitive to this because it is an all-too-common tactic in personal interactions, not just politics. And it used to be part of my own arsenal in my younger days. I’m right, you’re wrong. End of discussion. In this particular season, party lines form. We’re right. You’re all wrong. End of discussion. 

It’s the last sentence there that scares me the most.

 

“As I look at the world, nothing has really changed. The evidence is the same. But I have changed.” –an atheist scientist who becomes a Christian in Creature Tech by Doug TenNapel

 

Lest We Forget - September 11, 2001

Today is the seventh anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers in New York and the Pentagon in Washington and the loss of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.  I'm sure most of us can remember where we were and what we were doing when we first heard about the attacks.  Betty and I were going to visit a friend in the hospital.

In some ways it's painful to recall that day, but, in my humble opinion, it's critical that we do.  First, to honor those who were killed - both those in the Towers and the Pentagon who were just trying to do their jobs to support their families.  Second, to honor those incredibly brave men and women in the fire and police departments who ran toward the burning towers as others were running away and to honor those brave passengers on Flight 93 who gave their lives and prevented an even greater tragedy.  Their bravery and sacrifice still bring a lump to my throat when I think about them.  They represented the best of who and what America is.  We owe them so much and there is so little we can do to pay them back other than always to remember - never to forget.

Finally, we must not forget because those who perpetrated this cowardly attack still want to do us great harm.  Like it or not, we are in a war against a group of people who want to destroy our way of life and impose their way of life in its place and they will go to any lengths to make their evil a reality.

Betty and I will remember.  We will not forget.  We will stand with those in our country who have the courage and stength to defend all of us and our way of life.

Starting the Next Round

Well, we're on round three (or is it four?) in Betty's fight against this bacterial infection that came out of her emergency appendectomy in early July.  

Betty starting feeling bad on Sunday evening and by Monday she knew for sure the bacterial infection was back.  The doctor asked for another lab procedure to confirm it and it has.  Last night (Tuesday) she ran a high fever and was really sick.  Our doctor prescribed some more of the same antibiotic to tide her over until today and that has helped some.

Today, we went to the gastroentorologist (what a title).  He said this particular bacteria is becoming more and more resistant to antiobiotics.  So, he prescribed a new and stronger (and more expensive) antibiotic.  He also prescribed a stronger probiotic which is designed to grow the 'good' bacteria.  Finally, he prescribed a 'toxin binder' which is designed to collect the bacterial toxins and bind them so they don't flow freely through her intestines (sorry, I know that's not a pleasant image).

He also wants to do a colonoscopy to check her intestines and an endoscopy to take a look at her stomach.  This will ensure that nothing else is going on.  This is scheduled for October 30 as the doctor wants to get the bacteria infection cleared up before doing the procedure.

Betty has been a trooper through all this even though the first antibiotic had side effects that are not that great - nausea, headaches, mood swings, etc.  We're praying that this new antibiotic won't have any bad side effects.  She would really like to have a stretch of feeling better and who can blame her.

Hopefully, we're in the home stretch in this battle, but it looks like it won't be over until early November.  If you're a praying person we will greatly appreciate a small prayer or two.

(PS:  This has nothing to do with us, but I ran across this beautiful post for September 10.  Check it out: http://palepage.com/?p=2491 )

Sunday Reflections

I have heard many sermons in various churches over the years that talk about the abundant life in Christ - and I believe that is true.

But, I have been wondering what kind of abundant life have Betty and I been living this year?  It's been a difficult year for us - especially for Betty.  The first six months were spent getting over the various broken bones from her accident last Fall.  We had a good June, then the emergency appendectomy set in on July 10.  That was followed by several weeks of recovery from the surgery only to find out she had a bacterial infection as a result of the antibiotics she received.  The antibiotic she was given for that infection had really bad side effects.  After she was done with that course of antibiotic she definitely felt better - for a few days.

She relapsed while we were in Fort Collins visiting family and we had to cancel our the rest of our trip to Montana and Canada.  She went on a stronger and longer course of antibiotics and had to deal with the side effects all over again.  She finished this course a little over a week ago and is just now beginning to feel better.  We're praying there will be no relapse again, but we'll know over the next few days.

For the first eight plus months of this year she has had one good month - June.  The rest have been painful, nauseating, or stressful - and often all three.  So, where's the abundant life in all this?

Even though I would never want this again for us or wish it for anyone else, we have had some incredibly close, intimate times in the midst of all this.  Our appreciation for each other has risen to a new height - far beyond any other time in our 41 years of marriage.

We have learned what our vows of 41 years ago really mean - "for better or worse, in sickness and in health."  It's one thing to say them.  It's totally different when you have to live them out.

Finally, we have learned a new understanding of what it means to depend upon God.  When there were no other alternatives and our personal resources ran completely dry, that's when we came to understand the abundance of God's love for us.

So, yes, a life in Christ is an abundant life - but we have learned that abundance may take far different forms that what we would normally seek or desire.

A Time for Prayer

This picture was sent to me awhile back and for some reason I saved it.  Now I know why.

If you're a reader of Max and Michelle's Galloping Grace Youth Ranch blog, then you know that Max is in need of some intense prayer (see dog).  If you normally don't read it, please click on the link to get more details.

We want as many people as possible to be praying for Max.

'Nuff said.

It's Chile Time in New Mexico

New Mexico is a great place to live for many reasons.  The land goes from desert to mountains and everything else in between.  The people of the many cultures are generally good people and we're blessed to have friends in all three of the main cultures - Anglo, Indian and Hispanic.

But, among the many reasons we like New Mexico, the food stands out.  The cuisine is a mix of all the cultures, but the unifying ingredient is New Mexico chiles.  This pepper which can range from mild to a firehouse calling hot can be found in almost any dish and, if not, you can get it added.  The fast food restaurants like MacDonalds, Sonic, etc., all offer green chile cheese burgers which are awesome.

When we first started eating green chiles we heard "they lower your cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, and increase your sex drive."  (That claim has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.)

The New Mexico question is 'red or green?'  Red chiles are the same chiles that have stayed on the vine until they turn red.  Green chiles are used alone in strips or chopped and can sometimes be used in a green sauce.  Red chiles are dried and the ground up powder is used in a red sauce.  Many folks think that red is automatically hotter than green, but that's not the case.  It depends on the chile variety.

This is the time of the year for chiles.  Chiles are harvested in August and September and are usually available until late October.  When you buy chiles you also get them roasted.  This gives them a great flavor and also loosens the skins which most people remove before using or freezing.  The seeds are also removed as those little suckers are hot regardless of the variety.

The roasting smells great and you can drive down many streets where markets are located and the green chile roasting smell fills the air.  It's a great sign that Fall is on the way.

We buy a 40 lb. bag of green chiles each year from our local market - Wagners.   Today was our annual purchase and here are some pictures from our adventure.

This is the entrance to Wagners.  In a few weeks this portale (porch) will be filled with dozens of ristras - red chiles tied together so they can dry.

The inside of Wagners.  Besides the chiles, they have white and yellow corn, cantaloupes, honey dew melons, watermelons, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, green beans, black-eyed peas, peaches, apples, squash, cucumbers, and garlic.  All of it is grown in Corrales where we live.

The 40 lb. bags of green chile.  You can also buy them in smaller quantities - bushel size and smaller - but this is really the only way to buy them if you seriously love them as we  do.

Betty waiting outside for our bag of green chiles to be roasted.

Our bag of chiles in the roaster.  There is a large burner on the back and an electric motor keeps the drum turning so all the chiles are turned over as they roast.  The smell is wonderful.

When the chiles are done, the young man cleans off all the seeds that have fallen out from the roasting process.  There are still plenty to remove when we get home, but this helps.

He pulls the roasted chiles down into a basket lined with a plastic bag.

A close up of the roasted chiles in the bag just before he closes them up.

Then he double bags the chiles, ties the tops together and gives the bag to us.

The drive home is great because the car fills up with the smell of roasted chiles.  Once we're home we put the bag of roasted chiles in the garage and allow them to steam in the plastic bags for 24 hours.  Tomorrow, Betty will start putting them into smaller containers so we can freeze them.

This will mean we will have plenty of green chiles to use throughout the year - yummmmm!

Finally, Happy Birthday, Lisa!  

Lisa, whose blogging screen name is 'Twinville' is the author of a great blog called "Laughing Orca Ranch."  She's a New Mexico neighbor who lives on the other side of the mountain from us. 

Lisa, here's what you asked for...

Today is September 4 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with:  Beyonce Knowles (singer - "Destiny's Child"), Jason David Frank (actor - the Green Ranger on "Power Rangers"), Mike Piazza (professional ball player), Damon Wayans (comedian - "The Wayan Brothers"), Tom Watson (professional golfer), Mitzi Gaynor (singer/dancer - "South Pacific"), Paul Harvey (radio broadcaster - "The Rest of the Story"), Merald "Bubba" Knight (singer - member of "The Pips"), and Khandi Alexander (actress - "CSI Miami").

On this day in 1781 Los Angeles was settled.  In 1888 George Eastman received his patent for his roll-film camera and named his company Kodak.  In 1957 Ford began selling the Edsel line of cars.  In 1972 Mark Spitz won his seventh gold medal in Olympic swimming.  In 2002 Kelly Clarkson won "American Idol."  In 2006 Steve Irwin was killed by a sting ray.

September 2, 1945

Today is September 2 and our nation is focused on the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav or the start of the Republican National Convention. Sixty-three years ago today, the focus was on very different things.

On the battleship USS MISSOURI World War II was finally ended when General MacArthur signed the surrender agreement with representatives from Japan. The world breathed a collective sigh as the war was finally over. It was a war that had resulted in over 50 million deaths worldwide - both military and civilian. We lost over 400,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen in service to their country. Hundreds of thousands of families grieved their loss while hundreds of thousands more families looked forward to seeing their sons, brothers and husbands again after years away.

On a more local note, in Memphis, Tennessee, Bill and Martha Wade were taking care of their third child, Elizabeth, who was almost 4 months old. She would become Betty and eventually my wife and mother to our two sons.

In Nashville, Tennessee, Clyde and Dorothy Cooksey were taking care of Clyde Daniel, Jr. who was just over two weeks old. He was the second of two children as my older sister, Jane, was born in January, 1941 before the US joined the war. Clyde Daniel, Jr. grew up to become Danny and eventually Dan - me.

Neither of our fathers served during the war because they were in what were deemed critical jobs. Betty's father worked for the telephone company and my father worked for a dairy.

As time passes we lose a little more of our collective memory of this time. Our parents were born between 1913 and 1920. They played as children through the 1920's, were teenagers during the depression, and young parents during World War II. I don't know if we can ever understand or appreciate what they went through.

I also think we're losing an understanding of how much we owe to that generation. I hope I never forget.

Happy September 2.

Welcome - Time for Something New

Well, we're trying a new blog and anyone who finds it is very welcome. We will still talk about our horses and horse riding experiences as they are an important part of our lives, but this format gives us the freedom to wander off and talk about other things as well.

We're definitely not going to post every day as that puts too much pressure on our fragile souls and takes too much time that we need to devote to other things that just might be more important.

As we grow older we're more aware of how important time is. When we were young life seemed like it would never end - there were always more possibilities as there was always plenty of time - at least it seemed that way.

Now, we realize that our lives are limited. Whether we have seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years left is not important.

What is important is the realization that all we ever have is NOW. The past is gone and the future is in God's hands, not ours. What we do with NOW is most important and once we make a choice in the NOW, all other options for that moment are lost.

Brian Tracy, a leadership consultant, said,

"There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the important thing."

Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise said,

"Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived."

So, we'll share a little of our time with you about what we're doing and thinking and we strongly encourage you to share back with us through the comments. We value the time you spend to read our ramblings; we learn from you, and your comments definitely encourage us to keep going.