My Garden

Here is the day right before Memorial Weekend when I was working slowly on my garden. That was a week or so ago, and now I not only have my garden planted, but all the newspaper and straw is down, and the garden vegetables are taking! I've been to Farmers Market twice now and bought my weight in strawberries and potatoes. And I buy eggs too! My Weston farmers remember me and we got to talk about our this year's foal crops!!! I am a farmer too!

Hailee is a Loving Teacher!

Here is baby on his first day out and he is already learning from his mother. He wants to be a big boy. So, if mom eats grass, well, he will learn how to eat grass too! Though his diarrhea the next morning told him that grass is an acquired taste!

My Macho Boy!

Here is a photo of my foal's first time outside on his third week birthday. He's such a macho little boy, but on that day, he was a little bit intimidated by all the other horses, by how big the world was. He wanted to stick close to his mother's side. He made a few short trips out and about, but always scampered quickly back when he was unsure of himself!

I am writing this on Sunday, June 1st, and he's had quite a lot of activity over this past week. He got over his foal heat diarrhea. He's been working hard at friendly game, foot tappers, walking over different textured surfaces, grooming, leading. He's played and run and bucked and kicked! He got his own crib feeder and is now eating grain like a professional like his mother! New teeth came in! And his testicles descended! He is beautiful. I wish that I could provide him with more turnout time, so I am going to work hard to make that happen!

Renny's Grandpa!

Renny's grandpa on his sire's side is very famous. He's earned the #1 hunter pony stallion breeding ranking for years and years now. Here is some film footage of him taken in 2007 and uploaded this past February, 2008 to Youtube. Hit the links below and watch that sexy pony run around!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNC3ucctrKM

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4jtym2KJgo

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szk53j5iAuc

My Family

Here we are on Memorial Weekend. Uncle Carlo and Aunt Mary Jane, Elena and mom, the girls, and Zelia! The weather could not have been more perfect and wonderful. Elena and Steve moved to Pittsburgh, so I am hoping they sell their home soon and find another for their lovely family.

My Tired Angel!

Here is a photo of my tired little baby foal. He is resting like a little angel. He's a proof of God's existence, a real treasure, a delight! Of course, this little angel is probably tired and resting in this photo because he just got put in his stall after running around like a crazy boy, and double-barrel kicking and bucking! He's all stud boy!

My Second Garden!

Here is Zelia, sitting in front of my composted soil, waiting for me to get the garden in. This year, I am putting in the second garden of my life. And I am thrilled to say that I am still excited by the prospect! I put in the usual -- basil, peppers, cauliflauer, broccoli, cabbage, and then I put in new things, like eggplant, zucchini, melons, cucumbers! I consider my little square footage of garden to be "Laurel Wreath Farm." I hope one day to have a little farm with my horses, and to be gardening away on my cabbage and be able to casually look up and glance at lovely old Hailee and Violet! Wouldn't that be bliss.

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Renny Outside!

d What can I say? Here is Renny on his third birthday going outside for the first time in his little life. I adore this creature, I want all the best for him -- mother's milk, fresh water, good food, and grass, grass, grass time to play, play, play and grow strong mentally, physically and spiritually! He's an unbelievably dear boy!

My Brave Boy, My Beautiful Herd

Today I went out to Showgate Stables to see my little herd. My lovely Violet was glad to see me, and Hailee and Renny were out in the ring because it had been a rainy set of days. Violet and I passed a quiet time grooming, getting a bath on her back legs with her medicine, and practicing Parelli. She's so great and smart. She backed up sweetly several times into the wash rack with just me pointing my finger. She backed at barely a touch to her muzzle. She backed with the lightest of touches to her tail. She's smart. She gets it! And what was amazingly funny is that after I shook the line to get her into the wash rack, she looked up at me, gave me the stepmother look gently and shook the line back. She was being playful and trying to reverse Parelli on me. She's the bomb!

Then I had a wonderful time with Hailee and baby. Groomed Hailee. Did grooming, leading, and foottappers with baby. And then when I led them back to their stall, my little man was so bold that he just walked up and down the aisle, greeting horses through the bars. It was so funny to see his little body, standing so tall and straight, and greeting the horses of Showgate. He wanted to be a big boy, but he wanted to make a good impression. So, he stood at the doors, with his nose pressed against the horses' noses, and clattering and chattering his teeth in submission. What an amazing little fella. Hailee and I left the stall to retrieve him, and she bumped her nose against his brave little butt, and he followed her into the stall.

Am I a lucky woman or what?!

Memorial Weekend with My Nieces!

I spent Memorial Weekend in Wixom with my mom, Elena, Steve, Uncle Carlo and Aunt Mary Jane, and, of course, my beautiful nieces, Emma and Clara!

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Sharing a Moment in Time!

Day 8, Saturday. Here is my darling Hailee, having her moment in time, in life, to share peace and quiet and love and joy with her beautiful, beautiful baby foal!

Rock On, Clara!

Here's a photo of the musical Clara, when she visited with her mom and sister, during Renny's second week of life. Clara is a real pistol! She loves to play guitar and sing! And when I visited her over Memorial Weekend, she gave us such a concert before her bed time. She sang to her sister. She cajoled her sister to dance to her music. She sought applause and encores! She is going to be a fantabulous musician and artist of her generation!

Trying to Play with Mom! (and be submissive!)

Here's a photo of my little guy, dancing around, skittering, causing trouble super early one morning when his mom was trying to eat her breakfast! He scared himself a bit and so in this photo, you are seeing him do what he does when he wants to show that he's submissive. He opens his mouth wide and chatters his teeth! What a darling sweet guy!

Dancing Around!

Here's my little guy, playing with his jolly ball! He is truly a goofy, sweet, dancing, joyful boy. He's brought such happiness to me and to all he meets. Everyone gets a kick out of him. I am writing this entry on Memorial Day and Renny's friend, Tony, offered to buy him and said that he could live on his farm and not even be bothered to be broke out! Just be a happy guy making the landscape beautiful. We laughed at the barn at that happy thought, all of us standing around, enjoying the holiday, and feeling good watching this sweet guy!

My Playful Little Man!

Here are some pictures and video taken on May 16th, when he was a little less than two weeks old! What a charming little fella!

Baby

Returning to Teaching!

I wrote this entry on May 19th! This morning I returned to teaching, after the birth of little Renny. It's been an amazing two weeks with the little guy. He is entering his third week of life and every day you can just watch him grow and learn! Anyway, I am teaching Population and Society this summer to earn money for baby's board, a worthy goal, I must say! And so I got up at 4:45am this morning, fed the pets, walked Zelia, and went out to the barn to spend a few hours with Violet, Hailee, and Renny. Here's a photo of the little guy and the video I took. Stephanie generously said that she'd be happy to put the little guy out early in the morning for me, and I may take her up on that next week. But this week, I would miss him too much, plus he has a little case of diarrhoea that needs my daily attention, and Violet is in the middle of twice-daily treatment for her dirty white back socks. So, you can see, I need to spend a few hours with my horses before coming in to work to teach students about this world!

Aunt Stephanie watches out for Renny!

Today is Memorial Day as I write this entry! I had a wonderful weekend. My mom visited to meet Renny. I spent a lovely weekend with my nieces, sister, brother-in-law, Uncle Carlo and Aunt Mary Jane and cousin Jane. And then on Memorial Day morning, Stephanie called me and told me that my little guy was sick. He had lots of changes lately -- he got his first foal grain, went out in the grass and ran around, and got a tummy ache. But he has the best dearest friend in Stephanie. She takes such good care of him and she knew right away that he wasn't right. She called me and let me know. I am so grateful for her. I was glad to get home and take his temperature. Dr. Lenke told us what to do and we were pleased to find out that he wasn't running a temperature. We're going to help him heal through his diarrhea and take care of our little guy! Namaste!

Baby Kiss Mama!

Look at the lucky Hailee. She gets happy kisses from the sweetest foal on the face of the earth! What a charming beautiful boy! And what a big beautiful mare! She carried and delivered that foal like a wonderful girl!

Thinking Outside the Box!

Here's an early Friday morning, May 16th, photo of my little scamp! Each morning, I've been setting up little jumps and ground poles and emergency cones, so that he has a little mental exercise and game to play. And he is demonstrating that he is a super athlete! I just adore watching him goof about!

Rekha and the Girls Visit!

On Saturday, May 17, my friend from work, Rekha, and her two daughters visited our barn. They are the dearest, sweetest girls. It was fun to show them around and to show them the new foal. Violet, as usual, was a perfect hostess, and the foal was interested in his guests. But this day was a hard one for poor Renny overall. He was just that day really developing his scours, plus he bumped his butt and hind leg into the gate and gave himself a good scare. My poor tough sweet guy!

Early Mornings with Violet!

These photos were taken on May 15th. Violet has become part of my very early morning routine. I get to the stable at 6am, let out Hailee and Renny. Visit my little boy and his mom. Then I groom Violet and wash her back legs with medication. My early morning time with Violet is so wonderful. I really am enjoying our time hanging out. Then I groom Hailee and give little Renny a lesson in handling and a grooming. I am a busy girl for the first 3 hours of my day -- walking Zelia, feeding pets, picking up the house, and working at the stable with my herd of 3!

Baby is Athletic!

Here are shots from his second week of life. He is getting bigger, nursing well, and he is super sweetly cutely athletic!

Little Man!

Here's another early morning shot with my Little Man. Renny has the sweetest temperament. Don't get me wrong, he is a pistol too! He likes to chomp on people. But that's about it! He works real hard to please us. He is very good about all the handling we are doing with him. He just over the past two days (May 17-18) developed his first case of scours because of eating his mom's poo and working on getting belly bacteria. So, he is very patient with Stephanie and me, as we wipe his rear, apply vaseline, and work on his hooves. He's such a solidly good boy!

Early Morning Sweetie!

Lovely Mama, Sweet Baby!

Namaste and happy rests!

Violet is a Gracious Hostess!

Here is my beautiful red girl, visiting happily with my nieces and sister! She is a true treasure. I am blessed to have Violet as part of my family. And surely what a sweet family of girls the four of them are!

My Spring Nieces!

The second week of Renny's life, my sister, Elena, and my nieces, Emma and Clara, came to visit. They are moving to Pittsburgh, so it was a chance to share a meal, some ice cream, and a farm visit, before their travels. You can see that I have darling nieces. And so here they are in front of my house and at Breezy Acres!

Kristy Visits Renny!

My friend and graduate student, Kristy, visited Renny. And he caused quite the stir by undertaking his first escape! What a naughty, but sweet boy! It was really nice to be able to show off my equine family to such an animal-loving friend.

Eating Together!

Here are some more photos by Christine of mom and baby snacking together!

Baby Loves to Play!

Okay, the first day that we put out a little red jolly ball, baby went crazy. He rolled on it like it was a long lost friend. These photos are from the next morning when he was still in love and figuring out how to play!

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Adorable!

He's an angel!

Happy Mama!

Again, here is a photo from Day 8 of Renny's life, a Saturday snack time. You can see that Hailee is happy with her boy!