We're expecting a week's worth of storms starting on Sunday. That means seeding, seeding, seeding our pastures. Several babies and some others have left the ranch for their new homes....I'm happy with the adoptive families....We have a new Barn Manager at the ranch...She is an avid photographer too, so I'll be able to post more great pics....I've been pretty inactive for the last 2 months with knee problems. Just had surgery a week ago, so I'll be moving around alot more in a day or to. Have to be in shape for ski season. I'm expecting several feet of snow at the ski resorts....not so much here, which is fine with me...hopefully we'll get lots of rain though! Here are a few of Michelle's pics!

Whew! Busy, busy time.

Arjen and Mathijs have collected enough points to go to CDS championships. I have to get the scores out and post them, but we did real well.

We go to two keurings, because we have so many horses. We are very excited with our results. Only the top 5% of foals take a first premie....and I haven't heard of a ranch taking Best filly and Best colt in the same keuring. Our babies had a 1st premie rate of 37.5%!! and they received BEST COLT and BEST FILLY at BOTH the Santa Rosa keuring and the Reno keuring! Our gelding Teake, received CHAMPION GELDING!

We're weaning the babies right now....Unfortunately, a bad storm is coming in tonight and they'll have to be brought in the barn. They DO NOT like to be in....I'll have to put stall guards up...Our sweetie colt, Enrico jumped out of his stall in Reno...when his mom was in the stall!! The door was about 4' tall and he didn't have any room to get a running start. I was at the judging ground when someone called me to tell me that they had rounded up my baby and put him back in his stall!! Luckily, he wasn't hurt.

So, anyway moms are doing great..babies are great except once in a while one of them starts calling and the rest follow. We just put them in tonight with pounding rain and high winds... They seem to be very content except for Elysee...and she was the most independent. But she's in with her best friend Diana, so she'll settle down...I'll spend time with them too....Elysee is the sweet puppy dog, hugger!!

Wow! Hope this is a glimpse of things to come!! We are 15 minutes away from the ski lift at Heavenly Valley and an early ski season would be great....of course, I have to pick it up ALOT to ski with my granddaughter, Maddi. She started skiing black diamond runs at 5 years old...even moguls...I don't do moguls...maybe a very easy black, if I get in better shape!!

But snow does have its issues. We came home after our horses showed at CDS championship...but, our trainer had a horse to ride today! The roads between here and there should be clear this afternoon...but that last couple of miles?? Not sure what she's going to do..It should definitely clear before we go to the keuring and show on Wednesday... Mommas and babies are in because they don't have their winter coats yet...they are just starting to come in. decisions, decisions. It's just too wet out there to put them out during the day...We do keep the barn wide open during the day and open some at night so they can adjust gradually. We went from highs of 94 to lows of 24 in 3 days, so big transition.

Of course we need to make a snowman!!

People always ask me what I do all day...here's an example:

6:30	Get up, read e-mail, do some office work.
7:00	feed and spend time with my dog who is recouping from being hit by a car
7:30	spray a field for weeds.
9:00	vaccum poop in a pasture.
11:00	dump poop into our recycle bin.
12:00	lunch
1:00	lunch for dog and time spent with him
2:00	video 3 babies
4:00	meet vet to put rocker shoes on baby
5:00	rehearse 'liberty' class with Waindrop
6:00	work with the youngest 2 foals, one of which still doesn't come to me when called
7:00	dinner
8:00	play time with the rest of the babies and moms...

I usually fit in other chores like managing our flood irrigation, harrowing the round pen, mowing lots of lawn and even more weeds (hours of mowing every week)! All labor of love. Greg, my husband, has 3 plumbing chores today....Plus he has to get the videos up! We WILL get in some riding this week!!

Ruth-