*Critter Spotlight*

Skipper, Gelding of the Palouse

Nicknames include- Skip, Mr. Skipp'a'star, Skipperpotomus, and Handsome.

Skipper is the pasture comedian~ generally the first to yell for me as I walk out the door in the mornings, always messing around with tools in the grooming bag or picking the feed pans up, and usually stirring up trouble with the other horses he's been in with. He is most notorious for grabbing Milly by the blanket and pulling her around backwards!

Marley- the Gentleman
Nicknames~ MarMan, Marley Marlesburger, Chibatta lips, and Mr. Marley.
Marley is a very sweet and gentle horse. He LOVES to be scratched and brushed and petted, just touched in general. He reminds me of Eeyore when he walks around the pasture, kind of dum-de-dum, BUT I've seen him kick up his heels too. When I groom Marley he extends his neck and lowers his head towards the ground, kinda groans with pleasure, and holds his bottom lip in the shape of square chibatta bread, hence the Chibatta lips nickname. It always makes me laugh to see him happy!!

Waste Not, Want Not...It doesn't always apply.

Dakota
Dakota's freshly filled food dish~
We call his food "Fruity Pebbles" because of the colors, shapes, and smell.
Dakota's nearly empty food dish~
Notice how he has picked out all his favorite colors and left the one he hates. Generally he will throw these purple pieces out for the dogs. Thankfully they do a great job at cleanup!

Everything you might need to know about DAKOTA, our Congo African Grey Parrot

Family: Psittacine ~ and our family ~Flodin
Origin: Lowland forests of central Africa; Guinea Is., Kenya, Tanzania
Size: 12" to 14"
Coloration: Predominately grey; white around the eye; short red tail feathers.
Diet: 65-80% quality pelleted diet, 15-30% vegetables (e.g., greens, legumes, corn-on-the-cob), 5% fruits, and an occasional nut. Use many varieties of fruits and vegetables, washed thoroughly. No avocados or fruit pits. ~Dakota's diet mainly consists of pelleted feed. He's not keen on fresh fruits and veggies but LOVES potato chips.
Grooming: Trim flight feathers, beak and nails as needed. ~We don't trim Dakota's flight feathers anymore. Occasionally he flys off his cage into our bedroom and then walks around like a little gangster saying "woooo" and "Hi Koder" until someone picks him up.
Compatibility/Disposition: Shy and cautious, especially around strangers. Tend to bond to one person. ~Dakota was Courtney's parrot and was extremely bonded to her. When she passed away he became mine and his devotion transferred to me. He won't let Jason pick him up or handle him but he loves me and would even regurgitate for me. That is the highest form of birdie love.

Vocalization: Considered the best mimic of all parrots. ~Dakota's favorite thing to mimic is the phone. He can ring, pickup, hold a 2 party conversation, say bye, hang up, and do the answering machine perfectly. Frequently our guests hear this and can't tell the difference.
Playfulness: Extremely intelligent. Require a great deal of attention to satisfy emotional needs and provide mental stimulation.
Life Span: 50-70+ years ~Dakota is 10 or 11 years old now.

Reader Assistance Please

~Rock Lake Shimmer~

I'm posting this pic at my coworker's insistance. Please, dear readers, give me your honest opinion. Do you think this is awesome? Does it make you feel "Eh"? WHY do you like/hate it?

I am my own worst critic so I'd really appreciate the feedback :)

Superstar Photo Shoot

~AJ~

~Emma~

~Hailey~

~Zackary~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've been trying for weeks and weeks to take pictures of Chris & Trina's kids...

Finally, even though Emma had a bit of a headache, we got the job done this last Sunday. It was slightly windy (which felt GREAT in the summer heat) but the kids did a wonderful job of sitting, even little Zacky!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And this is perhaps my most favorite picture:

I love a break in monotony!

Twinkling eyes....dead giveaway...... Ah! Let's get the boat out and go to the lake!

Skipper and first mate... Check!

Puppy safety gear in place... Check!


Nothing beats a Thursday evening run for the water!

Rural Reflection

Green and amber and gold it grows
When the sun sinks late in the West;
And the breeze sweeps over the rippling rows
Where the quail and the skylark nest.
Mountain or river or shining star,
There’s never a sight can beat—
Away to the sky-line stretching far—
A sea of the ripening Wheat.

~Song of the Wheat by Andrew Barton Paterson ~

Dew Drop Wednesday's Garden Delights

Zuchini Blossum

Mmmm, can't wait till this beauty is ready!

An evening of zig zagging.....

Pink chenille, funky retro fabric- what could be more girly?

Every child needs a little lovey!

Thirsty Thursday

Meet Lindsay and Wraylee ~Sisters.... Don't they look thirsty???

Today they met up for lunch and headed to thier new favorite watering hole....

The Daily Grind Coffee House in Pullman, WA

Meet the classic 20 oz double shot mocha.....
It sure satisfies!

Hens-n-Chicks & Hollyhocks

I love the way this hen and chick planter turned out! The "bowl" came out of an old fire pit that a friend gave us. The fire pit was rusting out so they poured quick-qrete in to try to save it. I just couldn't let this interesting item go to waste!Many thanks to Jennifer, my co-worker, for the hens-n-chicks starts! They look wonderful now, can't wait until they fill the whole thing!

Who doesn't love the fist hollyhock of the season???

When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I feeling sad...

I simply remember my favorite things.......

My pickup, baby dog Cheyenne, my horses, the barn, the house, grass, and blue sky...

And then I don't feel so bad!