Murphy

I lost my sweet Murphy on Sunday. She had been sick for longer than I wanted to admit but I kept thinking that I could fix her and she kept fighting. She was always a fighter. Years ago, I found her, a tiny, unweaned kitten, screaming by the side of the road. My vet said that it looked as if she'd been tossed from a moving car. The vet removed her shattered tail and part of her spine. We also think that the bones in her rear legs were fractured because they never were quite straight. We also think that because of those early injuries, she lived her entire life in pain but live she did. She was so full of life and she brought so much joy to our lives. I have wonderful memories of my funny, quirky girl that I will share here later. I have to go out of town for a few days but as soon as I return, I will share Murphy's story with all of you.

It's now been several weeks since Murphy left us and several months since we lost our Red Fred dog but it still hurts and I still miss them both. I put up a tribute to Freddie earlier but I'm just now getting the time to sit down and tell you all about Murphy. She was such a character!

I've told you above about how I found Murphy and what she survived as a baby. I had to feed her with a dropper for several weeks. I made her a bed in the bathtub the first few nights but she was having none of that. She showed me that there was no need to housebreak her, she already knew what to do...and what not to do! So, she came to sleep with us and she was so tiny that she'd sleep either on top of my head or under my chin, lol. As she got older and bigger, she started sleeping under the covers between Steve and me. She was always tiny and I was afraid to let her around our three bigger cats, Chloe, Hannibal, and Sparky, until she was big enough that I didn't think they could hurt her. So, she didn't know how to meow until she was six months old! Instead, she would "bark" like the squirrels she saw and heard outside the windows she'd sit in. When I did start letting her venture outside on her own, she was forever getting into trouble. She tried once to play with the crows and I was afraid they were going to carry her away. They certainly flogged her with their wings and she came running back to safety behind my legs and peaking out at those big, dark feathered monsters. She covered, literally covered!!, my kitchen floor with butterflies one day....much nicer than many of the gifts that my cats have given me over the years. And nicer also than the gift she deposited at my feet a few months later. I was sitting at my dining room table writing when I heard her "bark" at me. I asked what she wanted without looking up and she squawked again. Soooo, I looked up to see her holding a rat that was bigger than her! She dropped it at my feet and I quickly realized that it wasn't dead!! I jumped on top of the table screaming and the rat ran for the open back door that Murphy had brought it through a few moments before. Murphy looked perplexed, surely wondering why I didn't like her new playmate as much as she did. Chloe was the queen of the cats in those days and for all of her 19 years for that matter but when Murphy first met her, Murphy was not intimidated at all. She would hide and pounce on Chloe which didn't sit too well with her majesty. Once, I saw Murphy sitting in the kitchen window. She was twitching her rear end which was what she did since she didn't have a tail to whisk. I knew she was getting ready to pounce on something or someone so I rushed to the window in time to see an unsuspecting Chloe passing by below. Murphy pounced and she landed right in the middle of Chloe. It knocked the breath out of Chloe and I think that it addled her a bit too because she had no idea what hit her. And Murphy got this, "Oh, no! What have I done?" look on her face...and she didn't wait around to find out, lol. I've got photos somewhere of Murphy sleeping in the Christmas tree in her first year. She loved the lights. She loved music, too. She especially seemed to love Billie Holiday. Just like Fred was with Django Reindhart, Murphy would sit herself in front of the stereo, seemingly in sheer bliss, every time I put on a Billie cd. Murphy was funny and sweet and loving and I think she realized how much she was loved in return. She brought us so much joy. Steve has never been a cat person but he loved that little cat....or course it helped that Murphy never behaved like a cat or probably even thought she was a cat. She thought she was just a tiny, hairy little human....who owned our hearts from the moment we first laid eyes on her.

Joe Guy Clinic at Blue Point Stables

Joe Guy is a native of Australia who is currently riding on horseback across America. Along the way, he is working miracles with green and troubled horses. This past weekend, October 17th and 18th, he held a very successful clinic at Blue Point Stables in Kingston. He will be returning to East Tennessee for an encore clinic November 7th and 8th. I hope to interview him then for The Tennessee Equestrian. He is a fascinating man and his story is riveting. Find out more about him on his website where you can also purchase his autobiography or one of his cd's....yes, he writes and sings, too!

He will be accepting only 5 or 6 horses for the two day clinic. Cost per horse is $200. Attendance cost is, $50 for both days or $30 for one. For more information or to reserve a spot for your horse contact, Brandy McDonnell at 865-376-9312 or mcdonnellhorses@bellsouth.net.

The photo above was taken in downtown Kingston, Tennessee.

Tshirt for Louise Green

I just finished designing a Tshirt for my friend, artist, Louise Green. That's one of Louise's wonderful paintings, The Goddess Within, in the center of the design. It's taken me a while to get up the courage to tackle this one but in the end, I'm quite pleased with the results. I hope Louise is as well:D!

New Web Gallery

I've set up a new gallery on skreened.com. It is a site devoted strictly to Tees and they print on only "ethically" produced clothing. Above is my first Tee, Flying Hooves, but there will be many more designs to come.

You can reach my Gray Horse Designs Gallery at skreened.com by clicking HERE.

I will also soon be designing my 2010 calendars which will be available on cafepress.com, zazzle.com and redbubble.com. Other custom design items may soon be available in my etsy.com shop as well. All of the addresses for those shops are clickable in the right hand collumn. I will post an announcement here when all of the new items and art work are available.

Goodbye Friend and Hero

Red Fred, my companion and protector for the last eleven years, was struck by a car and killed last Sunday night, September 6th, 2009.

Fred was a rescue. Eleven years ago, about this time of year, I stopped into the animal shelter. I had just dropped off medication that had belonged to my dog, Sidney, at the Veterinarian's office in hopes that they could share them with someone who couldn't afford medication for their dog. Sidney had to be put to sleep a few days before because he'd broken his hip and the doctor told me that she wouldn't operate on him at his age, thirteen, and especially with the other health problems that he had. My husband, Steve, had told me that I wasn't getting another dog. Sidney had been a great dog; a friend had given him to us after our house was broken into one morning while I was at home. I was terribly frightened by the incident and a policeman friend had told me that a dog was a better deterrent to burglars than an alarm. Sidney and Steve had problems with their relationship, not meshing from the beginning, but Sid had been very protective of me. He was a good and loving friend but as he aged, he required more and more care. I think that had a lot to do with Steve's not wanting another dog and I think too that he was thinking of me and how much Sidney's death had hurt me especially having to make that decision to have him put down. So, it was against his wishes and my better judgement that I made that sharp right turn onto the road to the animal shelter that day. I was surprised that there were so few dogs there. Most were dogs that had strayed away from home and were waiting for their owners to come by and pick them up, pay their bale and spring them so to speak. But there was one lone, very small, very red, very energetic puppy. I walked up and let him out of his cage and he promptly started running around like a wild thing, lol. I walked into the office and said, "I'll take him!" Unfortunately, they told me that I couldn't do that...and also asked why on earth I'd let him out since it had taken all of them to get him into that cage to begin with. They told me that he had been picked up because a neighbor had alerted the police to animal abuse. When he came in to the shelter, he'd had a fish hook stuck through his lip and evidently the little boys who'd owned him had been "fishing" for him! They told me that it was the law that the previous owners be allowed a certain amount of days to pay the fine and claim him before they could release him for adoption. That was a Friday and they sent me home and told me to call them on Monday morning to see if he'd been claimed and if not, he was mine. I still didn't say anything to Steve about him but I was on pins and needles all weekend worrying that those people who were abusive and didn't care for him properly in the first place would come and get him before Monday morning.

I started calling before the shelter opened that Monday and when they finally answered and told me that he was mine if I wanted him, I said, "I'll be right there!" I already had an appointment set up with the vet to check him out and wash and groom him. And while he was having his spa day, I was in Knoxville buying all the things that I knew he would need. Steve worked late that night and when he finally got home, Fred went running up to him to greet him like they were old friends and it was routine. Steve was furious at first and Fred leaned his head to the side and looked at him with curiosity. A friend later told me that it is far easier to get forgiveness than permission and Steve quickly came around and fell in love with Fred as much as I had. The next day, he bought him a Micky Mouse fishing rod with no hook on the end that he attached a toy to and would throw out for Fred to chase.

Fred was always precocious. So much so that our vet recommended that we quickly get him into obedience school. He was the hit of the class with both the instructors and the little girl puppies, lol. We entered him into the intermediate class after that one and he was easily bored but still was the one usually chosen for demonstrations. He did have this one bad habit of "goosing" everyone. The instructor would often let out an unexpected whoop when ever she was leading him around but not paying any attention to him. Diane, the lady who ran the Canine School of Charm, had told me when we first brought Fred to her that she didn't expect that she could teach him a thing because he had Chow in him (his tongued was so spotted when I got him that I accused the people at the shelter of letting him get into blue ink) but she quickly changed her mind about him, too. He won her over in the end with his charm and intelligence and ended up becoming one of her favorites. He'd always greet her with a big hug and he use to rush to the car whenever I told him that I was taking him to Puppy Playland for daycare. He actually seemed to know the way because he'd jump up and down with excitement as soon as I turned off the interstate exit and that excitement would increase with ever turn of the road that brought us closer to Diane's. I tried to take him once a week when he was little to socialize him since he seemed to still have very little use for most people. The people he did like though, he liked very much. He instantly "took" to Steve's dad. The last few years of Wes's life, he would come to our house most weekends for meals and then he'd sit in the yard and watch Steve working out in the fields. Fred always kept him company and stayed faithfully and patiently by his side despite the fact that I'm sure the energetic pup would have loved to have been running around the yard chasing squirrels and birds. Both Wess and Fred loved to ride around in the car. So most weekends, we'd take long drives. Steve and Wess would be in the front seat and Fred and I in the back. Ever so often, Fred would lean across the seat and "kiss" Wess on the neck which always made Wess laugh.

Fred was allergic to plastic so all of his toys were cloth or plush. He loved toys more than any dog I've ever had and we called them his mojos. He actually had a toy basket which was overflowing with them but there were always one or two that were his favorites. He would actually "play" them like musical instruments. I could shout, "Play that funky music, red dog!" and Fred would grab one of the mojos and start squeezing along as I sang...usually, his favorite song, That Old Time Rock n' Roll, and usually not very well but Fred didn't care. He would also play along with music on the stereo. His favorite was Django Reinhardt. You couldn't play Django without Fred grabbing his mojo and I swear he'd usually play in time with the music.

I don't think he really ever believed that he was a dog. All the folks at Diane's would comment on his "unique" personality and how expressive he was whenever he'd board with them. After Sadie showed up starved and abandoned on our doorstep, Diane mentioned to me one day after a weekend stay that she though that Fred considered Sadie to be "his dog." We never took both dogs on vacation with us because Sadie's house manners are a bit shaky:) but we did take Fred several times. You would think that he'd been staying in hotels his entire life. His first ride on an elevator was a bit of an experience but the next time he loaded up and stood facing forward like the rest of us, lol.

The title says, "Hero", and he was that, too. He most likely saved my life one night. I was driving home late one night alone along an isolated and deserted country road when I rounded a curve and came upon a car blocking the road. There was a man standing in the free lane and he prevented me from passing the car. I locked my doors and rolled the window down a bout six inches or so. The man asked first if I had any jumper cables. I told him no. He said, "Well, I might have some in my car. Do you care to get out and help me look for them." That fishy statement and the fact that his lights on his car were on and flashing which signified to me that he didn't need jumper cables at all, made me suspicious and uncomfortable. I told him that I lived just over the hill and as soon as I got home, I'd send my husband back to help him. He kept blocking my way and trying to keep me there with his ever changing story of why he was on the road and how he wasn't from around here but was visiting friends five houses up. The houses there were clumped together and five house's up wasn't far away so it made no sense why he didn't just walk back there if he'd just left his friend's house or why his car was pointed in the wrong direction to be heading back to the interstate like he said. After I refused again and told him that I'd not only send my husband when I got to the house but I'd gladly call the police to assist him, he suddenly reached through my car window. Fred, who usually would have been barking and growling like crazy at this stranger, had been unusually silent. He was sitting right behind my seat and watching; I could feel his breath on my neck. As soon as the fellow stuck his hand through the open space above my car window though, Fred leaped over the seat barking, growling and snapping at his hand. The man was startled and jumped back giving me just enough room to get by him and his car. I did call the police when I got home...although I'd lied about Steve being home, he was working late that night and I was alone but had sense enough not to let that guy know that. The police dispatcher called me back a few minutes later and told me that there was no one on the road when the police car arrived. A few days later I heard that several women had been assaulted and two killed in our area by a man who fit this fellow's description and who'd asked them for help with his car. They said that the police didn't expect to catch him because they thought he was a stranger who'd just pulled off of the interstate. I've wondered since that if Fred had been his normal noisy and aggressive self that night instead of sitting quietly and unseen behind me until the fellow made his move, if the guy might have been pushed to use a weapon of some sorts. As it was, Fred took him by surprise and I'm certain he saved my life.

I can't even begin to describe the pain of losing Fred. I still see him everywhere and I don't know what I'll do with the baskets full of mojos that he loved so much. Yesterday, I had an appointment and had to go out. I didn't want to drive across the place where Fred was killed so I curved my car around it. It was a windless day but a sudden burst of wind hit the windshield in front of me and shook the truck. The wind held one red leaf quivering against the glass for a few seconds and then it gently floated away. I felt like it was Fred telling me goodbye. He was such a special dog and friend and I could tell stories about him all day long if you would listen. I'll just end by saying that I miss him so much and still love him so much and I will never forget him. Goodbye dear friend; you've taken a part of my heart with you.

Huston and Mouse in the Bolivar Saddle Club Fourth of July horse show. My friend, Fran Forester, was there and had a video camera. She told me that she pulled the camera from her purse as soon as she saw Huston on Mousie. She also said that Mouse was beautiful!:)

I certainly thinks so! And she's expecting, too!!

A poem by my friend, Renee Fukumoto:

This was written by Renee in response to an email that my sister had forwarded to me. I was talking to my sister about a new business venture of mine which I told her made me feel as if I was facing a cliff and getting ready to jump. Right after our conversation, my sister received an email that she said sounded as if it was written just for me. The email said: when God leads you to a cliff, you have only two choices: leap and know that he will catch you or leap and let him teach you how to fly! Renee's poem is incredibly beautiful, her words so powerful; I know you will enjoy it. I think it will become my new mantra:


He spread His arms
to die
and, rising,
Gave me wings
to fly
~ r
Glory in the wings He gave you Sande!!

Video Montage

David Parkin has included one of my photos, Red Rowdy, in another of his incredible photo/art montage videos featuring the artists and photographers of redbubble.com. This one is dedicated to the memory of Michael Jackson and includes two lovely but not well known songs by M.J. Here is the LINK.

The Postcard Horse

My hand is improving quickly. Although there are still a few tender spots that I think will keep me from handling a camera for a few more days, I can now use my "typing fingers." So, yesterday, I took an image I did a few weeks ago and "worked" with it a bit. I tried to give it the look and visual texture of an old postcard (thus the name) and I added the wings because I thought he looked as if he should have them and the text to accompany the wings. I've got this one available as a poster on my Red Bubble site and I'll put it up later on my Etsy site. I'm also thinking of working with it a bit more and making a Tshirt out of the design. We will see. I had fun; it was nice to get my hand into creative work once again. 

I have an amusing story that made me smile on a Monday morning and I hope it has the same wonderful effect on you. I saw a news story on TV about the rescue of two baby raccoons from a vending machine where they had somehow become trapped. It was a sweet story with a happy ending but the funny part was the fellow who came from Wildlife Services to rescue the raccoons. He turned his back to the camera and on his shirt was written, "I handle wild animals for a living. So, if you see me running, TRY TO KEEP UP!" hehehehe...you gotta love it:))

Oh "Deer" Me!

Too bad that I can't yet handle a camera with my injured hand because I would have gotten some great wild life shots today. I had just finished feeding the horses. As I was walking back up the hill toward my truck, Fred, my dog, came barreling out of the underbrush being chased by a deer!! I don't know what she did to him but he was terrified and headed toward the house. I called him back and tried to get him into the truck but the deer had circled around and Sadie had now taken up the chase. Fred ran off and followed and in a few seconds, all three came running out of the underbrush again. This time the deer was being chased but it almost seemed as if she was trying to lead the dogs away from the underbrush. When the dogs gave up chasing her, she circled around and came up into the pasture where the horses were standing. All three horses had been standing watching all of this happen with rapt attention. The deer saw Sadie headed back to the underbrush and she ran after her. She leaped across the fence twice and came within a few feet of me. I was beginning to wonder what was wrong with her but it did seem that she was trying to get the dogs to chase her. I thought then that she must have a fawn hidden in the brush. This game went on for quite a while with the deer leading the dogs in loops until they were completely exhausted. They finally gave up and loaded into the truck. As I was backing up, I saw the deer had circled back yet again and was standing between the horses and watching us leave. It was the oddest thing I've ever seen and all I can think is that she must have been protecting her baby.

Unexpected Rodeo

I'm typing with one hand here so forgive any typos, please:)...Horse owners often talk about how similar horses and small children are. I've just encountered another case in point, they both seem to relish making a liar out of you. Our farrier, Dale Collis, came yesterday to shoe my boys for the first time here and to trim Miss Brandy who has no need for shoes since she lives a life of leisure these days. We still haven't put in cross ties or a hitching post so I handle this the old fashion way and hold each horse as Dale works with them. Dale has the most uncanny ability to soothe a horse...usually.

Since I knew that Brandy would be bothering the other horses by curiously standing right beside me as I held them and nudging them with her nose every time she got the opportunity, I decided that she would go last and Rowdy right before her since he was the one that I expected some reluctance from. So, Django was chosen to go first because of his easy, laid back nature. Django and I had been standing there under a shade tree waiting on Dale to arrive and Django seemed his usual agreeable self, relaxed, grazing, enjoying some scratching. 

Django became alert when he saw Dale pulling into the driveway to the barn but I thought this was just normal curiosity.  As Dale drove up beside us, he rolled down his window and commented on what a beautiful horse Django was. I responded in the same manner I always do when Django's mama, Mouse, is complimented, I agreed, lol. I apologized and Dale told me not to worry about it because he was gorgeous. I told him that he was also the sweetest most laid back horse I'd ever met. I said that I expected a little trouble with Rowdy because of his stubborn streak but Django was always so good that shoeing him should be a breeze. 

I'd just finished this statement when Dale set down his tools, petted Django's nose and lifted his front hoof. Neither of us are quite sure what happened next to spook the horse but Django freaked! He slung Dale sideways, in Dale's own words, as if he were a handkerchief and then connected with Dale's hip when he, the horse, spun around. I was trying to hold him and calm him down but he was dragging me down the hill despite my best efforts to dig in. Finally, he gave one mighty jerk and the the rope and half the skin on my right hand went with him. Then I asked myself why I hadn't been wearing gloves. 

After, Dale assured me that he was sore but not seriously injured, he gave me some tape to cover my bleeding hands and I put on some gloves before we went to try and catch Django. I managed to corner him once but my hands were too sore to hold him. He reared and pulled away again as soon as we got close to Dale and his tools. So, we continued with the other two horse and Rowdy proved my prediction wrong again because he was the perfect gentleman. I did manage to get Django corralled in the round pen but he was still too agitated to do anything with.

Dale said that he didn't know why but the horse was obviously spooked of him so we would put off his shoeing until next week when my rope holding hands are healed and I've gotten something from the vet to sedate Django with before Dale's next visit. Dale said that a few sessions where the horse has been sedated should convince him that we aren't going to harm him and straighten out this unexpected problem. 

The almost comical end to this story is that as soon as he saw Dale leave, Django, who'd been running in circles full tilt around the round pen, stopped, turned slowly and walked over to me. He then gently laid his head against mine as if he was saying he was sorry. So evidently it is Dale he has a problem with which is surprising since Dale is usually amazing with even the most agitated of horses.

A post script to this story:

We still had no luck with Django this past Friday when Dale returned. Even after two shots of Dimosaden, one in the muscle and one in the vein, Django still managed to pull away. Steve was there to help but I think that Dale and I both are a bit wary of being hurt again. Dr. Hamilton will be coming next week to administer the sedative and hopefully get our new "rowdy" boy docile enough to at least remove the shoes and trim his hooves. I think I might try riding him barefoot for a while, lol.

So, thank goodness, no serious injuries over this latest lesson in horse ownership for me or Dale. As Huston told me when we were out in Missouri, when you ride a horse it's like you're driving through rush hour traffic in a big city; you have to be constantly aware of everything and everyone around you including your own horse and ready to react at a moments notice. It appears that lesson applies to ground work, too!

Aaaah....:)

Beautiful day at last!! I spent time with the horses, brushing and grooming them, getting the tangles out of Ranga's mane, braiding Django's. Then I lay back under a shade tree and just stared at that gorgeous, robin's egg blue sky! I saw a spider web floating across the sky, barely missing the tree tops. It sparkled in the sun and gently rolled and tumbled with the velvety soft summer breeze. I think it was spider web. Maybe it was a gossamer thread from an angel's robe.