A new neighbor moved into the lot down a ways with his two horses, to my delight. There were horses there in the past, but had been gone for a long while now, and I really missed them and my "chats" with them. So this new neighbor came with his horses, and even acquired another one after a while. And I could not wait to make friends with them.
When I first approached the fence the two original ones, Blaze (male) and Rosebud (female) were hesitant. Even though they are used to people, as they are being ridden, but I was a stranger, right along with Tipsy, my dog, who even barked at them at first. But after a couple of visits they trusted me and came up to the fence as soon as they saw me. By now, even when they see Tipsy first, and have not heard my voice from the distance, they will come to the fence knowing I will be there shortly.
What I noticed instantly though was that Rosebud (and I had not learned their names until much later, just called them "horsies") the female was dominant. Blaze the male, even though older, would be pushed aside by Rosebud when I petted him. So he learned quickly to retreat, as soon as she came up. I would have to go to the fence a bit further down, to try to pet him, before she would catch up with us.
Finally I decided to take a treat, either apple or carrot, and of course, they loved that. But again, it was impossible to give Blaze anything, because Rosebud would simply shove his head away with hers, and hog the food. So I learned to have a bite in each hand, and reaching to either of them at the same time. So Rosebud being busy with her chew, did not have time to bother Blaze as he got his. But Blaze never came up as close to the fence, as Rosebud did. It was often hard to give the food to him, because I could not reach in far enough. So I learned to toss it to him. And he learned that that was a way that Rosebud did not bother him and yet he was not being neglected. He realized he was as important to me as Rosebud was. Therefore, after a while, he decided he could get to me, by running up first. And it worked, at least for a minute or so, when Rosebud caught up.
Then came Dixie. She was a bit shy at first. According to the owner, she had not been treated too well in her previous home, therefore the eye problem, inflammation all around the lid. But after a couple of visits, she too became relaxed. And now I observed something even more interesting - she had no problem with Blaze being there, so generally, Blaze would stand on one side of her and Rosebud on the other. And Rosebud did not pre-empt the food from Dixie, she recognized her as her slightly superior pasture mate, even though Rosebud was older. But there was a calmness, and yet a strong sense of competence in Dixie that made all the difference in their hiarchal setting. And Blaze slowly learned to come closer to the fence again realizing that he was not threatened by anyone now.
One time though, we all jumped. That was when I happened to slightly touch the top wire of the electr. fence. We all jumped back, and, of course, the horses were momentarily spooked. It took a while for them to come back near the fence. A longer while for Blaze to do so.
One day, however, Blaze really got the upper hand, and seemed to have relished it. After our visit, he decided to leave the fence first, but this time, running full tilt toward the back of the area, then make a big circle along the entire fenced in enclosure. Naturally, having become curious, Rosebud and Dixie followed him, but he did not let them catch up with him. Suddenly he began to make the circles smaller and smaller, until he wound up at the gate-end of the front fence in a tight twirl, and the two ladies still following his pattern. Yet they never ran into each other. It was quite a ballet by that time. Eventually, Blaze stopped, looked toward the road, and so did the other two, standing closely together by now. It was a sight to see, the relish Blaze had in goading his dominant ladies for a change.
When I am out of food, I always say that is all, no more, stretch out my empty hand to let them lick it, and they understand. But they will not walk away, they are quite happy to simply entertain me with their company, until I tell them that Tipsy and I have to go home. Then they usually walk away, but do at times, return to watch us disappear down the road.
I also noticed that the owner, having met him eventually and talked to him, does not leave the fence charged, knowing I treat the horses. That was very nice, and we all appreciate it.
My immediate neighbor's dog has lately decided to join us in our walks. And being very laid back and placid, as well as curious, not worried about any dangers, got so intrigued by the horses being near the fence, that he stuck his head in and nuzzled Dixie's nose, Tipsy joining him, while Dixie nuzzled them, audibly inhaling the odor to obviously make herself remember these critters' ID.
As of spring 2016 the horses are gone. Their owner died and they were sold. I miss them daily when I walk up the road and don't see them on the property.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Memories
In my country a warm summer is not very long and starts later than here in N.C. As a child it was the most exciting thing to experience, go swimming. In May we would try to shed our long stockings and have knee highs, or even short socks, if Mom did not catch us rolling down our long stockings. Daily we watched the skies and hoped for more and warmer sun. Come June, there were those days that became warm enough to go to the open air pool, the only place to go. When younger, Mom had to take me, and I had to fit my hopes into her work schedule. We would go to the streetcar stop, waiting for the #2 Streetcar, which would get us to the end stop where the pool was. There was a long line at the ticket counter, and finally we were inside, went to the dressing area, stuffed our clothes into the bags, and then went outside to the pool, which was crowded. But Mom made sure I was not accosted. Once, when a bully pushed me into the low end of pool, she came to my rescue giving the boy a dressing down. I learned to swim with a aid of a metal oblong canister, metal, light weight, chained around my waist, after Mom had taught me the basic swim move of a breast stroke. Eventually I dared to jump off 1 meter diving board. And now I was a swimmer. After I reached about 10 yrs I was allowed to go by myself and with girl friend to the pool. It was grand. But the season was short, and even in June, July and August there were many rain days when we could not go. In September it was usually too cool and the pool closed.
As an older teenager, having joined the Life Guard Club, we spent many summer hours at another open air pool, which at that time was really only a backwater of the Rhine River, separated from the river by a dam. And we often swam in the Rhine River, crossing to the other side. That required to gauge the speed of the river's flow, and walking up-river on our side, before going in to cross, so that we could come out opposite our usual sunning spot on our side. The same on our return trip, walking back upstream, to come back out where we needed to. If we overshot, we had to walk back to our pool area on our side also.
Some of the guys would swim up to the low floating cargo tenders, towed by tugboats, often three of them behind a tug. And the guys would climb up on the tenders, and further upstream jump back in and swim back to the pool area of the river. I never did, it was way too dangerous for my taste.
But even today, on a warm sunny day, when I smell the water of a lake or river it makes me think of those wonderful, exciting years of having the special treat in our short summers of swimming.
As an older teenager, having joined the Life Guard Club, we spent many summer hours at another open air pool, which at that time was really only a backwater of the Rhine River, separated from the river by a dam. And we often swam in the Rhine River, crossing to the other side. That required to gauge the speed of the river's flow, and walking up-river on our side, before going in to cross, so that we could come out opposite our usual sunning spot on our side. The same on our return trip, walking back upstream, to come back out where we needed to. If we overshot, we had to walk back to our pool area on our side also.
Some of the guys would swim up to the low floating cargo tenders, towed by tugboats, often three of them behind a tug. And the guys would climb up on the tenders, and further upstream jump back in and swim back to the pool area of the river. I never did, it was way too dangerous for my taste.
But even today, on a warm sunny day, when I smell the water of a lake or river it makes me think of those wonderful, exciting years of having the special treat in our short summers of swimming.
Memories of when...
Roller skates were something I always thought to be fun to have as a child. But growing up just before and in and after the WWII years, that was a hard thing to obtain. Not many kids had skates. When I asked my mother she told me that she could not get any and besides it was not something I needed, I could get hurt.
So the only time I would get on skates, was when a friend from my church youth group let me use hers after one of our youth meetings when I walked with her to her home on my way home. I hung on to the house walls or fences in front of the little gardens of some the homes. I never had enough time to learn to skate.
I did have a girl friend in my own neighborhood who had a pair of skates. But when I asked her to let me use them, she only would give me one skate. I would 'proudly' skate on it, pushing off with the other foot, up and down in front of the house on the sidewalk. But after a couple of minutes she wanted it back. So I never learned anything there either.
Ice skates I did get one year, sent to me from the US by a relative; they had boots attached to them. But they were a tight fit. I did walk alright in them on our rugs in the home. But on an icy pond that winter, which had a rail going around it, I hung on to the rail, because my toes hurt so much from the tight fit of the shoes that I did not dare to do any "free-skating".
And that was the end of that. I never put them on again.
In the years later when these things could be purchased easily, I had another life and interests, and so I never learned to skate.
Until decades later, when I met roller derby girls, and plan to attend some of their games, that I wished I could at least have the knowledge of what it feels like to skate, either roller skate or ice skate, since I am also an ice hockey fan, and admire those players how secure they feel on the ice with their skates.
So the only time I would get on skates, was when a friend from my church youth group let me use hers after one of our youth meetings when I walked with her to her home on my way home. I hung on to the house walls or fences in front of the little gardens of some the homes. I never had enough time to learn to skate.
I did have a girl friend in my own neighborhood who had a pair of skates. But when I asked her to let me use them, she only would give me one skate. I would 'proudly' skate on it, pushing off with the other foot, up and down in front of the house on the sidewalk. But after a couple of minutes she wanted it back. So I never learned anything there either.
Ice skates I did get one year, sent to me from the US by a relative; they had boots attached to them. But they were a tight fit. I did walk alright in them on our rugs in the home. But on an icy pond that winter, which had a rail going around it, I hung on to the rail, because my toes hurt so much from the tight fit of the shoes that I did not dare to do any "free-skating".
And that was the end of that. I never put them on again.
In the years later when these things could be purchased easily, I had another life and interests, and so I never learned to skate.
Until decades later, when I met roller derby girls, and plan to attend some of their games, that I wished I could at least have the knowledge of what it feels like to skate, either roller skate or ice skate, since I am also an ice hockey fan, and admire those players how secure they feel on the ice with their skates.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Dreams
Sometimes dreams can come true, even if only in a dream.
I always wished I could have an elephant as a pet. I admire them, their intelligence, their family spirit, their loyalty, their powerful appearance. But they have not been on my mind lately. So I was totally stunned when I dreamed of a female elephant with her calf.
I found myself driving to some gathering somewhere, and had this Momma and baby elephant in my station wagon's rear platform. Have no idea how they got in there. During the drive I did wonder how I would get them out and maybe back in again once we got to the destination. They were good passengers, lying quietly on their sides. I was worried though about the time it would take for the drive, because elephants do not do well lying down for too long, because of their enormous weight pressing on their inner organs.
We finally arrived, I got out of car, opened back and somehow both got out happily loping down an embankment to a large meadow area and an adjacent lake/river. I attended to my meeting, and wondered if they might not just run off before I got back.
But they did not. When I called them -and they responded to my talk just like my dogs do, understanding everything I said to them - the Momma "told" me (maybe telepathically) that they would be right with me, they just wanted to do one more run around meadow and a swim. The calf in fact rolled in a big mud puddle after its swim, so did the Mom, but she went back into the water and rinsed herself off. They calf did not. But by then I did not worry about car getting dirty, I just wanted them back in the car. While I pondered, how I could lift them into the station wagon, they already had managed to get in (I did not see how) and laid back down for the ride back home. And they let me know they were real happy about the outing.
Before I could wonder about the accommodations at home, I awoke. But I was left with this awesome feeling of having experienced something wonderful - a connection with an animal that I never thought I would have.
When I told my neighbor about it, she laughed out loud. She thought that was the oddest thing one would dream.
I, too, could not figure out why I had this dream at this time, as I had not thought about elephants lately. But then some time later I did remember a newspaper article I read about Africa and the annihilation of the Black Rhinos and scarcely any White Rhinos left, and the slaughtering of hundreds of elephants, all for their tusks/ivory, which sells as aphrodisiac in Asia and is an enormous black market. At the time when I read that article, I felt so frustrated and wished there were a way I could help this creatures. But even the National Wildlife organization, which works with those countries' personnel to preserve the animals in the animal sanctuaries, has no way to do much, because even the local officials are in on the money making deal. How selfish and uncaring this world has become.
This is why I like the Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary so much. One place some elephants can find a true sanctuary.
I always wished I could have an elephant as a pet. I admire them, their intelligence, their family spirit, their loyalty, their powerful appearance. But they have not been on my mind lately. So I was totally stunned when I dreamed of a female elephant with her calf.
I found myself driving to some gathering somewhere, and had this Momma and baby elephant in my station wagon's rear platform. Have no idea how they got in there. During the drive I did wonder how I would get them out and maybe back in again once we got to the destination. They were good passengers, lying quietly on their sides. I was worried though about the time it would take for the drive, because elephants do not do well lying down for too long, because of their enormous weight pressing on their inner organs.
We finally arrived, I got out of car, opened back and somehow both got out happily loping down an embankment to a large meadow area and an adjacent lake/river. I attended to my meeting, and wondered if they might not just run off before I got back.
But they did not. When I called them -and they responded to my talk just like my dogs do, understanding everything I said to them - the Momma "told" me (maybe telepathically) that they would be right with me, they just wanted to do one more run around meadow and a swim. The calf in fact rolled in a big mud puddle after its swim, so did the Mom, but she went back into the water and rinsed herself off. They calf did not. But by then I did not worry about car getting dirty, I just wanted them back in the car. While I pondered, how I could lift them into the station wagon, they already had managed to get in (I did not see how) and laid back down for the ride back home. And they let me know they were real happy about the outing.
Before I could wonder about the accommodations at home, I awoke. But I was left with this awesome feeling of having experienced something wonderful - a connection with an animal that I never thought I would have.
When I told my neighbor about it, she laughed out loud. She thought that was the oddest thing one would dream.
I, too, could not figure out why I had this dream at this time, as I had not thought about elephants lately. But then some time later I did remember a newspaper article I read about Africa and the annihilation of the Black Rhinos and scarcely any White Rhinos left, and the slaughtering of hundreds of elephants, all for their tusks/ivory, which sells as aphrodisiac in Asia and is an enormous black market. At the time when I read that article, I felt so frustrated and wished there were a way I could help this creatures. But even the National Wildlife organization, which works with those countries' personnel to preserve the animals in the animal sanctuaries, has no way to do much, because even the local officials are in on the money making deal. How selfish and uncaring this world has become.
This is why I like the Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary so much. One place some elephants can find a true sanctuary.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
College Admissions
In a recent news article it was mentioned that colleges often have innovative ways for essay type material required for admission applications. They found the questions lightened the burdensome task of writing essays. But others are intimidated. Colleges came up with this novel idea because they realized most of the biographical essays contained not really the information they could use to evaluate the prospective student, and may have also been exaggerated. And giving students free range in choosing a subject left many bewildered.
So here are some of the ideas. Try them and maybe put them on your own blogs. I find the ideas really invigorating.
"Think of things that fascinated you when you were 10 years old - what endured?"
"Please describe an unusual way in which you have fund."
"A package arrives at your door. After seeing the contents you know it is going to be the best day of your life. What's inside and how do you spend your day?"
So here are some of the ideas. Try them and maybe put them on your own blogs. I find the ideas really invigorating.
"Think of things that fascinated you when you were 10 years old - what endured?"
"Please describe an unusual way in which you have fund."
"A package arrives at your door. After seeing the contents you know it is going to be the best day of your life. What's inside and how do you spend your day?"
Thursday, October 4, 2012
American Economies
It requires a knowledge of America's past history before comparing the Great Depression and its
recovery to the current recovery.
The reasons for the former was due to trade problems. America used to rely heavily on her wealth by the influx from moneys from overseas for mainly weapons purchases and rebuilding of the European Allies' own economies after WWI. Finally, those European allies ran out of money and could not pay even what they owed to the US any longer.
In the recovery period of the Great Depression, once the US Government started to bail out the country, the people, upon getting jobs and incomes, were in a position to drive the economy by purchasing, because they did not have to pay off old debts. And purchases are always the foundation for a solid economy. In addition, the war industry began to build up, because the US realized that the country needed a solid, standing army and defense materiel. And the weapons industry, especially if it could do trade with other nations, has always been a great money maker.
However, those citizens of the US, despite losing jobs and consequently also possessions, were basically not indebted personally as the citizens in our times are due to their heavy credit card debt. A debt which they have no way to pay off within a reasonable period of time. Consequently, they also could not pay the necessary payments for homes, higher priced than people could afford, and they defaulted.
But in this present time, even those who still have jobs or got jobs, have to spend their money paying off old debts instead of purchasing. What purchasing is done is of those, who were more visionary and lucky in having jobs left, and less debts. And, of course, the ultra rich. This is why the economy can only grow slowly. Also, foreign purchases have declined because of the affected economies in foreign countries.
Also, with a heavy push on spending, people again may fall into the trap of credit cards, adding to further long term problems.
And instead of building up a defense industry, we have already spent enormously on the present 10 year war in the Near East, and have exhausted our resources; and unless we find a large market overseas for weapons, which would bring in money, the rebuilding of our weapon systems will be an additional drain on the economy.
In addition, big business is still cutting jobs, in order to improve their net gains, and refuse to hire to a helpful extent. The same goes for small business. They do not want to risk spending too much money on overhead, not knowing when a healthy purchase system will recur.
So for anyone with common sense, it is obvious that our present situation cannot be blamed on anyone president, but foremost on the citizens. And it was in the making for decades, because Americans felt they had to have "things" beyond their needs and especially means.
recovery to the current recovery.
The reasons for the former was due to trade problems. America used to rely heavily on her wealth by the influx from moneys from overseas for mainly weapons purchases and rebuilding of the European Allies' own economies after WWI. Finally, those European allies ran out of money and could not pay even what they owed to the US any longer.
In the recovery period of the Great Depression, once the US Government started to bail out the country, the people, upon getting jobs and incomes, were in a position to drive the economy by purchasing, because they did not have to pay off old debts. And purchases are always the foundation for a solid economy. In addition, the war industry began to build up, because the US realized that the country needed a solid, standing army and defense materiel. And the weapons industry, especially if it could do trade with other nations, has always been a great money maker.
However, those citizens of the US, despite losing jobs and consequently also possessions, were basically not indebted personally as the citizens in our times are due to their heavy credit card debt. A debt which they have no way to pay off within a reasonable period of time. Consequently, they also could not pay the necessary payments for homes, higher priced than people could afford, and they defaulted.
But in this present time, even those who still have jobs or got jobs, have to spend their money paying off old debts instead of purchasing. What purchasing is done is of those, who were more visionary and lucky in having jobs left, and less debts. And, of course, the ultra rich. This is why the economy can only grow slowly. Also, foreign purchases have declined because of the affected economies in foreign countries.
Also, with a heavy push on spending, people again may fall into the trap of credit cards, adding to further long term problems.
And instead of building up a defense industry, we have already spent enormously on the present 10 year war in the Near East, and have exhausted our resources; and unless we find a large market overseas for weapons, which would bring in money, the rebuilding of our weapon systems will be an additional drain on the economy.
In addition, big business is still cutting jobs, in order to improve their net gains, and refuse to hire to a helpful extent. The same goes for small business. They do not want to risk spending too much money on overhead, not knowing when a healthy purchase system will recur.
So for anyone with common sense, it is obvious that our present situation cannot be blamed on anyone president, but foremost on the citizens. And it was in the making for decades, because Americans felt they had to have "things" beyond their needs and especially means.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
PTSS
It is so frustrating to see the many military come home affected by this horrible mental condition, and often destroying their own lives, or that of their family members and others. The papers in my area publish pages on these stories - with the ultimate desire that the government do something about it. The efforts by the military so far are very small and don't seem to work very well.
Yet not anyone writes an article on the one and only sure help available for this illness, as for any other problems. Namely calling on Jesus to come into our lives and committing all of our soul to Him. The first "cure" would be, after such a commitment, an inner peace that no human assistance can provide. And from there, the Lord guides any other actions to be taken by us and others.
This country is so steeped in the conviction that we need to keep hands off the subject of Christ in public, except in churches and intimate groups of believers, that it literally has turned the Constitution into an enemy of Christ, which, I am certain, the founders of the Constitution never intended to provoke.
Imagine there were a medicine to cure all ailments. Wouldn't it be touted in every printed matter, on every corner of the country (or the world)? And were the inventor to deny access to it, how outraged would everyone be? Yet, that is exactly what happens when we refuse to tell and retell the story of the healing powers of Christ through His Spirit and our need for Him.
Yet not anyone writes an article on the one and only sure help available for this illness, as for any other problems. Namely calling on Jesus to come into our lives and committing all of our soul to Him. The first "cure" would be, after such a commitment, an inner peace that no human assistance can provide. And from there, the Lord guides any other actions to be taken by us and others.
This country is so steeped in the conviction that we need to keep hands off the subject of Christ in public, except in churches and intimate groups of believers, that it literally has turned the Constitution into an enemy of Christ, which, I am certain, the founders of the Constitution never intended to provoke.
Imagine there were a medicine to cure all ailments. Wouldn't it be touted in every printed matter, on every corner of the country (or the world)? And were the inventor to deny access to it, how outraged would everyone be? Yet, that is exactly what happens when we refuse to tell and retell the story of the healing powers of Christ through His Spirit and our need for Him.
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