God had Him in Mind When He Made a Cowboy

Buck the Film

I remember reading about Buck back in the days of my Horse Illustrated magazine subscription. It sure wasn't often that a horse "whisper" was mentioned in my small area of horsey influence. Perhaps if it was my whole world would be different right now. I honestly can't remember when or how I became aware of other ways to "train and break" a horse but it happened. I do remember riding severally abused animals and thinking about how they changed my life with their brokenness but willingness to trust again. I dreamed that I would someday bring together broken people and broken animals and together they could find healing. Lots of amazing people out there are doing just that and it is awesome. One such place is Crystal Peak Youth Ranch. You won't be able to read Kim Meeder's book "Hope Rising" with a dry eye. I feel blessed that I was able to touch on and experience this like of bond with horse and rider with our horses Summer & Freckles before we sold them to better homes.

I didn't know when I would be lucky enough to see this documentary on Buck and his life and training "techniques". However, if you have a Netflix subscription you can now see it on Netflix streaming (and probably DVD). Even if you aren't a horsey person I would recommend watching this film. The unbelievable hardship and abuse that Buck overcame in his own life is remarkable and inspiring. He has a lot more to offer to the world than just training horses and starting colts.

Buck... I pray with all my heart that you know Jesus in this world and next.

Its the Little Things...

I have been stressing over getting Wade a pair of mud boots but the price is often prohibitive. Our yard is a muddy mess for about 9 months out of the year. We are working on improving that but regardless it is necessary to have a pair of shoes that can hold off the wet and mud. The problem with getting baby shoes is that who knows when they will grow out of them. Wade's toes are already reaching close to the front of his size 6 shoes. That means we may need to buy a new pair of everyday shoes, we still need snow boots, and perhaps a pair of dress shoes for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Not necessary but nice. Of course we look for bargains, thrift stores, and hand-me-downs. However, spending $15 - $24 or more on a pair of shoes he will grow out of in weeks to months is just out of our budget. I simply couldn't find a pair of mud boots cheaper than that and I have been looking. A dear friend loaned me a really sweet pair of boots but they fall of Wades feet when walking or being held. Until last night we were back to square one but a last minute shopping trip for milk to our local Marc's store proved to be perfect timing. There they were. A small section of shelving with children's rain boots. I won't doubt that by this evening they will be gone. The price? $5.99. I bought two pairs. One in the size that Wade fits now and one in the size Wade will be wearing this winter and spring. All for $12.00. How can you beat that?! Even the Salvation Arm would price these boots used at that price. I knew God would provide.

On top of that this morning for the first time all summer we sat outside to drink in the sunshine, eat some food, and drink a cup of coffee. Our new wood chips, Wade walking, and his new boots, finally gave me the confidence and desire to hang out behind my house. Gone is the gross long grass concealing who knows what. Gone is the large areas of mud and dirt that never disappears. To say I am the only one happy about the changes would be misleading...

Wade eating an orange.

Lacy wishing for a piece of orange. She loves the wood chips too.

Wade climbing around in his new mud boots.

Even Naomi the cat enjoys the new wood chips. Although she think the new
 pile will be a lot of work to move. You can see part of it behind the fence.

It is amazing how the little things in life can bring happiness when it seems like the world is falling apart around you. What little thing is making your day better today?

Family Day

It isn't often that on a nice weekend day we get out to just have free fun. Often if it is nice we are working frantically on one project or another. And trust me... we have projects. A giant pile of wood chips delivered for free is sitting in my front yard waiting to be spread as I write this. More on that another time.

I am so grateful for our family time; brief as it is. It makes the hard work and daily grind more bearable. Maybe if it is nice this weekend I can get my husband to head to the zoo... maybe. Bracing for the cold winter days ahead. What is your family doing to get ready for winter?

Method A Solution

I like the Method brand and use it but TBH is not associated with the company
that manufacturers the Method brand. 

While I do make cleaning products at home there are a few I purchase. A shower scrub to help cut grim in my shower and sinks, a floor soap (that has lasted 3 years), and hand & dish soap. Readily available at most stores I shop at is the Method brand. Best of all I find it affordable among the "green" products. Now I am not going to tell you it is the cleanest (greenest) product on the market because I haven't bothered to look into it that information. I am selfishly avoiding not wanting to feel bad if it really isn't the greenest choice. It is what I can afford and I feel better then buying Dawn (sorry Dawn).

Now I have all the more reason to like that I occasionally purchase the Method products. One of my favorite news feeds is Treehugger.com. When Wade lets me sit and read a news article on the computer I usually find something interesting or informative from Treehugger. Today was no different. I learned How Method Turns Plastic Pollution in the Ocean Into Bottles. Sweet!

You probably know how there are these ridiculously large floating plastic fields in the middle of our oceans. Well before I wrote this I didn't realize that there were FIVE large ones. I only really knew of one (The Great Pacific Garbage Patch). Regardless it is a really big problem and the question is... what to do about them? And what in the world can this little blue house do about them? We try not to buy plastic. All plastic 2 litters and gallon milk jugs and juice bottles are kept in the green house and animal buildings for watering and planting seeds. I wash all zip lock freezer bags and reuse several times. I keep my glass bottles and reuse as much as possible. We recycle (OK not in the house because of space for bins issue) but out of the house whenever possible! How much more can we do?

Well it turns out that from now on by buying Method products I am doing more. For every Method product I buy I now take 15 grams of plastic out of the ocean. Baby steps you say? Yup. But what a neat, innovative, and creative solution. Please read about how Method and their partners developed a whole new method of recycling the brittle and decaying plastic bottles floating out into the ocean and are using them to make a new high quality plastic bottle. A bottle claimed to be 100 percent post-consumer HDPE with 25% being from those floating trash fields. Neat! Can you tell I am a sucker for doing things better and doing things right? Like we should have been doing all along. Mankind I think God is smiling at your industriousness for this moment. Bravo. Let's keep doing more.

Holding

Summer is a busy time of year for just about anyone I imagine. For me with a little one it has been near impossible to find time to sit in front of the computer to blog and read blogs. Jackie and I talk often about that. We want to do more in the warm sunny months for our lovely little blog but this year that just wasn't to be. Please hold with us. Soon there will be snow storms and cloud cover. Time with hot mugs of coffee or chocolate are just around the corner. Babies will nap, houses will be clean, projects put to rest and the blog will take life again. I can't wait to show you what we have been talking about...