Strengthening the Arab Voice

It's horse fever, I'm certain.

When you read the title of this post, what did you think?

I was perusing a back issue of my Mount Holyoke Alumnae Quarterly magazine and saw an article with this title.  I flipped directly to page three.  There I found a photograph of a man standing beside a horse in a web halter.

I looked at the horse's face first, naturally, and didn't see the typical Arab characteristics, such as the dish.  The nostrils and eyes didn't look very Arab like and the body seemed larger than most Arabs.

Curious, I proceeded to the text, after all this was an article.  The article was about Mohammed Jiyad, a senior lecturer in Arabic language and literature at MHC, and how he has seen the interest in Arabic studies change over the 25 years he has been at the college.

When he first started teaching, he had about six students in his class.  This past year he had 30.  He talks about the need for Arabic speakers in government, banking and business and mentions students studying overseas.

Mohammed grew up with horses in Iraq and has several Arab horses of his own.   Aside from this brief mention of his horses, no more than those few words, there was no discussion or question about horses in this article.

Here I am thinking the article was about strengthening the interest in Arabian horses somehow by showing a man with a Quarter Horse, when it was about the Arab language and its role in global affairs.

The piece was interesting.  I prefer my interpretation of the title.

Bend at its Finest

There is much I like about living in Bend.  I've been giving it a lot of thought lately.  Checking in, am I in the right place?

This morning, February 12, it is a superb Central Oregon winter morning.  Blue sky, crisp views of the snow covered Cascades, windless, warming sun, the smell of a morning wood stove burning, all makes 27 degrees thoroughly enjoyable.  I have not lived anywhere else where 27 degrees can feel warm.

Meeting people.  It's easy here.  People here are people people.  They like people.  They like to engage.  This is much different than anywhere else I have lived (well, Argentina was like that but I'm not sure it wasn't partly because I am con ojos claros.)  On a daily basis, when I leave the ranch, I have a conversation with someone I do not know.  Not just an exchange of pleasantries, but an actual dialogue.  They say that's good for warding off dementia.

In the last two days, two people have come over to me and introduced themselves and we had the most delightful conversation.  This is good stuff.

The animals are certainly something I have not experienced elsewhere.  I do my best to take time every day, regardless of my schedule, to sit and listen to what is around me.  Fortunately for me, I hear a lot of animal sounds.  I can hear the neighbor's rooster, and turkey when he has one, his cows and sheep.  I can hear horses from two ranches over, alpaca when they alarm, dogs from down the road.  Of course, the most prominent of sounds are my own animals.  They all like to chat; someone always has something to say.  It is a joy to take a moment to be present with the life force around me.

Activities are abundant in this town.  I'm not sure there is an off-season.  The community is very active in putting events together and getting out to support one another.  There is much to choose from, sometimes more than one can take in in a day.  One can visit a different yoga studio each day of the week and still not have visited them all.

Shopping is quite different here in Bend.  For starters, parking spaces are much bigger than any other place I have lived.  They are meant to accommodate the larger ranch vehicles and trailers that are common and quite necessary modes of transportation.  It doesn't matter what time of day you go to Target; I really like that.  What I buy is very different.  Now, my shopping list consists of pine shavings, hen crack (I'm pretty sure the packable label says scratch,) horse supplements, cat toys, SWAT to keep the flies off the horses, work gloves, turtlenecks, pants and shorts with good pockets, Wrangler jeans and much more along those lines.  When looking at a new pair of shoes, some habits never die, I consider how much the grass or pine shavings will stick to the shoe before purchasing them.

Neighbors are necessary.  When you live in an environment where things change on a moment's notice and just about anything can happen, having neighbors is critical.  We all know this.  It's a give and take and for any of us to get by, it must be.

People wave when you pass them on the road.
From my house to town, there is a 2 mile section that has a speed limit of 55mph.  Slower ahead.
Coffee shops are plenty, and not just Starbucks.
Farmers' markets are anticipated and well-shopped.
Restaurants do their part in shopping and serving local.
Going to the feed store is a social outing, plan to stay a while. Oh, and dogs are welcome.
The air is fresh.
Resources are respected.
The Sheriff looks after animals as much as people.
The laws protect animals.
There is a sliding scale for many services.
Being in a small town makes you think twice about what you say. Oddly it curbs some negative habits.

This list can go on and on.  It's good to sit and write what brings you joy.  Yes, we must find our own true joy within as well.  That can be a difficult lock to pick depending on your life experiences.  So, when the external forces are positive and joyful, that sticky lock gets a good lube job.

What brings you joy?

Missing a Friend

It was a card on the windowsill that triggered the lump in my throat.  Memories, emotions and longing hit me at once.  A year and a half later, I miss my friend, Tripper.

I don't think you ever get over the loss of a good friend.  They were your friend because your heart had a place for them to begin with.  They help fill your heart.  They brighten your heart.  And they can break your heart.

Heartache is deep.  It's so deep that time or new memories can't reach it.  A cushion can be made around it, to soften it, but no aspirin is great enough to make it disappear.

Through tears and the pang of loss, we can appreciate having loved a friend so dearly and we can feel fortunate for having that love shared.  It is beautiful, after all.

It's okay to take time to grieve again.  Our relationship with our friend is certainly unique.  They may have other friends, but the bond and connection between two individuals is in fact, individual, only, singular, just one.  That is something that is our treasure, to hold and cherish.

And that is why I think we have eternal heartache.  If it is lost from us, it is truly lost.

Introspection

"It is usually more or less easy to analyze others and classify them according to personality.  It is often more difficult to turn the searchlight on one's self in strict honesty, but that is what you must do in order to find out what improvement or change is necessary.  One purpose in discovering your own personality is to know how you affect others.  Consciously, or unconsciously, people feel your personality, and their reaction is a clue."
~~~~Paramahansa Yogananda, SRF Lessons

Tick Tock, Have You Checked Your List Today?

We are well on our way into January 2012.  I keep telling myself that the days are passing quickly because each day is packed with wonder, fun and joy, so what's another tick on the calendar page?

Given the variety of animals that call this ranch home, there always is something going on.  I know, I've said this several times before, but no two days are alike. I cannot count on a quick run out to get something done because inevitably, one of the animals or an animal related topic has other plans for me.  I have learned to prioritize--a challenge for a Sagittarian. 

There is the short list, the immediate list, the "oh crap" list, the in-my-dreams list, the where is my list list and a few more as yet untitled lists.

Juanita, one of my two year old hens, has an infection of sorts and is seriously underweight.  We don't know why.  We thought perhaps she was egg-bound.  Dr. Brown saw her, gave an antibiotic shot for the infection and a calcium shot to move along any stuck egg and recommended continued antibiotics and house rest.

A little research was needed as to the antibiotic.  How many days does it last in her system as we eat our hen eggs.  It's 21 days.  Juanita hasn't laid an egg since Wednesday, so no worries there.  She has an appetite but won't eat her pellets, which is where she'll get her calories.  She eats a bit and then stops. 

Today, I gave her the antibiotic in a water mixture via syringe in her mouth.  I also went to Target and got some Pedialyte and have given her that too.  She's a very compliant Rhode Island Red. 

My newest theory, she either has sour crop or an impacted crop.  Internet research is very helpful.  I know what to look for tomorrow morning and we'll see if this is what it is.

Graysin, one of my feral cats, has been acting weird lately.  She eats, which is good.  She's been hanging out under the windows of the house at night and sometimes hiding out in the hay during feeding.  Does she want in?  I put a kitty bed on the porch under the living room window.  I have yet to find evidence of a kitty in it.

I woke up the other morning to find Kenna in the pasture.  She took herself on a self-guided tour, including breaking through the wire gate.  We now have two gates.  It seems to be working.

Bodie and Pinkie had their excitement of the New Year.  They got into a real dog fight in the house!  The new Christmas toy was the instigator; it rolled under the couch and how that led to the outbreak, I have no idea.  It was ugly.  They were both sent to their respective houses for a time out.  It took them about half a day to really get over it and carry on as usual.  Well, Bodie was ready when he woke up; Pinkie needed her time.

All of the horses tested negative for the latest fecal egg count!  This is good news by the way.  In order to gather the samples, I have to separate the horses and wait for each to poop, collect a chunk of steaming horse manure, label it and get it to the vet for analysis.  This determines whether or not they need to be wormed.  Negative there too.

The newest excitement is that I'm going to purchase my own microscope (why didn't I include that in my amazon order tonight?) so I can do my own testing for the horses and goats.  Well, and look at anything else around the ranch that strikes my fancy.  Dr. Cole, the equine and caprine vet, will show me how to prepare the slides and what to look for.  I can't wait!

I am allergic to hay.  Ah, positive thinking restatement, I was allergic to hay.  Last week I did an acupuncture allergy treatment for hay.  This means I cannot be around it for 24 hours.  I planned my day to have as much time off the ranch as possible and to sleep in the guest house so as to avoid the dogs  who roll in the hay, my coats with pockets filled with hay, my shoes also filled with hay, the mudroom with hay on the carpet, the SUV with hay on the floor mats.  I even had the Lexus washed and vacuumed while I was in my appointment so any misplaced hay would be removed.  I met my friend April for lunch.  My phone rang.  As I picked it up, I noticed the big twig of hay stuck in the phone cover.  Need I go on?

Pippin and Shadow are complete and total wethers now.  They were banded at the end of September and I had to wait for their little ballicles to fall off.  I found Shadow's on the floor of their stall one morning.  Pippin's fell off a week later in their playpen.   I did find it necessary to show the men working on the ranch the little dried up goat testicles dangling on a rubber band.

The joy of seeing my goats everyday is indescribable.  Shadow is an absolute love bug and is becoming more so as he gets older.  He just eats up affection and happily returns it.    Pippin, who usually gets chased off by Shadow, is warming to the idea and now gets what it's all about.  I try to separate them so I can love on each of them.  When I hug them and smell their coats, which at the moment are about 2" thick, their smells are very different.  I know which one is calling me just by their sound.  I know which one is in the barn by the sound of various things crashing down onto the floor.  And I know which one will get out of any gate, on top of anything climbable, and inside anything with an inside.  Shadow just wants to be a goat and browse and eat.  Pippin eats while pondering his thesis.

The biggest news of late is that Pinkie finally learned to play ball!  Really, this is big.  She just never got it before.  Bodie was born to chase balls.  Yesterday morning in the pasture, I focused on her with the ball and tossed it directly to her with the words "Get it!"  and while she was in front of me, I said "Bring me" and then praised her for pretty much going nowhere.  Then I tossed the ball just behind her, then a little further and a little further.  When she got it and brought it back I thought she was going to go pee-pee with excitement.  Come to think of it, she probably did, she does this.  Today we played again and she is completely into the game.  I love it!

Just to round out the ranch tales, we had 8 domestic ducks.  A band of raccoons came and one by one killed the ducks.  I worked with Wildlife Services and trapped four raccoons.  There was at least a fifth that I couldn't catch and that was the end of our ducks.  It was quite sad to find a dead duck by the pond each morning.  I try not to go too deep into the sadness of ranch life but look for what comes of it.  I now know how to trap a raccoon, what their tracks look like, how to spot their place in a tree, and what not to do with a raccoon once you trap it.

On a lighter note, the holidays were spent with good friends.  We had some delicious times together,  and we played many games of Mexican Train.  If you have not discovered this game yet, check it out.  Lots of fun for us gamers.  

And the weather has been delightful.  Days in the 50s and 60s in December and January?  Why not.  Of course, we really do need the precipitation so everyone can water their pastures and keep the price of hay down.  It's a real need.  I vote for a day of wet every week followed by more of this winter warmth. 

As I say each time I post a blog, I'm going to post more often.  It's on the short list.

I Have Learned Much. And I Have Much to Learn.

I often say that life on the ranch is the equivalent of taking a college course, including the labs.  The grade you get is evident in the health, happiness and soundness of the animals and in the efficiencies, cleanliness, and the accurate anticipation of things to come around the ranch.

While I can say that I know quite a bit now about tracking and trapping raccoons, trimming goat hooves, the metabolism and digestive system of horses, recognizing coyote scat, the molting season of chickens and ducks, what to do when a dog has trouble pooping, how to nurse back a window-smacked bird, what a deer leg looks like--off the deer, the nocturnal patterns of feral cats, and much else that falls in between, I am still pages away from starting the next chapter.

I read this excerpt below and it struck me.  To paraphrase what I had just said to someone 20+ years younger than I, "You are young and there are things you just don't know yet and it is just that way."

Someone 20+ years my senior may say the same to me.

"A life story is like an impressionist painting, a riot of tiny brushstrokes when viewed up close.  There is a great deal we are unable to discern about our lives while we are still caught up in the small exertions of living.  Getting older allows us to step back far enough to recognize the overall shape of things, the full picture that can only be seen from the distance of an elapsed lifetime."
~~~~~Wendy Lustbader, Life Gets Better: The Unexpected Pleasures of Growing Older

Drakes in Eclipse

The local feed store is like a quick and easy trip to the reference section of the library.  They seem to know quite a bit about everything.

A couple of weeks back, Bill was loading feed into the 4 Runner, which was carefully guarded by cookie loving dogs, and we got to talking about his duck hunting.  Hunting of any kind isn't my favorite topic but I'm starting to understand the "food for the family" aspect.

I mentioned to Bill that all of my male Mallards, the drakes, have disappeared.  For some reason I have a pond loaded with females, hens.  He laughed.  "No," he said, "you have just as many drakes as before."

Drakes in eclipse is what I had plenty of in my pond.  After mating season, the drakes molt and lose their beautiful colorful plumage.  The look just like the hens!  Now, a real duck person can tell the difference.  Thankfully, I can now consider myself a "real" duck person.

Bill told me to look at their bills.  Drakes have yellow bills and hens have brownish/orange bills.  Their feet also are a clue.  The drakes have bright orange feet.  Sure as the day is long, I have a pond with a healthy mix of drakes and hens!

In the last week or so the drakes have begun to get their colors back.  It happens rather quickly.  Now, aside from a few late bloomers, their heads are a magnificent shimmering green once again. 

What a funny thing that happened at my pond.  It's another lesson learned.  It just doesn't stop.