Cookbooks for Sale.....for a Horse Rescue.

I am on a horse forum with some great people. Last year, we had a horse show to raise money for a great horse rescue in Georgia called Sunkissed Acres. Lori is a great girl and does an amazing job with her rescues.

This year we had a horse show again, and raised her a good bit, but also - us, girls got together and put together a cute little cookbook.


Thought I would put it on my blog, and if you are so inclined, click the link below and you can order one for yourself or a gift for someone.



Here is the link: Cookbook order


Just wanted to say thanks, and feel free to pass it on.

BTW: I have a couple of recipes in here......one is mine, but the others I stole from friends and put my name on it........baaahhaaaaa !!! Just kidding, it says "Jamie and Friends"

Thanks for letting me share

Christmas Questionnaire

I get cute little "all about me's" in my email sometimes, but I liked this one on Lisa's blog...it was all about Christmas.....and I love Christmas and tradition.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate.....actually coffee with Bailey's...

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Don't have kids at home anymore, but I did not wrap. Only wrapped what was from Mom and Dad. Santa don't have time to wrap. Plus the paper would get torn in his bag.

3. Colored lights on house/tree or white? Clear lights on tree and house

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Can't give Bear any more excuses to start something...LOL

5. When do you put your decorations up? Right after Thanksgiving - tree and all

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Ham.....oh I love ham.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Waking up Christmas morning, and getting new animals. My dad broke horses and someone was always giving him another animal. He just saved them for me on Christmas morning and they were always my favorite gifts.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? What???? there is no Santa?
I guess I was about 10 or so, school kids told me. I did not believe them for a while.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? The girls always talked us into it, but I just let them open one. I wait until Christmas morning.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Western, cowboy stuff, horses, barbed wire, small red bows. This is my first year to not use the ornaments the girls made when they were little. I think next year I will get a small tree and decorate that with those.

11. Snow, love it or dread it? Well, I guess I love it. I see it about every 2 years or so. I live in Alabama - the South......we just do not get much snow. But I do love it when it comes, cause it does not stay long.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes, a little bit. I could roller skate much better, probably would bust my arse now doing either one.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? As a child, would have to be a horse. As an adult, would have to be a horse.

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you? Spending time with family.

15. Favorite holiday dessert? My mom makes a pineapple / cherry dump cake.

16. Favorite holiday tradition? Bear and I relaxing on Christmas day after everyone has gone home......I think we are leaving for a trail ride this year.

17. What tops your Christmas tree? A star

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Receiving......LOL .....just kidding. I love to pick a gift just for that person and watching and hoping they love it....

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? Singing - Santa Claus is coming to town......Listening - Silent Night.

20. Candy Canes - Yum or Yuck? I love peppermint. So I love them

21. What do you want for Christmas? Got it already - New fridge and dishwasher....
OK - well there is other things I want.....new show hat, new show saddle, basically anything for my horse and me.

22. Do you attend an annual Christmas Party? Bear and I have one with another couple friends of ours who are trainers. We have it for our clients and friends....it is this Saturday and we have a blast.....

23. Do you dress up for Christmas Eve or wear jammies? I wear jeans and a t-shirt to my in-laws .....everyone else dresses up...(told you guys I hate dressing up)....then I wear jammies when I get home.

24. Do you own a Santa hat? NO......My hair is too big for a hat....plus I would get hat head.

25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with? My parents and my family come over about a weekend before and we have Christmas then. Christmas Eve at Bear's parents. Then the girls come on Christmas morning, then they leave and go to their dads....And Bear and I have our time.

26. What are your least favorite things about Christmas? Cleaning house before and after company.....shopping.


Come on and join in on the fun.....and let me know if you posted it on your blog.

Will share next week some pictures from the Christmas party this weekend.

I am still on house / horse sitting duty at my friends. Will be done tomorrow. Whew ! It has about kicked my butt. I have been up at 5:00am, feeding chickens, cows, 17 pasture horses and 2 studs in stalls. Then went to work, came back in the dark, fed 17 pasture horses, and 2 studs in stalls, cleaned stalls. And most of this time, I have had to carry water, because the water has been cut off so it would not freeze. Just to the 2 studs....pasture horses had huge tanks, already filled.
But I have had fun.......My friend Janet...who I am horse sitting for.....has a great BIG jacuzzi tub and I have been spending a lot of time in there !!!!! Teehee !!!

Have a wonderful weekend
Happy Trails
Jamie

My Painted Past !!!!

I got an award from Lisa over at Laughing Orca Ranch and I love it.....

I wanted to show off the paint horses I have had in the past......

First off, here is my award.......Thank you Lisa - I love it !!!!

I bought the horse below (on the left) from one of those so-called horse traders. Her name was Tobi, she was fantastic the two times I went out to ride her, and I fell in love.......Well until the drugs wore off. She was really okay for about 2 weeks then she went cold-back. I mean everytime someone got on her - she really gave it to them......hit the ground.....This is the first horse that gave me memory loss.....6 months worth.

I sold her quickly !!!! Actually trader her for the next horse you will see....

The horse in the middle below is Shyanne......she was my second paint horse, I traded Tobi and about 1000.00 for her. She was my confidence builder horse. I needed it after my really bad accident on Tobi. I sold her to Jenny below after about 2 years of riding her -( she is getting ready for the Christmas parade).....(that is my honey, cutie pie on the left, and my neice on the right) Shyanne was an awesome horse.....she took me everywhere and safely.....we rode in Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi.....etc...etc.....

I sold her to Jenny (my BFF) as her first horse !!

The horse below is my beloved Dixie girl !!! She is awesome. I actually did not mean to have her. A group of us were going on a weekend trip, and my horse I was riding came up lame - abcess or something. Anyway, one of our clients had this horse for sale, so Bear called her to see if she would mind if I borrowed her and helped sell her on this really large organized ride we were going on.......well, I fell in love AGAIN.......and she never went back home. This would be my last trotting horse. I rode with Bear and my other gaited friends for about 2 years and my butt and back killed me....and poor Dixie - she had to trot or slow lope to keep up - I felt really bad for her. So then I decided to get a gaited horse, so I sold her to a really good friend and she loves her as much as I still do. The friend keeps me updated and sends me pictures often, as she lives in Southern Alabama.

Well that takes me to my next and last paint horse.....er.....Spotted Saddle Horse.....do not want to make the gaited community mad at me.....cause you know Paint Horses are Quarter Horses and Gaited Horses with Spots are Spotted Saddle Horses.......(sorry SSHA).......

This is my Rio..... She is the Bomb-Diggity !!!! So pretty and soooooooo sweet. She is my girl, and I hope she will be FOREVER !!!!!

Thanks again, Lisa - I love my "unique" award.....

Happy Trails.......

Jamie

Tired and Stuffed like a Turkey !!!!!

Well here I am back, stuffed like a turkey and tired.....
Had a great vacation riding horses, watching football and eating.
We cooked on Thursday, fried 2 turkeys, had dressing, every kind of casserole you can think of, and pies, cakes, fudge, and some awesome banana nut bread.
We were all stuffed, stuffed, stuffed. It is a wonder we were able to get on the horses on Friday.


We set up 4 tents and actually even made a little movie theatre, or really a place to watch Alabama and Auburn (our state rivals) play each other. We did that on Saturday. And my team (Auburn) did not win.....boo-hoo !! That is okay I guess, we have won the past 6 years, and Alabama has been undefeated this year....so I will survive. This is the only game I watch - I am not really a big football fan.
I only fell off my horse once......LOL......I say this because I do usually have a tumble every trail ride....I mean the name of this blog is "Seatbelt for my Saddle"......
Sometimes I just have a tumble and I did, but no big deal - not hurt at all.
Rio was going up a pretty steep hill, and got her foot in a small culvert, and stumbled, and I just rolled off, so she could get up.
Here is our movie theatre below.....
Pretty cool....huh? We even had rope lights all around the inside...
This is also where we ate and cooked. It rained a little on Friday and Saturday night, which made the riding a little muddy on Saturday, and we ended up just packing up and coming on home on Sunday morning, instead of riding before we left.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. I sure did !!!
Now it is shop mode........I have not even put my tree up, or bought one gift. Gotta get my butt in gear !!!

I was tagged with a meme by Callie at MidWestHorse to tell 6 things about me that none of you know. I have done this recently, but surely I did not tell all....LOL
So going to try again.

1. I, too, had a child with natural childbirth. My oldest daugher was 7lbs, 6oz, and 19 inches long, and I had a 27 hour labor with nothing for pain. They even did an episiotomy during a contraction.....OUCH !!! It was worth it when it was over and I had that gorgeous baby girl.....and can you believe I got prego 6 months later....obviously I did have pain meds that next time....

2. I love lobster. It is my favorite food. I do not get to eat it much, cause down here in the South....it is expensive.

3. I have anxiety sometimes while riding. I have had a couple of very bad accidents, even one where I lost 6 months of memory. So, sometimes (not everytime) when I ride - I get so crazy that I cry and absolutely freak out......BUT - I never quit.....just usually drink a beer and try to get over it quickly. My riding buddy's understand and really help me through this. I love my horses and will never quit riding.

4. I want to go to another country and do some kind of volunteer work. It is a calling I have had for a very long time and hope to do it someday.

5. I hate to dress up. I would rather wear jeans, t-shirts and boots every day of my life. I have been this way since I was a small child. (Ask my mom). When I was in school, I had to wear a uniform and I HATED it...... I just do not think I look good all dressed up - it is not me !! Luckily I can wear jeans, and nice shirt and my boots to work almost every day.

6. I do my Christmas shopping in less than 2 days. I hate to shop - I mean it - I really hate to shop (another one to ask my mom - because she is a shop-a-holic - maybe that is why). I wait until about a week before Christmas and go in one maybe two (but no more than that) and get all my shopping done. It might take me all day, but I get it done - I hate to shop !!!! Don't get me wrong, I love to give the gifts and really try to buy the right one for the right person, but I just hate the hustle and bustle of the shopping thing, especially at Christmas.

See I knew I could tell you guys some more things about myself that you did not know and I am sure I have more in there to dig up....
Rules:
Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Write six random things about yourself.
Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
I now tag:
Pony Girl Rides Again
The Horseshoeing Housewife
Trail Riding Cowgirl
Nuzzling Muzzles
Laughing Orca Ranch
TrailBoss

I love you guys !!!!!

Happy, Happy Thanksgiving !!!

Have not been around much....just been working so darn hard....at work and at home. Getting ready for the holidays and trips.

We are leaving on Wed to go on a 5 day camping / horse riding trip at KC Ranch in Double Springs, Alabama.....my favorite place.

Then when I get home Bear and I are house / horse sitting for 10 days for our trainer. They have 3 studs and about 14 horses that have to be fed, stalls cleaned etc. They are going to California for a Vet conference (she is a vet tech also as well as my trainer).

Then the next weekend we have our friend / client Christmas party, then the next weekend is my family Christmas at my house.

Then we are leaving the day after Christmas for a 6 day camping / horse riding trip to Winchester, Tennessee at Circle E.....

Soooooo.......just been getting my house and camper ready !!!!

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy and Safe Thanksgiving.

Love you all !!

Those gorgeous TN Mountains

Just after we got started on the trail....it was kinda chilly, but as soon as the horses started heating up - we got steam.

This is a place for hikers to stay during the night, so the bears (yes I said bears) will not get them. There is a place for you to hang your food up really high on a highwire also.
There are signs everywhere up here that tell you that there is active bear activity, and not to approach them. Not sure if the horses understand that -
Have you ever been on a horse that even smells a bear????
They start snorting and dancing around.....even sometimes start to bolt.....just say - they FREAK out !!!
The bears up in TN are pretty much protected, so they really do not fear humans, and they pretty much stay hidden.
Although in Cades Cove (where they have a drive around road to look at the animals), they just walk around - through cars and such. I have some pictures of our honeymoon where my Bear is about 4 feet from a real Bear.....oh scary !!!!

Gorgeous shot of the mountain we were riding on.

Ooooo.....So Steamy !!! LOL

Look at Rio biting at my foot.....she is crazy and does this alot while we are standing still. (not in the show ring), but on trail rides....I think it calms her nerves....LOL

She really just teethes on my stirrup or my boot.

Getting a drink from one of the many, many streams

I love this picture of Chance and Bear....

Creek running beside the trail.

Gorgeous waterfall we went by on the trail. There are lots of these, especially after the snowfall. The melted snow has to have somewhere to go.

We went up during the drought last year and there was almost no water.

Thanks for letting me share - I still have some other pics to get, so hopefully I will have some more.

Jamie

Whew ! Am I seeing daylight yet?

Well after being off work for 3 days, I have spent the last few days catching up, or trying to. I am almost seeing daylight.
Had a wonderful trip, and will be posting more photos as soon as my friend Kat, gets me the disc of everyone pics.....those have more of me....LOL
This is on top of one of the mountains at Spence Field which is a gorgeous place. Just a few of us, when I get all the pics there is one of all of us that a hiker took.
Hope to get them this week. Here is Bear and I near the trail head coming out of Cades Cove (we have to walk through the picnic area off our horses and then mount when we get to the trail head). Some people acted like they had never seen a horse before - and some did not care if they ran over us with their car.
But after we got on the trail, it was worth it.
Rio did exceptionally well for her first LONG ride. We rode about 7 hours on Saturday at Tremont - or Smokey Mountain Institute which is a gorgeous ride. Have some great pics of the water coming off the mountain that I will share later...(come on Kat - need those photo !!)
Then Sunday we rode in Cades Cove and rode about 6-7 hours
I believe we rode a total of 16 miles on Saturday and about 15 or so on Sunday. It rained on Friday so we did not get to ride.

Gonna get those other pictures and share them with you.....they are really really pretty.

But in the meantime, I wanted to share my cute little boxer - Sugar - with you.

I am always checking out those cute boxers on Trail Boss's site and then last week Train Wreck showed us her doggy and made us guess what kind it was. I did not do very well at that - but heck I had never heard of an Argentine Dogo. But it sure is cute !!

Well this is Sugar, she is my sweet little boxer. Some say she does not look complete boxer, but I have her papers, and met both her mom and dad when I bought her, so......

I really don't care one way or the other - I had her fixed so there is no breeding in her forecast.

Here she is with Bear in the pool right after we got her.....notice how white she is with just that little black eye and a little bit of black on her ear. She was so pink on her belly.....oh she just made my toes curl.

Here is Sugar at about 3 months old

Notice the little freckles she is getting on her belly?

She is now covered in them all over her underside and even on her topside a little too. However, they are only on her skin.....not on her fur.

We did not have her ears clipped, she does have a docked tail, as they did that when she was first born....(oh I don't want to think about that).

She is my buddy - she goes everywhere with me (except work), she camps with us, she trail rides with us (when she can - most places say "No Dogs on the Trails"). She is a gem and I love my cutie pie.

She gets along pretty good with other dogs, as long as they don't try to love on her momma ! She is very jealous of me.

You like her Auburn collar? She has an orange one now and it looks too cute on her. Also got her a flea collar (they have been horrible this year) and it is baby blue.

She is a hoot - and thinks she is a tiny puppy.....she gets in the chair with me and wants everyone to pick her up and hold her, funny thing, most of my friends do....

We all love Sugar !! Hope you will too now.

I will get those pics from Kat asap.....we are trail riding again this weekend, just an overnighter, and it is also mine and Bear's 11 year anniversary.

See ya all soon !!

Ghosting it forward before I get the heck out of dodge !!

Well about to leave on the trip - busting some booty to get my desk cleaned up, but of course I had to do some last minute visiting.....so stopped by Trail Riding Cowgirl and she has tagged me to Ghost It Forward......

So here goes.....

Rules:

1) Have a Ghostly Image to pass along

2) Tag three people on your blog, with links to their blogs. Tell about what great folks they are, or offer to send them a Ghostly Treat.

3) Include a link to Ghosting It Forward in your blog.

I looked and looked through my pictures and really could not find anything that "looked" ghostly (I will try to get some this weekend), but I did find this picture that was taken at Stinkin Jim's Horse Camp of The Witch Dance Trail. Now you will have to go read about it, it is very cool....

We are riding the trail here and I took a picture of some riders ahead of us.....cool picture I think.

As for passing it along....my oh my....everyone has already done this.....who do I pick?

Maybe I can just pick 3 that have already been picked, but I can just say something nice about them.....

1. Mrs. Mom at Oh Horse Feathers - You have to know how much it means to me to know that I am always in your prayers.....you always seem to come by just when I need to hear from you. How do you do that? I so enjoy your posts about the hoof......cause you know I like to act like I know what I am talking about at the dinner table with Bear...Mr. Farrier !! Thanks and hugs to you.

2. Train Wreck at Cowboys and Sunsets - I love your photos and drawings and such, and especially love the one I own. You are the cutest thing, and am so proud that you found your cowboy - who is a mighty fine one I might add. I just love coming by to visit you. You also know when to come by and brighten my day. Hugs to you as well.

3. Lisa at Laughing Orca Ranch - You crack me up - you have the wildest posts sometimes.....From humping roosters to Poop talk....I love it and love you too. Thanks for being my bloggy friend. I love you painted girl she is sooooo pretty - reminds me of my most favorite horse Dixie....who I only sold because I went gaited. Hugs to you too girl !

I cannot forget my tagger.....Trail Riding Cowgirl at All Things Horse - I know I only had three to tag and am not tagging you back....just saying thanks for always coming by and saying nice things. I will continue to wish we could meet up and ride together - maybe after you move !! Thanks and hugs to you too.

Getting back to work, so I can finish up - can you imagine how much work I will have when I get back from 3 days off......eeeekkkkk!!! Not going to think about that until Monday night right before I go to sleep - or heck maybe not until Tues morning on the ride in...

Happy Trails - Love you all !!

Jamie

Some call it "God's Country"

Some do call it "God's Country".....I just call it beautiful !!
We go to Tennessee - around the Townsend area every year. We usually stay 4-5 days and ride every day abotut 7-8 hours a day, and have a great time.
We are leaving on Thurs and will be back on Monday, and there are 12 of us going.
We stay at a great place, with a giant lodge with 2 hot-tubs....oh la la !! (Although I am white as a ghost and putting on my winter chunk already), but who cares - right ?
These are a couple of pictures I have taken over the years of us going up there.
This is what I will be doing a lot of -"taking pictures"......this creek bed is usually flowing, but this was during the big drought last year.....so all dried up. Thankfully we thought ahead and took water for the horses.

Look at the cabin and horses below......man we are up high.
I know we going to one place that is one of the highest places along the Appalachian trail. My ears are already popping.... Everyone have a great week and weekend, and hopefully I will have lots of pictures to share when I get back.
This will be Rio's first trip to the Smokey's.....and hopefully the first of many !!!!

Happy Tennessee Trails
Jamie

My sweet Stevie !!

This is especially for those sweet people who always ask about my sister, Stevie.

She is doing well and was at the horse show, bless her heart, when I got my first blue, she just cried so was so excited and happy for me.

Bless you all for keeping her in your prayers.

Love you !

A Few More Pics !!

What a day !!!!!

I have to say the show was a great success. I got 2-1st places, 1-2nd place and overall points for gaited classes.

I had a wonderful time, and my GREAT friends were there hollering for me and supporting me.

I think I like this showing thang !!!! I think Rio does too.

Jag went to his new home on Sunday - I gave the girl a 2 week trial with him, but she, her husband and son have already ridden him and they really really like him. Me too, but I just can't ride more than one, and I have stolen Rio from Bear !! LOL - and he tells everyone....

I have had to train new people for the past two weeks so hopefully after all of this I can catch up on everyone. I have not been commenting, but have been reading when I can.

Love you all

Trail Ride - Preview

Me and Bear getting ready to ride (I am riding Rio)



She is like her mommy !! Loves the beer !!
Just a preview of the trail ride. Thought I was going to have time today to give ya details, but work is CRAZY!!!!!
More to come - I promise
Horse show is Saturday, so I will catch everyone up on Monday

Pray for me - pterydactyls are not so bad this time....maybe since I rode Rio pretty much all weekend.....that is her in the pics with me.

Also - sold Jag....he goes to his new home on Sunday.
More to come
Love you all
J