No I didn’t fall off the face of the earth…….

It’s been weeks since I posted anything.  It has been unbelievably busy here on the Range and I honestly haven’t had the time or energy to do a post.  Being away so much this fall took a lot of time that I usually put into my Christmas preparations so I have been playing catch up.

I love to decorate but this year I decided not to try to put out everything Christmas that I have gathered over the years.  I did get my villages put up as I enjoy them so much and can keep them up well after Christmas.

I have the tree put up in the sunroom and Noodles and Munchie have been enjoying sleeping under it.  Munchie is behind Noodles.

I’m enjoying the wrap around shelf that I had put in the sunroom.  Makes the room look so cozy at night with the lights on.

Mrs. Squirrel chowing down on peanuts and sunflower seeds out on the deck.

Love this little wreath that I got at a craft fair last year.

Sassy snowmen are everywhere!

Looking in from the deck.

I had to put up a small tree in the living room so that it would show from the street as the one in the sunroom is on the back of the house.  The ornaments on this tree are all the color gold. Lots of them are vintage as a friend gave me a big box of old ornaments that he had in his basement.  I was tickled pink to get them!  Thank you Jerry!

I will get some pictures of the outside when it stops raining.  The weather here has been so warm for December! I’m wondering if I am going to put any miles on my snowmobile this year!!!!!

I have been working on doing the costuming for our Christmas Pageant at church.  I had three shepherds and Joseph costumes, six angel angel costumes and some other things to make. We have the church all decorated inside and out and it looks lovely.  This is such a special time of year to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  Love singing the old carols and listening to the special music by the music committee.  A gal sang Silent Night last Sunday and it gave me goose bumps as it was so beautiful. Wish the Christmas season was longer, not the gifts and all the hustle and bustle but time to think about the real reason for the season.  Turn your computer on to a nice Christmas station and sing along with the carols.  I can do that here as the only ones to hear me are Noodles and Munchie and they don’t care if I am in tune or not!! :o)

Blackberry Farm

 

 

We are home from our wonderful trip to Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.  I could’ve stayed a few more days very easily, it is one of my most favorite places to go.  The Hubs was in classes part of the time but I was free as could be.

The horses there are amazing.  This one I wanted to sneak into my suitcase and bring home.

 

I did a lot of riding while there.  The first day I took a private two hour ride into the mountains.  It was a bit daunting to look down from the small trail that we were on as it was extremely steep!  I knew the horse was used to it so I didn’t try to over ride him but let him chose his way.  He was a quarter horse and very sure footed thankfully.

The Hubs and I took a ride the next day and I rode a draft/thoroughbred cross and was HUGE!  He is a fox hunter and I was concerned that he might be ready to run but he was very quiet and fun.  It was a bit chilly, ten degrees cooler then usual for this time of year so we were really bundled up.  I had on FOUR layers!  He doesn’t look it in this picture but he was almost 17 hands tall!

 

 

I liked this horse, of course I have always been partial to appy’s.

 

They had interesting bridles on.  They are Tucker’s and the bit and cheek pieces unhook and it leaves a halter on the horse.  Very nice for when you go trail riding and want to stop for a picnic and can tie your horse without having to carry a halter with you.  I had never seen them before but I am going to check out the website and see how much they are.

 

The grounds are amazing as well.  They have 4200 acres right in the Smokey Mountains and everything is kept beautifully.

This house on the left is the spa and then the barn on the right.

One day we ate outside and there was a bluegrass band playing.  I thought of my parents when they sang the Tennessee Waltz as that is one of their favorite songs.

There was a lady that had beautiful quilts and wall hangings for sale.

Butter beans, I had never seen those before.

 

The Hubs chatting with a friend.

We had fun playing with the truffle puppies.  Their parents were imported from Italy and their job is to dig up the truffles.  They were about six weeks old and were so playful and snuggly.  Something else to sneak into my suitcase!!!!

Have more pictures but I had to buy one of those toss cameras one day as I FORGOT mine!  Grrrrrr…….. I guess I have to take it to Walmart to get it developed……

We never did make it to Dolly World.  We drove in and it seemed very quiet and then we saw the sign where this time of year they don’t open until 2 in the afternoon.  We had a function to go to that night so didn’t have time to wait until 2.

Pigeon Forge is a thriving town with lots of theaters with different kinds of shows to go to.  Again, we didn’t have time to go to any but will probably go a few days early next time we go to Blackberry Farm so that we can see all the sights.

It was a great time, so much to be thankful for.  A beautiful part of the country, I’m so glad we get to go there even though the Hubs has to work part of the time while there.  Works for me!!! :o)

Horses

The snow is gone, it lasted about a couple of days.  If there isn’t enough to snowmobile in or ski on forget it!  A couple of the neighbor kids built a snowman, I wish I had taken a progression of pictures afterwards as he slowly got shorter and shorter until there was just his scarf laying on their lawn.

The boys went back to the stable the day we left for Florida so have been there a few weeks.  I can’t tell you how many times I look out the windows to check on them in the pasture here and then remember they are up the road a couple of miles.  We miss them terribly but it’s the way it has to be in the wintertime. They did go a few weeks earlier then usual due to our vacation. :o(

My sister was here visiting so we went up to see the boys, give them carrots and give them lots of hugs.  This is Jon, he belongs to one of my neighbors who also boards there.  He is about 20 and is a Morgan.  He’s a good ole’ boy and was quite the show horse back in the day.  That is Lil’ Bud in the background.

Here is Nick coming to get his treats.

Kip scratching some itchies, they all are getting so fuzzy!

 

I think Scooter walked up behind me and surprised me.  Nick looks like he is snoozing……..  It was very windy that day, the wind comes right off the river which is at the foot of the hill.

 

 

 

My sister is not a horse person so it was brave of her to get in the pasture with all of them.  Guess Scoot had been rolling in the mud, one of his favorite pastimes.

Just seeing all this hair makes me dread shedding season in the spring and this isn’t half of it for Kip.  He gets enough hair for 5 ponies.

 

Isn’t he as cute as a button?!

 

This picture should have been cropped……ahem……

 

Their favorite rolling spot…….

 

Scoot is one big boy!

 

 

You can see the river on down behind the trees.

They can go all the way down to the river if they want but not ‘in’ the river, it is fenced off.

 

Lil’ Bud is getting a bit of a sway back and saggy belly but at almost 24 I think he looks pretty darn good.

I’m meeting my friend Ann this morning at the stable and we are going for a ride.  I will ride Scoot and she will ride Bud.  We found out last week that Scooter has no intention of going in the river!  All our horses have always walked into the river when we ride to get a drink or to paw the water and get us all wet but he wasn’t having any of that!!  We will ride down there again today and I’ll let him have another looksy.

 

Last night the Hubs and I went to a play at the Opera House.  It was The Marvelous Wonderettes a show about four girls that sang in the 50’s in high school and then went on to their 10th year reunion and how they all had changed.  It was all music from the 50’s and 60’s and they did a fabulous job!! There was a lot of toe tapping going on!  At intermission they served the most delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I have ever had in my life!!  Sure would like to have that recipe!!!!   Wish I could have taken some pictures but that was a no-no.  Don’t they know that we bloggers want pictures?!