The Grand Rose Rides Again!

The Grand Rose is 16 now and quite a busy girl. She is an actor and just recently was cast in our NW Children's theater group in the play Pinocchio. Because of her acting she is always in rehearsals and not able to come to the desert very often. However this year during her Christmas break she was able to come down and visit us for 5 days. We had 2 great rides...the last being the "Once in a Blue Moon" ride...however our 1st ride was full of excitement too!

It started out as one of our typical rides in the canyon. The day was beautiful but a bit on the cool side do we wore flannel shirts...and of course decided to dress alike!

You can't really tell from this picture...but even Jesse and Little Lady dressed to match. Lady is wearing a turquoise Pendlton saddle blanket that matches Jesse's! We even had to wear vests that day! The canyon was very busy and what should have been an hour and 1/2 ride took us 2 1/2 hours because of all the hikers! Jesse has always loved to stop and say hello to all the hikers and now Lady does too! One day this last Nov a hiker gave Lady an apple on the trail and she has NEVER forgotten it! She actually will try and get into their pockets and see what they might have in there. Heaven help them if they have any food on them because Lady will be all over them!

Now...you ask me...who took the picture of the 2 of you??? Well...they did!You see...there was a "forced labor" work crew in the canyon that day! These guys were doing a great job of cleaning up all the downed palm tree fromm's and debris that naturally falls onto the trails. They were soooooooooo excited to see Jesse and Little Lady, the all had their picture taken with one of them. One or another was always hugging or kissing the horses, well the brave ones. The more shy ones just dared to pet them.These guys really were the nicest...always smiling, joking. I am sure getting out for the day into the beautiful canyon was reason enough for that. As we left them I thanked them for the great job they were doing and told them that I hoped I would not see them there next year! They all got a kick out of that and some said they would be sure not to be back next year!

I do have to post these classic Jesse and Grand Rose photos!

Your Desert Rose!

There's a New Cowgirl in Town!

She has ridden into my town and would be more than happy to ride into your town!
She rides with her hat a blow'en in the wind beneath her favorite well worn hat! She has ridden through snow... And over mounatins! She's not afraid to get dusty... and she cleans up real purdy! She has the taste for the finer things in her cowgirl life... and she could be yours!

I know you will appreciate caressing her silky pages, hearing her stories and learning from her wisdom. She will entice you to live in her world of adventure and you will wait for her return to you eagerly on her next journey. This 2nd issue will be gifted to 3 cowgirls who say why they should be the lucky one to find her in their mailbox! Just comment on this post by Feb 28th! Drawing of course will be from my cowgirl hat!!!

If by chance you are not one lucky cowgirl...you can get your own by going to...

http://www.cowgirlmagazine.com/

I have never written to a magazine before but when I finished my first issue I sent an email of thanks to the editor. You can read it here! Your Desert Rose!

She's a Union Horse!

At my desert stables they have 80 head of horses on the rental string. Each one has his/her distinct personality and the wranglers have to know each and everyone of them. They have a saying there whenever a horse does something to stop working...they say "she a union horse" meaning that they belong to the "working horse union" that provides them with similar ...shall we say "entitlements" that any workers union would. When "Sally" felt she was over due for her 15 minute break...she did what she always does... she lays down on the job!When her 15 minute break is over...the guys have to encourage her to get back up on the job. This time it took 2 of them a few minutes, then she reluctantly agreed to get back on the line! Here's Spanky looking proud of the work he did just getting Sally up. She's sure got those cowboys trained!!!

Your Desert Rose!

First Baby Dolls!

Do you remember your 1st Baby Doll? The first one that I remember was one of those hard plastic ones...I am sure it was a Christmas present from our parents or grandparents because my sisters got one each too. Because I was ( and still am) 3 years younger than them, they were both very quick to name their new Baby Dolls something that was very cool...like Suzy or Debbie and little me could not think of a name for my new special Baby. I must have been quite distraught and because "I" was the Baby of the family our Papa took me in his arms and tried to comfort me. He asked me what was the matter and I told him. He then said in that special way Grandpa's talk..."Well why don't you name her after me???" Of course that made no sense to me and I said I can't name my Baby Papa"! And my Papa said..." My name is Oren, how about if you call her Orena???" So...my poor Baby Doll lived with the name of Orena all of her time with me. She suffered bad hair cuts...finger nail polish and bites on her cheek, all from me!

Here are some real Baby's with their 1st Baby Doll that Zsa Zsa and Papa gave them for Christmas this year!

The Rosette was not sure what it was ...but liked her anyway! ( 8 months...Rosebud is holding her.)

Miss Rosa Jewel...the big one year old knew right away that this was her new Baby! And even knew to burp her!!!

Do you remember your 1st Baby Doll...and it's name???

Your Desert Rose!

Lucky Zsa Zsa!

What a lucky Zsa Zsa... to get to ride with some blossoms from her Rosegarden! Toby is in the saddle with me on Little Lady! The Bossman's grandson Tristan is on the matching Slick PONY! This was just this week!

Then at Christmas time The Rosabella is with me on Jesse and The Rose Kid is on Gray Boy who the Bossman is poning!

Both trails rides were about an hour long and they all did just great! This was the 1st time I have had a child with me on the trail on Little Lady and...other than a couple of almost "little" naughty time moments...she did great!

Your Desert Rose!

Jesse Update!

Poor little Jesse has now progressed to being pony'd out in the wash. Here he is on his way out with his role model...SLICK, and The Bossman!Hay MOM...what cha doing???The bad news is...The Shoesalesman and the Bossman seem to talk daily about Jesse and his owie toes and they do not want Jesse to do anything else until he gets his next pair of new shoes!!! That will mean 8 weeks ( 6 now) before we ride Jesse...yikes!

I guess that is what I deserve for getting my horse into a VERY BAD situation!

Your Desert Rose!

The Bossman is Color Blind!

I know you all know that the Bossman will not have any tack that is not Black, White or Black and White to match Slick! So all of us at the stables got together and "BLEACHED" out Slick's coat for this special ride we were going on. Hell...the Bossman was so... color blind (intoxicated) that he did not even notice till half way through the ride!!!He got back at me though by almost pulling me off of Little Lady (AGAIN) as we tried to pose at our favorite photo opp stop! Here is the photo we should have gotten the 1st time!


Your Desert Rose!

The 3 Amigos Last Ride!

One Week after "The unscheduled overnight mountain stay", The 3 Amigo's ride again!!!

Your Desert Rose!

The Rosette Gets a Pony Ride!

The Desert Rose can't wait to get her hands on those cheeks...this weekend!!!

Your Desert Rose!

Cowboy & Mama H Ride with The Desert Rose!

A few weeks ago..Cowboy and Mama H came to ride with The Desert Rose in the Indian Canyons! There was a SMALL issue...Mama H was NOT willing to have the Desert Rose be in the lead for this ride. This was sooooo confusing for the Desert Rose because when Cowboy H and Mama H were courting...their foreplay was...Cowboy H trying to take off Mama H's bridle while in a full gallop in the dry wash!!! How could she be scared of a "little" unscheduled overnight stay on the mountain with me??? But to make Mama H happy...The Desert Rose complied with her request. Either Mama H or Cowboy H led the ride! But because the Desert Rose was too polite to ever make a fuss about this arrangement...Little Lady was sooooo happy to stand in for her, by tyring to kick Mama H's stable horse when ever she could!

It was truly a beautiful day for a ride...even if my riding buckaroos were a bit late in mounting up!!! (I had to mention this in case the Bossman and I are late for our ride with them soon at their stables!)

Yes we just climbed up that hill! No...none of my PONY COUSINS have done THIS ride! Almost at the top Cowboy and Mama H pose for a photo opp! See the little pointy Mountain in the background??? I will be riding that soon...it is a great ride, 360 degree view!!! Cowboy and Mama H in the Fern Canyon! Uh Oh...Little Lady...wha wha what is this??? Oh don't worry "Auntie" I can jump this no problem!!! ( Hay...can I call you MOM soon???) At the very top of our trail...we see this!!! (The unscheduled overnight stay on the mountains was just below and to the left about 3 miles beneath the snow!) Cowboy and Mama H climb the big hill!We stop off at the water fall to give the horses a drink!

Cowboy H relaxes in the sun.

You can hardly see it but Little Lady picked up a stick from the water to play with!

The last week of rain we had here has filled all the usual watering holes...aren't they beautiful?

Look Ma...no hands!








While filming this video, Little Lady stepped into a sink hole with her hind hoof. You will see us dip to one side then she lunges up out of it. We tend to get sinks holes after heavy rains, the sand can get just like quick sand. Fortunately this was a small sink hole!



When we stopped to use the little girls room I tied Little Lady close to the trees because she loves to eat them!

I call her Little Piggy all the time cause she will eat anything!

On our way back to the trailer Cowboy H and I did some trotting and loping in the creek bed for Mama H to photograph! Had to say, that was really fun!!! It was so nice to see Cowboy and Mama H...glad I'll be seiing them again soon.

Your Desert Rose!