What do you see first in the picture?

What do you see first in this picture of the sky this morning?  Did you see the white or the dark storm clouds first.  If you saw the white your cup is half full...the dark its half empty.  Think about this going into the New Year.  My mother use to say when I would complain about something or someone,
think of 3 positive things about the situation, or what can you do to change the situation.

Just a thought.  But think about it next time you look into the sky....are you seeing the Light or the darkness.

Happy New Years!

May God Bless you and your family this coming year!  Keep checking back for more stories of The Ranch and natural ideas for your family.

Mark your calendars for April.  That is when the first foals are due!  It will be spring before we know it.

Running out of time for Christmas cookies...Try my cheater version!

Years ago I made the homemade sugar cookies.  Which involved making the dough, refrigerating the dough and than hopefully at the right time rolling out the dough!  My family loves sugar cookies, so this year I took the cheaters way out.  I bought the cookie dough in the refrigerated section, baked and than I made my frosting.  (I think they just like the frosting!)  A little red sprinkles and wala sugar cookies.

Here is the recipe for the frosting:  1/2cup softened butter, 2 tsp of vanilla, approximately 2 cups of powdered sugar and add milk for the right consistency.  Make sure you mix this until it is smooth and delicious.  Frost and decorate cookies!

Honey for Coughs

Its the time of the year for those nagging coughs!  You have tried everything and it is just irritating.

Try a little honey.  It coats the throat and is soothing for a temporary fix to that cough!  The plus side is honey tastes good and you can repeat this as necessary.

Pics of Tree

Jessica after putting Rossi's ornament up

Travis getting the last part of the tree up with the Star!

Trying to get part 1 back to the bottom and part three back to its place!

The tree, kids and me

Pic of tree

Christmas at the Ranch!

Take a 14 foot ceiling, 12 foot tree, 10 foot ladder, tons of ornaments and add 4 kids! You have the start of Christmas. The preparations start with getting two huge boxes, 6 totes and assorted items up the stairs. Getting this done before the UFC Fight was on (so we had men carry them) and dinner cooked so the crew was fed all before any of this could start was like running a small country!

The girls (women) finally wrestled the tree into the stand and added the 4 parts to make the 12 foot high tree, only to find that part number 1 was where part number 3 should have been. The tree looked like someone had chopped the bottom off. My son came in as the tree was toppling over on the girls and with a lot of laughter and cussing part one was put in its place!

The star is a big part of our tree. However, I need a new one but the tree got up before I could replace it. So the old one will do.

The boxes containing the ornaments were opened and so were the memories of the heart. Every year since the kids were little (30 years plus) everyone in the family received a personal ornament. I try to make it reflect what was going on that year in their life. But in addition if you are part of our life that year and around at Christmas you get a special ornament with your name, and the year. You have to leave it here and it goes on the tree.

This year my daughter Jessica had to put her dog of 13 years down, Rossi. The vet did a paw print ornament for her. I had put it away earlier this year and brought it out and gave it to her. She cried and put it on the tree along with the one I gave her the year she got Rossi.

So our tree is more than a Christmas Tree it is a Memory Tree a diary of our lives.

Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or whatever you celebrate!

PS Picture of me and grandkids with a done tree!

An amazing true story of a horse.

You all know that I LOVE HORSES! So much so that when Secretariat came out my grandson Jonathon went to it and called me immediately on the phone to tell be about it. He was 6 at the time and knew I would love to hear about it. This is an email that I received about the new movie "War Horse" which will be out in December. I loved it. It truly is remarkable that an animal would have that much heart and compassion to do what she did. Please read it and let me know what you think.

In light of the movie War Horse which is coming out Christmas, I thought you all would appreciate reading about this War Horse Hero named Reckless. What a story-and true. She was an amazing little horse!
This horse is a hero . . . don't know if you have seen this, but it is truly amazing

This horse was a pack horse during the Korean War; she carried recoilless rifles, ammunition and supplies to Marines. Nothing too unusual about that, lots of animals got pressed into doing pack chores in many wars.

But this horse did something more . . . during the battle for a location called Outpost Vegas, this mare made fifty one (51) trips up and down the hill—on the way up she carried ammunition and on the way down she carried wounded Marines.

What was so amazing?

She made every one (1) of those trips without anyone leading her.

I can't imagine a horse carrying a wounded Marine, being smacked on the rump at the top of the hill and heading back to the "safety" of the rear. But to imagine the same horse, loaded with ammunition and trudging back to the battle where artillery is going off, without anyone leading her is unbelievable.

To know that she would make fifty one (51) of those trips is unheard of. Hell, how many horses would even make it back to the barn once, let alone return to you in the field one (1) single time.

So here is a clip of her story and photos to prove where she was and what she did .
. . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIo3ZfA9da0

She was retired to the Marine Corps Base @ Camp Pendleton, California where a General issued the following order . . . she was never to carry any more weight on her back except her own blankets. She died in 1968 at the age of twenty (20).

P.S.: Just how bad was the battle for Outpost Vegas? Artillery rounds impacted at the rate of five hundred (500) per hour and only two (2) men made it out alive without wounds—just two (2) . . . and a horse and she was wounded twice.

Horse Shots

Will continue this weekend. Sorry for the delay but my camera battery went dead. It is now charging.

Thank you for your patience!

Lost Creek Ranch 4"How do you give a horse a shot?"

Hey, had a lot of inquires into "How do you give a horse a shot?" They are a big animal and that's a needle in the rear end. Don't they kick?

Well tomorrow morning when we are doing the shot I will do a play by play. Its not fun, and it helps if the horse is a willing participant. I don't know its a big needle!

Check in tomorrow and see how we give a shot! Oh this is a picture of the area it goes in.

Stay warm!

Life on the Ranch 3 "Cold and Snowy Days!

Really...it was 62 yesterday and the high today has already come and gone. Its not even noon.

The high today is 28. When it changes that drastically it is hard on all the animals. Except of course Kia(the Alaskan Malmute) whe loves it. Yesterday Tysen(the Black Friesian Stallion) had the start of a cold. So he is locked inside, dry and warm and he gets a shot of penicillin once a day. We will do this for 3 days and see how he feels. The two babies(foals) are also locked in to keep them dry and warm. They are doing great!

I can't wait to see the sun, warm and thaw again. Thank heavens in Colorado that could be hours, or days. But never months like Minnesota.

Stay warm!

More Pics of Kia and Buddy

Lost Creek Ranch #2 Whos who

There has always been a great debate over whether animals have emotions like us. I for one say "Yes!" We have a Giant Alaskan Malmute, called Kia who is 3 years old and she is in love with Buddy a neighbors dog. You might call them Lady and the Tramp! He is definitely the "Bad Boyfriend."

Kia came into our lives about 3 years ago. She was 3 months old and our son Travis went to look at her. She was in a small pen with her parents. Kia weighed about 30 pounds and had very little muscle do to the small pen. Travis felt sorry for her and bought her bringing her home. He was going to buy a house and instead moved into an apartment, so Kia lives here. Kia has grown into a beautiful dog. She weighs about 150 pounds. Now to Buddy. He is the neighbor's dog.

Everyday he comes over and waits for her to come out to play. He brings her gifts, a dead chicken, a dried out steer head, bones and assorted things. The other day she was laying by me as I was feeding the horses, and she saw him. She waited crying until her got closer than she jumped up and ran to him. Kia sometimes gets sore running around. So one day she was laying down, and hurt. Buddy stood over her licking her face and than cuddled up with her.

He is the "Bad Boyfriend" as he was taking her across the street. So we put gates up to keep her in. Well he shows her a way under the fence to get out. The funny thing was when I was looking for the place they got out he showed me. He is also the not smart boyfriend!

Do I think animals have emotions....You bet I do.

Elderberries for Gout

Elderberries are one of the little known good foods for gout. Try to get them into your gout diet as juice. Herbalists have said for centuries that elderberries can relieve gout. But who would imagine that the tiny black (or red) elderberry, found in clusters at the tip of purple stalks on white elderflowers, would be good for gout? Not many.

But of all the berries int he USDA database, they score highest for one key anthocyanidin-elderberries have a whooping 758mg per 100 grams of the berry of cyanidin. That is 10 times the amount in cherries.

Give it a try!

Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I am cleaning my mom's silver bowls and silver ware. It has not been cleaned in over 30 years or used. My mother passed away 26 years ago. I was 30, and miss her so much. I remember her using the silverware and bowls for Thanksgivng a long time ago. Just recently my Dad found the silverware and gave it to me. I am honored. I am excited for the kids and grand kids to see. Starting traditions and keeping them is what gets us thru the tough moments in life when we miss the ones who have gone on home to Heaven. Because when we share traditions we share memories of fun times. So start a tradition. Even if its saying a prayer before meals, or a special dish. Make lots of memories, because someday that is all that you will have.

Give thanks today for everything in your life. We are truly blessed!

Another Pic of Tysen

Heres a beautiful picture of Tysen!

Life at Lost Creek Ranch who's who. #1

The dream of someday owning a horse was helped along with the TV shows of Bonanza, Roy Rogers and others. How many of us watched National Velvet and imagined being Velvet. Dreaming of Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, wanting to have that special relationship with a horse. Holding onto the mane, speeding thru the woods in a full gallop not falling off) were all part of the dream.

I am no longer dreaming and sometimes I have to pinch myself. I have that Black Stallion,

his name is Tysen. Tysen in a purebred Friesian Stallion. A Friesian originated in Friesland, Netherlands. At one point they were almost extinct. During the Middle Ages the knights rode them. There are stories of them standing over their fallen owner striking with their legs, rearing, fighting to protect their fallen owner. They are kind and beautiful. Mel Gibson rode a Friesian in Braveheart.

Our Tysen is all of this and more. He likes to play and run along the fence with you. He takes his feed bowl and throws it over the fence. He has fathered 9 foals at Lost Creek and they are all magnificent like their daddy. I will tell more about Tysen as time goes on.

Picture of Grace

Here is Grace being ridden my Martha. Baby Rose is running with alon with Kia our Alaskan Malmute.

Real Life on the Ranch Introduction

I wanted the first Post on Lost Creek Friesian Ranch to be an introduction. But, yesterday changed the post. First we live east of Denver, on a small acreage and raise Friesian Sporthorses. We have a total of 29 horses, 2 of which are Stallions, balance are brood mare, babies or riding horses.

One of the horses named Grace that is here is a Thoroughbred, yes the kind that races. Grace came here to live on the ranch about 3 years ago. She was tall and a bay color. A lady named Martha came to visit, saw Grace and it was a match made in heaven. Martha comes out once or twice a week and on the weekends. She would ride Grace, groom her and just sit and watch her. Last July, Grace had a foal named Rose. She is black like her daddy, Tysen(Friesian Stallion). All of Martha's family and friends were sent birth announcements on Rose. Martha had her family.

Yesterday we went out to feed and Grace was laying on the ground. She was in a lot of pain.

She had colicked. Colic in a horse can be tragic. Their intestines are free floating and they can twist and you have to euthanize them. The vet came and did euthanize Grace. Martha had lost her best friend. It was so sad. She still has Rose.

The Balancing Act – Show Blog

The Balancing Act – Show Blog

King(Queen) of the Hill

Another beautiful day in Colorado. Took this picture of the horses playing on a hill.

It was like an old fashion game of King of the Hill. Only this time it was Queen of the Hill as

Pearl a 2 year old Friesian Sporthorse filly won the game!

Compound From Turmeric Has Neuroprotective Effects

Turmeric is a major herb that we use in our PRO. We find that it increases circulation bringing blood to the area to help heal the injury. I thought this was an interesting article as to the

expansion of the use of herbs in our society. Turmeric is used in Chinese and was used in Indian Medicine.

Two new studies suggest that a compound derived from turmeric may have clinical promise for ischemic stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI), both of which currently lack good therapies. A synthetic derivative of turmeric made by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies dramatically improved the behavioral and molecular deficits seen in animal models of these conditions. From Vitamin Retailer Magazine

Las Vegas Trade Show

This is my daughter Jessica(left), me(Laurie the middle) and daughter (Susan right). This was our first Trade Show in 2003.
No we no longer own the shirts. However we had a great time and learned a lot. The Trade Show was in Las Vegas.

Celebrate You!

Today I will celebrate moments
I will stop and feel the sunshine
I will build my own rainbow
Today I will celebrate chances
I will make my own adventures
I will live large and worry small
Today I will celebrate joy
I will find time to dream
I will believe in miracles
Today I will Celebrate me.

Take time today for yourself. No one else can do it for you!

The Balancing Act – Show Blog

The Balancing Act – Show Blog

Sharing

We all learned to be nice and share in the sandbox. That is a long time ago.

So today we made over 120 Jars of Megan's Naturals Wild Strawberry Lip Gloss to share with a mission outreach called Laborers Together International, Inc. They are going in March to Veliko, Bulgaria to host many different types of outreaches. We are donating the 120 jars of lip gloss to the Woman's Day Outreach Party. This is the one time of the year that women are honored. There are many different times of the year that other groups go to this area and any donations would be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in donating please contact kaymartin@ltin.org . All and everything would be greatly appreciated.

Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day! The day was wonderful, received flowers and dinner cooked by hubby.

Also snow started to melt. Remember to take time to enjoy every day!

February Specials

Coupon Code for the month of February is 4444. Save$4.00 of your order.