Busy, Fun, Hot Weekend

This is the first week of fall and the hottest weekend of the year so far. It has been an unusually cool summer, however, at five o'clock tonight was was 106 degrees!!! Red-flag fire warnings are in effect due to the hot dry conditions, so I have my fingers crossed that no wild fires break out. I rode early before the heat really set in so as not to torture my horse too much. Poor Kylie has already grown a winter coat. As soon as the days begin to get shorter the hair grows. Time for body clip #1.

We had a nice dinner at Edendale in Silver Lake on Saturday night. It is located in a beautifully restored craftsman-style firehouse, built in 1924. The restaurant is named after the Edendale Valley, a stretch of what is now Glendale Boulevard that was home to some of L.A.'s first film studios. The bar has a really cool hammered-tin ceiling and firehouse doors and sits on what was once the station’s fire-truck bay. We enjoyed the perfect night on the large outdoor patio, which was really charming all decorated in twinkly lights. The food and drinks were good, but it was our good friends that really made the night fun.

This morning we met a friend and her two doggies for the 12th annual Wiggle Waggle Walk fundraiser to benefit the Pasadena Humane Society. Literally thousands showed up to walk around the Rosebowl - a gigantic dog party!!!! It was fun checking out all the other dogs in every possible shape and size.
After the dogs were exhausted we dropped them off at home (in the air-conditioning) and me and my friend headed down to Santa Monica for the gem & jewelry show. I found some GREAT things today. Lots of vintage equestrian themed clasps, charms, pendants, and a few rings.

Murphy beating the heat by enjoying some yöghund, doggie yogurt. He absolutely LOVES it! But then again he loves anything remotely edible.

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KING!

After I rode Kylie last night we went over Chad's mom's for dinner. She made delicious enchiladas (her mother's recipe).

For dessert we had a light, moist, flavorful Cherry Cake with Marsala, Crème Fraîche, and Cherries. Yum!

Ingredients:
•1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
•1 teaspoon baking powder
•1 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon baking soda
•1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•1/2 cup Marsala
•1/4 cup fresh orange juice
•14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
•1 cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar
•2 large eggs
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
•4 cups cherries

Directions:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan. Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Combine Marsala and orange juice in small bowl. Beat 12 tablespoons butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and lemon peel. Beat in Marsala mixture in 2 additions alternately with flour mixture in 3 additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups cherries.

Bake cake until top is gently set, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Dot top of cake with 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Continue baking until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Release pan sides; transfer cake to platter. Cool to room temperature.

Mix crème fraîche and 2 tablespoons sugar in small bowl. (Cake and crème fraîche mixture can be made 8 hours ahead. Let cake stand at room temperature. Cover and chill crème fraîche mixture.) Cut cake into wedges. Top each with dollop of crème fraîche and fresh cherries and serve.

Note: I think the original recipe called for raspberries, but cherries were delicious!



Since I came directly from the barn, Chad and I took separate cars. We were on our way out to the car at about 11pm and I heard what I thought was a dog crying, Chad's mom thought it was a peacock, which there are alot of in her neighborhood, so I didn't think much of it. I got in my car and headed home. Chad walked through the door about 15 minutes after me, which I thought was strange since his mom only lives about 10 minutes away, and we both walked out to our cars at the same time. Then I see a teenie tiny critter in his hands. The dogs noticed it RIGHT away! What was it? A scared wet, neglected dog. He asked the neighbors around where he found it, but no one had ever seen him before. No collar, and he doesn't look like he was very well cared for. You can feel all his bones. We fed him, and he ate like he was starving to death. Poor little guy!

Barely bigger than a key!

Looks like he is possibly a Yorkie, Chihuahua mix? He has two rows of teeth like a shark. Thankfully he doesn't bite! Not neutered, of course. Because I am sure you'd want to perpetuate this mix - NOT! I am sure Chad will look for his owner today, but I think whoever ownes him isn't doing a very good job taking care of him. I would like to keep him, but we'll have to see what happens. I hope our much bigger dogs can adapt to a very tiny new family member. He is half the size of Topaz, who isn't a very big cat!

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Swimming and riding

We took the dogs for a swim yesterday and they had a blast. Scout fetched a few times with Murphy but since Murphy is the ultimate swimmer she soon realized she had no chance at retrieving the ball first and soon lost interest in the game. Unfortunately Scout isn't the best listener and completely ignored us when off the leash, so after two chances and wondering if we were going to have to chase her through the hills to catch her, she had to stay on the leash. We are beginning to wonder if she is deaf because when we call her there is NO response. She doesn't even turn her head! She just continues on sniffing and she wanders farther away. We definitely need to work on training her.Murphy waiting for me to throw the ball... It was a beautiful clear day.

We ran across a few trail riders on the way.

I was so happy to get to ride four days in a row in the daylight this weekend! Mazzy has been coming along great. I trotted four poles in a row with her today. Not the most exciting thing, but it was a new thing for her. She was balanced and fluid and completely unfazed. I'm so glad I still have Kylie to ride because a three year old surely is physically and mentally exhausting. This is an example of two seconds of my communication while riding her: keep trotting, yup keep trotting, no don't swing your haunches out - stay straight, over here, over here, good girl, keep trotting, give to the right, bend...no not just your neck, bend around my leg. There are so many things I take for granted on a trained horse! When I bought Kyie she was an unbroke three year old...she sure has come a long way!

I had a great lesson on Kylie today. She was quiet, relaxed and straight with a nice big open stride. Sure is easy and fun when she's like that! Here is one of the courses we did (not exactly to scale).

1a/1b One stride left hand turn to a bounce at the top of the ring (2a/2b). Left hand turn around fence 5 to a long approach to jump fence 3 at an angle. Back through the one stride to the six stride outside line (5 & 6). Up the diagonal in five strides finishing off on the single oxer (9). We also practiced flowing through roll backs because I allow Kylie to stall out in the turn sometimes loosing our momentum. Since her tendency is to drift left I have to make sure on a right rollback I steer out far enough so I can guide her back to the right. If I turn in too soon or cut the turn, I inevitably end up on the left side of the jump.

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This and that

A couple of new pieces.....

From the Heart - Coin Pearl Bracelet

Run Free Equestrian Necklace - Pearls, Peridot & Sterling

The injury a few weeks ago to Mazzy's thigh is still a large hematoma. I had the vet come out for the second time on Friday to look at it and she wants to see if it will go down on its own rather than lancing it and risking infection. It doesn't seem to be bothering Mazzy, I just hope it doesn't get any bigger! I've been cold hosing it, but there isn't much else to do. I had a hematoma on my foot years ago from a horse jumping on it, and it took months to go down...ugh! She must be growing again because she is eating like crazy and not getting fat.

Kylie is doing well and growing hair like crazy. I body clipped her for the second time last week. It is not my favorite activity with all that hair sticking to you. There are some other horses at the barn that are on thier third or fourth body clips for the season. The weather is still gets up in the eighties during the day with temps dipping into the 50s at night, so unless you clip them, you have a very sweaty horse that is impossible to keep clean!

Took the dogs for a fun hike on Sunday with Michele and Baxter (chocolate lab puppy) up to Eaton Canyon waterfall which falls about 30 or so feet. Murphy couldn't wait to get in the water.

A little dexterity is need as the trail crosses the stream several times. I guess my rock hoping skills need some work, because my shoes were soaked by the end.Scout and Murphy, wet and filthy. It was impossible to get all three dogs to sit still long enough to get a photo. I got some extra exercise when I realized I left Murphy's collar and leash at the falls and we were almost back to the trail head. Michele stayed with Baxter and Murphy because they were both wiped out and I ran all the way back to the falls with Scout, about 1 1/2 miles each way. The collar and leash were just where I left them...at the waterfall.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. Wherever you are and however you celebrate, may it be one that is blessed with plenty and hope for the future. Eat well, drink well, and be merry. If you are traveling please be safe.

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Scout

We decided to name her Scout. She had a big day today. I took her to the vet this morning to get some antibiotics for her cough. They looked her over, cleaned her ears, trimmed her nails and assured me with some good nutrition, a bath, and some TLC she will be fine. She was a good patient with her tail wagging the whole time. She is a little shy, but very friendly. I then took her on some errands and she was a great companion. She rides in the car perfectly, sat quietly just watching out the window.

I then took her to the barn. Mazzy got cast in the turnout from rolling to close to the edge, but thankfully she didn't panic and managed to scoot herself around and get her tangled legs out. The turnouts there are really hazardous, but there is no other option unless I don't want my horses to leave their stalls. She did pull a shoe in the turn out though, so another day that I couldn't ride her. What a bummer! The rain this week put a damper on things. So last Sunday was the last time I rode her. I rode Kylie for a little while, but didn't want to do too much because the ring was like cement since it hadn't been dragged since it was sealed for the rain. It felt like a paved road. Ugh! So I took Scout home to get some things done around the house.

How can people be so neglectful of their pets??? Not even sure if Scout was ever someone's pet but I assume she was. I found five big fat ticks on her so far (gross!!!), so she for sure was wondering around somewhere far from here, but I guess I'll never know her story. In the nine years I've had Murphy he has never had one tick. They just aren't that common around here, and he goes everywhere. I was hoping the Frontline would have kill them, but they were very much alive. I gave her a bath today, which was probably the first one she has ever had.

Murphy is the best big brother!!!

Topaz isn't quite sure about Scout yet. If I hold Topaz she is ok, and Scout is very gentle with her, but if she is on the ground she get nervous and runs. I tried explaining to Topaz that we needed to rescue Scout and give her a nice home, just like we did for her, but I guess I wasn't explaining it in a way she could understand. I'm sure in a few days they will all be hanging out.

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Our new family member

For the past few weeks we have been frequenting the humane society often, looking for the perfect dog to rescue. Murphy definitely needed a buddy, but we just weren't sure if we were ready. We found several we liked, but we didn't make a decision quick enough and they were adopted. We were at least happy that they found a home.

Tonight we adopted a dog from Good Dog Animal Rescue that kind of looks like a coyote. We aren't positive what breed she is, but they said she is a Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog. A what??? She is about 6 months old and very sweet. Curled up and sleeping peacefully, she has settled in so well already. She has a very unique merle coat pattern in patches of grey and black. We are still deciding on a name.

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Chocolate Goodness - Baxter and Murphy

Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really. ~Agnes Sligh Turnbull

Labradors [are] lousy watchdogs. They usually bark when there is a stranger about, but it is an expression of unmitigated joy at the chance to meet somebody new, not a warning. ~Norman Strung

My sweet Mazzy

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Fire, Laura, Remodeling

A quick catch-up on the weekend. The Station Fire continues its journey in the mountains. This is the second recent fire I have discussed which originally started in La Canada and has made its way all the way across the San Gabriel Valley to the barn where the Morris fire was threatening the barn where I keep my horses last week. I am so very ready for these fires to be done. Out. A memory. The road was closed to EVERYONE this weekend to the barn, so I couldn't even getup there! The fire has consumed 160,357 acres at this time. Containment is at 56%. It is the largest fire in the recorded history of Los Angeles County. Cause: Arson and is now a homicide investigation due to the two firefighters that lost their lives. We will be attending the memorial service this Saturday.

My friend Laura was in town this weekend. It is always so nice to spend time with her. We did some wine tasting at Red, White + Bluezz while listening to Eli Brueggmann and then finished off our evening with a Champagne flight at Pop.

The remainder of our weekend was spend sanding, stripping and painting our laundry room walls and trim. We got new windows to replace the drafty louvered windows, and a new door. We are about half-way through the project and it is looking much better already. We ripped up three layers of the ugliest linoleum you have ever seen and now have to figure out what kind of floor we want. Can't be tile or anything too heavy due to the large trap door in the floor that leads to the basement. We are leaning towards a wood floor to match the rest of the house. Still need to stain and varnish the windows and doors.

BEFOREDURING

Murphy has a new friend, his name is Baxter McLovin. He is my friend Michele's puppy and lives across the street. They have had several play dates and are so cute together!

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