Made It Through

 We had above freezing temperatures during the night but by morning had dropped down to 26 and the driveways were again a sheet of ice. The ice tracks for our shoes were very much needed on our walk. After the walk I drove down to the Peoria post office for the Berean mail and was pleased when my car made it up the drive. If the melt down continues we will try to bring Galena and Rosalie home from Middle Grove. I don't like to haul horses when the drives are icy but they need to come home soon. Galena was bred to Valiant and is due March 23rd. The picture below of Galena was taken Nov 7th, 2020. 

This picture was taken a month earlier Oct 7th, 2020. She is such a big beautiful mare we can't wait to see what she will produce.

Rosalie was bred to Evan and isn't due until April 15th but with her first foal went a month early. The second foal only came 2 weeks early but I still want her here in plenty of time. She stands a solid 17 hands tall. She is the mare in the middle in the picture below taken Oct 7th, 2020.

Below she is thoroughly enjoying some attention from Faith on Nov 7th, 2020.

She was born Feb 18th, 2013 and is now 8 years old. She was the last Raven daughter out of Lily as Raven died in 2012. It was very cold the day she was born and the day after her birth was around 10 degrees so her first time out we put Darcy's dog coat on her.

Actually Darcy's dog coat really was a foal coat but was purchased for Darcy, Rhoda's English Mastiff and only ever used on her.  Darcy was 185 pounds and a wonderful dog, she never knew a stranger.

She loved going on golf cart rides, loved swimming in the lake but most of all she loved Rhoda.

Speaking of Rhoda, she was Rosalie's trainer.

Rosalie grew up with the herd at Middle Grove and when she was brought in at 2 years of age she already was over 16 hands and very athletic. Karin had her in the outdoor arena, put a tarp over her head and Rosalie had never had something over her head and hurled herself out of the arena, she could easily cleared it but ended up smashing down the top board. Karin was pretty happy when Rhoda took her to Bloomington to train and when Rosalie came back she was 'dare I say' perfect. She was performing with Horsemeister at the IL Horse fair at only 3 years of age.

She did so well that Karin rode her the next year at the IL Horse Fair as one of the canter horses during the play Nightmare before Christmas. Karin is in the purple. 

A group picture of the performers and the horses in 2018. 

In 2019 our last year of showing Tyler rode her in the Wizard of Oz play at the IL Horse Fair. 

If you would like to see that play click HERE. Tyler and Rosalie had a surprise when the Wicked Witch of the West (Sarah Reinhard on Oksana) throws fire at the scarecrow (Tyler and Rosalie). 

2019 was the first time some of the grand children were old enough to be in the play. 

Covid arrived and we did not show in 2020 and the IL Horse Fair has been canceled for 2021 again because of Covid 19. Who knows what 2022 will bring. My grandchildren will be old enough to start  riding AND performing by then.                                                                                                              Our airbnb guests left after 11:00 am to continue their trip to Oregon. Anna stopped in at 11:00 and could see they were loading up so came here for a cup of tea while we waited. They left the apartment almost perfect. We decided to leave the futon up just in case someone books before the big group coming in March 5th. Taunya sent the video below: 

I'm very thankful tonight. The big deep freeze of the last 13 days is now over and we made it through ALL winter for the first time in years with no frozen waterers.