~ Homestead Morgans - Straight from the Horse's Mouth ~

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January 28th, 2010:

2009 was certainly a year of change here at the Homestead.  In January we had the pleasure of having our KinFolk Diana Jasica from Belgium come to visit.  Over the years we have chatted on the phone, kept in touch via emails so when we finally met face to face it was like having family come home.  While the weather was cold we managed to keep ourselves busy and before we knew it was time for Diana to leave.  If everything goes well, Diana will be coming back to visit again in the fall.

Winter found me plagued with health issues that saw me going to see more doctors/specialists and trips to the hospital than I had ever had in my entire life.  Unable to do even the simplest of tasks John took over the daily running of the farm plus held down his day job.  I am fortunate to have such a great friend/partner/husband because not only did he care for me but not once did he complain about the extra work load.  By mid June I can honestly say I was feeling better than I had in years.  Being that sick gave me a new outlook on life and now thanks to healthy eating and exercise I have no intention of ever having a repeat performance of last winter.

We were once again blessed with another great group of foals this year. The surprise of the summer was the birth of HMSTD Nuttin Mattas.  Coming out of a tough winter we made the decision to only breed one mare back and that we would not make any deliveries in 2009.  We felt that it was important that we take a much needed rest and I really wanted the opportunity to be able to enjoy the babies over the winter.

September found us with a new addition to our family.  Our short hair mini doxi's Alfalfa and Buckwheat (or the boys as we fondly call them) have been lord and master of the Homestead for three years now and quite liked things the way they were.  However the girls at the boys vet clinic had told me about a doxi that had been left out in the middle of no where and had been turned into the SPCA.  "He really needs a good home like yours Janine", they said.  Somehow I couldn't forget about this poor pup so we opened our hearts and home and the boys now have a brother.  Named after one of the three most popular Little Rascals, Spanky is now a beloved member of our family.

In October I flew home to Manitoba to spend three weeks with my parents. Life just has a way of flying by way too fast and I know that I need to take the opportunity to go home while I can.  Once my parents are gone I won't be able to go home.  I am so fortunate that both my parents are in great health and at 86 and 84 respectively look and act years younger than they are.  I can only hope they passed those genetics on to me.

It has been a cold winter but it sure has been going by fast.  We now have Stevi Weissbach coming to the farm on a regular basis and working with our Morgans.  She has a quiet easy going manner and all the horses are enjoying and benefiting from her company.  Despite the weather she bundles up and forges ahead with her plans for that day.  Her warm smile and perky personality are something I have come to look forward to each visit.  Stevi is like the granddaughter I never had.

October 29, 2008

Where does the time go?  It seems like only yesterday John and I busy putting the finishing touches on the two new foaling stalls and anxiously awaiting the arrival of the foals.  Now we have been forced back into our lighter winter jackets and some of the foals are getting ready to head off to their new homes.

According to old timers, this past summer was one of the driest our region has seen in over 50 years.  Our only saving grace was in the fact that we had a lot of accumulated snow from the winter and the spring conditions were perfect which allowed the moisture from the snow to soak into the ground.  Virtually all summer we had no rain and by the end of June the pastures just stopped growing.

Ranchers in our area desperately need a winter that will provide us with lots of snow.  Dugouts are at an all time low and without the moisture there will be no pastures or water come spring.

For whatever reason John and I always seem to have a lot of projects on the go.  Our biggest and longest ongoing project has been the finishing of our home.  By the end of April we stood back and realized that we were to a point where we are darn near done.  Our major project this year was landscaping the yard.  It was great to roll up our sleeves, get some exercise and fresh air all at the same time.  We are not completely finished the landscaping project but it sure does look a whole lot nicer.

In between projects Bev and Don Dunn and Dana and Jory Crossland came to visit and see their new family members Tuff and Gunner.  I am always so thankful to our Morgans for bringing so many wonderful people into our lives.

In June I travelled to Oregon to watch Hmstd Jamaica Moonshine and Debi Michaels compete in their first show.  To say that I was proud would be the understatement of the year.  Under the love and guidance of Debi, Moonshine has been lovingly nurtured to his fullest potential and as a breeder and a Mom you sure can’t ask for more than that. 

The highlight of my summer was having my parents come for a visit.  Now in itself that might seem like a strange statement but my Mom and Dad live some 20 hours away and we don’t get to see each other very often.  My Dad is 84 and my Mom 82.  For the three weeks they were here we all rolled up our sleeves and worked on projects that I just hadn’t had time to accomplish.  During those work sessions I got the opportunity to truly understand and appreciate where I had inherited so many of my qualities from.  It was hard for me to see them leave because I realized more than ever that I would love to live close enough to enjoy my parents company every day.

March 7th, 2008

Winter used to be a time when I could catch up on all my reading, go on Internet searches looking at pedigrees and doing research.  Somehow with John working closer to home over the last five years all that has changed. 

With April rapidly approaching we have been working on turning the hay shed into two nice big foaling stalls.  For the first time we will have the opportunity to put the mares close to foaling, into a stall at night.  Night checks will still involve the ¼ mile drive to the barn but all that will be involved will be flipping on the light and checking on the mares.  For years night checks involved not only the lights of the truck but a big flashlight and lots of night walking.  While the old way worked fine and it was rare that a foal came into the world without one of us being present, the addition of the two foaling pens is a welcome change.  Perhaps by next foaling season we will have found a surveillance camera that will work well for our situation and the too many to count fruitless trips to the barn will become a thing of the past.

Miriah and Cracklin Rose spent the winter in Vancouver with trainer Adiva Murphy being started under saddle.  It just made more sense for them to remain in the south for the winter so that they could be ridden on a regular basis.  Having these two mares started under saddle means that all our Morgans that are of age are now all going well under saddle.  Now we just need to free up time so that riding can become a part of our routine.

January 17, 2008

It is hard to believe that 2007 is over and before us lies a brand new year.  2007 was a hectic year for us jammed packed full with life's ups and downs. I think both John and I are secretly hoping this year will prove to be uneventful.

We had a fantastic delivery trip in late October/November.  It was great to have the opportunity to see some new country in both Canada and United States and to visit with our new KinFolk.

After seven years of working on our log home, December found us tackling our final major indoor project, the kitchen!  Although it wasn't completed in time for Christmas, for the first time in many years we were able to entertain family and friends without having to run up and down the basement stairs.  Work still continues on the kitchen and it is our hope that we will be finished by spring.

Even though it is only January, I find myself daydreaming about this year's foals and the landscaping around the house.  Till then we have a few outdoor winter projects that need to be tended to.  With foals coming in early April and our weather being unpredictable at that time of year we have decided to remodel the two pens in the barn just in case we need them and of course there is the issue of the shelter that we started late last fall that needs to be sided.

September 13, 2007

What a summer this has been!  Our three foals arrived safely and exceeded our expectations.  Baby Cakes finally presented us with a cream filly and let me tell you the wait was worth it.  Sweet Mother Of Purl will be remaining at the Homestead and will become a cornerstone of our breeding program.

In early July Rum Runner severed his extender tendon but we were so fortunate that the vet was able to tend to his injury immediately and RR was a great patient and made the weeks of after care so much easier for us.  While he will always have a scar, he is sound and managed to breed 5 mares despite his injury.

I had the opportunity to travel to the New England states this summer with my friend Kathy DeFazio and Marli Perry.  The weather was perfect as was the company.  We took in several days of the New England Regional Morgan Horse Show and then spent the remainder of the time touring a few of the old breeding programs.  It was a trip that I have always wanted to go on and certainly wasn't disappointed.

We have had a lot of rain here this summer and it has made it almost impossible to get a lot of outside work done.  It seems that we are now scrambling to get pipe welded so we can make a new winter pen for Simply The Best and of course still need to build a shelter.

March 13th, 2007

 

This past weekend we had the opportunity to see just how comfortable Alfalfa and Buckwheat were in their new positions as Goodwill Ambassadors for the Homestead.  Danielle Vetsch travelled from Switzerland with her friend/neighbour Yolande Vorlet and Yolande's nephew Robert to visit the Homestead.  Although the weather was cold and we still had lots of snow it certainly didn't stop us from having fun. The boys did a great job of entertaining "the Swiss delegation" and we made some great new friends!

 

 

February 28th, 2007

We are still experiencing winter and there are no signs of spring being just around the corner.  I must admit that with snow arriving in late October and staying, all this “white stuff” is starting to get a little old.

I would like to take a moment to thank those individuals that emailed to ask about how my Mom was doing.  I am touched by your compassion and the stories that you shared about your battles with cancer were not only inspirational but gave me hope.  It took Mom time to recuperate and adjust but I am pleased to report that she is back to her old self and has regained her zest for life. 

In September we were so fortunate to have Terry Johnson of Dream Morgans come for a visit.  Terry has a unique talent of being able to capture the heart and essence of a horse with her camera.  She is a wonderful person and we had a great time walking the hills and taking all the great pictures you see on our website.

Our palomino stallion Zipper is home after nearly a two year holiday.  I had forgotten how pretty and what a gentleman he is.  The gentleman that hauled Zipper home kept calling to give us updates during the trip and every single time he would go on and on about how wonderful our boy is.  It is good to have Zipper home!  We plan to cross Zipper with High Stepping Buttercup and Lineback Hija de Sue this spring.  In their free time, John and Zipper are going to take to the arena and try their hand at team roping.

Rum Runner spent the winter in southern British Columbia being started under saddle. It has been strange to do chores and not have him waiting for his daily loving.  From all the reports we have received from the trainer, RR is doing great.  He has tremendous reach and the ability to cover a lot of ground in very short order.  Tom feels he would be well suited for dressage.  John has been waiting since the birth of Peanut to take that first ride on his boy.  I can hardly wait to capture that special moment on film.

Last fall we had the opportunity to purchase a bay filly by Holiday Compadre from Karen Bellows of Remember Morgans.   Remember Graciousness’s dam Scandias Superfree is by Scandias Bobby McGee by UVM Promise and is a full sister to the dam of Carribean Blue.  We are excited about the addition of this filly and plan to cross her with Rum Runner at some point in the future.

 

The Homestead now has two official goodwill ambassadors.  Buckwheat and Alfalfa are mini short haired dachshunds that always make us smile.  The boys have thus far taken their responsibilities seriously and will hopefully be accompanying us on our delivery trips.

 

 

July 24th, 2006

Sometimes life has a way of throwing a few unexpected twists your way. In May my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and on June 14th went into the hospital to have a mastectomy.  Suddenly the Homestead and everything that has to be done in our short summer season took a back seat.  The surgery was a success and we are still waiting to see if Mom has to undergo chemo treatments.

After a month of being gone I arrived home to find that my husband/partner/friend John had done a wonderful job of caring for everyone despite the fact that his job was keeping him extremely busy.

The one thing that did not get done during that time was updated pictures of the foals but considering how busy John was, I was not about to complain.

I am amazed how much the foals have grown while I was gone.  I do believe these are some of the best Morgans we have raised to date.

So if you have noticed that there haven't been quite as many photos posted this year and wondered why.....you now know the reason!

March 11th, 2006

Heavens I do not know where the time goes.  I was foolish enough to believe that the older one got, the more time there was to spend doing the things one enjoyed.

We did not get away on our fall delivery trip until the 15th of December last year.  It was the first time in many years that we had not spent Christmas with our daughters and their families but we had a great time and our kids survived without us!  Our trip took us to Wyoming, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana, Oklahoma and California.  The weather cooperated and we seemed to always be one day ahead of the snow and rain.  We spent Christmas in Oklahoma with the Clarks and had a wonderful time.  It seemed strange to wake up on Christmas morning and go do chores in short sleeves.  John and I both commented if the weather could stay like that year round, we would certainly think about relocating.  I am sure it comes as no surprise that we are big Toby Keith fans and we made a point of taking a trip into Oklahoma City and capped off a perfect day by having dinner at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill.

It has been a strange winter in Northern British Columbia.  Our usual snowfall has been practically non-existent and the temperatures have fluctuated from way above normal to freezing cold in a matter of a day.
The human population is not coping with our weird winter and flu's are running rampant.  The animals on the other hand are feeling like they have been on a tropical vacation and are faring well.

It has been a busy winter and we are already well into March.  I have tried not to think about the impending birth of this year's foals as my excitement seems to just make the time drag.  This morning I found myself searching the internet looking at rum based drinks.  Wow who would have thought there would be so many drinks but it has certainly provided me with lots of suitable names for Rum Runner's babies.  As I type I can feel that warm glow burning within in my heart and must admit that I can hardly wait to see RR's get.

July 9th, 2005

It feels good to finally have the last foal of the season on the ground.  One can finally breath a sigh of relieve knowing that everyone arrived safely.  John and I are very pleased with Rum Runner's first foals and have bred all our mares back to him for hopefully another repeat performance in 2006.


For the first time in nearly 3 years we can say that we have a decent hay crop.  Last year we had what seemed like millions of grasshoppers and never got one bale off the fields.  We baled on a share basis and continually got rained out so the hay we did end up with was some of the worst we have ever had on the Homestead.  This year watching the pasture mixture gently moving in the wind is like candy for the eyes.  Hopefully in two weeks time all the hay will be safely stored under cover.

April 28, 2005

Things have been busy around here.  In October I had the pleasure of spending three weeks with Barbara and Bob Fink of Quincy, California. Barbara and I travelled around California for a few days and went calling on Homestead KinFolk and had the opportunity to see our foals, then we were off to Nationals in Oklahoma City.  I have never seen so many beautiful Morgans in one place nor met so many wonderful people.

John and I spent November travelling across the United States delivering our Morgans.  It was great to have the chance to see just how beautiful the US is but by far the best part was really getting to know our new KinFolk.

Our palomino stallion R-Two Zipper spent the winter in Oklahoma at Wild Goose Morgans.  It has been great to watch Zipper blossom under Gabby's care and we are anxious to see what foals he will produce for them next season.

It seems that the winter went by so fast this year and we are already into foaling season.  Hmstd Rum Runner's first three foals are on the ground and we couldn't be more pleased.

Now that the warm weather has arrived and turned the grass green our thoughts have turned to all the outside work that needs to be done. With a To Do List as long as our arms, there is not much chance that we will have any spare time.  It leaves one to ponder if all this work ever truly gets done!

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