The Cabin

Last weekend we decided to go up to our cabin.  We hadn't been there since October, didn't go up this last winter during the snow season.

We decided to send the boys to the 'spa' for the weekend instead of asking someone to come in and feed them.  Although they're sweet and gentle, their size can be intimidating.  They joined Champ at his barn for the weekend.

We caused quite a stir when we arrived at the barn with our big Belgians.  But we soon had them settled down and off we went.  My husband tied the lead rope to the gate just in case they decided to follow us.

It was a relaxing drive up Snoqualmie Pass to our cabin.  As each mile passed I found myself remembering drives taken throughout the many years.  As a child, teenager, and adult.  Our engagement nearby at our still favorite restaurant, Mama Vallone's (25 years ago next month)!  Going up there before the birth of our daughter and when she was a brand new baby, a child, teenager and now college student.  And my all time memory - the first time I hauled up our horses in our wimpy F-150/4-speed. 

Lots of good laughs and smiles on the way up the Pass!  It was good to see the cabin and know that it had gotten through another winter. 

We found ourselves the only people around.  After being on the highway for an hour, the silence was welcoming.  We could hear the wind sighing through the trees, the birds and chipmunks chirping around us.  Both of us (and Hank, our dog) took big sighs, breathing in the scented pine trees and clean air.  These cabins were originally built to host those who worked in the Mill.  The tin on the roofs allow the snow to slide.

Up here it's still early spring and it looks kind of barren.  The view from our front door.  A great place to throw the ball for Hank, which I did over and over again.  Soon the cottonwoods will be full of leaves the grass will be emerald green.

Once we were unpacked and settled in, Hank found his bed in the living room too inviting and decided to take a snooze.  The red Coleman oil stove belonged to and was used by my Grandparents.

Our kitchen, with two stoves.  I'm thinking two stoves are one too many!







My sister-in-law arrived the next day.  She and her three dogs  joined Hank on the right for dinner.  I asked dogs if they'd like a T-R-E-A-T and this was their response.  Who says dogs can't spell?  Good Dogs!  All Four of them!!  Shortly thereafter, worn out from a day of exploring, they feel asleep in the living room.  Sleeping, snoring, dog bodies all over the place!  One could barely move.

On our last day we took a walk around "camp" to check it out. These train cars are used for overflow of cabin guests.






The Mill which had a spur off of the main train tracks. Lots of history here, lots of memories.

I don't know how many times all of us kids climbed on top of this green caboose and leaned left/right, getting it to rock.  Neither do I know how many kids were hired to paint it each year! 
I know my brother was one of them. 

Swaying up there we talked about where we were headed.  It would be neat for us to all climb up there today and find out where we all ended up.  The car in front, the "crummy", pulls the caboose. 


We checked out the corral to see what we needed to do to get it in shape so we can start bringing our horses up with us.  We found we're about ready to run our hot wire. Not much longer and they'll be coming with us! 

In the 1960's when I first came up here, horses were in this corral, used for the adult's week long trail rides.  In the early mornings, when my family was still asleep, I used to come down here and stand in the corral with all the wonderful horses and "talk" to them.

There were beautiful, majestic horses in this pasture with names such as Checkers, the huge Appaloosa; Princess the Golden Palomino; Corkey the Gorgeous Paint; Ted the Red Chestnut; Laddie the Blue Mustang; and Copper the Incredible Wonder Horse that all of us kids loved to death.  There were more, wish I could remember them all.  :(

The view from the corral shows the snow level is still pretty low, close to the cabins.  And as I write this today, in late April, the weather report says the snow level will drop to our cabin level tonight.  A little too early to bring up horses, I think.




Heading back to the cabin, we found my sister-in-law sitting out in the sun reading a book.  Hank and I joined her for a well-deserved, overdue, nice, long chat.   We sat there for hours until it was time for us to leave.  I found my nose sunburned when I got home and Hank?  Well, he was exhausted from running with his cousins and pretty much slept for two days!

It was good to get back up to the cabin, to a place I've loved with all my heart since I was a child.  My parents and little brother loved it up there.  Sometimes when I hear the wind sighing in the trees I can hear them laughing and I smile, remembering all the great times we shared together as a family.  Going up to the cabin is like coming home.

The wind in the trees sings a lovely memory

And the water in the creek sings along

But the best thing of all are the trees that are so tall...

That's how you sing the Cabin Mountain song

From the song, Cabin Mountain Song
Written by This Author :)
1978

Welcome to Life+Horses!

Welcome to Life+Horses, formerly 50+Horses.  In my travels this past year to write my first blog I've found so much more I wanted to share with my readers.  I felt restricted by the previous title, thus a new name!

Today I take you back about six months and (re)introduce you to our horses, Cisco, Champ, Sunny and Gus. 

For you who followed 50+Horses, you read about the loss of my older Quarter Horse Gelding, Cisco, this last January to Colic.  Cisco was the kind of horse who could sit in the pasture for months, yet dependable and steady when I pulled him out for a ride.

When my confidence level was low, I could always hop on Cisco and raise the level back up.  I had so much fun riding him and ponying his pasture buddy, Sunny, around our place.

Cisco was a short, stocky guy.  Kind of like me!  I lost him two weeks after I retired.  Having the ability to retire at a fairly young age, I'd looked forward to my free time, good health and taking Cisco out on trails near our house with my friends.

I've recently decided to replace Cisco and am on the search for another been there/done that, short, stocky older Quarter Horse Gelding.  They call a horse like Cisco a "kids or husband safe" horse.  I call it a horse that will help an adult retain her confidence, give her the joy of riding and partner with as a best friend.

Using Cisco for a confidence boost got me up on Champ our 12-year old APHA Gelding.  He's our daughter's former peformance horse, left behind when she went off to college.  We board Champ at a stable near our place.  He's part of our family and although our daughter is no longer riding, she still loves this horse, as we all do. 

So selling Champ was not an option but Mom learning to ride him was!  This past year I've taken lessons on Champ, learning how to ride correctly.  In fact today as I finish this, I head up to ride Champ and start prepping on the moves to learn how to sort cattle.

Always being a trail rider, I had no idea how much work (and fun) it was to learn how to ride properly!  I attended my first horse show with Champ in October and brought home lots of various colored ribbons.  However, the day wasn't about 'winning'.  It was about testing out my new skills, seeing old friends and sharing the day with my family. 

Our daughter came home from college to support Champ and I.  Each time I got one of those colored ribbons I could hear my family and friends cheering from the bleachers.  Their love and support on that day still brings a lump to my throat.  I look forward to attending a few shows this year with Champ, visiting old friends and just having a good time! 

Sunny, a Belgian Draft Horse, is the Senior Citizen on our little ranch.  Sunny is a Rescue Horse.  After two attempts by other parties' failed, we brought him here on the pretense that he'd be a riding horse for my husband who is 6'6".

Unfortunately, the lack of nutrition at his former homes left Sunny underweight and swayback.  It's been a real challenge to keep weight on Sunny.  It's a gain/loss situation all the time.

After the loss of Cisco, I've missed having a horse at home hop on at a moment's notice.  I'd hesitated to ride Sunny due to his weight issues. 

But when the Vet was here a few months ago to float everybody's teeth/give yearly vaccinations and Sunny was up on his weight, I asked about riding him.  Our Vet didn't think my getting on and walking would hurt so a few days later I took a spin around the barnyard on Sunny.  It was more like a plod, plod, plod around the yard, but it was fun.  After we finished and watched the sunset, I think Sunny stood a little taller and prouder.

Sadly as I write this Sunny's weight is down to the lowest level I've seen yet.  I am trying everything to get it back up to no avail.  I'm afraid that this might be his last year with us.

Sunny's Belgian attitude gave us an interest in locating a younger Belgian for my husband to ride.  We brought Gus home in November.  He's 7 years old and the youngster of the family. 

Again, here was a horse that someone had neglected.  Gus was under weight and his feet were in terrible shape.  Since we've had him he's gained his weight back and we're working with our shoer on a program to get his feet back in shape.  They're coming along nicely.

Gus is the biggest horse I've ever seen.  You can see the youth in him as he trots or canters up to us.  That could be intimidating but Gus is as sweet as he is big.  We hadn't ridden him while we worked on his weight and got his feet back in shape.  However, the time has come to take Gus for a plod around the barnyard on his first ride with us.

I'm thinking someone big and tall (like my husband) should take the maiden voyage on Gus.  Frankly I don't think I could get up on this guy, even with the help of a mounting block.  My short legs require my stirrups to be up as high as possible (see the pic above of my saddle on Sunny).

But it would be such fun for my husband and I to ride out together.  Hopefully I'll find that been there, done that Quarter Horse Gelding soon and like Mutt and Jeff, hubby and I will happily ride off into the sunset with Sunny in tow!

Happy Trails!