Wordless Wednesday

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They Go Bonkers For Bananas!

My horses truly love their fruits!  Not just apples either. 

Did you know that most horses actually love bananas?

Would you believe me if I said my horses start salivating at the casual mention of grapes, peaches, plums, oranges, nectarines or pineapple?

Of course, they also love most melons too, even the rind if it's cut in very small pieces.  My guys are 20 and 31 years young and get hay with small quantities of grain 4x's a day.

I add water to their ration with a small amount of fruit or vegetable mixed in. I also occasionally feed them small quantities of carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, radishes and cauliflower; although I've just read at one source online that the potato and cabbage family are not recommended as they can cause gas. I've never had a problem, but again, I keep my quantities very small, about the size of one medium sized apple per feeding.

If you are thinking of supplementing your horse's diet, offer a taste first and don't over do it. If they spit it out at you, try another small piece later. They may change their mind. A little goes a long way when cut up small for treats or mixed in their feed. Of course, I remove all pits or large seeds or rough skins first. The rule of thumb is that it should be smaller than the size of a ping pong or golf ball, but I think this is still too big. I cut mine even smaller (about 1/2" diameter or less), especially with hard foods like carrots or sweet potatoes. This size is still big enough to chew, but small enough to be easily swallowed, if it isn't fully masticated. I want to eliminate any danger of choking, because at 31, Rudy doesn't have the greatest teeth anymore.

My equines are spoiled, I admit it, but the joy and great workout I get from riding and taking care of them everyday is well worth all the effort, time commitment and expense involved.

Find a great article on how to prepare fruit and veggies for your equine friends here, where I just found out that out you can feed the banana pieces with the skin still on after removing the hard ends.

Your horses will thank you if you put some kind of fruit or vegetable in their feed regularly. It adds excitement to their day and variety to their diet and vocabulary. My horses know so many more words now!

Remember, do not feed too much at a time and wipe off or wash the food first.

The images used here in this post are available for licensing from my iStock portfolio.


Thanks for reading and as always, your input is most welcome and very appreciated.

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Shrunken Heads ~ Hours Of Fun

Me an' me maties be finishin' up ar shrivaled up shrunken heads last night.

Truth be told, me mutter, sis an' this scallywag wench be gittin' mighty silly w' it thar .

 We be makin' it dark except fer ar wee handy flashlanterns

Then we cleaver hags be makin' up dancin' routines an puttin' on shows with 'em

ta spooky Halloween tunes of course . . . 

And we be hysterical

All ye buccaneers be serious an' watching th' game

but broke free long enough to judge our heads fer us

Each chose different favrites 'n we was all winners.

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It was my parents last night with us, so it was nice to share

our last dinner together and so many laughs. 

They left  this morning.

I was hoping they'd stay through Halloween,

but with the cold snap and dusting of snow here, 

the warmer climate beckons them.

It was a wonderful three weeks.

I am very grateful for

them and their visit.

Love you Mom & Dad!

Time for me to stay busy and get some work done here.

Tomorrow I will hang 19 of my watercolor paintings

in a three month solo show at The Samaritan Hospice Gallery

at the Virtua Hospital in Mt. Holly, NJ..

I haven't been posting much since my folks were here. We were Busy Busy Busy!

I just want to thank everyone who came out to my Apple Festival and Cranberry Festival shows. They were both very successful and I was able to significantly lighten my load. This was due in large part to you friends and collectors who showed your support by continuing to believe in me and my work.

Thank you, thank you very much!!

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."  ~ G.K. Chesterton

Kirby's Mill Apple Festival ~ Saturday, October 8th 2011

I've spent the week sorting, shooting, matting, framing, planning, packing and getting ready for my first art show of the season .  . . AND . . . . Y A Y . . .  No rain in the forecast!! I am thrilled and very thankful! Last year it was cold and damp with some drizzle in the afternoon. The year before was the same, but in 2008, what a fine day it was!! People were out enjoying the beautiful Fall weather and the work of artists and craftspeople selling Handmade In America, one- of-a-kind works.

Of course, the Apple Festival is also about the apples too.  It doesn't have a whole lot of variety, food wise, except for the apples. It's apples galore, from cider donuts and apple pies, to cider and apple ice cream. It's a Mecca for apple lovers of all ages.

License This Image From My iStock Portfolio

On a nice day, I've seen people come out in droves to the Kirby's Mill Apple Festival. There's live entertainment, demonstrations and tours of the mill.  It's unique, meandering, country setting gives the festival a nice relaxed vibe. I really need to lighten my load, especially since I only had one show last year.  I'm doing some sales and specials. If you need art, now's the best time to get the best selection and price from me. My print special , Buy Two, Get One Free, is a darn good deal. Christmas is creeping up on us pretty fast this year. I always feel better if I start thinking about it before Thanksgiving. So get out of the house tomorrow, enjoy the sunshine and fresh air! Come to Kirby's Mill, in Medford, NJ. Walk, relax, eat and do a little shopping. If you mention that you saw this blog post or you read about it on Facebook, I will give you 20% off any originals' price.

Kirby's Mill Apple Festival - 2008

This could be my first and last show of 2011, as it was in 2010. You never know what the weather's going to do this time of year, or any time of the year these days.

Cranberry Festival - 2008

Now,  two days of warm, sunny beautiful weather for next weekend's show, the Chatsworth Cranberry Festival would be another truly amazing blessing.