One Year Down...Forever More To Go!!!!

(These are all out of order, but there are too many to put in order!)

For our 1 year anniversary, Sam and I went to a bed and breakfast horse ranch in Walland, TN. I know, really random, but it was so much fun. I found the place, Twin Valley Ranch online! You know me and all my online shopping! Haha! I emailed the owner back and forth and we decided to give it a try. The history behind the hundreds of acres of ranch, mountains, land....The woman and her husband bought the land in 1983 and nothing has been done to it in 40 years. So the first thing they did was build a few shelters for their horses. As time went on, the used trees from their land to build all of the wellhouses (bathrooms), pins, paddocks, and shelters. They built it all themselves! The husband, Tip, spend 10 winters making trails thoughout the mountains for riding. About 2 years ago, he passed away from pnemnoia (sp) and now his wife, Jan runs the ranch. Her parents moved down from NY about 6 years ago and live in one of the cabins. Her father just turned 91!!!! And her mother is 82 and was feeding, grooming, driving the truck around, tending to all of the animals. Amazing! I hope I'm moving around like that when I'm 82! Reminds me of my non-stop Grandpa!

Anyways, Sam and I arrived at the Ranch on Thursday, and at 6 that night was our first time feeding all of the animals - and they knew it! The cow ran all the way down the mountain at full speed when he heard us start feeding. We fed the goats and the pig leftovers. The lamb and the calf, who are best friends and share a stall! They came to the ranch about the same time and are now inseparatable. The llama - well I just threw the hay in there, I didn't want to get too close to that thing. It turned our the llama, Sage, was actually pretty nice and sweet, but just a wierd looking animal! And the horses - my favorite - it was so neat to feed them. They would push us all over the place and eat the hay from the stacks in our hands! It was so much fun. Traveler, the horse, was my favorite. You'll see a pic of him below.

Friday and Saturday we, well Sam, woke up early for the feeding and on Friday, I helped with the grooming, which seemed to take forever! And the horses are shedding their winter coats so hair was everywhere...in my nose, in my mouth, all over my clothes......ugh! I'm sure I'll feel differently if they were my horses and I loved them like I do my dogs, but someone else's horse hair....eww! We went on about 4 hour rides both Friday and Saturday that were just beautiful.

Saturday after our 4 hour morning ride, Sam and I decided to pack up, drive to the national park, which there was nothing really to see, and head back to ATL to stay with Brooke and Greg to break up the drive home. But Brooke and Greg weren't home, so Sam and I cheered with our champagne, curtosy of Brooke and Greg Byrd, and played Rock Band with eachother all night! It was a blast!!!!!!!!!

This is the benches to the chapel that Jan and Tip built to have their horseback wedding at 20+ years ago!

How beautiful is this place!?

This is just part of the land that we rode our horses all around.

Me and Ruthie - she was my horse for the weekend. She was so sweet, and got tired of riding about the same time I did so it worked out perfectly!

This is Sam and Scout. Scout was Sam's favorite horse. When we would start to go faster, he would completly skip the trotting part and go full into the canter! I mean, at one point, Sam's saddle was sideways and he was holding on for dear life!!!!! (Hahahha.) But he of course, the cowboy that he is :) got the hang of it quickly and wanted to take Scout home with us!

Sam and I at my favorite place on the land. It was so peaceful here.

All around the land, there were all of these chimneys left from all the old houses. The chimneys are the only part of the houses that survived.

Getting ready for our morning ride!

This is Ruthie sunbathing before our afternoon ride! She was sleeping like this. When she would non off, her head would just fall onto the ground! And I had to go in there while she was sleeping, wake her up, put her halter on her, walk her down to her stall and groom her! Yes, I had to groom her and try to get all, I mean ALL that mud off of her before I could saddle her up!

This is Trinity - she is a big horse and she could knock someone out with her head. She likes to head butt you when you put on the halter. But you just have to push her head away! It was challenging and fun!

Sam and Ruthie

Me and my ever so lovely husband!

Our boots in the "Boot Box".

Cool huh!

Ok, this is me and Sage, the llama! I didn't want to get too close! Hahah!

This is Traveler! He was the sweetest. Somehow, he injured his foot and tendons and has been through surgery, but if it doesn't heal, they will have to put him down. That just broke my heart and I didn't want to leave him. He was so sweet.

This is the new puppy Sheba!

Me looking at Traveler.

SHEBA! We rode in the back of the truck to all the different barns for feedings.

Sam feeding the lamb and calf!

The pig - yes, this is a miniture pot belly pig and I am SO over this phase!

The main part of the land. Up that big hill, that's what the calf ran down, all through the trees for feeding. The barns at the bottom left of the photo are the stalls where we do the grooming and saddling. The first one on the right is where the goats, ducks, pigs are. Across from that is where the calf and lamb are with the llama next to them. Then the barn with the gable metal roof is where the horses are. During the night, if its not raining, we let the horses out in open range all night. Then they have to go out in the am and catch the horses you want to ride. I slept through this part...I can't help it...I need my sleep! Up where I am standing is by the pond where Sam was fishing.

The Lamb! No I was not touching it! It was all dirty and wet and I was clean at that moment!

Kristy pouting b/c the calf wouldn't love on me right after it loved on Sam. He gave Sam all of his loving! But later he nuzzled up to me for some Kristy lovin! (Yes Brooke - I loved on a COW!)

Sam's new tires!!! Hahaha - we saw these on the way up to TN. Have you ever seen tires this big?

The Ranch!

Sam starting to get lovin from the cow.

Sam!

So that's most of the pictures! Sam and I had a blast together and can't wait for the next vacation, where ever that will be!

One year down, forever more to go!