How To Fix A Sculpture When Your Welder Is Broke

[Frosty]

51 minutes ago, Scott NC said:

I see art in nature as well,

Of course nature is art. You make it art by seeing it as art.

That's a great photo Anvil. It says a lot to the observer (me) without description or title. The subject's "pose" is so very Burro it brings back long ago memories and I only spent a little time with donkeys. In many ways I liked them better than horses. I  never had one go "on strike" when I was handling them. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Scott NC]

22 hours ago, anvil said:

Lol,,, Heres a pic of two um,,er,,"Donkeys" debating the definition of art.

  Hey, that's one of a kind Anvil.....   I hope you have that framed and hanging in a good place.  Care if I borrow it and have a print made?  For my own use and interest, that is. 

[Scott NC]

  Just to hang on my shop wall, that is.

[anvil]

On 7/27/2023 at 9:58 AM, Scott NC said:

Care if I borrow it and have a print made? 

Help yourself.

[Scott NC]

  Thank you.  I believe it will help in resolving differences of opinion.  Not that I'm not inflexible nor open minded.......   I'll just point at the photo and say Anvil said so.....

[anvil]

  

 

Thats Sneffels and Telly, btw, from Mount Sneffels and Telluride, where they were adopted from.

[Frosty]

And which is which Anvil? You know the results of calling one by the wrong name.

 Frosty The Lucky.

[anvil]

Actually the lighter colored one is Telly, the momma burito

[Frosty]

Burros remind me of Purple Sage summer camp. They asked if any of us knew how to ride a horse and like an idiot I raised my hand so I got the most barn sour PITA horse in the stable, "Dynamite." He turned out to be a great horse, in fact an awful lot like Banjo My appaloosa gelding. The very first time on the trail he was nothing but stop and graze and in no time I was losing sight of the group. I made a dramatic show of picking just exactly the right switch while he grazed. The best switch isn't one that stung it's the one that makes a definite SWISH. I never had to do more than touch Dynamite with it. 

We caught the group with Dynamite pacing nicely in a single foot. After the ride I spent extra time currying and brushing him, then visited the mess hall and came back with an apple. We were buds after that, I'd save him some goody from mess and he TRIED to make me happy. Just like Banjo. 

After I got Dynamite working with me the equestrian coach and his beautiful palomino mare discovered Dynamite was as well trained as his personal horse so he decided I'd be humbled by the burros. SWEET animals, I fell in love with them in minutes. Treat them well and fairly and they'll do what you want at a soft word. The male was "Tucker" and the mare "Lolly." That was all the coach told me when he pointed me at the pasture. Walking up I pulled some fresh green grass and called them while waving it. They looked up I waved the grass and they walked up to me and let me put the bridles on them without fuss.

The pack saddle was pretty obvious but I knew zero about a diamond hitch. The teamster who handled the pack train, mules and burros tried showing me a couple times and gave up. He learnt me a special rope and rings rig to lash the gear down. Tuck (his call name) started to get fidgety and settled right down with a word. So, the rest of our two week stay at Purple Sage summer camp had me packing the picnic supplies, riding Dynamite with Tuck and Lolly following on a slack lead.

I think I'll have to print out a copy of your picture Anvil, it brings back such good memories. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[anvil]

Cool story and help yourself.  

My family and I were the caretakers of this 200 acre ranch for 30 some years. We had 17 horses and the two donks. About half the horses were ours. We raised Paints and quarter horses small time. He paid us $100/month and supplied hay and grain. We lived a half mile down hill and up the other fork where my shop was, two sides bordering national forest. I've got 2 daughters born and raised their with that ranch being their personal playground. Tough life and prolly the hardest job I ever had.    Somebody's got to do it. 

[Frosty]

That is a big spread to take care of, hard work indeed. We never had more than a few acres and 3-4 horses at a time and only 1/4 mile walk 2x/day to feed and do chores when we boarded them. It was pretty urban but only a couple miles to the foothills and undeveloped land. Owning horses was a great way for the overweight nerd boy to meet girls. Unfortunately most only wanted to ride around an arena, something I loathed when there was the Sierra Nevada and Walker trail just a couple miles away. While not really my thing roping was fun if you didn't take it as seriously as lots of folk did. No barrel racing or gymkhana, no, no , NO not me!

Frosty The Lucky.

Good memories. Banjo and I, cir, 67-69.

 

[anvil]

Nice horse. You described literally every one of my horse shoeing customers. 

There were two little girls above the ranch about my daughters ages. From spring til snow in the fall, the'd saddle up in the AM and head south into the National forest. Somewhere around noon they swapped horses, had lunch at home, then headed north back into the forest.. Sometime close to or shortly after, they ended up back home to do chores at the ranch. Best babysitter you could ever have.

[Frosty]

Yeah, he was my boy or I his. I as never sure about that. The palomino in the background is Tophat's Babydoll. Dad spent lots of good money to find a horse for Mother on Mother's day. Babe was voice and knee trained and a "woman's" horse. Mother rode her exactly once for about 20 minutes she didn't like horses. She didn't dislike them but had zero interest in taking up riding. 

Sooooooo, Mother bought Dad a player piano for Father's day.

My little Sister could ride her but she had her own horse, half Arabian, half show quarter, name of "Shannon's Nomad" and because she was No Mad her call name was Happy. She was a great performer once she knew the game. Shannon rode in "Blue Shadows" precision drill club. One Rose Bowl parade Happy stopped in front of the Judges stand, lifted her tail and left a present. Live on national TV. 

We finally found someone Babe liked and she lived happily somewhere else. It was a good thing.

Frosty The Lucky.