Royalty for a Week, and Shameless The Rest of The Time (Volume IV)

Thank you, Sir Brad.

Though that isn't hubby in the pictures, it's the trainer. We haven't even laid eyes on the horse in the flesh yet. Have to go to NV and pick him up next week. Hope the weather holds. (For the record, I wear a baseball cap when I ride. Cowboy hats just end up on the ground every ten seconds when the wind blows. )

Sorry, no crate in the mail. I can't afford the shipping. Phoenix weighs 1,100 lbs.

Glad to hear you are being kind to my creepy crawly friends.

If you have facebook, this is my youngest Wickedling and her adopted mustang at Halloween. I made the horse's armor, and she did her own makeup and costume.
https://www.facebook.com/T.A.Markitan/photos/a.488965426064/10157094012571065/

Greetings Wicked (The Amazing Rogue!) and Sir. Brad (Of Mighty Tidings!)

Do not think I have forgotten about you, dear Ambrosia. Your realm fairs?

Excellent on the publishing, Wicked!

Yes, the Bible and its wonders and Tolkien and his fantasies. Very pleasant.

Nice to know there's still people keeping it real upon the old terrain, Wicked.

Hail to you all, fair travelers!

Good morning, dear Royals.

It is wonderful to see everyone this morning.

Princess Wicked, it has been too long! I am glad you have returned from your travels. I have cared for your pets in the dungeon to the best of my ability but they have missed you.
Phoenix is a beauty, but the ear position in the picture with the rider on his back looks like he might have an ornery streak. What do you think?
Congrats on the publication. I have ordered a copy of the book.
Nice costume by both of you. Well done.

Nice to see you, dear Bard. Nice to see you, too, Sir Knight.

I'm going to make some more coffee. I only had a cup of yesterday's so far. It is raining now and is going to be raining all day. Such a beautiful day.

DanielSTJ said:

Greetings Wicked (The Amazing Rogue!) and Sir. Brad (Of Mighty Tidings!)

Excellent on the publishing, Wicked!

Nice to know there's still people keeping it real upon the old terrain, Wicked.

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Thank you, Daniel.

Ambrosia said:

Princess Wicked, it has been too long! I am glad you have returned from your travels. I have cared for your pets in the dungeon to the best of my ability but they have missed you.
Phoenix is a beauty, but the ear position in the picture with the rider on his back looks like he might have an ornery streak. What do you think?
Congrats on the publication. I have ordered a copy of the book.
Nice costume by both of you. Well done.

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Thank you, on all counts!

They say Phoenix is well mannered, with a good personality. Most of my horses are ornery, so if it turns out he has a little attitude, he'll fit right in.

It's been cold and windy here the last two days. The horses have been standing around in the barn, instead of going out to the pasture, so I had to clean before I could feed this morning.
Our burro kept inserting herself between me and the wheelbarrow. Every time I turned around, she would back up against me because she wanted her butt scratched, or she would walk up and put her head over my shoulder for hugs. Spoiled brat. Didn't think she was ever going to let me get my work done.

Good morning, dear Royals.

Wicked said:

They say Phoenix is well mannered, with a good personality. Most of my horses are ornery, so if it turns out he has a little attitude, he'll fit right in.

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The only horse I have ever owned was when I was 14. I had been horse crazy my entire, short life. My dad had died right before my 14th birthday. I think my mother got me the horse out of a mistaken belief that I was grief-stricken and the horse would help with the grief. I wasn't grief-stricken, but I did want the horse.

The people who had owned him before me had named him Coco. I didn't care for the name but he had worn it for a good many years so that is the name that he kept. He was a gelding and he was well-mannered. Except when he wasn't. He was the gentlest horse around children and around my mom. You could set a child on his bare back and he would walk very slowly around the paddock, carrying the child like precious cargo. Mom didn't ride but when she was in his enclosure he would follow her around and steal cigarettes out of her pocket. She grumbled about him stealing from her but she was fond of him. He loved to be brushed and would lean into the brush so hard at times he almost knocked me over. He loved a good scratch, too. However, his orneriness appeared if anyone in their teens or older mounted him. He figured that if they were that old then they better know how to ride. I don't even remember what the conversation entailed with my brother, who is five years older than I am. Some antic of Coco's. But at some point my brother said, "I can ride him. He won't get by with that with me." I tried to talk my brother out of it, but perhaps not as hard as I might if I didn't want my stubborn brother to eat crow. He was being tiresome. Mom tried to tell him it wasn't a good idea. But he was being all macho. My brother got on Coco's back and for one tense moment Coco just stood there. Then he twitched his ears back and got a specific look in his eye which I knew meant my brother was about to receive a lesson. One moment my brother was on Coco's back, the next he was on his butt looking at the swish of Coco's tail. After ascertaining the only thing injured was my brother's pride, I laughed so hard I couldn't breath. My brother never again tried to ride my horse.

Wicked said:

It's been cold and windy here the last two days. The horses have been standing around in the barn, instead of going out to the pasture, so I had to clean before I could feed this morning.
Our burro kept inserting herself between me and the wheelbarrow. Every time I turned around, she would back up against me because she wanted her butt scratched, or she would walk up and put her head over my shoulder for hugs. Spoiled brat. Didn't think she was ever going to let me get my work done.

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Smart horses to stand in the barn instead of out in the windy cold. What a great character your burro is.


I only drank 2 cups of yesterday's coffee this morning. I think that was enough for the day. It is cold outside (Texas cold, not northern cold) and I have to get out there and put some plastic around the base of my planters. I'm running an experiment to see if the plants I had in the planters come up next spring. I doubt it will happen, but we shall see.

Have a lovely Thursday, everyone.

A horse is their own person. They have personalities, quirks, likes, and dislikes. They might be an angel for one person, and the devil on hooves for another, as your brother seemed to have found out.

Awesome story, your majesty, thank you for sharing.

I grew up on a ranch, so I've had horses all my life. When I started dating my husband, he'd never ridden before. One time he came out when we were moving cows, and I put him on my old quarter horse. She liked to move cows. She was good at it.
I saddled her up for him, gave him the basic talk of what to do if he had a problem, and had him get on. This horse had been my best friend since I was twelve years old, and I knew her better than most people. I told him, "All you have to do is hang on. She'll teach you how to ride."

My mother was a deep end of the pool kind of teacher. I guess it passed on.

* My horse passed away in 2008, at the age of 33, but she isn't completely gone. I still have her daughter, who is now 20 years old.

Good afternoon, Your Majesty, Wicked, Daniel, and allll the Royals who are still MIA,

Wicked, I really loved the accoutrements you did for your daughter's horse - you're so creative - and I'm sure they made a statement, scary though it may be. They're both lovely.

Queen Ambrosia, Wicked is right in saying each horse has its own personality. I've ridden a few horses when I was younger - and a pony that belonged to my cousins. He was the bumpiest equestrian ride I ever had, and on the way back to the barn would jump a big ditch along side the rode to get there faster. He never threw me, though that jump came close.

Some years back I dated a woman who had several horses trained for Civil War re-enactments. We would ride down a county highway a few miles to a river bottom, and then explore down river for miles. The horse I always rode was named Drifter, and he was a huge quarter-horse - a bit over 16 hands tall. I loved him, and he loved me. He neck-reined like a dream, and could handle a steep hillside with no problem - I'd just lean forward and let him find his way. I even swam a few rivers with him. I love horses, and when we'd walk the horses, Drifter would follow me around like a big ol' puppy dog, and nuzzle me once in awhile to let me know he was there.

Perhaps someday I'll be in a position to have the land and wherewithal to have horses. They're amazing animals.

We finished the last CONO landscaping project today, and as far as I know I'm done for the year as far as work is concerned - the physical, landscaping sort, that is. Whatever else God brings to me, I'll be happy to do, but I'm off into hibernation mode again. Reading, writing, art, and playing my guitars is on my schedule for the next two or three months, and I'm looking forward to it.

May your winter be a time of blessing and growth, all.

Wicked said:

It's been cold and windy here the last two days. The horses have been standing around in the barn, instead of going out to the pasture, so I had to clean before I could feed this morning.

Our burro kept inserting herself between me and the wheelbarrow. Every time I turned around, she would back up against me because she wanted her butt scratched, or she would walk up and put her head over my shoulder for hugs. Spoiled brat. Didn't think she was ever going to let me get my work done.

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Give horses a choice, and they'll choose comfort over cold.

I love your burro. Burros are such a unique sort of a horse and dog mix, and yours has a personality worth the stars. Who of us doesn't like a good butt scatchin' once in awhile.

He's (she?) has got your number and knows how to get your attention, but how can you not give in to such a delightfully mischievous animal?

What is it's name and gender?

Equestrian minds want to know.

ETA - Oh, yeah, you said 'she'. Sometimes it takes awhile for words to sink in.

brad_b said:

Wicked, I really loved the accoutrements you did for your daughter's horse - you're so creative - and I'm sure they made a statement, scary though it may be. They're both lovely.

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Thank you.

brad_b said:

I love your burro. Burros are such a unique sort of a horse and dog mix, and yours has a personality worth the stars. Who of us doesn't like a good butt scatchin' once in awhile.

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Indeed. Who doesn't love a good butt scratch?
Her name is Warhead, but everyone just calls her Donkey. Except my youngest son, who's in his 20's and is all goth and metal piercings, but insists her name is Peaches.

We adopted her four years ago, when she was barely a yearling. It was a competitive auction at Cheyenne Frontier Days through the wild horse and burro program (you had to be approved as an adopter before you could bid).
My daughter begged me to bid. When we won, she jumped up on the bleachers, screamed something along the lines of, "f*ck yeah!", and started crying.
She's the one that taught the burro how to hug.

Good morning, my lovely Royals. How goes the day? I trust everyone is having a wonderful Friday. Princess Wicked, I love your daughter. I have a new computer so I am occupied trying to get i set up. I'll check in later. Have fun!

Hello my gracious Queen and Royals!

I had typed up a post before, but it did not seem to go through.

S.O.S?

- - - Updated - - -

Hello my gracious Queen and Royals!

I had typed up a post before, but it did not seem to go through.

S.O.S?

Good afternoon, my loyal Royals.

I trust everyone is having a wonderful Saturday.

I wonder what shenanigans the site has gotten into considering the S.O.S. from the Bard and the non-message from our illustrious (and too long gone) Alchemist. Prince Daniel and Prince Welcheren, please let me know all is well in the kingdom. Do I need to send assistance? (Looks around for assistance.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbXWrmQW-OE

For all you AW'ers.

SENDING OUT AN S.O.S! SENDING OUT AN S.O.S!

*WELCHEREN! Come back!*

*Ambrosia. HAIL!*

DanielSTJ said:

*WELCHEREN! Come back!*

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Have I been gone so long, that the mere sight of my horrifying visage frightened him away? *pulls hood of cloak back up*

Hail, Royals. How fair ye?

I've been saving reference pictures of cats, because I want to draw a Yule Cat. The last time I made Christmas cards they had Krampus on them, so I figure I might as well keep up with the theme.

Don't you mean your stunning good looks, Wicked?

Good morning, dear Royals.

This is nice--actual people to talk to instead of just talking to myself. The servants were beginning to gossip.

Hello, Bard Daniel.

Princess Wicked, Krampus isn't a cat so I'm unsure how making Yule cat carries on the tradition. (Though I do suppose most people who have cats have seen their 1/2 demon side.) I would love to hear more about it.

Sir Brad, how's your hibernation going?

Prince Welcheren, don't make me send out a search party. If some evil spirit has whisked you away just as your fingers touched the door latch there are going to be very vanquished spirits when I catch up to them. Tortured first, of course. Come back!

Hello dear Queen. How art thou, illustrious Ambrosia?

I am faring well, dear Prince. How are you? I have seen you delving into the poetry forum. I quite approve.

Are you pursuing other writing venues as well?

I have a message from my computer that I need to restart it. I'll check back in when technology allows it. Have a most pleasant Sunday.

Yes, all sorts and types.

From flash-fiction to short stories to novellas to novels and..beyond? :O

*saunters back into the Castle, all shamefaced and travel stained*

Hi guys. First, off, apologies for my tremendously extended absence. Things have been... well, interesting, as I am sure it has been for everyone. I dithered over returning, but things are still sort of hectic (but more under control than before - knock on wood). So, I don't know how often I can swing by, but I will try at least say hello once a week or once every other week. Just wanted to saw that I miss you all. I miss your warmth and companionship, your candour and humour and the sheer, resplendent beautify your humanity.

Royal Alchemist! It is so good to see you in the Castle again. You have been dearly missed.

Come when you can, Prince Welcheren. There will always be fresh coffee on. (And it is the best coffee ever!)

I am liking the renewed activity in the Castle. Thank you, all.

Thank you for the warm welcome, Grand Duchess (and Queen, I take it).

I shall endeavour to reduce my absence.

Dear Wicked, both thy visage and thy demeanour commends thee well to my gentle disposition.

Dear Daniel - it really it good to see you around too, oh faithful Bard.

DanielSTJ said:

Don't you mean your stunning good looks, Wicked?

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You are too kind, Prince Daniel.

Ambrosia said:

Princess Wicked, Krampus isn't a cat so I'm unsure how making Yule cat carries on the tradition. (Though I do suppose most people who have cats have seen their 1/2 demon side.) I would love to hear more about it.

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Krampus = eats bad children
Yule Cat = eats bad children

See? A theme. (you really should have expected that from me )

Welcheren said:

I shall endeavour to reduce my absence.

Dear Wicked, both thy visage and thy demeanour commends thee well to my gentle disposition.

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Welcome back, wayward Prince Welcheren.

Bunch of flatterers today.

Welcherem! The famed potion-master returns to his humble abode amidst mysterious tidings! Hail!

Yay! Coffee for everyone!

The faithful Bard bows and composes lines upon lines of glory for you and everyone.

As kind as you are fair, dear Wicked.