On Their Way and Burger Boy

 

I finally completed all the knitted hats for the winners of my New Years Eve Blogaversary Give-Away.

 

I appreciate everyone’s patience and I hope these soft, colorful hats keep their new owner’s heads warm and cozy and bring a smile, too. I like to call this design “Peacock Flock”.

One of the knitted hats is a surprise for someone who is super special and has touched a lot of folks in the blogging community in a very positive way. This terrific person deserves to have a warm cozy noggin, too. I call this design, “Stone Creek”

 

While my twinlings were at their guitar lessons, Jen and I walked down to the post office and got the packages sent off.

Afterwards we drove down the road and stopped off at one of our favorite burger joints for awesomely delicious green chile cheeseburgers, onion rings and fries. The Legendary Burger Boy Restaurant (click on that link for a terrific review of this restaurant, with photos of their delicious food, too!) is a local joint here in Cedar Crest, owned by a family who prides themselves on quality, freshness and a great connection to the community. Anybody who’s anybody in the East Mountains knows how terrific Burger Boy is, and many people drive from all over the state just to enjoy one of the best green chile cheese burgers in New Mexico.

(I don’t care how tasty Green Chile Bill’s burgers are. I don’t like the way he’s looking at my daughter!)

The restaurant is nestled right below the Sandia Mountains, and is tiny, with only 7 tables centered around a cozy pellet stove in the dining room, along with bar stool seating at the front. We were happily seated right beside the cozy little pellet stove today and enjoyed browsing through a newspaper someone had left behind, while we waited for our food to arrive.

We’ve only eaten our lunch here, but can’t wait for the opportunity to visit for breakfast. (check out that link above to see photos of their amazing pancakes and Paul Bunyan Breakfast. Mmmmm!)

Do you have a favorite restaurant where you like to visit as often as you can to get your “fix”? And what items do you usually choose off of the menu?

And The Winner Is…….

 

Today was so busy, I almost didn’t get around to drawing names for my "1,000 Posts and Over 4 Years Later" Give-a-Way.

There were exactly 50 names/entries.

And the names were placed into my cowgirl hat.

And then I decided to do something a little different……because I can.

You got a problem with that?

So I chose more than one winner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**The Grand Prize Winner will win the Winter Basket! Stuffed full of books, Bigelow and Tazo Teas, chocolate kisses, a candle, a metal ‘Story Pony’ bookmarker, ‘Eat, Sleep and Ride’ metal plaque, a fleece blanket and a warm, hand-knit ‘peacock’ colored hat.  

(Note: I forgot to tuck the fleece blanket in the photo and by the time I realized I’d forgotten, my fingers were numb from shooting in the snow with 7F degree temps and I had to go back inside and thaw out)  

**A Second Place Winner will win a very cute and special book by author Lisa Breeden Garcia titled "If a Dog Could Blog". I met Lisa in November while at The Weems Artfest in Albuquerque.

**A Third Place Winner will win a warm, hand-knit winter hat, made by me AND a $5.00 Starbucks Gift Card!

**A Fourth Place Winner will win a soft, hand-knit winter hat, made by me!

(Sure hope y’all like to wear knit hats. lol!)

**And finally…….A Fifth Place Winner will win another soft, hand-knit winter hat, made by me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, who are the winners?

The first name drawn, for the Fifth Place Prize is…….

Congratulations Dreaming!

The second name drawn, for the Fourth Place Prize is……

Congratulations Louise!

The third name drawn for the Third Place Prize is………

Congratulations Jocelyn!

The fourth name drawn for the Second Place Prize is……..

Congratulations Gail!

The fifth name drawn, for the final prize,

The Grand Prize Winner…….is……………………….

Congratulations Jeni!!!!!

Winners, please send your mailing addresses to my email address: Twinville2 at Yahoo Dot Com

  

1,000 Posts and Over 4 Years Later

 

Whooeeee! We had a heavy snow storm blow through here today. But it doesn’t look like we’ll have a White Christmas, because it’s just too warm. With temps in the upper 40’s (F), the snow melts as soon as it touches the ground. I went up to the barn this morning without having to wear a jacket.

Ok.

Grab some hot cocoa and a snack…..this is gonna be long.

~~~~~~~~

I almost let this “Blogiversary” slip by. I noticed today that I’ve posted 50 extra posts since I passed 1,000. I just don’t keep up with things like that, I guess. But just the fact that I’ve been blogging for over 4 years is pretty surprising to me.

I had a peek, about a week ago at the Visitor thingamabob on my side bar and was shocked to see that hundreds of thousands of people have stopped by to check out my blog over the past 4 years, too. Who knew I was that interesting? Not me. hah!

When I first began blogging, I must admit that I thought it was silly. Something teenagers did to keep up with their friends. Another task I didn’t need to add to my already long lists of things to do.

Then I realized it might be a good way to create a sort of scrapbook to chronicle the day-to-day goings-on of my family. Later on I decided it would be a convenient platform for me to keep a sort of diary of my life. Probably not the wisest idea. Call me naive. Oh well.

As time went on, though, I discovered photography and figured that my blog would be a great way for me to hone my photography skills, challenging myself while learning from others much more talented than myself. I’ve probably enjoyed that aspect of blogging most of all.

When I first began blogging, I never even received one comment for about the first year, and surprisingly it never bothered me at all. I was never popular in school and only had a couple close friends, so being in the limelight was not something I wanted. Same thing with blogging. But then I started getting comments from strangers. This was very weird for me, especially when the comments seemed so personal and even intimate……the kind of comments that only very close friends share with one another. I don’t think I’ve truly ever felt comfortable over these past 4 years with that aspect of blogging. It seems so much like high school with all the cliques and popularity contests that go on within.

This part is a little painful for me to write, because it’s embarrassing and uncomfortable, but I’m going to do it anyway, because in the long run it will be cathartic for me to get it off my chest.

When I was a child in the 60’s and 70’s, I was one of those Ritalin kids, who was fed daily doses to keep us quiet, calm and well behaved. It worked in theory, but the problems and issues were truly never solved or understood. After all these years and especially after having my daughter, who has Aspergers Syndrome, I’ve come to realize that she and I are much alike. The biggest issue we both struggle with is being unable to truly fit in and understand the “normal” behavior of other people, especially mannerisms and quick wit. As I’ve gotten older (and my daughter, too), I’ve learned how to manage my way as best I can through the chaotic jumble of human behavior, confusing personalities and emotions. But I have always felt like someone standing on the outside, looking in.

Computers have even complicated things, because the lack of facial features and voice inflections are thrown into the mix. And typed words can mean anything, and are even more perplexing, especially when trying to decipher and read between the lines, which I’ve learned is impossible for me not to do. I’m a very straight-forward person. What I say is what I mean, and I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. I would never make a good Poker player and I’m not very good at Chess either (ask my sons. hah!) So, I tend to expect the same of other people.

What does this all have to do with blogging?

Well somehow in these past 4 years of blogging, I’ve allowed the desperate desire to fit in, cloud my better judgment. I’ve allowed my walls of protection to come down in pursuit of potential long distant, virtual friendships. I’ve actually met a few bloggers in real life, which led to new friendships in a few instances and disappointment in another. I’ve since learned that some people are not always who they portray on their blog. And some people are actually more wonderful than how they portray themselves on their blog.

Blogging can be a very confusing virtual world, indeed.

 

One day, Blogger came up with a “Followers List” and I found it was exciting to see who might sign up to “follow” me and befriend me and my blog. At one time I had over 200 Followers. Looking back now, I realize how weird that “Follower List”  is and how silly it was for me to be excited about that tallying list at all. Last Spring I removed the Follower List from my side-bar and over the past 6 months I’ve been weeding out all Followers who had never left a comment on my blog or any Follower that I had never visited their blog. I went from over 200 Followers down to just 54.

Then I decided to remove myself as a Follower from any blog that I didn’t visit anymore or leave comments on. I used to just add myself to anyone’s blog as their follower, on a whim, like jumping onto a train with all the other passengers. If they liked horses…..follower. If they had goats or llamas…..follower. If they visited my blog…..follower.

I started off Following over 97 blogs, but after weeding through them all, I am now down to 34 blogs. These are my favorite blogs, the bloggers I have been visiting and reading along with their lives for at least a year or more…….many for almost as long as I’ve been blogging, in fact. These are also the bloggers that have always been there for me with kind, understanding, non-judgmental and encouraging words and many times with some laughter thrown in, too. I will always be grateful to those of you who lifted me up when I’ve been down.

And then last year I realized I was blogging to entertain my ‘readers’ and ‘followers’, just to get them to visit me, and leave comments. My blog readership went way up and I had lots of “followers”, too. But it felt somehow….shallow. I was getting quantity over quality. I don’t want to be another Pioneer Woman, nor will I pretend to be. She’s got that niche well covered.

And anyway, that’s not at all why I began blogging in this virtual world.

So as 2010 comes to a close, I am questioning if I will be continuing this blogging journey into the new year. 

But I digress.

To help me celebrate this virtual milestone of 1,000 posts in 4 years I would like to host a special give away to all of my loyal readers and long term blogging friends.

If you are in this list below, feel free to leave me a comment answering one question.

FernValley, Nuzzling Muzzles, Sydney Bitless, Jane Augenstein, Gail, Clairz, Ed, Colleen, DesertHen (I’ve not been able to visit you ‘cause Internet Explorer keeps blocking me from opening your website), Stacey, Dan and Betty, Renee, Reddunappy, StefRobrts, Jeni, Crystal, Striving for Savvy (I always enjoy your comments, but I wish I could visit you, but your profile is unavailable), Flartus, Dom, The Wades, DiBear, Kate, Rising Rainbow, Desert Rose, Rebecca, lisa, small farm girl, horse mom, Horses are our Lives, Joanna, cheryl ann, Vaquero Girl, Leah Fry, AareneX, Jocelyn, AK Pony Girl, Chloe, Louise, Paint Girl, Pony Girl, Mikey, Baby Goose, Sandy~~~, Jennifer Mac., Oregon Equestrian, Merri, Maery Rose, Paint Crazy, CTG Ponies, Kelly’s Adventures, Dunappy, Sandy, Grey Horse Matters, Ishtar, Lytha, Andrea-Mustang Saga (I always enjoy your comments, but I wish I could visit you, but your profile is unavailable), Oz Girl, KD, Masked Man, Redneck Geologist, Lulo Designs, Deb, Debi, Now That’s a Trot, Judy, Cotton Lady, Sally, Far Side of Fifty, Mrs.Cravitz, Melanie, Breathe, Fantastyk Voyager, CDNCowgirl, Tammy, Dreaming.

(I hope I didn’t forget anyone. I went by my Top Commentator’s list and my private blog with links to all of my favorite blogs)

So here is the question:

What is one simple pleasure that you enjoy, that brings you more joy and peace than anything else?

~~~~~~~~~~~

And what do you win?

A Wintertime package filled with everything to help you relax, get cozy, make you smile, and keep warm. (Photos forthcoming)

*Box of Bigelow Gingersnap tea

*Bigelow Cinnamon Tea Bags

*Tazo Tea Bags

*Chocolate Kisses

*Apple Spice Candle

*Soft Fleece Blanket

*Warm Knitted hat, hand-made by me

*Metal Cowgirl Plaque “Eat, Sleep, Ride”

*Five Great Books

*Metal ‘Story Pony’ Bookmarker

~~~~~~~

List of the books:

The Wilder Sisters by Jo-Ann Mapson, Build Complete Confidence with Horses by Kelly Marks, Horse Show Mom’s Survival Guide by Susan Daniels, One Good Horse by Tom Groneberg, Beautiful Jim Key by Mim Eichler Rivas.

~~~~~~~

This Give Away ends New Years Eve at midnight. I will choose a winner on New Years Day.

Until then…….

Happy Holidays to all and a Happy New Year, too.

(All photos SOOC with slight contrast adjustments and addition of watermark. All photography taken with my little Canon PowerShot SX110 IS)

  

And the Third Place Winner is.....

As you can see, I have had such a fun experience asking my chickens to choose the winners of my 2 Year Blogiversary Contest. So far, First Place Winner is Saddle Mountain Rider, Second Place Winner is Pamela, and finally the Third Place Winner is.........

Congratulations to the winners and to everyone who joined in to participate and help me celebrate 2 years of blogging and over 350 posts. Whoohoo!

Winners: Please contact me, by leaving me a comment(I will not post it) and let me know your snail mail address so I can get your prize out to you. :)

And Second Place Winner is....

You really didn't think I'd be able to stop at just one winner, did you?

The chickens and I were having way too much fun, so we decided to have second and third place winners, too! Whohooo!

But I must borrow the sweet words that dear Vonda(Egghead) left for me, because I'm the real winner here, for having discovered YOUR wonderful blogs, and in the process, getting to know many of you so much better. Thank you!

And here we go! Winner Number Two!

Contest Winner....BAWK!

For those of you waiting to discover the winner of Laughing Orca Ranch's 2 Year Blogiversary Contest we finally have the results. Jenna and I decided we'd do the drawing of the name just a little bit differently. So without further ado, watch the video to find out who the winner is!

2 Year Blog Anniversary!

Whooohoo! Today is the 2 year Anniversary of Laughing Orca Ranch Blog!!!

In the past two years I have written 351 blog posts and uploaded so many photos that I had to pay for additional photo storage.
I love this picture and how the double rainbows look like they are shooting straight up from our barn.So, in honor of this special accomplishment I am hosting a little contest and I hope my blog readers will participate to help me celebrate.
There will be 5 questions to answer with one bonus question. For anyone who has been reading my blog for a while, the questions will be easey peasey to figure out.

The contest will end Sunday evening at 10pm Mountain Time. If there is more than one person with all the correct answers, I will gather up the winners names and write them on pieces of paper to place in a bowl, and then ask my 5 yr old daughter to choose the final winner.

And yes! There will be a prize! It won't be something amazing, like a $100 Amazon gift card, but it will be something that some lucky person will receive from New Mexico into their own mailbox. And isn't it always great to receive something fun, that isn't a bill or a summons to serve jury duty?

So come help me celebrate my 2 year Laughing Orca Ranch Blog Anniversary!!Questions:

1.What are the names of both of my llamas?

2)What kind of goat is Latte?

3)What 2 breeds of sheep do I have?

4)Who is our Sid Vicious?

5)What is my horse's full registered APHA name?
And the Bonus Question:

6)How did Laughing Orca Ranch get it's name?
(hint: go back to the beginning)


Good luck!
And thanks to all of you who read my blog!

Update: If you don't see your post, don't worry. I'm purposely not approving the posts with answers from the contest, until it's over. I know the answers are easey peasey, but this will give everyone a fair chance to do their own research. Thanks again for all the 'entries' so far! :-)


~Sunday Night Update: Contest is Over!
All entries/comments have been published!
The winner will be announced on Monday!!
Thank you to all of you who participated.
You make publishing my blog so much fun.
Thanks for reading :)