Wednesday, May 13, 2009

A Day in the Life...of me!!

Well now, how's that for a catchy title?? Hellooooo!!! Anybody out there!? Yeah, I know...not terribly exciting, but that's okay with me. I'm just ducky with it!! Am I ever!!


So, our lovely springtime weather is playing foul tricks on us, yet again. Have you ever wondered just exactly why it's so very, very green in Oregon? No? Well...it could be because it rains all the bleep bleep time!!! Sorry. But, enough already. I'm so ready for warm, sunny, dry days that I could just ...spit or something!! I know, I know if we don't get the rain now, then it will get all dry and brown in the summer - and this country will just burn up!! I've heard that particular one all my life. Seriously. I've never seen this part of the country burn up yet. Okay, enough about the weather except to say that our weather has taken a slight detour, shall we say southward - no, that's not working, let's just say it's dipped - yes, that'll do it, it's dipped to a lower range on the old thermometer and the liquid sunshine is aplenty. I know that I'll be lighting a fire in ye old wood stove again tonight. *sheesh* Things could always be worse. Yes indeedy they could. So I shall stop my complaining and just be thankful that I don't have to water the outside plants or the lawn. Nope - not tonight. The silver lining again.

This week at the clinic, except for today has been quite busy. Business has definitely picked up lately, and that's a good thing. I've also contacted my neighbor with the tractor and he's hopefully coming this weekend to do the tillwork in the outside riding area. I don't call it an arena because that's not exactly what it is. It's really a corral. My hubby and I built it shortly after we moved to our house about 14 years ago. At the time, I got a really good deal on the lumber because it was...shall we say, aged. Yes, somewhat aged. But, despite that the corral has held up over the years and we've seen many a good ride there. But, she's looking a little tired these days. Many of the boards are so rotten, they are slowly disentegrating around the nails that hold them in place. The horses don't know that though. Let's just keep that our little secret shall we?? It is what it is. And it's what we've got. And frankly, I love the way it looks - all westerney and worn, very cowboyish...quite fashionable actually. Why, for all I know we're the envy of all our friends and neighbors. How's that for a little suggestive thinking? See how I survive in this world? I'm really quite impressionable. Kidding!! I'm a rock!!


So far this spring, the weather has been somewhat less accomodating for such projects like, gardening. But that hasn't stopped me from thinking about it, or making my mental plans and such. Just last weekend, my hubby built a very lovely raised growing bed for me. It's about 20 ft in length and 3-1/2 feet wide. It's going to become my berry patch. I love berries!! My thoughts are to have a row of cane berries in the back. These will include boysenberries and marionberries. Along the front side will be a row of strawberries. And somewhere, maybe equally spaced in front of the strawberries will be the bush variety red raspberries. I haven't got that perfectly defined yet. We'll have to see how it all pans out. But the box itself looks great, and we've sprayed the grass growing inside and will line the bottom with newspapers and weed prevention fabric. Then we will bring in load after load of our beautifully composted horse manure and sawdust that's been aging to perfection for the last several years. It really is beautiful stuff!! The horses should be proud!!


In another smaller raised bed will be my precious tomato plants. I've decided to forego the large and timeconsuming vegetable garden that I've planted in years past and concentrate on just a few of our most favorite summertime pleasures. That will leave more time for enjoying our summer and less time (hopefully) spent weeding and watering. Anyway, that's the plan for now. We'll see how things end up.

Here's a picture of my lovely sister. We all gathered at her house weekend before last for a celebration of my sis and her hubby's 47th wedding anniversary. They had been gone for the last couple of months down in sunny Arizona enjoying their retirement.
See the lovely color of her skin? That's what happens when the sun comes out and stays for more than a day at a time. Sorry, I digress...again.


And below is my favorite poochie...Annie. Always happy and lively no matter what.


Whoever said that, " it's a dog's life", definitely did not mean that in a derrogatory manner. I'm pretty sure...
If so, the guy was nuts.


14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah, spring - with its ups and downs! Love your picture of the grazing horse - there's someone who loves spring - which means grass!

Grey Horse Matters said...

I hope it stops raining sooner than later and the sun starts shining. It's so depressing to deal with that kind of weather day after day.

Pony Girl said...

All that great description of the western weathered arena...now I want to see it! :)
I love the lilacs, one of the teachers at school had some in her class today, and she said she is going to bring me some tomorrow! I'm so excited.
Sounds like you have some good projects going....oh, I wore a skirt today and around 2 it got cold and started raining...thought it was going to snow! ;) That is why I haven't quite gotten out the spring clothes yet, LOL!

Jessica said...

I'm definitely feeling your pain up here in WA with this cold/rainy front! The plus is that everything is VERY lush and that the grass seed I just planted is getting watered in. But I'm READY for some real sun! Sounds like you are going to have a great garden! I love boysenberry syrup, but have never had the real thing...where do you get those plants?

Sherry Sikstrom said...

Just keep signing you little sunshine song ,my friend ,it will work , we wound up back to SNOW for a time yuesterday ( gone by supper but really !)The warm sun will come !

Tracey said...

Hi :)
Thanks so much for visiting my blog..It's so nice to meet you!!
Isn't Carolynn wonderful and such a talented writer? I have met so many wonderful people here in Blog world.
I have enjoyed my visit here...I love the kittens, Annie (I have a yellow lab too), the horses, and your little corner of the world :)
I'll be back soon.......
Tracey
PS LOVE the music too!

Carolynn Anctil said...

I'm envious of your lilac bush. Definitely in my top 5 favourite flowers. It sounds like you have a busy spring planned with all the planting, etc.

I'm tired of all the rain we've been getting too. It was so cold & wet today it felt like winter weather. I maintain that we Vancouverites have very short memories. Just give us one day of sunshine every now and then and we're good to go for another week or so.

Annie is a sweetheart.

Paint Girl said...

I hear you on the weather! Nothing but cold and rain, where is the sun? I am suddenly starting to wonder if it will ever make an appearance this year!
Your Lilac is beautiful! Something I don't have yet, but need to get!
Hoping for the sun to make that visit to us soon!

Leah Fry said...

I'm grateful for every drop of rain. I will end the sentence there because someone once told me that if you say 'but', everything before that wasn't true. I will say that even if we get no more rain, it will be well into next week before Heather's arena dries out enough to ride. Gosh, it's been ages.

Did you see the pic of Heather's fewspot stallion I posted?

Maria said...

love the title & I'm actually quite jealous of all the photo's of that green green grass :). We're on sand & get moderate rain to boot, we worship every little blade and nuture and protect it like it was the last blade on earth, which we feel like it is at times. Our whole horse neighborhood is so funny with our constant conversations about grass & rubbernecking to see who's is growing better :). I'll split the difference with you & send some sunshine for some rain.(not complaining because we have had some nice spring showers thus far this year & things are looking better than the last two years did)
BTW, your sister is beautiful

Kathleen Coy said...

That's a lot of rain, it would get tiring. We've had a lot this week but it's sunny today. I'll try to send some over to you. And congrats to your sister, 47 years, wow! :-)

Anonymous said...

a day in your life is awesome.. your sister and flowers are gorgeous

checking inn from "showtime"... we did a show this weekend which i think did more for team gazi bonding and partnering than an endurance ride at this point

tho we're endurance ride bound in helena in august.. hooraa .. hit the trails

blessings
gp

Gail said...

Beautiful flowers, sister and horse. Are your lilacs blooming?
We have had our share of rain too.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

We could some of your rain here, that's for sure. It's only sprinkled twice in 6 months!
Dry and dusty and temps into the 80's durig the day. But we've got those gorgeous blue skies that make me smile. I think I'd get too depressed if it rained too much...a little rain is nice, though.
I love the way the rain cools things off and makes everything smell fresh. And wet juniper trees is one of my favorite scents. aaahh.

I've seen pics of your corral and it is very cool. If you decide you don't ever want just send it out here. It will fit right into our western look. hehe!

Annie always looks like she's smiling. I'm sure she makes you smile, too. :)

~Lisa