Friday, August 17, 2012

We've had joy, we've had fun, we've had seasons in the sun...

And the summer sun remains.  It has been a good week now with extreme heat in the Willamette Valley.  Normally our temps are in the 80's, but we've been under a heat advisory with temps soaring into the low 100's.  Thankfully, the humidity remains fairly low.  The summer wheat field has been thrashed and is awaiting the baler to be made into wheat straw.  A beautiful sunrise shown below,  before the oppressive heat commands our full attention.  We've been watering down the yard, trees, flowers and garden morning and evening trying to keep everything from burning up.  Our pasture grass is long gone.  We've been feeding hay continuously, and never got a break this year.  We put out the mister in the early afternoons for the horses to visit if they choose, and we leave the hoses on a continual drip in both water troughs so the drinking water stays as cool and fresh as possible.  The horses have the apple trees or the outside barn and lean-to for a shady respite from the heat.  The flies seem to be unusually pesky this year despite using fly predators monthly, fly masks daily and fly spray.  But, we're getting through it, and this weekend is supposed to be cooler with predicted temps in the mid to upper 80's.  That will be nice.  We've borrowed my nephew's canoe and plan on heading to a lake and doing a little rowing, exploring and swimming.  I'll pack a picnic lunch, my trusty camera and we'll see what we can see.  Sounds wonderful to me after being stuck in this clinic all bloody week...at least I've had air conditioning here.  :)


A peek through the deck wall...

 An early morning hot air balloon just across the wheat field, across the creek and across the neighboring field.  Not bad for my little pocket camera...zoom, zoom, zoom!!

 And this is what we saw when looking straight up while giving the horses their breakfast.  Wish I would have had my camera the day that Eagle spotted his first hot air balloon over his morning breakfast.  :)  He sure can run fast when he needs to...

 A quick and tasty supper from last night.  Grilled chicken breast with garden fresh grape tomatoes, cilantro, onion and sour cream on white corn tortillas.  Yum!!

 I had to practically drag Annie into the pool for a little bath, but afterwards she got back in herself and just stood there.  Guess the bath wasn't so bad after all, huh?

 Ruby is much easier to bathe in general than Annie.  She just stands quietly until you're finished...such good girls!!  They felt much, much better afterwards.


 This ought to make you smile...Ruby LOVES the high-powered sprinklers at the park!!!  Such fun.

 And, if I didn't have to head back to the clinic after our park visit, I'd have been playing in that sprinkler right along with her!  She was cool and comfortable, while Annie and I just watched her in the sweltering sun.



Life is short.  Live large!!!  I do believe that's Ruby's motto.  I sure do love this little dog.


Heading home for the weekend.  I am so ready.  Hoping today is the last of our heat wave and looking forward to a little R&R.  We're going out for dinner tonight, just me and my hubby.  A little picnic and canoeing with my husband tomorrow.  Trailering Ladde over to the farrier's on Sunday morning for his shoeing re-fit and maybe a visit to my favorite roadside fruit stand on the way home.  That's about as much as I have planned, and it's sounding pretty good to me right about now.

If it does cool down some, I hope to find some time to work Eagle and Ladde as well.  With the hot evenings this past week, I haven't done much other than what was necessary to ensure their comfort.  Whatever...we'll see.

Blessings everyone!!


7 comments:

Oak Creek Ranch said...

The rose you asked about is a David Austin "Heritage." Your dinner looks yummy. We had some storm clouds, and thunder, but so far no rain. Labs sure love the water, don't they? kersey spends the whole summer wet and she's the most comfortable of all of us.

Paint Girl said...

The pups look like they are quite enjoying themselves!! But in that kind of heat they need sprinklers and pools!! We've got our "puppy pool" set up too, even though only one of our dogs actually gets in it!!
We hit the mid 90's today, which never happens. Oh goodness. HOT. I can't even breathe when I go outside!

Sherry Sikstrom said...

Ruby and Winston would hit it off big time! and I want to come for supper ,that looks yummy

Lea and her Mustangs said...

Yes, Iwill come to supper. Nothing I c ouln't make. Now I am inspsired. It is still 97 at our house. Makes we want to melt. We have sprinklers going in the pastures and the horses stand in them. Keeps the grass green too. I got everything laid out except the meat of course what I am going to make for 4 meals on our pack trip. I need to get them made and then frozen and sealed. We will have steak one night, have to think what to have with it, meatloaf, spagetti and Bob is making something in a dutch oven. Need the rest of the meals though. Brain catch up please. Have never gone like this before. I am riding Sage so this could be interesting. I have not been able toride her with this heat. I am not an early riser and that is whenit is cool enough. I have a lesson on Tuesday and it is supposed to be cooler. Hope your weekend was wonderful and your week is too. Blessings.

Lori Skoog said...

I see what you mean about Ladde and Abbe being similar. Love the photos and could go for that dinner.

Grey Horse Matters said...

It's so hard to feel like doing anything with such high temps. We had that through July and some of August. Looks like Ruby knows how to keep cool while enjoying herself.

We used to have the horses across from a country airport and the first time they saw those hot air balloons I thought some were going to pee their pants. I was so glad I wasn't riding at the time. They did this every Sunday morning too. The horses eventually got used to it.

Maery Rose said...

Thanks for the reminder! I need to bathe my dogs before I put away their kiddie pool. I've never been able to spray Latte with water but I'm thinking pouring with a cup will work. Really enjoyed your photos!