Just a day in paradise

There is just something about fall that is so invigorating!  The spectacular sunshine, the crisp mornings that beg for a jacket and shoes, real shoes with no toes exposed, that gives a body renewed energy.  And somehow encourages a mind to come up with all sorts of projects and ideas for doing stuff.  Anything outdoors anyway.  Well, I take that back.  Even cooking holds more appeal this time of year.  I'm not alone when I say my appetite has increased, so has the horses.  You'd think we were having to fatten ourselves up for winter or something...is that possible?  Because I sure feel like that's what we've been trying to do recently.  And only speaking for myself, that's not what needs to happen!

So this picture down here?  It has nothing to do with fall, looks more like late summer to me, with the sun-ripened wheat and wild flowers, but I just love it.  I know nothing about art.  What I do know, is what I like.  When I gaze upon a portrait or a painting, that piece has to give me pleasure.  I like to be whisked away in imagination, sort of like being transported to that very place, feeling what it would be like.  This painting does that for me.  I've forgotten the artist's name, so can't give credit.  Suffice it to say that I am not the painter, and I would definitely enjoy this piece in my home.  I think it's beautiful...a simpler time and place.




And these guys down here?  They definitely give me pleasure and I really like having them around.  I took these pictures the other morning before heading off to work.  All the horses are really starting to fuzz up.  I'm hoping for a colder, less wet winter than the last one.  If I could, that's what I'd order.

Kadie and Harley

See that bush on the left?  It's a wild rose and has briers and thorns that will rip you up.  However, even so, Ladde especially enjoys (carefully) eating those bright, orange rose hips that cover the bush this time of year.  They give him rosey breath!  I've heard that some people drink rose hip tea, and it's supposed to be full of vitamin C...maybe they're tasty and good for him.

Missy and Eagle

See how nothing is growing in our pasture?  Dry and grazed right down to the nubs.  We're getting dew in the mornings now, and before long the seasonal rains will return, and our pastures will green up very quickly and start growing again.  Let's just hope we don't get too much of a good thing.  See Ladde in the background?  Other than being quite fuzzy compared to the others, he's looking really good.  We've managed to keep his weight down and I'm so thankful how well his hooves look and his overall soundness is almost better than we could have hoped for.  It's been just about a year since the onset of his laminitis and those terrifying events associated with his Cushings disease, seizures, abscesses and all that pain, all those soakings, poulticing, packing and bandaging...prayers and hard work for his recovery.  We are so grateful and so relieved, and also hopeful we can continue to maintain his health for a good, long time to come.  We kinda like the big guy!

Eags, Ladde and Shad

My morning view from the car.  We're just starting to see fall color, and the falling of leaves from some of the trees.  If the rains hold off, we'll soon experience an explosion of color and that's my most favorite time to be outside, ride horses, go hiking, take pictures, have camp fires!  We're hoping to use the last of my vacation time the second week of October.  One last horse camping outing.  I can't wait!  We're heading to central Oregon and the nights are already dipping into the lower 30's and that's cold!  Freezing in fact...




I'm torn between taking Eagle and getting the chance at more experience with him on the trails, or taking Missy and just having fun.  *sigh*  Not that Eags isn't fun, but it would be less relaxing and carefree overall.  On one hand, it's a wonderful opportunity to ride my boy, rack up a few more sweaty saddle blankets, build memories and all that, but little Miss is just so easy to ride.  Other than moving out and me having to stop and wait for big ole Ladde to catch up occasionally, she just doesn't do anything wrong.  No butterflies, no worries, no stress...what's a gal to do?  My head tells me that to get there with my boy, we have to go through this.  But my other half tells me this could be my last chance in a good, long while to just get out there and ride.  Have fun!  What would you do?  Help !!




Either way, we're ready for one last adventure.  And we're soooo looking forward to it!  In other news, my hubby has been busy working on our patio project.  We need to pack the gravel, get a load of sand and spread that, then start laying the bricks.  Then we cover the bricks with some more sand, sweep into the spaces between and sprinkle this polymer stuff that helps hold everything in place.  Voila! Another project done.  Then, it's back to my squirreling list we go...

Stall bedding, firewood, pellet stove repairs, horse blanket cleaning, pantry stocking, freezer stocking...and before you know it, we'll be preparing for Christmas - oh my!!!

:)  I know.  Shut up!  Right ?