Horses – Page 2 – This Old House 2

Frosty Fields and That One Simple Word

For the past few mornings we’ve awoken to a coating of frost over the fields. After what was arguably the most humid, wet summer I can remember, the cool dry air feels rejuvenating.

The colors are a little muted this year – Sometimes we experience a blaze of glorious color, and some seasons, it’s just -meh. The summer weather determines what we’ll get. There have been a loss of many big old trees in our state this year also, so very sad to see them come down. We’ve lost a few here on the farm, and along the roads there are many dying, or that have already been cut down. It’s amazing and heart wrenching, the hole left in a landscape when a big old tree is removed. The reasons are several in these parts – severe storms in recent years, pests like the ash borer beetle and gypsy moth infestations. I’ve always looked upon trees as our friends, and truly they are in so many ways – how many uses do we find for them, besides their important ecological value. I see them as sentinels of the past, present, and future.

The ponies are growing their thick winter coats, the horses frisky from the chill in the air when turned out into the pastures each morning.

The chickens have slowed down their egg production, a natural process as the days grow shorter. I used to leave a heat lamp on in their coop at night for heat, which left them with light all through the night. I just don’t think that’s an awesome thing to do to them, so last year I discovered through another chicken keeping friend – the Cozy Coop heater – it works beautifully without disturbing their natural clock. Here they are enjoying oatmeal with raspberries (although blueberries are their favorite) which I give them occasionally on a really chilly morning. They love it and it helps them keep bodyweight on. You’d be surprised how skinny layer chickens are under all those feathers. They do not look like your Perdue oven stuffer roaster!

Eager to celebrate this favorite time of year, we’ve had our first fire in the fireplace and brought some fall decorations up from the cellar and in from the yard – I’ve cut some hydrangea and dried it – the fall hues are just a gorgeous dusty rose. The trick to drying hydrangea blooms that will last for a while is to cut them when dry – not in the morning covered with dew or after rainfall. Then, just prop them in a vase and don’t touch them. These will last for as long as we don’t disturb them too much.

The kids have carved pumpkins and roasted their seeds, and I’ve pulled out the fall recipes and found a few new ones. I always gravitate to the comfort food favorites, like homemade mac & cheese, beef stew, Turkey noodle vegetable soup with thick egg noodles, and the pies.. apple among my favorites. This is not good news for my chubby self, who has yet to lose that extra 25 lbs. UGH – the lack of willpower is something else entirely, I’m thoroughly disgusted with myself there. But – I’ll soldier on, hoping to find that magically combination of will power and exercise, which I already do regularly, that helps me shed the extra pounds.

ANYWAY…

Here’s a fun fall appetizer on a blog I recently discovered. I plan to make it this weekend for my daughter’s birthday dinner celebration … Link to the blog/recipe HERE.

Fall also means cozy clothes – and BOOTS! Which I love, but don’t always love ON me, because short people and boots don’t always look like they’re made for each other – just sayin. While I’m not a fashionista in any sense of the word, occasionally I find something that really excites me, like Freebird boots by Steven. Yep, they’re pricey, but they’re made really well and are comfortable.. so they’re an investment you’ll have for a lifetime if you take care of them. I just bought my first pair… the Stair Boot – and they are so comfortable and functional, with an edgy look.

I’m also coveting these… my wallet? Not so much. Maybe next year’s birthday 🙂

I hope you’re finding more kindnesses than adversity,

more genuinely good people than those with darker intent.

It’s out there – look for the good

and encourage it where you can.

In this time of political divisiveness I am reminded of

a very small word that if applied by all the powers that be,

and by each of us no matter what our myriad of differences,

would solve literally all our problems.

All of them.

Till soon, friends –

Fall Classic

That was the name of the horse show this past weekend…The Fall Classic.

Well.. on Thursday? It felt like anything but Fall. We were sweating like menopausal women in a steam room, all day, I kid you not. Of course, some of us WERE menopausal women, but even the kids were dripping. It was YUCK. BUT… my girl pulled up her big girl boots and chaps and hat and jacket and went out there and wowed us – even got a third place in several of her classes. Leah was a trooper, too – such a kind and good minded mare. Amen.

By Saturday, when the husband had to fill in for me because I was running an artisan market here in town with a fantastic co-manager, the temps had dropped enough that people were wearing light jackets…

We’re home for a week to catch up on work and house cleaning and laundry and bill paying and then we’re off to another show in Syracuse for five days. After that we’ll take a break and practice at home until next April. Amen again.

Meanwhile.. I’ve been harvesting the last of my little garden plots – the Zinnia seeds I was gifted by Hilary of Crazy as a Loom produced a stunning array of color, still going strong. The artichokes that we left on the vine have blossomed – have you ever seen artichokes bloom? WOW! They’d be a great accent in borders! My purple pepper experiment was a good one – the sweet peppers are gentle on the digestive tract and so pretty – ending up in a variety of colors. I’ll grow them again next year, I loved adding them to the fry pan, sauteeing with onions, eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes and sweet italian sausage. Alittle S & P, oregano, butter in the bottom of the pan – delish!

After a few fall-like days, the humidity has returned, most likely due to the storms out in the Atlantic. Wishing all in the storm’s path safety and no damage to properties, hoping it is not as bad as they have predicted. Our storm surges down at the cottage have been big already, and it’s not even hitting us directly. We’ve pulled in the kayaks and seat cushions and umbrellas and closed all windows. This picture was taken yesterday after a rain shower – Stella (our cottage) is just under the rainbow’s end on the left, tucked in the trees. Notice Filbert the flamingo, now a little droopy – still out there to weather the .. weather.

I’m admiring the tenacity of this lone sunflower too. The pot sits beside the gate to the horse barn, and this one flower decided to stretch for the sun as tall as it could muster, as the pot is mostly in the shade.

As I published this, the skies opened up and it’s pouring,

with lightening and thunder added for excitement.

Sometimes I love a rainy day…

sometimes, like when I left the horses out in the fields,

not so much.

Out I go…

Till soon, friends –

Thank you for stopping by….

Let’s go Horse Show! ..and other stuff…

Our new girl, Leah, was apparently foot sore due to a decision her previous owner made. She was letting her go barefoot behind to see if her feet would hold up. We wondered why she only had front shoes, but figured if she was used to it, so be it. Well, she wasn’t. The great news is.. the farrier thought this was the case and without further expensive diagnostics we solved the problem with a set of hind shoes to match her fronts. She’s sound again and as of Wednesday we’re off to our first horse show with Miss Leah and K.

The humidity is back – Seriously, enough already! We woke up this morning to windows wet on the outside, barely see-through-able… I am so thankful for air conditioning and I’m praying we have decent weather for the show. The heavy artilliary the horses and riders have to wear can be brutal in that kind of heat. I spent this morning helping K condition her show tack and polish the silver on it… on our steamy back porch. Bleh.

We discovered K’s chaps are a little too snug, and it’s true they’re supposed to be snug but not breathtaking, if ya know what I mean. Those suckers aren’t cheap, I sure was hoping we could get away with the old trusty pair, especially after splurging on that ultra bling jacket. … but it wasn’t looking hopeful. Until I discovered… CHAP EXTENDERS are a thing! Look them up! Ordered and on their way. Too bad they don’t make jeans extenders. Someone out there should invent them, they’ll make their fortune. I could use a pair myself, I’d help the cause.

Did you watch John McCain’s services? The eulogies by his daughter Meghan (powerful), Kissinger (now that was an interesting choice, but sound words for a divided nation), Bush ( best speech he has ever given, really) and Obama ( always a poignant speaker, maybe a little petty at a certain point, but powerful message as well) had me in tears. As my mother said… This is what we can be, let’s hope it lasts past Senator McCain’s burial.

I was curious as to what the Twitterer in Chief might be doing while everyone else was at the services. It had to be hard on him, not to be included. So I glanced at his twitter feed, since that’s where he goes when he’s most frustrated.. and sure enough – he was spewing tweet after tweet after tweet, couldn’t help himself, I’m sure. Such a little, little man.

The America of John McCain is generous and welcoming and bold. She’s resourceful, confident, secure. She meets her responsibilities. She speaks quietly because she’s strong. America does not boast because she has no need to.

🇺🇸The America of John McCain has no need to be made great again because America was always great.”

🇺🇸

– Meghan McCain

I hope you’ve had an enjoyable Labor Day Weekend,

and all is well in your corner of the world.

Wish K and Miss Leah Good Luck!

Till soon, friends…

Friendly Firepits

I was going to write about The Orange Scream today, not because I think anyone out there needs one more opinion piece on the subject or that I’ll turn anyone’s thinking around should your opinion differ from mine… but because personally I find writing therapeutic. Let me just say this, cause I gotta be me – DJT is mentally ill, I’m convinced of it. There is no defense for this brand of leadership that encourages violence and the divide of our citizens, using false narratives time and time again. By ignoring what is right before our eyes, we are selling our souls for monetary gain, trashing the planet and our humanity along the way, awful thing. I’m sad for all of us.

On to the friendly firepits. ….

We’re in the middle of yet another heat and humidity wave here in Connecticut. I’ve got fans on the horses, a fan on the chickens and bunny too. I get the barn chores done early before the sun reaches out over the barnyard and the dogs are outdoors only for bathroom breaks.

We’ve been visiting the cottage as work and weather permits… The fire burning below was the evening before the humidity returned. What a gorgeous night it was.

There is a tradition on Island called Friendly Firepits – Once a year on a specific day, fire pits around the community are lit and the host of each firepit serves refreshments. All members of the community are encouraged to join any or all of the firepit gatherings and enjoy conversation and snacks/beverages with the hosts. I think we need Friendly Firepits installed all around the nation, don’t you?

This is Stella’s friendly Firepit. The Pink Flamingo float in the distance lives on…. we learned his name is “Filbert”.

The scow below is a neighbors – and I learned it’s story when I posted this pic on our community page. This beautiful old blue boat is used to ferry people back and forth to a bigger boat now, and was the very first boat of it’s now 60- something owner back when he was a young lad summering here on the island. The “boy” and boat have been together for a very long time.

Meanwhile… we’ve got a horse show coming up… or not. Miss Leah currently has a small abscess in a hind hoof wall. Such is the unpredictabity of horse show life. Depending on how fast it blows out and heals, we’ll either have a show next weekend.. or not. Either is OK by me – a healthy rider and horse is my first concern.

Speaking of that rider – her show jacket has been taken in where needed, she’s ready to rock’n’roll. How’s that for bling??..

Two friends introduced me to some fun apps recently – flightaware24.com – a flight tracker that also tells you where the plane currently flying over your house is headed – and yeah, we don’t really need to know that, but still, it’s kinda cool.

The other is skyview… point your cell phone up to the stars, and it tells you what you’re looking at and gives you some descriptive information, even maps out the constellations for you. So much fun. That bright red star I had been looking at out over the fields is actually Mars! That bright but much smaller white “star” out in the big distance is Saturn!

That’s all for now – thank you for stopping by

this little “friendly firepit”.

Vitamin Sea

We’ve heard sad news about a neighbor down at the shore. This was the man who rented his cottage to my mom for a few weeks each year until we acquired Stella by the Sea. Cancer is a cruel disease, and in this case even a doctor can’t cure himself if the damned thing decides it’s not letting go. Residents of the island have been known to say the waters and the quiet, simple island life are the reason we’ll all live long. The Dr. proves us wrong, as he is as fully emersed in the salt of the place and loves it as much as anyone can. I am so sad for his family, his young grandchildren, his wife and sons. Just a few weeks ago I was chilling in the now deceased float (unknowningly with 2,000 barnacles and crabs attached just inches below me) and he and family passed by in their little boat – waving, smiles.. sea spray, sun, salt and happiness. That was the picture I saw, I wish I could tie it to an anchor and buoy so it would hold fast and steady and stay.

Stella remains a respite for us all – we come and go as time and weather and schedules allow.

That’s mom out there! – Having been raised during summer months at a tiny cottage just like Stella on the shores of Staten Island many moon ago, she’s known the healing powers of salt water too. Now that the railing is in and the steps painted that lovely blue hue (boat bottom paint)… entry into the water to swim and kayak is much safer for all of us and she’s joined us in the pursuit of refreshment from the sea.

One of my favorite weeds grows along our sea wall.

Queen Anne’s Lace.

Meanwhile.. up at the show barn… K and Leah continue to bond…

What a sweet mare, we are blessed. Their first show in just a few weeks..

😬

Saw this recipe shared by Hilary of Crazy as a Loom..

made it.. LOVED it.

Right now native corn and zucchini are abundant..

This is an awesome meal all by itself, or a perfect side.

Serious YUM.

Recipe here

I hope all is well in your world..

Till soon, friends…

Smiles, everyone… Smiles!

Miss Leah and K are getting to know each other, and it’s looking like a beautiful relationship is taking place…

Meanwhile.. down at the cottage… remember that float we just had to have? And then we popped before it even hit the water, but we patched it? Well it’s been sitting out in the cove for a good part of the summer – and just the other day I decided to take a peek underneath because someone happened to mention you oughta flip that thing over every ten days or you’ll get barnacles and those suckers can be sharp.

Well I heard what he said, but it kinda went in one ear and out the other because… LIFE… and all that. So the other day, I went out there, hauled it to the dock and flipped it, just to see what maintenance might need doing (scraping). To say that half the sea life that lives in the Atlantic was living under that raft, attached to it even!… is just slightly an exaggeration. It was SO FAR GONE, I kid you not, there was no scraping of those 2,000 barnacles gonna happen in this life time, so.. I slashed the thing, let the air out, and allowed the crab hanger-on-ers to scurry back into the water. Crabs! We had been sitting on CRABS! There had to be 2,000 of those too. I did not take a picture, but I shoulda.

So.. the slashed raft remnants are real heavy and sat there for a day or two while we went on to other stuff… and yesterday the Mr. and I decided to go sit down at the cottage for a few hours in the shade and enjoy the water view and breeze. Well, hell.. that breeze smelled like a dead whale carcas surely washed ashore just upwind of us. Only it wasn’t a dead whale.. it was the dead raft and all those barnacles that had now baked in the sun. Our poor neighbors! Who live there during summer and were very gracious… Smell? We didn’t smell anything…. (lie! but a kind one).

Back here on the farm, after a torrential rainstorm and returning humidity – I’m cleaning house, restocked the fridge and am now procrastinating with the catching up on editing for next month’s edition of our local publication (my day job) . I’m trying not to pay too much attention to the news, because holy wow, what a clusterf*ck no matter what you’re general opinion is on absolutely anything.

The Mr. and I are coming up on our 30 year anniversary in September. No one was ever kidding when they’ve said *How Time Flies*. For whatever the reason, mostly work related… my guy is always concerned with the weather, and in particular, rain fall. Every time it rains, he runs out to that cheap plastic rain gauge and comes back in excitedly announcing the inches fallen. “Two inches in the past two hours!”…. “just 1/2 inch today”. Or if I’m closer to the reading of the gauge… “What’s the rain gauge say??”….

Recently I was at a friend’s home and saw the most beautiful rain gauge in her garden. The perfect gift, I thought.. for the guy who has everything except a nice rain gauge, which he practically worships in all it’s cheap plastic expression. This.. is on the way… more fitting of the beloved position it holds in our garden, wouldn’t ya say? I’m not being paid to say it, but if you’d like the same one, it can be found in the Wind & Weather catalog.

Till soon, friends…

Welcome Leah!

So I’ve got some happy news to share – And I’ll take you back a little so you understand my surprise when hearing this good news myself.

Taking you way back – I’ve had a horse since I adopted one at the age of 19 (the horse was around 28-ish) . I had no business adopting a horse, as I was still going to college, didn’t have a pot to piss in other than the loving homes of family to live in – and should have been saving money instead of spending what little I made with part time jobs on an old horse. But wild horses couldn’t drag me away when the opportunity presented itself, and in fact that horse came to Connecticut with me as I began my new life here.

We’ve had a small horse farm ever since. Some horses we’ve brought home have come and gone on to another owner once their job with us was complete, some have stayed. Currently, Max and Opie and Coady and Lacey are living out their senior years here with us. Max was my daughter K’s show horse on the beginners level of the American Quarter Horse circuit until his colic surgery and retirement from the show pen at the age of 22. He had done his job well and we figured he deserved to retire in style after that surgery ordeal. When that happened, we pretty much decided we were done with showing. K is saving for her own home with her Mr. some day, and so she was contented to ride Max here on the farm and continue occasional lessons at the show barn she used to ride with.

I’ve never been big on showing – I’m more of the love ’em at home kinda girl. My daughter, however, LOVES to show. And she missed it. Her father, who bankrolls the whole endeavor, told her if she gave big Max to another person, he’d buy her a new show horse. Well, you know how we love our old boys – Max wasn’t going anywhere. So It’s been two years, she remained content in the care and keeping of her old boy, Max, and we assumed we were hanging up our show hats.

Recently, the husband and I were watching she and Max go round the ring, and I explained how proud I was of the rider she had become. Always kind, firm with cues, a gentle rider with a natural seat that I envy. Somehow in that moment of conversation, something clicked in M’s head, and he called our old trainer not long after, of which I was not aware.

I got a text a few weeks ago.

” W has a horse I want you to go look at. Don’t say anything to anyone, just go see what you think, and don’t tell K. “.

what?…….

So, a bit stunned, I went to the barn, where W and I briefly discussed our shock at the fact that M contacted her and told her to find K a safe, sound horse so she could get back in the show pen. We were all under the impression we were done with it. Afterwards he told me what spurred him on –

For those who haven’t been reading here long – my daughter was in a car accident at the age of 16.5 and after weeks of coma and years of recovery, she has lived (and thrived!) with a traumatic brain injury ever since. Horses were a big part of her recovery. So M said – “Our daughter has come a long way – she loves working with the horses, she’s dedicated, she spends the time and really cares, plus she’s become a good rider. I don’t want to hold her back from following her dream of showing in some of the bigger arenas”. I think I loved him up another notch just then.

So up at the show barn – W pointed to a stall where a very pretty dark bay mare stood blinking back at us. She was tacked up and ridden for me, and I could see she had the training, talent and the quiet/kind disposition we’d want if we were really getting back in to the show arena.

Then the big test. We told K the next day that W had a show horse that needed exercise until she was sold, and wondered if K would like to be the person to ride her while she was for sale. Heck yes, of course! We set up a time for K to ride the mare with W, and that first ride went really well. It was clear they were a great fit immediately, and so we broke the good news to her right there and then.

So, do you like her? You think you’ll enjoy riding her until a buyer comes along?

K: Are you kidding? I love her! She’s so well trained, and friendly too! So nice of W to let me ride her, this will be fun!

How MUCH do you love her, though?

K: What?…….

And then she knew…. Leah was hers.

Tears and smiles… and here we go again.

Welcome Leah! 💗

Soggy

Holy humidity, Batman! We’ve had a long stretch of rainy humid days but thankfully the sun will return shortly – The ground is soggy, the air feels like – well a friend described it best – a wet dirty sponge. I’ve got the fans on in the horse barn and the A/C on in the house. It’s too wet to trust the fan outside the chicken coop so they’ll have to make do with the puddles that have formed in their coop yard. We haven’t been down to the cottage because the weather is just too yucky. On occasion the sun peeps out and I take the dogs for a quick walk, only to witness the clouds fold right back in and another shower appears.

Our lone bunny, Cloud, she’s not the friendliest – her brother Harley liked people better, but he passed on last year. She lives next to the chickens and has her own yard to run around in, when it’s not storming out. I’ve explained to her multiple times that her life quality would improve if she would only learn to trust us, but she’ll have none of it. So, her hutch and yard are a no cuddle zone.

Some of the girls are molting and look like hell right now. I also discovered mites in their coop and had to treat the whole thing, and them, with diatomaceous earth and I bleached the coop throughly as well. DE is an all natural way to rid them of the mites that sometimes infest a coop, some people even eat it for digestive health. It appears to have worked on the mites, two weeks later we are mite free. I hope.

My giving tree – the ancient pear that stands in the mini’s paddock, has more fruit than ever this year. Considering the tree is half hollow and has lost major limbs in recent storms, that she still bears fruit is simply amazing. The mini’s love the fruit as it drops, some of which I have to scoop out each morning lest they get sugar overload from eating them all.

1,000’s, I’m telling ya.

On days like today, when the weather may call for thunder and lightning, I leave the horses in their paddocks where they have easy access to their stalls (and fans), shelter from any severe weather. They prefer to be out on pasture, but I don’t like to leave them out in the fields with potential lightning. So they are bored as they wander around the smaller paddocks and their stalls, picking at their hay, while the much greener grass is on the other side of the fence.

Opie peeking in the feed room, asking for a treat, please.

My daughter’s retired show horse, Max, likes his creature comforts. If the going gets too buggy or hot or soggy out in the fields, he much prefers the fans and soft shavings and hay offerings in his stall.

The dogs nap as the rain falls, asking to go out occasionally, and only when it’s not raining.

Dear old Ben isn’t fond of the rain or humidity either – He’s now on five heart pills – living on borrowed time, but he’s comfortable and with these pills he’s leading a decent life. So we’ll spoil him until his final day.

One good thing about all this rain is the lush gardens outside my doors…

I’ve made several batches of pesto from all the happy basil plants, my freezer is now stocked well into fall. (This picture taken a day before the rains came – what a difference)

The recipe and card I use was given to me at my wedding shower 30 years ago. I love that idea. Each guest to the shower brought a favorite recipe. I still have most of them!

There are several variations of pesto out there, but this one is my favorite. What’s missing on the card is 2 teaspoons of pine nuts, and 2 cloves of garlic. I make big batches and use lots of garlic.

Delish! Fresh from the garden – If you like pesto, give it a try –

A Sense of Place

According to wikipedia, that term has several meanings, a sense of place. I relate it to a feeling of belonging, of being comfortable, contented where you are. While I enjoyed my childhood neighborhood and Staten Island upbringing, I knew from a young age it was not where I was meant to settle. As soon as I was old enough, I hightailed it to where I wanted my roots to take hold… in a more rural setting. The rub in the want for “rural” is that I also couldn’t imagine being too far away from the water. I had family in Connecticut I could live with temporarily so I was very fortunate to land in a good mix of a country setting near shore life. 34 years later, I’m still here… just a half mile down the same road from where I came in for a landing all those years ago. I’ve had no regrets.

I loved reading your comments yesterday, learning a little about you and where you’re from, where you find your sense of place, and in a few cases, where you long to be. It’s clear in many of your answers, you have also found your sense of place, in some instances right where you’ve been all along. It’s a good feeling, a settled feeling, one that helps balance out all the other aspects of a life.

I also find my sense of place in the act of caring, always have. It started with my childhood pets, then an abandoned race horse I adopted and brought with me to CT… Every nickel I could rub together with another back then went to the care and comfort of my horse and gas in my car, let me tell ya. Wasn’t the most sensible thing to do but I managed alright regardless.

Shortly after, we started our family, my husband grew his business and we built a small horse farm – and I’ve been tending family and farm needs ever since, sprinkled with part time jobs and volunteer work, a short stint as an Artisan store owner, and 7 years as editor of our small local news source. I am forever grateful that I was able to raise my children as a stay at home mom. It occurs to me that I could have done more with myself by other people’s standards. I haven’t closed the door on that possibility yet – although being 3/4 deaf makes a few things much more difficult. But what I have been doing, what I do now… well, I feel at home, I feel I’m where I’m supposed to be, I feel productive – and that’s a gift, a real blessing I appreciate whole heartedly, will not allow myself to undervalue or overlook. I’m wishing you the same.

This morning I was reminded of all this as I worked my way through morning chores – Cloud, our rabbit who lives next to the Chickens got a freshly raked yard and was thrilled to be out in it after yesterday’s rain.

Old Max, Below – now 32 years old!… got a good shedding out, too.

Owned by a friend, he has been here with us for 7 years now.

He can no longer chew hay, his teeth ground down to almost nothing.

He gives it the old college try but it inevitably ends up

clumped around him, so we pump him up with three different grains and

grass out in the fields, which sustains the old boy pretty well.

The side porch that we all use most of the time to come and go from has an interesting new development. See the trellis with gate? It’s covered in New Dawn roses now, just a beautiful sight when it blooms. Robins are not the smartest of birds, I’ve concluded over the years. We often find Robin nests in less than desirable places, clearly they are confused by their Sense of place.. or lack thereof. A pair are currently building a nest right in the busy traffic lane here at This Old House.

They are undeterred by our comings and goings from the gate in the center of the trellis, inches from their nest. I’ll keep you posted on their.. tenacity? Stubbornness? Stupidity, but that’s such an unkind word.

Meanwhile, just a few feet from my desk out the window here on the front porch – the purple finch babies behind the lantern have hatched!

Speaking of birds and nests, the girlchild is coming home to our nest tonight

to have dinner with the ‘rents. I love when that happens.

I’ve got that Mountain Dew (Sprite) cake

on the counter just waiting, because Mama Bird I will always be.

Till soon, friends –

Thank you for stopping by 🙂

Here Comes the Sun

Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It’s all right

Star magnolia tree in our side yard,

a mother’s day gift from my daughter

a few years back 💗

We are rejoicing in the reappearance of the sun. Temps are still on the chilly side.. but we have green. We have warmth, we have that golden glow in the sky. Amen.

The chickens are sun and dust bathing again…

The horses grazing…

We have a little side deck off the kitchen sliders – the wood heats up when the sun is out and ooh, does it feel good to lay out there, back pressed to the wood, soaking up the rays – which we did quite a bit of yesterday, me and the dogs, and for ten mintues, even the husband.

The grass is greening up, the horses are shedding their winter coats and birds are nest building with some of that horse hair. Egg laying has commenced.

Purple finch eggs behind our porch lantern

The forsythia is just beginning to bloom, weeks late, ever so hesitantly – and daffodils that are not planted in the shade are blooming. The others still need convincing. The seeds my guys planted are out in the little greenhouse sprouting away, too soon to safely live out in the garden plot, so we wait. These below are purple peppers I ordered from Bakers Heirloom Seed Co. I look forward to tasting this new-to-me variety come summer.

I was never overly fond of the Bush Family, but I have certainly admired Barbara Bush for her strength and tenacity, dedication to literacy of our children, her devotion to her family and to the grace and dignity she brought to her position over the years. May she rest in peace –

Let me tell ya – we can laugh about the following little ditty… but it’s absolutely true up here in this house.

Sharing this Good-For-You meal found in Family Circle, perfect for Spring and Summer –

Zucchini Noodles with Asparagus, Peas and Bacon

1/2 pound asparagus

1 yellow pepper, seeded

8 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 pounds spiralized zucchini

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

2 large cloves garlic, grated

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/4 cup basil, very thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1Trim woody ends from asparagus and peel bottom 2 inches if needed; slice on the bias into 1/4-inch-thick pieces, leaving tips intact. Cut pepper lengthwise into 8 pieces, then slice crosswise into 1/4-inch strips.

2Heat a large stainless skillet over medium. Add bacon and cook until crispy, 8 to 9 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off bacon fat, then return 2 tbsp fat to skillet.

3Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium and cook zucchini and 1/4 tsp salt, covered, until crisp-tender, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain zucchini.

4Add yellow pepper to bacon fat; cook 1 minute. Add asparagus; cook 1 minute more. Sprinkle vegetables with flour and cook 30 seconds, stirring well.

5Stir in milk and garlic. Add peas and half each of the bacon and basil. Cook until sauce thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

6Add zucchini, 1/4 tsp salt and the black pepper, and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with remaining basil and bacon. Serve immediately.

Have a good day, all – and thank you for stopping by.