Summer's End

I have not ridden as much as I like this summer. I usually start in May with riding in the desert and end up on the mesa through October. The garden isn't anything special this year. Bugs ate up the squash. Weeds finally got the best of me in the garden. We are going to move the garden to the fenced in orchard area next year. It will be better. I will lay out plastic to burn up the weed seeds. I saw that technique on an organic website.

We are counting the days until the Hawaii family comes in on Thursday. I have arranged real horsemanship lessons for Bella and Gigi with Helen. How fantastic. David has not seen the girls in 2.5 years - before Gigi's diagnosis. He has not even met CJ yet!

We decided to breed 2 mares. I think Miha gave us the best foal we have ever had. She is 2yrs old now and at Helen's to be trained by the 4-H girls. Helen is the real deal. Bred SmokeyBelle, too. (Now called Cookie.)

Joys of the day

I will put up a photo of the raven family. They came in to nest this year. Chased off the magpies, the pigeons and robins! They set up shop on a tippy top branch of an elm tree and ruled over the place. Two young ones were soon hopping around the pastures and roosting on panels. They have moved on but once in a while they make some noises in the mornings.

I love to pick cucumbers warmed from the garden and eat them with balsamic vinegar.

I still sell my prim doll works at the Hotchkiss Creamery. What a fun blessing. I love to make things and someone keeps buying them.

The Hawaii kids are coming in a month. I arranged a real horseback riding lesson for the girls with Helen in Paonia. I can hardly wait. I am making lists of things I need to do and buy to make their visit happy. Maybe Mike and Shirley can come, too. I have some of Laura's fabrics to make a 9-patch quilt. I hope she and the girls will help me arrange the squares!! Shirley said she will quilt it.