Comings and Goings

CB went away yesterday. 

He'll be back. 

He's over at my sisters' barn for a while, learning stuff like standing tied for more than 30 seconds and a host of general ground rules.

We don't have a very good facility for several aspects of basic training for a young horse, so CB will stay at their barn for a while where that can happen.

Lily was broken-hearted yesterday afternoon and this morning because her young friend (usually nuisance) did not return in the horse trailer with Lefty.

Lefty, who just went along as a calming factor for CB, doesn't seem to care. 

In other news, Annie will come home today for the Easter weekend.  

We're looking forward to picking her up at the airport tonight and having a solid few hours to hear her stories about her recent trip to Southeast Asia. 

Even though she embraced all sorts of Asian dishes during her travels, I'm bettin' Annie's looking forward to Second Avenue Pizza.

Meanwhile, on the going list, I'll be going away from this computer fairly soon to get to school. 

Debbie and I have been invited to tour the Waldorf School this morning.  

It's definitely an early start for this ol' retired gal, but knowing some of the Waldorf students and observing some of their school projects, I'm looking forward to seeing the school teaching philosophy in action.

Should be a fun and educational morning. 

On the "coming" side, I think our wizard at small engine repair will be here today.  

Tony will change oil in a lawnmower and our 4-wheeler UTV, along with giving us some estimates on fix-it jobs for the old Ford tractor.

I actually put one of the lawnmowers in to action last night, cleaning up all the dead oak leaves and other riffraff in the west lawn.  

It felt good to be atop a mower and even better when I could appreciate the clean-up job it did for the lawn. 

Lawns are still greening up and most of our yard is still a bit soggy (probably more so after today), but sooner than later, I'll be putting in my hours putzing around the yard.

Lots more goings and comings, but I'd better get going to the school house and then come back home to get ready to be gone again after that Annie who certainly lives the definition of going and coming. 

Happy Friday.    

Golden Hour in the 'hood; TBT

So nice to be back to Golden Hour days!

Instead of nodding off on the couch during the hour after the news, I've been nodding off during the news.   

Have a feeling that today will present excellent reasons for extended nod-offs. 

That's okay because we have re-entered the part of the year where there's no need to rely on the TV in the evening. 

We can go outside, and the Golden Hour outside has returned.  

As I've mentioned in past posts when the sun is shining and the grass turns green and daylight starts lasting until 8 p.m., we who love photography can happily indulge on the great outdoors.  

And, the great part for me is living in Selle.  I don't have to go very far at all to find exquisite beauty brought on by evening sunlight, flourishing plant and animal life. 

It's like Christmas for photographers, and in some cases, like the first photo in today's post, it's truly a golden and magical time of the day. 

During this time of the year, we can point our cameras virtually any direction and find isolated scenes---weeks ago covered up with snow or downright dull---which now dazzle the eyes with their simple but vibrant beauty. 

Within these scenes, we may even be lucky enough to see a pair of wood ducks or some wildlife or birds or neighborhood horses or even new faces of humans we've never seen before. 

I left the house for about 45 minutes last night, driving and stopping during my five-mile round trip in the neighborhood.  

Upon returning home, I could tell Bill about some lovely new friends I met, Denise and Hayden and their dog Lily. 

The trio was out enjoying their own golden hour.

One never knows what treasures will come during the magical "golden hour," and that possibility alone is what makes it such a beautiful gift on each sunny day of spring and summer. 

Throwback Thursday:  A Special Easter, 2013


With Easter coming up this weekend, I went back to an album from 2013, which began with a very special excursion with our mother.  

We took her to the Colburn farm to see the horses.  Scout was chosen as the equine ambassador that Sunday.  He represented the herd well. 

Mother was pleased. 

Later that day, my sisters, five dogs, Bill and I made the trip to the Fish and Game property along Boundary Creek across from Porthill (U.S.-Canada border crossing). 

We enjoyed a lovely day all by ourselves and with plenty of room for dogs to play. 

Our beloved Kea is no longer with us, nor is our beloved mother.  

So, TBT's like today are more special than ever as we remember the good times.

It was a wonderful way to spend an Easter day.  

Selle Critter Sights and Horsin' in a Round Pen

These are not chickens that crossed the road. 

These are not chickens who like a coop. 

Moreover, these are not range chickens.

These ARE Grange chickens. 

The Selle Grange is no longer officially a grange. 

Since its grange days, the place and its grounds near the railroad track in downtown Selle has functioned as a lovely events center (complete with chandeliers).

For a time, when passing by we'd see a few cars in the parking lot belonging to church goers. 

The church people occupied the building for a couple of years and then the congregation went elsewhere. 

Soon, we learned that an individual had purchased the former grange to have as her home. 

She's a nice lady named Karen who's also a florist. 

Since Karen moved in and converted the building into her full-fledged residence, four dogs and four cats have kept her company. 

Karen told me yesterday that these are not her chickens, but she has named one and does feed them. 

I'm pretty sure that the chickens do not have to cross the road for their handouts.  

I believe they live at the farm next door. Someone can correct me if that assumption is in error.

The main thing for me is that yesterday is the very first time ever that I have seen chickens foraging for food at the grange entrance. 

So, it was worth a shot.

Plus, it led to a nice visit with the nice owner of the old Selle Grange, who sez this is the best move she's ever made.  

Chickens and all! 

Like my former student and friend Darlene Sawyer, I suffer from a springtime addiction:  the need to keep going to a nursery to buy colorful flowers. 

So, my purpose in driving past the old Selle Grange yesterday was to go to the Flower Farm at the end of Selle Road and grab a good supply of African daisies along with a few pansies (to feed my spring-color floral addiction). 

Darlene was there, admitting to the same problem.  We enjoyed a nice visit.  

Darlene, with her box filled with nice supply of primroses and pansies started toward her car, telling me she'd better not even walk into those other greenhouses or she'd spend a lot more money. 

I compared it to my weakness when seeing Border Collie puppies.  I have to stay away from them, or I'll spend a lot more money. 

Guess it's truly a junkie situation but pretty harmless and happily colorful in both cases. 

Anyway, on my way home, I drove around the Forest Siding roads, and just as I came to turn on  to South Center Valley Road, a group of Hereford calves was convening at the fence line. 

Moms were there too.  It was a colorful scene which was pretty enough, even without pansies or primroses.  

I'll have to say once more that Jack and Colleen have the most uniform, best looking bunch of calves I can ever remember seeing in their pasture. 

Once I pulled into our driveway, I could see some wild action out in the round pen. 

It definitely needed some camera attention, so I grabbed the camera and headed that direction.

To say the horses were feeling their oats AND their freedom from hoof-sucking mud would be an understatement.

They were just plain wild AND crazy horses, and it was fun to watch them feeling so good and putting on such dramatic acts of equine flamboyance.  

Iz there such a thing? 

Fun times in the neighborhood as the daffodils are about to burst open and the grass is turning deeper shades of green.