Celebration

 

First freeze of the fall this morning. How many times can we remember waiting until Oct. 19 to have a freeze?

Not many that I can recall. At long last, I can start pulling my most prolific tomato plants ever. 

Along with the freeze comes another day with the promise of sunshine. 

So, crisp and gorgeous--that's what we'll see today.

And, on this day 45 years ago, I don't remember whether or not we had had a freeze, but I do remember that we had sunshine and that Annie Elizabeth Love came into our lives. 

I vividly remember on the drive home from the hospital while holding our "Precious" in my arms, listening to John Denver sing "Sunshine." 

So, since that day I've called it "Annie's Song." Never mind that John Denver had another hit with different lyrics called "Annie's Song." 

"Sunshine" was our Annie's song, and today it's looking like she'll enjoy the gift of sunshine. 

She'll get to enjoy more as she spends the weekend here in Sandpoint, and we're all looking forward to celebrating her and the last of the glorious fall weather. 

💖💖Some TBT's from Annie's amazing life.💖💖

Foster is going to have a great day with his birthday girl today. 

Annie with "The Price Is Right's" Drew Carey.  

He's also a very involved and invested  Seattle Sounders fan. 

Annie in the Big Apple. 

Annie and her cousin Laura on a fishing/camping trip to Two Mouth Lakes. 

Annie, Willie, Alicia and Debbie at a Sounders match. 

Annie and Tiny

Little Angels, albeit briefly:  Annie and Willie

Annie and her dad Bill at the top of Mt. St. Helens.

Annie and family the day she left for a semester in New Zealand. 

Annie and her Camino de Santiago fellow pilgrim, Irish John O'Neill

Annie and the Sounders

Annie, Mom and Debbie:  she had either returned or was off to some adventure in the world. 

Annie at "The Price Is Right" with her Drew Carey tee shirt. 

Annie with the family at Laughing Dog Brewery. 

Annie in Rome last year with her geocaching buddy Simon from England and Catholic News Service Vatican Bureau Chief and fellow Sandpointer, Cindy Wooden. 

💖💖💖💖💖

Meanwhile, off in Tulsa, I'm thinking that my sister Barbara and her horse Dusty are all spiffed up and ready to go with their first class of Arabian National competition. 

This morning she'll be competing in Western Trail 

AAOTR (Arabian Amateur Owner to Ride), in which she won the National Championship in 2017.  

It's the third class of today's competition, which is in the Central Time Zone, so we should know some results fairly soon. 

Barbara riding Dusty into the winners' circle after winning the National Championship in trail back in 2017.  Also:  Debbie, Kevin and Laurie.

If you would like to follow her through streaming video, for a $55 fee for the entire show, you can go

 to http://www.arabianhorses.stream/

Good luck, Barbara.