When company comes and uses the upstairs bathroom, we are reminded how fortunate we are to have a room with such a view.
Yes, this photo was taken yesterday morning from the upstairs bathroom window.
We've been in this house for 20 years, and I have not yet taken that view for granted.
It was neat to have our visitors come downstairs over the weekend with very favorable comments about the nice view.
The view out our garage door will be different, starting today. Instead of white board fences, there will be horses standing behind those fences, waiting and reminding me when it's meal time.
Later this morning, my sister Laurie will come over to help me load up, haul and unload Lily and Lefty as they return home from the boarding stable for the next several months.
CB will come home from the stable in State Line later in April.
I told Bridie this morning's would be our last 6:15 walk through the fields and woods because we'll have chores to do.
In fact, this morning I've already put out hay in the barnyard.
I'm ready for the horses and the constant reminders from Lily when she deems that it's meal time or sending me facial expressions that it's time to lead her to pasture.
While we wait for the grass to get a good start in the pastures, I expect to hear from Lily if I'm one minute late coming outside in the morning or equally tardy for the late-afternoon feeding.
I also look forward to seeing her doing her acrobatics, manipulating and stretching her head and neck under the bottom boards to snatch bites of lush green grass from the lawn.
All this said, life is going to change today, and there will be a definite uptick in busYness.
I've enjoyed six months of not worrying about getting home in time from other activities to feed the horses.
I can't adequately express how nice it has been these past three years to board the horses at Roxane's through the winter months.
Her stable is just a little over a mile away. Plus, it's always nice in the winter to connect with a different circle of friends while we congregate with our horses in the barn aisle way.
I'll miss that, but in return there will be green grass and many beautiful images of horses racing to pasture in the mornings. It's an amazing sight any day.
Plus, like the dogs, they're nice companions and defintely part of the family.
Bill will be coming home today too. He's been in Moscow since Sunday at his annual family forest owners conference.
He helps plan the event, and, as with my friends at the stable, he always loves connecting with like-minded tree lovers from throughout the state.
Tomorrow will be a relatively quiet day, and then Thursday we'll be seeing Annie for four days.
Blend into that the birthdays. We've celebrated Kevin's this weekend; I sent greetings to a cousin in California yesterday and have wished my former student Chad a Happy Birthday this morning.
Tomorrow, no foolin', our April Fool named Willie will turn 49. He'll be enjoying his birthday on the Oregon Coast where he, Debbie and Debbie's mom Irene are spending Spring Break.
Last year we celebrated Willie's and Bill's (April 2) birthdays in Ireland.
My sister Laurie rounds out the birthday series for the family on April 7, and I don't have enough fingers to count all the friends who have birthdays during this stretch of time.
It's a lively and busy time of year for sure, but with spring and all the re-awakenings of plant and animal life, it's the best.
So, I'm off to get stuff done in advance of bringing those horses home.
Happy Tuesday.
The finches at the feeder are getting more beautiful every day.
I took this picture one year ago today.
The shamrocks were in a courtyard where we were staying in an apartment in Kenmare, Ireland.
Good memories, as all our Love family was together.
