All in a Day . . .

Smoky skies this morning and cooler temps.  

In fact, it almost felt like September when I went out for morning chores.

The cool air was welcome while the haze---not so good.  Tis too much of a reminder of most of last summer when we couldn't see the mountains for weeks.

So far, the smoke hasn't come close to what we endured last year.  Hoping it never does cuz there's nothing worse for tourist season, where scenic beauty is the catalyst, to be unable to see the beauty. 

The hot weather of the past several days has reaped some wonderful benefits.  Hay harvest is going faster than usual.  

My sisters had their fields over in Colburn cut the day before yesterday, and I'm told ours will go down in a few days. 

Last year and the year before, we never saw haying equipment until August.  So, fingers are crossed that the current pace continues. 

One of the most satisfying feelings in any year on a farm with animals is having fresh hay stacked in the barn. 

And, speaking of harvest, I harvested for a good portion of the day yesterday.  

In the morning, it was blueberries, raspberries, three big cukes, the first officially almost ripe tomato off the vine and two baggies of green beans.

Later, my sisters and I returned to the huckleberry patch where Bill and I had picked earlier this week.  

This time the place appeared to be bearless.  

Of course, that absence was probably helped along by a long session of target practice at a pit nearby. 

While picking in a relatively shady spot, we saw lots of traffic heading up and down the road.  

In one case, a bright red pickup rolled by with the passengers apparently seeing us.  A short ways down the road it backed up and people got out. 

Soon, one gentleman came walking my way with his hand open.  

"Are ya huckleberrying?" I asked.

"Yes," he said, "just want to see if these are huckleberries." Turns out they were from Oregon and most of the group had never picked hucks before. 

After I assured him that the big berries in his hand were, indeed, huckleberries, he returned to his group, and a minute later, they had driven on.  

About that same time, Bill appeared on the scene.  His fly rod just happened to be in his pickup but no bucket for picking.  

So----as if to earn his right to fish---he followed me around for a while picking handfuls of berries and dropping them into my bucket. 

I finally announced that he could go fishing now.  I think he was quite pleased to see the gals enjoying the patch he had discovered earlier in the week. 

So, two baggies of hucks went to the freezer, joining the other three I had picked earlier.  

Like the hay, those hucks are coming earlier than usual this year.  As they continue to ripen up higher in the next couple of weeks, we might just have a good supply for winter. 

Our huckleberry excursion operated in "egg-timer" mode yesterday cuz I had to get home to do chores and then haul Lefty to the 4-H meeting at the fairgrounds where Terra would meet me.

So, from the huck patch to the trail course, the day moved on with demonstrations, last-minute reminders for the weekend show and then practice with trail obstacles and showmanship. 

As always, it was fun observing the learning and kids with their horses. 

Today Terra will come over to finish up with hoof sanding, clipping and organizing all her supplies in the horse trailer for tomorrow's show. Then, she'll give Lefty his bath.  

Afterward, we'll dress him up to look almost like an outer space creature with hopes of keeping him clean for tomorrow morning's showmanship class.  

Morning "get-in-full-motion time"  will come early tomorrow and on Sunday, so I'm posting a disclaimer today.  

If the blog is a bit erratic over the weekend, as far as timing is concerned, bear with me.  Something will appear sometime during each day. 

Thanks for your patience.  Have a great Friday.