Turning the Page

Yes, this morning we have turned the page.

Even before the sun appeared, a new chapter was beginning at our house. 

After a four-day visit, Annie had repacked her bag, told me to look for a lost sock, said good bye to Foster and had headed down the road toward Spokane Airport with Bill. 

Her flight to Seattle will have her back in time to get to work at Groundspeak by coffee break time. 

Annie has a staff retreat near Leavenworth this week and takes off for France and Germany next week.  She'll be there for about ten days. 

Many delightful moments occurred during the weekend with Annie, but the best of all had to be the kittens. 

I've been aware of one kitten, since last week or so when Liam found it behind the barn.  I suspected there might be two black furry babies one morning when I was walking on the road and saw one playing in a stump in Taylor's field.  

As I watched, it seemed almost as if that one kitten had five legs cuz a single paw kept rising up in a spot where the stump had decayed.

"I think there are two kittens," I later announced to Bill.  

So, Annie knew of the possibilities throughout the weekend, and yesterday, by golly, she found TWO kittens relaxing in the straw out in the far shed. 

From that point on, she took responsibility----making sure the kittens were safe from dogs and making sure they had some cat food. 

As I watched Annie, I happily reflected on the days in the barn and barnyard back at the North Boyer farm whenever I would find kittens either in the hay mow or in the granary. 

From that point on, I exercised a self-imposed mission of responsibility----to tame those kittens so I could sit in the morning sun on the granary step and love those kittens.

A few years ago, my two sisters discovered kittens in their barn.  That same delight of "giddy girls and kittens" came to pass as each day they checked on the babies to see that they were all right and, of course, to tame them for loving.  

Talk about a pinnacle in kitten discovery:  when Barbara and Laurie and Debbie and Emma came yesterday afternoon for a Labor Day barbecue, little time was wasted before five "little girls," ranging from 16-58 headed down the lane to the shed to see those babies in the straw.

I loved it. 

Well, there's a postscript to the kitty story this morning.  Shortly after Annie and Bill left, I led Lily to pasture and then went over to the shed near the gate to the pasture with my cell phone to check on kittens.

Not one, not two but THREE kittens saw me and ran beneath the boards to their hiding place in the far shed. 

So, it's Meow Mix in dishes carried down the lane, just to make sure the trio of kittens belonging to the feral cat, which has hung around here for a few years, get strength enough to fend off curious Border Collies looking for something to herd. 

So, yes, a new era has begun on the farm.

Yesterday a new era began for Emma from Germany.  She NEEDED to ride a horse.  

I asked her the other day, "When you are most happy, what are you doing?"

With no hesitation, she responded, "Riding a horse." 

So, Emma and Barbara's (and Swiss Miss's) mare April got acquainted as our friend Marv, Debbie and my sisters watched.  

Marv's a horse trainer, so Emma got to see and meet a full-fledged cowboy, complete with spurs. 

From what I heard, Barbara liked what she saw as Emma tacked up and later climbed aboard. April seemed to like Emma, and Emma told me later that she liked April.

So, a new friendship has begun at the Tibbs Arabian horse farm.  

We, as a family, topped off the day with kittens and barbecue.  

This morning, lives are changing, new roads are being traveled as yellow school buses carrying students to the first day of classes roll past the house.  

A breeze is blowing, chimes are ringing and a definite hint of fall is both in the air and on the ground as leaf dropping has begun. 

We here at the Lovestead have enjoyed a wonderful and fun-filled summer, made so by all the folks who've come and gone creating memorable vignettes along the way.  

Thanks to all.  Good luck to all as each new adventure unfolds. 

Happy Tuesday.