May the Fourth

 

It was a glorious experience last night to climb aboard Lily and go for a ride around the place and even down the road. 

My gear for this ride included a brace to protect my knee from any further injury. It's been bugging me off and on ever since the last time I rode a horse. 

Bottom line:  it hurts much of the time. 

This week I started the process to have an orthopedic specialist look at it to see what the heck is wrong. 

I'm hoping the diagnosis is not old age and that possibly something can be done to alleviate the chronic pain. 

As soon as I called to make an appointment, the knee started behaving, and I've gone for a few days without feeling the need for a painkiller. 

I use painkillers very sparingly, so to not feel the need is a good thing.  

I don't know if the knee knew what I was up to when calling the doctor's office, but it sure has been acting a lot better than usual.  Maybe it's just like me; it doesn't want to go to the doctor either. 

Anywho, I decided to ride Lily and see what would happen. 

At almost 76, I must report that riding a horse for me has become a committee event. 

Someone has to be there from start to finish, and someone has to hold my horse at the mounting block so that when I aim for the stirrup, it's not walking away from me. 

That saint is Bill.  We have made an informal pact, agreeing on nights when he does NOT go fishing and if I want to ride, he'll be there to help out. 

He does a nice job, even walking out to the road to make sure I was still on Lily. 

He also took pictures. 

This all may sound a bit dramatic for a leisurely horseback ride, but it's reality. There's mounting fear (no pun there) and there is the need for utmost caution. 

Old bodies break easily but don't fix easily.  Plus, a short, leisurely ride---with an observer----helps the fear subside and makes the ride enjoyable. 

And, isn't that why we have our horses? 

I am so appreciative that Bill is willing to see that I can still enjoy my horses, albeit in a reduced fashion. No four-hour trail rides or horse show classes on my future agenda. 

But a ride like last night's every once in a while, and I'm thrilled. 

And, dear Lily, like Bill is so good to me. 

Thanks to both for making an old lady's day. 

Upstairs bathroom window view this morning.  

We are reaching the shades of green where we can pretend we're in Ireland.  It's pretty much the shade above all year long there.  

Ours is short-lived and so appreciated.

 

Dedicated to Pat Gooby, the Dandylion aficionado. Probably the only instance where I can see beauty in dandelions. 

Two friends represented here:  Polly Hart Jones (she grew up in Selle) and Becky Reynolds. 

Yesterday the Ewe the Boss came in the mail, and yesterday when I took Becky's tomatoes back, she handed me the sign. 

For some reason----I don't know why---she thought it was appropriate for our house.  

Could be!

Thank you both, ladies, for your thoughtfulness. 

Annie has been on several adventures already this year, but today she leaves Seattle bound for a weekend geocaching experience followed by a flight from Los Angeles to Spain, where she will begin her fourth Camino de Santiago early next week. 

And, since this is May the Fourth, I wanted to send her the wish below. 

In the photo, Annie is looking off across the ocean on the West coast of Ireland at Skellig Michael of "Star Wars" fame.

I took this photo on my first trip to Ireland with Annie about 12 years ago.