Late Nights and Falling Stars

I have started running again. With a new pair of shoes professionally selected for my special-needs feet I have hit the road with Okie at my heels. So far so good, no pain. I love to run at night. It gives me a chance to enjoy the quiet and the sky full of stars. Last night was a spectacle of falling stars. One of God's little treats. My ipod and I drum along down the road...listening to anything that might keep my feet moving. Justin Timberlake, Usher, Tom Petty, Korn and God forbid Britney Spears to name a few. It feels good to be out and moving.



Doug's hunting trip turned farm vacation will be ending soon. He heads back to work this week and I will miss having him home. After 18 years he is still my best friend.



Saturday was the day my brother in law had awaited for almost 2 years. His ex-wife finally came to pick up all of her belongings. Her Jeep, camper, huge table, clothes, tack, etc. had been constant reminders of a marriage gone wrong. The end of their marriage was sad on many levels. Probably the biggest disappointment for me was that I let Doug take the fall for delivering feelings I had been feeling instead of doing it myself. Therefore he took the fall and was the one that she directed her hate and anger. I won't let that happen again.



We spent a beautiful evening watching the sunset at Dean's place. His life long friend, Jeremy, Betty, neighbor Amber were also in attendance. Dean has a nicely stocked spring fed pond on his property that he has stocked with a variety of fish. He brought out the fishing pole and promptly hooked a small mouth bass. Then I gave it a turn and had about 5 bites but failed to hook one. After giving the pole back to Dean I realized what a graceful fisherman he is. You know, fishing is really a beautiful sport in many ways. The setting, the grace of tossing out a line and reeling it back in, the quiet and getting a chance to see some different types of fish up close is a little addictive. With Dean behind the jig he pulled in a large mouth bass and a blue gill. All catch and release. The girls and their mom loved the chance to see the fish and feel their slippery scales and then watch them swim away after our examination. Thanks Dean. Glad you are going to keep your little slice of heaven over there!



Doug's mom joined us for breakfast this morning. I love to serve up a man meal of a breakfast. Bacon courtesy of Katy Sue. She made a trip over to Costco with Doug last Sunday and bit into a large package of bacon so he ended up buying it. Not soon after she stuck her fingers through the plastic wrap of a huge EXPENSIVE salmon. So we grilled that beauty up Friday night. Salmon is probably Hadley's favorite food so she was tickled to see we were eating it for dinner.

With Doug being home it gave me the opportunity to host a ride at my place with my mom and her friend Penny. Penny is getting to know her know Icelandic pony and it is fun to see the progress they have made in such a short period of time. His name is Rimzee and he is 12 years old yet quite green under saddle. Penny dedicates a lot of time and attention to her horses so I know she will have him right where she wants him in short working order. Our ride through the fields was a nice little getaway. I ponied Cruiser off Elvis and had the most solid ride in a long time. Elvis is steady and confident. We saw no fewer than 10 deer and countless pheasants. We also saw 6 badger dens, I am hoping that is the work of 1 or 2 badgers instead of 6. Badgers intimidate me for good reason. I have seen a couple on the farm in the last couple of years but have no interest in a close encounter. The holes are big enough to lose a small child in so I have to be careful when loping my horses through the fields.