weekend, sans pics.

What a great weekend. I just love it up there.

I was all excited to start snapping photos when Darby jumped into their water garden and waded with the goldfish...

...but alas, *someone* forgot to pack the camera. So I'll just have to describe it....

We were lucky to have absolutely perfect weather- 70s with sun- slightly warm during the day (enough that I could work on a farmer's tan while working with the horses.)

Our days were filled with huge breakfasts (eggs we gathered ourselves, thick salty bacon, a huge bowl of fresh picked raspberries, coffee) and of course horses and more horses. We spent afternoons sitting in the shade near the water garden or on Harley lessons (Jed's up to driving in 1st speed around the front yard and down the driveway-- with no tipovers!), or kayaking down the tree-covered stream that borders the property (this was totally magical-- we felt like we were from Lord of the Rings, and I'm not positive, but I do believe we heard the theme song swell as we paddled under an especially enchanting tree which was completely arched over the stream like a bridge.) We always finished the day with a dinner on the grill and fresh apple crisp for dessert, from apples picked that day.

Since we were staying the longest and had the pups to contend with, were assigned to sleep on the back porch, which had its own entrance. It was a large, heated three season room with a wall of windows overlooking the gardens and back field. The sleeper bed was made up with soft sheets and a down comforter, which was perfect when temps dipped into the 60s overnight. I cranked all the windows wide open and pulled the blinds all the way up so we could see the moon and stars and listen to the crickets and water garden babble all night. We awoke to slow clear sunrises, dewy grass, and horse nickers. Since we were up with the dogs anyway, Jed and I volunteered for morning feeding duty. We poured grain for the chickens and the horses and threw huge armfuls of alfalfa in the pen for them to munch on. It was nice to get up before everyone else and enjoy the silence...

Oh sure, there were a few heated (explosive) political arguments, plenty of yelling at dogs (Poppy took off after Jed on the ATV into the forest, Darby galloped after the kayak-toting SUV down the driveway into the road). There was also a hand full of blisters from a nasty rope-burn after Jackson freaked when Ranger was separated from him... and he STILL wouldn't trot under saddle. I also strained/pulled my left inner-thigh-muscle after that challenging session, which finally ended in lots of frustration. And oh, did I mention we caught Darby eating and then promptly rolling in a pile of horse manure...?

But, overall, it was great. I know it'd be different if we actually *lived* there-- it'd somehow seem like less of a retreat. But for now, I'm not thinking of that. We played around looking at properties (which I mentioned in my last post), and it's so tempting to just DO it.... figure out a way. But I always do that with most any vacation destination we visit.

So... we're plugging along- enjoying our day off, until the week starts over again....

:::

Yep... I'd go back in a second.