For my Master Naturalist and other nature-loving friends, here’s a collection of writing about my nature sightings and travels.
You Can Do It, Too: Nature Blogging!
Someone told me last week that they just couldn’t understand how I’m able to observe so many things around me and have time to document it. I’d never thought about it being a challenge. It’s just what I do. And I find it so rewarding and fun to keep learning about life around me. So,…
Apache and Suna Try Again
As I mentioned yesterday, there was a horse show for our Working Horse Central. It was the Summer Sizzler and lived up to its name. A bit humid and hot for some of us delicate flowers, but really not all that bad. It was a great show with many participants, including a good number of…
Serene Equine Interlude
This afternoon my neighbor Sara and I managed to pack all our luggage as well as our horses’ luggage, and brought Apache and Aragorn up to the Watts Way arena for the summer Working Horse Central show. Yes, we know it’s technically spring. It sure is hot and humid right now, so all the hay…
More Waterfalls and Flowers and DUNG BEETLES!
I did promise to finish writing up my trip to Pedernales Falls State Park. Gosh, I hope you like wildflowers and scenery and stinky insects. I had lots of energy for hiking/looking at plants, thanks to sleeping so well. Ahh. Total darkness and no barking or licking makes for great sleep. So, once I woke…
Camping Weekend Update
Long time no blog! I could not get anything but brief Facebook updates to upload, so I just spent quality time with nature and Seneca the RV (and yes, of course with Lee). Pedernales State Park has so many trails! I didn’t get to anywhere near all of them. Plus they have MANY miles of…
Nature, Nature, Nature
No big disasters struck today, other than realizing that new hotspot just won’t cut it for work, because it’s actually a not-so-hot hotspot. It gives up after about 40 minutes of a 60-minute Zoom call. Not helpful if you’re in the middle of helping someone out. So, I’ll be working from the Red House on…
Back Online and Succeeding in the Saddle
I wasn’t able to blog last night, because a storm came through and knocked out cell reception for most of the area. My phone kept saying SOS and I told it to calm down, the towers would return. I sure am having the Internet issues! But indeed, I got to enjoy the cool clouds. It…
Just Goofy
Long day. Got a lot done and even received my new internet thingie. Can’t make it go, so more tech support tomorrow. Think of me. By the time I got to an event I’d been looking forward to, a party for our recent Master Naturalist class graduates, I had a raging headache. Turns out the…
So Many Tasks, So Little Internet
It’s good to be home after a fun few days. Many family members were glad to see me and Lee. Other residents were not so glad. Horses were also glad, and I was relieved to find Apache semi-clean after big rain. Drew, on the other hand, has mud dreadlocks that I’ll wait until tomorrow to…
Earth Day Campout Highlights
Most of today has been great. The big highlights were predominantly nature oriented, but I also rekindled some old friendships and made some fun new friends. After coffee by a nice campfire I went on a brisk (for me) hike on the trail that goes around Lake Georgetown. The whole trail is 26 miles long,…
Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All Here
After work and the horses getting bodywork done, Lee and I fired up Seneca and took off for another camping expedition, this time to Cedar Breaks Park, one county over near Georgetown, Texas. We’d camped on the other side of the lake from here before, but never at this site, which is a Corps of…
Not Gonna Go There (in two ways)
What place in the world do you never want to visit? Why? First, let’s answer today’s prompt from our friends at Day One. Now, there are a few places I’m not very interested in going, at least as they are now. I’m interested in the land and the everyday folks everywhere, though, and would be…
Super Fun Nature Time at Mother Neff Park
I’ve been sorta down about nature and her ways, so I haven’t been writing much (I’ll talk about it eventually). But today’s Master Naturalist field trip to Mother Neff State Park gave me so many hours of fun that I must share! We carpooled, and I was impressed to fit five people in my new…
I Am Impressed by the Office and Now I Can See It
Today was long but fun. I left last night to go to scenic Round Rock, Texas, so I could visit the Mother Ship of Dell Technologies. I worked there before. It’s where I met Lee! After a night at a Hampton Inn that was not the best in its genre but was okay because it…
Dreaming of a State Park
If you could have something named after you, what would it be? The blog prompt for today got me thinking about how much I enjoy Texas State Parks and how many opportunities there are for volunteers like me and my Master Naturalist friends to help out and educate the public at them. Sadly, there’s no…
Golden-Cheeked Warbler? Yes!
If you’re a bird watcher in central Texas, one of your goals is to see an endangered golden-cheeked warbler in its native habitat. Up to now, I’d never seen one, even though I’ve been places where they are found. No wonder I vowed to attend the golden-cheeked warbler walk sponsored by the State Park where…
Antidote to the News: Go on a Hike
I sure feel great today. Even with a broken toe, I managed to hike two trails and really, really get away. Meridian State Park has an impressive number of places where you can be entirely alone, surrounded by nature, with only the wind and birds making sound. I just had a blast wandering through woodlands…
Where’s Meridian, Texas?
It’s northwest of Waco. Where’s that? It’s near the Magnolia Silos. Anyway, this tiny county seat of Bosque County is near Meridian State Park, where I am sitting and listening for golden cheeked warblers. We left the ranch in the capable hands of the other residents to give them some couple time, Lee some truck-driving…
Spring Can Be Sickening
Spring is in the air, at last. The weather is becoming warmer (perhaps too warm for February, but never mind – it’s nice for riding horses), birds are migrating north, and the days are getting longer. All those things are welcome to everyone who had to deal with the harsh surprises the ice storm brought.…
Playing Tourist and Reconnecting
I enjoyed hanging out with my friends last night, and was up bright and early for some Saturday morning fun. Lynn and Don took me to breakfast at a pretty and sophisticated place called Stella, with farm-to-table deliciousness. The grits and biscuits were great, as was the pecan coffee. I took photos of the decor…
More Travel to Exotic Locations
Oh, just kidding. I’m in the greater Bryan/College Station area, right here in Tejas. After a most frustrating work day (interrupted by seeing Anita for coffee at the fine new local coffee shop, which was good), I took off, once again. The reason for traveling was the wedding of my former neighbor, Kayla. Actually, she…
Why I Wish I Could Fly
I flew home today, on a plane, not a broom or anything. It was as pleasant as I could have hoped. The Hilton Head Island Airport is just about the best check-in experience possible. No crowds, nothing but pleasant staff, and a lovely terminal. Even the carts and rollers your stuff goes through in security…
Talk Therapy in Its Many Forms
Between work and the weather, I haven’t been doing much that’s very exciting for the past two days. Nonetheless, I’m feeling pretty darned good. I’ve managed to place myself in the Piscean sweet spot between my desires to be alone and meditate and my need for human contact. That’s rare. I have too much of…
Wish I Could Crawl in People’s Heads (Briefly)
I spend way too much of the time that I’m reading the news, perusing social media, and watching folks around me saying, “Hmm.” I’m a person, far as I can tell. But I feel so different from humans I observe. It’s not new; I’ve felt out of place among humanity most of my life. What…
Mysteries, Musings, and Squirrels
Today has been one that made me think a lot. I’m second guessing myself a lot since Lee went off to go back to the ranch. My plan is to stay here for another week to do a lot of meditating, walking, and introspection. So far, the introspecting is making me feel a little unhinged,…
Drinking and Dolphins, Not at the Same Time
I didn’t write anything yesterday, because I mostly took the day off, reading, napping, and watching movies (Bullet Train was hilarious). Now, though, I’ll share the fun Lee and I had on his last weekend here at Hilton Head. Yesterday we had all sorts of plans, but while it was sunny it was way too…
Now I’m Happy, Thanks to Pinkney Island
I finally got to go on a hike. It rained all morning, but at some point in the afternoon it cleared up. Hooray, hooray. Off we went to a big ole nature preserve called Pinkney Island National Wildlife Refuge. I hadn’t gotten to go there before, so I was pretty excited. There’s nothing I like…
Fogged in, Mostly
It’s not like me to go on one of my trips and not post daily nature images. But, well, it’s not been overly nature-ful the last few days, AND I had a big workload. However, I’m incredibly glad I’m in South Carolina, because there has been the worst ice storm anyone can remember back in…
Birders Are Great, So Are Birds
Today it was certainly warmer here in Hilton Head than it was back at the Hermits’ Rest. Please be thinking of my friends, family, and animals tonight. I never like it when there’s a winter storm warning, but I know the animals are all protected! I enjoyed looking at large groups of ducks out in…
Rainy Day and Condo Stuff
Today was a bit rainy and cloudy, but I am not complaining, since the weather looks much worse at home. It was a really good bird watching day, though, since I have a balcony and binoculars. The coolest birds I saw were ducks. I’m pretty sure they were hooded mergansers, which do occasionally hang out…
A Day of Rest
No one was in a great mood much of today so I didn’t even try to do any activities. The only reason we left the condos was to get groceries in the world’s smallest and perhaps most expensive Publix supermarket. That’s ok. I still liked it, because my mom shopped at Publix when I was…
Drive Drive Drive Plus Stress
Bummer. This was not the greatest travel day. It was really long, for one thing. We usually break trips like this up into 3 days, but powered through two 8-hour days instead. Poor Lee got both tired and hangry. Second, there was a lot of work stuff that was hard to do in the car,…
Home and Away Are Both Moist
I started today very early with a 6 am work question. That’s all right, because that meant I got to see a beautiful sunrise. It was cold, but so beautiful that I just had to enjoy the crispness. During my early meeting, it sounded like rain. But there wasn’t a cloud in the sky! That…
The Real World for Elderly Hermits
The morning today was like in some princess movie, with dozens of little chirping birds surrounding me with songs, plus a loud and strikingly beautiful red-bellied woodpecker. I’ll remember this brief retreat at Lake Somerville for a long time. It’s impressive how much beauty you can find among bare branches and the promise of spring…
Excellent Birds! Unusual Plants! Nature Fun!
Today we stayed at Lake Somerville State Park, which was a lovely place to work. I enjoyed my lake view from the mobile office and had no problems with internet or anything like that. I got lots of work done AND saw so many wonderful things on my breaks and after work. I could get…
The Mobile Office Gets Mobile
I may have mentioned that Lee got the mobile office he’d been saving up for a few weeks ago. He wanted something that could pull a horse trailer and let him work comfortably. That proved really difficult! After months of trying to find a custom van, he changed tactics. We both missed traveling with our…
Yep. Cold.
Today started out at 50° and now it’s 20°—what a drop. Plus it’s really windy. Not the best day to get my hair cut, but it had gotten rather unruly. No way was I putting a hat over my new hair! Of course we had to go out and do stuff, which included picking up…
Community Holiday Joy
Maybe residents of our small town are sick of hearing about it, but I’m gonna say it again: Cameron is like a new town this season. I’m so grateful to all the folks who have worked so hard to turn the town around over the past year, especially everyone on the Chamber of Commerce Board.…
All Dressed Up
It feels weird to do normal fun stuff like go to a Christmas party (that’s what they call them here, since it’s pretty mono-cultural). I’m tired, though. I now have energy again, so I want do DO things, but I still don’t have stamina. Just running Drew through a couple of practice obstacles and setting…
A State Park in December
December is a good month to travel around Texas, because it’s not blazingly hot and there are fewer bugs and things that sting. For our fun outing on our anniversary weekend, Lee and I went to Mother Neff State Park, which has the honor of being the first park in the state park system. It’s…
Off to Nowhere
Lee has surprised me with a trip to a little cabin in the countryside an hour or so northwest of the ranch, to celebrate our 14th anniversary. When you marry late in life, each year means a lot. It was a foggy and misty afternoon but we enjoyed the drive, especially the parts where we…
Butterfly Update
Louise, who lives up north, wanted to know more about all these butterflies we see in the autumn here in the southern part of the US. So, I went and looked up whether the butterflies we see here migrate or stay here, and what times of year they are seen most. I got all this…
Butterflies and Bees
Such a long day! I’ll just share some observations I made today and talk about other stuff tomorrow. I decided to see how many butterflies and bees I could see today between the two stops I made. One was Nature Days that our Master Naturalist group is doing every Saturday this month, while the other…
Off into the Wildlife Preserve
Today I got up early. I’m getting good at early weekend mornings. I met some of the Master Naturalist chapter in downtown Cameron and we carpooled off to a genuine field trip, like in the old days! We went to the Balcones Canyonland National Wildlife refuge. It’s a place I’ve driven by many times but…
Master Naturalist Meeting Notes 2: Saturday, October 22
Although I’m quite excited about migrating snout butterflies (hundreds) and sandhill cranes (dozens), I’ll share more that I learned last Saturday for now. Insect Photography, by Mary Ann Melton Insects are what I take photos of most, after plants. I enjoyed getting ideas from Mary Ann, who happened to be the speaker at our last…
Master Naturalist Meeting Notes: Friday, October 21
I promised to write up notes from the sessions I took at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Texas Master Naturalist, but there was a lot of stuff going on the last couple of days. Now I have a moment! First, I will say that this was the best conference I attended so far in terms…
Learning Overload
I didn’t get a chance to blog yesterday and I’m pretty wiped out tonight. It’s been a great Master Naturalist conference and I’ve also enjoyed hanging out with friends. I plan to share some of my learning later. Tonight I’ll hit the highlights. Like yesterday, during dinner, when they surprised us with a great talk…
Master Naturalist Meeting: A Prairie and Wetland PLUS
I’m too tired to do much writing, but my first day of the 2022 Texas Master Naturalist conference in Houston was really fun. What a pleasant and educational day. The day started out with a trip to Sheldon Lake State Park. If you are ever wherever it is, go visit! It’s even free and very…
Even a Naturalist Can Dislike a Plant
At this time of year, I dislike the most annoying giant cockleburs that grow here. There are fewer now than there was at one time, thanks to diligent mowing but the horses will find them, since we can’t quite get to all the spots where they like to grow. Poor Fiona had them all over…
Tromping
Whew, I was tired by the time I got home from Fredericksburg. I went home a new way, though, so I got to see some different scenery and avoid Austin traffic. To keep myself awake I tromped around the ranch on my breaks, taking pictures for the pollinator BioBlitz. I just wandered and wandered, bearing…
Amazing Adventures Near Junction, Texas
I think my idea of Junction, Texas was that it was some kind of wasteland with some gas stations in it. I was wrong, and I’ll always be grateful for this year’s Bennett Trust Women’s Conference: “Building A Legacy of Environmental Stewardship”, which concluded today with the field trips. We went to three very different…
Learning to Be a Land Steward
I’m so glad the Bennett Trust conference for ranch women is back at last. The conference started at 7 am and the wine hour was still going on when I left to watch football, along with my new friend, Mim, who’s originally from Rockdale. We bonded. Not only did the legacy of the Bennetts (very…
A Visit from Storks!
This morning there’s thunder everywhere, so I went out early to feed the chickens. I’m glad I did, because when I looked into the pond behind the house, I saw something in addition to the usual great egret and blue heron: wood storks! They used to visit for a while periodically, but lately they just…
I Never Get Tired Of…
Sunsets. Tonight’s even featured some rain in the distance. And a cute dog. I got to enjoy this sunset because I had a nice dinner with my friends Mike and Martha. I got so used to not doing things with friends that it’s been hard to get back in the habit. The last two weeks…
So Many Dead Things
I’ll write more in the Master Naturalist blog about this (update, I forgot to do so), but I did enjoy a visit to the Texas A&M Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections this morning. My friend Pamela and I drove over and met up with another Master Naturalist and her granddaughter, who’s high school age, and…
What’s Bugging Me
No, not people and what they do. It’s bugs. And they are bugging me in a good way, because at least they give me something to look at. There isn’t much else out here. People keep commenting about how quiet it s at night. Drought is no fun. I’m so glad for the willow trees…
Good to Be Home
One good thing about having to drive an additional hour to Pecos, TX because there was no water in the entire town on Van Horn, our drive home was easy. Wow, Pecos is a one-industry place. That industry is oil. We knew that, but it was impressive to see so many wells, tanks, and pipelines.…
Let’s Hike and Drive
Our last day in California we didn’t have any plans so I decided to take a hike on my last day of pleasant temperatures. I found parts of the resort I hadn’t seen before and then a trail head! Off I went. Carlsbad has a large network of trails that I wish I’d found earlier.…
Another Lagoon, More Learning
Yesterday’s daily expedition in the Carlsbad, California area was to the Buena Vista Audubon Society’s nature center in Oceanside. It’s on the Buena Vista lagoon, which is a former saltwater marsh that was dammed 50 years ago to create a freshwater pond. One of the things we learned at our visit is that the nature…
Hermits Visit a Zoo
Both my spouse and I like animals. I like plants. The San Diego Zoo has lots of each. It also has crowds, though, and neither of us likes crowds. Especially with good ole COVID getting worse again. But we were nearby, and that’s one of the best zoos on earth, so we went. We survived…
Alkali. It’s a thing.
Yesterday’s non-hermit activity was going to a nature place less than a mile from where we staying. It’s on a fascinating tidal lagoon. The place was CRAWLING with wee ones. It’s actually one of the nicest interactive nature exhibits for children that I’ve ever seen. There was so much for them to do and see,…
The Wild among the Fancy
Here where I’m mostly walking and meditating, there is a theme park next door. That means many exotic plants that, of course, thrive in the Southern California coastal climate. I took a long walk yesterday and managed to find some native flora and fauna. Perhaps the radish and fennel escaped from nearby farms. I had…
Traveling and Sizzling
Been traveling. Yesterday we took back roads through a very hot but beautiful Arizona day. We passed through many tribal lands, including Apache. Eventually we hit the ocean and stopped driving. The solitude washed over me like yesterday’s desert rain and the heat burned through my concerns. I was left empty in a good way.…
The Flower Fairy Goes Art Walking
What a pleasant Saturday! I started the day fairly early for me, so I could go work with the horses before it got over 100° F. I ended up hanging horse signs up in the tack room, rearranging my horse playground and round pen, working with Drew (who now wants to nip me while we…
Just Breathe. It Works.
Today could have been kind of frustrating if I were hell-bent on getting what I wanted to do done. But I took the attitude that I’d just do what I could and be satisfied. I had to check out at 10 am, which left me fancy free until a 6 pm flight. I was fine…
Work Is Worky
I like my job a lot. I’m really lucky to be doing what I enjoy for great folks. But whew, sometimes I need to take a break. My eyes are throbbing from looking at my tiny laptop screen and trying to write software instructions for hours and hours. I finally stopped writing at 5:45 and…
An Artist I’m Not
After spilling my guts about no longer feeling free yesterday (and receiving some wonderful support and feedback), I was grateful to have something to do last night to take my mind off The State of the World. It involved “art” in a loose sense. I’d arranged with Sarah the Bartender to go try our hand…
Finally. Nature Cruise.
I stopped work at noon today, because I had triumphantly solved problems and published a new video upgrade. It was time to head back to the Waccamaw River cruise I went on last year. We had as much fun as last time. I got to take pictures of lots of plants and beautiful flowers, like…
Not Bad for a Free Boat Ride
Once again, I woke up extra early and got to work by 6 am home time. I guess not having the dogs keeping me from sleeping soundly let’s me get enough in just 7 hours. Of course I still miss the dogs. After a much more successful day of meetings, training , and spreadsheet analysis…
Alarmed, Inconveniently
Today is my usual early work start day. I woke up extra early, so I got working around 7 Eastern. It’s a good thing, because I had a lot of setup to do in preparation for training. Lot of good THAT did me. I had a support meeting to lead at 8. Then training people…
It’s Beautiful to Me
I started reading about the universal theory of beauty, but didn’t get far enough to say anything wise about it. I was comforted to know there is such a theory, though. Much of today I had my head buried in work. I do miss vacations, but Planview would have sent me to a mental health…
Sculpture! Birds! Nature Surprises! Beauty?
Today I got to have all the funs, to celebrate an actual day off, and have some emotional recharge. And of course I had to do some deep thinking. I’m on a roll with wonder and wondering. You may remember that Lee forgot to pack any shirts for the trip. The t- shirts he got…
Pool of Dreams or Nightmares?
Hey, do you remember that swimming pool we had built? The beautiful one with the hot tub and nice patio? Yeah. I remember it, too. We called it the Pool of Dreams, but lately it had been turning into a nightmare. We had been following the instructions the pool company gave us, which were minimal,…
Destination Accomplished
Yay. We made it to the condominium in Myrtle Beach. We are way up high in a small unit. If we have guests we will get another room. We will see if anyone comes. This weekend it’s just me and Lee. Today’s drive wasn’t too fancy. But I did get to see Charleston, SC for…
Let’s Wander through the Deep South
Today, Lee and I took the road less traveled through the great forests of Mississippi and Alabama. I managed all my meetings so far and have been able to get work done, even with occasional sketchy internet. I started out taking pictures of flowers near our hotel. I found an empty lot with excellent weeds.…
Yes, Good Customer Service Exists
So, Lee and I are headed to our yearly South Carolina condo stay. We left after work yesterday to get a few hours in, and stopped at the same Hampton Inn we stayed in last year. When we got there, one front desk person was on the phone. She had obviously been on the phone…
Reptile Season
I’ve mentioned the snake that was in the henhouse last week and the snapping turtle that visited. The reptiles and their ilk have not stopped coming, though. This morning my son was mowing the back yard when I went out to feed the horses. He said to go get my camera, because he’d just seen…
Flowers from the Sand
I spent the day at a place called Sandhaven. It was sandy. I enjoyed lots of different plants and other life (I was actually at a horse show). It was cool to see what was blooming and growing. I must say this beautiful lizard hiding in a tree was my favorite sight. But the caterpillar…
Why Do I Work the Hardest When I Feel the Worst?
First, I do not have anything contagious; my lunch (which was delicious) disagreed with me. And I felt okay this morning, when I worked on so many different things that it made my head spin. After a fun time telling a new coworker fun things to do where she lives (one neighborhood over from where…
A Rare Sighting of Wonder
Yesterday, my friend Mandi dropped by to pick up the baby blanket I finished recently, so her imminent little boy will have a nice warm blanket, perfect for Texas summers. Ha. Well, it will be perfect for cold air-conditioned rooms and draughts. Drafts. Whichever. We spent most of our time over by the horses, because…
Wildflower Color Changers and Friendly Lions
I originally posted much of this content on my Master Naturalist chapter’s blog, but also wanted to share it with you all. I’m amazed at what I see around the Hermits’ Rest and want to share it with my friends around the world. If you have trouble seeing anything let me know. Sporty Sports As…
De-Fence-less
I didn’t work today and didn’t do too much, either. My biggest accomplishment was taking notes for a very long Master Naturalist Board meeting. I’m glad they were more boring when I was President. Much of the day was spent writing a blog post on the big mushroom, which is finally dying. Turns out, it’s…
There and Back Again
Well, dang it, I was not elsewhere for very long! Like the Hobbit, I was there and back again. As anyone who’s my Facebook friend already knows, I discovered that the conference I went to Kerrville to attend was not happening. There were two others there wondering what the heck was going on, too. We…
I Am Elsewhere
Look at me! I’m doing an activity! For fun! In a different place. Alone. I’m going to a conference I attended Before COVID and really enjoyed, sponsored by the Bennett Trust and Texas Parks and Wildlife. So I’ll get Master Naturalist credits. The hotel in Kerrville (YO Ranch) is old but charming, and I have…
When a House Comes Down the Road: The Pool House Saga
Where to start on this tale? It’s a log one. Once upon a time, during the Pandemic Years, there was a house down the road from us. Suddenly, the house up and moved one lot down. It’s like I blinked and the house was moved. That seemed weird, but people do weird things. Over a…
Ladies Day Out. At Last.
Wow. It’s been a really long time since I did anything with the family. Between COVID and family stresses, I’ve been on my own. So it was a pleasant surprise to have Kathleen coming back. More pleasant was a visit from her daughter-in-law, Moriah, and her baby Oaklynn (recipient of one of my baby blanket…
How about Those Tornado Warnings?
Yikes, last night was not a lot of fun for anyone in the vicinity of central Texas. It was our turn for one of those giant gatherings of storm clouds to come through and send tornadoes off hither and thither. None of us were in the least amused. My son and I both have some…
What’s Blooming and Flying In
[This is a re-post of something I wrote in our Master Naturalist Chapter blog. I just thought I’d share these new photos.] I have a project on iNaturalist where I record the flora and fauna on the ranch where I live. I started it right after I became a Master Naturalist in 2018 and am…
What Ranch Couples Do for Couple Time
Today Lee and I found ourselves with a need to go into town and a free hour. Ooh! What to do? Lee suggested we drive down a road we pass often but had never been down. I said that sounded fun. The only hint about what was on the road was a sign saying there…
I’m an Ice Princess
While I seem to have aggravated my weird shoulder blade issue and have to deal with sharp jabs, I’m doing just fine this evening. Mainly it’s because I got my scary hair taken care of. It was a bit challenging getting to Austin, though. My first delay was when a guy who lives down the…
Aragorn Has a Good Day
Woo I’m tired, but I know who’s more tired. This guy: I followed Aragorn and Sara up to the same facility near Waco where we first discovered working equitation, Highlander Ranch. There, he had his first clinic, and first experience off ranch since she got him. He was a trooper. I learned a lot from…
We Have New Neighbors
Yesterday, we hauled the stock trailer over to South Austin to pick up the large items that my son and his partner could not fit into their tiny car, so that they can be officially moved to the ranch community. Wow, we’re pushing double digits! There was a bit of a challenge getting to Austin.…
What’s There to Do around Here?
It’s not as cold today, but the rain and fog have been with us all day. So, since everyone needs food, Kathleen and I went off for a scenic trip to stock up on provisions. It felt like Farmer’s heading into town for our monthly visit. We had a good omen upon departure, as I…
Have You Ever Had to Apologize to a Chicken?
Well, I had to tell our beautiful Easter Egger hen, Betsy, that I was sorry I’d been putting her down for so long. I was telling everyone what a useless hen she was, because she hadn’t laid an egg yet, and I’d had her a long time. I mean, even little Billie Idyl was finally…
Grateful for So Much
It was a really hard day in f so one ways. My friend’s memorial service wasn’t one of those uplifting ones that celebrated someone, but more of a sermon. I really hope it comforted her family and friends. To console myself after we were dismissed by the preacher, I went and ate some toast and…
Shocked and Sad
When you live in a small town, things affect the whole community. We lost a friend yesterday. I’ll skip the gory details and just say it was a real shock to lose Christi. I have Christi to thank for Fiona. If she hadn’t remembered I wanted a little donkey, Fiona might not have gotten rescued…
Baby, It’s Cold Inside (Or, weird hotels I have known)
That’s right, blog readers, I am in yet another hotel. I had to be in Austin today for a couple of appointments, and I didn’t want to miss a whole lot of work driving to Austin and back from the ranch. The original plan was to stay at a friend’s house, but their guest room…
Back in the Lower Elevations
I spent all day going from the Continental Divide down to near sea level. It’s a long way down, but now I’ve got bonus red blood cells to enjoy. I’m glad I got to ride from Breckenridge to Denver in the daytime, because there are cool little towns, old mines, and many rocks (hence, Rocky…
A Last Trip Up
It was really cold last night, but warmed up with bright sun, so I decided to talk a walk at lunchtime. I wanted to do the path on the other side of the Blue River from downtown Breck, just to see what I’d see. It was a pleasant walk, and I took pictures of statues…
Absent from My Big Day
My eyeballs are all blurry from trying to make job aids on a very small computer screen. That hurts my eyes. But, it could have been worse. I could have been supervising my move from the Bobcat house. But on the contrary, Anita did that for me. She deserves a big reward. Well, I did…
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The Hermits' Rest 