August is done?????

I can't believe that today is August 31 where has the summer gone... or rather, did summer even get here. Weather wise, we had the "wettest summer" on the books, so really we didn't even get summer like weather until just a couple weeks ago.... NO FAIR!!! Maybe the fall will make it up to us.. actually from now until January is my favorite time of year .

And speaking of "a year"... it was exactly one year ago tonite that our horses spent their very first night in their new home. The barn has turned out to be so wonderful, and having "worked" in it for a whole year, I can truly say, there is nothing that I would change. What felt (at the time) like endless hours of planning, thinking, checking... re-checking on the design of the barn, certainly paid off. Such a blessing....

All our "things' are home again from the fair. Both Sadie and I did quite well this year, and have all the pretty ribbons to show off.... but one thing that was quite surprising.. when Ed went to pick up the picture of "Mr.G".. the lady in charge of them, asked him if the photo was for sale. I guess someone saw it and asked if we might be interested in selling it. Ed wasn't sure what my answer would be, so he left our name with her and said if the people come back and want to talk with us about buying the photo, she could give them our name. As of today, there hasn't been any phone call, but I thought that was pretty neat....


Three weeks ago, I taught Sadie how to knit. She started with a hat for herself, and flew thru it. Then she wanted to make some booties for baby Abby.. I have a nice bootie pattern but it involves using four needles. I showed her what to do, and she whipped those out... in fact, not only "whipped" them out, but entered them in the fair and .... took a BLUE!!! Her very first pair!!!!!

Then (on four needles again) she made a hat for baby Abby.. and entered that in fair...

she got a third placement.

I don't know what she's working on at the minute, but I have a feeling there's no stopping her now. She'll have to find "help" with other things, because she will soon pass my expertise!!!

So, it's goodbye to August and onto another month, and hopfully closer to getting into the new house. I also have been really missing Moxie these past few days, she loved the fall weather and always got so "puppy like" with the cooler weather....I fear it will take a very long time before I can smile when I say her name......She would have so loved riding in the woods yesterday..... "love you Moxie girl!!!!"

a day in the woods

Yesterday, after church as we were driving home, a long list of "what can we do this afternoon" began running thru my mind. Goodness knows, there is always something to "fill" our time... finishing up the move of the turkeys, making a trash run, mowing the lawn, painting, etc. etc. etc... but the afternoon was just too pretty to be filled with such tasks!!!

So, I called Deb to see if she and Alice would like to go driving with Mocha and me!!! Mocha has been doing so well with her driving skills, that I feel it's time to get off the farm and try new and exciting places. Deb has acres of woods behind her house with all sorts of trails, and I have been wanting to try them for sometime. She was so excited when I called and couldn't wait for Mocha and I to come. Sadie tagged along as well, I wasn't sure if Mocha was up to pulling two in the cart .. but she wanted come and could (at least) get some photos for us.

Mocha and Alice seemed pleased to see each other once again, they last time they were together was back in June at the driving clinic.

It didn't take long for us to tack up and get ready to head out.

"On your mark.... get set.... go!!!"

The woods were beautiful and surprisingly not very buggy.. which made the ride very pleasant.

I was extremely pleased with Mocha's driving skills. I did find out that she needs work in holding the cart back on down hills. On the farm, we mostly drive on the "flat", so we haven't had the opportunity to work with hill... but that is one of the very reasons why you want to "work" in different places. Now, "we" have to find hills to work with!!!!









Time out for a photo opt!!! (Deb and I have "only" worked two years for this afternoon!!!)

And then almost too soon, we were back "home" once again. Both the horses were amazing on the trail and seemed to enjoy the outing as much as Deb and I did... certainly there will be more drives together this fall... and maybe even a beach day!!!!!