A Concert and a Storm

Last night my husband, sister and I attended a choral concert at my sister's church.  It kicked off the church festival this weekend.  A group of 50 male voices blended to sing 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', 'Battle Hymn of the Republic,' 'Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho,' "Come Down to the River to Pray,' 'Awakening' a medley of the songs from each branch of the armed forces and several other pieces.  I could see how much each singer enjoyed sharing his music.  While we were at the concert, a storm with pouring rain and winds blew through.   A tree blocked our road home so we rerouted.  In town, many traffic signals were out.  Once we arrived home had no power.  Fortunately even with the high heat index and no air conditioning the house stayed cool.  I got ready for work with a flashlight and hopefully when I get home, the power will be back on.  My daughter is pregnant with her second child.  The baby is a boy and she wants to celebrate him with a "sprinkle."  We decided on a date in three weeks.  She will invite the same guests who attended my granddaughter's second birthday party in June.  We will have meatballs, pizza, chicken wings, salad, fruit, brownies, cake and cookies.

Organizing my thoughts

Since my dad died in September, organization of my thoughts has been an issue.  I am growing older but I suspect that my brain is overloaded.  My husband, adult children and their spouses or partners, my baby granddaughter are planning a camping reunion next weekend.  The house needs to be cleaned, pets accounted for, camping equipment gathered, clothes packed, some food stowed away.  Not difficult, but  these chores have to be done conscientiously.  Then there is the issue of Dory the mini horse.  To date her skills consist of targeting, walking, trotting, jumping the old standards at the barn.  However I have to teach her to use the standards used at the show.  She is also becoming familiar with a driving bridle and harness.  I was chatting with the owner of a 30 year old horse who can walk and do some trotting.  We both would like to utilize the skills of our horses to the best of the horses' ability.  So, how do we do this?  I've been reading and watching videos and racking my brain.  Finally, I have some financial business I've been trying to deal with.  I am so indecisive. The prolonged period of analysis makes me miss my dad and then I feel the intense grief of his loss.

Show Day!

The sun shone with a few puffs of white in the blue sky. I drove to the horse show and used the time before the arrival of the horses to register for five classes--halter, showmanship, trail, jumps and barrel racing.  Soon after the horses arrived, it was time to walk the three minis--Dory, Deacon and Maple over to the ring.  My horse Dory was anxious and ready to trot.  I walked her in circles.  We walked into the arena and then were told to trot.  I started a third line of mini horses. While we waited for the judge, I walked her in more circles.  She tried to roll in the soft sand, so I pulled her up.  I accidentally unhooked the lead strap with my thumb.  She wandered over to another mini and the shower held her halter while I reattached the lead.  Another mini, a two year old, had enough and reared. Finally, the mini was under control.  Dory did receive an honorable mention!  I wasn't confident to try the showmanship class so Dory and I watched.  After the class, we took the horses back to the trailer so that they could eat and drnk until their classes after lunch.  Trail was interesting--open and close a gate, trot across several poles, walk across a tarp, back up, sidestep, turn a 360 in a box, trot to a cone and exit.  Dory completed the course.  She doesn't know how to sidestep, and I didn't align her neck and body when she backed..  Then we tried jumping.  At the farm we jump with the minis.  These were metal standards.  Dory loves to jump but wasn't used to the different standards.  Of the six jumps, Dory jumped one!  She jumped so high!  Everyone relaxed for the barrel racing.  Dory and I cheered and neighed for the other competitors.  Dory and I were last.  She did awesome but I need some serious sprinting experience!  And I lost my hat on the run back.  All in all a fabulous day!

Flower beds

1. 

Because it rained a lot in early spring, grass and flower beds are thriving.  Poinsettias love the hot, humid weather.  I actually considered throwing away my smaller poinsettia plant but it had one leaf.  Since it fought so valiantly for its sole leaf, I put it outdoors next to the larger poinsettia.  It has grown many green leaves.  I thought I would summer the orchids outside also.  The very day I put the orchids outside, we got hail which damaged and pock marked the leaves. Even so, I know they are happier out in the hot humid weather.  My daughter brought the hosta plants from her home 500 miles away.  I planted them and they are shooting out flowers.  I planted impatiens in the front of the house and placed a combo pot that my children gave me for Mom's Day.  I think I need a greenhouse. I was looking at them online along with she sheds (man cave for women).  I am driving out to the farm after work for one more practice with Dorie before the Sunday show.  I will practice barrel racing and backing, trotting in for show.

Holiday

 June seems to fly by!  Probably because I so look forward to the hot humid days of summer and am happy when they finally arrive.  Such a pleasure to head out without a jacket!  I met with two friends yesterday for dinner and we talked about our holiday plans.  No work today, no babysitting!  I am free to do what I want!  This kind of day comes once in a blue moon! So I got up late this morning, watered my flowerbeds, made an omelette, checked facebook and a blog that I am following and now am writing this blog.  Later, if it is cool enough I will walk the dogs.  Pudge is a pug/beagle with a squished nose so I carry water and walk when it is cool. Otherwise he chugs like a freight train with his rib cage moving heavily.  Pudge and Maui, along with me, are on diets.  Maui is a mini dachsund with a long back and sausaged up when I fed our humungous cat in the dark of night.  I hope to drive out to the farm and work with my mini horse.  I drove out Tuesday morning into a fierce looking storm.  I don't know if she was afraid but when I let her loose in the arena she ran around like a wild thing.  My teacher and I are trying to desensitize her to a driving bridle and harness so that she can pull a cart.  I wasn't holding her securely enough and she took off and ran around the arena for 5 minutes before my teacher could catch her.  I've never shown a mini horse and she has never shown so the show on July 14 will be most interesting.  (The May 5 show was canceled because the grounds were saturated and boggy.)  I hope to show her in halter class, trail class, hurdles and possibly barrel racing. I hear my new wind chimes.  I got them from my children because yesterday was my dad's 93rd birthday in Heaven.  My dad's house is sold, I am almost done executing is estate.  I am so not motivated to put away the twenty or so items I brought from my Dad's house.