A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING
Isn't that what life is about....We have favorites one day and discover something else the next that claims that favorite spot. My gardens are natural. Their beauty lies in diferent blooms taking the spot of fame for that week that it shows up. The above picture shows Drumstick Alluim parading its beauty to be accumpied by the Yellow Rudbeckia, sprinkles of the Annual Poppy, and the Purple sage slowly bowing out of its spot it highlighted last week.
My life this week has followed suit. Heat, high humidity has forced me out of the garden and into the house. I spent some time discovering new blogs in quilting, catching up on emails and YES, shopping on the Internet. Bought a Layer Cake from http://www.fatquartershop.com/ NO it is not to eat but a stash of quilters material from Kansas Troubles Quilters - moda Butterfly Gardens collection is the name of the grouping of 10 inch squares of the most delightful assortment of material I have ever seen.
I have spent days paging through each peice thinking of the neat things I will make with it all. Or maybe like many quilters just own it and enjoy looking at it. I find my self collecting more and more of this kind of stash lately. I retired from Master Gardeners, and Free Spirit Horse Therapy, Sensory Gardens this year and find so much more time and energy for my other likes. One favorite I always loved, fading into the background to be highlighted with my horses, gardens, chickens, and quilting-sewing projects. Spent a couple days teaching my granddaughter how to piece and sew a 12 inch nine patch quilted pillow. Such joy to see her enjoy my joy. 
Another favorite is Amazon's books in which I treated myself to four new books. One is called "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. It jumped out at me under Amazon's recomended section they always put out to tempt me to new adventures. I have just begun to explore its pages and it refered me to" go on line and look at the 'Awe Factor' video at http://www.crazylovebook.com/ to get a taste of the awe factor of our God. Emmmmm, so curious that I am I did! It had a profound effect on me and I have gone back to that over and over. I will say no more..... JUST DO IT!
My mornings are spent feeding chickens and getting my horses ready for their day. They get brushed, hooves picked, Fly spray application and checked over to make sure they have no injurys or sore spots from the day before. I love this time of day. Dick starts cleaning stalls as I get this chore done and then I join him in finnishing the four stalls, wash and clean their large black eating dishes, rinse pails and wash them out with baking soda when needed. Clean each of their brushes I used, then wipe down counter in tack room and sweep the isle along the stalls which consists of thick black rubber pads that are also in the stalls. There are pine wood chips also in the stalls that have to be added each day to refresh what was soiled by the horses during the night and mucked out each morning. Some days I have to give my Refa, a 34 year old Arabian mare a bath. Her hair is longer than normal because of an old horse Cushing desease. She sweats so much, and between the fly spray and dirt from rolling, she is a mess. seems sticky so brushing does not always get it out. She is almost blind from Moon Blindness so lays down at night and sometimes on top of her freshly dropped manuer. I know,,,,, some people tell me she should be put down but she was my very first "BIG" horse that I learnt to ride on and I have had her 17 years.
She has given both me and oodles of kids unforgetable joy in riding and using her so she will stay with me until she decides to give up on life. She gets pergolite meds along with a Bute...which is a giant asprin type meds for Artheritic pain and along with the other three horses gets Equine Savior which is a vitamen along with herbs, that has given them all an unbelivable energy and spark in life. Refa could barely walk around in the pasture and now can go into a full gallop with the other horses when on a cool day they tear around the pastures as they first get out of the barn in the morning. It is well worth the expense we pay Figuerola Laboratories in california. You can explore their web at http://www.figuerola.net/ which gives a full explaination of what is all in the suppliment. 
After horses are taken care of and starting their day in lush green pastures, Dick and I walk up to the house on a path that gently curves between my gardens full of delightful flowers that are blooming, giving both of us a searge of joy and energy for our day. We either have lunch or just a break of soda or lipton lemon tea for me. Dick takes care of the mowing, and all the heavy jobs while I take care of the gardens and house work. He shares cooking with me which he loves and I love having him do it. ^_^ Dick will work on his art projects which he has been selling at Country Craft Barn in Greenbush or take orders from here at our home.
Update on the stray Peacock that showed up last week.....We did not get a single call from out lost and found add in local paper but a neighbor called and told us he had a friend that would take it that also lives in the country and has horses. Dick was getting the Peacock ready to put it in a open metal dog cage we have for transporting it, and it flew the coop......off it went running like its life depended on it. It headed out to the wetland area we have and Dick could not find it. Had to call neighbor to tell him the bird was gone. We did not see it the next day either. But low and behold, there it was the next morning pacing around the corncrib part of the cage. Dick opened the door and it walked in to eat the corn. This time he again called the neighbor and put the dog cage inside the corncrib which made it a lot easier because the Peacock just walked in the cage and again ate the corn. And everybody lived happly ever after...... ^_^ the Peacock went with its new owner.....
More lilies with phlox and daylily
So there you have it, A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.
Me and Gilly my Airdale dog, enjoying a stay in the house.....Notice the snow outside. I can't wait for winter! I have had enough of this heat and humidity that Wisconsin has been giving us.
Kate
