No more planning, no more complaining!!!!!
School's Out for Summer.
This past week at school was actually an easy week. I gave exams Monday and Tuesday, had an institute day Wed., and then went to clean and check out on Thursday. My heart wasn’t into cleaning up my desk, so I decided to save it till a rainy day this summer. We did finally get next year’s class schedule. Mine is the same! I can’t believe it. It is too good to be true. I will be teaching just 3 classes; 4th, 5th, and 6th hours all in the same class room without having to move from room to room. I am so
thankful. I will
it will be nicer.
This is Cathy, the teacher I will be sharing the room with. She was busy hauling home all her plants.
During my free time I have been working on my Blog or riding Amiga instead of getting things done around here. Courtney and I rode around here Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday I trailered Amiga with Zorro down the road to Marj’s. Courtney had a private lesson. I rode with them for 30 min. and then headed home on Amiga, riding down the gravel road. She was tentative about leaving Zorro and the familiar surroundings, but did okay.
She did not forge
onward near as fast as she usually does. She also balked at the bridge, but with a little nudging went across. Once we crossed 150 and she realized where she was ….and saw our front pasture, she got all revved up again. But I made her walk up the drive to the barn. Silly horse. Friday, my first day of summer vacation, the dog woke me barking at 4am barking. I got up at 4:15 and went out to the barn to let the horses out for some early morning grazing. They were reluctant to leave the barn because I had not given them their grain yet. I went back out at 8:30 am to feed. Then I rode Amiga before it got hot. Britney took some pictures of us.
Riding out back between the fence and railroad tracks.
Going South over tracks to Becks fields and then coming back north.
Riding by pine out front and with peonies by front of house.
I had planned to take a nap in a lawn chair out in the sun or in the hammock in the shade later Friday, but never got the chance. In addition to my daily chores of cleaning stalls, filling water buckets, and moving horses from pasture to paddock to stalls and back....I continued planting flowers, weeding, hauling water to new transplants, picking up sticks, etc. I was motivated to get this place looking good before company (family) arrived for the weekend. I decided to hold off on house cleaning until Saturday morning. When Joe got home from work, he did a lot of mowing and trimming. He even mowed a path for and set up the croquet game.
Sat. morning Britney and Joe helped me clean house....dust, vacuum, clean bathrooms (toilets, sinks and showers), wash sheets, make beds for guests, clean kitchen, etc. It wasn't long before people started arriving: Sister Carol and her dog Tie. Chris and Travis Baker (Carol's sons) Sister Cathy and her husband Ralph, And Brother Dave and his wife Patti and their 3 kids Nicole, Michael, and J.J. We had a perpetual lunch of sandwiches, chips, and veggies well into the afternoon. People hung out in lawn chairs in the shade and caught up on the doings of each other.
Carol and Travis chat. Patti chatting, Chris in hammock.
Joe enjoying time off from work.
advice on the storm cellar shed.
Ralph and Cathy relaxing.
Barn kitty getting passed around.
Travis and J.J. "bonding".
Courtney and I worked with our horses. They were a bit revved up with all the excitement of guests milling about.
Once they had mellowed we each rode to further calm them and see how they were handling.
Amiga and I. Zorro and Courtney.
After I rode Amiga a bit, Carol ridding Amiga.
Carol did and then Nicole. Courtney continued riding Zorro
who wasn't quite ready or in the
right frame of mind for new riders.
Amiga did a pretty good job.
I need to work on her gaiting.
She isn't consistent, gets too
bouncy, or goes too fast.
Getting Nicole ready to ride.
Nicole did a great job riding.
We started slow and worked up.
I reviewed for her what to do.
She practiced while I had a lead
line attached to Amiga's bridle.
Then she rode on her own in the
round pen. Because both were
doing so well, I let them venture
out into the old orchard section
of the field. I was very proud of
both of them for a job well done.
During the afternoon, the kids ran around the farm exploring everywhere. The boys had a good time playing in the barn, hay loft, and playground. They enjoyed the cow, chickens, barn cats and dogs as well. There were a few games of shooting baskets and the kids played croquet with willing adults. Joe took some for rides on his "horse" and gave instructions to others on how to ride by themselves. The little kids and some of the big "kids" enjoyed swinging high.
Courtney shows Chuck
to J.J. and Nicole. Chuck slimes Michael.
Michael looks for Mr. T. Michael and the "birds".
Michael + Flopsey look for worms. J.J. and Kaysha resting.
Dave and his boys watch..... Nicole's
croquet shot.
Michael.....King of the
Dead Tree Stump.
Joe taking Michael for a spin.
Nicole and Michael shooting hoop.And They Were Swangin'
J.J., Michael, Chris and Courtney.
Joe grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and brats and we all enjoyed a great dinner with all the cover dishes of good picnic food brought in by all. Towards the end of our meal Mark Wade came up the road and cut our side pasture of alfalfa and hay.
Patti, Ralph, Carol and Travis dine.
Mark cutting
our hay field.
Later in the evening, as the sun neared setting, a cool breeze picked up. The cooler temperatures drew us around the camp fire and into a circle of fellowship, laughter, and sharing life. The adult beverages and fatigue from the day, lulled all of us into hitting the hay by 10:00pm, after the young, energetic Sidensticks left for the Holiday Inn in LeRoy and the Baker boys headed back home to Indy.
Sunday was more of the same as Saturday. We had breakfast on the lawn around what was left of last night's camp fire. Our only miss-hap of the weekend occurred when Tie chased Bro up a tree that's lowest branch was 20 feet up. He couldn't figure out how to back down and ended up coming down head first and jumping into the hammock from way up. He hit the board (injuring his face/head) and rolled off the hammock stunned. I was quite concerned at first. By later in the day he ended up with just swelling to his nose and cheek and otherwise appeared to be okay.
Breakfast by the fire. Bro's head first decent.
we walked to Brian's, our neighbor with some Angus. He is in the process of building a new house for his wife.
Britney with Tie, you can see new house foundation in background. Two baby Angus with one of the moms.
Nicole and I couldn't ride in our front pasture since it had been cut, so we rode in the paddock. The Leiningers left right after lunch, just before Courtney arrived back on the scene. The Sidensticks showed Britney a new
board game. The rest of the guests
headed home after the Indianapolis 500 was over. We all sat and watched it, disappointed by the slow caution, no pass, last lap. The crash that caused the yellow flag was scary, but exciting.....miraculously and thankfully the driver was not too badly injured.After dinner, Courtney and I rode Zorro and Amiga. Both were not listening very well. The flies seemed to be bothering them. Zorro started really misbehaving, so Courtney took him back to the round pen and worked him hard. When she got back on, he was tired, hot and sweaty, but he did behave much better. She didn't ride long, wanting to quit on a positive note.
After all had left, we cleaned up lawn chairs, games, and put everything back in its place. While doing so, I prayed for their safe trip home and reflected on our visit. What a great weekend to end the school year. I dearly love all my family and am so thankful everyone makes an effort to get together. We had a lot of fun. Ralph commented about us not needing to go anywhere for vacation cause there is so much to enjoy right here on the farm. He is right, especially on days when we can give the work a rest. The days of work are what make the days off so much more enjoyable. But I love the work days too. I always feel good about what I have accomplished.
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