We didn't get home from our Guatemala trip until 1:15 Sunday night/ Monday morning.... and I was up at 5am to take care of the horses, chickens, barn cats, and dog. I spent the day unpacking, doing laundry, and working on my Blog. I also worked on some house cleaning, washing sheets for Cathy and Ralph, watering inside plants, and reading snail mail, e-mail, and facebook updates. Courtney arrived shortly after Cathy and Ralph and we saddled up the horses and went for a ride. Even Cathy gave Amiga a try, with great success. Cathy took a bunch of pictures, trying to capture a good one of the horses (my favorite of Amiga above) to send Carlos for a painting he agreed to do for me. Here are a few samples:
After Cathy and Ralph hit the road Tue morning for their trek out west, I went for a long ride on Amiga. It was so good to brush her and work with her in the round pen first. She did really well on ground work and during our ride. I spent almost 2 hours on the tractor mowing the inside and outside pasture trim and the trail and around the round pen. Then I used the hand mower for about another hour. The grass seed I planted a few weeks ago
was doing well, getting too long, so I
Newly mowed new grass took down the fence and cut it. Once
chickens can now explore. Joe got home from work he fired up the
riding lawn mower for me so I could mow inside our larger round pen that we added the three new sections to.mowed, larger round pen
Courtney came after work to go for a quick ride. I jumped on Amiga bare back. She seems to gate much better without the saddle for some reason. After our ride, I watered all the flower beds and new tree transplants. It was late by the time I came in and I was too tired to finish up last weeks Blog.
Wednesday I was up early as usual. I worked all morning on my Guatemala Blog Post. In the afternoon I went out and raked up grass clippings and did some weeding. We caught a skunk in the Groundhog trap. It was a little one, rather cute, but too big of a nuisance. I won't go into the details of how
we took care of the skunk...but it was
stinky in more ways than one. Courtney and I went for a nice ride together, venturing over to Becks. Amiga did great again, but wanted to speed up to catch Zorro sometimes. He had a few issues as well. But once we worked through the problems, a good time was had by all.Thursday morning I rode over to Marj's. She wasn't home but I hung out for a bit talking with Brook (One of Marj's helpers) and watching the new foul explore the arena. I worked the remainder of the day on the hill side by the curve in the drive. I moved a bunch of dirt with the tractor, and set 6 railroad ties to make a terraced, stair steps up the hill. It took some effort to get them evenly spaced and level. Drove in 3 foot steel rods to secure them. I left Amiga at home and just drove Courtney and Zorro to Marj's for a lesson. I picked up some pointers while
watching Marj instruct, and then we hada nice visit after the lesson.
Two Zorro photos by Cathy:
Friday I caught up on things at my desk, took care of some needed chores and then headed into town. It was a long shopping trip, ordered a frame for the painting Carlos gave us and priced different trees and shrubs at 4 different stores. I want to plant on the hill side. I bought three Red Buds, 8 juniper and carted $100.00 worth of groceries home. By the time I got every thing unloaded and stored in its proper place, it was 4:00, too late to tackle more work on the hill, so I worked in the barn hanging fly strips I bought and putting up new hooks and organizing more stuff. I fed Baby (my rescue chicken) who has been sitting on a nest of 4 eggs out in the barn.
One look at the garden (foreground in
this photo Cathy took) and I knew it was hopeless. Joe has given up on it....I hope to re-do it and maybe try again this year. Everything needed watering again, which is a relaxing and an easy job but takes quite a bit of time. I went for an evening ride not arriving back at the barn until dark. Amiga did fine, but got nervous when we flushed out a deer and then she had to be convinced several times that we were not heading back to the barn just yet, even though it was getting dark and Zorro was bawling for us to come back. When we were in his sight, he would gait and canter around out in the front pasture, neighing, snorting, and tossing his head. I think he got as much exercise as Amiga did. The silly boy. 
The barn kitties are doing well and continue to be loved on by Courtney each day she comes out. Bro is the better hunter, but Sissy catches stuff too. I sometimes get worried when I see one but not the other, because they are usually together.My two hour ride Saturday morning, was an adventure. I went along the railroad tracks until I got to a road and took it towards the interstate. I wanted to take the road over I74 to the other side, but as I neared the bridge, I decided it was not a good idea. There wasn't any shoulder, the guard rail wasn't very high, it was steep enough that there was a blind spot and the few cars that did cross over were moving rather fast. So we went around the lake (from removal of dirt for bridge) and along the fields of corn next to the interstate. Several times I had to take Amiga through tall brush, under low trees, and over fallen trees. She did great with all of it. We eventually made it to Becks fields, which we cantered through (because they are nicely mowed) and then continued along the tracks to the neighbors West of Becks. Amiga got a nice bath once we made it back home, and got to eat sweet clover by the corn crib while she dried off for 15 minutes. Chuck is also doing well.
The bulk of the day was then spent working outside. I transplanted a bush out front and replaced it with one of the trees I bought. We are going to re-do our garden, replacing the bad soil with better dirt, moving the railroad ties over some and adding a fence. so I moved more garden soil to the hill side (removing weeds as I went). The dark and fatigue came all too soon and I had to call it a day, before I was done. I awoke July 4th thanking God for the day and the country we live in. Also gave thanks for all the soldiers who have served our country to keep it free. This video is a great tribute to all who have served and are serving: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1518766768168&oid=45935589194 I worked in the nursery and bought some flowers on my way home from Church. After lunch I planted the flowers around the red bud
I put in yesterday. Then Joe and I headed to
the Park in Downs for a July 4th celebration. Our favorite band (Biscuits and Gravy) played, for 3 hours in the hot sun, little breeze and high humidity. We enjoyed listening to them with Bob and Marge and later Shelly and Kelly. Both couples joined us here for hamburgers out in the cool farm breeze. Luckily the chickens and barn cats stayed off the picnic table.Today is the celebration of our 30th Wedding Anniversary. Joe cooked bacon and eggs for our breakfast. I watered plants even though rain (which never did come) was in the forecast. Then Joe and I tackled the garden.
We moved some railroad ties so I can
better get to the dirt to haul it to the hill side. We moved the fence boards to the north side of the post so we can better attach metal fencing. I held boards while Joe screwed them in. And I continued weed pulling while he sawed and finished securing boards. 
Courtney and I went to Moraine View with our horses just before noon. We rode almost 2 hours, sticking to the trails along the meadows edge by the woods rather than in the woods because it was too muddy and buggy. Amiga did very well and Zorro wasn't bad....pretty nervous at first but settled down eventually. He did get really
spooked at a deer that jumped out
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