All In Good Time

     This watercolor by William Breedon is named "All In Good Time".  Like his painting, which came together over time, so do the chores done by this farmer as he milks the cow in an unhurried pace.  The cat waits patiently for an anticipated, routine treat.  "All in good time" is something we say, to tell someone to be patient because the thing they are eager for will happen when the time is right.  The phrase is used to encourage people to be serene and wait quietly.
    
     Cats can be very patient... stalking prey, waiting to pounce.  And they can be so impatient... attacking your feet to wake you up and howling for breakfast.  Cats can also cause us to feel impatient, as if to tell us "All in good time", as we sit waiting for them to jump up on our lap or come over for a scratch on the chin.

     Like the farmer and patient cat in the painting, I wish I could be more   laid back when it comes to life on the farm.  Farm life is often depicted as peaceful and easy going.  In reality, there is always lots to do and many worries with crops and livestock to
                                                     handle.  I don't know how farmers
manage.  Right now, getting our hay harvested is a big concern, and it was my fretting over this that caused me to come up with this week's Blog title.  Our hay man is too busy trying to finish planting crops and rain has been in the forecast almost daily the whole month of May.  Our hay has gone to seed and the alfalfa has started flowering.  It is way overdue for cutting and baling. 

     Tuesday was a continuation from the weekend of more rainy weather.  Britney, Abbey and I all thought it was good napping weather.  We had 21 women at Water Lilies, which is a near record breaking crowd, especially for a Tuesday.  Most of us had skipped going on Memorial Day.  I kept the horses in the barn extra long, then worried about them slipping and tearing up the pasture when I finally let them out and they galloped off.  A
                                                     large part of my day was spent on my
computer, organizing and continuing my search for housing in either of the two retirement communities we are currently considering.  I keep telling myself, "All in good time", and try not to worry about this up coming move.  Britney continued work on her grad class and studying for the GRE test she takes the end of June.

     Britney went to the Replex with me Wednesday morning and ran while I exercised with the ladies.  It was finally a beautiful sunny day.  Britney and I went to B/N; I to shop and she to meet with a mission leader at Church.  Once home she took a nap with Brother.

     This is one of the broody hens that we keep bringing in from the barn to the chicken coop.  Britney has been in the process of befriending it.  All in good time I suppose.


     I brought the horses in early because they were hot out in the sun.  With the sun and wind, it was dry enough to ride.  I started with Amiga. 




     She did well but kept coughing.  I think she had a piece of thistle from her hay stuck in her throat.  The flies were bad and bothering her too.  She also slipped on the hill on my riding trail out by the tracks.  It was still wet and muddy back there. 
I got off Amiga in the
drive and was walking her to the barn when I took these two photos.  She snitched a bite to eat.









     Roni was next on the agenda. He did well with the round pen work.










     Courtney had come out to work with Zorro, entering the round pen just as I was ready to ride Roni.  Brother hid on the stump by the round pen to watch us.




     Roni was doing well, and stood patiently while I helped Courtney get on Zorro.







     He also stood still while I sat in the saddle taking several photos.








     Courtney was working through  stop and go and turning with Zorro.  She is making good progress, although it is slow.  She doesn't rush things, but waits for the right moment to do them... all in good time.


     I got back to riding Roni, first in our pasture where Joe had mowed the riding trail.  Roni was acting very spooky... at the wind blowing the tall grass and birds flying out of the trees.  It is really hard to relax on him when he is so jumpy.

     I decided to take Roni over to Becks where there is no tall grass or trees with birds.  He did much better and didn't even rush when we turned for home.

     Thursday it was sunny but very windy and scattered showers blew through a few times.  I would be doing outside jobs but have to scurry in out of the rain and close windows. 

     I weeded the garden and got the yard cleaned up so Joe could mow.  I also brushed the dog, clipped her nails, and cleaned her ears.  Abbey enjoyed an afternoon nap.









     Britney and I drove to Downs to take Kaysha for a walk.  We tried dropping in on Daniel, but he didn't seem to be home. 




     As we walked, the skies got darker and the wind picked up.  I did evening chores as soon as we got home and it wasn't much later when the night's storms hit.  Kaysha was a pain all night long, panting by my bedside.

     Friday morning's calm after the storm was short lived...  the wind picked up and more rain was in the forecast, although we had periods of sunshine off and on.  Britney and I went to the Replex and did our usual thing.  Roni was neighing when we left, as if to say "hey wait, you forgot to let us out".  It was way too muddy so I waited till we got back home to turn the horses lose on the pasture.












     I was out getting hay photos as Joe drove down the drive headed for work.  The grass is chest high and seedy.




     Britney studying and Kaysha rolling after a good brushing and ear cleaning.
     











     We did rainy day activities most of the day, Britney studying and me working at my computer.

     Britney got Abbey's tent out, which the cat enjoyed exploring and playing in.

 







     I took a nice nap after lunch and then went out to rake up grass clippings.  When it started to rain I had to come in to shut windows again. 
     We had pop-up storms a few
times during the day.  Joe went to his weekly poker game, and I got rained on during evening chores.  I have started weaning Kabob of the bottle, and feed him near Stew, who tries to steal his food.  This is a process that can't be rushed and will work out in time.  The severe storms during the night had Kaysha in a tizzy and at 1am I finally gave her a tranquilizer (rather than an anxiety pill) which eventually shut her down so I could sleep.

                                                           Saturday morning Britney and I

were at the Replex at 6:30 working out.  I could not get my body going, but walked, put in a mile on the Elliptical, and lifted weights.  The barn yard was a muddy mess so the horses were confined to the barn longer than usual... although it has become the norm with all the rain we have been getting.  It makes stall cleaning more of a chore.  Summer will, in good time, get here.


     It was very windy (and threatening to rain) all day.  I stuck to the house for the most part, spending time on this Blog, Facebook, e-mails, and napping.



     I did go out to get sky photos, but thought the horses made more interesting subjects, and the sky can still be seen above them.



     As storm clouds blew over, it would get dark and then it would lighten back up as the sunshine broke through holes in the stratosphere.



     The horses are all a muddy mess, Roni and Zorro worse than Amiga. 





     We have been planning a one week "get away" with Joe's three sisters and most of the children.  

     Plans to bring bikes had Joe and I messing around with the bike rack and getting our cycles "out of storage".  One of them is missing it's seat and has a very rusty chain.  It was fun to get on the white bike and take it for a spin down the drive.


     Everyone, especially those shackled to weekly jobs, is full of anticipation for vacation.  I am looking forward to the beach, but also to staying in town where walking and biking will be so much easier.  The fun and folly will begin, all in good time.


   
     I did do three loads of laundry so the day wasn't a total loss.  Britney and I went to Normal for a retirement party of a beloved coach/teacher.  A down pour drove us all inside, but did not put a damper on the party for long.  It cleared off and we were back outside enjoying the live music and staying longer than expected.
    



     I feel like a broken record... but Sunday was more of the same gloomy weather, and the paddock was a gooey mud pit.  Joe, Britney and I went to first service, then to a prayer meeting with the mission's team, and finally to Courtney's for water.   

     We got home from town a little before noon and at last let the horses out of the barn.  A nap after lunch and finishing up this blog left little time for much else in the day.  I did go out and walk around to visit the animals and get more photos of the gloomy skies.  It drizzled a few times during the day.




     Britney sat on the front porch, studying, while Brother napped on the chair.  Later I let Abbey out to play in the tent while Britney was Skyping with two friends.


     Brother was quick to wake up, get off the chair to investigate... and go into the tent to play. 




     Joe grilled steaks for dinner and I tried making a kale dish to go with the potatoes.  All was fairly good eatin'.

     We keep doing some tasks, not seeing immediate benefits... exercise, training our horses, moving broody chickens off nests... etc., but we know
                                                     "all in good time."  Eventually our
efforts will pay off or pan out.  With many tasks; like laundry, dusting, mopping, dishes, mowing, and cleaning stalls... we get immediate satisfaction, but only temporarily.  There is no end to these jobs and tomorrow or next week we will be repeating them.

     This silly video "Sad Cat Diary" was on Facebook yesterday, and it just seemed like a fun way to end this Blog post.  "Outside... or inside... or outside...."  All in good time!