Rodeo Ridin

Beautiful spring day today. Rode both my horses and my big boy, Chance, behaved better than any prior spring season. Of course, he was full of spring and oats and wanted to pace and move out, so I let him. He pulls his head down and up and I let him till he gets it out of his system. He prances and dances and I laugh. He is a much better horse than he used to be. He still plays with his antics but he respects me and it's mutual, so we get on just fine. I don't have to "cowboy" him. I just have to let him be him and I'm no longer afraid of him and he knows it so we just have fun. I stop him and he stands there, looks backwards and sideways at me until I lean forward slightly and off he goes again. It so makes me laugh.

The funniest part was my mare. She is generally the most docile, slow moving horse ever. Duh, duh, duh, duh...down the trail. Usually being the keyword. Today she had to follow two paced Icelandics. They are gaited and move at a good clip, especially in spring. Their pace is Gracie's lope. She rodeod all the way down the trail. Never seen her do that before. Twist, buck, turn. ears back, head shaking back and forth. I was bareback but don't come unseated. I have my balance after all these years. It just makes me laugh. But it was a bit of a ride and I'll be a bit sore tomorrow, I figure. Good. Like moving my body. Love being outside. Love riding most of all, without being bundled up like a Muslim woman.

Grand day. Good ride with good friends.

And then raked the yard with my dog, Rodeo, out with me. She stayed out of the street even when another dog ran over and across. Good dog. Love her too. Love my animals. They are so much more fun than people sometimes....especially people who pop you in the mouth and give you a fat lip...hahaha. YOU know who you are!!!

ANNNNDDDD..tomorrow, it's spose to snow again. Ok then. That's ok. It's nearly over. My flower bulbs are showing above frozen ground. So, it's close...and I'm happy enough.

Kids, kites, bikes and life

So, I helped a 4 year old ride a two wheel bike for the first time and get up after he scraped his knees and ride again. Then we flew a kite. Then he fell asleep with one leg up and was snoring. Children are an elixir to me. They bring pure joy, truly. Maybe cause I don't have my own but I find them real magic and they cure my soul which breaks when I hear "oh yeah, btw, we're staying in Libya and Afghanistan". No shit? I want to shoot the tv. It won't help..but kids, horses, dog, kites and bikes and near spring offer some hope...some. I worry about the children. What have we done? How stupid can we be, really?

But happy is what this post is meant to be, mainly cause of this precious boy...

he was snoring when i took this picture. Toooo funny!

Spring, nearly...

Did you happen to see the SUPERMOON? It rose orange and red and I happened to be at the oceanside by happenstance. As big as a flying saucer, that moon. Stunning. Wow factor. Bigger even than in England when I saw the lunar eclipse out my window at the YMCA and stayed awake all night to stare at it past the trains which passed directly by my window and shook the bed. Pretty magical, sites like that.

Had a good visit with my father. Went to my first baseball game with him. Only boys went to baseball games when I was amall. What a cheat. We only went for one inning and it was St. Patrick's Day so they were playing the Pogues over the loud speakers. Bonus. And it was the LAST inning so we had the stadium nearly to ourselves and just watched the kids clamour to get their balls (baseballs) signed by the players and such. Nice moment with my dad.

Most memorable moment? I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I got really lucky, Dad, to have you as a father. You made me life possible."

"Well, you've been a good daughter."

My mouth hung open. My eyes watered. My father had never said anything remotely like this to me.
And I will hang on it for the rest of my life.
He only has a 20 percent chance of recovery.
But he's still alive and well, I cherish every minute I have with him, despite our difficulties through the years.

I love him so.
It's spring, nearly. New birth this way comes....new buds, birds returning, air maybe warming some day soon, gardening and yes, riding, riding, riding.
I must rob my piggy bank. I only got 3/4ths a tank for $75 the other day. This is going to severely cut down my travels with my horses as when I'm hauling I only get 8 mpg.

But wander and wonder I will. It is who I am.