While It Lasts

The lovely fall (Indian Summer type) weather is not going to be like this forever, so I plan to enjoy it while it lasts.  Thus there has been riding as much as possible, including more trailering to awesome campgrounds and equine trails.

I will enjoy the ride while it lasts.

My good health, life circumstances, and time on this earth are not certain.  So I am going to enjoy each moment while it lasts because the moment may never happen again. 


Thankfully, all the leaves falling into the yard is not a permanent situation, so Joe and I will just keep at it (leaf clean up) while it lasts. 
 

Friday 11/4 - Just after posting last week's blog, I headed to the ranch to get ready to load our horses.  Amiga has been getting right on the trailer, and did great as usual.

Our drive was 90 minutes and thankfully uneventful.  I even took a little nap.

When we got to Big South Fork Lodge and Campground, after checking in to the lodge and barn, we off loaded the horses. 







Amiga is always last on and first off the trailer.  She came flying backwards off the trailer as usual.  Only this time she slipped on manure and fell on the ramp.  She got right back up and thankfully wasn't hurt and, really didn't even seem shaken.  She is much more frightened about stepping backwards to get off the trailer.

After Jean off loads Robbie, I usually reload Amiga and have her practice backing slowly off the trailer.  It is odd, but these practices typically go much better than the initial off-loading.  This time Amiga did not want to get back on, but with a little work I had her part way in with front feet on the trailer and back feet on the ramp.  I quit at this point, wanting to end on a good note.

This is Amiga, looking quite alert in the last three photos.  You can see the trailer, barn stalls, and hitching post where we tacked up at. 


We got the horses set up in their stalls with water and hay and then unloaded our overnight bags, snack bags and cooler in our lodge room.  The kitchenette can't be seen in this photo, but it had a full size refrigerator, a microwave and coffee pot. 

Joe had unhitched the trailer from the SUV and left to go hiking.  Here are two of several photos he shared with us later. 


Jean and I got busy saddling up our horses. 





At this point, four men (whose horses were sharing the barn with our two) arrived back from a ride. 


The guys were still finishing up caring for their horses as Jean and I mounted up and headed out for a ride.  You can see our 'neighbors' better in this second photo Jean took. 

Amiga and Robbie were both pretty excited, so Jean and I each had our hands full to begin with. 














Once we were headed down the trail, they settled down and then did quite well.

After some research and discussion, we went out on the Cumberland Valley Loop Trail, counter clockwise.  The trail head was 2/10ths of a mile from the campground.  It is a multi-use trail so was quite wide and easy to travel in order for all-terrain vehicles to manage it. 













All these photos give you an idea of the trail.  It was covered in leaves so you couldn't see your footing, but really, you didn't need to because it was so well manicured. 

The weather was perfect and actually a bit too warm for our horses who have part of their winter coats already.  Both mares got quite sweaty. 

When we got to the Laurel Overlook Trail head, we took that, riding in about 1/10th of a mile. 

Then we had to dismount and walk the rest of the distance (another 1/10th of a mile) to see the overlook.  There were hitching posts to tie your horse to, but I didn't have a halter on Amiga and we only had one lead rope. 






Jean held the horses while I walked out to take a look.  Personally, it wasn't that spectacular, although I didn't walk down all the steps to get to the overlook. 

Then I held the horses while Jean went to take a look.  In this photo, she is giving them a treat for standing nicely.

On our way back to the Campground (we just did an out and back) our horses picked up the pace. 








At one point I noticed a white vehicle approaching, and quickly recognized it to be Joe.  What the heck?  Leave it to crazy Joe to bust a move and drive our SUV down the trail. 


Joe took this (video) and then photo of us riding up towards him. 


By the time we got back to 'camp,' we had gone 6.6 miles in 2:21 hours.  We un-tacked our horses and then turned them out in the little corral attached to the back of our barn. 






Because our horses could go up to the back windows of the stalls where the other four horses were at, I 'stood guard' to prevent them from visiting the other horses.  It is not good practice to let horses touch noses with strange horses, due to the possibility of transmitting disease.
 

We had gotten an update from Susan and Bonnie that Cowboy and Zorro were enjoying pasture time together and Zorro was not concerned about being left without the mares. 









Then Patty sent us an update to say that Zorro came in for dinner, not too concerned about eating alone.  When she turned him back out, she took this (video) of he and Cowboy running down towards the corral and barn. 




Patty also went down to the barn to check on Wanda and got these photos.  Susan and Bonnie heading back with Cowboy's feed bucket. 







This photo shows Polly and Yvonne putting hay up in the loft.  They have bought extra to help us out since they no longer put their horses on pasture, which requires a lot more hay than our other four horses who graze about eight hours a day. 


Soon we put Amiga and Robbie in their stalls and headed to Freddy's Hitching Post, five miles down the road.  Service was slow, so the wait for our food was long.  To pass the time, I partook in some line dancing.
 

We enjoyed our drinks, but unfortunately the food was only okay.  We all got our fill though.



Once back to the campground, Joe got a fire going while Jean and I checked on our horses.  You can see the lit up front of the barn behind us in this photo.  We mucked stalls, topped off water buckets, and gave more hay.  It was another beautiful evening, which I wanted to enjoy while it lasted, but I was too tired, so walked back to our lodge room well ahead of Joe and Jean. 

Saturday 11/5 - I was up before sunrise, and walked down to the barn to check on our horses, muck their stalls, and give them more hay and water.  This photo was taken from the barn, looking towards sunrise and our lodge, the building on the left.

The four guys came down while I was working, and were saddling up their horses when I left. 




Once back in our room, with Jean and Joe now up, I had a second cup of tea and more breakfast.  We also got a message from Susan.  This Standing Tall shed had blown into the road and she had to drive on the grass to get around it.  She notified the police.

Back home, Cumberland County had been and was still under a wind advisory.  Susan reported that our boys were doing well together.  You can kind of see their manes blowing in this photo she sent. 

A little later I got an e-blast warning from our local police about the road blockage.

The forecast where we were, was for wind and a 15% chance of rain.










Since the four neighboring horses were gone, we let our two out into the paddock area for awhile. 

Amiga and Robbie both rolled right away and then spent a lot of time exploring.  They were finding hay and grain dropped by previous horses. 

Jean and I cleaned everything out of the stalls, including hay net and water bucket and then groomed our girls really well. 

Joe left to go hiking as we were tacking up.  The wind did pick up by the time we were riding out from the campground. 






This time we headed clockwise on the Cumberland Valley Loop Trail.  Because it was only designated for hiking and riding, it was a little more challenging and much more picturesque.  After taking this photo and starting this (video), we rounded the corner for a hill down to a creek crossing.  I took the lead on Amiga in hopes Robbie would follow us through the creek. 





But we were not so lucky as we had been last weekend at Timber Ridge, and Robbie did not want to cross the water.  Jean worked with Robbie awhile, not wanting her to jump the creek like she wanted to do.  Eventually she did cross with kind of a step and a hop to do so.

Eventually we came to a junction in the trail, and took the North White Oak Loop.  It was a 16 mile loop, so we only planned to do an out and back.  The trail had gotten narrower at this point, but was still very nice. 

On our return trip we did get rained on.  It sprinkled fairly steadily for about five minutes, so we did get wet.  But it wasn't that cold and the strong winds dried us off fairly quickly. 







The footing had been better than the day before because there was a lot less big gravel.  But with the leaves now wet we were a little worried about it being slippery. 



We stopped more often on our return trip because our horses were acting tired, and of course we were trying to get some selfies. 








There is just no way you can get both riders and both horses in one selfie.  Our arms are simply not long enough. 



My phone had died, so Jean took over communications with Joe, whom we didn't hear back from so figured was in too remote of a location to get cell service.  Jean also took some photos for me.  This is one of the big leaves that are very white on their underside, and make it look like someone had TP'd the woods. 





The day's ride had ended up being 7.2 miles in 2:54 hours.  This was our longest ride together, so far.  We and our horses definitely need more conditioning to go farther.  I do love my horse though, she is so willing. 

We let the horses cool down and rest a little bit, but then loaded to go, in order to get home before the heavier rains were predicted. 

This time when unloading at our ranch, Amiga really did try to go back slowly at first.  She moved each foot an inch or so, several times.  But then fear got the best of her and she bolted backwards off the trailer.  We did do more practice after Jean unloaded Robbie.

After cleaning out the trailer and putting all our supplies and tack away, it was almost 5pm when I headed home from the ranch.  The Standing Tall shed had been removed from the road, but looked to be in pretty bad shape.  How unfortunate it had not been properly anchored into the ground.  I hope they can salvage most of it. 

Once home, I discovered that we too had been affected by the strong winds.  This tree has been dead, and I knew it was a matter of time before it came down.  Thankfully nothing was damaged and nobody was hurt. 





Joe had picked Maggie up at Patty's so I fed all our fur babies, showered and put on my PJ's, and unpacked the overnight bag, snack bag, and cooler.  Then I was ready to call it a day.  Joe and I watched a few hours of TV before I hit the hay.

Sunday 11/6 - I was up at about the time the clocks were to be moved back an hour.  I read, knowing computer light is not conducive to making you sleepy.  Well, I finally finished my novel, but was still not sleepy.  I got tea and toast and sat down at my computer.  Jean sent this photo of the hens (meeting at fort chicken as she labeled it).  What silly birds, and what are they up to?  Is it a coup in the coop?










I finally got sleepy and went back to bed, and slept from 8-9:30.  Upon waking, I had a third cup of tea and a third breakfast.  Then I sat back at my computer to continue blogging.  I had so many photos from our overnight riding adventure, it was taking plenty of time to go through them all.  Well then I got this photo from Jean.  Another convention, this time of horses. 

While working here at my computer, Babe was trying to snuggle with Maggie, and it wasn't even cold. 

Eventually I pulled myself away from the computer.  It was just too nice out to let the day go to waste.  I needed to take advantage of this beautiful weather while it lasts. 

At the ranch, I mucked the loafing sheds and dry lot and then Jean and I decided to horse around a little.  We groomed our mares who we had tied to the hitching post up by our sheds.  I put Amiga's bridle on and went for a ride.  Jean worked with Robbie at 'water crossing' using the pond. 

I rode (bareback) around the pond pasture and got these photos of Jean working with Robbie.  Then I headed down the drive to the barn.  The back gate was open (Polly had ridden out that way) so I decided to take Amiga on out also. 








Just as I got out on the gravel road in back, I saw Polly in the distance.  I let Amiga graze while we watched Polly and Rio approach.  After chatting for a bit, I had Amiga follow Polly and Rio back into the barnyard.

It was getting dark at 4:30 when I headed home for another quiet evening here at my computer while Poker Joe was off doing his thing. 

Monday 11/7 - Stevie, Monita, and Styx keeping me company (and bugging me) while I sat here at my computer ALL morning.  I felt like I should be outside enjoying the weather while it lasts, but had blogging and domestic chores to catch up on.  I also did research and had Joe book a cabin at East Fork Stables for the night of November 19th. 

I have heard nothing but good things about them and their trails, but they close the end of November.  So this will be our last hoorah (overnighter) this year.


Babe planning to bug her mom, then sees another trouble maker (Monita), and decides to go after her.  

Rose enjoying a nap on the back deck.  It got up to 75°.  I didn't head to the gym until almost 1pm.  I showered there and shopped along Pevine on the way home.  It was 4:30 (and getting dark) by the time I got all the 'goods' put away.  Scheesh. 

Jean sent this cute (video) of Wanda when she was down at the barn doing chores.  And I got this photo from the video.  Our little barn cat is just too silly  and cute. 

Joe and I watched two hours of Joe Pickett before I hit the hay.

Tuesday 11/8 - We can't see the sunrise from our wooded location, but I do get to see the pretty sky when it occurs and I am out walking the dog.  We now have a winter landscape with most of the trees bare.  In this photo, the pin oak and American beech trees can be seen displaying marcescence - withering of leaves but they remain attached to the stem.  These leaves do not fall off until spring, when new buds start to grow. 




It was another beautiful day.  I shortened my morning computer time and read through the 22 pages of the copies of Patty's legal documents to prepare to meet with the same lawyer (who did her's) to put together our will and testament and our health care directive. 





Once ready for our meeting with the lawyer, and still having two hours of time, I went out and helped Joe with leaf wrangling.  He uses the riding mower to bag them, and I rake them out of all the beds and cart them away in the king size sheet.  Rose chose to take a nap in this section of yard we had finished with. 





Before raking leaves out of this bed (photo from August) I finally got around to trimming all the shrubs and the juniper tree. 

Now the last of my seasonal pruning is completed.  I forgot to take this comparison photo until late afternoon so it is rather dark and gloomy looking. 





On the way back from the lawyer's office, Joe dropped me off at the library building so I could vote.  Come to find out, it was going to be at least an hour wait.  I decided to walk home and return later when (hopefully) the line wouldn't be as long.  Coming down our street for home, I noticed a crew blowing leaves across the street at the Church.  

I needed to kill a few more hours before going back to vote, so got busy in the front yard removing leaves from the gardens.  I was hauling the sheet loads to the wooded lot at the corner next to Allen's.  When the crew at the church got to the ditch across the street from our drive, I gave them a disgruntled, perplexed look as several of the leaves they were blowing were flying over to our side of the road.
 

Maggie had been hanging out with me.  We are working on her only barking once and then stopping ('leave it'), so as not to be a nuisance.  She did very well with the strange men so close to our driveway. 

I decided at 3:00 it would be a good time to go vote, so I headed back up the hill (this time driving the ¼ mile) to the library building.

The whole voting process took 45 minutes (way too long in my opinion). 

I had read the whole ballet ahead of time so was only in the booth a couple of minutes.  There were four proposed changes to the state constitution, one over two pages long on the ballot.  Voters who didn't do their 'homework' were really slowing the process down, reading it all in the voting booth.

I got home a little after Joe had gotten back from the ranch, and helped him haul some logs up to the trailer from the fallen, dead tree he had cut up down back.  The leaf crew across the street was done for the day, but still needed to suck up all the piles.  I just hope it doesn't get windy before they finish.  You can't tell, but part of this pile was over four feet high.  Oh, and they had blown the leaves off the street back to their side.



Stevie was feeling playful while I was cleaning litter boxes.  There is a box under this cat tree.  I usually do this job shortly after feeding the four cats and dog. 

I had seen Patty at the library, just as she was getting in line to vote, and felt bad that it was going to be dark by the time she got out to the ranch to do chores.  Well, when I checked on her, she sent this photo to show me Amiga's dirty butt.  Her comment was: 'two full moons.'  Bah, ha, ha.

Joe and I watched two hours of Joe Pickett and the episode ended on a very suspenseful note.  I wanted to keep watching, but it was already 8:30. 
 

Wednesday 11/9 - I started my day before 4am.  The pre-dawn walks have been lovely in the light of the full/nearly full moon.  

I took this photo on my way to the gym.  Across the street in the Church woodland, trees were being cut down.  I wondered why. 





I spent two hours at the gym (which includes a 15 minute warm-up on the rowing machine, 90 minutes of weights,  and 15 minutes of stretch and balance exercises).  During my weight workout, I take little breaks to 'catch by breath,' let my heart rate recover, and get drinks of water. 
 

I made a big (wonderful) toss salad for lunch and then went to the ranch to horse around with Jean.  She rode Zorro today. 

We were only out a little over an hour, going 3.3 miles.  Maggie loved joining us. 







Both Amiga and Zorro got kind of revved up when we were heading back towards the barn.  And they both got kind of sweaty because it was over 70° out. 

After we had them both cooled down, brushed and with fly masks on, we turned them back out with Robbie and Cowboy. 

 

I helped Jean get the ranch house windows latched (a two person job) before the winter winds, and then came home.

Now across the street, the tree removal team was making lots of noise putting branches through the shredder.  They did blow all the leaves that had come out onto the road, back into the ditch, but the leaves never got picked up today. 



It wasn't quite dinner time, so I walked Maggie around the block.  I was wanting to get a look at the Church yard now.  I couldn't believe how bare it looked around the columbarium.  The project supervisor from the church was there and I spoke to him briefly.  They wanted to make the columbarium more visible and plan to concrete the gravel area, making terraces where chairs can be placed for out-door services. 

I thought it a shame that about fifteen trees (several evergreen and some very large oaks) had been cut down.   The columbarium had been lovely; set in a private, tranquil, woodland environment. 

Sitting here at my computer, I got very sleepy, so took a two hour nap (6:30 - 8:30).  Scheesh.  I should have just gone to bed, but it was way too early.  So I was up from 11pm computerizing and then reading. 

Thursday 11/10 - With two days of rain in the forecast, I went out at 9am to start working on clearing leaves.  First I blew leaves back to the church side of the street that had blown into our front ditch. 








Then I went back to raking leaves out of our front flower beds.  Some of them have been here for many months and were rather rotten.  This is a job I was long past due on doing.  Joe worked with the leaf blower and riding mower to clean leaves out of the front walk, deck and piles we had made in the lawn. 

In this photo, you can kind of see how high the leaves are piled across the street.  The workers never did get them picked up today.  With high winds in the rainy forecast, Joe and I were both concerned we would have more of their leaves to remove. 





I had to hustle, eating lunch in the car on the way to the ranch to make it for our planned 12:30 ride.  I had invited Dave, who has been helping us with our front gate and a few other fix-it jobs. 





We rode for almost an hour going nearly three miles.  Dave really enjoyed himself and it was nice to get to know him a little better. 









Jean and I took turns leading and bringing up the rear, trying to keep Zorro sandwiched in between us.  He got in front a few times and would start rushing, but overall did a very nice job for Dave.
 

Once finished with our ride, Dave got back to work on the front gate's Mule motor, Jean did mucking chores, and I helped Joe with leaf collection.  I raked and he sucked them up with the riding mower. 








Joe and Dave left and I continued with the riding mower.  As I was finishing up, I enjoyed this pretty sky at sunset. 




Joe had decided, kind of spur of the moment, to have one last bonfire before the weather got cold and rainy.  Jack and Mary were in town and joined us and Patty came out. 








It was a beautiful, perfect night for a fire and is always so relaxing sitting around the fire pit chatting.  Many good stories of past travels were told. 

Friday 11/11 - Happy Veteran's Day.

I had decided to wait and do my third gym day of the week on Saturday since I needed to do a big shopping day in town and had chores at the ranch.  This was a good idea since I woke feeling a tad sore from all the leaf raking. 

I noticed Maggie's ear in a funny position as she was napping while I was at my computer.  She is a cute and silly girl.

Also seen below and in this (video) are some cute and silly kitties.  (left to right, Babe, Styx, & Monita)

The rain had started in the evening, persisted all night at a gentle sprinkle, and continued through the middle of the day. 

While in town shopping, I got my hair cut and got a flu shot.  And I picked up a couple of pretty Christmas ornaments at a thrift store. 

This was Stevie, while the other three were 'bird watching.'

It was my chore day at the ranch, and thankfully the rain had mostly stopped, and was now just a very light, misty drizzle.

Dan had dropped Tango off at our house (Joe was at Poker) so when I got home a little after 6pm, I had two dogs and four cats to feed.  

 










Tango was having some urinary tract issues and needed to be walked ever couple of hours, so I was out with both dogs just after at 6, 8, and 10pm.

This was posted on Facebook tonight, so I had to include it because it seemed so fitting to this week's blog theme.