Sunday 2/19 - In addition to all of her help, I am also really going to miss all the photos Jean sends us, of the 'goings on' out at the ranch. This was the morning's sunrise with Zorro in the covered alleyway chewing on the salt block.
I was up at 5:30 (only getting five hours of sleep) and tried to focus on my vacation blog. I did fairly well, even with all the cats wanting extra attention. This is Mama Styx wanting to snuggle. 
A little before noon, I ended up getting too sleepy, so took an hour nap.
I woke feeling better rested, but somewhat in a daze. I had ranch chores to get done, but decided to take advantage of the last few days left with Jean, so went out early enough to get a ride in with her. Walking Zorro into the barn, right away I noticed the metal plant pot had been partly squashed and pushed off it's rock into the corner of the barn. Ugh. It's always something. 
I rode Zorro because Amiga has been lame. It dawned on me that taking her front wedge shoes off (which have been helping with her lameness issues) to give her hooves a rest, was probably a mistake. So in future winters, I won't do that.
Zorro was a tad wound up, but fairly responsive each time I asked him to slow down. It's just that he kept speeding back up again. 
Jean and I rode almost three miles in a little under one hour. We took turns leading and following and rode side by side a lot also. 
While doing chores after our ride, I took a photo of the bald eagle that has been at our upper pond on a fairly regular basis.
When I was choosing and editing photos, I noticed that there was actually a second eagle I hadn't even noticed.
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Yvonne had left Cowboy's feed bucket for us to feed him, so Jean took care of Cowboy while I fed our three. He did well eating out in the back pasture.
I had a drink with Jean and we caught up on the goings-on out at the ranch and I told her a little about our cruise. It was just after 6pm when I got home, so I scurried around to do all my household chores and hit the hay early.
Monday 2/20 - I was up too early again. I got this blog started, but still had a lot to do on my Cruise blog post. Photo of daffodils blooming down by the pond.
From my desk I watched a pair of Wood Ducks scouting for a possible nesting location. The wooden duck house had partially fallen off the tree late fall, so I took it down and set it on the bench by the pond to take care of latter. Well, it needs to get cleaned out and re-hung sooner than later at this point. One duck was actually perched up on top of it for awhile.
My Lenten rose are also blooming, but you can see many plants with dead leaves, from the flash, deep freeze we had. Also the flower bed is a mess again, with leaves that have blown over from the golf course woods once more.
Babe, often watching to see what I am up to.
My day consisted of blogging, two loads of laundry, boarder related text messages, a nap, shower, meeting with Polly, trip to Food City, dropping stuff off at Patty's, and talking with Courtney for 45 minutes.
Jean had reported a bird seeming to be building a nest in the old stove pipe and was pecking it's way through, with its beak coming down through the closing into the room. Joe went out and helped her tape the cover shut better. The bird kept up its pecking racket all afternoon. Once Jean realized it was trapped in there (as her friend had reported happening in her stove pipe) Jean brought this ladder up from the shop and into the house. She proceeded to remove the cover and rescue the starling from it's entrapment. I have wanted to remove the stove pipe and close-off better this hole, having had rain water leak down through it two different times. Now this is near the top of our long repair list.
Tuesday 2/21 - It was a beautiful 60+ degree day as predicted. After blogging, more unpacking, and the gym, I went to the ranch. Jean and I wanted to get in one last ride before she hit the road to California. Here is her 'good-bye' selfie with Robbie.
With Amiga still being lame, I
rode Zorro again. But Amiga ended up running around the back pasture,
going nuts with us leaving her behind, even though she was with Cowboy. She probably would have been better off under saddle, out on the trail with me.
Polly arrived to ride Rio so we invited her to join us. She was a little 'behind' us, so we agreed to a meeting place and headed out before her. In this photo, she is coming down the trail where we met up with her. 
Our two horses were surprised to see Polly and Rio coming down the trail. We three proceeded to have a very nice ride together. Zorro was better today than he had been on Sunday and Robbie walked willingly through a big water puddle, twice. So it was a good 'last ride' for Jean.
Maggie had gone with us, and once back to the barn, Wanda was glad to see her.
We had a 'going away party' bonfire/potluck for Jean with Patty, Therese, Judy, and Karen joining Joe, Jean and I. It was a lovely night, perfect for the fire. We all had a nice time, yet none of us took any photos.
The three neighboring horses came by to see what was happening, since several of our horses had been neighing to each other while separated.
This photo was taken later in the day while I was mucking. Cowboy had come into the paddock, following our three who thought it might be feeding time.
After the farrier left, Patty, Susan, Bonnie and I had a meeting, planning to Co-op together with our three horses. 
I helped Jean with packing and then went home for a late lunch. I tried taking a nap out in the sun. It was 70° and felt so good.
Returning to the ranch, I did several chores and helped Jean finish packing her car. It is 'packed' to the brim!
Jean snapped this photo while I was dragging the hose to the water tank, to drain, clean, and re-fill it.
Notice I am working in just a short sleeve t-shirt. Below is our mountain view, with the sky darkening with the coming rains.
While I fed horses, Parm enjoyed a last walk around the ranch house yard and Maggie rested from play with her jolly-ball.
I had fixed a tossed salad to share with Jean for dinner, and she fixed spaghetti and meatballs. We went over last minute stuff, enjoyed a drink with veggies and dip, and then dinner.
Jean and I were both short on sleep, so I left by 6:30pm, came home and went right to bed after cat care.
Thursday 2/23 - Jean packed up her cat and hit the road for California just after 8am. One last rain shower from the night before accompanied her on the way out of town.
After the last of the rain, it was an absolutely gorgeous 80° day. The daffodils in our front yard are now all in bloom.
My day included lots of blogging, a nap on a lounge chair out on our back deck in the sun, and a good workout at the gym.
Patty had chores and sent this photo of Amiga. So much for getting her all cleaned up. I am sure she especially enjoys the pond when it is so hot out.
Jean reported making it to Alma, Arkansas where her first hotel reservation was.We had one last dinner with Therese before she heads back to Iowa tomorrow. This is Joe, Patty, Therese, Shirley and I seen at Stonehenge, eating out on the back patio.
I have no problem getting used to the change in weather. The warm air is so welcomed, even after a rather mild winter. Getting used to Jean being gone, and having all the extra work (she did) to do out at the ranch will be a big change to adjust to.
Friday 2/24 - I woke up way too early, having some angst about trailering Robbie to Celtic Rose. I was at the ranch by 7:00 to tend to morning chores. After taking care of chickens and horses, I had plenty of time to 'kill,' so worked in the ranch house, clearing out stuff and moving some things around.
I moved this neat metal horse art work Jean had re-gifted me from Katie, to the inside window between the sun room and living room. It can now be seen from each room and no longer interferes with opening and closing the window and shade.
Then, a little before noon, I brought Robbie down to the barn and got her brushed and her hooves picked. Joe had the trailer hitched to the SUV and ready to go. Robbie loaded easily.
We met Katy, the horse chiropractor at Celtic Rose.
I had been skeptical, but watched with great interest as Katy worked. Jan was there and watched also.
Robbie did great and Katy said she had very few issues, which she adjusted. For an 18 year old horse, Katy said all her leg joints were in great shape.
Katy loves Morgans, and said she wanted to take Robbie home with her. I told her she could, LOL.
She doesn't have room for another horse, but may be able to help us re-home Robbie.
Joe helped me load Robbie back up and get her home to our ranch. Again, this horse did great.
I did more horse, chicken and cat chores.
In an effort to prepare to catch Wanda for her tail amputation the first week of March, I decided to start feeding her in the tack room so we can shut the door to catch her. She will be adjusting to this change over the next ten days.
Joe was at poker so I pushed to get home by 5:00 to feed the cats and dog here.
I had not done any blogging all day, but was so tired, I had the lights out before 8pm. Oh, it was also good to hear that Jean had made it to Santa Rosa, New Mexico.
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