Delight

“Delight" is one of my favorite words.  The dictionary says it represents a high degree of gratification or pleasure. That doesn’t quite nail it for me.  It’s like happiness but with a little extra zip.  Something sparks in you - a little jolt of joy - and you can’t not smile, or even sputter a laugh.  You feel elated, full of bliss, and even giddy.

Saturday 11/15 - It was a delightful day spent in Nashville, at the Opryland multiplex.  We met Dan, Vale, Ava, Layla, Courtney and Kent at the Opry Mills Mall. 
We had 11am lunch reservations at the Aquarium Restaurant.   











The entrance is a tunnel with water on both sides and overhead.


You could see the underbellies of the fish as they swam over you.  I wish I'd spent more time watching the fish, but I was having fun enjoying Ava and her delight in the experience.  













Our table afforded us a great view of the tank of 200,000 gallons of water and all the fish swimming by.

The aquarium was the centerpiece of the restaurant with a walking path around the whole tank.  Tables were located around it with seating set back from it.  And you could walk around and look at fish while waiting for your food.




The internet said the tank houses approximately 75 species of fish.




This was a very odd looking fellow.  






Layla was a perfect angle, with only sweet baby babble and coos; never a scream or cry.  In fact, she never once, all day long, got upset.  

What a cutie pie.  Dan and Vale do such a great job of taking care of her needs and entertaining her.

After lunch we were off to the Gaylord Opryland Events Center by the Opryland Hotel.  Well, we got 'lost' trying to get from our free parking to the ICE show we were going to.  

 

We ended up taking a 'short cut' through the hotel, seeing a few falls and lights, but they weren't as spectacular in the daytime.

Finally we got to the Events Center where the ICE display was.  It features over two million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures based on the classic special, "A Charlie Brown Christmas".  It is an immersive walk-through experience featuring twelve scenes from the holiday special.  The path includes colorful tunnels and six ice slides. 

Before going into the display, which is kept at 9°, we got on our hats and gloves and the parka they provide you.  Then we posed for a group shot.  This is the last 'light' Layla saw for the next 45 minutes because she was 'covered' with a blanket.  

  









Off we all went, looking at the ice sculptures of scenes from Charlie Brown's Christmas.

As cold as it was, it never seemed that bad, except when I took my glove off to take photos.

Ava was not familiar with any of the characters, and we were trying to re-call some of the less well known ones as we saw them in the scenes.  


I took this (video) at the last scene of some of the charters singing around Linus' Christmas tree.  Here is a sample of the characters I found on Google, but it is missing three.  Can you guess who is missing?
  










One missing from the list on the right is usually seen with Snoopy, often sitting with him on his dog house.

I had fun exploring with Ava (video).  

Peek-a-boo.



Oh, here are the three missing characters: 

Our most fun and time was spent on the slides.



Ava had troubles getting all the way down (video)...




...but we adults went 'flying' (video).  



















The last scene was the nativity with Linus explaining the true meaning of Christmas.





The angel looking over the manger made for a good backdrop to take photos.




















After the ICE exhibit, Kent headed home but the rest of us made our way back to the mall to get some ice cream, do some shopping, and to just hang out a little longer.





Patty, who had Maggie at her house, sent this photo to report that Maggie was a happy camper.  








Meanwhile, at the mall, Dan was out at their car feeding and changing Layla, Courtney and Vale were at a cosmetic store, and Nana and Papaw had gone exploring with Ava.  Joe really wanted a cup of regular coffee, but never did find any.  He did the merry-go-round (video) with Ava because I can't do circles anymore.  






Ava and I both enjoyed watching the trains circle on each of their tracks that were set up in one store.  






The little trolley was zipping around much faster than the two larger trains.  






We all eventually ended up meeting up at the ice cream store.  


It was a tasty delight for each of us.   

Well, except maybe for Layla.  But she was a happy camper.

Before parting, and going our separate ways, we had one last stop.  

The trampolines.  


Ava had a good time and did a great job jumping (video).  

Look at those splits.

Ava was taking such delight in the experience, as were two other girls also jumping on their own trampoline, I wanted to join in on the fun.  

I finished my book while Joe drove us safely home form Nashville, and it was early to bed.  

Sunday 11/16 - Delight in God.  Psalm 37:4: "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."  

A few minutes after this photo was taken, Monita slid all the way off her bean-bag bed.


Shortly after church I went out to the ranch to do a few things before Patty arrived.




We (Patty on Zorro and I on Rico) hit the trail, making some different directional turns than usual, to kind of switch it up, but basically covering our familiar trails.  






When taking a cul-de-sac off Hathaway, right behind our back pasture, we noticed a laundry basket that hadn't been there several days ago.  And then we saw a bloody sheet.  Ewwh!

It took some coaxing, but we got our two boys to walk past the scary smell and sight. 







The laundry basket was bloody and had flies in it, probably from some guts left over.  We are guessing a hunter dumped them back in the woods somewhere.  These photos were taken while riding back out of the cul-de-sac, having passed this nasty stuff earlier.  

I take such delight in my horse, especially when we are connected as horse and rider, and doing well out on the trail together.  I rode three miles with Patty and another two on my own, and was very happy with Rico's efforts (video).  He did get a little distracted by his two buddies (Cowboy and Cash) when they came running up to see us from in the pasture.

Once home, I wrangled leaves for awhile, before coming in for dinner and Sunday evening household chores.
 

Monday 11/18 - Joe did some 'leaf wrangling' before going to golf and then poker.  He has been mulching them with the riding mower every three or four days.  He also blew some out of the drainage ditch and into piles for me to pick up.
  
 

Sunshine is delightful.  Maggie, the cats, and I all enjoy its warming rays.





Jan and Karen were down at the barn horsing around when I arrived at the ranch at noon.  
We'd had two overnighters, so I striped beds and grabbed towels to take home to launder.  I also collected the recycle stuff from the house and barn.  








By the time I got down to the barn, Jan was instructing Karen on leg cues, as Karen was trying Cash out for a little ride. 



I groomed Rico, while Zorro waited on Karen.  Before long, the three of us hit the trail.  Zorro and Rico both were reluctant to move out and kept stopping, with hopes the other would take the lead.  Once turned for home the pace did pick up.  We only went three miles, but it was enjoyable.  

Once home, I worked at cleaning up the piles of leaves Joe had left and I also raked out the bed by the front door.  



While hauling leaves across the creek, I noticed more deer damage to the willow tree I had planted on the 'oasis' probably six years ago.  I had seen some a few weeks ago and decided to let the tree fend for itself.  It's about 6" in diameter, so the corrugated pipe no longer fits.  












This is a 'scar' (with new damage around it) on the other side of the trunk.  It has been healing from a rut done to it probably four years ago.  UGHHH!  I have put too much time and money into this tree to sit by and watch the bucks kill it.  So I need to come up with another plan to protect it.  However, I fear it has been too severely girdled to survive. 

Tuesday 11/18 - I spent my day, 9 to 5 at the ranch.  Mainly I worked on the 'drainage' project.  Water has been pouring (when it does rain) over the gutter rather than down and out the down spout and drain pipe. 


  





I got this photo from this (video) I took in August, during a rare moment of rain.  



I hoisted Joe up in the tractor bucket so he could inspect the gutter.  There was a little debris at the hole to the down spout, but not much.  After he removed it, we poured water down and it came out right at the bottom, where we had pulled the pipe out from the one buried under gravel.  So we knew the down spout was working.  Notice, Cash was our project supervisor.  




Rico had also come over and was checking out the tractor, while it was idling. 
Now to look at the drain pipe.  With Joe's help, we got all the old buried corrugated drain pipe dug up. 

Noticed how smushed and collapsed most of the old pipe was.  No wonder water wouldn't drain through it.  





In this photo, you can see Wanda, our other project supervisor.  We needed a new 'S' shaped (bendable) pipe to connect the new PVC pipe to the brown down spout you see to the left.  So Joe headed to the store while I continued to dig out the whole ditch. 
 

Once Joe returned, I worked at fitting the new 'S' shaped pipe to connect the PVC to the down spout (not seen, but under the three rocks to the left, that are securing it and protecting it from getting stepped on).  I then got the PVC pipe in place and added a small section of old (but good) corrugated drain pipe (seen to right of gravel in photo).

Joe had brought a load of gravel that I had raked out over the PVC pipe and walkway area.  Joanne arrived before I had finished, but I was able to stop for the time being and fetch Rico while he was still in the paddock.  



Joanne rode Zorro and we headed out under the look-out tower to ride 4.3 miles.  We took Zorro to an area he is not familiar with and he became quite animated and determined to head home.  Joanne did a great job of controlling his direction and speed.  And at one point, I witnessed him gaiting (the 'Paso' gate which Amiga does).  He was 'motoring' down the trail, so collected, smooth and pretty.  It's a delight to watch.

I continued ditch work while the horses cooled off.  Joanne helped me get chores started.  I fed in the lower paddock and then continued ditch work while Wanda looked on from her 'bed' of hay.

By the time I finished up the ditch, in preparation for the night's rain, it was getting dark.  It is hard to see the completed project in this photo, with flash.  I fed Amiga and Zorro in the twilight and drove home in the dark.

Joe and I watched the movie Sully, with Tom Hanks.  It was a little slow in spots, but otherwise good and interesting.  I did research and found that Sully (pilot of the Hudson River plane crash in 2009) was not scrutinized by NTSB as harshly as depicted.

Wednesday 11/19 - We hardly got any rain overnight, although enough to collect in the bird bath.  Shadow comes and goes regularly each day, where as Rose disappears for several days in a row.  









Since the only rain for the day had been last night, I decided to get more work done at the ranch.  I spotted a few of the young cattle, now at the old Wildwood Stables.  It's better to have them, than condos or a golf course.  And hopefully it enables getting the stables re-opened, a greater likelihood.    

Joe, Patty and I met at the ranch.  Joe delivered two loads of gravel that I raked out by the wash rack and in front of the lower shed.  Patty cleaned in the ranch house and Joe wrangled leaves.

Then we went out in the gator to do some trail clearing.  First we trimmed along Marmaduke so we can ride on the other side of the road, when going past the construction sight.  And notice, now they have cinder block and bags of concrete, to start building.
 

Now there is a clear 'path' to walk along the side of Marmaduke.  There is some large (drainage) rocks in the ditch from the culvert to where Patty is pointing out the 'marker' (slanted log) we put, to show where the rocks start.  





Next  we went to our newest trail to make an easier walk around to get to it from the cul-de-sac.  This allows us to avoid the short, but steep hill that has presented problems, especially for Amiga.

Joe and Patty helped to clear the big saplings and debris from the trail while I raked the underbrush off.  They headed back in the gator, picking up the bloody sheet and laundry basket on the way.  I continued raking the trail for another hour.

Once back to the ranch, I met Jan's two friends, one who had leased a horse at Celtic Rose.  
I ended up skipping the gym and going out to dinner with Joe instead.  It was a delightful meal.  We ended the evening watching Survivor.

Thursday 11/20 - I went to the well attended FFG board of directors proposed budget (for 2026) meeting at 10am.  I then skipped out early, once they started taking questions, and went straight to the ranch.  

Here are photos of the completed drainage project that I forgot to get a shot of when I had finished yesterday.  









I had spread the second load of gravel along the wash rack area where we walk.  




And the third load had been put here, where it had partially washed out from the over-flowing gutter.  We try to keep gravel down in the high traffic areas to avoid mud.

With mid-afternoon rain showers predicted, I did not dawdle, but set right to the task of getting Rico, and saddling him up.  



Rico was very well mannered in the barn before and after our ride.  He hesitated a few times when being ridden out, away from the barn.  But did comply and even picked up the pace for me.  Unfortunately, it started raining, much earlier than I had expected, so we headed home, only going for 30 minutes, and completing just 1½ miles.  But it was a nice ride, a good training opportunity, and a delight to be able to achieve.  


I have come to discover that I don't really miss trailering out to go on more scenic rides.  It takes a whole day of time to do so.  I can hop on Rico and go for a long, fun, fast or leisurely ride, right from the ranch; and it doesn't take up my whole day.  I still have time for the gym or to get yard work done.  Or if the weather is nasty, I can accomplish some things inside or even choose to relax for a change.  





Before finishing untacking, the rain came harder.  I had gotten back just in time, without getting too wet.  After turning Rico out, we had a big down-pour.  I was able to observe and (video) the drainage system working well.  😊  


It was a little after 1pm when I got home.  Joe had sent this photo to show the work he was getting done at home, while I was at the ranch horsing around. 

I was delighted to see all the beds cleaned up as I pulled into the drive.  Joe had ended up blowing out all the beds in front and hauling the leaves down the road into the woods at the corner.

I had to push myself to get to the gym.  It rained the rest of the day, including some torrential down pours and a few systems with thunder and lightening.

Friday 11/21 - Today's Courtney's 39th birthday.  Hard to believe it's been that many years.  

We had morning rain showers and I spent nearly 2½ hours at the gym.

I was going to ride with Jan shortly after noon, but a little light rain, and the realization that our horses were wet and muddy, deterred both of us.  
  
 




Well, while checking pond levels and most recent run-off of rain, it cleared off and became rather nice out.  So I ended up working on raking out old drainage ditches so the leaves wouldn't clog them up.  

The cattle, seen at the stables, as I drove home.