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Sooner than not, rest assured, the trees will be budding. This is Forsythia and the Red Bud tree in all their glory last spring. They are starting to bud here in Ohio |
Life on Cherry Ridge this week from my farmhouse journal we enjoyed a sneak preview
of spring, a marvelous day of warmth, then a mini blizzard. I laughed out loud when I saw a cute post on Facebook with a Cardinal all dressed in winter clothes asking,
Earlier this week, when it was warm, we worked outside planting potatoes and onions, target date is always St. Patrick’s day. The lettuce and radishes Avah and I planted, are up in the raised bed, cold frame. It was so nice recently, a sneak preview of spring, that Jeff and I wore light weight jackets and took a golf cart ride through the farm to continue scouting for “sheds” to add to my husbands collection.
Deer antler sheds, that is. The ones that fall off the bucks every year and then they grow them back. He hasn’t found any yet this year, but would you believe the dogs brought a really nice one into the yard? He is persistent to continue the search and to “find his own.” I get that. But I wonder, why not train those dogs to do it for a dog treat. We might have a god-zillion sheds by winter’s end. But I realize too, it is the pleasantry of the hunt that is so nice, just being in nature is a reward in itself.
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He wants to find the matching shed for this big buck all by himself, but if the dogs have a mind to find the match, he says he would be glad. |
While he searched I had a childhood remembrance and plopped down on the ground under a big Pin Oak tree like I did as a child. On my back, I viewed the beautiful, clear blue sky and listened to the wind through the trees. It was so exciting just like I remembered. When Jeff circled back, I asked him if he remembered doing this as child. He did. We talked about learning the different names of the various clouds. We tried to name them all but couldn’t remember and truthfully, we really didn’t care it was just being aware and soaking up nature that made us smile. These are the living in the moments you will hear me talk about often.
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Taylor at the stable barn where she still likes to hang out! |
Are your school kids on spring break too? Our oldest granddaughter, Taylor, thirteen came to the farm for a week of spring break. Remember when I mentioned a personal goal of mine was to “spend more time with my horse?” Today, check. She and I went to the barn, though I had a To Do List that I “could” be doing, but I dropped that list on my way out the door as we headed to the barn. This was more important and much more fun!
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Taylor my first grandchild and a real horse lover! |
At the barn, she cleaned out the horse trailer while I road Jo (Josephine) in the arena. She is a beautiful buckskin mare with some age on her. Twenty four to be exact. That’s a senior for horses. Time takes its toll on all of us, but it ain’t over for her either. I just take it easy with her, though I think she was a former barrel horse back in her day. When we approach the barrels I feel her change her step in anticipation that I might ask her to “take it.” And sometimes I do ask her to take it, just not as quick as she probably did once upon a time racing against the clock. Same here, too. I strive to not race against the clock of time and be jumbled up in social media constantly, and not be in such a hurry.
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My girl Jo. |
Savoring the moment, living in the moment takes practice, practice, practice. Like shutting the phone down and enjoying the meal and the person you are dining with. At the restaurants I see so many people doing this now a days. I say turn them off for a while.
I remember, which seemed like only yesterday being with her on her very first trail ride on a little bay pony named Trusty Rusty. She followed along back then, while I schooled her. Now here she is in the lead and confidently doing so and I am relaxed and not needing to school her. I smile out loud, being so proud of her equestrian talents. Isn’t this the way life is suppose to go, we train up a child in the way they should go……and then they take the reins and we can relax and let them guide us?
To end the wonderful day, we went out to dinner with our youngest son’s family and when we returned we learned the chickens had escaped their run, found the garden and scratched up the onions! I could see too that they had made it to the house and fluffed all the leaves from under every rose bush I own. That part is good, but oh well, a do over in the onion row for tomorrow’s To Do List. Luckily, all ten chickens were safe. We’ve had Coyotes, you know. They are calling for snow tonight. Ugh, I say, again, Who moved spring?
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Today we are going to be baking an Apple Pie! Taylor will be leading the project. Amazing. Simply, amazing. |
So Here’s the Thing: Those moments mentioned above are the things that “recharge the battery” for us. Sometimes you just have to leave the To Do List and recharge. Social media is great but sometimes you just have to turn it off, get in tune with nature and if you do find yourself laying on the ground (by choice, not by accident, LOL) you will know just what I am talking about. And if it snows again, you just have to turn your face to the heaven and try once again to catch a snowflake on your tongue like we did in wonderment as kids. And who knows, lay down and make one of those snow angels. But in all things learning to simplify and giving thanks are on my daily To Do List.
PS-So what charges your battery? Have you got plans to recharge? Simplify?
Seems like you had a very fulfilling day, going through a myriad of activities and visiting the farm. That golf cart was definitely a good save! We tend to think they're a mere luxury or add on to a golf trip, but they can really have a bunch of uses for everyday treks. Very convenient. Really something worth having around the compound.A Plus Carts & Parts
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Thanks Carol for stopping by. I LOVE our golf cart. We refer to it as our redneck gator, but it is just as handy and not nearly as expensive. I will be featuring it soon in my DIY section when I do a make over on it, because, one of the Corgi pups chewed the seat up and it needs recovered.
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