Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Dunedaisy

Always 1 in the Crowd


I love this picture!
I know I feel like this more often than not.
(compliments of Celeste's garden)

On the Move


Last week was another week of BIG CHANGE for our family!
We moved our horse Phoenix
to a 

New Home



If you recall...
in my last post, I spoke of my distaste for change.

And I am the queen of procrastination.
Even good change has a way of upsetting the apple cart.


Well, I could not have imagined exactly how much this move would effect my life.
I had not planned to move so soon
but when I worked up the courage to ...
simply make a decision...
an opportunity presented itself...

and I grabbed the bull by the horns...
or 
should I say
the horse by the lead line.


Settling In


The folks at Wrangler have been awesome!
They are helping all of us with our 
transition into our new surroundings and new routine.

It takes time to adjust to so much change...
but I think both Mary and Phoenix are beginning to feel comfortable in their new surroundings.
I know Phoenix is loving the new feeding schedule he is one happy horse!

It has also been a chance to make some new friends 
and reconnect with old ones.

Turn the Page


Since Mary's riding accident she has unfortunately 
lost a lot of her confidence.
She no longer felt safe...
or felt as if she could trust her own instincts 
or her trainer's.
This is not a good place to be...
not with a 1,200 lb animal.
She was just learning to canter on Phoenix when she had her accident.
(she had cantered before, just not with Phoenix)
So after her recovery...
she kept things 
SLOW 
and safe.

She tried to canter again...
but never anything more than a few strides.
She would tense up and Phoenix would follow in stride.

Now...
after only 5 days in their new home,
she is facing her fears
and is beginning to trust her own ability and instincts again.

She still has some ruff edges to smooth out before she is back to where she was before her accident.
But with all the positive support she is getting, 
I don't think it will be long. 
Woo Hoo!
 back to a ROUTINE.

Soon we will have set days and times for lessons again!
Moving forward is so much nicer 
than ...
2 steps forward and 3 steps back!

Who knows...
maybe now there will be more time to set aside for me and Green Gourd Creations.

Hey!


"Who is that playing with my hair?"

We had this fella gone for about 15 minutes 
only to have her sent home with a stern look from someone's Dad.

Hmmmm...
did someone forget to ask their parents first?

Knitting Addiction

Knitting Addiction is one of our local yarn shops.
If your eyes are old and weary like mine and you can't make out the marquee it reads...

MONEY CAN'T BUY
HAPPINESS
BUT IT CAN BUY YARN
THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE

I had to snap a shot of this one... it tickled my funny bone.
And don't worry folks...
your eyes aren't too weary.
I snapped this one while sitting at a stop light.

Happy Birthday Morganne


A wish for...

Peace


and
Happiness


I should have known that I would be pulling out that Kitchen Aid again 
before using my juicer.
At least this cake 
didn't stay in my house very long.
I made this tie dyed cake for one of Mary's friends.
I was a little disappointed 
with how it turned out at first. 
Then after some trial and error I was able to come up with something.

But, I think it was a hit with Morganne.
And that is all that really matters.

I will get some of those JUICES flowing soon!

Old Home

This is one of the homes I lived in as a child.
Kindergarten through 4th grade.
It was painted a mustard gold with a red door back then.
Wow...
I remember many late nights of watching 
Godzilla movies 
while my parents remodeled this old house.

I drove up to Virginia and back over the weekend.

Since Phoenix is still in a transition period and hasn't completely settled into his new home we thought it might not be such great timing to leave him for a full week like we had originally planned before moving him to Wrangler Farms.
But it was the only week we had without a clinic this month to get away to see her.
Unfortunately my niece will be going back to Spokane, Washington 
at the end of the month 
and we wanted to still get some quality time in with her.
Fortunately for us, my brother was willing to let her come visit with us here for a week.

So Mary and I hit the road.
Yee Haw!
On our way to pick Bayli up we took a quick trip down memory lane.
I drove through my old stomping grounds.
My brother thinks that I am silly...
taking the
road less traveled.  
He takes the bigger "faster" Interstate 95 to get to his house
while I like taking the route through 
Gordonsville and 
up my favorite road
Rt. 231

It is more nostalgic and honestly...
I think it is even faster.

The last time we visited him we took his way...
and it took longer.

St. Mark's

This was my little Catholic church.
I went to Sunday School and took my first communion here.
This was my family's spiritual 
HOME BASE.
Even after many of us grew up and moved away.
This is where the Farley clan came back for our holy sacraments.
And even if they were not held in the actual church...
Father Martin would preform them 
usually at my Meema's home.

After Mary was born this is where she was baptized.

Mary Elizabeth



Since then it has been sold by 
"The Church"
and turned into a library.
I am so happy that they kept the original church and then added onto it.

Route 231


Rag Mountain


My Kind of Neighborhood

I saw a house on Zillow
 that was near my
brother's house so I decided to do a drive by and check it out.

I didn't find it 
but I did find this one.

50 King David Ln.



Wow... this is one beautiful home!
And it is only a few miles down the road from Michael's and the

 Belle Mead Farm

This place is awesome.
I would so send Mary here for a few classes.
My niece Bayli
 goes here in the summer for camp and she loves it!

Honey 

Also down the road from my brother...
 lives a beekeeper.
A few years ago, Michael and Celeste gave us some honey & beeswax ornaments he made.
Loved them!

My Future Home


I joke all the time and tell my brother that this is the house I want to move into.
It is literally right down the road from his house.

One of these visits I am going to walk up to the front door and ask them what it would take to let us have this house.

This or Floyd...
I don't know how I could choose.

I think I would have to leave this one up to the universe.

Happy Reunion


Finally after all our detours...
we pull into Michael's drive

and Bayli was crouched down hiding by the gate waiting for us.
I barely had the truck stopped before Mary was out
hugging her cousin.

And They'r Off


 to the house to jump in the pool and catch up.

Talley/Wagner Garden


I am "green" with garden envy!

Summer's Bounty


They sent me home with all kinds of goodies.
Mmmm mmm good!

Washing Taters


Celeste to the Rescue


I don't know if anyone even remembered me mentioning that Mary had a Science project due on the 3rd of August.
Well, the 3rd has come and gone and NO final project as well as turning in her completed Nature Journal and Workbook .

Oh...
I was pretty angry about this one.

I told her that she will have to take a ZERO for her project 
and be graded on whatever she turns in.

I know...
I'm a hard ass.
But, I really want her to learn to work independently with a deadline.
Maybe I expect too much from a 12 year old
but I don't think so.
Anyway...
after talking this subject out with my brother... 
he helped me come up with a satisfactory solution.
She MUST complete the work
and
for every day the work is past due 
she will be deducted points.
I can live with this!
(Since I told Mary that she couldn't work on it anymore... I will start counting days after we take Bayli back.)

When Celeste asked what Mary's project was...
she was more than happy to jump 
in and help.
It was right up her alley.

Daisy

Meet my brother's new baby!

For those of you who know my brother, you will see the humor in this.
But, let me tell ya folks...
he REALLY loves this little lady.
She is a little spit fire!
She won't even back down to a full grown bear in 
HER yard.

Here Comes the Rain


Run Celeste run...

Head for High Ground



Even the cows are headed for higher ground.

Welcome Rain


Not everyone is sad to see the rain come.

Cousins


Sometimes there is nothing better than a cool summer rain, a metal roof and good company!

Chicken Coop


Check it out...
Remember that chicken coop Bill went to help out with?

Michael is having a blast with his new welding skills.
Who says a chicken coop gate has to be plain?

So, when ya going to finish it and get those chickens, brother?

1 Down 9 to Go


Ok
it isn't monumental...
but we have found a home for one more kitten
and possibly another.

One More

(Yes, as I was editing... one more found a home)

2 down and only 8 more to go now.

Slow and Steady wins the race!
Right?
I am chipping away little by little at some of the stressors in my life.
There's nothing like taking a few baby steps...
making just enough room 
for God to work miracles.

Sometimes I just need to Shut Up 
and get out of the way!

There are some pretty cool things brewing!
Woo Hoo!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good Job..Glad you had a awesome trip..sounds like, just what you needed..some GREEN..Congratulation..KB

Susan said...

Awesome! I felt like I just went on a road trip to the country!