Farewell, Fine Summer of 2010

Sob! I never like to see summer go. It has always been my favorite season, and even when it makes me feel wilted and sluggish because of the heat, there is something so open-hearted about it, something so glorious, that when September rolls around (even though September is wildly beautiful), I feel a major loss, like my best friend has moved away. I wonder if all the parents who name their little girls Summer feel this same way.


I do know we'll have plenty of summery days left. For example, the last week, my brumby has been having a terrible time with sunburn on her white nose! So I smear my fave natural sunscreen on her, like you see here. I know horses can get melanoma so I need to keep a closer eye on her.

Last Wednesday I headed over to Bill's after work for my lesson night. I was the only one there! No Jackie and Rosalie, no Christine, and no Whitney (who I keep inviting back to the farm). Bill told me I need more friends who like to ride horses. Moreover, when I got to Bill's there was no hay in the hay cradle and all the horses were standing around nickering, waiting for their food. When this happens, I know my brumby will not be in the mood for any ole lesson in the ring. Plus, if I were the only one there, that meant she'd be the only horse in the ring. More reason for her to crab. Sure enough, she was none too happy about Wednesday lesson night. I tried to see it as an opportunity for some good training. I got my crop ready. Before we had trotted around the ring once I had lost my crop. This picture shows where it was--on the ground! I am notorious for dropping crops. How can I train her with a crop if I can't even hold onto it? My Wednesday lesson night was going nowhere fast!

I don't think Bill can resist seeing soemone in the ring on a horse. He came down to watch, or maybe he felt bad for me being alone. He snapped a few photos of Lilly and me. Do you see my new helmet? Yes, pink! And it is my fave helmet brand which is International. For these pictures I wanted Lilly to flex her head perfectly. Here she is busy yawning, not flexing.

Here you can see she's tucked in all nice but you can also see by the reins that I have had to ask for it rather clearly. I like how Dennis Reis says you get a horse to do something first with the suggestion, then you ask for it, and finally, if needed, you insist on it. Here clearly Lilly did not respond to the suggestion of flexing. I want her to know to flex her head when I merely pick up on the reins. I guess that's what Wednesday lesson night is for.

This weekend, I did not get to see my brumby. My husband was dying to see the summer off at the beach. So to my in-laws we went!

There was much squawking late last week about Hurricane Earl taking over the east coast. As it turned out, there was hardly any rain and wind at all (prompting Christine to refer to the whole episode as the "Hurricane Earl fiasco"), but Saturday at the beach the waves were taller than I have ever seen them. Which you cannot tell at all from this picture. Friday no one was allowed in the water. Saturday the waves were about 10 feet high. But it was OK to get in. So we did. First the water would pull you over the the right, and then it would pull you over to the left. And then a giant wave would maytag you.

I missed riding my brumby very much, so I was investigating other things to be ridden. I found this awesome bike parked on the boardwalk. First of all, it is pink. And second of all, what kind of kid would be found in the cool little daredevil seat? An adventure baby, that's who!!!

There are Brandon's parents sunning themselves. Brandon's dad is a Sun Worshipper. I am the antithesis of a Sun Worshipper. I am a Darkness Worshipper. Maybe this explains why I will never be a morning person(?)

While on the beach (under an umbrella), I read this book that my friend Mayr gave to me. It's about a wild bird rehabilitator. It is incredibly inspiring.

Next time, it's back to the womberful brumberful. I hope you all had a fabulous holiday weekend.