Some Things are so Beautiful

This past week, Bill went up to Maine and Jackie K was in charge of the horses. But one weeknight I was the one who checked on them in the PM. First I stopped at the BP to count heads there. Seven horses all accounted for. But while there, I thought I'd snap a few photos. None of the seven had any use for me. It was a Nibble Fest!

But getting the right picture is never easy.

There is always someone who, at the very last fraction of a second, wrecks the picture!

Thank goodness for digital cameras! It allows a little wiggle room. OK, it allows for a lot of wiggle room. Especially around wiggley horses.

Back at the barn, six horses all present and accounted for. Thirteen horses total. No wait, eleven horses + two donkeys. We fed them, the cow and the alpaca and then paused to make our own American Gothic portrait. Grant Wood..... or Hee Haw? You decide!


Speaking of decisions, can you decide on what these are?

My in-laws gave them to me. They belonged to my mother-in-law's parents.  They found them when they were going through some of their old belongings. They had lived in Virginia, in the middle of some very nice horse country. They are horse related, but I had never seen them before. I had no idea what they were! Identification at the end of this post for those who do not already know.

Before I forget, I want to respond to Rose and Emma, who asked about the sunburn/rashy thing Lilly gets on her nose. Rose, I am not sure what it is. Lilly doesn't have much of it now, so I couldn't post a good picture of it. But when she does have it, it is crusty and looks like it is uncomfortable. It only appears in the summer and it is on her nostrils where her skin is PINK. So I always think it is sunburn. But Bill thinks it is a fungus because it really is only on the pink part of her nose that is down in the grass when she is nibbling. I can tell you this: when I apply the Fungasol, it clears up! So I think Bill may be right. Fungasol can be purchased at any online horse place. Here is a link to more info: Just click here for info!

Today at the barn, I met up with long lost Christine! She had been gifted a dressage saddle and was getting the right fit for QTee...who is not a chubby mare anymore. I also put this measuring tool on Lilly's withers. She measured EXTRA LARGE. It was not surprising.

The day was heavenly. And so was the new saddle, reports Christine!

Lilly will always gallop up that hill on the Short trail if I let her. We zoomed up at the speed of sound and then turned and waited for Christine and QTee.

Here they come!


After coming up that hill, it is always carrot time!

 While we were riding, Brandon had been in New York looking for fossils. He found none, but he did come home with a collection of mushrooms. I took this picture to show how underneath the cap of a mushroom, you will find gills, pores, or what is called teeth! Here you see one example of gills and two varying examples of teeth!

These little yummy guys are called Sweet Tooth mushrooms (Hydnum repandum var. album).

And here is our rabbit named Sweet Tooth. He is missing a foot. Not that he seems to care. Sometimes you cannot miss what you have never known. He was named after mushrooms even though he is not small or white. But he does have little sharp teeth.


Are you ready for the identification of those things up there? They are hooks to pull your riding boots on!

Finally, I'd like to end with a picture I took while checking on the horses at the BP:

I almost didn't even see this door. Then when I did I was surprised and delighted. It made me think of all the hidden doorways of opportunity that we might miss if we aren't looking.

On that note, I hope this week you discover opportunities in the not so obvious places and that they help you see something wild and glorious.