Another B at Boulderneigh

Last night Rick and Brian picked up Breezy, the 24-year-old pony that we looked at on Sunday. I rode her then and was not impressed (and was even less impressed when I realized this is the same pony one of my former students rode in lessons and had a tough time with), Brian rode her then and has been campaigning hard for her ever since, Rick and I have discussed the pros (none that I could see) and the cons (her age, her stubbornness, our lack of space for both another horse and the additional hay we'll need to buy, our son's decided lack of interest in all things horsey), and Rick made the decision to get her anyway. So now he's off getting shoes on her so she can go horse-camping with us(!); when we come back he gets to figure out where he's going to put her so she can have shelter from months of rain this coming winter. I predict extra work and expense for the adults, about 72 hours of excitement and interest on Brian's part, and a lot of lip-biting on my part to keep from saying "I told you so" ad nauseum.

At least I will have these to work on for awhile yet to help keep my frustration under control. I haven't had a lot of knitting time lately, so it will be nice to make some progress on this trip.

That's it for now from . . .

Here and there

Today we went and looked at a pony for Brian, and a couple I met at Black Sheep Gathering came to Boulderneigh to look at sheep and my sheep set-up (humble though it is). Neither we nor they took home any animals, but both visits were enjoyable and may yet "bear fruit."

Look who's getting bolder at Boulderneigh! Lucy 2 is now crowding right in there in the mornings to snitch her share of the lambs' grain. So intent is she that I was able to reach over a lamb and grab her this morning. She was pretty calm, and I put her in the sheepfold to forage in the dirty bedding a bit (she was able to leave of her own accord when she chose).
We are working hard at getting ready to go, and tomorrow is going to be jam-packed with more of the same, plus Brian's violin lesson, payroll for Rick's clinic, and grocery shopping for the trip. So in case I don't get another chance, let me wish all of you an early happy Fourth of July! I hope you take some time to appreciate all the blessings we enjoy in this great country of ours. Flawed though it is, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

That's it for now from . . .

Cool-hand Ham, er - Luke, uh - Brian

I don't know what inspired Brian while getting dressed this morning; perhaps it's our upcoming horse-camping trip where he'll get to see his best cowboys-and-Indians friends. He even ASKED if he could help clean stalls at the barn this morning! Then he had to walk out into the pasture to hug his horse. Even though Oliver has ruined Brian's confidence in the saddle with some of the stunts he's pulled, Brian is fiercely loyal to him. We're talking about going to look at a pony that might be a better mount for him, even though I don't know that that would improve matters and would just be another (expensive) mouth to feed.
Meanwhile, Lucy 2 (remember, everybody has to have a name around here) seems to be making herself more and more at home. I have no plans to try and catch her; it's fun having a "chicken at large" (Bronwen seem to think so, too!).

The concert yesterday was good! The man in the green suit had a jazzy style with the sax, harmonica and his tap-dancing, percussion feet. Jackson even got to go since it was a cool, cloudy day. He needs more outings like that to learn to "chill."
That's it for now from . . .