Sometimes you just need to snuggle sheep

State Fair on top of our other commitments (Rick is the veterinarian for the whole shebang but still has to cover his own practice; Brian was the youth driver for one of Rick's draft horse clients and also started school Tuesday) has me burning the candle on both ends without accomplishing much at home. I've managed to make a batch of applesauce here,

and run a couple loads of prunes through the dehydrator there,

and really should have hustled to get the house cleaned before picking up Brian up at noon today. But I was so tired during chores this morning that I just wanted to lay down and take a nap. Then, somehow, I ended up in the Sheep Sheraton. Sometimes you just have to stop and snuggle sheep.

It was loverly.

The house did get vacuumed and dusted, and a zucchini casserole and a chocolate orange zucchini cake were made for potluck.

Now it's time for Sabbath rest at . . .

Picking, pecking, preserving, and posing

With all the family time we've been trying to squeeze in, the garden and animals have been getting minimal attention beyond the essentials. So Thursday afternoon (after my parents left and Brian's lower wisdom teeth were removed but before Rick's sister arrived; whew!) I took stock of the garden. The basil and parsley are doing their best to go to seed, the snow peas have dried up, the bush/pole beans are a disappointment, and the eggplant require patience, but there were a few things to harvest.

Then I walked out to our little pasture pear tree and picked the few perfect-but-petite pears I could reach, and filled the rest of that small bucket and a bigger one with apples from the tree that ripens first.

On Friday, a neighbor brought some overgrown zucchini for the chickens and a small box of tomatoes, enough to can seven pints. (He left with a dozen eggs.)

Now to find time to tackle applesauce and pie filling!

Before I head to the fair this afternoon to look at other people's animals, here are photos of a couple of mine. Friday morning I got to ride my meaty mustang for the first time in too long (will be updating my horse blog ASAP), and earlier in the week I captured a good head shot of my polled Shetland ram Blake. I may be biased, but I think both are handsome boys. 😉

We even have a few pretty posies out front!

That's it for post #2 today from . . .

Getting ready

Before Brian competes as a junior driver in the Oregon State Fair draft horse show this afternoon (more photos!), I want to share the best photo opportunity I had during my folks' visit. Last Monday evening I took Brian out to the Shire owner's farm to do some practice driving and Mom and Dad went along for the ride – literally. 😊

After Rick took a turn around the field in the training rig with Brian, both my parents took a turn. The smoke was thick (it's much better now) and the light was poor, but I love the photos I got of my dear ones. I'm thinking of making them into a memory book for Brian; he may be totally self-centered now, but someday I think these memories will be priceless to him.

Duane, the Shire owner, took his two-horse hitch for a drive around the pasture, too.

That's it for now (there may be another garden-centered post later) from . . .