Great Night to Bath Hank

I made us coffees this morning while S got dressed for church. With my second cup in hand, I got busy on the blogs. Shaina had sent me more photos from our vacation, so I added hers to the first couple of days and continued on with the rest while also keeping the current posts up to date. Friday’s was completed and published.

I took a break from the computer to toss hay to the now three barn-paddock ponies. By the time I got back to my desk, I was posting the decoupage kids’ chairs Hometalk post (part of my monthly stipend) when S returned from church.

I put the chicken carcass on for soup, adding more garden onions, and also posted about the dill and cilantro, since I once again have a big crop of both. Once home from church, S settled onto the couch for the Blue Jays game and stayed there until it ended after 3.

After B gave the okay, (Beibs is walking better today) the three ponies were turned out with the others, and I spent the afternoon in the gardens, weeding and serving them to the horses. The weather was lovely and warm at 24°C, making it a perfect day to be outside. I removed more leaves from the tomatoes and zucchini to let the sun reach the fruit underneath. There are actually two tomatoes ripening now, which feels like progress.

After the ball game, S was raiding the pea plants before moving the two trailers and grading the pad to get rid of the weeds. Then he was back in for another ball game, because apparently one game wasn't enough for a Sunday!

Meanwhile, I finished up the soup, loading it with vegetables, only to discover I was short one can of tomatoes. Luckily Britt was out around 5:30 and brought one along. S and I had supper while she bathed Jimmy. Once I finished eating, we caught Hank and gave him a bath. B and I then caught the naughty Beibs so she could do his feet. The abscess from yesterday had blown through, which was good news and one less thing to worry about.

Jimmy just doing a bit of edging around the flowerbeds

I carried on with the yard work, including a poop scoop that included a horse or two along the way. Hoses were put away and the horse blankets continued to be washed. Hank dried first at the high-line hitching post and then in a stall while B trimmed, but once she was finished I put him back in the barn paddock, where he promptly rolled, naturally. So much for staying clean!

It was spectacular outside—minimal bugs, no wind and beautiful skies. The only real pest was the annual invasion of flying ants inside around the fireplace, which I happily sucked up with the Dyson.

Before Britt left for work, I packed up a bowl of soup for her to take tomorrow and bagged up some of the washed potatoes I had dug for her earlier. I put both in her car for her to find when she headed out before 8.

I finished up and published Saturday’s vacation blog before finally showering and settling in to watch Sterling Point from the golden hour from my bed. After a full day of sports, S headed out for a hot tub soak, and once he was done with his shower we started Project Hail Mary. With the movie nearly three hours long, we only made it about halfway before calling it a night.

Of course, the weather had its own plans for the overnight. The wind picked up and more rain came down through the night.

It was one of those summer days where the list never really ends—blogs, gardens, horses, soup, yard work, laundry and helping each other along the way. And somehow, by evening, everything was done enough to sit back and enjoy the quiet beauty of the ranch. Those ordinary, busy days are often the ones I know I’ll remember best.