We lost a good ol’ boy yesterday.  He was such a healthy gelding, but had an unannounced bout of colic that he was fighting all day and the vet assured us that his intestines were so tangled that it could not be fixed.  I guess anything can happen once horses are over the hill...in their twenties!  Blaze was the king of the field, but not in an egotistical way, like most horses at the top of the hierarchy.  He was so kind to every horse (and sheep!) in the field, but still able to put them in their place if necessary, like a confident student in a hallway full of bullies and victims, if that makes sense.  He was never a bully, but never a victim either.  He was silently gifted to Allan, as when Allan and I started dating years ago he became Allan’s boy, so Allan could show off in the saddle and impress me with his riding skills (I think Blaze taught him how to ride!). 

I remember buying a 6 month old filly with my parents, when I was just 8 or 9 years old.  We loved her so much that we returned and bought her older (half) brother, Blaze.  He was the most obedient horse I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with and I think the most obedient horse I will ever meet.  Nine years old, out in the open field lunging him and if I so much as made a peep in his direction he stopped in alertness and turned to me, full attention on his “little master.”  He could have killed me, but instead he taught me so much about respect. 

I am always telling myself to slow down and spend a few more minutes each day with something or someone that really matters to me, to let go of some responsibilities and change my priorities around.  I rushed out to the office yesterday morning, after doing barn chores, because someone wanted to meet me.  I had planned to spend a little more time with Blaze in the morning when my parents called and told me he was down.  He lives at their farm just down the road.  Of course I didn’t want to make someone wait or let them down so I hopped in my car and left.  If I had only known that this would have been my last moment with him I would have spent the time that morning which I had planned to...given him a quick brush and a few too many carrots.  Once home, I laid with him for hours last night, but I am not so sure he knew I was beside him at that point as he took his last breathes.    

Last night, I kissed all three of my dogs on the head, lingered a few extra minutes in the barn and gave a pat to all the critters, and hugged all of the horses (even the ones that are not mine) before I said good night.    

I’m in the garden... you will find this statement splashed on a piece of old barn board on my porch, to let visitors know where they can find me if my car is in the driveway but I am nowhere to be found!

Dressed with hanging baskets and a red 1950’s vintage style metal lawn chair and surrounded by growing sunflowers, we create an experimental garden project each year.  I say experimental in loose terms.  For the most part, we do know what we are doing when we strategically plop those seeds in the ground annually, but we always introduce something new, not always knowing the potential result.  Each year slightly different outcomes – some good and some bad!  We have made a few garden mistakes, but each year we learn a little more and each year something grows, and something is better than nothing at all!

I grabbed my first handful of cilantro the other night and sprinkled it across my chicken and veggie alfredo.  Allan always turns his nose up to “little green leaves,” but I still put it on his plate and to my surprise he eats it every time.  However, rather than enjoying it with the meal he scarfs it down first, then takes pleasure in eating whatever else is on his plate.  Radishes have been speedily growing, as they always do.  We have already eaten a whole row and more are nearly ready to be plucked out and chopped into salads.   

It feels great running out to the garden to grab our own veggies.  Soon enough I will be able to make complete meals using vegetables straight from the garden.  Last year, we often made whole meals using all our own meat and vegetables: a salad with lettuce, peppers, onions, parsley, cucumber, carrots and tomatoes; boiled potatoes and cabbage; our hamburger sautéed with onions and most often omelettes with our own eggs, mixed with chopped veggies and feta.  No, we did not make the feta!    

Often, Allan plants more than me in the spring, but then I spend the rest of the season maintaining the flower beds and weeding and watering the vegetable garden.  Luckily this year it has rained steadily, making my job a little easier, but I do complain when we have no rain for a week straight.  We share the outdoor duties, but often I would rather be feeding the animals than weeding the garden, although there is a relaxing and healthy nature to it all.    

I am glad no one but the dogs are usually present when I see the first sprout of each plant pop out of the soil.  Excited is an understatement.  It is such a miracle to me, year after year, to see those seeds sprout into huge vegetable plants.  August and September always bring us the most wonderful produce and every day progress is being made in the dirt!   

We have added meat birds to our list of critters this year, which will taste mighty fine with steamed veggies!  Roasted chicken with potatoes anyone? 

“A garden is a grand teacher.  It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.”