Nice Holiday

For once our weather was ideal. It was not hot, it was not muggy, even though the morning started out foggy, it ended up being the perfect weather for a Holiday.

I decided I was going to take a Holiday too. Why not?

The dogs convinced me to take a day off from working.  

So we did.

I grabbed a book and we walked out to the campground and I hung out in the hammock and read a book and looked a the Mushroom Book I have.

The dogs found vole or mole runs and decided to enjoy hunting them.
They don't do this in the yard and I let them do

it in the forest as much as they want.

To them, this is a playground of things to dig and 

smell.

It is their internet and playground.

We spent hours. I read, they sometimes jumped up on the hammock to join me and sometimes ran off a ways in the meadow to find what scents enticed them.

I felt like camping but didn't feel like putting up the tent and taking it down Tuesday [heavy rain]. So I did the next best thing.

I shoved the camp cot against the bench and made a wide bed for us on the porch. 

We piled up blankets and pillows and settled down to watch the day fade away and the first stars come out.

This is called Dusking: The purpose is to intentionally watch the day fade away and clear your mind with no electronics, internet, or cell phones.

I've done this before, but sitting on a hard bench isn't that comfortable, so we did it from the camp bed under the porch roof.

By the time the stars actually started to dot the sky, my brain was in chill mode and the warm bodies of dogs hugged me.

We fell asleep probably early as the sun sets now around 7:30. We watched the sky fade from blue to a darker blue very slowly. 
The hoot owls called out.

The crickets sang, some quite loud somewhere on the porch I assume.

I counted stars as they appeared and was up to 10 when I must have dozed off.

A lone coyote barked in the distance west of us. Soon a chorus of coyotes started their nightly hunt east of us in the neighbor's woods. They were loud and sounded much closer than they really were. Their voices echo off the hillsides surrounding us. Hannah and Charlie were silent.

Those noises faded away as we drifted back into sleep.

I woke up slowly, it seemed still dark, but it also seemed as if it were brighter. I checked my watch and was surprised to see that it was after 6AM and the dogs were still quiet. Hannah wasn't nagging me for her 5AM or earlier breakfast.

I felt more rested than I had in days.

According to the Garmin watch thingy, I slept 8 1/2 hrs but it was light sleep with a few times awakening. [Garmin doesn't feel I had 'good' sleep, but I feel like I did. So there Miss Garmin!]

As daylight started to creep in, I laid there comfortably, cuddled by my two buddies. I wondered why sleeping without proverbial walls seem to be so much nicer for me.

Maybe I just have gypsy heritage, though that is not confirmed as far as I know. I wonder what it would feel like on a colder night? 

I got up and bundled up the blankets and pillows and tossed the slightly damp ones in the dryer for a few minutes. The dogs were not impressed by me whisking things away and breaking things down.

We are due for some heavy rain along with thunderstorms today. Let it happen. I had a good night.

I'm ready to get going on my short 'work' week.

I leave you with my favorite spider, the Garden Spider or the Orb Weaver or Banded Garden Spider. She is absolutely stunning.

Sunshine and Forest

Sunshine still likes to ride on trails.

According to an internet search 28 years old is like being 83-87 years old in human years. I hope to be in as good of shape as she is when I get to 87!

Right now she is showing off her glossy red summer coat and in a few weeks, she'll be starting to grow her winter coat.

I'm able to ride her a couple of times a week and our rides are not difficult or demanding. 

The next shot is of Sunshine's new pasture mate, Willow. Willow is half Halflinger. 

Willow is beautiful! She is also the same height as Sunshine. If I were to have a horse, it would be Willow. 

Sunshine gets along with her just fine. When Cash sees Sunshine though, he does whinny and carry on. Equine are so funny with their attachments.

Sunshine is getting a pedicure from my farrier this weekend. Kristi is going to have Danny [my farrier who learned from his dad Dan] trim her horses and probably shoe Willow on her fronts.

I decided after a busy week of doing 'stuff' and exploring, that we'd have a quiet day. How much quieter can it get than an afternoon in the forest with a good book? Nothing but birdsong and the whisper of a breeze to keep us company.

Oh. And both dogs did get up in the hammock with me while I read. I think I feel asleep in the gentlest of ways and took a short and deep nap.

We went back after supper and hung out watching for wildlife and enjoying more quiet

Apparently, they both believe they can fit in my lap at the same time.

I do live in a quiet area and do have a nice porch to sit on.

But in the forest, there are no walls and almost no cell service which eliminates the clutter of the modern world.

Happy Friday.

Afternoon delight

I have to admit, I am pretty rusty at taking water photos on the fly. Our creek dried up a couple of years ago after the great 2019 flood and the 5 years of drought we had. Our creek still has tiny springs here and there, but it is mostly a dry bed until Mother Nature decides to remodel again.

Yesterday was one of those crazy days.

Kristi texted me and asked if I wanted to come over and we could visit and do 'something'. Yep, I was up for it after the gym.

I grabbed Charlie and we left for who knows what kind of 'something' Kristi had in mind. After we hung out for a while and chatted, she suggested we go on a hike.

This is her photo below. When I found out we were heading into a valley with a stream, I was like a little kid. Time to play in the water!

My OM camera has a built in Neutral Density filter so here I was trying to take a 1/4 sec exposure of the water flowing over the rocks.

I walked through the stream to squat down and shoot a couple of quick shots. I'm never quite sure how new hiking partners will tolerate my propensity to stop and 'shoot' a lot. So i was quick at it.

This camera has some dang fine stabilization built in.

I then turned and looked up the valley. The south facing hillside was lit up with brilliant brown/orange light that reflected on the stream. I told Kristi that I could easily spend hours in just this one spot.

My sneaky friend took shots of me playing in the water. Charlie had a blast keeping us both supervising.

There was so much to see and Kristi wanted to show me more of the valley and the stream.

I will admit, that I was like a little kid on Christmas morning. I kept oohing and ahhing and dropping down into the water and picking up rocks.

If things were left up to me, I'd just build me a little hut in the valley and hang out with the stream. So much to see and explore!

 

What a great visit!

 

Night out on the rock.
Dennis and I went up on Black Hawk rock to watch the sun set. While we were up there, we noticed storms moving in from the west and north.

July 4th morning was hot and humid but our CrossFit gang met up at the track to do the Loredo WOD in honor of Edwardo Loredo.

6 rounds of

24 air squats
24 push ups
24 walking lunges

400meters run

for time....

This is Dennis and I before we started. Our gym folks are always so open and welcoming. One of the coaches had her youngsters with her. 

This is two of the girls doing the running part on the track. I'm running with one of the girls who is doing the workout in her new cowboy boots.

I had told Dennis before we started, that this was a tough cardio work out and it was warm and humid. There was no shame in walking the 400 meters. Many did, just to keep from getting overheated.

Hard to do when a 6 year old passes you by wearing cowboy boots!

We gathered for a group photo afterwards.

Dennis said he loved it even though he wasn't able to finish it. He went out too hard and fast and used up all he had on the first few rounds. 

Our coach who owns the gym sat with Dennis and they talked about body building and cardio benefits. Josh is an amazing fellow. Dennis felt a bit defeated by not finishing. He and Josh had a heart to heart and Dennis felt nothing but positive vibes with this experience. 

Later in the day, Dennis learned how to drive the 4 wheeler and volunteered to do chores.

He discovered that Charlie wouldn't let him go anywhere without his supervision!

He spent a lot of time with Grandpa Rich even though hubby wasn't feeling well. He even convinced him to put on his Mule Kicker hat and have a 'set' on the porch for some photos.

And of course, there was time to stretch out in the cool air inside...

...with a bit of giggling.
However, Charlie was very serious about taking a nap!

Dennis took me to Viroqua to see the 4th of July Fireworks. He knew of the best place to park and put out lawn chairs from all the years that he'd gone as a kid with his Great Grandmother and folks.

We sat down and enjoyed ice cream sundaes. 

And watched the show...

Before leaving to go back home, Dennis and Charlie had to have some quiet time together.

I'm going to miss my Chauffer and chore master!

Dennis didn't seem too anxious to leave and vowed that he'd come back for more adventures.

It was his first solo trip to Grandpa and Grandma's house and he loved it.

He is a very considerate young man with a lot of empathy for others. He said he really hoped his visit lifted his Grandpa's spirits even if he wasn't feeling the greatest.

And yes, it did!

[As it did mine!]