A barefoot walk

Cliff and I had to go after one of his prescriptions this morning; which didn't leave us sufficient time to take our walk by the time I fixed dinner and we ate.  After he went to work, I dug a pair of shorts out of a drawer (yes, SHORTS!) and Sadie and I headed out; I decided to walk barefoot.  Oh, it's a fine day here in Missouri.  

Adam's horses haven't been back begging hay at the barn since they left the pen, early this morning.

Bonnie and Sir Loin have stayed out in the big pasture all day, too.  Notice the grass hanging from Bonnie's mouth.  

At almost nine months of age, Sir Loin could be weaned.  Probably should be.  But once he's weaned, I either have to let Bonnie go dry or milk her every day.  I'm really not ready to do either.  When the time comes, we'll either take him to Cliff's brother's place long enough for him to forget his mother's milk, or else haul him straight to the butcher shop.  I'd really like to bring him back here and use him as a heat detecter so I'll know when his mom is in heat; once we called the AI man, we'd take Sir to the butcher.  

   There's still snow in the shady, wooded areas.  

I walked barefoot through a small patch.  Just because it was there.  

Then, back at the house, I walked barefoot through the snow to clean the mud off my feet.  
I'm glad I got out and enjoyed today, because tomorrow's high temperatures aren't supposed to get out of the forties.

Random pictures, random happenings

When Rena was visiting during Thanksgiving weekend, her dog Angel got tired of Sadie and Mindy bugging her. So she got on her mom's lap and burrowed under the afghan.


This is Sadie yesterday, chilling out.

It was ten degrees yesterday. Cliff, Sadie and I walked anyway.

Believe it or not, with the sun shining and no breeze at all, we worked up a sweat before we were done.

Now this is something I had never seen: Ten degrees, and moles had been working under the snow!

We also saw mouse tracks and deer tracks, and snow geese flying overhead. It was one of the most enjoyable walks I've had lately.

Cliff got some news at work that he considers almost too good to be true: Management is going to allow his department to work four ten-hour days per week rather than five eight-hour days, which will give him a three-day weekend every single week! This starts January 5. They experimented with this once before, but it didn't last. We sure hope it's permanent this time.

A perfect Thanksgiving day

If I had custom-ordered the weather for Thanksgiving, yesterday would have been exactly what I ordered. Temperatures near sixty, sunshine everywhere. The perfect day for that after-dinner walk. You know, the one you force yourself to take, even though you're so full you can hardly get out the door.

You barely burn calories because you're walking at the speed of a slug, but the fresh air and sunshine are a nice change from the turkey-laden, oven-heated air in the house. I brought up the rear, and when we got back to "the point", I dropped on the ground and lay on my back, while the others walked a little farther. And was greeted with this:

Nothing like dog-slobbers in the face. Of course, all she wanted was....


somebody to take her stick and toss it.

Happy Thanksgiving, Sadie. Did you get enough turkey to satisfy you?

Autumn is showing off her colors

Once Cliff has had his breakfast and his share of coffee, we're out there enjoying whichever season it is, taking our half-hour walk in the pasture. We walk for our health, but I suppose I'd do it just for the pure pleasure of it anyhow.

Or I'd do it for Sadie, who, once she sees us putting on our shoes, circles and whines until we're out the door.

Cliff's getting ready to toss that stick down the hill to his right.


We like to throw sticks down this steep hill, thinking we'll wear her out, making her come up such an incline.

Fat chance.


Look at those leaves with the morning sun shining through!

I love autumn. I'm so thankful I can walk!

our morning walk

Can you see the purple on the river bottom? That's from a weed called hensbit. Soon the farmers will be planting corn and soybeans there. (Click on the picture to make it bigger and you'll see the purple better.)

Sadie found a stick.

Cliff stole it from her.

Nana-nana-boo-boo, I'll keep it from you.

"Gimme that," says Sadie, right before she grabs it.

Here she's drinking water from a horse hoof-print left in the wet ground where a spring comes out of the hillside.

On our daily walk (and a glimpse into the barn)

When Cliff and I went through the gate to take our walk, the horses were all in a huddle; we had to shove them out of the way to walk through their midst. Once we got past them and started toward the point, though, they followed us back to their "breakfast bar".

I turned Sadie off her leash, and she quickly found a stick to entice us with.

I'm usually in front, but I got behind Cliff because I stopped to take pictures of the horses.

This was taken yesterday evening after the girls had their ride; since they're interested in riding the horse, I figure they may as well learn to tend to his needs. Monica is cleaning Blue's hoof in this shot.

Before long, I'm going to send them out to the pasture to fetch Blue when it's time to ride. It'll save me the trouble, and they need to get used to putting a halter on a horse. I'm afraid I'll be the one putting the saddle on, though, for a long time to come. That old Circle Y saddle weighs a ton, and Blue is a tall horse.