Thanksgiving weekend hike

After a late start associated with a minor horse emergency that resulted in stitches, we headed to Big South Fork for a 6.6-mile hike. We were all smiles at first...because our feet felt great.

Spence usually carries C's 27-pounds, but I volunteered today since he'd been sick and I needed the workout.

I sure got it.

The hike was full of huge rock houses.

We ate lunch in a rock house.

C discovered her pockets to keep her hands warm.

Then Dad took over the last couple miles hauling Little C. Mama's feet were thankful.

We let C hike that last stretch to the truck. She had fun tromping in the leaves.

She had the biggest smile of all when we got loaded back up, because her feet weren't screaming

It was a great day, and we returned to two happy horses and intact stitches. We were thankful for that!

Delilah comes home

So Delilah arrived about noon on Thanksgiving Day. She got to meet Skip through the fence -- after he had done a little racing around the big field, arching his neck and prancing to show off.



They touched noses to check compatibility.






Then Delilah got to roam in her lot for a while.

The meeting was a little tense at first.

Then Delilah blew off Skip to have a little grass.



But he kept a constant eye on her to make sure she didn't try any funny business.

Then D and S went for a little ride around the farm. She's about as big around as a pencil, but she's going to be a great trail horse.

Welcome home, Delilah!

What're you doing?

This question gets a variety of answers in our house.

One day while I was in the kitchen and C was in her high chair, suspiciously quietly eating yogurt --
Me: Caroline, what're you doing?
Caroline: Making a mess.

One day while I was in the living room and C was in the kitchen, coughing repeatedly --
Me: Little C, what're you doing?
Caroline: Choking.

Last weekend, while we were driving home from Chattanooga, C was in her car seat "reading" a book. I noticed she'd had it in front of her face a really long time and hadn't turned the page in a while --
Me: C, what're you doing?
Caroline: Pooping.
Me: Oh Caroline, can you wait til we get to a potty? Can you hold it a few minutes?
Caroline: I can hold my horses, Mama.

PS. She did and we made it to the potty! Thank goodness we were 1/2 a mile from a rest stop.

Delilah

On Thanksgiving Day, we will have a new addition to our family. Her name is Delilah and she's a 10-year-old racking horse mare with the softest coat and sweetest disposition. We weren't expecting to find the exact horse we wanted so soon, but Delilah seems to fit the bill. She's very gentle and low-key so Caroline can be around her; she's a great trail horse and she'll make a wonderful companion for Skipper.

I'll post better pictures once we go pick her up.

Sad

It's taken me a week to be able to post this. We lost Cash, our sweet quarter horse, last week. It was sudden and unexpected, and it's really hard for me to even talk about. My only consolation is that he had a good life and he loved his buddy Skip (left).



You could always recognize him by the tornado on his forehead.


We're giving Skip special attention, and we hope he won't be alone for long. We plan to get another horse or pony sometime to be Skip's companion and perhaps suitable for Caroline as she gets older.

Photo tagged

I was tagged by Theresa to post the 4th photo in the 4th file on my computer and describe it. Here it is. It was painted by my mother-in-law, "Mama Norma," who is a wonderful artist. I photographed it in January 2005. Maybe she will leave a comment with more details.

I couldn't resist posting a couple of her other pieces.

And one of the artist herself.


I tag Cindy, Kara, Kellie and Jill.

The bug

It's been going around our household the last few days. Spence has got the little "D" (sinus drainage); C has the big "D," which is ironic since we've recently taken to giving her a daily dose of plum juice to loosen things up. So far I've dodged both D's but only out of pure willpower.

The one benefit to C feeling puny is it's the only time she's snuggly. Tonight as we piled into the rocking chair for our typical bedtime ritual, she leaned back and quietly took inventory of all her things: "I've got my blanket and my kitty cat (stuffed) and my milk."

I said, "Yes."

And then she adds, "And my mommy and my rocking chair."

Little C's Creativity

Fun with Mr. Potato Head

A ladybug invasion

The warm weather in Tennessee has brought an abundance of ladybugs. Spence and I have been vacuuming them up like crazy. We found these two big ones and thought they were cute enough to keep. So we headed to Cookeville's west side under the Cream City sign and collected some goodies from the shops. Wish I'd gotten some pics of the millions of people there.

This was Caroline's second trick-or-treating venture, and it took her a little while to get the hang of it. When the first person put the first treat into her Elmo bucket, she wanted to stop in the middle of the sidewalk and dig out the treat to eat right then, despite hundreds of people lined up behind us eager to keep moving.

Sarah had it all figured out.

The suckers were the biggest hit.






My friend Alana and little Sarah Jean at the Mexican restaurant: