Riding without a net...er, helmet

Yesterday I saddled up my horse, reached for my gloves and helmet...and, no helmet. It was back at the house, on the 3rd floor, awaiting a dab of glue to afix the visor. Hmmm, what to do? Horse is ready to go, sun is shining; oh, heck. I'll risk riding without my safety net. Now-a-days the reason I wear a helmet is against the possibility of Buffy stumbling; he is 25 years old, afterall, and does have arthritis. But I am a strict helmet wearing rider because "stuff" happens to the best horse and rider. My friend Linda, however, who has been riding since a child, eschews them and any notion of looking dorky while astride. Linda and I have ridden hundreds of miles together, and she has ridden many, many more miles over her, uh-hmm, 5 plus decades on horse. I am reminded of one ride, Linda on Paisano and me on Buffy, at Wilder Ranch out of Santa Cruz, CA. We were on the home stretch when with no preamble, no warning whatsoever, Paisano fell over on his side with Linda along for the experience. Not a sound was issued...no little cry from Linda nor snort from Pi. Apparently he had been spooked by an odd item on the ground and must have slipped. Well, they just got up, dusted off, and resumed the ride. So, Linda, Happy Birthday to you. Thinking of you today and everyday.

Latest Obsession

I have become enamored of Starbuck's new Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. I recommend the "short" size, which you have to ask for because they don't advertise anything smaller than a "tall". I've read that the "short" has 330 calories, with the whipped cream and all. A heavenly splurge. BUT, since I live far from town, I make my own, and add a shot of espresso. I use Starbucks Espresso Roast (always) in my DeLonghi Magnifica. Some may consider this a bit much for the home kitchen, but for me...a necessity. So, I heat the milk (1%), then stir in a spoonful of my cocoa/organic sugar mix, pour in the shot of espresso, top with a dollop of Cool Whip, a drizzle of Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch sauce, a pinch of Fleur de Sel...voila! As good as the storebought.

Crazy Friends

Today I think about my friends, far and near. My crazy friend, Ellen, came up with this awesome costume for her horse, Cash, last year. Her boyfriend Henrik accompanied the horse, as a Viking, suitably dressed. Both Ellen and Henrik are crazy fun people. I'm thinking about friends and creativity today because I spent several hours looking at various blogs and then scrapbooking in my studio. Then it was off to the kitchen to make Spaghetti Carbonera, a favorite. Garrett chose to eat his along with some steamed rice and French baguette. A rather creative combo, actually.

A Good Day For A Movie

Today I hunted for mushrooms from horseback. Lots of the little fungi poking through, thanks to the rain we are having early in the season (early for me, anyway). This afternoon we will go to see "Appaloosa" with Ed Harris and Viggo Mortenson, based on a Robert B Parker book we enjoyed. Later we will pick up our Garrett for another week of school. Here is Garrett with some of his Lego creations.

Testing the Limits

Whew, figuring out the placement of text so that it aligns properly is a puzzlement. Let's try this.

Well, seems to work better. Here are some of the mushrooms I collected along with reminders that fall is indeed here.

Chilly Outside

Today I'm using the wood stove...and it hasn't gone many months unused. "Summer" was cool this year; didn't really begin until September and ended a few weeks later. So, off to the woodpile. Still, the sun is shining brightly today. Lovely day for a ride down to the beach, on my best boy, Buffalo. Then into the kitchen to conjure up a roast chicken dinner, with sweet potatoes and a salad of mixed baby greens. Hmmm, and that nice bottle of chardonnay, too. TV is on the fritz...and though I'm a bit grumpy about missing "The Unit" and HGTV's "The Stagers", really...it's a good thing.

My First Day in Blog Land

Today is the day I begin my broadcast into the universe. I shall spend the day once again greeting my Halloween friends, after their long banishment to storage. I shall walk the wooded path to the beach, discovering mushrooms sprouting through the decay. I shall fire up my steel carriage for the long trek to a far away town in order to help a loved one on his journey to discovery. Meanwhile, I must also be mindful of the needs of my clan for sustance. Honey, can we eat out tonight?