Happy Birthday Michael!- "it is good to be the King!"

Today is Mike's birthday !  He decided to sleep in until 5:30 AM!  I am so glad he gets up early because then I get up and do barn chores before it gets unbearable. We may check out the new casino with friends to celebrate and I stopped to get a Caroline's Cake for him yesterday. That and a massage - what more could a guy want! Today I am also picking up my new "stock" trailer - gonna try something new in the world of horse transportation.  I realized if I never put a horse in it until after we moved Will to North Carolina I could get everything in there- Not- horses are gonna go first! I am interested to see how my fox hunters and mares deal with a "step-up". The babies will jump in anywhere to be with mare- half the time they jump over me! I asked JD for pointers on how to get them to load in a step-up and he very generously said, "Open the door"!  Ha-Ha- thanks JD.  So, Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband, who is my best friend and partner. He looks like a king on a throne in this picture- we were trying out chairs at Arhaus!!

Getting a day of reprieve in between hot, hot days makes a Maryland summer bearable. There is  no humidity and it was actually cool this morning. I have a cashmere wrap on at 5:30 Am to watch sunrise! Yes, that is the way I like it, uh- uh, uh-uh! The sky is so blue it is wonderous. The resident blue heron just flew over, he goes to sit at the very top of a nearby tree. The branch sways and rocks under his weight and I just wait for him to fall. He looks so funny, all gangly and long neck and knees knocking, trying to perch on this little branch. I got a note from Will, saying London was awesome and they are in Paris. They must be having a great time, I am so glad he and Annie were able to do this together. Always makes it more special when you have somebody to share it all with! I guess that goes for everything in life.

hot , hot...

I am up and starting chores about 5AM because it is still so hot and muggy. Sunrise is beautiful but I am trying to beat the bugs and humidity. Horses were miserable last night. I had to put them out before 5PM as I was taking Will and Annie to Dulles for their European vacation ( just a little envious). When I got back they were still standing by the barn, stamping, with the foals tucked under Mom's tail because the flies are  killing them. I expect they will want to come in by 5AM!! London, England and  a cool rainy day sounded kinda nice yesterday.

Eye of the eagle.....

I have a pair of bald eagles that hunt in my back fields. Yesterday, the mares in that field were tail-up, nostril -flared snorting  and carrying -on. Looking around for the reason I saw this startlingly white head and golden beak hopping across the crest of the field. Even I took a second glance. Eagles are really big and that hooked beak is wicked looking. They may be noble in flight but on the ground, hopping, with I think a rabbit, in his talons, they look like a predator. I walked closer and the mate appeared, silently, from just behind my head. I think she/he had the other's back and I was a tad too close. How do you tell an eagles sex?? Anyway, the killing bird kept trying to get airborne with the rabbit ? and the other flew circles overhead like a fighter plane doing 360's before dropping a bomb. I decided I was probably close enough, flared my own nose and went back to the Gator and continued feeding.  I lost sight of the one on the ground and the mate flew really low, paralleling me for a bit.  Once in Alaska, I was on a fishing boat that was being paced by three killer whales. They kept rolling up as high as possible and looking into the wheelhouse. I swear they were eyeballing us for dinner. It was uncanny then and a little spooky and the eagle gave me the same feeling. I decided to keep my eyes front and not make contact! The thought of an eagle's talon raking my head was disconcerting.  Every once in a while I find a dead, torn, skunk or raccoon in the middle of my fields and I realize these birds tackle really big prey. My raccoons are impressive- fed the best horse feed around!. Easily 20-30 pounds and nasty. I actually would like to see that fight, eagle vs. raccoon. I only ever find dead 'coons, never dead eagles. That also factored into my decision to keep eyes front and drive on. I come back and repeatedly tell my little dogs to stay alert!

mid-June

June, so far, has been a great month- not too hot. I hope the rest of the summer is like this. Foals are well (knock on wood), although the one colt going to the Yearling Show did manage to get a boo-boo to on back leg, just before we go! I still have the fattest raccoons in the world- they don't even wait until I am out of sight on the Gator until they come to sit under horses and enjoy the grain droppings! One was on the rafters of the barn with his head under a paw, believing I could not see him, while he tried to reach the resident swallow's nest. I just stood under him, thinking, "Really!"
We have been collecting furniture for Will's new apartment and are almost done. He and Annie are about to head off for the "grand European tour"- post college. Not really a three month sojourn but a nice vacation anyway. Nowadays one wants to travel with a carry-on and not ten steamer trunks that need a porter- can you image! Though not sure Will is going to get 10 days clothes in a carry-on!
Father's Day was a lovely brunch at chef Sam's house. The quiche was excellent and the company better. Then I actually schooled a couple of horses and cleaned my tack room. This is a once yearly event the makes me feel wonderful! Life is good.