favorite time of day

6 AM  This is my favorite time of the day this time of year. It is warm enough to sit out and watch the sunrise but no bugs yet and no killer humidity yet! The birds are singing and it is just perfect. The sun comes peeking over the treeline and as it warms you up , one can feel muscles just relax and go Ahh.  Three  mares are back in foal and waiting on news of last three ( counting my clients that foal here) . I think I will need more than one camera next year! They are all going to be foaling in a two or three week period. Yikes. Hopefully some nice babies- these are nice Daddy's ! Both Into Mischief and Midnight Lute had two runners each, in this year's Kentucky Derby. That is unusual for first crop three year olds.

June is a month "off" -time to visit kids!

This is a photo of my Preakness hat! Last weekend I took the last mare and foal to Kentucky to be bred back. It seems like a vacation around here. All the mares and foals are away and I only have 10 horses here- that seems like nothing! Mike has been wonderful to feed for me and I am going to go visit the kids. Will and Annie this weekend in Charlotte. I can't wait. Annie is driving to Asheville and can show me the Biltmore and where she lives in the North Carolina Mountains. I have really missed seeing my children. Next weekend I am hopping out to California to see Sarah and Kevin. She has the lead in her next Shakespeare production and I am happy to get a chance to see her perform again. It has actually been a long time since I saw her in a play! These are quick trips but that's perfect. Then on to Rhode Island for Mike to receive his Master's from the War College. Get to see Julia and Ryan as a bonus! Then beach week!!! The best present ever for my birthday is everyone coming to a beach house in the Outer Banks . This is the stuff of lasting family memories and I am fortunate that it worked out for everyone. Soon enough the mares and babies will be back and my "horse whisperer" job cranks up. 

Preakness Baby!!

Baby number 4 waited until midnight to arrive on Preakness Day! Big colt by Munnings out of my mare Hallowed Dream, he is lovely. Now I can go to the Preakness and enjoy the day. Yesterday we were able to go into winner's circle with the Black-Eyed Susan winner, Fiftyshadesofhay, courtesy of my friend Dennis. That was a thrill, tho' one day I hope to walk a winner myself into that circle, as I suppose all horse breeders dream of that reward. I am so glad all the babies are here and the last arrived on our anniversary as well. Mike made it home from a lacrosse game just in time to help with delivery. He was a very big baby and I needed that muscle. Thanks dear! Happy Anniversary.

My real "babies"- my sons

Will made a surprise stop in Baltimore yesterday for a quick dinner. Wonderful to see him and celebrate his 23rd birthday! He looked very impressive leaving his banker's meeting and I am so very proud to know this young man. We all had dinner near Sam and Stephanie's home and were able to assemble the  troops for a birthday moment. Sam and he rushed off to catch a plane back to Charlotte. Sam, my colorful son, was doing a 5K in Baltimore last weekend and caught this photo at the end of race. These are the moments that take your breath away! Love you.

May Days

Spring has been very slow to warm up this year. Today supposed to hit 80 degrees- we'll see.  I would like to sit with a cup of coffee and watch sunrise but it has been too cold! Yesterday was Sarah's 26th birthday and tomorrow will be Will's 23rd! I look at friend's baby pictures and wondered at how fast it all went by. Mother's Day brunch was lovely with Sam and Stephanie, I am so glad they live near Annapolis. We will see William briefly for dinner on Thursday

and then he is back to Charlotte. I am so looking forward to our beach vacation with everyone. This time is filled with foal watching but as soon as the last is born and all bred back I can perhaps start to write again. Everyday seems to get busy with something unplanned and then I am too tired to start a new project but the back burners in my head are getting full!

Happy Mother's Day

I have heard from all my children today- all is right in my world! Though scattered, we all connect on Mother's Day and for this I am grateful. Thank you all for picking me to be your Mom. I am so grateful and feel blessed to have been able to make the journey in this life with you. Lots of ups and downs, some funny, some sad, some scary but all of it makes the trip fantastic! I feel truly thankful to all the powers that be that I am a part of three kids who sustain loving relationships, who pay their own bills, who write intelligent, thoughtful letters, who are respectful and know how to have fun. That is success by any definition! I am so proud of you all. I am looking forward to this summer for a week of fun in the sun at the beach with all my kids and their husbands, wives, girlfriends!!! It is going to be so much fun.
One more mare has yet to foal, so  I am still wakeful at night. It is exhausting but watching the foals play makes it worth it. Two are off to Kentucky to their "date nights" with some high powered stud horses!