Summertime Fun

 We went to George, Washington for the Fourth of July and camped at Max and Kassie's house (one of our favorite campgrounds) with Kassie's family.

We get a lot of cute visitors in our trailer.

 We celebrate on the fourth in downtown George with the Cherry Bomb run, a cherry pie, a parade, a festival and fireworks.  It's a small town with a BiG celebration.

The tolerant camp hosts... Thank you kiddos!

We color, do some crafting, play cards, nap and eat a lot of delicious food.

And we play on the Columbia River.  We play hard.

 Ella and I did some visiting about her starting kindergarten in the fall.

She is going to have to call me Mrs. R. at school and it's hard for her to wrap her head around that idea. I have a lot of fun with Ella and can't wait to see her in school.

No emergency here just some Coastie spreading dye.

Hubby and I went tubing and apparently my upper body strength isn't great at 60. Holy soreness.

The kids left and Kassie took the 'rents on a wine tasting tour.  We visited Jones, Errant Cellars (where Kassie works on the weekends) and then Cave B for lunch.  Hubby and I were happy to see Kassie at home.  She married our farmer, moved to a tiny town and she has jumped in with both feet.  

She knows everyone!

Hubby and I feel blessed to have such a good time with Max's in-laws. Idalia and I both said, we cannot wait for next year.  Max and Kassie probably need the year to recover, cuz we are a lot.

We took the back roads home and are always in awe.  Washington, you are gorgeous!

We are back home for most of July.

 My ferns are happy this year.  This summer is cool and a bit rainy. Not my favorite but it's nice to have the lawns green and the forest fires under control. If I need sun, I'll hitch up find sunshine on the other side of the mountains.

It's not all pretty and relaxing though.  I'm cleaning the attic.  We brought one load to the thrift store and I'm working on the second today.

Hubby is taking out the hitching post.  He doesn't like mowing around it.

It makes me sad. It means we aren't getting another horse.  I think everyone knew I wasn't getting a horse but this made it real. And sad. I think we all remember this ugly cry story.

 Enjoy the sunshine today, the rains are a comin'!

Afternoon Party

Abby Jo is riding into her eighth year! That is what it said on her birthday party invitation. I was happy to be invited and it was fun to see Little Bit being ridden by so many little girls. When I drove up Abby and her little sis, Emily were yelling, Tami! Tami's here! Love that. As I walked up to the group they told me that Luke, little bro & Emily's twin, was there. I could see that for myself, he lives there. Then they told me after last year's party their Mom said he would NeVeR be at a girls' party again! But he was there and was very charming. Good job Luke!
Emily took me on a tour to see the other horses and the new corral. I told her she is lucky because it is just like a real ranch.

High maintenence babe- dreads & highlights. Who does your mane, hon?

Abby opening the gift I brought & realizing I bought her the same new shirt she got from her Dad that morning.
Happy 8th Birthday Abby Jo!

Max, Little Bit, Abby

The Good Bye
The Hand Over.
The End.

Abby was so cute and excited, Max was happy that Little Bit is going to Abby, Mindy has a little girl with chaps on her birthday list, Rick is happy to have one out of five kids that loves horses and to have Little Bit for Abby. The whole thing felt right. Everything is good except my puffy eyes and the lump in my throat.

Sorry, I've Been Away, Crying My Eyes Out

I had a horse while growing up and I always hoped I would have a horse kid. Max was my guy. He wanted a horse so badly when he was little. He wore cowboy boots year round and rode his stick horse until we had to put it down(the stick broke). When we moved to the Stone House Max bought Little Bit. Little Bit has been a great kid horse for Max. And a good horse for me too. I loved to look out my window and see Little Bit in his pasture, I like to ride and I love to just brush Little Bit and hang out together. I always called to him as I came home from work and told him that he is a good horse.
Max would come home from school , saddle up and ride. He even looked like a cowboy. Neighbor kids would come by to ride.

This Spring Max rode and I ran to get in shape for Hawaii. I could tell Max was getting too tall for Little Bit. We had a lot of fun this Spring, Little Bit never liked me to pass him. Hey, any horse with self respect wouldn't want me to pass him.
I like to go out and groom Little Bit.

Max wanted a sleigh and I found one and surprised him with it. These pictures are with a loaner harness but we bought Max a beautiful harness with red trim for Christmas one year. Little Bit looks so sharp with the red sleigh, out in the snow. Max trained him and when the snow was right we'd hitch up and have some fun.


This Summer Max started talking about selling Little Bit. He was too tall, he wanted to raise some heifers for his college fund, football and high school are keeping him busy. Max is right. I KNOW all of these reasons are right and that Max gave it a lot of thought but I have had a terrible time with his decision. I can not stop crying, really. I love Little Bit and I know it is the end of some special times that Max and I have shared.
One day I was in Target shopping and Max called me on my cell. He had called my cousin Rick to help him put a price on Little Bit. At that point I was crying any time the subject came up and so on the cleaning product aisle in Target I was tearing up. I told Max not to call me about this but to talk with me when I was at home next to a kleenex box. People can really stare at a bawling woman in the cleaning aisle at Target. Anyway, Rick was interested in Little Bit for his daughter Abby. Now, Abby is one of my favorite kids to run into. She sparkles! Really, her face lights up, her freckles are darling and she is just spunky and happy. Perfect new owner for Little Bit! She and her Dad came today, rode Little Bit and bought him. Little Bit will be loved, ridden by a little girl whose hair matches his mane. We can visit. It is all turning out great but I just can't stop crying...

Sunday Stroll

Max rides, I walk and we talk. I had such a nice afternoon with Max, Little Bit and Hawley. We made it around the corn field several times. Sometimes Max and Little Bit run circles around me and Hawley. But it was a lot of walking and talking too.
Is that boy coming with the grain bucket?
Something for the birds.

Low Morale

The hedge is trimmed! Morale, not so good. The guys got up at 6 a.m. to drive to Mt. Baker with friends. Packed up a BBQ, burgers, gear, ready for a day on the slopes with Sam's friends, Jesse and Blake. Ran into some nasty weather and decided to come home. They don't like to spend the big bucks on the mountain when they are running into bad weather and a steady stream of cars coming down the mountain. Never a good sign! So, they got to help with the hedge instead of skiing. You can imagine the morale, low people, really low.
I groomed Little Bit this morning because I am in denial over the state of my housekeeping, I tend to go outside when the inside gets messy. And I did not want to go anywhere near the low morale group assisting Hubby with the hedge. My photo is of Little Bit running to roll in the mud (post grooming). He's fast so it isn't a great photo today.
Hubby and I have a date tonight, so I guess we'll just leave those guys with the low morale behind.

Burning Calories

Did you know that grooming a horse uses 354 calories per hour? That is more than walking! Come on over, Little Bit loves it and you'll lose weight...


And it is a never ending job. He can be groomed everyday because he loves to roll in the dirt. I know he can't help it but sometimes I run outside or yell out the window, "stop that, you're making a mess." He looks at me like, "huh? or What?"
Annoying.

Buds and Buddies

Went outside this morning and saw a lot of buds in the yard. The sunshine feels so good. I think I forgot that feeling.