M.I.A.

A few of you have tracked me down and asked why I haven't posted anything lately.  The truth of it is that I have sat down at my computer several times, only to walk away before ever turning it on.  Not that I don't love you.  Not that I don't miss you.  I just have only had a few words to say...

It is Hot!

I figured most of you probably already new that.  I can usually be found these days, wondering around in the heat, trying to get my chores done, mumbling, "I can't take this any more."  I often wonder how we made it through last year.  I know it was so much worse, but I have been dieing out here.  Everyday starts the same.

Slam down some iced coffee.

Let the dogs out and feed them.

Feed the horses.

Let the chickens out.

Feed the bees.

Clean the barn.

Run for the air conditioning.

Back outside by noon on the really hot days.

Bring horses in.

Check on the chickens to make sure their misters are running and they are alive.

Collect eggs.

Hay the horses, top off their water, turn their misters on.

Find the cat and bring him in...this has been challenging if you don't catch him soon enough.

Run for the air conditioning.

Try to keep enough water on things to keep them alive.

Run for the air conditioning.

See a theme here?

This is on top of all the other duties involved in running the house. 

Laundry

Cooking

Shopping

Cleaning

Well, let's be honest on a few of those.  I frequently tell the Man in Charge that when I get my hands on the Cook and the Maid...they are fired!

I did have an interesting experience the other morning.  I started my usual rounds, and after letting my stallion out, I noticed that he was getting a little excited because he could see a couple of girls from his run.  He was grabbing a bite of hay, throwing his head, then running a lap around the pen.  This alone is not bad, but if he decided to get really excited about it, he could tear the whole place down and then we would have a train wreck.  As I made my way past him to go feed the bees, I stopped and told him,

"Don't do anything stupid!"

I walked to the back of the property to check on the girls and give them their daily ration of syrup.  I checked their water and made sure all was well.  No problems back there.  I started my journey back to the barn, and was basically just walking along, minding my own business.  I had given the bees two jars of syrup, and picked up the empties from the day before.  I usually throw the empty quart jars inside my bee hat for the walk back.  On this particular day, I had done just that.  I must have been in a heat-induced-daze, because when I made it to the edge of the creek, I tripped.

The creek drops down a pretty good amount.  In places, I can stand in the bottom and you can't see me.  I took a dive.  Like an Olympic dive, but not so pretty.  I have never personally participated in a graceful fall, and this was anything but.  It was arms up in the air, bee hat flying, glass jars banging together, bam!  My first thought after hitting the bottom was to check my jars.  Luckily, nothing was broken.  The next thought was to look myself over.  Luckily, nothing was broken.  My final thought was to stand up and see if anyone was watching.

There stands Deuce. 

Ears up!

Alert!

Trying to figure out what the heck just happened.

If a horse could talk.

His expression said it all.

"And you told me not to do anything stupid!"