Pack Drive Ride

     A few weeks ago I decided to chronicle the procees I go through some days to ride my Horse Dolly, which is stabled most of the time at a friend's home, which is about three miles from my house.  My family's weekend home and her family's home are located in the Mark Twain Forest in Stelleville, Mo.
 
     I like to take the scenic route, which is the trail behind my house, down the forest service road, down the blacktop a short way, down the gravel road two miles to her gate, River Oaks Ranch.

     So here goes "The Process".    One needs plenty of hydration during a hot ride.  Sometimes we have a little dehydration before the rehydration.

     Go through the tack room and try hard to not forget anything and load it into the Kawasaki Mule.

     This Mule is a BEAST!  It will take me anywhere I need to go.

     Drive past my house.

       Pass the old barn/cabin.

     Cross the creek over the old wooden bridge.

     Onto the trail.  My trail signs are named after horses we've owned and loved.  A good friend's daughter made them for me.

     Pass the Wagon Trail.  An old wagon trail runs through my property. 

     Down the Forest Service Road.  No problem.  I can get around that log.

     Now a short trip down the blacktop road. 

     Turn at the gravel road, Lower Narrows, to River Oaks Ranch.

     Fetch Dolly.  Yes, she's looking good.  See those Amber eyes?

Finally, I'm on the horse.

     Hooked up with riding buddies and we rode back to my house, via Ozark Trail. 

      Now, it's nap time.

Linda

Lunch at My Place

     After lunching downtown last week, I made my regular stroll into one of my favorite stores downtown Edwardsville, Beyond Timbuktu.  Near the entrance were several "bed spreads" made in India.  They are made of a very thin cotton and work well as a light tablecloth.  So . . . please enjoy my latest tablescape with the star of the table the cloth.

     I like the pattern of the dinner plate with this cloth.  This is one busy table.  I like the Lenox salad dishes with this look.  Never did I imagine purple water glasses and red wine glasses would look so pretty together.  This tablecloth seems to pull them together.

     The water pitcher was given to me by a friend who knows of my love of dishes. 

     These plates have an Italian flare but are made in China.  The wood chargers are the only chargers I own and they seem to work well with every setting.

     I bought this dining set along with other pieces of furniture that existed when purchasing this home.  It's a nice heavy French set.

     Next week my work friends and I will speed to my house (only five min. from work) and throw together a nice salad for lunch.  We all chip in and help prepare, eat fast, do a quick clean up and rush back.  We have an hour lunch and are able to get it done.  It's rushed, but we enjoy it.  I love serving my friends. 

     It's been a while since I've blogged but ready to jump back in.

     I am joining Tablescape Thursday with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. 
                                                             http://betweennapsontheporch.net//
Linda

Recuperation - Mind and Body

      It will be three weeks today since my surgery.  I've been instructed to "take it easy", don't lift over 10-15 pounds, and avoid steps.  Sounds easy but not so, not when you work full time and usually don't have time to get the things on the "to-do" list done.  But this has been my perfect opportunity to just laze around without guilt.  Guilt-free napping, sometimes twice a day.  Sleeping in late.  Not lifting heavy items.  Not feeling anxiety every time I see the Eliptical or drive past the YMCA, which is right down the street from my house.
     Yesterday I took some pictures of what I've been doing while spending time at my weekend getaway, the Cabin.
     I've placed this hammock under the sycamore tree where I get dappled shade and nap, usually with at least one dog surrounding me.

     This is the view looking up.

Below is the view looking out into friend Melissa's pasture.  I could sit for hours and watch the horses.

Now it's time to SIT at Courtois Creek.  Once we settled in with our chairs at the creek, hardly a word was spoken for almost an hour.  Melissa, her mother, who is now 87 and sharp as a tack, and I, just SAT and listened to sounds of nature.

 

This "Bird Head" rock was next to my chair.

When I moved my chair, I found this "Unhappy Ghost" rock.

There is a double recuperation going on here at the cabin this week.  A stray lab mix found me.  The vet visit yesterday revealed an eye infection, infection in the mouth from a laceration, and of course, malnourishment.  But NO HEARTWORM.  He's being treated with antiboitics.  At the moment, there are four labs here, my two, Carl and Hershey, the neighbor's yellow lab, and our stray Frank.  It's crazy at feeding time.

Here is a picture of Frank.  I've already found him a home, which he'll go to after his health improves.

He fits right in.

I'm not the only one lazing around this week.

My mind is finally slowing down and feeling peaceful.  No schedule besides doctor appointments.  No rushing. 

While sitting quietly in nature I noticed events I'd never notice in my typical hurried life, such as while sitting outside on the deck several crows came swooping in squacking and circling my house.  It was then I noticed all the dragonflies that they were hunting and eating.  It's those "little" things I find interesting.

So while physically recuperating, I'm certainly mentally recuperating.  Didn't realize how strung out I really was.  This has been a good lesson for me.

AND FRIENDS.  I've got great friends calling me, dining me, feeding me cookies an pies and casseroles.  I've got some great friends.

It's been a happy recuperation.

Linda

 

The Art of Sitting

     Recently I read a little article referencing "The Art of Sitting".  Being an anxious, easily bored and distracted person, I have always found it difficult to "just sit" and relax and enjoy my surroundings.  My endeavor is now to learn to "just sit" and enjoy the act of just sitting.

     To feel relaxed while sitting, I, like most people, like to prop my feet up on something, or else I'm not comfortable.  Sadly, though, this table is rough on the ankles.  I am on the lookout for an x-large ottoman, preferrably in cows hide.

     The weekend at the Cabin gave me the opportunity to perfect the art of sitting.  It was my goal to sit and enjoy the act of sitting.

     My good friend, Mary, accepted my invitation to sit with me this weekend at the cabin.  She was all over that idea after working a 12-hour shift at Children's Hospital in the NICU, plus driving an hour and a half to the Cabin.  As soon as she came in she hit the shower, put on her new PJ's, and sat in the big brown chair.  I had a frosty glass of cold beer ready for her.  She seemed to enjoy sitting and drinking it and winding down.

Sometimes a sit turns into a laydown, if you're not careful.

While chatting on the phone, I like to sit in the chair next to the phone.

 

Here I am sitting the the most uncomfortabel chair that I own.  But it's cool, isn't it?

All this sitting is wearing me out.   It's time to go to bed.  I have a day full of sitting to look forward to.

The next morning, we decided to sit and drink coffee at the barn, enjoying the morning and the view and the birds and woodsy noises.    It was so relaxing and joyful that we sat till 11:30 a.m.

Then I had this great idea, hey, let's go sit somewhere else.  We finally got dressed and took a drive to the Meramac Springs State Park in Missouri.  We found a great place to sit.

"Sitting Pretty"

My hat looks fab on you, Mary.

Sitting Friday evening and all morning and afternoon Saturday left me with a relaxed, peaceful feeling.  I needed the time to just sit and enjoy my surroundings, the sites and the sounds and the calmness that I so rarely feel.  Thanks Mary, for the weekend of sitting.

Phlox, Folly & Friends

     April is the time of the year my friends and I venture out on our horses for the Dogwood Ride, always taking place somewhere in Missouri.  This time it was right out my back yard on the Ozark Trail, and the Dogwood were in full bloom, but sadly, the Redbud were finished and leafing out.

Lucy and Mary arrived about 8:00 p.m. to the cabin, where I had cooked up a pot of Potato Bacon soup.  Was flying by the seat of my pants.  Hadn't made it in a long time, and happy to say it turned out great!

Simple country table setting.  Table enamel, old, bought in a flea market $35.

This setting was all about the food and welcoming to my cabin.

Got our bellies full and a good night's rest, ready for hard core riding. 

Picture of me and Dolly at Melissa's house, readying horses for the ride.

I took cuttings of the blooming bushes you see in the background for what will appear in the tablescapes.

We rode five miles from Melissa's house to my cabin on the Ozark Trail, then hitched up and prepared lunch.  Wish I'd prepared for a tablescape too, but nature took over.

Hot sandwiches and potato salad and chips.  Lucy had the brilliant idea (she always does) of eating outside by the barn taking in the view of the wild phlox growing on the hillside.  Great idea!

Dirty women, dirty table, but beautiful scene while we ate lunch.

Time to head back.  I can feel it's going to rain real soon.  Made it back to Melissa's ranch ten minutes before the rain started.

Mary just learning to ride this year.  She's doing great and she doesn't whine.

We finished the evening off with this, yes, Belly Dancing DVD.

Mary and Lucy left Friday morning early.  I decided Friday afternoon to use the flowers I cut and my new dishes for this tablescape.  Dishes bought at flea market.

The vase looks like Quimper, but it's not.

Tucked in some wild flowers clipped from my so-called yard.

Dogwood and wild phlox tucked in bourbon glasses.

I placed azalea and dogwood into this pottery thingy I purchased in Mexico.  It hangs at my kitchen window.

And I placed a Dogwood cutting in this bottle on the kitchen window sill.

I am so blessed to have good adventurous friends, a good hubby who never complains about my frolicking, and to have my little place in woods, the Mark Twain Forest, Missouri.

I am joining the party at http://betweennapsontheporch.net/on-a-balcony-in-switzerland-the-206th-tablescape-thursday/ 

Linda