Happy Tuesday! Happy Year of The Horse! It is our time!
Vibe plate for The Man before some body work, thanks to our friend, M.
I hope this finds you all well, dear readers! I have missed our little corner of the interwebs. These days it feels like the only safe place on the internet.
Do tell, how have you been, what have y’all been up to?
Doing our secret society thing.
My little Christmas Tree is still standing strong giving me all the joy, complete with a big, long pink bow for Valentine’s Day. I am thinking I am going to keep it up most of the year and just add things each month of the year. Something for St. Patty’s day, Easter, Memorial Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Summer Solstice, 4th of July, you get the picture. I think we could all use the increased joy!
Holiday baking also brings joy!
Anyway, I have something for you.
I just wanted to say that we are less than a month away from MORE DAYLIGHT. March 8, we are coming for you! I need the sunlight! I will say that this year I have been able to ride more than some years and it has kept me a little more sane.
Just some snap shots of life since we last spoke.
You can do it, we are almost there!
The horses are shedding. Actually, that reminds me. My shedding blade broke the other day! Can you believe that?! All our shedding blades are OLD and it seemed like that would never happen!
The wind is…winding. It feels like springtime winds and everything else that goes along with that…frisky horses and broomstick tails.
The grass is finally green as we finally have gotten some much needed rain (still dancing for more though!). I spread some wildflower seeds a while ago and I can see their beginnings sprouting.
I feel like I can almost feel the pecan trees thinking about greening. Look, OK, I know that is a bit jumping the gun, but just go with it!
I am choosing to believe that the worst of winter is over. That could have been a bad thing to say…but I am not going to think about that. I am just not! We are focusing on the light! Manifesting the good and positive. That dang groundhog just wants to keep hibernating.
The moon and fog were just stunning and I couldn’t not snag a pic.
I wanted to give you a reminder to give yourself grace this season. But not just this season. Give yourself grace every winter. Remember, winter comes every year not matter what!
And winter is hard.
You know it even if you do not want to admit it. It is cold and wet and dark and dull. Do not get me wrong, it is beautiful and wise in its own right, but it is also heavy. It is necessary to get to spring, yes. But, it is OK to slow down. To rest, reflect, and recharge. I dare say you are SUPPOSED to do that! And I loathe that word.
I want you to think about what everything else does in winter and give yourself grace. You work hard all year round, winter is the time to slow down. Allow yourself to do it too! Just think about what happens come spring because of winter’s dormancy. It is coming!
Or at least the time change is coming. In 14 days the interwebs says. Anyone else have a countdown going?
The horses are starting to shed and they feel like I do. Everyone has been in a bad mood every time the winter comes.
I am not a fan of any time change to be honest, but I can not wait for more daylight in the evenings after work. Basically being dark when I get home from work during the week when it is cold is one of the most depressing things to me. Just me and the Merle staring at each other, longing to play outside. It always has been this way for me, but it is getting worse with age and especially now that I no longer live in town. I feel like a horse that has been locked in a stall and needs out. A caged animal. I need the sun! And the green, I LOVE green landscapes. The winter drab is getting to me. Yes, we still have green winter grasses and green clover, but it is not the same against a low, gray winter sky. Yes, there it has its own beauty, but at times like these, it can sometimes be hard to see! (I am fully aware how bonkers this sounds. Our winters are really beautiful and we do get a lot of sun and beautiful days!…as you will see in some of my pics!)
The wet and the wind, also not helping. It is messing with my riding (read mood)(I am unwell). OK, to be honest, I did get a little ride in last Saturday. Bareback, in a halter, and crusted in mud. Do not judge me, I had a window and I took it, but it dang sure feels as if I have not ridden since New Year’s Eve (I think I have only ridden one other time since NYE). That is the hardest thing about winter for me, the lack of riding. Long time readers will not be surprised by this. I am pretty sure I write this same thing every winter.
My point, dear readers, is hold steady and be strong! Spring is coming! Warmth and sun are coming! Our time is coming! We can do it, I promise. And really, I do not mean to complain. Especially after winter 2021, but it is still hard! I have been thinking a lot about the tropics!
Enough of all that winterness, and more about what has been going on since before Christmas (GASP!).
Well, Christmas happened! Ha! Two months ago was a long time ago.
I had my usual fancy coffee while cooking and baking!
I made a spiced chocolate cake for one party. This one was truly the best. I have figured out a good base chocolate cake that I have adapted originally from Ina Garten’s Aunt Beatty’s Chocolate Cake and I had fun creating a Christmas tree forest!
I of course also made my cranberry sauce with peppers and apple. It is so easy to make a plain cranberry sauce from scratch and I really would encourage everyone to try it!
I also attempted to make pomegranate bars. Think lemon bars, but pomegranate. Yet, do not think too hard about it as they did not work out. Back to the drawing board on that one! I will get there eventually, but this first pass did not pan out! Hey, it happens to everyone, that is part of the fun in trying new things.
Merle had his annual special Christmas treat for which he worked really hard for and was very grateful for!
He was not overly pleased though to be posing yet again this year. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas night at my parents’ house in town. As per usual, we were up early as you can maybe tell from the darkness in these snaps. All for good reason though! Christmas! We had work to do!
Like bake off these puff pastry Christmas tree appetizers! The green one was filled with spinach artichoke dip and the red one had my cranberry sauce with brie. Both so good!
I also had to pull out my cheesecake and dress it for the party!
I had baked it the 23rd and I knew there was a crack, whomp whomp. No worries though! If your cheesecake has a crack, it will still taste good and you can cover it with whipped cream or, like I did here, with gold star flake sprinkles! Except, do not do that too early like I did. The condensation that you can also see here will make your stars bleed and melt. Triple whomp.
The cheesecake was pumpkin pecan pie cheesecake. I have done something similar to this once before and my thoughts were that it was just too much. I felt the exact same this time. The pumpkin part, very good on its own. The pecan part, very good on its own. Together, just too much. Someone remind me of this next time I say I am going to do that again. More is not always better.
At least I did not mess up the pony’s Christmas dinners! Peppermints for the win!
In the after Christmas and before the new year, I did do some riding.
We rode down the road with my Momma. This actually was not going to be the plan as we had not ridden in a while at this point…winter and festivities. Anyway, we rode down around the pond and Lito spotted Mom walking and made a B line for her, so we changed plans and followed her down the road! I am so glad we did! He was very good and it was a pretty day for it.
For New Year’s Eve, R and I continued our annual close out ride.
We came across a big down tree across the trail and had to blaze a new one to get around.
Merle was the king of the trailer while we rode.
Then the winter came.
This picture is rather deceiving. This was right before the first event. After all the early feedings, the cows showed me their thanks by putting two dents in my truck.
The cold does make for pretty night skies!
I do love when they cuddle when it is cold!
I did break down and order Petunia a blanket a couple days ago for a steal in a sale. She never seems uncomfortable, but she deserves one and she is older.
Like I said, pretty!
Finally a ride!
Can you tell I have a thing for the sun? Which is pretty funny given that I am fair skinned and have to always be covered up.
Merle also loves the sun.
We had some snow at one point. We really did not get that much, but any amount is a thing down here.
I did sneak behind a pair of bay roan ears a couple of times, so actually you can add two more rides to my 2025 count.
We all love the sun.
I delayed our annual vet appointment with vaccines and teeth because of the weather, but we did get it done.
I made red velvet cupcakes for a galentines dinner! Galentines and valentines good, cupcakes only OK though…I have not done so well recently with the baking! They were tough and not very tender. Very annoying to me. Icing was pretty tasty though and they looked tasty so I guess that is good. Oh well, that is just how it goes sometimes. I will try again another day!
Merle, well, he is just always living his best life. I am not sure why WordPress cut off the left pic, but I kinda like it this way.
Then the real excitement came when this last winter episode was about to begin. I arrived to my Cheetah‘s left eye swollen shut, weepy, and painful!
Joy.
For anyone who does not know, horse and dog eyes are not people eyes. They do not heal all that well without support.
Luckily, my vet is just ten minutes up the road from the farm. So, down the road we went and we pulled in just as the last patient was leaving. She ended up having a woody piece of hay or something up in her eyelid that had scratched quite a big, yet superficial, ulcer on her eyeball. Back to the farm we went with three ointments and banamine and instructions to treat four times a day…in addition to winter feeding and ice breaking.
Joy.
It could always be worse though and I am just glad this was not worse. It has been hard enough to have her basically (I cannot admit to full) retired because of her arthritis, I would hate for her to have any amount of vision alteration because of this to boot. My girl is the best girl though and has been a doll for treatment.
That about catches you up!
How has your winter gone?!
Take a deep breath and know that spring is coming! Very soon!
Did you know that kids still do knock knock jokes?! Ya, I too have learned that recently from my nieces and nephews. Pretty interesting actually. Some things are just apparently timeless I guess. Who would have guessed that knock knock jokes would be one of those things.
Anywhhooooo.
Have you felt your Christmas Spirit yet??? ‘Twas late coming for me, but it is here now! Do not you worry, dear readers, if you need some help, I am comin’ in hot for y’all to try and help if I can!
The Christmas Spirit really began for me this year with a little lunchtime party our office building threw for the tenants last week of all things. The festive decorations, treats, and sounds of mingling surrounded by poinsettias and I looked up and felt it. Why hello there, long time no see! I have most of my Christmas shopping complete and I am getting the itch to BAKE. Better late than never! I am pretty sure I said that last year, oh well, please don’t judge me. I have the Christmas music on now and am in the middle of decorating the tree and wrapping gifts! Yes, I know, late also too with the tree. I just have not made the time for it (you have to make the time for the things!) and I was again considering not even doing it. I again told myself that was unthinkable and a friend of mine actually offered (again) a little pre-lit tree to borrow if I wanted it. When she offered this time I jumped at it. I have my other little decorations out, but it is not complete or the same without a tree with lights and loved ornaments.
SO, it is here and I am doing it!
I started a post to you back in the beginning of November about gratitude and being grateful for the rain…you know, Thanksgiving and all…and now here we are half way through December! Oh well, if you were wondering, I am indeed grateful for the rain. So much so that I was almost complaining about it come Saturday because the forecast has been all over the place and it seems to always change over night. I have been surprised a few times this fall/winter and your gal just wants to ride her horse! I seem to have forgotten my rule about not making plans around the weather man and the fact that this i s one of the reasons we ride all year round. You know, should one need a reason or something.
It is little matter now though that I finally got to ride on Sunday! And, boy was it a stunner of a Texas December day!
So, let us rewind, shall we? What has happened since October???
We are all just over here living our best lives, I guess!
Mid October we went on our annual ladies ride. The beginning of October was a lot of preparing in gathering supplies, packing, getting ahead in work, and getting as much riding in as possible.
Upon our return, I got our big order of winter horse hay loaded in the feed room (which is the scheduling, driving, picking up, paying for, driving back, and then unloading), of which there is no photo evidence of except for the clean up crew. Normally I do this much earlier, like July, August, or even September, but because it was so so hot and we had previously had so much rain, I was not overly concerned about hay supply. I put it off several times, but there is only so long you can do that!
They are a pretty good clean up crew!
I apparently made a margaritas for Momma and myself in the beginning of November. There is never a bad time for a marg!
Oh look, more riding before Thanksgiving! I certainly can not complain! Just so you know, I do not take pictures every time I ride.
Merle living his best life going to check the mail.
I did do a little baking for Thanksgiving…I made a chocolate pie bar! The pie was more of a cheesecakey mousse with some warm spices mixed in topped with a sweet whipped cream. The crust was made of these mini chocolate graham cracker cookies…that grew up to be a big pie crust! I usually go for those famous chocolate wafers made by Nabisco, but sadly they are not made anymore apparently. The toppings I went a little bit crazy with to try and please the masses: pomegranate seeds, strawberries, pumpkin seeds, pecans, slivered almonds, toasted coconut, two kinds of dark chocolate with orange and chili pepper, crushed peppermint candies, and chocolate animal crackers. It paid off though and I had many takers, adult and child alike!
We played fetch in the pond while I admired my Merle.
Between my dog and my horses, I have the best views!
A post chaos bareback ride.
I think that about brings us up to date!
Holiday parties are in full swing and before we know it…quite literally…Christmas is here!
Walk in love, dear readers! Christmas Spirit, coming right up!
Side note…how is it that December will be here by Friday!? It feels like just yesterday I was anxiously awaiting my trip to Ireland. I barely got my grocery shopping done before the crowds descended! This all seems to be just how it is now. Gone are the days of our youth when we had all the time in the world to wait on things to come upon us.
ANYWAY. I digress, as per usual.
I hope you had a wonderful time however you choose to celebrate it if you choose to celebrate it!
We had a week full of family and food at our special place, the farm. We made a lot of new foods and some staples…like pumpkin bread!
We used to have two big family celebrations every year. One in town and one out at the farm. Between families growing exponentially and the results of covid, the new tradition has become a slightly less loud and chaotic one at the farm with only my immediate family (which is a lot). I have mixed feelings about the new tradition, but I will never ever complain about more time at the farm with my horses and my Merley Bob.
I had nine glorious days out there and now I am still doing laundry while I enjoy my morning coffee. I am not allowing myself to get my Christmas tree until the laundry is finished and put away. No small feet, I grant you.
Merle and I got there the Friday before Thanksgiving with all my groceries is tow. We were able to enjoy the calm before the storm with a nice ride Saturday morning. Our time. Just my boys and me. Where is Merle you ask? He was off running somewhere. Probably in the direction that Lito is looking. Lito loves to keep track of the Merle and use him as an extra set of eyes.
We did not do too terribly much, just relaxed and meandered around. We did a little trotting, We did a little loping. We did a little grazing.
I did lose my hat at one point and I blame one of the heifers. She was acting like she wanted to chase us while we were trotting so we turned around to tell her that was not acceptable. Well, the wind caught my hat while we were turning and landed it at the heifer’s hooves. We stood there for a while while I decided if it was worth me dismounting to get my hat to then have to mount back up. 16.3+ hh is a long way up there in a flat meadow. I opted to leave the hat for when we were finished in that pasture. I have a somewhat crooked hat now thanks to that heifer! It could have been worse and there are worse things! The hat still goes on my head and does its job.
We have been listening to a playlist on Spotify called ‘Outdoor Zen’ and it is zenfull.
Look, there is the Merle! Enjoying a mud bath!
I had lots of help feeding the horses through the week. Feeding seems to be the kids’ favorite part.
I normally do not keep the horses in their stalls for anything but feeding, but since they were kept up for the whole week and the kids were always running around, I put them all in their stalls for a few hours morning and night to enjoy their hay and rest alone before feeding. Have their quiet time, if you will. This kept everyone relaxed and made the routine a little easier. It created more work with more mucking and dealing with water buckets, but it was worth it.
We enjoyed many gorgeous sunsets and sunrises that photos do not do justice to.
We had all the traditional Thanksgiving favorites for an early dinner as opposed to lunch, We had most everything prepared by the day before so we could take the whole day to leisurely enjoy a snacking lunch with mimosas and setting the table and doing crafts with the kids.
Y’all know I love to do a special dessert and this year was no different, even if it was a little more simple than in years past. I made a chocolate gingerbread tart. A new type of dessert for me, but it was really really good. There are some changes I would make to improve it (to the crust mainly…you can see it does not look quite right), but it was a good first effort! Very elegant I think. It was a big hit. I used two different recipes as go inspiration go bys to create it (recipe 1 and recipe 2…I can not find…it was a chocolate amaretto tart). Sister A also made a pumpkin tres leches that was amazing. Pops really likes pumpkin desserts so we had to include one!
You can not by any means skip the pomegranate seeds. Gosh. Those really were the finishing touch. These are not the best pics, but trust me, it is worth repeating!
The great thing about giving everyone quiet time in their stalls is I always catch at least someone having a nap. I love to watch them nap!
On Friday I took my Lito to our friend M’s house for a body work session. He felt good and really seemed to be thankful for it! It was cold and windy, but he relaxed into it. I did not catch all the yawning and releasing on the camera, but there were many! We are going to look into getting him set up with the chiro to be adjusted soon. M thinks that will help his two spots of soreness.
I was blessed to have to make a quick run back out to the farm Monday afternoon thanks to Pops leaving a gate open. I got the gate closed, checked all the animals, and did some fence work before I took some time to hang out with the horses a bit. It was cold, but it was a pretty day. Almost as pretty as my queen Cheetah. She will be 20 in May and I am having a hard time that. She is still the spicy four year old I met all those years ago despite the gray hairs and effects of arthritis.
It has been a busy week catching up after Thanksgiving, but I would not have it any other way.
How was your Thanksgiving? What did you do? What did you cook? Check back soon for riding and Santa Fe adventure updates!
Walk in love, dear readers, and continue to give thanks!
I have just a little something, something for you.
If you forget something, just take a little moment, a little breath, to retrace your steps, or thoughts as it were. It will come back to you! Almost like magic.
And like my Grandmother, and likely my mother too, has always said, “If it is important, it will come back to you.” There is truth to that to be sure, but you can maybe help it along with just a little retracing.
This is true for a little thought and for life in general.
If you have forgotten where you are going, take a little moment (or several) and a breath (…or several…), and retrace your steps. Remember where you came from. That is how you got to where you are now. It will help you to see how far you have come and to see where you need to go from here. Or at least the next step! It is OK to slow down. It will also strengthen your foundation!
Walk in love, dear readers! Take today to remember how far you have come and to enjoy the journey!
Well, not so much as a tale tale but a Merry Christmas everyone!
Just a few days late…
Merriest of Christmases to each and every one of you and yours. May the many blessings of our Lord shower upon you. Peace, love, and joy. Keep the Christmas spirit alive all year long.
It has been rather hot down here in Texas and Christmas day was north of 80 degrees F I believe. My horses were sweating on Sunday just grazing. I think we are supposed to get a cold snap here this weekend, but it does not generally feel very winterey to me. I for one and perfectly OK with that after last year. I know there are many that feel the same and we are all praying that we do not have the same experience this coming year.
Even still, I attempted to create a little winter with my Christmas desserts. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Or something like that?
I present to you a gilded Christmas, winter forest in the form of a chocolate cheesecake cake complete with decorated trees. Two rich, dark chocolate cake layers with a creamy and sinful cheesecake layer in the middle, all wrapped in cream cheese frosting.
This cake was actually for a party the weekend before Christmas. I figured, so long as the inside is good, it does not much matter what the outside looks like. Just do it! I think it turned out pretty well! It is abstract, OK?! If you don’t bid, you don’t win. I think I won.
Christmas morning brought a cookie for the Merley before completing my next cake.
The ultimate Christmas morning scene in the form of a cheesecake (my friend blamed me for the cream cheese shortage…). A spiced cheesecake with a gingersnap crust, glazed in white chocolate ganache, and decorated with homemade gingerbread cookies.
It was all worth it in the end, even if I was cursing myself by the time Christmas morning actually did roll around. I baked the cheesecake and prepared the gingerbread dough on Thursday evening. Merle and I danced and listened to music in the kitchen while I went about the mixing and baking.
Then on Friday, it was gingerbread cookie central. They are worth it, take my word for it, but man! Rolling and cutting cookies…and then decorating said cookies is so much work! It took all morning and then I had to wrap the presents! Luckily for me, it was not too many and I was able to get them all quite quickly. I do not often make cut out cookies for the simple reason that it takes so long. I forgot apparently when I saw the cover of Southern Living and came up with this plan. I remembered about the time I had two trays left to bake and realized how much decorating I needed to do. Anyhow, for a first time attempt at gingerbread cookies and royal icing, I think they turned out pretty great! I am glad I did it. It was fun and it all tasted delicious.
What is a dreamy Christmas morning without horses under the tree?
I really wanted to put an ice skater on top of that white chocolate ganache.
I hope you enjoyed! Did you make or do anything fun this year for Christmas??? Fun fact, I actually have a couple cakes to make for people because of these cakes!
I hope each and every one of you and yours had a very merry and happy Christmas and New Year.
I hope your bubbly was cold, feelings warm, and family and friends present (including all the animals!).
May the many blessings of our Lord shower upon you. Peace, love, and joy. Keep the Christmas spirit alive all year long.
Here we are. 2020 (well, a few days in, but who is counting). A new year and a new decade. Apparently that is a big deal to a bunch of people, bringing a whole new perspective and pressure to New Year resolutions.
New year, new you. New decade, new…what? NEW new you? Bestest you? That is a whole log of a lot if you ask me when just regular new year resolutions are hard enough for most.
I feel like for many people, myself over here included, 2019 what a doozy of a year. It felt like a decade in itself with everything that happened and interestingly enough, did not happen, as it…uh…happens. I do not think I have ever been more happy or relieved to see one year go and another come into view.
Then, just as I thought the corner was turning on this new year and new decade, it all balled up, really skidded out, and crashed and burned right as the celebratory, welcoming fireworks were starting. And there was nothing I could do about it.
I have never been a fan of celebrating on NYE because there are just too many expectations and pressures that lead to let down. However, this really was not the way I intended on it going or spending it.
Indeed I could probably be more vague. Frustrating I know. It is just not for right now. The what and the how and the why are not for right now. And that is OK. One day I might tell more. Will probably tell more. I just need more time to sit with it, you know?
Luckily for me, I can. I have that time. I can pull my own car over and shift it into park. Take a breath as I take my foot off the brake. Look into that rear view mirror. Then. Not look back at the mess. The wreckage. Lay my eyes out the windshield on today. And tomorrow. Learn what I need to learn. Take the good and leave the bad.
Here is the thing and the point for today. The AHAmoment. Sure January 1 is a new year. BUT. It is also a new day. Every day is a new day.
A NEW day.
Do you hear me?!
A new day to be your best self. Be better than you were the day before. To do the right thing. To follow through. Anything, you name it. We are not promised it. Take that right there to heart.
I am not making New Year’s resolutions this year (which really will not come as much of a surprise as I typically do not). I am however making a resolution to wake each day grateful to be here. To allow myself time to breathe and do what is right for me. To take care of me and my animals. To step forward, one step at a time each day, with “grit anchored in grace.” That is me, leather and lace.
“I don’t know exactly what the future holds, but I’m stepping forward with grit anchored in grace.” ~Julie Graham
Nobody but the Lord knows what the future holds. I am more than OK with that. I am here! I am focusing on today. He has me. Has my back. He is the light and the path. He knows the way for me. I will stay focused on Him and pray for His comfort, grace, peace, strength, and guidance. To have the eyes to see.
Enough about that for today.
Let us talk about Christmas and food since we completely skipped over that!
For one of our Christmas gatherings, I made an exorbitant amount of these cinnamon rolls…so we could enjoy them all week. I did not roll the dough out thin enough, rolled them up sloppily, could not get them to look like the picture, and I OVER BAKED them. Sigh. However, I think they still had very good flavor and will be better the next time. Breads like this can be tricky. I think it was a win for a first time bread attempt. It will happen again and they will be even better.
I also had fun with cream cheese fruit tarts because I am crazy and wanted to make all the things. ALL. THE. THINGS.
This punkin’ pumpkin pie was another first time for me and it was totally worth it! Also…so very easy. The saying ‘easy as pie’ is pretty funny to me because pies are pretty dang easy…way easier than cakes!
Merle and I had a festive patio lunch after playing with friends. You can see evidence of such in the mud spot on his back leg. I think he looks smashing…even if is collar does not really go with the bow tie and his coat is, well, let us just say needed a bath and a good brushing. The bow tie is now dead post Christmas fun. That just means he will need a new one for next year!
For Christmas day I made a savory herb cheesecake with sage, thyme, and rosemary as the main part of a cheese board. Y’all. Do this. So worth it. So very good.
It is also very pretty in my opinion.
Merle was very worn out with all the preparations! …and so was I!
I made my favorite Pomegranate cake for Christmas day as well and it is always a winner. It is a great cake base and you can substitute the pomegranate flavor for any other that you wish. I used ice cream cones to create a snowy forest for the decoration. A bit abstract, but those are my favorite types of cakes.
After all of the Christmas festivities, it was time to lay low to rest, relax, recoup, and rejoice through the bringing in of the new year. Through it all. Even still, there is much to celebrate. I reflected on the old and looked forward to the new. I tried to focus on rooting myself in the present as I waded stepped into the New Year.
Then of course, I enjoyed some quality time with the horses and my Merle. They are my blessings. How I get through.
We took every day to try and celebrate life in whatever way we could. This is one way I like to do it with my people. I like to go to the trouble and make it nice for everyone.Candle lit alfresco is my favorite way to dine and I have a thing for setting tables. Even if we were having a seemingly simple meal of chili and cornbread. It is the little things.
We had a couple of really foggy mornings. It makes for nice exercising weather. Well, any weather is nice for to be on the back of a horse. I have a theory about fog. God likes Sunday mornings to be foggy so we remember to slow down and enjoy Sunday. More often than not, Sunday mornings at the farm are foggy. I think those two foggy days after Christmas were a reminder to do just that. Slow down and remember the reason. To be quiet and still just like the weather.
So. That is what I did.
My ever happy Mighty Merle Man while doing the farm run around.
We savored sunsets.
Enjoyed endless velvet muzzles.
Soaked in sunrises.
Even if they were a bit cold and frosty. After all that fog, we had a couple of chilly mornings.
Well, I guess that would be a happy belated Thanksgiving, but who is counting? Not me. It is the season, you know?!
I just wish we had more days to bask in it.
Oh well. In all seriousness, I have so much to be grateful for. I can barely count them all.
I am obviously thankful for this guy. He was worn out before Thanksgiving even started!
All of our holidays, not just Thanksgiving, mean a lot of cooking. It is something we all love to do and…to enjoy! Everyone brings something when we all gather together. I am thankful for that! And the simple fact that we can be gathered together. I am also thankful that I can do my part and that I can share my creations with everyone.
This year for Thanksgiving, I was on point for cranberry sauce and dessert.
A good cranberry sauce, to me, looks like a party in a bowl.
Cranberries. Apples. Green chili pepper. Orange juice and zest…Grand Marnier. Sage. Noms.
I told you, a party! You will not have much left after the meal.
We took a break from the cooking to play. It is hard work for a puppy!
Then it was time for pie. Chocolate pecan pie, to be precise. Made Thanksgiving morning. I don’t know about anyone else, but I love to make a dessert the morning of a holiday in my pajamas. It is more fun. It brings it more meaning to me. Gives it the proper perspective of doing it unto Him for my loved ones. Made with joy and love. It makes the unveiling and enjoying that much sweeter to me.
Anyway, I digress. This pie. I have never really made a pie before (I know, this is surprising to me too), but this one is a total winner. I even made my own pie crust. That is worth it if you were wondering. Just saying. Next time I think I will freeze the butter and shortening. I also think I might do a slight pre-bake of the crust before adding the filling for baking.
I am not the biggest fan of the salted caramel on this pie though. I think it was the added lemon. Not sure why you would do that, but I suppose the point is to keep it from being too sweet? Anyway, I did not really care for it when I tried it and did not really notice it much on the pie itself. I much prefer this one I made for a different dessert. I could eat it all by itself.
I followed the recipe mostly. I used a mixture of molasses and honey in place of the corn syrup. I do not keep corn syrup around and prefer not to use it if I do not have to. There are substitute options out there if you are like me. I also could not help it and added coconut to the fulling. Whoops. What can I say??? I am shameless. I think I also baked it for longer than stated in the recipe.
The filling is divine right off the spoon! If you are not licking the spoon and or bowl, you a’int no baker! It is the only way.
Fortification for pie baking. There is a little known life fact that coffee, well all beverages, taste best out of a fun and festive vessel. I know. I know. You are so glad to learn that. You can count on me for those little life secrets.
The finished pie sprinkled with flaked salt!
My mouth is watering now. Too bad there were not any leftovers. That is a sign of a good pie I guess!
After our Thanksgiving lunch, I quite literally sneaked out in a mad dash, grabbed Merle, and made to the farm before dark. I sure am thankful for the farm. Our horses. And that I have the ability to be mobile! To see different things and visit different people!
I woke up early on Friday and had a lovely foggy ride on Chance before hitting the road with Merle again for more Thanksgiving fun with M.
We all went for a drive around the property and Merle just could not contain himself. He clearly loves driving around! And hey, who doesn’t?!
The face of a happy dog. He is all boy, this one.
This is quickly becoming his signature look.
The weather was cloudy, windy, and drizzly, but that did not dampen our spirits whatsoever.
Merle was so tired, he could barely keep his eyes open past 6 PM. A tired dog is a happy dog! Catching some z’s is hard for a pup when his mom does not sit still for very long. Poor guy!
Who knows, maybe Merle will start moonlighting as a model.
He sure is handsome. I am not biased at all.
I am thankful for the eyes to see the joy in this pup. And how serious he takes his fetch.
In case y’all did not know, pure and utter luxury is going for an early morning swim, in the drizzle, in the wee hours before the sun is ready to play. Or anyone else for that matter, human or canine.
And moving so fast the camera can not catch you.
Maybe this is his artistic expression for his modeling portfolio. Ghost dog.
He swam about five times before anyone else was awake. I had two cups of coffee. We like to wake up early.
It was only a quick twenty four hour visit, but we sure had the best time. It was fun and relaxing. No agenda. No pressure. Just good company and fellowship. And dogs (four in total! Merle had a blast)!
It did not matter that the weather was rather gloomy. We were just out and enjoying everything. Giving thanks for it all. That we could. Why we could. How we got here. For family, friends, loved ones. For country and dogs. For food. For comfortable, warm, dry places to rest. For horses!
The next day brought the blue skies out in full force while I rode my Cheetah girl down the road. Merle and I had zero desire to go back to town.
I hope each and every one of y’all had a great Thanksgiving. Did you count your blessings? What are you grateful for?
Look around you. There is so much to be grateful for. Not just this time of year. All year. Yes, it is the reason for the season, but it also too is the reason for all the seasons. For this very life.
Now we are in full on Christmas season! My decorations are out and I have planned what I will be making for our gatherings! You will have to wait for those though. To tide you, you can check out last year’s creations!
I have some fun things to share soon to help get you in the spirit, so there is a lot to look forward to. Check back soon!
Who blinked and made it half way through November???!!!
I know you are out there somewhere. Just come forward and make yourself known.
How is it already half way through NOVEMBER?!
Even more disturbing is that I have not written to you since LAST MONTH! Err, what? It feels as if it was just yesterday that we returned from our ride.
What have I even been doing, do you ask? A whole lot of the same…Living life. Taking time to breathe. That ADULTING thing (I am literally staring at a mountain of clean laundry over my computer screen that needs folding…I prefer to write to you! Hey, at least it is clean…). Wading through it while remembering to smile.
Sometimes life can just be hard, you know? Things seen and things unseen. Things talked about and things left unspoken. Sometimes, your capacity is just full and that is OK. AHA moment. Do you hear me!? That is OK. You are OK! This life has seasons, and as the globe goes around, so too does this life we live, giving you seasons. Seasons are for praying. Waiting. Listening. Learning. And changing before the season itself changes.
That is what I have been doing. That and, well, avoiding laundry clearly. I mean, I do not even know how I accumulate so much!
Work has been crazy. The farm has been the farm. A constant rolling list of work (which we are tackling!), but it is my blessing.
Friday evening at the farm, when it was full on winter blowing through these parts (which it is doing again! Half way through November and all the way into winter), I cooked some version of ratatouille. Really, I combined two recipes and put my own spin on it because Lord help me, I just can not follow a recipe. Go figure. It was pretty good though! I will make some changes next time and follow the recipe a little closer.
We watched the sun rise and set as we do.
Sunrises in the cold, especially after the first real fronts, are the prettiest. Merle thought so too as he sat just like a setter does, right in front of it. So, I did the only natural thing and took his picture.
Next to a big Texas sunrise (I sure do love those random pine trees), he does not look quite as big as he actually is.
He has been living his best puppy life (wonderful, joyous, and glorious proof below!). Growing and raising all kinds of naughty trouble as he should (he is a puppy after all). Learning all the things. Growing into my wingpup. Boy howdy, I will tell you this puppy has the biggest and strongest personality. At present he is jealous of my computer and he is showing as well as telling me about it. I have deleted several of his ‘comments.’
I can almost not keep toys he goes through them so fast. I am not exaggerating when I tell you he has blown trough toys that Darcy had her whole life. He also tries to make everything a toy. His preferred wake up time is 4:45 AM, but he is generally kind enough to stay quiet until 5:15 AM. He leaves water and drool all over the house. He has a loud voice completely his own and so very different from Darcy. He is very much attached and watches my every move, but he seems to also have opinions on what we spend our time doing. Very loud opinions. He is also a fetch machine. Darcy never seemed to care for the simple game of fetch for lack of point. She was much too practical for that.
I will be honest. After all, that is what I do here. My heart is still more than aching over my Darcy girl. Still more than broken and almost completely open. Almost every day and truly as I type these words to you I get tears in my eyes with a storm brewing on my insides. Almost tormented by images, memories, and feelings. The whole thing is so wrapped in so many emotions, at times I do not even know where they come from or what they even are. Anger. Anguish. Sadness. Sorrow. Loneliness. Dolefulness. Despair. Despondent. May God help the person that ever tells me she was just a dog. Luckily for them, we have not crossed paths.
I told you. What joyous proof.
Given all of that I just told you, would you look at that face on that puppy. The joy. My heart almost can not handle it, and at the same time, it is the only thing that seems to help. Do you want to know what else I almost can not handle? Do you see the collar that Merle dog is wearing? That is one of Darcy’s old collars. My Merle man is good for my soul. My heart. Even if he tries my patience almost on the daily.
Do you want to know what is even better?
Merle with my horses. He thinks is is every bit one of them. (Let us not mention the bur filled tail on my Lito.)
It really is a sweet thing to witness. He seems to really have a special bond with Lito and Petunia. The above image is not a fleeing moment, but a scene that goes on for minutes multiple times!
While that love scene was unfolding, I turned into a crazy lady on the run with a pair of clippers and roached Cheetah’s mane again. I used to keep it that way when I first got her.
I was just staring at her mane shaking my head at the burs and the ragged, scraggly look of all the hairs as she stuck her head and neck through the fence. Before I knew it I was shaving her mane off. Boy we both felt good after. She looked and felt so clean and sharp! While I did not, covered in her mane!
Afterwards, we had a nice, relaxing ride. Another great thing for the heart and soul.
You can not see them, but there are at least six white tail does under the changing pecan trees in the distance. Do not miss the moon there though! Or the fiery sunset light!
So, whoever is blinking out there, just stop already! It is almost Thanksgiving! I have gifts to find and desserts to bake! Sunrises to catch and horses to ride! A Merle pup to watch grow!
Slow down and find the joy in the season you are in, even if it feels like you have been in one hard season after another.
Yes, me. Your long lost friend. Hi, ya. I have missed y’all!
How is it May? And how has it been two weeks since I have written you? Not sure how that quite happened. It was not intentional, that is for dang sure. I have not fallen off the face of the earth. Maybe you wish I had! Anyway, it is not for lack of goings ons.
There has just been a lot of life going on over here in my world. Now is not the time for that though.
Not to worry and they say worrying is fruitless anyhow (spoiler alert, it is true). God has it all and me. And you. This I know with great conviction. He has been ever present throughout it all and is still here.
I will do my best to get back to writing to y’all regularly, but in the meantime, enjoy some photos of the past couple of weeks.
Life and time go on, man. It is how you use it. How you live it. How you share it. AHAmoment. Taking each and every day to be better than you were the day before. Letting God work through you for the blessings of others.
Walk in love, dear readers!
Work trips are not all that bad.
But being at the farm is better. Especially to catch the moon setting in the morning.
I do, I love you.
Getting our steps in.
Boop.
Magic.
Easter eve yoga for the Darcy dog.
A new view.
Easter morning sunrise.
Tuners with all the words to say.
Cooking is always a good idea. It is good for the soul. Roasted red pepper soup from scratch. Pretty dang good.
Until next time…which will be soon! I am spending the weekend with some of my best friends riding horses here in the great state! Even if it rains, it will be a grand time!
