This week's thoughts

This week has been one for thinking. After a loving and thoughtful Mother's Day, the week unfolded with relative normalcy around here - construction workers arriving at 7 a.m. daily, children gathering backpacks and lunches for school, household chores, etc. The weather has been wonderfully sunny, so I have done more replanting of the garden, now that the lettuces are done. The strawberries are ongoing, as are the blueberries. Yesterday I observed the native bird of Texas pilfering some of our berries. Stinker! The chickens have been doing their part, too, and look at me eagerly every time they hear my feet crunching down on the gravel, hoping I will swing open their gate and allow them a little free-range time. They love to roam the garden beds and debug them. They amuse us all with their tail feathers high and their beaks in the soil.

I've been doing a better job of getting out for runs more consistently. Lou Lou thanks me! We even had one blissful morning Tuesday running along the ocean in Cardiff. She thought the little chipmunks along the campgrounds were the best thing she'd ever smelled.

Wednesday I went for a trail ride and was atop a mare named Missy. She's usually so mellow she literally falls asleep in the cross-ties. But Wednesday, she was in a bad mood and clearly did not want to go at all. (We later figured out she had a bit in her mouth that she doesn't like.) Nearing the end of this most reluctant and moody ride, as we came down a street named El Secreto, she certainly woke up. There was a construction vehicle front-loaded with one of those huge metal plates they use to cover work holes in the road. As the driver barreled downhill, the plate swung BAM BOOM BAM BOOM up and down against his metal scoop. This wasn't pleasing to Missy, who promptly and without hesitation took off at a full canter downhill. I knew she didn't hear my voice saying calmly but loudly, "Woah" or my cues pulling her back with both hands full strength (my arms were no match for her neck muscles) nor my attempts to turn her neck to the right away from the streetside. I was fully aware that my job was to stay over the saddle - and not her neck - and keep my head cool. Finally, she did halt. Well, that was a wild ride!

Wednesday afternoon we decided to have an adventure and went to the hillside in Carlsbad where, for a fee, you can pick your own strawberries. It was so fun. The plants were dripping with luscious red berries. We had a ball! As soon as we got home, I sorted the berries and transformed the most juicy, ripe ones into jam as I made dinner.

Thursday I did some good stretching to repair my aching back, and was treated to a wonderful ride on Dino. He's a gem and enjoys the trail as much as I do. When asked to trot, he willingly and easily did so and wanted to playfully canter up the hill, too. So fun.

Bills, cleaning, cooking, and the like kept me busy all week. I dead-headed a bazillion roses this week, too, which offers a similar repetitive-motion opportunity for contemplation as ironing, as well as blisters!

Friday morning we dashed to school early to enjoy a special event in Graham's classroom called Muffins with Mom. Graham read two of his recent works to me, including one wonderful "small moments" story entitled The Lavindar Plant" about planting in the garden with me. Evelyn loves his classroom as much as I do, and she was really mad we didn't get to be 1st graders all day long!

Next week will be memorable. But, Missy's romp aside, it's been a little quiet, thoughtful week in the midst of so many busy ones. click on the words here for BONUS MATERIAL, from our ocean-advocates