In which we say hello to some green bean riders and also: puppy

Although truck troubles kept me off trail for a bit,

Fiddle and I are back on track again.

Our mid-week rambles have been blessed by blue skies.

The weather, heavily influenced by the Tomato Curse, has stayed cool and wet.  That's fine.

Note the rain clouds lurking.  We like rain, especially when it falls
after everything is loaded back into the trailer.

Blue skies are pretty in the ride photos, but rain = chanterelle mushrooms!

Monica makes the first
ceremonial mushroom find of the season.

And the rain has kept our forest green and non-burning, which is important.

Riding makes us happy.

We have a standing "come ride with the Usual Suspects" invitation on Sunday mornings, and several lovely green bean riders have joined us recently.

What's the word for a group of endurance horses in training?
A "clop"?  A "flight"?  

Niki and Jaz

Sue and Ted

Kitty and Mak

Duana and her new horse Freya
photo by Monica Bretherton

Fiddle's return to soundness is slow-but-steady.

Mel has moved Fiddle into size 1 shoes "all the way around."
Shoes on top were from March, shoes on the bottom were from May.
Current shoes are even bigger and more balanced.  Yay!

It helps to have friends along to help.

Add another horse to the (short, but expanding) list of horses that Fiddle kinda likes

This morning, we surprised a little prong-buck in the meadow...or rather the prong-buck surprised us.  In fact, Mak not only jumped out of his skin, he also jumped about 300 feet directly east without touching the ground very much.   Whoops.

Mak jumped, but Kitty stuck just fine.  Good job, Kitty!

We were looking for bears, but haven't seen any.  Plenty of "sign" but no bears.  Ah, well.

Meanwhile, over at Fish Creek Farm, Patty's parents have a new Ridgeback puppy!

Say hello to Matilda!

Bev likes to name everything out of songs.  I don't know what Rudy's song is, but Matilda's song is "Waltzing Matilda", of course.   I've been reading a lot of books set in WWI and post-WWI England and Australia lately, so I can't also help thinking of "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" -- click the link and have a hanky ready, I can never make it all the way through that song.

Foxie is intrigued by this toy that doesn't squeak.
Senior Ridgeback dog Rudy does. not. approve. of. puppies.

Here's another song called "Matilda."   Plus, you know.  Harry Belafonte.  Swoooooon.

This will give you good giggles, I promise.