July 14, 2003

Hello again farmers. Wingnut it is soooooooo good to see you back here. Ya'll quit takin off like that.
My weekend ride was successful, my team got a lot of points. The team competition is a close race again this year. I rode the 75 miler on Breezy and he is not nearly as smooth as Bullwinkle so I was uncomfortable for more miles than the last ride but made it through and finished 12th out of 19 starters. However I was happy to get off and be done!!! Now I have a week off, that will help my lingering owies go away. I'm considering going to a ride in Canada on the 26th, have to decide tomorrow since a special health certificate for the horse is required to cross the border and it takes time to get it. If enough of our team want to go we will ride the 75 and get lots of team points. The trip is about as far as our farthest ride I ever go to in other directions, extra fee added for the health certificate, but the exchange rate makes the entry fee cheaper so it all comes out about the same.
Yesterday afternoon we found a visiting rattlesnake in the flower bed about 20 ft from the back door. WAY TOO CLOSE!!! The cat was looking at it under a gate and the snake was rattleing, I walked out the door, made a quick U turn, hubby grabbed the pistol with the snake loads and shot it. This one measured 36 inches and had 8 rattles and a button. The cat was smart enough to keep his distance and not get bit. This is the first rattler we have seen on the place, it must be the drought conditions making them come closer to water. It makes me a lot more cautious walking around out there wondering if there might be another one lurking under the overhanging daylily leaves or some other hidden place, or just crossing from one side of the yard to the other. Yikes!!
We ordered the greenhouse today, but there is still much to do before we are ready for it. We can pick it up in about 4-6 weeks, saving shipping charges by going after it ourselves.
Have a good day everyone, count your blessings.