Tonight I went kaynoeing at the Nature Center. It was one of the free, open to the public events that are done periodically. So, while we're waiting for people to show up, I'm talking to one of the guys that works there, DS. I've known him for years, and we're on a friendly basis-nothing more. He's telling me about problems that he's having w/all the lawn equipment breaking down. I mention about the trouble I'm having w/the mower. Keep in mind, hubby has worked on the thing 2x, and it's still not working. Plus, he threw out his back the other day. DS asks me what the mower is doing. He comes up w/a couple of things that could be wrong, and offers to look at it for me. Needless to say, I was thrilled. I'll be doing some other programs at the Nature Center the rest of this week and next. (The naturalist, JT has shingles, so the volunteers are all helping when they can to cover programs.) So, we figured we'd check the forecast and come up w/a day next week when he can come over after work.
When I was done w/the canoeing, and on my way home, I called hubby to let him know I was coming home. And, I mentioned that DS had offered to look at the mower for me. Hubby got offended. He says that if DS looks at it, he's going to blow up the mower. OK, I've been asking him for MONTHS to look at it. He's looked at it, and it's still not running. He can't work on it w/his back the way it is. I'm being hindered in doing stuff at the farm because the mower isn't working. I can't mow. I can't dump my cart. I'm having to add to Mt. Manure in order to keep my field clean. I can't move any more of the stones w/out it and HE'S OFFENDED!!!!!! So now I have a choice-I can tell DS not to bother, and continue to suffer, or I can let him look at it-and have to put up w/hubby.
I am getting more and more frustrated w/this man. He doesn't do anything that he promises me he's going to do. But, if I even suggest having someone else doing it, he gets mad. I am about at the end of my rope.
OK, this is a story based on legends, and the adventure we had last night. All I've found for the legend is 2 very basic lines, so I've put my own twist on it.
It was the mid 1880s. The circus train slowly ambled thru Elk Township near the sleepy little town of Aura. Suddenly, a storm blew up. The wind shrieked like a banshee. Lightening lit the sky almost continually, and the thunder rolled like a cannonade. Hail, uncommon for the area, fell adding to the confusion. On the train, bedlam broke loose. The frightening animals added their voices to the uproar. Monkeys, lions and elephants were all heard to raise their voice in protest. Then, just as the storm reached it crescendo, Dolly, the elephant had had enough. W/a mighty trumpeting and blows from both her trunk and her legs she started to assault the car she was traveling in, until w/a splintering crash, she broke free of the train car and disappeared into the swamp, never to be seen again.
Today, there's nothing left of the railroad but piles of old ties in places. The tracks have all been removed, but the old rail bed is kept clear for hiking, biking and horseback riding. And, if you listen closely, you may again hear the echo of an elephant trumpeting and footfalls thru the swamp.
Last night, KN, CL, RU a friend, MS and her daughter, SS, another friend, DF and I went for a ride down the trail. The weather looked like it was going to be perfect. Plus, w/the way the sunset and the moon rise were, it looked like if we were overtaken by darkness, it would still be light enough to ride. Depending on which website you check, the trail is either 5 or 6 miles long. And, we pass very close to my church. Since we weren't sure how long it would take, I suggested that we park at the church. It's at about the halfway point. Well, the others wanted to ride from one end to the other. The end point was near a diner, so our plan was to ride to the diner, get some dessert, then drive back.
The ride was nice. We were in the shade almost the whole time. I'll admit that often on trail rides, I find myself starting to tell people about all the plants that we come across-it's the naturalist in me creeping out. But, I quickly realized that no one really cared, so I just enjoyed the biodiversity by myself-including the handful of mulberries from the tree we went under.
It took longer than we were expecting-about 2 hours to ride the whole trail! And, we did some trotting and cantering on the way. We didn't get to the diner until about 8:45! The moon that we were expecting to light our way back hid behind a cloud bank. Unlike many of the trails in the area, there was no sand-which meant it would be quite dark heading back. And, it also meant we wouldn't get back to the trailers until after 11:00! So, I did the smart thing-called hubby. Praise God, he was still up and not drunk. He came to the diner, picked me and DF up, then took us to where we'd parked our trucks.
DF and I headed back, picked up the others and the horses, then headed for the farm. I was so tired, I started to head for home-then realized what I was doing and headed to the farm. I was beat! Normally, I back my trailer in-I pulled in. Normally, I put all my tack away-I left it in the back of my truck. Normally, I'd disconnect the trailer-I left it connected. Normally, I'd go home-I blew up the air mattress in my tack shed, brushed by teeth, changed into pjs, and went to bed! So, I was in bed B4 we would have gotten back to the trailers.
It was, fun but tiring. We're planning on doing this trail again-but not until fall. Because of the swamp, it can be quite buggy-which was why we did it in the evening. So, we'll wait until after a good frost. We'll start around 10:00 am, then get some lunch (take outs) at the diner, then head back. Thing is, one of us will have to swing back around later on to pick up any "gifts" the horses leave behind.
I was proud of Misty. Being an Arab, and since I haven't had the time to work w/her that I should, she can be a bit spooky. We hadn't been riding long B4 CL realized that she was losing her stirrup. A piece was missing. How it came off, we haven't a clue. So, we rode to where she could get back on after dismounting. That's when she realized that a piece was gone. And, no one had any baling twine w/them for rigging something up! But, KN had some very thin reins w/her for emergencies. So, she tossed them to CL. Only problem being, CL's horse hadn't stood still while she was checking over the saddle. And she was now near Misty. I don't know if Misty thought her horse was going for her or what, but she reacted w/a squeal and a strike-and got her foot thru the reins! That could have been a disaster! But, she just stood there while CL unhooked the reins and freed her.
Then, she had a green head land on her neck. When I smacked it, she almost jumped out of her skin-but calmed right back down. Then, I notice a tree ahead of me. I could see it was a locust, but wasn't sure if it was honey or black. So, I'm looking at the leaves and the bark to determine which it was-and she spooked big time. Don't have a clue as to why. But, she didn't bolt. We got up farther and there's a gun club off to the left. Someone was doing some target practice. CL is freaking out thinking we're going to get shot. NJ is a shotgun state, and I could tell by the sound of the shots that that's what they were shooting. I kept telling her that the shots wouldn't carry this far. And, some of them were quite loud. But, Misty didn't even flinch.
Almost forgot, there were a bunch of benches scattered along the trail. The horse that KN was riding was spooking at everyone of them. Misty did the first couple of times-until she realized it was just a bench. Normally, if another horse spooks, she'll spook. She didn't even start to breath heavy.
I also forgot to say that MS and her daughter decided not to do the whole trail. So, they headed back B4 the half way point. And, I didn't have a lot of trouble keeping Misty w/the other horses. Normally when you have a group split up like that, you'll have horses that want to stick w/the ones that leave. This time, we didn't.
If I don't get the summer job, I'll be spending a lot of time working w/her. I was a bit sore yesterday, but today my hip feels better than it's felt in quite some time-so the ride was good for me.
I love your adventures! Sounds like you are taking advantage of the warmer weather. Misty is coming along outstandingly! I hope you do have some more time to work with her and for having fun!
I got a ton done today. First off, I made the time to saddle up Misty and ride her. She's been giving me grief about putting the bit in her mouth, and I just didn't have time to work on that today. So, I decided to ride her in my bitless. Well, she gave me more grief in that than if I had stuck a bit in her mouth! I rode her for about 20 minutes, and probably had as much of a work out for my hip as I would have for an hour if she had behaved herself. So, once I got off of her, and got her untacked, I went and got her bit (I ride in a halter/bridle combo, so the bit unhooks.), and worked on getting her to take it. She did well. I'll continue doing that so that hopefully the next time I ride, I'll be able to get the bit in her mouth easily.
Got home, and got started on doing some cleaning. And, I need to step it up! I have until the evening of July 7th to get it all cleaned. Then, on July 8th I get to go to work! I got the job at the nature center again! So, for 8 weeks, I'll be getting paid for having fun!