first lesson

day one in ocala...

here we come "reny"

what a sweet boy...he just put his head down so abbey

could reach to put the halter on.

isn't he a beauty...we think so

into the barn...

...for a good brushing...

getting the saddle...

safety first...

in the round pen...

now a few adjustments...in covered arena...

let's get some of the basics down...

way to ride abbey...

horse and rider getting to know each other...

follow the leader...

sisters, chatting up about horses...

going beyond the borders of the arena...

a lesson well taught and well done, bravo girls.

sweet november memories

just to clarify about the girls: the one with freckles is abbey she is my youngest daughter, 9 years old. the next oldest girl is gwyn and that is my granddaughter, she is 8 years old. the blond little girl, the gift, is ellery, gwyn's sister, my granddaughter, she is 4 years old. these two belong to rachel. the smallest girl, grace is our granddaughter who is two years old. she belongs to esther. the sisters are my two oldest children, rachel and esther.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

gifted

when meems paid me a visit recently... being the avid gardener that she is... she just had to bring me something from her garden. i love all the varieties of caladiums she has in her tropical garden in florida. i had mentioned on my last trip how i really admired these. so in her considerate manner she brought some lovely bulbs for me to plant in the spring. i am excited to have such a beautiful specimen, especially since it came from my dear sister, meems.

thanks sis for gifting me from your heart.

i believe she called these miss muffets.

Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, you know how the fairy tale goes!

This is a dwarf strap leaf variety that will accent any landscape!

This plant has a beautiful chartreuse green color with red spotsIt is an excellent border plant and it will do great planted in those shaded and semi-semi-shaded areas of your landscape.

It'll grow about 12" tall.

yipee for me, meems you may have started something!

botanical garden

bittersweet

~morning is bright, cool, beautiful ~

it is the last morn with my sis, meems.

our visit has flown by like time was running a sprint.

after her departure...i am filled with emotions.

my joy has been filled to overflowing...my heart sinks a little with her going.

we couldn't fit everything in...

there was not enough time to speak about all that was in our hearts.

i took my time going home...my thoughts were of our hours spent together.

the trees looked more vivid...the countryside more appealing.


we had a wonderful 4 days...i am sad and happy in the same breath.

i smile, but feel a little like crying...sigh...

my sister, my friend

...in that shadow but i put that undue pressure on myself. we are quite different and those differences are to be exercised to the fullest and enjoyed.

i am not sure i could have ever come to appreciate this without having moved to another state(physically and emotionally). i have grown to understand that it is our different qualities that make us more compatible. we balance each other out. you can't have too much of the same thing without tipping the scale.

thank you , my sister , my friend for some of the most precious days i will always have tucked in my most special, sacred memories.

i was treated like a queen(i do have a bit of a diva in me). a beautiful guest quarters made me feel right at home.

the food was, as always, better than a five star hotel. made with fresh ingredients from the garden, and the perfect spices and herbs only a seasoned cook would use. then a simple beautiful presentation from the artistic chef, herself.

the company was an unexpected treat of very relaxed sharing, laughing, revisiting old memories and of course catching up.

thank you my sister, my friend for always being there for me and inspiring me to be a better person. i deeply love you and love what you bring to my life. i always learn something very insightful about myself and my world after being around you.

i am still trying to take it all in and hopefully fully process it.

thank you my sister, my friend!

to read the original post and first part of this comment go to :

walkwisely.blogspot.com

and look for the post "THERE WERE NEVER SUCH DEVOTED SISTERS"

you don't want to miss the beginning of this one...