august

I'm finding it difficult to believe it's already August - the summer has gone by quickly for me. But the signs are here.

The deep blue skies that presage autumn.

Butterflies everywhere!

The huge horseflies that are like small birds.

The pony's annual grumpiness. (I'm hoping his saliva test yields some insight into this phenomenon)

Muscadines are on the way to being ripe. This year they're along our front porch and in the back field, where you can ride underneath the vines and pick them.

A manuscript that wants to be queried but isn't quite ready. (last night I actually closed the document and opened the doc for the THIRD novel - with some kind of desperate hope that perhaps it had magically edited itself and was ready to send out - no such luck)

Fleas (help is on the way)

A subtle but definite pull inside that is me longing for the change of season - changing colors, crisp nights, the call of geese.


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Update on Keil Bay and his herbal regimen:

Keil Bay and I both had hot stone massage today and H. and I were astounded at the change in his demeanor.

He loves the bodywork but tends to fidget and fuss until the "right" area gets addressed. This is an okay thing - but I have always wanted him to relax and enjoy the entire process. Today he did.

He was waiting at the barn door for H. when she arrived. He said hello and then planted himself. I sat in a chair and held the lead line, but he really didn't need one. With the first contact he was licking, chewing, rolling his eyes around, yawning, and doing incredible yoga stretches each time she stopped to get new stones.

He didn't have to smell them, taste them, or otherwise even see the stones - he just stood there and opened up to the massage.

At one point her hands were so deep behind his scapula I could only see the wrists. He's never allowed such deep work, and he didn't fuss once about flies or the heat or the hour standing still.

I'm convinced the herbs are having tremendous effects on the way he feels.

We have two hot days coming up and I may not ride until they pass - but later this week we will be back to regular work and I am so eager to see how it goes.