A Romp in the Country

     Last week, I headed back to farm country to visit with family and celebrate my grandfather's 90th birthday. As always, I had a great time. Normally a trip home is a furious drive on the 401, a hectic schedule of trying to visit as many relatives as time allows and I return home to the city tired but content.

     I'm a destination kind of person not really into the journey to get there, focused on the result rather than the process. There were a lot of road closures and construction going on when I left so I did things a little differently this time.

     I drove during the day, not my favourite way of spending a day but ... I ended up taking the scenic way home via Highway 7. (I think I actually got a little turned around trying to avoid all the road work) I haven't ever driven that route north of the city, what beautiful country. Coming to the top of one of the many hills, seeing the landscape unfold around me, no cars for miles, it made my lead footed heart sing.  Seriously, the area around Port Perry and Scugog is gorgeous and I'm glad I made the trip that way, this one time.

     I arrived home much later than I had originally expected, tired (5 hours in a car does that to me) and not really in the mood to do anything. Seeing as how we were all getting together the next day, I decided to chill. No running the roads, a quiet afternoon and night with Ma and Pa and Katie, a friend of my parents. We sat around after dinner, chatting, opened a bottle of wine, then another and another. The television stayed off and we had a night of catching up and conversation. Bliss.

     The next morning, I was fascinated by this.

     Flocks of Canadian geese kept landing in the field beside the house on their way south for the winter. I was amazed how close I got to get the picture. I was outside for about an hour quietly creeping up on them.

     Next up, riding with Mom and Katie. Dad was feeling a little poorly, a bit of the flu, he didn't stay up drinking wine, so it was just the three of us. I had watched my aunt compete in the Police horse trials last month and had mentioned I'd like to go riding while I was home. After Katie finished giggling it was all decided and off we went.

Me and Justin

Ready to ride

Katie and Honey and me and Justin again

On the trail,

 Honey had to have an eye removed

You can kind of tell in this photo

Gross and cool all at the same time

Mom looked at this picture and said,

"You've got the reins way too tight"

Another picture though our horse's ears

     I haven't ridden since I lived at home and had a horse of my own, that's why Katie was giggling. I think she was a little disappointed I didn't end up falling off or better yet thrown off. LOL Things have changed a lot around the farm since I rode there. There are trails cut though our and our neighbour's bush, about a hundred acres of forest to ride through.

     How we ride has changed as well. The horses (and riders) now follow the Parelli method of training. I have no idea, so I was giving poor Justin very mixed signals as we rode along. I'm going to do riding lessons with Mom next year to brush up my skills.

     We switched the camera over to Katie to get some pictures of Mom and I together.

Thanks Katie

and again

a bit better

Huh?

I like this one of Mom and I

Good job Katie

ROFL, spoke too soon

Look how thin we are

Two adults and horses all behind that skinny little tree

Showing a bit of pain

     We were out about an hour and I have to say, if you haven't ridden in a while be prepared for some pain, and walking a little bow legged. It was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to re learning how to ride next year.

     After the ride, it was time to clean up and off to the hall for Grandpa's birthday celebration but that's another post.

     Sunday evening was a visit with my cousin Adam who shared some great home improvement advice, thank you.

     Monday was a trip with my cousin Susan to discover Dowsett Island, yet another post.

A flock of wild turkeys along the road

I just couldn't shoot the picture fast enough

You know you're not in the city any more when...

Then a visit with my aunts Marlyn and Barb, recipes and cook book information, home with Mom looking at her pictures from Colorado, another post, and finally a quick cup of tea with my aunt Jean on the way out of town before heading back to the city. You know what happened then.

     Notes to self:

Remember to enjoy the journey not just the destination

Don't spend another five hours in the car after riding

Re learn how to ride, it isn't the poor horse's fault

Don't give Katie the camera LOL