and I didn't even die!

I'm way too tired to photograph the painting tonight. It's not done. Close though.. it should work, I'll probably just wait to photograph it when it's done.

Today was Shylah's first "road ride." And I didn't even die! Over all, she was quite good. We got a later start than anticipated and W ended up riding JJ's horse Blue Top (who is *still* here because my farrier has dropped off the face of the earth, this is totally unlike him and I'm actually getting quite worried, and I can't get hold of him, ack! Long story) instead of riding her own horse over. Anyway, BT was good on the road but neighed a lot and wanted to hurry home. Both had minor spooky moments, the worst of which was probably an irrigation valve bubbling water into a field, and they had to walk through the water. She was good with cars until the very end, and there was a point at which she was shying away from something (?) in a ditch full of blackberries and cattails, and at that point a car approached from the front, so I was trying to get her out of the middle of the road (drivers are sort of touchy about a horse backing toward them as they drive behind) and she was trying to get away from the ditch. So after that cars approaching from the front would sent her backing into the road again. Not good. Needs work. I think in time she'll be great, but right now it's just a whole lot of new stuff all at once. I got off and walked a few times when she seemed to be nearing sensory overload (sheep, cows, donkey, water, dogs, horses running, people working, lions and tigers and bears...) Over all, I am pleased. It was a fairly short ride. It was hot. It was lunch time. It was a nice route though and we can certainly head out on a longer ride.

I checked the neighbor's plum tree today. Goodness! She wasn't kidding when she said they were over-run. Plum jam? Plum.. anything? Plum crisp tonight (sliced into a pie pan with flour/brown sugar/cinnamon/butter topping). Yum!

My artwork ("Proud Heritage") goes to State Fair tomorrow. A month early! Weird. Judging will happen next week, I should know the results in about two weeks I think. From now til Sept 7th it's completely out of my hands as far as sales go. That's a long time!