The Cowboy let me sleep in a bit this morning, I didn’t get in last night until about one.

But with a full breakfast ready to go on the table, a steaming hot cup of coffee waiting for me that he didn’t want to get cold and a day not really busy but full of good things should we choose ..

“Rise and shine sleepyhead,” was my wake-up call this morning.

I had already been awake quite a bit, on and off .. listening to the South Dakota winds howling this morning, watching the beautiful sunrise through partially opened blinds.  And, having a conversation with Him.  Have a lot on my mind at the moment.  I tried as long as I could this morning to just be still, breathe, soak in all that is good about this day, this life and how blessed I am despite any challenges.  We all have them, it’s more a matter of what our unique set of challenges at any given point in this life will be, isn’t it?  How we decide to respond is what sets our course for better or worse days ahead.  It doesn’t take long, knowing what else is going on in the world, to readjust my thoughts and know that what we are faced with is and will be surmountable.

The smell of bacon and coffee snaps me back into the moment.  I climb out of bed.

Coffee.  Milk.  Waffles.  Eggs and bacon are waiting.  The Cowboy enjoys working in the kitchen and making food for any and all to get together and enjoy.  I thoroughly appreciate the days where we are able to sit down to breakfast together.  As a family or just the two of us.

Fortunate to often savor the leftovers .. The kitties do too.

Finding joy in the little things.

…………

When we were kids, there wasn’t much watching TV.  We played outside.  We read books in our rooms.  I thumbed through all of the hardcore teen and music magazines to find the latest poster to pin up on my wall.  We went for walks as a family.  Climbed trees.  Built forts.  And often at night when the day was winding down and we still weren’t watching much TV, my brother and I would often head for the basement with our dad.  To play ping pong.  I wasn’t as good as either of them, but I loved it.  We had a lot of fun and many very competitive nights at that table.

So when one of our neighbors dropped off a handwritten note last week that said:

“Ping-Pong Party in the basement.  Sunday 3pm.  We’ll provide beverages, just bring yourselves and a snack!”

.. I did everything possible to get us back home in time to take part in the celebrations.

Two of our neighbors had found a table, cleared out a section of the community basement where about 15 bikes stood in a dark area only days before.

They put up lights.

And when everyone joined in the other afternoon .. it was the best game room I have been in, in a long, long time.

Thank you J & R for one of the best, most relaxing, wonderful afternoons in a long time.  Look forward to the next match.

I’m amazed.

First, thanks to those who stop by to read the blog every now and then.  I’m amazed, because I haven’t posted hardly anything in a long time yet I continue to see visitors to the site.  Most recently, it appears, a growing number of readers from Brazil.  Cool .. and nice to meet you!

Second, I’d like to say I feel bad I haven’t even logged into here for awhile, but I don’t.  Which is a good thing, I guess.  I usually would feel guilty.  For many reasons, I’ve had to let that go this year.

Hoping to get back to writing soon.  It’s therapeutic.

In the meantime, trying to even get back to posting a few photos ..

Fall is quickly fading ..

We made it out to the ranch last weekend, Halloween celebrations with the whole family.

Was a wonderful time.  I was not quite ready to see even remnants of snow left on the ground from a brief winter shower earlier in the week (and please know not complaining here, especially in light of the events out east, just wasn’t ready).   But I welcome what it means.

Winter coats filling in ..

Change is once again in the air.

The Cowboy and I wanted to get out of town yesterday and just enjoy the day together .. Summer has finally come to an end, at least the hectic pace we had both been keeping and this weekend and the next few are welcome reprieve.

…

We jumped in the car and headed west about an hour to Mineral Point, not sure what all we would find but a Fall Art Tour was underway.  The small town boasts beautiful architecture, great storefronts, artists, writers, potters .. and as we discovered upon leaving the highway, a great flea market.

The first booth we walked up to was the find of the day.  Helping us load one of the most beautiful old trunks we’ve ever seen (for the guest room or possibly a prop for photos) into the car ..

Great finds numbers 2, 3 & 4 ..

A little olive oil on this baby .. shine it right up.

There happen to be three items in this photo that will be going under the Christmas tree this year.  Cool things because they’re cool.  But extra cool because, BARGAIN.  And, RECYCLE.

One thing we found entertaining but did not leave with ..

We rounded the corner after coming up the stairs to the back door the other night, talking about the day, laughing and dodging the rain ..

When I see .. (sorry not great photos but was trying to avoid getting camera soaked in the rain)

We had been of our bottled water for almost two weeks and the chunks of what look like metal or rock that flow out of our faucet aren’t really what I want to be guzzling down after a run in the morning .. or making coffee with.  Or giving my daughter a glass of to drink each night.

I know we still have some of the best, most clean drinking water in the world and I appreciate that for all it is .. but the bottled water that comes to our doorstep about once/month is such a beautiful, delicious sight ..

And while the water was enough to have me and us grinning with delight in and of itself ..

I catch a glimpse of something else lush and green peering out from behind the screen door my daughter had already opened to get us out of the rain ..

Some of the most beautiful, gargantuan beets I have ever seen .. set atop the rail of our porch.  Straight from the garden and the neighbors CSA basket earlier that day.

Such simple things.  What beautiful gifts.

Been a rainy week here in Wisconsin and so many of the leaves are now off the trees.

But the dry summer apparently made for some stunning fall color and I so love how beautiful the fully in tact (versus the brown mushed up) fallen leaves look in the rain.

Grabbed this while on a run the other morning.

The entire street I was on that morning was covered with leaves similar to this one.  The scene was as stunning on the ground as the leaves had been only hours before, barely dangling yet from their branches, holding onto one more day of life before that strong, crisp wind brought them down.

October 11, 2012.

My beautiful sister posted this online last night…

She had no idea how profound a verse it would be to carry with me into the day today.

Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:20-21

Sometimes it’s a smile.  Or a ray of sunshine.  Or a hug from your child.  Or husband.  Or a song.

This morning ..

It was this.

Often this fall, on the last leg of my jog through our neighborhood, there is a table sitting out with fresh tomatoes.  Free for whomever shall come along and appreciate them.

I on occasion will grab one red and one yellow because my crop for some reason this year, has yet to turn.  And I fear it is all but too late for them to be anything but green.  And I so enjoy fresh sliced tomatoes.

I grabbed one of each again this morning.  And smiled as I jogged the last leg of our morning run, home.

I’m pretty sure the dog did too.

Joe.

“He’s been a great horse,” the Cowboy says tonight as we’re talking about him.

“He’s been steady, strong, reliable.  Lot different than when I bought him.  Bought him from a friend back in 2005 and they were afraid of him.  All he wanted to do was buck and be snorty on the ground.”  But the Cowboy thought he was super cool looking and really smart.  

He kept him. 

Wessington Springs.

“After I got him, I went and rode with one of the best working cow horse trainers in the country, the guy is legendary.”

He’s gone on to become PRCA two-time Heel Horse of the Year, Four-time Minnesota Rodeo Heel Horse of the Year..

Badlands Circuit Finals.

Joe has since, become the horse everyone wants to ride.  Guests.  The kids.

Me.

But with the Cowboy essentially off the rodeo circuit for now, focusing on being a good dad and husband as well .. Joe’s been standing .. a lot .. out in the pasture.

And it’s killed the Cowboy to know he’s capable of so much more.

After years of inquiries into whether or not he’d ever sell Joe.. Joe this week, goes to a new home.  A great home.  One where he will be put to good use.

But we are all so very sad to see him go.

We went to the most wonderful dinner last night at our friends vineyard ..

It was a beautiful night filled with old friends and new ..

And at the end of the night, a couple we had talked with at length said to us as ..

“Enjoy your life, it is the best possible thing you can do.”