Busy Day

My Grandson and his future wife were here today. She wanted to ride. I ask Jennifer when was the last time she rode a horse. She told me when she was twelve. So I knew then I needed to walk with her. She really wanted to ride alone and to get the horse moving faster. She is a little accident prone so I was unwilling to be responsible in any way for her walking down the isle in a cast or worse yet have to delay her wedding day because she was in a full body cast. So Edward and I walked along with her and the horse.

Next Natalie and her brother Ollie and son Fabian came to the barn. Ollie wanted to ride too. Jennifer soon gave up the saddle and Ollie climbed on. I think he had a nice ride and then Fabian got on and took a turn. Natalie also took a short ride. They all had a good time. Tomorrow Natalie's brother and son will return to Germany. It has already been three weeks since they first arrived. I think they have had a good time. They have been to the zoo, Holiday World,shopping,more shopping, riding the 4 wheeler, been swimming and horse back riding. Ollie has enjoyed mowing on my Cub Cadet The yards in Germany are not especially large so there are not many riding mowers if any. They have really enjoyed living on the farm for the last three weeks.

Farms in Germany are very small. It is not a large country so land is limited. The farms in Germany are really well kept. Every foot of land is used to get the most out of every acre. When we were in Germany I was impressed by grapes vines growing on hill sides. It would be a plot of land that we might just put in pasture and graze. The rows were very neat and no growth was visible other than the long rows of grape vines. Actually Germans grow a lot of grapes for wine.

Across from the apartment we were staying in was a dairy farm. Their cows were kept inside all the time. The land is too valuable to use for turning cows out. They were beefier looking cattle than our dairy cows. The farmer had a small herd. It was again a well kept farm.

We also visited a small stable. There were maybe 8 horses in the stalls. There was a little land around the stable and my granddaughter was able to ride outside on a very good natured pony.

But back to our day. It was a lot of fun seeing those in my family and friends enjoying the horses as I do. Natalie's horse Romeo is a very nice horse. His favorite gait is stop. So Jennifer had to urge him on frequently. I really wasn't afraid that he would take off and run away with a rider. He does seem to want to go to the barn which is a problem and I cautioned each one to address that problem immediately.

My sister Eleanor also dropped in for a few minutes to bring me some papers. It was a good day with family and friends. Edward and his bride to be Jennifer, Eleanor, Natalie and her family and early today Mike came by for coffee before work. A full day.

Tomorrow I will help Natalie take her family to the airport for their departure. I will miss them a lot. They don't speak English very much and I don't speak much German but we managed to communicate. They are very appreciative of whatever is done for them. Ollie has fallen in love with America. Fabian is ready to go home. He is 11and misses his Oma and Opa and father back home. But they have had a nice visit and it has been my pleasure to help with that in whatever small way I did.

See you at the world show. I am very excited about the upcoming show.

God bless and keep you in his loving care and may all competitors and horses be safe and may each horse and rider perform to the best of their ability.

Regards

Mary

No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle

Winston Churchill

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Proverbs 9: 10