Horsing Around

April 11, 2012July 1, 2025 / Ally Bean / 18 Comments

Yesterday the weather was so pretty that I stopped at a nearby stable to take a few photos of the horses that board there.

There were a few horses in the pastures.

My favorite horse was this one. She was a goof.

After trotting around the pasture to make sure that everyone saw her, she dropped down to the ground and did a shimmy & a roll.

And then, just for good measure, she did it again rolling in the other direction.

Meanwhile, in an adjacent pasture, an older horse looked on with what only may be described as “church lady” contempt. In fact, she snorted a few times, clearly unimpressed with little miss shimmy.

And there I stood, camera in hand, snapping photos and laughing at the show. I mean, who knew that horsing around was something that literally happened? Not me, that’s for sure. But now I do– and I’ve got the photos to prove it!

Reflections On A Vacation Not Taken

March 13, 2012 / Ally Bean / 12 Comments

“I do not know everything; still many things I understand.” ~ Goethe

It’s unseasonably warm and slightly overcast here this morning. I’m all for this unusually warm weather. I don’t need the sunshine to make me feel like winter is over. The warmth alone is enough to give my spirits a boost.

I got up later than my usual 6:00 a.m. today and decided to drink my morning coffee out on our screened-in porch. We keep two old chairs and a make-shift table out there all winter long– just in case the weather allows us the opportunity to sit outside.

I got thinking as I sat outside this morning. When Z-D and I sat down in early January to plan our vacation days, we had thought that we’d go somewhere together in March. A spring escape to get away from the crushing gray of winter was what we had in mind.

At first we were going to San Diego. Then it was Desert Springs. Then it was Phoenix. Then it was Tucson. Then it was L.A.

But nothing would fit together quite right… his work schedule, our frequent flyer miles, our frequent snoozer points, our attitudes. It just didn’t work for us. So, we gave up the idea of vacationing in March. There’s always April, we said.

However, now that I’ve spent a warm mellow morning out on our porch I have to admit that staying at home seems like a good idea. Nice to hang out at home in my jammies and slippers. Wonderful to kick back and plan my day with a mug of coffee at hand. Very pleasant and rejuvenating. Just like a late winter vacation in March, only much less expensive.

All of which makes me wonder if going on a vacation in April will be worth the bother. We’ll see, of course. Time– and hotel/airline prices– will tell.

It Was Quite An Experience, But The Results Are Wonderful

March 5, 2012 / Ally Bean / 12 Comments

Here’s a photo update of our landscape project that I named, The Big Dig. Simply put: late last summer & early fall we had a portion of our wooded backyard transformed into a terraced sitting area. This project was messy + stressful + expensive.

[Want to know more about The Big Dig? For a bit of background information, start here: Talking Dirt. For photos and explanation of the process, go here: We’re Investing In Dirt. Then here: A Garden Wall Worthy Of Fred & Wilma. And then finally, here: We Have A Backyard.]

Because the weather last fall was so wet and ridiculous, the landscapers were never able to completely finish the project. So last week they returned for 3 days to finish edging and mulching around The Big Dig. And, damn, does it look wonderful.

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{ view from deck }

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{ steps from the deck to the yard }

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{ new backyard area under trees }

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{ standing in new backyard area looking over toward terraced area }

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{ standing in the yard looking at the new terraced area }

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{ signs of things to come }

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The “Randomness” Meme

February 9, 2012 / Ally Bean / 13 Comments

Cheri of Naples Girl Blog tagged me with this randomness meme. Fun, huh? But me being me, I will play along… to a point. I tend to make up my own rules when it comes to memes. So here we go, okay?

The REVISED Rules:

First, post these rules on your blog.
Second, post 11 random things about yourself.
Third, answer the questions posed to you by the blogger of the blog where you first read this meme.
Last, create 11 new questions for any blogger who chooses to do this meme next.
No need to tag anyone on your blog or on twitter. Those bloggers who want to do this meme should do it [linking back to original source, of course]… and those bloggers who don’t want to do this meme should not do it [forgetting that they ever knew it existed].

11 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME

My eyes appear to be blue, but in actuality I have a little bit of green around each iris.
I don’t like popcorn very much.
I played the violin from the time I was in second grade until I graduated from high school. I couldn’t wait to get to college and give it up.
I’m fond of tulips.
I went online for the first time from my home in January of 1997. It changed my life for the better in ways that I never could have imagined.
I’m allergic to mold spores.
I recently gave away my grandparents’ dining room table. It was in great shape, but we had tired of it. I thought about selling it, but decided that giving it to a couple who needed a table right now was more in keeping with my values.
I have narrow feet.
My favorite Bible verse is: “Be strong and let your heart take courage.” Psalm 31:24.
I have lots of old photos that I’d like to put into this blog, but we have the world’s most ridiculous printer that only allows me to scan when it is in the mood. Which isn’t very often. There is no fussier machine in the world.
I think that Glee is delightful.

11 QUESTIONS FROM CHERI

What is your fave book? Winnie The Pooh.
Are you a healthy eater? Some days, yes.
Do you believe in prayer? Yes.
Do you own any pets? No. We had two cats, but they died… and we never got around to getting any more pets after that.
Who does the cooking in your house? We both do.
Are you working in the field of study that was your major in college? Yes.
When is the last time you laughed so hard your stomach hurt? Watching an episode of The Big Bang Theory… Sheldon can make me laugh like no other character on TV.
If you could live anywhere, where would you live? You know, I don’t really know for sure. Somewhere with more sunshine than around here, but not too muggy and buggy.
Which is your fave season? Autumn.
Who is your fave artist? Vincent Van Gogh.
Do you consider yourself crafty? No. Both in the ability to make cute things with my hands definition of the word– and in the sneaky, conniving sort of person definition of the word!