Fourth of July

AND THE BEAT GOES ON

Here we are, already halfway through the summer. The rain and temperatures have pretty much put garden work on hold, other than light weeding first thing in the morning or early evening. Lawn maintenance is sketchy too. It got so long I thought I’d have to bring Galant and a buddy home to “horse mow.” I have not done any weed control in years, so there’s lots of flowering clover that turns my grass meadow-like. It is peaceful looking, and I know that Maddie and Sophie can romp around without me worrying about them being exposed to chemicals. No mosquito spraying anymore either, which is tough on me as I’m a magnet drawing the little buggers to bite away. My biggest fear is the ticks that are numerous, and very aggressive this year.

The heat brings its challenges with Maddie, Sophie, and Galant. I choose not to ride when the temperature is near 90 and it’s humid. Instead, the horses are longed for 15-20 minutes, hosed down with cold water, and kept inside with plenty of hay and water to keep them happy. Longeing is a technique for training and exercising the horse in a circle around you. It’s used to loosen and give them a stretch, or as a training tool to improve their freedom of movement. As a means of riderless, weightless exercise it forces the horse to balance, be flexible and obedient. It’s a great way to enforce the horse-rider bond. Each of the stalls have individual fans that are going full blast to keep the air circulation and flies at bay.

As for the pups, their trips outside are short and sweet. Both love to lie on the driveway and bask. Five minutes is tops, and walks are non-existent. I think they are happy to forgo the treks but miss the warmth of the driveway, which must be therapeutic for their aging muscles.

As we draw close to the 4th of July, the 249th birthday of our great nation, let’s remember that it is not just another day off but a holiday commemorating our independence—then only 13 colonies—from the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1776.

Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, which was signed by 56 others including John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and John Penn. The youngest signer was Edward Rutledge at age 26 and the oldest Ben Franklin at age 70. Two of the signers became president: John Adams (our second) and Thomas Jefferson (our third). Ironically both Adams and Franklin died on the same day, on 7-4-1826. James Monroe died on 7-4-1831 and Calvin Coolidge, our 30th president, was born on 7-4-1872. Equally important this Fourth is to remember all who have died protecting our freedom and all those who have served in the past or serve now. Without their dedication and devotion to the liberty of all, we would not be living the American Dream.

The 4th means grilling, whether hot dogs and burgers, or being a little more adventurous. I’m doing the Cedar Planked Salmon and Caponata from LOOKING BACK COOKING FORWARD. Both are straightforward and require very little preparation time. I’ll make the Caponata a few days out and let the flavors meld, and I prefer it room temperature. Serve it as a refreshing side and include a crusty baguette. YUM!!!

Be safe, have fun. And remember:
“Make Every Day A Million Dollar One.”
XXOO,
Mary, Maddie, Sophie and Galant