Guess who dropped in for a visit yesterday afternoon?

It was 117 degrees here yesterday.  Fortunately, I had just refreshed the bird bath.  In temperatures like this, even the birds are panting.  And, GUESS WHO stopped by for a drink and a few minutes' worth of pleasure in the bird bath?  Yup...our resident Cooper's hawk!

Our daughter had stopped by for a visit and when she opened the front door to leave, he took off!  Fortunately, I was ready with my camera!  I'm glad he came for a drink and a visit because it was fascinating to be able to observe him through our living room window!

Weekend in Idyllwild

It was our daughter's 36th birthday last week and she rented a 2 bedroom cabin in Idyllwild and invited us to come share it with her and her family, so off we went.  I mean, the alternative was to stay in the desert, in 113 degree heat!  However, the desert DID have a downpour Friday, which we completely missed!  The cabin also had a spa, which we ALL enjoyed, and the fresh mountain air did us ALL some good.  We all relaxed.  Hubby ran around in his shorts and a Hawaiian shirt.  I read two novels.  Our daughter got some long-needed sleep (she has a 16 month old...).  We cooked our meals there and ate outside on the deck.  I fed blue jays and squirrels and watched rabbits come out in the early morning.  I took their dog on long walks.  It was wonderful!   :-)

Quad gets his teeth done

The ranch owner called a new vet in town to come over and do Quad's teeth.  We wanted to try her out and I was very pleased!  While I dearly love our previous vet, he IS getting older (aren't we ALL?)  This gal is young and energetic.  She has her own truck and assistant and she was very thorough.  I didn't even have to ask her to check each horse's vitals.  She determined that after Quad, Scout needs to have her teeth done, which I can wait until fall (when I get a regular paycheck) to have done.  ALL the horses except Scout have sand in their guts...sigh...This is just a constant problem.  They ALL have rubber mats, which I sweep off every time I visit, but they also scatter their feed all over the corrals!  (...pulling out hair...) Any ideas/ suggestions?  Hay nets?

Anyway, I got to watch Quad get his teeth done.  She even let me hear his gut and the swishing sound of the sand in it.  I went out and bought 3 days' worth of powdered psyllium yesterday and I'll buy more and return on Friday.  The horses were too out of it yesterday for their lesson, so my trainer will come back on Friday.

The horses all get a trim

The horses all got a trim and Lucille got new shoes Sunday.  I thought I was early and arrived at the ranch at 9:30, but the farrier was there at 7:30 a.m.!!!  He was putting Lucille's new shoes on when I arrived.  Poor girl...for years her feet were neglected, but now, after a year with the shoer, they look very nice!  And, she's getting Bermuda pellets, timothy pellets, and a supplement, too.  She's looking good and she even has dapples!  Plus, she gets an hour with my trainer once a week and turnout twice a week.  What a difference from being in her corral 24/7/365!

Even Sunni was good for the farrier.  He didn't move a muscle (again)...I'm glad he trusts him.  Scout was a little difficult to catch, but then she, too, stood still.  Quad and Gigondas were fine..."ho hum"...

 Lucille getting her new shoes.

 Then she got a turnout in the arena.  Just LOOK at her tail!

 Gigondas is always a good girl!

 Quad is a pro!

Dana Point harbor

Man, these people know how to have FUN!  We were there mid-week, on July 2nd, and the place was PACKED!  There were people everywhere!  Of course, who wouldn't want to be at Dana Point harbor?  It's beautiful and CLEAN!  There are bathrooms everywhere!   :-)  There are pelicans and other seashore birds!  There are people out walking their dogs.  What a great place to be!

San Diego trip

We took a 5 day trip to San Diego and just returned to the heat...ugh...

We drove downtown and out to Point Loma on our first day.  We haven't been downtown for some time.  Actually, I don't even remember the last time we were there!

Yes, it was a dark and overcast day!

This is the old, abandoned lighthouse at Point Loma.  A new one was built on the cliff below it because the light from this one kept getting hidden by fog and low clouds!  It was built in 1855 and abandoned in 1891, when the new one went online.  It's light could be seen (on a clear day...) for 25 miles!