Fall is welcome around here.

It's been a little while since I have visited with all of you. I am very glad to see summer slip away. The humidity just kicked my butt this year. These gorgeous fall photos are a breath of fresh air. I love opening windows and feeling the cool of the night.

I wanted to write about so many things but I need to refrain from prattling on.

Beautiful Willow crossed the bridge recently. My dear friend Elizabeth runs Triple O Equine Sanctuary in a remote area of Oklahoma. A few weeks ago, when the herd came in for the evening, Willow was not with them. Several days of intense searching led to finding sweet Willow gone. She came to Triple O a few years ago. Starved and frightened, they nursed her back to excellent health. Willow does not appear to be the victim of foul play or a predator attack. We know what happens when horses bloat and this was the likely culprit. Godspeed on your journey to the Summer Lands, Willow. You will be missed. I know my friend Elizabeth is burdened by sorrow but she carries on, as we all must.

R.I.P

At Heartland we have lost several bunny kids recently. It has been a very long summer. Godspeed to Bugs, Cocoa, Lefty, Dusty, Scooter and one of our gorgeous big white kids whose name escapes me at the moment and I am deeply sorry about that.(and anyone who I failed to mention) May they live another life in fields of green clover with only peace and joy.

With death comes life and new bunnies. We have a few new sillies around Heartland and a couple of new sillies around my place too. The rescue where I adopted Nina called and left messages for me a few weeks ago. It seems someone had surrendered a bun and they had no idea what to do with him. Before I could respond to them they allowed the bunny to go home with a young woman. She had intentions of getting a friend for her bunny. (an unfixed male) I can imagine her surprise when she found out that putting two unaltered boys together is a recipe for disaster. He was returned immediately and I received another frantic phone call. His name on intake was Wayne. That did not suit him a bit.

I agreed to take Wayne as a foster and he would eventually go to Heartland. This kid will stay with me. When he was set free from the carrier he started to dance like I have never seen. His new name is Mr. Bojangles (after a very special equine friend) and boy can he dance. This bun is so full of life and joy and curiosity. I am sure he was quite the horny handful for his previous people. He will be neutered on the 30th and I know he will calm right down. He is so sweet and loves to sit next to me and just gaze at me with adoration. (as all beings should) Perhaps he will like one of the bunnies around here. I hope so. What a personality.

I want to share something very sweet that touched me today.

The last few months have been very tight financially. Unexpected things happened, as they do and I have been searching for a part time job to supplement my income. Money worries can really stress you out (as I am sure you all know or have known at one time in your lives) and make you grumpy.

Early this summer my lawn guy just quit without a word. I don't have a riding mower any longer and an acre is hard to manage with a push mower and all my other duties. I placed an ad on Craigslist for a lawn person. A man named Banner responded in about 2 minutes. He came right then with his wife. He had lost his job and they had 4 kids. Of course I hired him. Nice people and hard workers. He has been doing my lawn for a couple of months.

Banner called the other day and asked if I wanted my lawn done 1 more time this year. I didn't go into details but I told him it just wasn't in my budget this month and I would push mow myself when I had time. I thanked him for his hard work and wished him well. He has found a new full time job and was really happy and relieved.

I came home from volunteering at Heartland and my lawn was mowed and trimmed. I caught him just as he was pulling out of the drive. I walked over to talk to him and he got out and gave me a little hug and said the lawn work was on him this time and he very much appreciated that I gave him a job when he needed groceries for his kids.

Mr. Bojangles

Monday Mantra

"Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world."

Desmond Tutu