Last week, Finn could hardly wait to get back out to Trish and Roger's farm to ride Riggins the horse ("with the purple sadd-oh" [saddle], she says). Sure enough, as soon as we got out there, she promptly asked to ride Riggins and use the purple saddle (it's actually just a riding pad but she loves it). And she wanted me (Papa) to walk Riggins around (Trish usually does for the first little bit). So we called all the horses up from the pasture, saddled Riggins up and walked over to the riding arena.
Without skipping a beat, she asked to be hoisted up and off we went, her happy as a clam, me leading Riggins around (we're still getting used to each other out but have developed a nice, respecting relationship), and mummy nervously watching as I led them around the arena.
Then, perhaps in an act of defiance since we called him up from pasture and saddled him up BEFORE giving him grain, Riggins decided to trot rather than walk as I'd asked him to. So there's mummy standing very nervously by the fence, Finn looking a little uncertain and me trying to get Riggins to mind. After Riggins and I worked it out, Finn got back up on him again as Trish had just returned with a camera to take some pics. I've included a pic here but you can view all of them on this Picasa web album (http://picasaweb.google.com/jeremiahosbornegowey/TheFarm?feat=directlink).
Friday, after several exhausting marathon days working on a proposal (prospective job), I decided to take the day to "relax". And by relax, I mean "do all the outdoor chores that had been piling up". But the day's activities hinged around making another batch of homebrew (this one an Imperial Red-Rye). It was my second all-grain batch and I've been learning a lot with every brewing session. Since so much of the time is spent waiting for water to boil, or grains to steep, or proteins to rest, or enzymes to break down, I had the chance to clean the gutters for summer, pot several more hops rhizomes (hops are the herbs that give beer its bitterness and impart floral/citrus aromas to balance out the malty sweetness), move the greenhouse to let the grass grow, mow the yard, get some more veggie starts going, organize my brewing supplies, and build a new-fangled hops trellis for the roof. A busy day for sure.
On Saturday, while Cat was participating in the 5K CARDV (Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence) with some girlfriends, Finn and I helped dig camas bulbs to bake for the annual OSU Native American Longhouse Salmon Bake. We've been digging camas bulbs for the event for several years but this was the first year Cat had another prior engagement. We missed her dearly but had a great time anyway. Camas bulbs are a traditional PNW tribal food staple and, when baked, taste something akin to a starchy onion (think potato and onion cross). The property we dug on this year was VERY soggy and we got covered in mud but enjoyed ourselves tremendously. Finn had a blast walking around to all the different diggers but had a particular fondness for a few of the ladies...and they, too, were enthralled with her (go figure, eh?!). I dug about 150 bulbs (and have a blister to show for it) of various sizes and had a great time making with new friends. Later in the day, after her 5K walk, Cat was able to join us for lunch (what a treat!). We were invited to stick around for a sweat in the sweatlodge later that afternoon but we headed home, all exhausted from the day's outings, as Finn was in desparate need of a nap (which lasted until nearly 6pm!; perhaps we'll sweat with them in two weeks time...). Later that evening, Finn and I got out the crepe paper, scissors, crayons, markers, pencils, pens and tape. We made mummy a very special Mother's Day card and wrapped a few presents (bird feeders). What fun!...
Sunday morning, Cat got up early for her early morning walk (ritual) with Quinn and Finn and I snuck out of the house, walked down the street to a friend's house, and picked some beautifully dark purple (almost black) lilacs. I made her a special breakfast of tarragon egg puffs, yogurt and a scone from the local food co-op. We spent a wonderful day together playing the yard and gardening but the previous day's activities caught up to us both and we took a marvelous short nap together while Finn napped. A wonderful day indeed!
