Celebrate the season!

By now you know I just love the summertime. This is a Caprese Salad I enjoyed with some mixed salami and a baguette with some herbed butter. I think this is a French inspired salad. I ringed some steamed green beans with the tomatoes, drizzled the whole thing with some olive oil and squeezed on some fresh lemon. I dusted the whole thing with herbs de provence. I had a Ratatouille Nicoise on the stove while I munched on all this. I put a bay leaf and some tarragon in my ratatouille and after 15 or 20 minutes it smells heavenly. On a nice day it doesn't get much better.

Especially when you have tons of garden fresh heirloom tomatoes!


And nothing says summer like corn on the cob! The corn is in early this year. We've had corn like this for weeks now:

Peaches and plums are in early this year too. I really feel sorry for anyone that's never had a tree ripened peach!

It really isn't the supermarket's fault they sell crap in the produce aisle. If people wouldn't buy it they wouldn't sell it.

And for dessert? A fresh fig with some goat cheese drizzled with honey and black pepper. This is a treat!

Oh and so is this!



I am so hooked on whoopie pies from Steve's Snacks in Skowhegan Maine!

Don't mess with me little lady

My trainer thinks this is just plain silly. You see, to my trainer, a professional, these are simply "artificial aids":

While to me they're medieval torture devices and I just hate using them.

L and I are partners. I'd like for her to be a willing partner. And using spurs implies that maybe she's not always as "willing" as I'd like her to be. Oh I know she doesn't have as much fun with me as I have with her. But it's important to me she finds our time together pleasant, at least. I'm really not going to have fun if she's not having fun. And it is largely about fun.

My trainer did convince me that I don't do L any favors letting her ignore my legs. And however (over) indulgent I might be sometimes she has really *does* have to do what I tell her.

Although it is fair to say that needing them is largely a product of my own doing. If I "stay on the aids" L is beyond awesome. "Staying on the aids" is equestrian speak for "riding your horse". You think it's easy. Well, this isn't about trail riding lesson horses at summer camp and us equestrians devote our lives to learning the business of staying on the aids. It's very much an "in the moment" thing, knowing what your horse needs and always naturally giving it without having to think about it. Having one's seat in the right place, having one's legs in the right place, having one's hands in the right place, having the contact and balance just right, all the time, naturally without thinking about it, staying out of our horse's way ... we pay people thousands of dollars to teach us these things.

When I do get it right I don't need spurs. Because when I'm there for L the thought of ignoring me just never occurs to her. The "one with your horse" thing.

And that's what I work at all the time.

When I use spurs I don't nag her with them. And I don't draw blood either. When she ignores my legs I give her one good poke and it's done. Often enough she only needs to know I'm wearing them. She's a smart girl.

This is a variation on the tomato/onion slice with vinegar:

Beefsteak tomato slices, some campari tomato slices, some red onion slices, a splash of red wine vinegar, some basil, salt and pepper. I skipped the cheese. I'm watching my weight. Just delicious!

Stirred. Of course.

Even a martini can't make a bad day a good day. But it can make a *really* good day a *perfect* day.

Oh hell you're all gonna think I'm an alcoholic. I was a bartender. I know how to make a good martini. I only have a martini on the best days.

Today was hot in the sun, cool in the shade, dry and breezy all around.

L was sensational.

I just love riding this hay field. A couple of years ago L pooped out there and OMG the property manager freaked. I didn't think it was any worse than say, a pile of deer poop, but then there's a lot I don't know. So I'm *really* careful about staying along the tree line and around the edges. A full lap around this field is almost 3 miles. It's broad, it's sweeping, the breeze comes across it and it's just..well..splendid out there.


There's a handful of different ways to get out there and back. Through the woods is my favorite. It was too dark in the woods to take pictures. I tried and they came out like crap. And the bugs were pretty bad anyway. We basically ran through the woods and I smacked the bugs off her neck until we got out to the eggplant field. I love the way we she "presents" her neck to me when there's bugs on it. It's like she's saying "hey, while you're up there smack this bug will ya?".

When we cleared the woods I got up in a half seat and let her charge the length of the eggplant field a couple of times. I got off her mouth and let her go and she liked that.

After sponging her down with Absorbine we went out and hand grazed in the breeze. This one of her most favorite things!


One of my most favorite things this time of year:

It's just a slice of a fresh tomato, a thin slice of red onion (this slice is actually a little too thick), a splash of red wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and oregano, topped with some freshly grated parmesan cheese. So yummy!