Stick Horse Cowgirls

Could it be that our heat wave is over?  It has been one long, hot summer here, dry as a tinderbox.  The only upside has been very little mowing.  Our grasses have struggled this summer,and I am thankful I no longer have horses in need of winter hay, because the price must be sky-high.  We’ve had rains now, and we’re only the the 90’s during the day, which is feeling like a cold snap! But early last week, the heat was still on.  I’d come home from work at 6 p.m. and my little car would still be registering over 100 degrees. On one of those mornings as I traveled to work, I noticed that at 7:30 a.m. it was already near 90 degrees.  My drive takes me along a four-lane, divided parkway, the two sides enclosing a wooded area which has paved pathways.  In the mornings I see health-conscious folks out walking, jogging or skating there.  This particular morning, I spied a young mother in her exercise shorts and tank top pushing a stroller.  ...

Oh, dear me!  My sister has recently put me onto Netflix, and I am so loving it.   Yes, I can get some pretty good, pretty current movie s through Netflix.  And I am a sucker for documentaries of all stripes, so I’ve done quite a bit of learning through those this past week.  But what has really done it for me is the ability to see all my favorite BBC series. I have rewatched all the Upstairs, Downstairs episodes.  I have worked my way through the first series of Downton Abbey , which I had not seen before.  Both of these reawakened my great longing for staff: A parlor maid to keep my house “tidy,” a cook to prepare and serve delicious meals so that I actually have  time to “dress for dinner,” and a butler to iron the creases out of my morning newspaper.  Sigh .  I love this escape. I have gotten two-thirds through the House of Cards trilo gy, and it’s just the best!  I love the smooth evil of Francis Urquhart (so ap...