Summer already?!

On Sunday we went to the Old Dominion Hunt Club races. The weather was fantastic. Light breeze, comfortable temps, no bugs! Nice day to be outside and not doing much of anything.

But the past two days it has been ninety plus degrees. The poor horses are still wearing their winter coats! I can't bear to get on their backs while they are trying to deal with this heat. A cold front is supposed to come through tomorrow and drop the temps by more than thirty degrees. Sure hope so!

The office in the basement is terrific since it stays pleasantly cool. The old office had great views of the mountains but the sun came streaming in. Even with the curtains closed it got hot and we would wind up sleepy. The other thing about being in the basement - you don't know what time it is so you work all day and have no idea what is happening in the rest of the world. That's good and bad. We get stuff done but I don't seem to get over to the barn. I think I will have to make that the first thing I do each day rather than email.

I have posted a gallery of photos from the Feb Safari. This is just the beginning. I took over 5800 photos and I have to show them to someone! This first batch is more about camp. Stay tuned for more.

Warm days, sunny skies

Spring is bursting forth here in Virigina. The flowers and trees are desperate to get their blossoms out. The sounds of lawnmowers is in the air along with the peepers chirping loudly at night.

I feel like I am surfacing after a long dive and emerging into the daylight.The book is in its final stages. Tuesday I received pdf proofs of the layout, it is like seeing an ultrasound of an embryo.

It is forming into a finished product but still in the developing stages. I will see it again soon once the designer finishes the final sections. I printed it out and "turned the pages" on my counter....

and it hit me - this is going to be a book! Somehow until now it was only words and images but not anything that looked like a finished product.

The excitement of Spring after such a long winter coinciding with this book project coming to fruition makes the season even more special.

Now the thing that will make it perfect is going out for a ride!

Spring is here!

I made it home from California in time for the weekend. The temps were warm and sunny with the smell of spring in the air. The flowers are definitely behind this year. My daffodils are just starting to bloom and the forsythia is just coming out.

I am not the only one who is really thrilled with the nice weather. Izzy is lazing around on the deck in her chair and sitting out in the lawn. The other day she caught and ate a mouse. Nothing like a little fresh meat to help shed fur all over the house.

In Africa the daylight varies by only 15 minutes from winter to summer. They do not think about the Spring and Autumn Equinox since there is so little difference in the amount of light. The Mara is just below the equator so theoretically it would be the Autumn Equinox at this time of year but that was hard to tell by watching the animals. We saw vultures, zebra, hippos and tortoise breeding. Maybe they don't care what season it is? Anyway, we did come across this gorgeous zebra foal who did not appear to be very old.

So for the moment I am happy to be home. This is my favorite time of year, when the earth renews itself by putting forth a show of color, sweet smells and sounds. I can hear the peepers peeping as I sit here and type. Tomorrow I head out for a road trip and a clinic in Arkansas on the weekend. I am sure this year the flowers will still be here when I get home.