Foggy crisp morning

J called me from Slovakia at 7 am to say good morning and I complained that I wanted to sleep in, but was glad when I looked outside and saw the golden light coming through the darkness.

I stared at the thermometer a long time cuz I couldn't believe what it said - UNDER 10C. It was 46F. FINALLY! I walked out the door and was delighted to feel fall for the first time, instead of non-stop stifling humidity and heat. I dusted off my jacket for the first time in ever (scared of the spiders that might have taken residence over the Summer). 



I like being able to see how Mag and Bellis move in the night - some sort of message to communicate with aliens?




"This is not when you normally join us. And where are our apples?"



Mag, to Bellis: "There might be an apple in her pocket and if so, it's mine, so stay where you are!"



I love how you can see all the hairs on his ear.



My lens is really dusty, making for great effects. He still has his Summer coat and I suspect he froze during the night. It looks weird when his ultra-light coat stands on end when he's cold.



Our property is shielded/covered by trees that only let tiny streaks of light in. This is my chair that I only truly enjoy in early Spring and Fall. Yesterday I sat out there and let it rain on my head. The cat sat next to me.



The wooded lot was glowing.



Our front yard was dark, and I wish I could show you how the massive walnut tree covers the entire yard now. It's like an umbrella, it's romantic but will be a ton of work when the leaves start falling. Right now it's raining walnuts every day. Too many for us to eat, hope to share with neighbors.

Glad I got up early afterall: )

UPDATE:

J is in Slovakia for a school student exchange - those kids came to Germany for a few weeks last year, and now the German kids will stay with their respective families in Slovakia. He says it looks just like the Olympic Peninsula, its snow-capped mountains. And my man should know, cuz we go there every visit. My dad lives there.

Walnuts. I took Mag on a little street-side grazing tonight, and Veronika, our neighbor came walking by with her daughter Ellie, who I remember as an infant. Veronika is an opera singer, her husband Ollie is a construction guy who helped us insulate our home, and their baby Ellie is no longer a baby!

I told her she's welcome to gather walnuts again, as she did 2 years ago, but not until next week cuz we don't  have very many yet. I told her I'd be at the hospital working so I won't be here.

She said her daughter has her first official riding lesson tomorrow.  Ellie kept trying to pet Mag, and Mag kept nosing them (cuz they had sacks they'd been gathering walnuts in).

I told Veronika stabile shoes are important, cuz even little ponies hurt when they step on you.

Then I gave Ellie a trick to take to her first day. I said, "They'll teach you how to groom a pony. And probably how to clean his feet. So here...watch."

I reached down and asked Mag for a fore-hoof, and he gave it to me. I told the girl where to press/how to ask.

I said, "Now you try!"

She tried but Mag did nothing. Her mom said, "Lower down honey, by the ankle." Then Mag quickly lifted up his hoof for her but put it down again. He's not used to giving hooves to strangers on the street with cars going by!

I told her good job, now you know: ) And to be careful, they don't know how big they are, and they don't mean to hurt you if they step on you.

And if you've been reading this long enough, you'll know who their instructor is - Katherina Lichtenhagen, the lady at the Haflinger farm nearby (where Momo lives). She's a Western trainer, half my age, who tried to give me lessons until Mag reared straight up in the air......and she said she was too busy.

"Too busy" *sigh* I would have loved to have her help, she's the closest trainer to me, a 20 minute walk with an indoor arena her parents own.

OK, ok, so is life.

Hopefully Veronika will come and gather nuts in the next month, and we don't have to feel so guilty for giving them all up to the squirrels, cuz we're too lazy to gather and shell them.

And Mag will surely remember Ellie, cuz I whipped a long carrot out of my pocket and said, "Give him this!" Carrot-giving tiny person is etched into his memory now.