Today I saw my first robin of the season. I was walking up the driveway, heard it go ccchhp chhhp chhp and looked to my left. It was on a lower branch. I saw it on May 1, and am going to work at remembering this. It’s significant. In most places April showers bring May flowers. Here, we are two months behind the rest of the world.

I have never been so happy to see spring since moving here. It was a winter of moving slowly. At times I felt like I was living in a gulag.

The main difference is not just that there is more light, but that I am doing more with the light. In the winter, when it was dark, as early as 4:00 p.m. I would read. I would read, read, read until 10:00 p.m. Now I am spending my evening hours outside, with the horses. This morning, I went for a ride on Raudi. This evening, I went for a ride on Tyra and then took Hrimmi for a walk.

Alys and Raudi on road in front of our house

My ride on Raudi – this was a test ride, so as to see if she was still coughing when she exerted herself. I began as I always do, and walked her up Oceanview Road, to Murphy and a short ways down Murphy. I then got on her and walked her down to the Murphy Road Corner. I did my exercises at a walk. Then we turned around and headed for home. I asked for, and got, trot. I interspersed the sitting trot, rising trot, and three-point seat. This went well. Raudi kept moving. A quarter mile from the turn onto Oceanview, I asked her to canter.

Raudi moved out. And she did not cough. I am still so relieved. If she was coughing, we would not do our trip, mainly because the dust while in transit, in the trailer, might make her condition worse.

I am now watering down all the mare’s hay. I put it in a clean muck bucket and then pour water on it.

I still think at times that Tinni died because I did not take good enough care of him. I should have had him on a heaves supplement. And I should have watered down his hay. I just was not attentive enough. I was more focused on the book project than I should have been.

I am not going to let this happen again. I have to find a balance and I will. Raudi is the apple of my eye, my China doll, and so I must remain attentive to her illnesses as she grows older. 21 is now up there, as they say.

My ride on Tyra was good; again, I did my exercises while I rode. I was a bit more tired than I was this morning. I now have a new system. I am now riding one horse in the morning, one in the evening, and then walk one of them. I am going to do this round robin.

Tomorrow I may not be able to do this. We shall see.

Next: 121. 5/2/24: Onward and Upward