So much has happened in the last nine months or so. I thought about rendering another omnibus wall of text, but maybe a glimpse of my photo roll will prove more engaging?
So here goes. (And remember, click the image to open it full-size; most of these are not in portrait orientation.)
Oliver and Valkyrie (Cade’s two mustangs) meet for the first time.Tyr handled his first Michigan winter like a champ.TheBoys™ lined up nicely on accident for this photo. From left: Oliver, Tyr, Kodiak.Visiting the Kalamazoo Reptile Expo in the late winter.Cade, Oliver, and I stick our tongues out at the camera.Guess who dropped his phone into his dinner at Craig’s Cruisers?A quiet, domestic night — reading with wine. I received the gift of an amaryllis plant for Christmas and by late winter, it had bloomed nicely.Oliver and Kodi are eager for treats. Can you tell?We went all-out one night on a deluxe taco night.The first two eggs laid by the new batch of quail who were quarantining in my basement.A few from the stacks (well, carts) in the bookstore.Sit down, relax, and enjoy the genre-fiction and kids carts on “this” side of the wall.We attended the colt-starting sessions at the Michigan Horse Expo in February.I mean, not all photo ops are perfect, am I right?We visited the Kentucky Horse Park. It was a great experience!When you run from imaginary dangers. At Thoroughbred Park in downtown Lexington, KY.Beer and pizza in downtown Lexington, KY.… and Fiona the Hutt is not amused.Cade’s best ASSet.Murphy and Fiona have decided where I shall not sit.Brian and I enjoyed a massive fire while camping “up north” in April.Valkyrie walks around the barn, not long after her arrival.Theon d’Cat naps while I work. As usual.Cade and I like bats. We also loved the 2025 Lantern Festival at John Ball Zoo.Apollo d’Snek, in his seasonal horny mode after brumation.We hung flowers and added two planters to the front porch.Cade and Ellie at the bookstore. In fairness, it was lunchtime.The crew for our writers’ retreat in late May, on Lake Erie. My watch can control my camera’s shutter, yay!Some of the wildlife around the barn.Kodi out for a stroll. For being an abused rescue, he’s doing phenomenally well.Kali reminds you that the very best humans are reincarnated as cats.“Oh, my.” — George Takei, after he saw how big Miss Athena is getting.Oliver being ridden. He’s still new at it but he’s one of the smartest horses I’ve ever encountered.Cade greets a calf at the Berlin Fair.Getting ready to open the doors for the 2025 Midwest Book Awards gala in St. Paul, Minnersoter.Valkyrie has finally earned parole to the filly paddock at the barn.Cade delights in taking pictures of the herd. It’s adorable.I finally finished restoring the leather on the equitation saddle I bought for Tyr. Vintage — made in 1973. Took a while, but it looks great. Here’s hoping it fits him!
