Yesterday’s sky was azure and clear and you could see The Three Witches from my back yard, just over the top of the work shed. Truly magical.
Once the sun came up, it was beautiful and in the mid 50s.
When I got back from my morning rounds, Claire and Honey were already hard at work, out front mowing the lawn.
So, I took advantage of their distraction to run back and close off the back gate to cut off their access to the back property. If I didn’t do that, I knew I would never be able to corral them and get their halters on. You see. they are proud free-range mules and yesterday was mani-pedi day at Casa Claire.
Once Claire saw me pull up in my Toyota (yes, the same one from The Claire Saga), she knew to swing back around to the back yard to hit me up for treats. So the race was on.
Of course, my murder of crows stopped by to watch the spectacle, as they seem to take curious pleasure in watching me do my chores. Especially if entails me chasing the mules. Keystone cop time. If I put on a good show, they’ll sometimes call out “Nice job, Oliver Wendell Douglas!” Look it up. Tell the truth, I do enjoy their company and who doesn’t like performing before an audience.
But the gods were on my side yesterday, because by the time I was coming up from closing the back gate, Claire had led Honey into the side corral to find me. It was then just a matter of closing the side gate, locking them in with me, and then working Claire into a hypnotic state by a good brushing. I was able to slip on her halter and tie her off to the fence without any effort. Since I know that Honey will use Claire as a shield, it was just a matter of a couple of good head fakes around either side of Claire before I could toss the rope across Honey’s shoulders, which in mule terms is the equivalent of shouting breathlessly, “Ringolevio 123 ,123 123!” I felt like I was back in St. Maggie’s school yard.
Once the mules were tied up, Blue, who runs around with me during the wrangling process doing her best imitation of a slow border collie, to match my slow cowboy, knew that my farrier, Jason Bastemeyer, would be arriving shortly, so she waited for him by the front gate. Jason is as punctual as a Capistrano swallow, so a few moments later, Blue excitedly greeted his arrival and proudly led him back to her mule cousins.
Shaking hands with Jason is always an experience, as his Black Smith grip is pretty hardy.
In short order, Jason had the girls’ hooves looking spectacular.
while I stayed back by the business end keeping them calm and shooting the shit. One must take advantage of every opportunity to talk with a human, so as not to lose that skill. Lisa snapped that photo from the deck.
Lisa came down to inspect the final product, and snapped this moment of me thanking Claire for making my life that much more interesting.
Claire has the most beautiful lashes.
Now given that the local Sasquatch population has been complaining that posted photos of me on the internet were being attributed to them, and they were losing out on precious licensing fees, they insisted in a formal letter that I get to Anna the Barber to have myself turned back into a more humanly looking apparition.
Given that, out here in the hinterlands, you must never get the Big Foot Community pissed off, I heeded their advice and went to see Anna.
She did what she could.
And, as always, it was a wonderful experience. I’m quite certain I actually astral project during my time in her chair as soon as she places that warm towel across my eyes.
As I arrived at Anna’s a little early, I got to watch Anna earn her keep from a brand new angle cutting off the long blond locks of a young Berthoud high schooler name Jacob Sommers, who was getting prepared for wrestling season. Chatting with Jacob’s mother made me recall my son Luke’s time Wrestling for Fordham Prep, where he won the Catholic School City championship in his weight class. I recommended that Jason watch the film, Vision Quest, to get himself in the appropriate mind-set. Excellent film about high school wrestling with mystical overtones. 80s vintage with Matthew Modine. Good luck, Jacob.
Then it was back to Casa Claire to perform the week’s food prep. But not before I followed Lisa’s instructions and picked up flowers for our favorite extraterrestrial, Michele, the better half of the Centaurian couple, Everett and Michele, who helped fuel the story behind The Claire Saga.
Since one must never ask a woman her age, especially a Centaurian, I left off my delivery with my honest appraisal that she looks amazing. And she does. Happy birthday (tomorrow) Michele.
Before I knew it, I was back home, dinner was consumed, the mules were safely back in their back area, and it was my feet up in the recliner, strangely exhausted, binge watching House Hunters, and realizing that none of these wonderful young couples ever consider the magic of the property they are contemplating. Like life in general, whether it be property or people, if you examine everything solely through an aesthetic lens, you are going to miss out on all of the wonderful energy and other mysteries that lie just below the surface.
Well, since I am now unable to sleep past 1 am these days, even when I don’t go to bed before 8 pm, I have finished this up a little early, so I am going to take my next cuppa outside to dig my feet into the cold earth and watch for ETs. Maybe I’ll catch Michele and Everett coming back from a night out.
But, I’ll stop first and give those kitties their cuddle, and as soon as the dawn peaks over the horizon, I will be off on my rounds. Then some shit shoveling.
You fine, five people sleep in and then enjoy your Sunday.
If weather permits, get outside in the fresh air.
Enjoy your family and friends.
But most of all, let us make today a great one.
And don’t forget to catch tomorrow’s blog, or at least my FB page, where I will be performing the first ever cover reveal for the final(?) book in The Claire Saga: Where The Ley Lines Meet.
