"What's Your Favorite Time Of Day?"

Howdy Friends!

What's your Favorite time of day?  God so blessed Ravishin' Robbie and me, my days are full of favorites! And unless my routine gets upset, my days are … routine, but as I wrote a while back, routine is a good thing.

Kessy

Our mornings begin when the roosters start crowing. My first favorite part of the day is when Robbie and I snuggle a while and look out the window, taking in the morning sky. Some days we'll see the trees swaying in the wind, or they'll be dusted with snow, or coated with ice, or covered with the red and white buds of new life. This morning's sky was a real treat, a big chunk of morning moon sliding past the window all shiny and bright.

Soon Saturday and Zoe decide we've snuggled long enough, they'll bark, pace, sniff, snort and whine. So, up we go, feed 'em, start coffee and get going. It's about that time Kessy comes to the back porch and knickers softly. At first. Then of course she'll raise the volume. If I dally too long she's been known to raise her hoof and knock on the porch! Then it's off to the barn!

The chickens follow me cackling and fussing as I scatter their scratch and it's a train of chickens, Saturday, and our four cats, who must think it fun to weave and zag between my legs! Kessy dances along mindful of her foot placement as the cats rub her legs too.

Then, morning chores complete, and everyone fed, I settle in my chair next to Kessy for "Coffee Clutch." Lil' Bit and the other cats take turns leaping to my lap, Saturday curls up next to me. To the soothing sound of Kessy munching hay I'll birdwatch, plan my day, and simply enjoy ,love, nature and beauty. This is high on the list of fav-time.

Eventually it's back to the house, check emails and write an often "way too long note" to our WONDERFUL Facebook friends … Love you all for being friends! And enjoying our morning Coffee Clutches!

My next favorite time is doing the interviews with the precious folks who do so much to help others, for my "People & Horses Helping Horses & People Stories." Then writing the stories. Thank you Trail Blazer & Natural Horse Magazine for providing a venue to tell these stories and, "Helping Them Help."

I don't write every day. Some days I'll ride. Kessy's delightful shuffling gait transports me, wondering among God's beauty admiring wild flowers, birds and serenity. Yup another high on the list of fav-times!

Evenings. Love our evenings. I enjoy TV, (Especially Dancing With The Stars) even though we have antenna only, we do get plenty to watch. Reading in the evening perhaps working on my next novel, or story, anticipating the coming of the next day.  And just being in the loving glow of Ravishin' Robbie.

Well don't know if you can figure out my fav-time of the day, but I do thank God for all our blessings and making it so hard to choose. What's your favorite time of day?

Have a love filled blessed day! ~ Gitty Up, Dutch Henry

"My Ravishin' Robbie"

Howdy Folks,

 

Yesterday as I enjoyed my Coffee Clutch with Kessy, Saturday the chickens and wild birds, the train let go its lonesome whistle. Birds sang in the tree tops their glorious, happy tunes, calling in the struggling spring. Knowing our forecast for tomorrow was for yet another blast of cold and a bit of a wintery mix, I figured they knew it already and were making the most of this spring-like day. My mind drifted to my Ravishin' Robbie. She'd been gone four days and was coming home this evening, but I missed her so.

Ravishin' Robbie in a field of Bluebells - She loves flowers

Some fellas do just fine when their sweeties away. I'm not one of them. In nine weeks we'll be married thirty-eight marvelous years. I remember our first date. I remember her yellow dress. Golly she always looks great in yellow. We weren't on a date with each other, it was a double date and she was with the other guy. But by golly I knew I needed to get to know her better. Even if she did kinda boss me that night. That hasn't changed much over the years. I reckon that's why God matched us up; he knew I'd be a better man with her love keeping me straight.

That first double date – we were on our way home, it was after mid-night, the road was empty, I could see the lonely intersection clearly and there were no cars in sight. The light turned yellow, I said, "I'm not stopping." Robbie, who was in the back, with the other guy warned me this isn't a good light to run. She was right and I got a ticket. That's been a standing joke about the wisdom of heeding her advice. We were married six months after the speeding ticket.

Some folks say they married their best friend. Yea I figure I sure did that, and so much more. We've traveled through some mighty big adventures together, some great and some not so great, but always as a team. We had the indescribable joy of raising a fabulous daughter, who blessed us with our sweet grandbabies.

Our Grandbabies, Hannah and Ben with Saturday and Kessy on our back porch.

I'd had a pretty rough start on life, and had never known the feeling of love before I met Robbie. What she saw in this collection of oddities that is me, I'll never know. But I can still remember the feeling I got way back then just being with her; that life made sense now. I still have that feeling. With her I'm complete. I always say, "everything good I learned about life, I learned from my wife."

Thank you God, for introducing us. Thank you, Ravishin' Robbie for puttin' up with me.

If you look at the top left of our Coffee Clutch home page where I describe what I write about, you'll notice love is in there. I know what Robbie has given me is the deepest kind of love.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

"A morning Coffee Clutch Stroll"

Howdy Folks,

 

The past few mornings have been quite humid, hot and still, so the fan in the barn had whirred along, doing its best to move the heavy air. While Kessy's fan is great for that, its steady whir tends to drown out the bird song, and since this morning's air was bit lighter I switched it off. On my way to the barn I'd heard a Mockingbird singing variations of at least half a dozen song-bird-solos and wanted to listen to his entire show. So the fan needed a break.

As I puttered around doing my morning's this-and-thats, tending to the chickens, Saturday and Kessy the Mockingbird's soliloquy floated deftly on the air accompanying me. Others joined in too. For the first morning in a while I heard a Scarlet Tanager, he was some distance in the woods, but his notes filled the tree tops. Mr Wren darted here and there chirping his delightfully busy chatter, and several Phoebes called their names as if to make certain they were recognized as part of the ensemble. A special treat was Mr. Bluebird's solo from somewhere high in the big Oak.

Kessy, Saturday, Miss Kitty, Tigger and me

 Settled in my chair next to Kessy it was delightful to take in all the birdsong, and Kessy's slow, sleepy, hay munching. Other birds joined in as Saturday, Tigger and Miss Kitty reclined with me. The squeaking of Chipping Sparrows, trilling of a Robin and even the call of a passing Crow filled out the bill. Then as if by request, the air rumbled gently with the low vibrations of a distant train. And then the whistle blew.

I tipped my hat to the Creator, gave thanks for the splendor of it all, and decided to stroll about before heading in for my morning ration of boiled oatmeal. Ravishin' Robbie had spent last afternoon and evening touching up her gardens and everything looks lovely. First stop the wild looking patch next to Kessy's bedroom just bursting with color from Brown Eyed Susans, Lilies and Daisies. A brief pause at the back porch steps to say good morning to Mrs. Phoebe who settled on our porch light as the most perfect spot for her second nest of the summer. Any day now tiny peeps will be peering over the nest edge.

Saturday, Miss Kitty and Tigger trailed along single file as I moseyed to our campfire area where Robbie has 2 tranquil shade gardens. I must admit to not knowing all the plant varieties there, but the border of Coleus is brilliantly red and orange.

Off we trekked to the front of the house where Robbie's vegetable garden fence is sporting the greenery and brilliant reds of Cardinal Climber. If you've never planted this delightful climbing plant, do yourself, and your Hummingbirds a favor, and plant some, the flowers are tiny cups of velvet red. The interior of the vegetable garden is looking great too, but I'm a flower kind of guy, and since this year Robbie decided to forgo the Marigold boarders, well it's boring to me.

Robbie's Herb Garden

Her Kitchen herb bed is jam-packed with all sorts of hearty, happy herbs, many of them blooming now too. Hummingbirds and butterflies love this garden and so many were there it looked like a convention! The Clary Sage has a  lovely light blue flower and the Yellow Swallowtails were loving it. I checked the Blue Bird nest there and it looks like they are starting their next nest, too!

Robbie's Flower Jungle

I lead our little troupe to the big flower jungle next. This is a big bed where 7 summers ago we had planted full of Zinnias and Cosmos. It was our first flower bed when we moved here. Each summer plants reseed themselves in it, and it's been expanding annually. The flowers are so thick it never requires weeding! This morning the Larkspur was in charge creating a dense bouquet of sky blue. The Cosmos are just beginning to open, and the Zinnias too, adding just the right touch of red, yellow and orange.

Thanks for joining the Coffee Clutch family on our morning tour. Hope you had fun!

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

"Bird Watching at Peaks of Otter"

Howdy Folks,

On Saturday Connie and her puppy Judy, Ravishin' Robbie, and I went on a trip to Peaks of Otter winery. They were having a wine tasting event, and folks who know Connie Bloss know that's more than she can resist. I was invited along as the group's designated driver, being the only teetotaler in the bunch. Well myself and Connie's brand new little puppy, Judy.

Judy & Dutch relaxing as the wine tasting commenced.

The winery is a positively beautiful place nestled in the foothills of the Peaks of Otter Mountain just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. First we enjoyed a leisurely stroll down winding path through Peach and Apple trees and rows of grapevines to visit the goats, turkeys, pigs, lamas and chickens. Everything in the "farm" is arranged neat, clean, safe and easy for children and families to enjoy.

View of Peaks of Otter from yard in front of gift shop

Then back up the hill to the gift shop for the ladies to guzzle, I mean, taste wine. Judy and I had a seat in the lounge area to watch the festivities. When we found out they would be sampling over 20 wines, Judy and I decided we would retire to the outside and do some bird watching.

Ravishin' Robbie & Dutch strolling back to the gift shop.

The view from the lawn out front of the gift shop is simply perfect, down over an apple orchard and in the distance the Peak of Otter Mountain. Judy and settled in the sun warmed grass and took in the view. The bird watching was positively wonderful. From our perch on the bank we saw a Pilliated Woodpecker, Red Winged Blackbirds, Cardinals, Crows, lots of Robins and the treat of the day were the Bluebirds. 

The entire time we watched over the orchard several pair of Bluebirds flitted from tree to ground gathering nest building material.

Judy and I managed to sneak in a nap in the sun, too.

Judy & Dutch snoozing in the sun.

The results of the wine tasting? They told me to tell you, they had kissed the Devil, whatever that means.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

"Happy Spring!"

Howdy Folks,

Ah yes, today is the first day of Spring! According to the fellow in charge of telling us all about the weather on TV, it arrived here at Appomattox, VA at precisely 7:02 this morning. Equinox they call it. That means literally, equal night; from the Latin, aequus (equal) and nox (night), because around the equinox, night and day are about equal length.

I love Spring, the rebirth. Ravishin' Robbie says it is her favorite time of year. I don't really have a favorite. I love the changing of the seasons. Each season brings its own blessings and excitement. From the Spring's bursting forth of wildflowers, Robbie diving into her gardens, birds singing in the tree tops, the return of our Hummingbirds, the tall Maple trees boasting red buds. To the Summer's heat, baby Blue Birds and Phoebes in the nests, dozens of Hummingbirds at the feeders, fresh vegetables and flowers from Robbie's gardens. Then Autumn brings us Fall flowers, the Fall Equinox, majestically painted tree foliage, scores of fledgling birds flying about, pumpkins and squash from Robbie's gardens. Of course some of our Spring and Summer birds leave us but the Juncos come and add their unique fun to the coming of Winter. Winter, here in Appomattox we get just a taste of snow, every few weeks during Winter we have just enough snow to paint beautiful scenes all around us, pine boughs dusted in white, our snow covered dirt road with just a single set of car tracks down the middle ... And of course there are those delightful Winter evenings snuggled in our cozy little house with Ravishin' Robbie enjoying her world famous hot cocoa and ginger snap cookies.

So you can see how it might be hard for a fellow like me to have a favorite season when all seasons have so very much to offer. I must admit though, I'm ready to hang the Hummingbird feeders, they should be here in just a few weeks now. The Phoebes have started their first nest in the barn, I've been watching them gather mud and dried grass and carefully tapping the little adobe balls in place on their shelf in the barn rafters for a few days already. The Blue Birds haven't started nests yet, but are singing and Robbie has seen them flying in and out of the nest boxes.

Robbie has already planted peas, lettuce, chard and spinach. But, as has become a custom around here, the chickens have pretty much … unplanted them. Eventually Robbie will prevail and her garden will be beautiful and abundant.

Kessy and I heading out for a First Day Of Spring ride … even though our high today is predicted to be 20 degrees below normal at a windy 40! We rode on Friday and had already seen Trout Lilies blooming under the Mountain Laurel and the Myrtle (periwinkle) in the ancient cemetery was starting to offer its pale blue flowers too. Who knows perhaps today we'll see our first Rufus Sided Towhee or Indigo Bunting.

We send you wishes for a wonderful Spring day!

God Bless & Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry