Entrances Draw You To Excitement

     Entrances in gardens make you want to find out what is beyond them.  The more interesting an entrance the more lure to search what is behind it. These horse pillars made of cement tell you that you can expect horses if you go this way.  You cannot see any horses at the entry but you want to go through this entrance to find the horses.  (Of course, the path the entrance puts you on leads you down to the barn and the pastures where the horses are.






This path brings you toward the barn but first you go
through the gardens in between. 

 On the right side of this path you will see a chicken coop and outside pen.  If it is daytime you might see the chickens scratching, pruning, pecking.  And then you will see the ENTRANCE to the Chickens.  It is different and fun looking so you find yourself going over to it and opening the entrance door.



                                        You will see the long white shelters that keep the chickens in shade or protect them from a cold wind.  The fun looking weeping pine also might let you discover chickens hiding under the graceful limbs, and eventually you walk up to the Chicken coops ENTRANCE. 








This entrance might make you think of fresh healthy eggs
might be inside.  You peak a look but need to step in to find them.





Dotty and the black and white striped Betty are
under the weeping pine tree.



Then again maybe you are not at all interested in chickens and horses come to mind again.  You look around and see beautiful gardens and of course another ENTRANCE...  You walk in and it leads you to the path that goes to the roses.  Now this is getting a little better.



 You lean over and smell and the aroma almost makes you forget about horses all together!  You touch them to see if they are real.  The cool weather this past spring in Wisconsin and all that rain  has been kind to the roses.  Your nose almost bumps into a hornet that is pulling on something almost like a robin does.  It is a little green worm!  He flies off barely able to stay a flight from the weight of his captive.  Gee such fun things to discover in this garden goes through your mind.

Yellow roses are bright and cheerful, giving one a lift in life as you gaze upon them.

There are so many colors and types of flowers to see. 

Yellow lilies mingle with white Campion.  A perennial that is tall and has a small flower on the top of the stem.
It protrudes up through a cluster of another perennial and yells LOOK AT ME!  It gives a grouping a splash of color other than the one like the above yellow lillies. 



Rose Campion nestle nearby with a lily that is not open yet.













Here is Rose Campion which is a
gorgeous flash of rosie pink.  See how the gray leaves add to its zest.  It takes very little growing room.  Here it is mingeling with tall lilies.
Leaving this circle garden to start down the path once more towards the barn which you can see now.  Of course this entrance back onto the main path does not mean you will stay on it .

To the left again there is a neat setting with an antique
outhouse that holds garden tools and the arbor with
Bless on it leads you into the Fairy Garden.  Peaking over the fence you can see a delight to the eyes!  Shady spots that have lots of flowers growing in them...... and of course Fairies.

Still wanting to see the horses but enticed to wonder into this fairy garden ....  trying to resist the colors, the fun things all over the place.......  maybe I can come back, after I see the horses.  Wow!  There are the horses !  I can see them over the fence from the Fairy garden. 

Pictures of Ginger the pony and Hawk the dark Morgan are sad.  I lost my Refa the 34 year old gray Arabian a couple weeks ago. If you go into my old blog  http://withinnature-chickens-horses.blogspot.com/2009/12/in-wisconsin-winter-has-arrived.html  you can see Refa and also my old blogs.  (for some reason Google would not let me go in with my password so I got a new blog and password for the blog I write now)  Ginger was always at REfa side guiding her around because Refa was partially blind.  The day was so hot.  93 degrees for three days in a row.  The second day of the three she quit eating and drinking water and I called the vet.  He said she was all ready shutting down.  Her system just could not take that heat and she gave up living.  It took Ginger a whole week to stop calling for Refa and looking for her at night.  Ginger and Refa always waited out in the second pasture until the big horses were in then she would lead Refa into the barn.  I not only felt devastated loosing my Refa ( I had her for 19 years) but I could see how confused and sad Ginger was.  I poured lots of affection on her and groomed her every day while trying to let her see she would be ok.  I felt the same way Ginger was acting.  I caught myself looking into Refa's stall though habit, to see if she was ready to go out and then let the tears tumble down my cheeks and blow my wet nose because the stall was empty and my Refa was gone.  Refa was a lot of work the past few years because she could not take care of herself as well as she use to.  I missed that times with her too.  Then came all the "what if's "  Or maybe if I did this or that she would still be here.  Just a week before she died she was trotting up the hill to the upper pasture with the cool wind blowing her tail and main out to the side.    Another thing that I wished I hadn't done was give my Palameno away to a gal that loves to ride.  He was not being used here and he was the perfect riding horse.  I was fearful of the 16 hands high and his big build (part work horse)  so did not ride him.  He is now making this gal happy and I am sure he is happier too.  He did a lot of shows and jumping and winning ribbons for the girl that owned him before me.  My  son found this nice family for him to go to.  I can go over there to visit him if I want because it is just a few miles from here. 

Refa and Ginger

Moose

We are a lot better now that a couple weeks have passed.  Time heals and I have entered into a new part of my life.  Work has been cut in half and also expenses.  There will always be a hole in my soul for those two beautiful horses but i am also glad Refa does not have to suffer anymore in the cold and heat and Moose is tearing around with his new owner with a great big smile on her face.  I firmly believe in providence or what I call God's plan for me and I am anticipating the turn through the next entrance of my experiences.

A trick of the mind helps heal the sad thoughts.  My Aunt Helen who just passed away this past year was a fantastic image for me.  Her attitude and continuance on living a positive life inspite of so many hardships gave me encouragement in my problems and decisions.  She taught me that everytime a sad or negative thought comes to mind, replace it with something you love.  Well many years ago I replaced it with roses.

 I loved Roses, and the smell brought me into smiles and loving feelings.  What I was stammering in my mind about would slip out the back door as I opened the ENTRANCE OF NEW THINKING.  One beautiful thought led to another and soon I forgot what was making me so miserable.  In the begininng I had to use continuance in changing my thoughts to something positive but now after so many years I can be like my Aunt Helen and live a positive life, a joyfilled life.  Amazing what the mind can do to someone.  Train it up right and it will grow healthy and strong. 

Romans 2:7 " Eternal life to those who by patient CONTINUANCE in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality. " Bible verse in the New Testement

                                                                              

       Blessings to you all,

 May July bring you lots of giggles and happy memories

as you ENTER  a new month of experiences.

                                                 Let me know how you are doing ...........

                                                                          Kate