The Real Family Circus

My youngest niece Carol takes her turn on the vehicle we have now dubbed "clown bike." I rode at least a quarter mile on that thing today. Bill, my oldest niece's husband, found the performance vehicle along the road somewhere. Good find. My dad use to say, "Life is sitting along the road waiting to be picked up."


Horse Fly

This is my great-niece Michelle's pony Peter Pan. He plays with the bigger horses out in the field. I imagine he would be like having a cool midget friend. At the end of the day when my sister lets the horses into the yard to go to their stalls for the night they all get wound-up and run around for a little while. Probably like letting kids into a classroom just after recess.


Mommas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowgirls

My great-niece Michelle tries to coerce the horses to follow her to their stalls near the end of the day.


Equivalent of Large Dogs

These are my sister Patti's horses earlier today. They're kind of' like big dogs. As soon as they notice you in the field they get real curious and come over to check you out. After you pet them and they all play "20 horse questions" with you, which consists of smelling, nudging, licking and nibbling at you and your clothes ... then they go back to eating.

Playing at the Car Lot

I went with my niece Becky and her husband Bill after my terrible karaoke hangover today. They are looking to trade their car in on a mini van. They just want more family-type room. While they went test-driving I watched their kid and my great-niece, Reba. I designated an island in the car lot as our play area. I chased her around. She chased me around. Then we all ate steak.


Never Keep a Gift Horse in Your House

This is my sister Patti putting one of her horses away. I forget what this ones name is. She gives things crazy names. Her beagle's name is Casper Addison. What kind of name is that for a dog? It looks like this horse is afraid of the camera, trying to hide behind Patti. I was thinking earlier about that phrase, "Never look a gift horse in the mouth." I was thinking that maybe it would bite at you or something. But when I really thought about it I figured it meant if someone gives you a horse don't look at it's teeth to see how old it is (because you tell the age of a horse by the wear of its teeth). Just take the thing, free horse. Be grateful, not critical of a gift. And sometimes Wee People hide in the mouths of gift horses to poke at your eyes.