Nice warm July day for a trail ride.  Fortunately not AS hot as I feared, very thankful for that.  Our merry band of misfits today:  Debra with Queen Clem, Farmer John and Pretty Boy,
Walker took Priley out for a spin, Jay was delighted with the lovely Misty Belle (the Southern kind), and I had the privilege of the ever-awesome, TLH.  We did the short loop in two hours, plus maybe five minutes.
The trails are very thick now with all sorts of greeneries(I know, not really a word – my spell check is blowing a gasket).The black cohosh is in bloom and is lovely with it’s white spires of small dainty flowers.  No, I have no idea who named a plant with a white bloom black cohosh.  I just know it is pretty.  Still no pipsissewas, darn!  Quite a bit of bittersweet clambering into the trail here and there.  It almost feels rainforesty, even though I have never been in a real rain forest, I imagine it to be along these lines just more severe.  There were some rhododendron in bloom.  I saw some pale pink and some white.  I love the lush woods in which we are blessed to live.

The riding was very good with a mixed pace.  Lots of slow and easy of course on such a hot day, with a smattering of grazing here and there thrown in for good measure.  Clem and TLH got a good stretch of their legs and blew out any soot that might have been left over from winter.  As a group, they were quite content with an easy jog whenever we asked for a little pick-up.  TLH did not put anyone in the wall all day.  Not sure if I should worry or not.  Priley is really coming into his own.  He is very sharp going down the trail, and looks like he has a great jog.  I think maybe he needs a little more practice to get his lope worked out, but he’s definitely getting there.  I never saw him bothered by anything at all today, but I’m not ALWAYS paying attention.
Everybody equine, and some others, got a good rinse when we were done.  Then, we were all treated to a delicious HOME-COOKED supper!  Laura, this could be considered competition; I’m just sayin.  There was ham roast, some good potatoes of questionable origin, and some delicious home-grown green beans, and some fresh sliced tomato.  I don’t even really like green beans and they were awesome, but don’t tell anyone I said so.  We had a selection of beverages to choose from:  cold water, or cold water with ice.  I chose cold water; I don’t like to be too much trouble.
Look for the namesake of the post in the pics below, and be SURE to check out the “Walker’s Got Skills” video.  I could do that if I wanted to, I just don’t want to.

Hard to see but the band above the visor is loose and is ‘flopping’ along for the ride.
No pics of Jay and Misty.  I was busy talking (I know hard to believe), and Jay was taking all the pics!  Must do better!