Making the most of every day

What is the secret of life? Make the most of every day. I've been busy doing that over the past two days.  The tomatoes are ripe indoors and out, and will be finishing soon. We can't eat them all raw because there are so many, so I decided to make Hugh's Roasted Tomato Sauce, which is stored in the freezer, and can be used as the basis of pasta sauces, soups and casseroles. Look how pretty the yellow pear cherry tomatoes look in my spotty bowl!

 Of course Miss Dog was right there to help out.

 This tray has the yellow and red cherry tomatoes plus marjoram, thyme, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper plus olive oil.

 This one has large and cherry tomatoes and a red pepper with thyme, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper plus olive oil.

 After roasting for about an hour at 160 degrees Celsius the trays looked like this. 

After cooling for a wee while I pressed the vegetables through a sieve, leaving skins and seeds behind. The sauce isn't particularly exciting to look at - just a reddish, thick liquid, so no photo. I've tucked containers of it away in the freezer. Very pleasing use of my crop. 

Who have we here? 

 Oh, Zanny, you are gorgeous!

 I know you can hear me chatting away to you.

 Today we had our riding date, and a lovely big groom. I didn't scrub her down because she would take hours to dry, but we did enjoy a good brush. I spent some time watching Em in the arena schooling Taxi. She has a great big mirror installed in the arena now. Taxi didn't seem to bothered by it, and Hedgehog, the pony, went right up to it to admire herself. Viv suggested that Zanny and I could go for a ride up the road by ourselves, so I didn't get to test out her reaction to seeing her expanding belly in the new mirror. I'm guessing there will be a fair bit of snorting and looking when I introduce her to it. Anyway, none of that today. We headed up the road for a quiet walk and I was so pleased with both of us. Zanny was fantastic, with plenty of head flicking, but nothing alarming. She only jumped a tiny bit when a ute went past and two dogs on the back let out a barrage of barks at us. What a wonderful experience. Zanny really seemed to enjoy it as much as I did. I spoiled her when we got back. First she got carrots, then a handful of horse food pellets, and on the way back to her paddock I let her munch on a patch of beautiful long grass. She was very pleased.

 Oooh that is good stuff!

 Frazer was very pleased when his mummy returned to the paddock, even though she is very strict. Now he has been gelded he gets to hang out with the ladies again. Actually, his former paddock mate  (Johnny) suddenly turned on him and tried to beat him up. Poor Frazer.

 Zanny actualy looks quite slim here. She's carrying the baby weight right in the middle. Viv said her fat tummy will keep my legs in a perfect position.

 She has a lovely big paddock. Look at that shiny bottom. She is looking so much better after regular grooming.

 This young lady would love some regular attention too. Verve is a youngster just being bought into work. She is a real smooch. I think she is a warmblood cross. Her muzzle is very broad compared to Zanny's.

 And here's my friend Dolly. For some reason she is not at all popular. I think she's cute. She belongs to the neighbours, and in exchange for looking after her, Viv and Em have the run of two huge paddocks. Dolly looks more pregnant than Zanny, but she's just a fatty. No one does anything with her at all.

 How cute is this face. Actually she has the most gorgeous eyes with little upward points like eyeliner on the outside corners. I told Em I might take her on for lots of cuddles and attention once Zanny is busy with her baby. Em said I must be desperate. Poor Dolly. Well, I think she is very sweet.

It turns out that Tinks Pottinger will be out doing lessons at Em and Viv's place tomorrow, so I'll head out there to do some learning from the sidelines. Maybe I'll get a ride in, but if not, I'll take plenty of carrots out for my girl and her friends. I've found a home for the two giant marrows lurking in the garden as well. They are going out to decorate the cross country course for the 3 Day Event. Now I would never have predicted that future for a pair of my marrows! I'll probably find them making up a combination jump for the 3* competition.