Doors to Adventure: Salsipuedes

Salsipuedes

It is time for me to introduce you to my little slice of heaven--Salsipuedes--Spanish for "leave if you are able". Pedro, who introduced me to Paso Finos, told me about the word when I visited his finca a few miles out of Cartagena, Colombia--he had a sign in stone that read "Salsipuedes"--when I asked him what it meant he told me that it was from a Colombian folk song--it means if you come here you will love it so much, you will not want to leave. My son had this sign made in Colombia for me. Visitors tell me it is true!

I always said I would never move back to my home town. Never say Never!! I always knew I would not stay permanently in all of my homes. I felt like a gypsy. When I was ready to make my final move with the horses, something just led me back here. I looked all over Texas and finally decided to just come up here and "look". I told the real estate agent that I wanted to live in the next town over, but not here. We looked at every piece of property there and I just could not find what I wanted--a few acres, a little house and a barn. Well, he showed me this piece of property just outside of my home town and I immediately fell in love with it. I'm not sure why--it had rained all spring and the grass was waist high, there were huge brush piles in several places and it was wet and muddy. But all I could see were the huge oaks, the wonderful pines, lots other plants and the little pond. It reminded me of the ranch a few miles from here that we owned when I was a child. I imagined what it could be with a little (or maybe a lot) of effort. So I bought it. Then came the next challenge--finding a builder and deciding on a plan for the house and also the barn. After much consulting, dickering and thinking, I finally settled on both. This is definitely the absolutely last house I will build!!! No fun!! But here I am, 2 years later--all settled in. The brush piles have been cleared, the pasture plowed and allowed to grow back, fencing built, and the horses grazing. I've also acquired 3 cats and a dog. If I just had chickens! And goats. And llamas. Can you tell--I love animals!! But I think 2 horses 3 cats and a dog are enough for me to take care of.

View of House From the Paddock

My favorite way to begin my day is to sit in my rocker on the porch with my coffee early in the morning, just before sunrise. The horses are standing in the doorways of their stalls dozing.I do not close them up, but they like to begin their day in the doorways of their stalls. Slowly the birds began their calls. The noisy crows are the first ones up. The bluebirds are everywhere--all of my 3 broods must have survived. They visit their house and then proceed to catch grasshoppers or other insects. They put on quite a show for me. The hummingbird comes to check out my flowers. The forest comes alive with all the many species of birds. Sometimes I see a deer moving quietly through the trees by the pond. The cats come up to the porch to say hello to Rufus. They rub and love on him and when he gets too rough, they run just out of reach. What a nice way to begin the day. I'm not sure what I'll do when winter sets in and it is freezing early in the morning. Brr!! I'd better enjoy each day of this fall weather.