Billie Hinton/Bio

Thursday, September 12, 2013

first of the forties

A quick note on Salina: 

Every day when I go out to her grave site I see TWO ribs very slightly exposed. There is absolutely no indication that any critter is doing this, and every day I am covering the ribs up again, the past two days with quite a large amount of compost. It feels very much like she is reiterating her message to me.

In another bit of synchronicity I read in Clarissa Pinkola Estes' Women Who Run With The Wolves that the crescent moon is associated with Kwan Yin. Salina's white star was actually a crescent moon, and Kwan Yin, among other things, is known as the goddess of compassion and motherhood. I think of Kwan Yin as a loving, protective, nurturing presence, and it totally fits with everything I know of Salina. She is bringing me such gifts, even now that she is gone.

In other news, our weather forecast predicts a low of 48 on Saturday night, with much cooler daytime temps to go along with that. I am beyond happy.

Yesterday I gave Keil Bay a long bath to get him ready (and to make him happy - it was a hot day). On my way in I grabbed his saddle and pad so I could clean them up, and when he saw me coming down the barn aisle with them he snorted in horror - NO WAY - it's 90 degrees, middle of the day, and horse flies are dive-bombing out there! I assured him I was just getting ready for the forties to come.

Today the saddle is cleaned and oiled, ready to go. The sheepskin pad has been washed, double-rinsed, and is already dry and fluffy, like new. I've taken his bridle apart and cleaned every centimeter. All I have to do now is clean the stirrup leathers and my boots. 

And daughter and I have been working out at the gym three times a week so I've been getting my body geared up for riding again too.

With a combined age of 78, Keil Bay and I will get back to some riding this week. Considering he didn't bat an eye when I passed with his bridle in hand, I think he's ready. :)

4 comments:

  1. We're in for soe cooler temps too, starting tomorrow. It was 100 yesterday at different areas I traveled through. Now that's just to hot!

    Great to hear you've been going to the gym. Good for you and your daughter.

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  2. Looking forward to a heavenly weekend too - calling for highs in the 70's here. Bliss...

    Will be thinking of you and Keil Bay when we're in the arena. :D

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  3. I love how Salina is still with you. I'm not religious either, but when we moved here, I became fascinated by the Black Madonna because the place we live was once home in the 1700's to a black woman who was a free person that was the healer and midwife for our town. I have always felt that her presence is still here on the hill behind our barn watching over us. We also have two horses buried here by the previous owner, a white horse and a black horse who was named Victor. So the good spirits are always reminding me of how lucky we are to be here.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment - I love reading them and respond as often as I can. I also love comments that add to the original post, so feel free to share your own experiences, insights, and thoughts.