I woke up this morning wondering if I would really stick to my plan to tuck myself away with second novel ms pages, research books, and my own revision notes, and dig into the rewrite.
As usual, I check in with email and blogs first thing. And what I found has been so perfect in focusing my day back to my commitment to do this writing work, I want to share.
I'd been waiting to bestow the Blog of Excellence award because it's so easy to dispense with that kind of thing quickly and without much thought. But this morning it's clear and I'd like to give it to two wonderful bloggers: Kyle Kimberlin and Wenda Nairn.
Kyle's blog, metaphor, is a wonderful mix of poetry, news that's truly interesting, and the beauty in a simple yet profound day.
Wenda's blogs, Daring To Write and Loving What Is, use words and images to evoke and inspire.
I'm not doing either of them justice in my descriptions, so please click on the links and go see them for yourselves. They are truly Blogs of Excellence.
And Kyle and Wenda, if you'd like to put the award image on your blog, just scroll down to my blog post titled Blog of Excellence and click on the image.
I'm going to be working as much as I can today on my revision, and during moments of pause when I need to revive myself, I'll be visiting these blogs to do so.
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
rain, reading, minuet in three
We've had a cold rainy day here, with horses confined to stalls and paddocks, and the geldings with access to the arena for some frolic.
I've alternated between keeping stalls mucked out, hay supplied, waters cleaned, and reading. (toss in some fixing of lunches and tea and laundry) The Ice Soldier, by Paul Watkins, is an engaging novel about a WWII soldier who comes to terms, years after the fact, with his participation in the war. Elizabeth George's Write Away is an interesting book on writing written by a novelist who shares both her journal entries and her process.
The postwoman brought the last of an enticing selection of books I'd ordered for novel research, and I've got them on the coffee table in a nice stack where they're lying in wait for my greedy eyes.
An hour or so ago, the rain broke long enough to let Salina and Rafer wander the barnyard and barn aisle while I played with Cody and Keil Bay in the arena. The pony opted to watch, his loss, since I was doling out butterscotch horse treats!
Keil Bay and Cody danced with me, not quite the minuet but I like the way that sounds. To my surprise, even though they knew I had the butterscotch treats in my pocket, they were willing to walk, trot, twirl in circles, and back in unison along with me. We lowered heads together and then raised them high, crossed forelegs and stepped under behind, and trotted the arena in single file. My favorite part was having them trot on either side of me, each one keeping the proper space and not crowding in, one of those moments of grace I might not be able to reproduce if I tried. But on this cold, wet afternoon, with fog rolling in, it was perfect.
Tonight we have new episodes of Angel, A Passage to India, and Jane Savoie's "Happy Horse" DVDs to choose from while we keep the woodstove going.
And the promise of sunshine and mid-60s tomorrow!
I've alternated between keeping stalls mucked out, hay supplied, waters cleaned, and reading. (toss in some fixing of lunches and tea and laundry) The Ice Soldier, by Paul Watkins, is an engaging novel about a WWII soldier who comes to terms, years after the fact, with his participation in the war. Elizabeth George's Write Away is an interesting book on writing written by a novelist who shares both her journal entries and her process.
The postwoman brought the last of an enticing selection of books I'd ordered for novel research, and I've got them on the coffee table in a nice stack where they're lying in wait for my greedy eyes.
An hour or so ago, the rain broke long enough to let Salina and Rafer wander the barnyard and barn aisle while I played with Cody and Keil Bay in the arena. The pony opted to watch, his loss, since I was doling out butterscotch horse treats!
Keil Bay and Cody danced with me, not quite the minuet but I like the way that sounds. To my surprise, even though they knew I had the butterscotch treats in my pocket, they were willing to walk, trot, twirl in circles, and back in unison along with me. We lowered heads together and then raised them high, crossed forelegs and stepped under behind, and trotted the arena in single file. My favorite part was having them trot on either side of me, each one keeping the proper space and not crowding in, one of those moments of grace I might not be able to reproduce if I tried. But on this cold, wet afternoon, with fog rolling in, it was perfect.
Tonight we have new episodes of Angel, A Passage to India, and Jane Savoie's "Happy Horse" DVDs to choose from while we keep the woodstove going.
And the promise of sunshine and mid-60s tomorrow!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
lesson in lightness
Yesterday's ride on Keil Bay was another windy experience: shavings tarp flapping and billowing, dressage marker rolling, whirlwinds of leaves in the back field. Keil was extremely alert and yet still in connection with me. If I clucked or squeezed one rein, he flicked an ear back to check in.
We warmed up with lots of walk and then some lateral work. My focus for the ride was lightness of aids, and timing so that my release of pressure came a split second before he responded, so he was rewarded for the try. I've discovered I can feel his response to an aid before he makes it if I really pay attention, and my feeling is that if I reward him that quickly, he'll be happier.
I noticed right off in the trot that he was lighter than usual. The sensation was intriguing - it felt both like we were moving slowly, in the air, and that I could sense each one of his feet in its own path toward the ground. We built this up to what I call Keil's "power trot" - a big working trot bold and forward with his back fully engaged.
The real lesson in lightness came with his canter, especially to the right. The instant I asked for it and he transitioned, it felt like we went airborne. For a few strides I couldn't tell if we were truly cantering. I knew we weren't trotting, but Keil Bay's big canter didn't feel as big. Suddenly I realized he was indeed cantering, but he was fully engaged, holding himself up (he has a tendency to let me do that for him) and the result was like floating. My seat was firmly in the saddle and my hands and legs were very still.
His harder side is left and while the canter was just a bit less light in that direction, it was still quite good.
This kind of ride makes me realize once again how much the horse teaches the rider. Everything I struggle to accomplish with my own body happens on its own when Keil Bay gets light. How much of that came from my own focus on lightness of the aids, I'm not sure. But either way, the gestalt was lightness, and we were a happy riding team during and after.
There is nothing like walking a happy, relaxed horse out to the field after a great ride. I slid Keil's halter off and waited for him to turn and touch me with his nose before he ambled off down the hill.
We warmed up with lots of walk and then some lateral work. My focus for the ride was lightness of aids, and timing so that my release of pressure came a split second before he responded, so he was rewarded for the try. I've discovered I can feel his response to an aid before he makes it if I really pay attention, and my feeling is that if I reward him that quickly, he'll be happier.
I noticed right off in the trot that he was lighter than usual. The sensation was intriguing - it felt both like we were moving slowly, in the air, and that I could sense each one of his feet in its own path toward the ground. We built this up to what I call Keil's "power trot" - a big working trot bold and forward with his back fully engaged.
The real lesson in lightness came with his canter, especially to the right. The instant I asked for it and he transitioned, it felt like we went airborne. For a few strides I couldn't tell if we were truly cantering. I knew we weren't trotting, but Keil Bay's big canter didn't feel as big. Suddenly I realized he was indeed cantering, but he was fully engaged, holding himself up (he has a tendency to let me do that for him) and the result was like floating. My seat was firmly in the saddle and my hands and legs were very still.
His harder side is left and while the canter was just a bit less light in that direction, it was still quite good.
This kind of ride makes me realize once again how much the horse teaches the rider. Everything I struggle to accomplish with my own body happens on its own when Keil Bay gets light. How much of that came from my own focus on lightness of the aids, I'm not sure. But either way, the gestalt was lightness, and we were a happy riding team during and after.
There is nothing like walking a happy, relaxed horse out to the field after a great ride. I slid Keil's halter off and waited for him to turn and touch me with his nose before he ambled off down the hill.
Blog of Excellence
Grey Horse Matters awarded camera-obscura a Blog of Excellence award earlier this week. Since she writes one of my favorite blogs, it's an honor to post this award here! Thank you so much!
Go check out her blog and follow the links she lists as well - you'll find yourself immersed in great horse talk.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
our little world
Today was clear and sunny but the wind made it chilly. Still, it was a gorgeous day.
I groomed Keil Bay and did some ground work with him, and then took the grooming kit out to the front field and worked on everyone. It's finally true - we have the whole song: black and bay, sorrel and gray, and one painted little pony...
Around four, the wind died down a little, so I tacked Cody up and rode. It was one of those rides you think is going to be arduous, due to time off and the distraction of the wind. But as it turned out, this 4-year old let his best self shine, and we had one of the best rides we've had in months. Maybe it was the audience: Keil Bay, Salina, Apache Moon, and Rafer came up to watch. Rafer seemed particularly perplexed. "What in the world is she doing to that horse?"
A cast of hawks coasted overhead, like a living kaleidoscope in the sky. The waxing full moon rose just as Cody and I finished up.
And finally, I got an email tonight that our newest family member was born today - his name is Redford and he will be coming to join us in August. This is Redford, very soon after his birth, with his mother, Red Velvet. You can't have just one!
I groomed Keil Bay and did some ground work with him, and then took the grooming kit out to the front field and worked on everyone. It's finally true - we have the whole song: black and bay, sorrel and gray, and one painted little pony...
Around four, the wind died down a little, so I tacked Cody up and rode. It was one of those rides you think is going to be arduous, due to time off and the distraction of the wind. But as it turned out, this 4-year old let his best self shine, and we had one of the best rides we've had in months. Maybe it was the audience: Keil Bay, Salina, Apache Moon, and Rafer came up to watch. Rafer seemed particularly perplexed. "What in the world is she doing to that horse?"
A cast of hawks coasted overhead, like a living kaleidoscope in the sky. The waxing full moon rose just as Cody and I finished up.
And finally, I got an email tonight that our newest family member was born today - his name is Redford and he will be coming to join us in August. This is Redford, very soon after his birth, with his mother, Red Velvet. You can't have just one!
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