choices

Husband and kids left early to go play laser tag with friends, so I'm here alone with horse chores and the possibility of brilliant rides and novel edits to type in. Looking around the house there are a hundred different things more I could do, all that need doing, but none of which I want to let fill this nice long day.

It reminds me of this photo taken by my husband, Hen Wallow Fall, and all those leaves, the brightly colored ones as well as the drab ones, are the choices I have today. I think I shall pick the brightest ones first and let the others slide on down, out of reach and out of sight.



I have to add the tale of drama from the afternoon.

First, the geldings were down the big hill, closed in so Salina and the donks could have the dirt paddock today. After I fed Salina's lunch I walked out and called Keil Bay to come up and get ready for a ride. I went back in the tack room and got sidetracked until I heard his big whinny. He was standing at the gate to the little barnyard, waiting, and letting me know he was there. What a sweetie!

While grooming Keil Bay, I decided to give him his sport cut, and then decided it was sheath-cleaning time as well. Rafer Johnson turned himself into the big barnyard to join us for the mane and tail trimming, and then followed us into the barn aisle. He stood at my side the entire time I was cleaning the Big Bay's sheath, fascinated with the pail of warm water, the white cotton, the green gel, and the fact that the Big Bay was totally fine with this odd procedure. It was hilarious. Meanwhile, Redford (who will look for escape routes but won't go through a fence or squeeze through a gate) was in the paddock with Salina braying away for his brother to come back. Nothing diverted Rafer from his focus. He so wants to observe and learn.

Once in the arena I got on the mounting block and when I put my weight in the stirrup, the entire saddle slid down with me. To his credit, while my foot was in the stirrup underneath his belly and I was flailing around trying to get it out, Keil took one step back but then stopped when I said whoa.

I don't think that has ever happened to me in my life. I always do the girth up gradually, and somehow must have forgotten to do the last two notches on either side. Once I got the saddle fixed and the girth tightened properly, Keil stepped away when I got back up on the block. He was reasonably skeptical about the whole mounting business, and I realized I had to fix the new issue I had just created.

I shoved the block into position each time he stepped away, until he stopped stepping away. Then I climbed up on the block and repeated a couple times until he stood for that. Finally I put my foot in the stirrup and stopped there. (we learned this technique a year or so ago and I was glad I remembered it today) I put my foot in again, weighted it, and he stood still, so I popped on up.

Whew.

After all that drama the ride itself was nice. My back was a little tight but cantering made that disappear. Then my inner thighs were sore, but that's what happens when I don't ride every day! So... we finished up just in time for Keil Bay to go into a stall with some fresh hay while the rest of the herd came in. Time to get back to yoga stretches and Pilates. Either that or buy a 3-step mounting block!

balmy at year's end (with a nice ride)

We have sunshine today and temps approaching 70, although it looks like rain may be returning this afternoon and evening. This morning, though, it is oddly spring-like, with green in the dirt paddock and big barnyard, and even more in the back field where we mulched and dragged.

As I was scrubbing one of the water troughs, a bee showed up, and we interacted for a few minutes. I never got a real good look, but I *think* it was a honey bee.

The horses and donkeys are out front, enjoying the breeze and munching hay. The horses all need grooming again, as they have all rolled in the mud. The donkeys are wisely waiting for it to dry out a little bit, and are in the thicket investigating various stumps and fallen branches.

Inside, I'm typing in edits and watching the pile of ms pages on my left grow smaller while the pile on the right grows taller. It's a nice way to mark progress, and satisfying, much like mucking stalls, where there's a finite sense of being done.

And, adding to this at day's end, the Big Bay tried out his new bit and we had a nice ride. By the time he was tacked up, dark clouds were rolling in, and the wind picked up, but it never rained. We started out slow but about mid-way, he clicked into high gear and suddenly I was putting my legs on like butterflies and getting very forward responses. The weather got a bit funky and the Big Bay's ears were up and alert, but he did a great job listening to me and we channeled the spook potential into some nice 10m circles.

have a blue (tarp) christmas!

Wishing you all a blue tarp Christmas and a playful new year!

some odds and ends

First, Keil Bay just walked right across my computer screen! The way I have things set up, the reflection from my bedroom window is on the computer screen, for the most part unnoticeable, but just now, Keil Bay walked by the bedroom window, and it was perfectly revealed on screen. What a hoot! And NO, Keil Bay, it is NOT yet time for breakfast.

Second, I've decided to reprise three lovely posts by my friend Joseph Gallo, over on mystic-lit. I posted them there last year, when Joseph graciously offered to send me posts for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, AND New Year's. They were so good I've decided to make them part of mystic-lit's annual holiday ritual. Go check them out. And thanks to Joseph for the holiday treat.

And finally, I have two awards to bestow.

Lisa, at Laughing Orca Ranch, recently gave me the Superior Scribbler award and said some very kind things about camera-obscura. Lisa has a wonderful, cheerful, always honest blog and I so appreciate her thoughts and this honor.

I'd like to give the Superior Scribbler award to Arlene at Grey Horse Matters, where she writes consistently useful and well-done posts on topics related to horses. Most recently, though, she wrote a beautiful story (that happens to be true) called The Christmas Pony, and it is especially for that post that I offer this award. It made many of her readers cry, and it illustrates how big Arlene's heart is. But it is also beautifully written, which made it even better!



Janet, at Talk2theAnimals, recently gave me the Universal Light Award. She too had very kind things to say about camera-obscura, and I so appreciate it, and again, am honored. Janet's blog has been a real treasure for me, reminding me to pay attention to the animals not only that live with us, but who share the land with us. Thanks so much, Janet!

I'd like to give the Universal Light Award to Jon Katz, whose Bedlam Farm blog has become a favorite of mine over the past few weeks. Jon has a number of books out and I'm sure he has a tremendous readership already, but his recent writings about managing his farm, creating balance for his writing and photography, as well as living more simply and developing deep and honest friendship, has been very moving for me. His photographs are brilliant and filled with light. If you haven't seen his blog, go check it out.

sunny, cold, and windy, punctuated by ginger tea

The glorious sunshine is back, but with it came the cold. We're back to ice in troughs, mucking rocks, and horses in blankets.

This morning after feeding breakfast, my throat started feeling gravelly and I felt my immune system quiver. (this sounds impossible, but I can tell when my body is fighting and winning, and when it's starting to flag, I swear)

So I mucked one wheelbarrow full, dumped it, and decided to head in and warm up. My daughter came out and offered to muck a barrow-full, and I asked her to come in and warm up after too, so that presumably we can keep on this side of a bad cold.

Something that always helps is fresh ginger tea. Slice a handful of fresh ginger root if making one mug. Add a mug of water plus some to the pot and bring to a boil. Once it's boiling, turn it down a little, and let it boil for 10 minutes. The longer you boil, the stronger it gets, and don't forget to add extra water if you want to boil for a stronger brew.

Add the juice of 1/2 lemon to your mug (I usually add that plus half a squeeze from the remaining half), honey to taste, and strain the tea in. (or if like me, you don't mind floating slices of ginger, just pour)

It's wonderful for coughs, sore throats, oncoming colds, and assorted other ailments.