I had meant to keep an eye on it and write something special!
Speaking of eyes... we had even more neighborhood activity today when we had to call the vet out - the little man scratched his cornea and had to have sedation, treatment, meds, and a fly mask! He should be fine in a week or so, but this was not the kind of activity I wanted to have, nor the kind of subject matter I wanted to post about for #1001...!
In any case, we are now stocked up on Banamine and Terramycin. And we did our part to stimulate the economy!
In other news, I encountered the very first carpenter bee of the season this afternoon. Now all we need is the appearance of the Toad Prince and we will know for sure, without doubt, that spring is here!
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
Thursday, March 17, 2011
busy week in the neighborhood
Lots of interesting activity has been going on this week around November Hill. I was gazing out over the front field a couple of days ago and thought I saw the pony walking across the back yard of our neighbor across the lane.
After doing a double-take, I realized that no, our painted pony was right here where he was supposed to be. But our neighbor, who told me sometime in the fall that she planned to get a horse, had gotten one, and there she was - a painted mare!
She's being kept on the back side of their property so is not that visible, but periodically this week I have heard her calling. So far, none of this crew have answered. It will be interesting to see if they begin to pay attention.
Next door to the new painted mare, the new neighbors are in the process of having a small "barn" moved to the back of their property. They plan to use the very nice structure as shelter for their horse and four goats who will be moving in sometime in the next few months.
The moving of this small barn has taken many steps, which everyone here, especially the donkeys, have monitored with eagle eyes. I think today might be the day of the actual move, as they finally got it up onto wheels yesterday.
For me, this is a wonderfully symbolic event. Folks who have been reading here for awhile might remember me posting about the previous neighbors, who had ATVs and used our private lane as their own personal race track. They also used other folks' property as their playground, and there are still scars on the earth where the ATVs drove around and around and up and down.
I had several unpleasant encounters with the family patriarch, who took great offense at my request that they keep the ATVs on their own property. At some point they built the very nice barn-like structure right by the road at the end of their driveway. I didn't realize at the time that they had defied the neighborhood covenants to do so, but simply wondered what in the world they intended to do with it once it was finished.
That barn became a symbol of noise and annoyance and ongoing frustration for me. Because what they used it for was to store the ATVs! And they'd built it right by the road so they could throw open the doors, crank up those annoyingly loud engines, and burst forth right in front of my front pasture.
As far as I was concerned, that barn became the hellmouth itself.
When the new neighbors came to look at the house, which sat empty for several years, in foreclosure, I marched right over there to say hello and to find out what we might be dealing with. It was a lovely surprise to find a couple with grown children, horse lovers, animal lovers, who assured me they have never owned at ATV and have no desire to do so!
This week I've watched with great interest as a small crew of workmen prepare the barn to be moved - so it can be used to house a horse and his goats.
I took a walk down to the woodland path and the labyrinth path, and discovered that everything looks really good. I have a little work to do back there, but for now, it's perfect for walking and thinking and listening and looking.
With all this activity going on, I've kept Salina and her donkeys in their paddock and the barnyards, in case the geldings go wild and start running. We've had some rain and the footing was slippery for a few days, and I didn't want Salina trying to keep up with the herd on that ground.
She has not minded the separation, and the donkeys don't mind as long as they're with her. The reward is a few hours on the increasingly grassy back field in the evenings. When we start monitoring time on grass, you know it's really spring.
After doing a double-take, I realized that no, our painted pony was right here where he was supposed to be. But our neighbor, who told me sometime in the fall that she planned to get a horse, had gotten one, and there she was - a painted mare!
She's being kept on the back side of their property so is not that visible, but periodically this week I have heard her calling. So far, none of this crew have answered. It will be interesting to see if they begin to pay attention.
Next door to the new painted mare, the new neighbors are in the process of having a small "barn" moved to the back of their property. They plan to use the very nice structure as shelter for their horse and four goats who will be moving in sometime in the next few months.
The moving of this small barn has taken many steps, which everyone here, especially the donkeys, have monitored with eagle eyes. I think today might be the day of the actual move, as they finally got it up onto wheels yesterday.
For me, this is a wonderfully symbolic event. Folks who have been reading here for awhile might remember me posting about the previous neighbors, who had ATVs and used our private lane as their own personal race track. They also used other folks' property as their playground, and there are still scars on the earth where the ATVs drove around and around and up and down.
I had several unpleasant encounters with the family patriarch, who took great offense at my request that they keep the ATVs on their own property. At some point they built the very nice barn-like structure right by the road at the end of their driveway. I didn't realize at the time that they had defied the neighborhood covenants to do so, but simply wondered what in the world they intended to do with it once it was finished.
That barn became a symbol of noise and annoyance and ongoing frustration for me. Because what they used it for was to store the ATVs! And they'd built it right by the road so they could throw open the doors, crank up those annoyingly loud engines, and burst forth right in front of my front pasture.
As far as I was concerned, that barn became the hellmouth itself.
When the new neighbors came to look at the house, which sat empty for several years, in foreclosure, I marched right over there to say hello and to find out what we might be dealing with. It was a lovely surprise to find a couple with grown children, horse lovers, animal lovers, who assured me they have never owned at ATV and have no desire to do so!
This week I've watched with great interest as a small crew of workmen prepare the barn to be moved - so it can be used to house a horse and his goats.
I took a walk down to the woodland path and the labyrinth path, and discovered that everything looks really good. I have a little work to do back there, but for now, it's perfect for walking and thinking and listening and looking.
With all this activity going on, I've kept Salina and her donkeys in their paddock and the barnyards, in case the geldings go wild and start running. We've had some rain and the footing was slippery for a few days, and I didn't want Salina trying to keep up with the herd on that ground.
She has not minded the separation, and the donkeys don't mind as long as they're with her. The reward is a few hours on the increasingly grassy back field in the evenings. When we start monitoring time on grass, you know it's really spring.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
mirror, diamond, donkey, crow
Last week I was walking in the front field when something shiny caught my eye. It was a diamond-shaped shard of mirror. I picked it up, intrigued with the diamond shape as well as the mirror itself, which didn't appear to have been buried, but was so clean it looked like it had been dropped from the sky. I immediately thought it might have been a crow's special treasure. I picked it up and brought it inside, and it's been sitting on my desk ever since.
Today, I took it out to take a photo in daylight, and not only is it a treasure, it's a magical little mirror. Click on the photo and see what is inside!
Sometime later last week I was out buying beet pulp shreds and noticed this little smiling donkey. I decided he wanted to come join my sandplay miniature collection, so he hopped in the cart and ended up coming home with me. But instead of taking him upstairs to my sandplay garret, he too ended up on my desk.
Here he is outside looking at the herd:
At some point after arriving on my desk, which is very crowded and necessitates my constantly shifting things to make room for other things, the donkey ended up by the diamond mirror, looking something like this:
I became mesmerized by the little smiling donkey gazing into the diamond mirror. So I left them on my desk that way for several days, just letting the two things lend their magic to my workspace, and to my daily life.
At some point I decided to do a little research into the symbolism of the diamond shape. I found that the diamond shape appears in every culture, and generally represents clarity, ascension, and wisdom - of a kind that transcends everyday life.
The diamond shape also represents breakthrough and enlightenment, as well as awakening, epiphany, new beginnings, and connections to the mystical.
In alchemy the diamond shape symbolizes creativity that is expressed via the four elements: fire, air, earth, and water, and how funneling creativity through these four elements leads us to our true creative purpose.
In Native American culture, the diamond shape symbolizes wind, and is considered a protective emblem which represents life. The four sides represent unity, freedom, eternity and balance.
If you combine this diamond shape symbolism with that of the mirror, you get all of that plus reflection, illumination, and again, enlightenment.
The donkey symbolizes versatility, intelligence, determination, stubbornness, spiritual dedication, undying faith in the creative force, and the willingness to take on the responsibilities and burdens of others.
A lot to think about and absorb, which is why I let these two sit together on my desk for several days. Each time I looked at them I felt rejuvenated and inspired.
So today, I had a little time and wanted to photograph these two. I put them on my windowsill thinking the morning sun might be enough light to get a good picture. It wasn't, so I left them there and turned back to my desk to do something else. Within a few minutes I heard an unusual bird song, one I have never heard before today. It repeated several times. I looked out the window and there was a big black crow, walking in circles right outside my window, arching his neck as he made the first three notes of song, and then lifting his beak into the air for the last plaintive note.
I wondered if the crow had seen the diamond mirror and come to let me know it had once belonged to him.
I'll probably never know if that crow dropped the mirror in our front field, and I won't know if he spotted it in my window and came to reclaim it. But I do know all of these things - the sequence of finding them and their finding one another - are a gift. The diamond, the mirror, the donkey, and today, the crow.
What has popped into your life in an unexpected but wonderful way this week? I think we all have encounters with symbols and synchronicities and if we stop and make time for them, they have a lot to say.
Today, I took it out to take a photo in daylight, and not only is it a treasure, it's a magical little mirror. Click on the photo and see what is inside!
Sometime later last week I was out buying beet pulp shreds and noticed this little smiling donkey. I decided he wanted to come join my sandplay miniature collection, so he hopped in the cart and ended up coming home with me. But instead of taking him upstairs to my sandplay garret, he too ended up on my desk.
Here he is outside looking at the herd:
At some point after arriving on my desk, which is very crowded and necessitates my constantly shifting things to make room for other things, the donkey ended up by the diamond mirror, looking something like this:
I became mesmerized by the little smiling donkey gazing into the diamond mirror. So I left them on my desk that way for several days, just letting the two things lend their magic to my workspace, and to my daily life.
At some point I decided to do a little research into the symbolism of the diamond shape. I found that the diamond shape appears in every culture, and generally represents clarity, ascension, and wisdom - of a kind that transcends everyday life.
The diamond shape also represents breakthrough and enlightenment, as well as awakening, epiphany, new beginnings, and connections to the mystical.
In alchemy the diamond shape symbolizes creativity that is expressed via the four elements: fire, air, earth, and water, and how funneling creativity through these four elements leads us to our true creative purpose.
In Native American culture, the diamond shape symbolizes wind, and is considered a protective emblem which represents life. The four sides represent unity, freedom, eternity and balance.
If you combine this diamond shape symbolism with that of the mirror, you get all of that plus reflection, illumination, and again, enlightenment.
The donkey symbolizes versatility, intelligence, determination, stubbornness, spiritual dedication, undying faith in the creative force, and the willingness to take on the responsibilities and burdens of others.
A lot to think about and absorb, which is why I let these two sit together on my desk for several days. Each time I looked at them I felt rejuvenated and inspired.
So today, I had a little time and wanted to photograph these two. I put them on my windowsill thinking the morning sun might be enough light to get a good picture. It wasn't, so I left them there and turned back to my desk to do something else. Within a few minutes I heard an unusual bird song, one I have never heard before today. It repeated several times. I looked out the window and there was a big black crow, walking in circles right outside my window, arching his neck as he made the first three notes of song, and then lifting his beak into the air for the last plaintive note.
I wondered if the crow had seen the diamond mirror and come to let me know it had once belonged to him.
I'll probably never know if that crow dropped the mirror in our front field, and I won't know if he spotted it in my window and came to reclaim it. But I do know all of these things - the sequence of finding them and their finding one another - are a gift. The diamond, the mirror, the donkey, and today, the crow.
What has popped into your life in an unexpected but wonderful way this week? I think we all have encounters with symbols and synchronicities and if we stop and make time for them, they have a lot to say.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
the complexities of a busy, crazy week
I have had a blog post on my mind for about a week now, but it requires my camera (which is upstairs and not at hand when I think about posting), daylight (which is now waning due to thunder-stormy day), and time (which I feel like I haven't had much of all week).
So, I'm here to report that something more interesting is en route, but I'm not sure when.
Meanwhile we've had hooves trimmed, lots of chauffeur work, several big rains, some big wind (one spell that made me stop what I was doing to run to the barn and secure things), and a Corgi boy who chewed up the same person's wallet and credit cards that he did last time.
He also steals things like pens and bowls and rolls of toilet paper and muck boots. (which is why I've been online trying to find a pair of Bogs in my size, in the color/print I actually WANT, and since I have not yet succeeded I am wearing my paddock boots to do chores in and have to clean them daily b/c of all the MUD!)
You can see how this week is being.
Not bad, exactly. Just more complicated than usual.
How can it be Thursday already?
So, I'm here to report that something more interesting is en route, but I'm not sure when.
Meanwhile we've had hooves trimmed, lots of chauffeur work, several big rains, some big wind (one spell that made me stop what I was doing to run to the barn and secure things), and a Corgi boy who chewed up the same person's wallet and credit cards that he did last time.
He also steals things like pens and bowls and rolls of toilet paper and muck boots. (which is why I've been online trying to find a pair of Bogs in my size, in the color/print I actually WANT, and since I have not yet succeeded I am wearing my paddock boots to do chores in and have to clean them daily b/c of all the MUD!)
You can see how this week is being.
Not bad, exactly. Just more complicated than usual.
How can it be Thursday already?
Sunday, March 06, 2011
signs that might be omens
As usual, writing group weekend kickstarted me into high gear and I'm thrilled to report that I am close to getting my next adult novel, Signs That Might Be Omens, up on Amazon.
Although not part of a series per se, Signs is the second book in what I think of as the "Claire Quartet."
In claire-obscure, we meet Claire in her early twenties, during one very difficult and life-changing year. In Signs, time has moved forward 20 years, Claire is in her early forties, and we discover that there are two sides to every story, synchronicities connect people whether they know it or not, and horses can and do play a pivotal role in the resolution of old trauma and the shift into schwung.
In my mind I have always visioned four novels when I think of the character Claire. In addition to the two I have already written, I suspect there is a novel that looks at Claire's childhood, probably from her eyes, although I recently realized there might be a neighbor who tells that story, giving us yet another perspective on her life. A view from the outside in, perhaps.
And there is another one not yet written that I jokingly think of as the AARP Claire novel. Which is misleading, since I also think this one might also be subtitled: Claire Hits Middle Age and Goes High Speed, Low Drag.
She's the kind of late blooming woman I suspect might find her fire late in life. We will see.
Right now, it's Sunday afternoon and I am perched on my bed with laptop continuing the writing weekend as it rains, gusts, and goes light and then dark and then light again outside my window.
Although not part of a series per se, Signs is the second book in what I think of as the "Claire Quartet."
In claire-obscure, we meet Claire in her early twenties, during one very difficult and life-changing year. In Signs, time has moved forward 20 years, Claire is in her early forties, and we discover that there are two sides to every story, synchronicities connect people whether they know it or not, and horses can and do play a pivotal role in the resolution of old trauma and the shift into schwung.
In my mind I have always visioned four novels when I think of the character Claire. In addition to the two I have already written, I suspect there is a novel that looks at Claire's childhood, probably from her eyes, although I recently realized there might be a neighbor who tells that story, giving us yet another perspective on her life. A view from the outside in, perhaps.
And there is another one not yet written that I jokingly think of as the AARP Claire novel. Which is misleading, since I also think this one might also be subtitled: Claire Hits Middle Age and Goes High Speed, Low Drag.
She's the kind of late blooming woman I suspect might find her fire late in life. We will see.
Right now, it's Sunday afternoon and I am perched on my bed with laptop continuing the writing weekend as it rains, gusts, and goes light and then dark and then light again outside my window.
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