I have to start this post with a brief on a recent clinic I participated in with Izzy at Boone Run Farm in Embro, On. Horseman, Josh Nichol returned to Ontario for his 6th clinic with the Woodstock group. I have been fortunate enough to be able to participate in all of the clinics to date and have been totally captivated by this cowboy from Alberta. His softness, his integrity, his empathy for the horse and his ability to make his lessons apply as life lessons not just horsemanship lessons, leaves me wanting him to stay for another week every time I ride with him. He's hard not to fall in love with…and it's not just his boyish charm…it's his ability to connect to people and animals on a level that I have no words to explain. It's something I just feel. His teaching and his philosophy resonate within me. Thank you Josh for generously sharing yourself, your knowledge and your gift with horses and humans.
Our Group
Izzy and I - Pics Courtesy of Diane
After a fantastic weekend with horses and like minded friends, I spent the following weekend with my ever so talented like minded creative friends. This group of woman have inspired me to be an artist; reach outside my comfort zone and enjoy food in a whole new light! There are a couple from our original group away in this picture but we have been sewing and creating together now since 2008…when we went on our first retreat together in Long Point. We now spend 3 weekends a year together enjoying like minded fellowship, creative inspiration and of course a little food and drink!
Thank you girls for all you give to me…
PS - Pat you take great pictures…I know you think I am evil for wanting this shot every retreat but now it's just expected! :-)
Here we are on our first retreat in Nov 2008.
I spent a bunch of extra hours working on a shutdown during this blogging absence. That meant that I was getting home too late to run…well too late to run the trail because it was dark. (DH has a conniption if I run when it starts to get dark). So as an alternate, I spent time working out in the "gym" at home. It appears I have a new personal trainer!
And this is the trainer from my angle…counting down the minutes till push ups when she can pull out my pony tail!
We've been having rain lately…it has been expected since we had such a wonderful Sept and early Oct. But with the rain comes the beauty of rainbows. You can't have a rainbow without rain!
This was my view one evening.
The round pen looks like it's under a dome!
These pics really don't do the beauty of it justice but it's a good memory for me; experiencing the wonder of a dark sky to the east and a sunny sky to the west.
While I was away at the clinic in Embro, DH spent some time putting gravel down behind the arena as a parking area for my trailer. I didn't want to park it on the grass and the spot behind the arena keeps it out of the way. I have to say…it's a squeeze to get it nice and close to the arena wall but all the years of practise I got backing down the 15' wide driveway at the old house that went beside the garage and the fencing to get to the barn behind the house made this spot a cinch! Made it right into the spot,
first try! :-)
Lastly, my final load of hay for the winter has been put into the barn. Who needs a gym membership when you live on a farm! This was my project this week…Unloaded this wagon and stacked it in the barn.
This is the wagon 122 bales later!
