Spring, Lessons and Superhero's

It's been a hectic and fun couple of weeks since my last post....lots and lots going on here at HP Haven!

First up...the 2 most adorable mutts got a spa day with their Aunt Terrie.    She prepped them perfectly for mud season spring!  Nice short coats below and tidy little tiny paws.

Aren't these the cutest little white bums you have every seen!   Thanks Terrie…xxoo

These two have also been the best two assistant trainers while Diane has been away competing in Florida!

As I may have mentioned a time or 2...I love spring.   I love the birth of all the animals, the new shoots of plants emerging from fertile soil, the return of the robin and the birds of summer.   Spring is a time of rebirth, beginning and starting new.

Have I mentioned tho that spring also brings the worst time of year too?...the mud!   AND it has started here on the farm.    Look at this paddock!   Yick!   

And the tails and legs and necks and ears and foreheads are caked with that unforgiving Cayuga clay.    When I moved here I had no idea what people were talking about until that first spring.   I come from land that is sandy loam.  Horses get muddy and dirty and you use a nice stiff bristled brush and just flick the mud off.   Nope, not here in Cayuga....I use a hard metal scraping blade that I bought in the Cattle section! 

This weekend I had 2 lessons.  One, with FEI O judge, Cara Whitham.   Cara is one of only 23 elite listed O level judges in the world; which is the highest level ranking for equestrian judges.   What a fantastic ride and at the time in my training plan just when I needed it!   Sometimes the reminders that we get when other see us interact with our horses are the most priceless part of the lesson.    It was great to have the perspective of a judge and hear her positive and caring comments to help us further our journey both inside the show ring and in the schooling sessions day to day.   Looking forward to another lesson in the coming weeks.

The second lesson of the weekend was with 'A' Circuit hunter/jumper trainer, Scott McKay of Greenhaven Farm.   What a fun and pressure free school at the beautiful Summerleaze.   It was my second jumping lesson and Izzy was a complete superstar!   She jumped a full small course.   It had obvious blips but she was so easy going and brave.   Just love how Scott sets you up for success and lets you have some bobbles along the way so that you are sure to take home the point of his lesson through experiencing both how it fell apart and how it went perfectly.   A special shout out to my friend Andrea, who gave me an opportunity to re-home her well loved Crosby XL saddle.   I might even have to take it back to the show ring for another victory lap with Izzy in the future!  :-)

This is my happy grin after we cantered a full course of 9 fences!

I have to give mention to this stunning orchid that lives in my second floor bathroom.   This was a very thoughtful house warming gift from my dear friends Tony and Linda.   It has taken more than a year but with a bit of research on the net and some TLC, I got it to bloom a second time!   Thank you Linda...it's a gift that has truly kept on giving.

With the temps in the house rising now that the wood heat is harder to regulate when the outside temperature goes up...my tropical plant is also flowering for the second time.   Again...why I love spring.

And because this blog seems to contain lots about food and running lately...what would a post be without those!?   Ventured out on a guilt free noon hour run as the network was down in my office.   The upper trail along the mountain brow was still snow covered but what a beautiful run!   I had the wrong shoes but I endured!  :-)

I also tried baking vegan cupcakes for a guy that works on my team.   I frequently take in baked goods but because I am a farm girl at heart my food always contains eggs and butter; which are 2 things he cannot eat!   I was pleasantly surprised how light and fluffy these cupcakes were.   They got 2 thumbs up from him and the guys on break that he shared them with, so I was a happy baker!

Now that spring has sprung...we all know that mother natures sugar has started to drip from maple tree all over the province!   One of my favourite breakfasts...Bacon Pancakes with 100% pure local maple syrup!   

Here at the farm DH and Papa Bear cleaned up the lower barn.   Kayaks are now hung up and the manure pit that runs the full length on both outside walls is starting to get filled in.    Papa Bear also helped out with the driveway.   More gravel to top dress the new parking lot has started.

Lastly, I want to muse a bit on something that has been on the front of my mind for quite sometime.   I've spent a lot of time lately thinking about the strong women in my life.   The mentors, friends, role models, artists, sisters, supporters, kickers in the asses, care givers, acquaintances and even women I just know about but may never meet.    This quote from a favourite narrative artist, Elizabeth Gilbert crossed my screen recently and it spoke to me in a deep and meaningful way.

Yes, the women I admire the most have shown their strength when things haven't always gone their way.   They have persevered or given in when it was right to do so.   They have scars and wrinkles from life experiences that have shaped them into better people.   They smile and cry and are authentic women that live with their whole hearts; knowing full well that being vulnerable is a risk worth taking.   They are women that have touched my life in some of the biggest and some of the smallest ways but they have helped shape me and for that I will always have a special place in my soul for them.   These women are my superheroes because when shit didn't work out for them...they handled it...and they have taught me to handle shit too; in a thousand different ways.   Love you ladies...you know who you are.  xxoo

And a very special happy birthday to one of my best friends...You are certainly a superhero in my world!   Love you to the moon and back Reta.   Cheers to many more.   Much Love!