Monday Morning Motivation, June 26, 2023

Good morning!

If you need to compare to anyone, compare with your past self.

If you need to impress anyone, impress your future self.

And if you are to make anyone happy, be it your present self.

Copyright 2010,2023 Dona Cox

Healing

Getting better every day...almost healed after only two weeks.

Day 18, Tuesday August 17, 2010

Probably would have healed a lot faster were it not for the numerous times the scab was rubbed off by Duke scratching it, or me accidently knocking it off while bridling him.

Saturday Sam and I, with friends Frank and Barb, ventured south to the small town of Joseph, Oregon for the 14th Annual Bronze, Blues and Brews Festival. Nestled in the peaceful and beautiful Wallowa Valley, Joseph is named for Chief Joseph, famous leader of the Nez Perce tribe. While the first theme of the event was bronze, it quickly became obvious to us that the primary focus is the blues and the brews. There were very few bronze sculptures (Joseph is a major bronze foundry of the Pacific Northwest), there were several bands, but there was lots of brew. We had fun, got too much sun but probably won't go back next year.

Passing by a buffalo farm on the way to Joseph, Oregon

There are two bronze statues in this photo. Can you find them?

Sam, me, Frank and Barb enjoying the blues and brews.

Sam and I with our new 2005 Jeep Wrangler in front of Lake Wallowa

Returning home on a lovely stretch of road called Rattlesnake Grade.

If wishes were horses...

 

 Who Wants One #9: Autumn is a second spring...

Sorry...offer closed.

Going a little seasonal this time, but I have a couple of other ideas floating around in my head. If you would like to request this tag please put the request in a comment below. Name change only, offer open until 9 p.m. on Monday, September 17.

So, last time I wrote we were getting ready for the Hot August Nights concert with Eric Burdon. There were four acts that night, three local bands entertained us before Eric took the stage. It would be unfair to compare any of the locals to Eric. But of the three bands, two understood the importance of practicing and one...well let's just say either they just formed two days before the concert, or they were having a painfully bad night. Eric Burdon, on the other hand, rocked the park, performing for almost two hours. He played almost all his oldies, but leaned more toward his 2006 blues album, much to the disappointment of the crowd. I wasn't disappointed and really enjoyed how he reworked some of the oldies, but apparently I was in the minority because a lot of people got up and left before he ended the show. They came to hear him sing his 60s catalog, he came to promote his new album. Ah well, it is his music and not everyone understands or appreciates the quality of artistic license.

The next morning was an early one, as I had a date with several Morgan horses...it's been a very, very long time since I've been in the saddle.  Twenty-five years if you count a brief trail ride at a Rent A Horse stable in Sacramento, thirty years if you count the free-spirited do what I want, go where I want rides I enjoyed as a teen. This time, I was a little nervous and apprehensive at first and took it easy, spending only a half an hour in the saddle; no point overdoing it this early. For so long I've put aside my wishes to ride again...my life has changed and that's that. But the winds of change blew in a fortunate twist when the daughter of a friend married a farmer who also raises Morgans (America's first horse). Oh, they are so perfectly beautiful and I've been away from the company of horses for much too long. Our friends have nine horses, three stallions, five mares and one foal (sooooo cute!).  Mirzay, Carlos, Marty, Elvira, Flaming Ember, Coalette, Martina, Susanna, and Tia.

At 23 years old, Mirzay is picture of health and beauty. He is a three time National reining and cutting champion (American Morgan Horse Association title) and many time halter class winner. Isn't he gorgeous...the black stallion, Morgan style. In his time he has sired dozens of prized foals, but his days as a stud will soon be over. Then he'll enjoy a long life of leisure grazing in the pasture mixed with occasional trail rides. His owner Cary adores his Mirzay...they've been together since the beginning and share a bond that is strong and tender.

This is Leeann and her 12 year old bay mare, Ember. Ember thinks and acts like a princess. I've been around a few princesses in my life, but they pale by comparison to Ember. She's a bit lazy, but very well trained and once she got into the groove of things, Ember became poetry in motion.


Barb and her 13 year old black mare, Elvira...a birthday present to herself this past January. Elvira is a lively stepper and is, without a doubt, the best trained horse I have ever rode.



Me and Elvira taking a leisurely walk in the pen...that's Mirzay watching us in the background. Funny thing about getting on a horse after a twenty five year absence, along with those years came just about as many extra pounds and well, my first attempt to 'hop' onto the saddle was, ummm, less than graceful, lol!!! Okay, I couldn't even pull myself onto the saddle! Oye! What a weakling!!!  What happened!!! I used to be so good at this...it was second nature. Heck, I used to ride bare back! Oh dear, what have I got myself into? Second try was a little better if you don't count the part where I grunted as I tried to hoist and balance an extra twenty pounds of body weight on a fifty year old frame while swinging an equally heavy right leg over Ember's back without kicking her. Good thing no one had a video camera! Geez, that was a wake up call. Luckily, after that it got easier as my mind and body began to syncronize and remember that yes, we know how to do this. We've done it hundreds of times before. I can't wait to go back...hopefully this weekend. :) I should mention I did go faster than a walk...Morgans have such a easy gait at any speed...and I was amazed at how quickly some of my riding skills returned to me. I've still got much to relearn and master and it will take hours of riding before I regain the skill level I once possessed. Leeann's husband Cary offered words of encouragement by telling me 'It's just like riding a bike, once you learn, you never forget.' True, I'll admit, except bikes don't have a mind of their own, lol!

Two month old filly, Tia and her 15 year old black mother, Coalette. Tia is 'blowing' her milk coat and the soft baby fuzz stands out against the sleeker undercoat.

Susanna, a four year old bay mare. She's a real beauty. Next time I visit the farm, she'll be at the trainers.

Carlos, a two year old chestnut stallion. He's for sale by the way.

Susanna (left) and Marty, a one year old bay stallion following me as I walk around the pasture to visit and photograph Carlos, whose stall and pasture is on the opposite side of the barn. Marty is the farm's future junior stallion.

Not pictured is Martina, a thirteen year old bay mare. She was at the trainer's getting another 30 days training and riding.

I truly enjoyed my day on the farm...it was much needed food for this old soul.

I've been down with some bug for over a week. Ugh! Started as a sore throat a week ago Monday and it just got worse. Was off work last week, but didn't feel up to doing much of anything short of sleeping. I'm finally feeling better, and returned to work this week, but I'm not quite back to 100% yet. By two o'clock I start fading, so I'm taking it easy for now.

There's more to tell, but it's late and I need to get some rest. Hopefully I'll have time to write some more after work tonight.

Horses are nature in its finest form. ~Pat Parelli

18801Tags: Hot August Nights, concert, rock, Eric Burdon, 60s, Morgan, horse

Sweet Days of Summers End

While typing this entry, I heard a character on television say, "Winston Churchill once said 'The further backward you can look the farther forward you can see.'
Okay.  I've been wanting to write this entry for the past few weeks, but I struggled with it and resisted, unable to share or reflect on the little things that enrich my life and bring me joy, when so many people have lost so much.  Is it guilt, or just the feeling that singing my happy song would seem insensitive or inappropriate at such a time as this?  Either way I need to ground myself again and reconnect with my souls appreciation for those simple joys in life.  Get back to life.
Rewind.

Back a couple of weeks.  Labor Day weekend camping trip at the lake.

The night air is cool--long sleeve shirt, long pants--cool.  Early morning the air is crisp, but not too cool for shorts and a t-shirt.  And the days are warm, rich with the warmth of a thousand days of my summer youth.  I feel it the minute the trailer door opens, it gently tingles my skin.  I smell it with that first intake of morning air, I feel so alive.  There is just something about that first breath of early morning summer air; it always takes me back in time. 

Outside the trailer door, just a few steps away is a trail lined with blackberry bushes heavily laden with summer fruit; vines dripping with hundreds of berries.  Berries so ripe they burst in your fingers when picked, staining the skin a deep bright red.

 

Picking blackberries requires long sleeve shirts and pants, as the vines and leaves are thick with sharp knife-like thorns that prick and scrap tender skin. Those parts of the bushes right on the path are over-picked; all the campers have berry picking on their 'To Do' list this weekend. The biggest, ripest and sweetest berries are easily seen, but not so easily reached; those are the berries hanging high, just out of reach. I spent two days dodging those demonic thorns while picking the sweetest berries. Finally, Sam and I came up with a system; he used his height to reach up and cut the whole clusters from the vine, while I sat on the ground and plucked the ripened berries off each freshly cut cluster. We ended up with just over five gallons of berries. Just enough to make a couple of batches of blackberry jam.  :)

Late summer and early fall is a busy time for me. Aside from baking zucchini bread, I've been making jellies and jams. I usually make concord grape jelly, but our grape vine had to be torn down this summer when we replaced the outside deck in July. :( Hopefully it will grow back in a couple of years. Not one to be deterred, I made blackberry jam, green pepper jelly, and pear honey (aka pear conserves). Lots of yummy sweets!

Across the street at the Christmas tree farm is a peach tree, just dripping with fruit. I've had my eyes on those peaches for the past couple of weeks now. If I'm feeling ambitious this weekend I might just try my hand at peach preserves.
Maybe.