Wordless Wednesday - He Does Ride...sometimes

October Snow

The snow started Saturday morning.  It was supposed to be mostly rain to begin with but Mother Nature had other ideas.  We blanketed all of the horses since they didn't really have their winter coats yet and it was very wet snow, a fresh round bale went out and the water tub was filled to the brim.  We weren't sure that we were going to be able to get back there later in the day since there were already tree limbs down.  The snow stopped sometime in the early morning on Sunday and left us with about 8 inches that compacted down as the temps came up.  By Sunday afternoon it was sunny and every thing was melting.  The barn is still without power, our cable just came up last night and there are still several streets closed due to downed trees and power lines.  Let's hope we get back to normal by the weekend.

Saturday morning, looking through the fence

Saturday morning in the pasture

Sunday morning in the pasture

T took advantage of the snow to jump on Zip bareback

While Craig cleared the driveway

Happy, Happy Birthday!!!

Happy 15th Birthday to My Girl!!

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N

I am taking some much needed vacation time from work and having lots of family time. Hopefully some horsey time too and taking lots of pics. Saturday is the 4H County Roundup show. T is showing in 3 classes and I am the show photographer. We'll be spending Friday getting ready.

Making Friends

We went to the hay auction on Saturday morning in Kutztown.  It's a great place for people watching and there's usually a dog or two wandering around from the neighboring farms.  This girl looked like a pint sized version of Bandit but with Zoey's personality.  T made friends.  They were really cute sitting together on the steps.

Catching Up

I feel like I am perpetually playing catch up.  I have been trying to at least read blog updates and comments but please know that even if I don't get the chance to comment on your blog, I'm still here.  I do read everything and I e-mail when I can.  And on top of a busy schedule, I have a stupid cold.  I guess it's the universe's way of telling me to slow down (or forcing me to).

January was quite the whirlwind month.  I kind of feel like we got blindsided.  The winter weather held off for the most part for December (cold but not much snow) but we had a ton of things going on - my stepfather's wedding, 4H holiday dinner, Buxmont holiday dinner, crunch time at work followed by Christmas and New Years.  And then all hell broke loose on the weather front.  It seems not a week went by (more like 3-4 days) without something - rain, sleet, freezing rain, ice, high winds, snow, subzero temps.  The weather made having horses quite the challenge although they did just fine.  In between storms, I had an accident on the way home from work and totalled my Jeep.  I spent several days working from home because of the weather.  T's school schedule was a mess - in a 3 week period (15 weekdays), she had 3 regular full days of school - 1 planned holiday, 1 planned early dismissal, 5 snow days, plus several weather related early dismissal/delayed openings.  Somewhere in between all that, we were supposed to have a school meeting to review her classes for 10th grade.  It's scheduled for tonight but had been postponed twice (here's hoping 3rd times the charm).  I did receive the payout for my totalled Jeep and was able to get another car so that's a huge relief. 

February is also busy but not nearly so much as January.  As I was driving to work milling over this blog post and my things-to-do list, I noticed the beautiful pink sunrise.  It's amazing how a little bit of sun can brighten your whole world.

Ouch

Well, I had a really cool photo picked out for today's Skywatch but never got to it.  Someone ran a stop sign last night on my way home from work and crossed right in front of me.  I slammed on the brakes but there was no where to go and we had a wreck.  My poor Jeep looks like an accordian on the front end and pieces of it ended up under the car.  The airbag deployed and I had my seat belt on.  The 2 people in the other car were ok and declined getting checked out by the EMTs.  I ended up going to the hospital to get checked out since I was hurting.  Had x-rays done on both knees, my hip and my neck. Nothing broken but very sore today.  I'm spending the day on the couch with pain meds and the dog.  I'm pretty sure my car is totaled.

Still Busy

I'll get blog posts up this week, I promise.  There just doesn't seem to be enough days in the week or hours in the day.  We are scrambling to get holiday packages mailed out.

Monday night, the company I work for, Teva Pharmaceuticals, hosted a holiday party at Lincoln Financial Field, the home of the Philadelphia Eagles.  I'm not a huge football fan but it was pretty cool to do a tour of the locker room, press box and walk onto the field.  I'll post pics later this week.  I left for work at 6:40 AM and didn't get home until 9:30 PM.

Tonight is the holiday party for 4H.  Pizza, lots of food, a scarf exchange, gingerbread houses, lots going on.  Before you know it Christmas will be here!

So Happy Together!

My stepfather and his new wife on their wedding day.  

We wish them all the happiness in the world!!

Winter Choral Concert

T has been involved with chorus since elementary school and hopes to continue all through high school.  Twice a year, in the winter and spring, each school holds a choral concert.  This year there is over 200 kids in the combined choir for 3 grades.  The school has a really cool auditorium with fantastic acoustics and sound system.

There's so many kids that I couldn't fit them all in one shot, even though I took this from the last row in the auditorium

 

During her grade's performance, second row, pretty much dead center

All of the kids do an amazing job!

Happy Birthday, my Girl!!!

T turns 14 today - I can't believe it!  I remember when she was a little tiny thing.  Now she's a good 3 inches taller than me. 

Happy Birthday, My Girl - Love you!!

We are very proud of all that you are!!!

Remembering my Mother

Today is the 5 year anniversary of my mother's passing.  She loved flowers and her garden.  Petunias were a particular favorite.

I loved her dearly, I think of her every day and will miss her always. 

Stahl's Pottery Summer Festival

On Saturday, we visited Stahl's Pottery 23rd Annual Summer Festival in Zionsville, PA.  I had seen ads in the small local papers last year and this year so we decided to check it out.  Craig and T collect face jugs and I love rustic pottery so I thought it would be something that we would all enjoy.

From Stahl's website:
Stahl redware, a traditional Pennsylvania German style of pottery, was first produced by Charles Stahl from approximately 1850, until his death in 1896. Upon his death, his sons Thomas and Isaac took over the family business. The brothers continued making pottery until 1902, when the small family-run business found that it could not compete with mass-production pottery manufacturers....Pottery-making began in 1934 at the current site of the Stahl Pottery.   You can read more of the history of Stahl's here.

The Potters displaying their wares

The stone barn

The kids wheel (on the left) and the Kiln (on the right)

The outside temperature was in the 90s so I didn't get too close to the kiln

The potting shed

Some of the wares available for sale

This was by far my favorite artist, Andy Loercher, of Folk Art Pottery in Redware in Lancaster, PA.  I just loved all of his designs and the colors that he used.  He was very friendly and a real pleasure to talk to.  Andy's pottery is also in the lower left of the collage above.

I found a local artist, also in Zionsville, that makes horse hair pottery, Pottery by Bachert.  The pottery is molded, sanded, and fired.  When the pot is removed, the hair is added while the pot is hot.  The hair carbonizes and leave marks on the pottery.  When Jet died, I clipped pieces of his mane, hair and forelock.  I did the same with Diego when he died 2 years ago.  I would like to have a piece of pottery made, maybe with hair from both of them.  I will be contacting Pottery by Bachtert to see what my options are.

We didn't buy anything on Saturday but plan on going back for the October show and I took business cards from several artists that I liked including Andy Loercher.  It was fun to see something new and discover local craftsman.

Life goes on

A heartfelt thank you for everyone's support in the loss of Jet.  It totally sucks but life does indeed go on.  I have a child who is grieving in her own way, a husband, a job, and other critters that need attention and care.  Zip and Kali are adjusting to being a pair and we will adapt to the hole that Jet left in our lives.  We had a horse show on Saturday afternoon which was all the more difficult in that we were planning on bringing Jet along with Kali for that show.  We were a little concerned that Zip would be ok by himself but he did just fine.  We got home about 10 PM.  It was hot and humid with a mist over the pond and thousands upon thousands of fireflies.  It was pretty cool to be able to stand in the mist shrouded pasture with the two horses in the dark.  T gave Zip a big old hug which I'm sure will help to heal her heart. 

Thank you again to everyone.

Fly Like a Bird

Every time I watch this it makes me laugh.  Jet thought she was taking off.  He's such a good guy!

Fly Like a Bird from CTG Ponies on Vimeo.

First show of the season is Saturday so we will all be busy little bees until then.

A Good Gallop

T is very much enjoying the conditioning track.  It gives her the chance to really work Zip at a gallop and it has the added benefit of giving her parents gray hairs  ;)

A Good Gallop from CTG Ponies on Vimeo.

Sunday Stills - Hands

This week's Sunday Stills Challenge is Hands.  I wasn't sure what I was going to use but then Craig took some pics of T being silly on Jet.  I think this one is perfect.

He's such a good boy to let her do stuff like this.

You can see other contributors to Sunday Stills here.

A Girl and Her Horse

Playing in the Pond

We did get a chance to ride at the new farm this weekend but I took it easy since I wasn't feeling well.  T had the chance to run each horse on the track (she galloped about half way which was a quarter mile and slowed down for the rest) and rode each in the indoor.  When we were finished on Sunday, we were playing around in the pasture.  T wanted to see if Kali would go in the pond but Princess Kali had other ideas so she set her sights on Jet (Zip was in the back corner eating hay - I swear he doesn't really like people but lots of treats will fix that).

Since Jet was so willing to go in, I suggested she get reins and her helmet so off to the barn she headed.  I gave her a leg up and she headed into the pond.

I love the fact that she was having a great time and was all smiles.

She headed off to the other side where it was a bit flatter.

Kali followed along to see what was going on.

The water was a bit deeper near the bridge.

Jet settled down to take a drink.

It was a fun experience and I look forward to being able to ride in and along the creek in the near future.

Still Here...

I have a cold this week that is totally kicking my butt.  I spent most of Saturday sleeping and finally ventured out into the sunlight today.  Some things changed this week and the horses are now at another farm in the next town.  All are settling in well and T and I got some riding in.  The new farm has a 1/2 mile conditioning track which has been great for T to work Jet and Zip.  Even Kali got a run on the track, part of it anyway.  1/2 mile is way too much of a run so T's doing one long stretch and taking it easy the rest of the way.  We've also ridden all 3 in the indoor to get them used to it.  The pastures have ponds so T rode Jet bareback into the pond for the first time today.  Pics to post later this week.