Finally! I’ve had sufficient time to recover from the meeting and am back in gear. Though I have to say that it was far too short a time. I wanted to visit and get to know everyone much more than I was able to.
A huge thank you to all who helped before and during the meeting, those who donated to the raffle and bought tickets, and everyone who came and made it an enjoyable event!
For full size images, go directly to my flickr site. I’ve identified some people and horses, but captioning all the photos would have taken me more time. I didn’t want to wait to upload these. I can add to any of them or you can add a comment.
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Gratitude creates it’s own attitude. It can give you a new perspective, a new focus. I am going to use this day as my opportunity to see those things.
I am a day late on this, but writing it has taken some time to think it through.
In the early morning of June 24th, between three and six, Ridgeline Montessori School had a change forced on it. My son started at Ridgeline in first grade. He has one more year left there to finish middle school and eighth grade.
Back when I was on the board several years ago, we considered moving the school to a new site. The building that we were leasing from the 4J school district was aged, needed a new roof and we were outgrowing the wing we started out in. Fast forward several years and we had taken over that entire wing, the office and part of another wing and shared the site (including cafeteria and gym) with the Village School. We did know that we would need to relocate eventually as the district had decided not to make large repairs to the classroom buildings. All seemed well for the time being.
That changed with yesterday morning’s events. A fire broke out under the overhang at the back entrance of our main wing. Seven of our nine classrooms and their contents are gone. The walls still stand, but that’s about all.
Chrystall Reed, our administrator said,
“As devastating as this (fire) is, we will find a new place. It may not be here, but it will still be Ridgeline Montessori.”
Sit back and consider what you have to be thankful for. Listing three to five things is nice, but one will do.
Post about gratitude on your blog. If you don’t have your own blog, go ahead and write about what you are thankful for in the comments here instead.
If you blog, please link back here or leave a comment.
Feel free to tag other bloggers, if you like to do that, but it’s not necessary. This is not a meme that obligates you to do anything, but look for gratitude. Oh, and link back, and comment, that’s all I ask.
Visit these other blogs that often participate in Thankful Thursday:
Well, the SMR meeting is over, Paisano is delivered to his new barn and I am finally home!
Paisano spent a bit of time in his stall meeting the neighbors over the walls. They are just low enough that they can touch noses and see eachother’s eyes. I was a bit concerned about that, but he settled just fine. There were a few squeals with the gelding, but none with the mare. Go figure…
In the arena testing the idea of turnout with True, a gelding.
Before this, he was tearing around faster than I think I've ever seen him go.
They kicked out at eachother and squealed, but never made contact and would retire to separate ends of the arena. We decided to try them outside. The paddock is maybe three to four acres with a slope and a few trees at the far side. A mare lives out there all the time. I had reservations, but tried him out there first on a long lead. Paisano and True repeated what they had done in the arena, so I let him go… It was very calm. Paisano just wandered away to check manure piles, fresh hay and grass.
Wow, grass!
True keeping Paisano away from the mare.
I liked this one so much, I wanted to get a close up.
He was on his way up and ended in a capriole-like kick!
Pirouetting away...
They settled down and Paisano returned to the grassy side.
I was glad to see that Paisano backed down from another horse. And that there is a future for him turned out with a herd.
Gratitude creates it’s own attitude. It can give you a new perspective, a new focus. I am going to use this day as my opportunity to see those things.
A poor photo from tonight.
He blew me away just moving around the indoor. Floating … as if he had marionette strings pulling him up into the air. He remembered to come into the middle to me when I snapped my fingers and beckoned. He ate and drank and rolled. I took him back to his stall and let him settle in. He found the auto waterer and started nibbling on hay. I sat in his stall for an hour. He seemed relaxed and fine. I could have stayed all night, but I was tired and had to go home.
Paisano seems a tad taller than I remember. I think that he may have matured mentally as well. He has a different air about him. Ah… there will be more to come. Now I am tired … and extremely grateful to have the boy home. I have to pinch myself – to think that I have the privilege to own such a horse.
Sit back and consider what you have to be thankful for. Listing three to five things is nice, but one will do.
Post about gratitude on your blog. If you don’t have your own blog, go ahead and write about what you are thankful for in the comments here instead.
If you blog, please link back here or leave a comment.
Feel free to tag other bloggers, if you like to do that, but it’s not necessary. This is not a meme that obligates you to do anything, but look for gratitude. Oh, and link back, and comment, that’s all I ask.
Visit these other blogs that often participate in Thankful Thursday:
Bonita’s time with me is coming to a close. Yesterday, I trailered her up to Tired Dog Ranch for a ride. I tried out their new round pen, made from found materials. It works well! When the grass inside is eaten down, it will be a good area to work loose in. We will take care of that the week before the SMR meeting.
Here are a few photos from yesterday. Amy Jo took the ones of me and Bonita and I took the rest. Go here to see larger images.
After trying out the round pen, I rode Bonita in the meadow and we had a first few canter strides under saddle. She is VERY smooth! I did get a few little rocking bucks at one point, but she gave it up quickly and never offered any of that again. I continued to ride her around the meadow with Amy Jo on Larry following along. I wasn’t too sure about going out on a trail ride, but after a little more riding, we decided to go for it.
We went through a gate and into the forest. Bonita didn’t like it when Larry got too close or when Bob (dog) was right behind her. Other than that, she was great. She led the entire way, stopping when we had to wait for Larry, responsive and happy to explore.
We looped through the woods, ending on the gravel road past their property. Then we went down the forest service road a ways. She was sound on the gravel. Bonita could have gone a lot farther. She didn’t even begin to sweat and we were out for about an hour. She was okay going around several turns of the road alone without Larry too. Someone needs to take this mare home from the meeting and keep working with her. She’ll be a great, willing partner for somebody.
Bonita did well enough with Five O’Clock Charlie and Wonderful, that I left her there for the week. I’ll be back on Saturday with Paisano and will stay though the SMR meeting June 19-21. I hope to get in more rides on Bonita with Kay, her owner along. After the meeting, Bonita goes home with Kay to Day’s End Ranch in Camas, WA.
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