What color is the color of mourning?  My overall emotion is MAD MaD just mad, DamMad ....

My best friend in the world passed this last Wednesday, a week already since she has been gone.  I'm mad that she is not on the other end of that phone.  I am mad that I need to make a living instead of finding the nearest timber and screaming out the pain.  I am mad at the speed of some people's recovery.  I am mad that her life isn't made into a shrine.  I am mad that I chose a job over seeing her, even though I know my family needs my income and it's damn scary here.  I am mad that the best friends I have live so far away.  I am MAD that her face is before me every moment and others seem to be able to function quite well thank you.  I am MAD that I can't solve the issue of getting her horses to me.  I am mad that I didn't have premonition that this was going to happen and make the time to sit in her garden.  I am mad that the people closest to me can't see that my heart is breaking.  I am mad,mad, mad with sadness.

I m.i.s.s. you

Chery's Sunshine on my Mind PIF Quilt day 1

First Square made during Patriot/Giants game

I was at JoAnn's Fabrics when this A Touch of Rosie Quilt book caught my eye.

A Touch of Rosie by Carrie L. Nelson

What I liked best about the patterns in this book was the SUMMER-y fabrics that provided a nice change from the homespun browns and civil war block piecing selections that the quilt stores were selling.  Moda seems to be having the biggest Tea(dye) Party!!  Even this year's mild Iowa winter had me longing for spring, soft pastels and florals.  When I was invited to participate in a Facebook PIF (Pay it FORWARD) opportunity, this book was the first one I reached for to make the quilt and I chose the pattern Allemande for my friend Cheryl, both for the happy dancing all the squares were doing but also to highlight the quiet glow that always surrounds Cheryl and her loving nature.  I was unable to find the fabrics Carrie used in her book but did find Moda Fig Tree line Butterscotch and Roses line as replacement.  The brush cotton is a luxury to sew with, the softness reminds me of a well loved baby blanket but loses none of the shaping.  It's perfect in weight and although my local shop had enough Blanks solid yellow, I went into the hunt to find the buttercream that was in the Butterscotch and Roses line.  Found it here!:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/ButtercreamFabbie

Here is block one.  As you can see, many, many triangles and seams to match.  I have stitched this one by turning squares into triangles but will be using paper piecing tomorrow to see which one makes for exact triangulation :)

Carrie's blog is here LaVieEnRosie

M'

Fabric selection

It doesn't take a $5,000 machine to quilt - honest.  Purchased for $200.00 at Walmart and my portable machine.  Since I wanted to watch the Superbowl on the big screen, left the Janome upstairs and used the old standby.  LOVE Brother machines!

Squares to triangles, geometry made fun

Follow the easy directions and you have connected seams even an engineer can appreciate

Paper piecing, here we come....

Copyright A Touch of Rosie

hyena-in-petticoats.blogspot.com_cathedral-window-quilt-tutorial.html

I've been searching for a quilt pattern today to start on and googled on this tutorial.  I'd like the quilt to be with yellow fabric background rather then white.  White has been so stark for me lately and I am sitting here in Iowa IN January IN 60 degree weather.  I just can't believe how beautiful it is!  Happy day everyone!

Also found this: http://tiramisue-suesblog.blogspot.com/2011_06_01_archive.html

Finally have some time to breath and found this neat challenge.  What a great way to start withmy 4 season sustainability goal:
http://vegplotting.blogspot.com/2011/12/announcing-52-week-salad-challenge.html

Aug 27 2011 Dressage show at Tamarack Stables

http://youtu.be/R0MizX4G3c0

I had a dream fed by the movie Sylvester where a white horse danced underneath the overhead corral light and prayed God, help me do that.

Some days I want to ask God if he couldn't have given me longer legs, shorter torso and better balance. Mid age wisdom has pretty much revealed that I am what I am and although my goals still includes better physical strength and weight loss, I have determined that changes to my Irish-Oriental farming skeletal structure just isn't going to manifest into long, skinny European legs with stomachs up to their boobs and non-existent waists.

God's compensation was to give me a horse like no other, my Ind. Should you look at the video again, look not at the blisteringly white landscape but focus instead on the loyal Labrador in horse clothing. After just two weeks and recovering from a stifle problem, she is gamely trucking along and with ears strained, trying mightily to do what I ask while balancing this top heavy, not so balanced egg. She manages to make me look like I know something at last

All was not perfect but then Dressage does not mean perfection, no matter what some like me would like for it to be. It means that I care, I CARE, I care enough to learn how to ride my horse in such a way as to keep her strong for many, many years. It means that I have a trainer who listens even when I am very upset because through all the static is an intense love for the sport and the people at the barn. It means that two weeks back in training with scores going from 40's to 60's mean I am listening, practicing and learning as fast as I can but that Dressage does not mean easy.

I hurt today, disappointment in my memory since I forgot part of the test, my right side says "Hello, you ARE fat and forty-six you know and you rode me ALL week" but I am so very, very grateful for the blessings that have given me such passion at a time that I can concentrate on it for me and I am so lucky to have such a horse in my life.

What does life have in store for me now that my children are off and on their own? Dancing is but a 20 meter circle away!!!

Busy, Busy

Just some photo's

Spring has Sprung and building a new family

Now I remember why i don't blog, don't have time!

Sicker than a dog but bound and determined to have a great garden. Swallowing Peanut Butter toast dipped in Earl Grey tea since it's the only thing that can slide past my now touching tonsils.

Posted a peace picture on facebook so will post it here. Moon is finding her way into the herd.
Found out about this place:
Temple Nursery

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 591
Trumansburg, New York 14886 (United States)

Paper Catalog Cost: $3

Must remember to order the catalog! Doug fired up the garden for me, it rained so much last years, the horse weeds got taller than my horses! Love the brand new start I have and can't wait for the first tomato!

The hardest thing to do on a horse and in life is nothing at all!

March 7, 2011: Groundwork!

It continues to surprise me at the number of people who declare their horses “perfect” who have not taken the time to train despooking.

Moon and I spent the day on Sunday training her to go over poles and a little oxer. I really felt bad for the mare since it was very obvious again that she needs a good lesson on despooking. I plan to work on that this week since spook and spook is a bad combination. Her lunging lesson took the place of my lesson with Tammy this week but I did ride Amira. I am still trying to find the magic of keeping my body straight while leaning far enough into the left stirrup to get her to turn nicely. How to keep your body level but push down on the stirrup. I did try to keep my hands down below the front of my saddle but I am unsure if I succeeded. I really need to remember to take my video camera!

Lynnea came by and kicked our tails teaching yoga. Don’t know if it was the yoga or the riding/lunging but I was bone tired last night when I got home.

As fgor the petals part, the snow is finally starting to disappear from my gardens and I need to clean my room so I can start more seeds. I need another body with more energy I thinks!

First Ride on Moon and Lessons on Mira

Mira and Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJlv6BEBOlg
First Ride on Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJOZZRskhWY

Lesson Notes: Hands need to be down!
Courtney Lynn Dye [http://www.courtneykingdressage.com/] happened to have posted about this just after my lesson:

I always tell students to EXAGGERATE the opposite of their problems. For instance, if their hands are constantly too high, I don't just tell them to put their hands where they belong, but to put them too low, so the right amount becomes easy. This is why Lendon and I got on so well together. If she told my leg was too far forward, I'd put it back to the saddle pad, so the next time she'd have to tell me it was too far back. It was, and is, my goal to have the instructor tell me the OPPOSITE thing the second time, not the same thing again.
In other sports, for example golf, if you're consistently hitting the ball too far to the right, try to hit it too far to the left to make it go straight. Eventually hitting it straight will feel straight.

This week was all about my hands. I really struggled to maintain a gait on Moon while trying to turn her and then also keeping my hands solid. Moon's trot has a different cadence than Mira so think I will ask Tammy to ride her so I can pick out a song that will help me count the posting. All in all, lots of things to improve on but Moon very much took care of me throughout Oddball's bombastic fart that scared all the horses and my lack of rhythm and focus. What a girl she is!

I truly feel like part of the Tamarack family - Moon is listed here: http://www.tamarackstablesiowa.com/boarding.html#boarders

Speaking to Nick and Belinda right now to perhaps schedule a clinic at Tam's, have to run!

Forward!

Since my last post, I've been more involved in posting to Facebook, rescuing Es and Magic and following Indie's hooftprints to Dressage. Es has just now been taken over to Ginger and Dave, Magic is growing strong and to my great dismay, Indie has a structural defect in her stifle that will not allow her to canter. Her tendons on her stifle is just too lax and I refuse to let such a kind and wonderful mare be ridden with great pain. She will now become my best friend, trail buddy and my intro dressage mount. Mira is at Tammy's getting a tuneup in hopes of finding a little girl to ride and love her. Eddie is busy teaching Magic the ways of horsedom until Doug/Dustin has time to ride with me.

With the ownership of a new horse formerly named Mindy, now called Moon, my daughter's engagement and my Dressage goals, I've decided that documenting my progress will help record my forward progress in this next upcoming year.

Some visual treats:

Galloping Winds Photo shoot at my barn (please respect her copyrights):
http://www.gallopingwinds.com/gallery/portraits10/mindy/index.htm

Be Happy!

Mindy

Quiet Crystal Serenity

Kale is still a staple in my garden. It's there crisp, sweet and clean under the snow. Definitely worth sowing next year. Can't beat a plant that can feed you right through winter. Nothing is better than home grown potatoes, a bit of milk, home grown sausage and kale. Add a bit of hot pepper and you have Zuppa Toscana!



The snow is melting so everything is crystallized. It has it's own sense of quiet solitude and it takes just a bit more time for your eyes to see the beauty.





When colors are it's it's riotous splendor, would we notice the beauty of seeds?







Silent guardians of the northern winds, decked out in shining crystal just waiting
for some sun to be lit with fire.


A gate to next years garden, how many a gardener used you
to surround the bounty?




A reminder that a deary day is a good day to ponder the quiet beauty in all of us.

Finally warm enough to ride!

Doug's view on top of Eddie

Was a bit worried about icing in the fields but bit the bullet and got the horses ready for a short jaunt around the corn fields. Noticed that the ground was starting to thaw, rich black Iowa farm soil that makes it so easy to grow my gardens. Nothing better!

I wish that Doug had recorded Amira blowing at Kristy's cow. Her snort was heard by Indie and Es, a full field away and started them running and calling. It was fun to post to Mira's passage but it sure pointed out how much I need to firm up my core. All the layers had me looking as wide as Amira. I really want to get some lighter clothes to ride in. My favorite season to ride in is fall with winter coming in a close second. No bugs or flies to bother the horses :). LIfe is wonderful when lived on the back of a horse!
Mira being a beautiful arab

For the first 15 mins, it's always full contact with Mira since she just wants to go but after just a bit of a run, she's the best ride ever. First ride in almost 4 months so she was being perfect.


She can hear Indie being jealous across the field but she's nice and relaxed and was a dream of a mount for the rest of the ride. it's so nice to have horses you can ride any time without the thought of being hurt. I saw an ad on craiglist looking for a $200.00 horse I had to laugh at. hores like mine are priceless, not because of great breeding or tricks but because they are loving, safe and gorgeous ;).

Heat Wave - relatively speaking....

Iowa is due for 32 degree weather soon and while many are joyous, my worry hat is firmly settled on my head. Snow is my saving grace. It protects all my plants and with the warmup I am so afraid that I will lose the plant cover. It's always "exciting" to grow plants in Iowa.

I am looking online for the cheapest way to light up my basement. I want to google growing margiwana lol since they are the expert in inhouse growing but I'm hesitant lol.

Here are some picture of the Wisconsin tour Harshbargers took me on.

Janesville Rotary Gardens Wisconsin


Neglected Zebra Tall Bearded Kasperek, B 08


Coyote Ugly Tall Bearded Kasperek 07


Beneath My Wings Tall Bearded Meininger, L 05


Seedling BBB Tall Bearded Worel J 09

Sowing for Spring

Winter tends to be planning time for me so when I have any time on the computer that isn't work related, I am planning gardens.

I need to buy seeds for winter sowing and germination. Here in Iowa, I try not to winter sow until the last snowfall so the marginal winter sown seeds don't get froze out by the -30 temperatures.

Right now I am logged into the best gardening website www.davesgarden.com. Jill, critterologist is one of my favorite posters and her threads about seed snatching cracks me up. I thought "I" was crazy but some of these other ladies are truly my my idols lol. She has a link to http://wintersown.org/ so that's where I am. It's more fun to see what others have posted than posting mine so I will just add a link to my babies who leave warm hoofprints and compost all over my heart. Stay warm and be safe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8PBPcAiWNo

God bless and keep you!

My Virtual Garden

One of my friends from MGQ just told us that her husband has been tested for early onset Alzheimers. I first met her husband in Jasper Canada where he patiently waited while us giddy women planned out our trip for the day. Within our group of stitchers, a few men shine as part and parcel of who these wonderful women are. Bernie is one of those men who quietly supports their wives so well, we would not know and love the woman so well without also loving the man.
So this is for B and C. For the smile he gave me trying to flyfish in the coldest waters known to man. For C. who spend time every year making sure her quilt sisters receives and ornament. I hope that we will find a cure for this awful, progressive disease and I hope that C. and B. find many more years to build memories of a lifetime. All my love and prayers C.

Catching up on reading

12-18-09 Lotion Bars P Allen Smith Garden Home

Just received this in my email. Currently everything in my house is about color, color, color so articles and pictures in white really catches my fancy, at least until the stark grey and white of Iowa skies makes February a color saturation required month.
I love this idea and think it will be perfect for my holiday days off.
Posting the recipe here to make sure I can get back to it:
Gardener's Lotion Bar 3 ounces grated beeswax 3 ounces cocoa butter3 ounces shea butter3 ounces oil (olive, almond or jojoba)Essential oil for fragrance (optional)Rubber soap moldMelt the beeswax, cocoa butter and shea butter in a double boiler. Don't melt beeswax in the microwave. It will spark and possibly explode.Whisk in the oil.Add a few drops off essential oil for fragrance, if you'd like.Pour into a rubber or plastic soap molds. Set aside to harden overnight.Pop out the moisture bars and wrap in wax paper.
P. Allen Smith has many great ideas on his website. Recommended reading and viewing.

Promises of Spring

32 degrees brought some snow melt just in time to remind me of the pending spring. It takes a bit of faith to believe that there is golden sunshine and warm weather just around the corner from gray skies and lung chilling cold. I needed this brief melt to show me that a few catalogs and months away will be spring with all her glorious green.

Home Sweet Home

The shingles need replaced as well as the wiring. The wind rushes in like a freight train and snow drifts in from the surrounding fields. The rooms are not large nor fancy but now that I have a possibility to upgrade to another house, I find more and more thing I love about my home. The barns, although one side needs tinning, houses my horses secure and warm. The buildings provide promises of greenhouses to come. The dirt is rich, loamy and eagerly supports any ideas I throw at it. The dogs are safe and free to run about. The birds are starting to come back, eager to be fed. I feel safe within her walls and I find the thought of moving sad. I find that I have fallen in love with this place and loath to leaving it. I find myself filling the hours I spend alone planning the gardens. The other place will have to be spectacular for me to leave this happy place.