2017 review

So 2017 has come and gone, and it was a year.
A year of joy and tears and growth.
I didn't blog much ,and I have come to grips with the fact that at  2017 was not a year for me to be writing, at least not on the blog. But I am not giving up.I had a pretty big bobble in my spirits with the loss of my beloved johnny Handsome  this year. But life is a constant circle. Because before that heartbreaking loss came a time of great joy, that carried through and continues to bring this family smiles of wonder and pure joy with the birth of my great niece  Birdie Patricia!And let me tell you, through all of this year she has lit up our world!

 I got a new mare this year,from a fellow breeder, Jenny's Spirit Hawk. She is bred to Phoenix for a 2018 foal! 

Speaking of foals, on May 02 (my birthday at 12:05 am  "Imagine That" daughter to FV Sparks image was born. Not my horse but in my care for her arrival, kind of a grand foal, since her Dam is Maggie ,a mare I raised here.

Oh yeah, my birthday...

I turned 50! and had not one but 2 birthday parties! 

Then another visit with Birdie for Mothers day , or Aunties day depending on your perspective! 

HAd a guest here on the farm for a while , Eurus the Quiet Giant came to stay for a few months 

I was blessed to attend a special wedding, Katie and Mark, Katie is the daughter of a dear friend ,and as honorary Auntie I wouldn't have missed it ! 

We have come a long way together Katie and I , from ponying her and sister Amy on their little Rio, and I on the "solar powered" Boomer! 

The boys continue to be ,just who they are and the rest of the critters seems to be doing well

Happy New Year Everyone! As always  stay safe! 

Hopefully a new post soon. I can tell you my plans for my next 50 yrs! 

Christmas plans

It’s a few days yet till Christmas Eve, but here is my plan;
As you close your eyes on Christmas Eve 
What do you wish 
What do you 
believe 
Do you pray for the
little ones
That they be safe wrapped in love
Or for help to the lost ones
from angels above
Dream of peace in this world of darkness and war
Or that very first Christmas that promised us more
The creatures, the shepherds, the magi came from afar.
To honour the miracle under that
holy star
On this Christmas Eve as the darkness descends
I’ll pray for each of my family and friends
I’ll pray for the wanderers, the lost, and alone.
I’ll pray that those souls find comfort and home.
I’ll pray for the little ones for their world is brand new.
And I’ll wish all Merry Christmas
Yes that’s what I’ll do

Picture this

Because I seem to be the absentee blogger these days. There are a LOT of photos that I have taken and not shared  over the summer. Having just completed the 2018 Fern Valley Calendar, I decided to share some of the pictures here. I have done something a little different with the calendars this year, adding some thoughts/ quotes  to each page. What my nephew Robert calls "Auntie Sherryisms"

Over the next few posts I will share some of the pictures and thoughts from the summer.

Just  a few t get started, lots more to come! 

as always, stay safe! 

International Girls day

Not a horse or farm post. In light of today being international day of the girl I thought I would share this

"For the girls " 
Who is this woman?
Who is this girl? 
She's somebody's daughter,
she's somebody's world.
She is meek she is fierce. 
She shy she is bold. 
A she wolf or angel 
She is young
She is old 
She's not just her looks
or the hue of her skin 
she is,
special,
for magic, 
comes from within.
Who is that woman 
Who is that girl 
She's somebody's daughter 
She's somebody's world.

So for all of the girls! Mothers daughters , sisters friends! 

Its your day! 

Stay safe 

Giving Thanks

It’s been a pretty tough week for many,

And catastrophic for others.

As we in Canada go into our thanksgiving weekend, it might be a little hard to see the rainbows in this world. We are daily deluged with images of the evil that mankind is capable of.

We are also offered images, if we look past the horrors, of kindness, grace, joy, love and faith.

Of babies, and heroes, of nature and beauty.

If we take the time to look…

I was asked the other day if I watched the game on TV?

 Nope, I was outside watching the moon rise and the stars dance.

I committed early this week to a daily thankfulness “what went right” ritual. I have not posted actual statements, but I have tried to share some of the beauty that surrounds me.

Going forward into the weekend, I am thankful, thankful for the beautiful area I lie, the eyes to see it, and heart to feel it.

The family I will see, and those I will think of on this weekend.

The heritage recipes that my mom, and grandmothers, and friends have taught me as I prepare the dinner for many of my loved ones.

That my grandma Horricks taught my sister heather to make the world’s most wonderful pastry, so that she can bring her amazing pumpkin pie, and that while I am blessed to have my very own “Kitchen MacGyver” as a sister, I will likely never have to subject folks to my pastry making skills!

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian family and friends. 

And to all of my family and friends, stay safe! You are my blessings 

Trying to come back

I have been away from the blog all summer. Well not really, I popped on from time to time to read others and every time I opened the blog, there was Johnny as a Header shot and , It simply did me in. I thought about closing the blog. Then I thought ,I would just take some time. On some good advice I changed the header picture. And then I just decided to be patient with myself. I don't know if I will ever get back to writing as prolifically as I did on the blog in the past , but for now I feel ready to come back and try.

Oddly this first post will be again a memorial of sorts. But it is what it is. I was checking horses one morning last week and came upon a beautiful sunrise. I was moved by it to write this poem.

On a cool autumn morning

Just past the dawn

With the sun breaking through

And the mist not yet gone

I open my eyes

To start of day

The webs of the night

Still fading away

In my wondering eyes

Now comes into view

The magical creatures

And loves that I knew

A glimpse, for a flash

And then they are gone

Yet to me it is proof

That the love does live on

In that magical time

At the breaking of day

They visit with me

But are not meant to stay

A fleeting gift

Not one to hold on

Just food for my soul,

and heart to stay strong 

SO there we go. A new post and a new beginning. Lots to talk about from the summer, and hopefully I will do just that. 

For those who are still checking in and following me, thank you. I have missed this community ! 

Stay safe my friends

I'll be seeing you RIP Johnny Handsome

I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places

That this heart of mine

Embraces all day through

I'll be seeing you

In every lovely summer's day

In everything that's light and gay

I'll always think of you that way

I'll find you in the morning sun

And when the night is new

I'll be looking at the moon

But I'll be seeing you

Sad news today, I have been away from blogging some time, and this is a hard one to come back with 

but it is what it is .

Those who have followed Johnny know he was quite sick last year with a flare up of COPD. With a LOT of TLC he rallied and has been managed adequately for the last year. He was holding weight and his breathing was fair to good. In full retirement he was enjoying the green grass and playing some even loped up for his supplements from time to time. SO much so I felt safe putting Ritchie and Stryker in with him today. The usual meet and greet occurred then off they went up the hill. 

I went up to check not 60 seconds after they left and found he had died . No struggle or strain appears to have simply dropped. 

My heart is shattered with this loss. Johnny like all of my horses was much loved,but he was special.

I promised that little crooked colt the day he was born that if he straightened up and came sound he could stay with me as long as he wanted. And he did.

I guess I should have said as long as I wanted...

but then I wanted forever.

Goodbye my old friend, until we meet again, I'll be seeing you

I have a grand foal! lol

Its been a while again, but with all the mud, calving and life I am just now catching up.
Starting with the most recent first, Early Tuesday morning, on my fiftieth birthday of all times I was blessed to witness another kind of birthday!
FV Sparks Image (Maggie) a foal I raised and then sold , returned to me for her pregnancy last summer. I no longer own her but have been tasked with her care for this time.
And the news is...
Its a girl!

Beyond that life is going along smoothly enough. Finally the snow seems to have abated and we are looking at spring! I hope!

I had a lovely birthday full of love and joy

The cows are not quite done calving but we are getting there. And the boys, Skeeter and Henry, are loving the mud! LOL, not so much loving the ensuing bath times 

Henry has had a couple " play dates" the neighbor dog, and his friend Sadie (my niece's pup)

That's it for now , stay safe everyone! I will try to come back and update soon! 

Off to see what everyone else is up to