Christmas Day 2010

Ian and I invited our friends Marcia and Dan to join us for a sumptuous lunch on Christmas Day. Marcia drove from home in Hopkins and swung through Grandy to pick up Dan. They arrived an hour before we expected them, but being good family friends they tiptoed over the still wet kitchen floor and kept talking as I did the last bits of dusting.

Marcia, who graduated last weekend with her master's in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, is already an accomplished massage therapist, fab cook and master cookie/candy maker. She brought us an oval-shaped plate of sweet assortments. I look forward to eating the toffee every Christmas. This year she added 2 new recipes; Oreo truffles and an almond bark type of white chocolate delight that I passed on to her from a Facebook group I belong to:

Melt a package of white chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double boiler. Stir in about a cup of dried cranberries and about a cup of shelled pistachios. Spread on wax paper and chill. When hard break up into bite sized pieces and enjoy.

Both were delish!

Dan is a self-taught master gardener, who works his butt off in our many gardens during the warm weather. We spent some time thumbing through hobby farm and garden magazines talking about the raised beds, split cedar fencing and the many varieties of sunflowers we’ll work on in the spring.

Son Richard and I both worked nights; him 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the local casino, me 11 p.m. to 9 a.m. Christmas morning. Since I did not get home 'til 9:30 and Richard was fast asleep, Ian had the lunch menu planned and ready to go; smoked ham, a whole roasted chicken, cheesy mashed potatoes, gravy, fresh green beans in portabella mushroom cream sauce and a bagged green salad that I adore from Costco. Truth be told, while I do have the odd Martha Stewart inspired moments, Ian is the better cook. I had contemplated making a pumpkin pie, but there was no space to enjoy it, so it was voted down. That fact alone should attest to how full we were.

We talked, laughed, ate, drank, then cleared dishes and started the dishwasher's first load. Our dogs got to lick clean pots and pans. I had set aside leftovers for Dan that were clearly too near the floor and our 15-year-old poodle, Tucker, decided he'd help himself to a bit of Christmas cheer until he was busted. Thankfully, we salvaged both the leftovers, which were rewrapped, and Tucker's age-sensitive stomach.

It was just shy of 3 p.m. when the 'must sleep' wave washed over me and we said our good-byes. It was a nice day, well spent. Merry Christmas and God bless.

E-I-E-I-O

Happy December

This year, winter's first official day is December 21, also known as the Winter Solstice. To me, the days feel noticeably shorter since the ends of Daylights Savings Time at the beginning of November; we do chores in the dark and try to squeeze in all other outings during the sliver of remaining daylights hours that are not already reserved for work. Once home, I am not wont to bundle up, warm up the car and go wherever, as few things hold that great appeal. We have already felt winter's bite with temps in the teens and below-zero ranges, usually reserved for January and February. Record snowfall and vicious winds deflated the Minneapolis Metrodome roof and generally wreaked havoc across the State. Our farm is a good 90-minute drive north of the Twin Cities and while we too had snow, wind and cold temps, we were not buried like our friends to the south. There is plenty winter left between now and the March 20 Vernal Equinox and w'’ll make the best of it.

























All of the farm animals are well. The horses have their deep, furry coats. Here is an excerpt from an online article on winter horse care:

The horse’s winter coat is a horse's first defense from the cold. When allowed to grow, a horse's natural hair coat acts as a very effective thermal blanket, it increases both in length and density as the days grow shorter. A horse’s winter coat is also naturally greasy, which helps it repel snow, ice, and sleet. A heavy winter hair coat a tremendous insulator and provides as much warmth as the best blankets. Horses that are to be maintained outside should be allowed to grow a long hair coat, plus the hair within the ears and around the fetlocks should not be clipped throughout the winter months. Horses have the ability to fluff out their coats in cold weather, thereby trapping a layer of air in the coat which provides them an insulating layer. Once the hair coat becomes wet, the hair lies down and loses its insulating ability.

Our grey cat Zeus marks the change of season with a transition from barn to house cat. Usually, our orange tabby Tiger is our only inside feline, but Zeus presented his face at the second story office window in early November to let me know it was time again to make him welcome. I'm always glad that he remembers his cat box skills from season to season. The chickens, geese and dogs are also well.

Last year, I began volunteering as co-editor for the Minnesota Arabian Horse Association newsletter. I really enjoy this type of thing, I like the opportunities to give back and this is a core principle for this club. In 2011, I will be its sole newsletter editor and for good measure, I lobbied to be the MAHA webmaster too. These are skills I have in abundance and it's another opportunity to give back, learn more about the Arabian horse industry and network; win-win.

In September, I chose to take a part-time paid position with Volunteers of America of Minnesota. I began working 10 hours a week as a direct support person working with VOA clients in our local community. In October, even though I was not particularly looking for more hours, fate intervened, and I was offered a full-time position working the graveyard shift in one of VOA's residential houses in the neighboring Mora, from 11 p.m. to 9 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Ian and I decided as a couple we could do this (he continues to work weekdays 9-5) and I accepted the position, which began the first week of December. I manage the night hours alone and awake. I like the quiet of the overnight hours and the fun of making the four residents breakfast and getting their day off to a happy start. The transition between sleeping nights and days has not been a problem, which makes this all easier. Sundays do feel like a long day because when I come home at 9:30 a.m., I try my best only to catnap so I can switch back to sleeping nights. So far, so good. With Christmas and New Year's Days falling on the weekends, I will be working, sleeping and celebrating quietly when home.

E-I-E-I-O

My Arabian Horse Show Bucket List

Looking back on a magical show season, it's fun to think about the 2011 season and musing about shows I would love to attend – a bucket list of sorts. To read more about each show listed, just click on its highlighted name.

I realize that the World Equestrian Games (WEG) were just held in Lexington, Kentucky, but with Renoir showing at the national level there was just no way to fit it in, so for that reason the WEG gets on the list. The next WEG will be in Normandy, France in 2014.



Salon du Cheval
Paris, France
December 4-13, 2010

Paris, horses, just weeks before Christmas! Need I say more?

World Equestrian Festival
Aachen
July 8-17, 2011
Geographically, Aachen is Germany's westernmost city, located along its borders with Belgium and The Netherlands. On the face of it, to me, this looks to be a lot like the WEG. Germany has so many fabulous horse barns and I am sure I would enjoy losing myself just touring them.



Arabian Breeders World Cup
Las Vegas, NV at the South Point Hotel & Casino
April 14-17, 2011, in its 5th year.

I'm told this show is the closest we've got stateside to the Salon du Cheval in Paris. I would love to combine a trip to this show with tickets to see Celine Dion again at Caesar's Palace.

Menton Arabian Horse Show
In France's Alpes-Martimes department, on the French Riviera Mediterranean, Menton is near the Italian border and hosts this show annually in mid June.

Arabian Horses Rendez-Vous
Monte Carlo, Monaco
May 7-8, 2011

I don't know much about this show other than what's written on its website. Ever the Francophile, I am lured by the equine/venue combination.



Pride of Poland
Warsaw, Poland
August 2011
If I could give up going to Canadian Nationals I would love to put together an Eastern European holiday with this show as the trip's centerpiece.

Counted among my current all time favorites is the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. Technically, since I've been twice and shown there once this isn't a true Bucket List candidate, but I would like to make it a perennial trip so I'm adding it. Scottsdale is so much fun with such beautiful animals, plenty variety in classes, an abundance of shopping, lots of local farms to visit, several of my social networking friends make the pilgrimage, plus there is usually plenty of warm and sunshine, which for this Minnesotan is a much needed mid-winter balm.



Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show
Scottsdale, Arizona at Westworld
Feb 17-27, 2011, in its 56th year

No doubt, there are other great horse shows, and I am open to suggestions, but these are the ones I know about and dream of attending as a spectator or exhibitor.

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More photos from Renoir's classes in Tulsa

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Happy 55

Ian is always full of surprises. He surprised me with a dozen red roses, jewelry and a chocolate cake topped with two numeral 5 candles. November fifth is also our wedding anniversary - our eighth.

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Sharing the fun!

Today, Richard and I went to visit Mom at the Vet's Home and brought along Renoir's National Championship trophy and rose garland. She was thrilled to hear about our success at the Arabian Horse Championship Show in Tulsa, Oklahoma last week.

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Your 2010 US National Champion: Legacys Renoir!

Yes, he did! Renoir won the National Championship title with Ian in the Arabian Stallion Breeding class AAOTH on Friday morning, October 29. First, they were awarded a Top 10 honor, which in itself is huge, as it is a national title. Then, as I was at the rail, grinning at Ian and having watched the Reserve Champion being photographed, I heard the announcer say, "And your 2010 U.S. National Champion Arabian Stallion in this amateur owner to handle class is number 1637, Legacys Renoir ...." well I didn't hear the rest because I was screaming! The rest is a blur - I remember being guided to the arena floor and kissing Renoir and then Ian as we posed for pictures! LOL

The next afternoon Renoir showed again, this time with professional handler John Diedrich in the wildly competitive Arabian Senior Stallion Breeding 6 years & Older Open class and was award a US Top 10 ribbon; another national title!

During our stay at the show, we stalled with other amateur-status (as in we don't do this for a living) Arabian enthusiasts from a group called The Ammy Army; hence the camouflage curtains. It was fun to meet other horse lovers from across the country and for all of us to do well at the show.

Renoir is now in training with Tom Theisen at Conway Arabians and residing in Chatfield, Minnesota.

We left Tulsa at 4 a.m. on Halloween morning and arrived home at 10 p.m. after 800+ miles.

Photos and more show details coming soon.


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Tulsa!

Our journey to show at this year's US National Arabian and Half Arabian Championship Horse Show began with Ian picking up Renoir from Lonesome Dove Training Center (LDTC) on Friday afternoon, October 22. Since LDTC is 2+ hours to our northwest in Pequot Lakes, we decided to bring Renoir closer to home so we could cut some travel time hours. Renoir was a guest at Wildflower Farm in Pine City, where our other stallion, Goldmount Royal Design, lives. On Sunday, we spent the afternoon with Wildflower Farm owners Cathy & Jim giving Renoir the perfect show clip and bath. There are so many tricks and tips to learn to showcase Renoir's finest Arabian features. Finished, we swaddled him in a stable blanket to dry and rest.

Wet, and smelling like bubble bath, Ian and I returned home to finish packing the trailer and eat dinner with Richard, who is now living with us, working at the local casino and caretaking the menagerie while we're gone.

We returned to Wildflower Farm at 8 p.m., loaded Renoir and began our trek south. We traveled I-35 south through Des Moines, Iowa, on to Kansas City, Missouri, where we took I-435 toward Joplin, then I-44 into Oklahoma and Tulsa. After 700-some miles, we arrived at 2 p.m. Monday afternoon. We stopped in the wee hours at a roadside rest to sleep and for breakfast at the Waffle House outside Kansas City. Renoir travels so well. I, on the other hand, arrived achy, not having found the best position for sleep in the back seat of the Ford F-150. It was wonderful to find Tulsa bathed in sunshine and 80 degrees, after leaving home in rainy 50s.

Population-wise, Tulsa is the second largest city in Oklahoma and the 47th largest in the US. It is located in the northeastern quadrant of a vast state and, according to Wikipedia, is near the heart of Tornado Alley Luckily, October is well past tornado season.

US Nationals is being held at a huge facility, Expo Square. We were too road weary to have a good look around and I don’t know the stats regarding how many horses and people are estimated to be here, but it’s quite the venue! It was easy to find Renoir’s stall and our hotel, which is also located on the Expo Square grounds. What was really fun was to have our aisle neighbors so excited to see Renoir and ask to have photos with him – just like a rock star!

More later.

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Goldmount Royal Design babies!

These beautiful Half Arabians not only have the same American Saddlebred palomino sire in common, they are also all for sale!

GV Man Of Mystery












Mmonroe

GV Suite Dreams
AMF Royals Gold Tango



















GV James Blond











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Dali & Terry

I have known Dali and Terry since the fall of 1973 when we three met at Moby Dick's 'whale of a drink' bar at 620 Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. We've stayed in virtual touch through the years, but the last time we met was at a small brasserie for wine and pizza near Gare Montparnasse when I lived in Paris' 14th arrondissement.






The two were in Minnesota for a visit, they currently live in Nevada. It was lovely to introduce them to Ian. We met for dinner with another couple at Travail Restaurant & Amusements in Robbinsdale, where the food, wine and service were delightful. It's not often Ian and I rendezvous for purely social gatherings away from the farm, but this was SO worth it. Love you two!



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The Great Minnesota Get Together

Ian and I went to the fair on Sunday, September 5. We had great weather and pretty much covered the place. The best thing we ate was bacon on a stick and we love our Nitro ice cream. We had a quick rendezvous with the Talisman family too. It was fun and something I savor at summer's end.

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Oh Canada!

Obviously I do not have the drive and discipline of other bloggers. I let all of September slip away without even as much as an update from Canadian Nationals in Regina, Saskatchewan in mid August! Shame! A lot has gone on and I will attempt to catch you up in a series of posts.

Click HERE to watch Renoir's stallion promotion video showcasing our new Auld Macdonald Farm logo. Visit the Auld Macdonald Farm website too.


The 53rd Annual Canadian Nationals Arabian & Half Arabian
Championship Horse Show
August 16-21, Evraz Place, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
First, I must give a plug to professional barn helper, groom and farm sitter, Katie Heetland, who stayed at the farm and took care of all the animals while we traveled to Canada. She did a stellar job. If you ever need a farm sitter you can find her on Facebook or get in touch with me and I’ll put you in touch.

On Saturday, August 14, we began our trek north. We picked up Renoir from Lonesome Dove Training Center (LDTC) in Pequot Lakes around 7 p.m. and headed north on 371, then west on 2 to Rugby, where we pulled into a rest stop around 2:30 a.m. for some shut eye. Dawn welcomed us to a very flat prairie stretching all in directions. We rolled into Minot at 6:30 a.m., spotted a McDonald's, so we got off the highway. There were some cars in the lot and its lights were on inside and out. So, it’s open, right? We walked to the door and found it locked. There were no hours posted in the glass and when I beckoned the uniformed McDonald's staffer milling about inside asking in my brand of sign language (fingertip pointing to my imaginary wristwatch) as to when they opened, I swear, he looked at me, shrugged and walked away! We waited in the truck for about 30 minutes, watching as others had a similar experience at the door and drive thru and not seeing any other open eating alternatives, we gave up.

Near Kenmare, North Dakota, about 20 miles south of the Portal border crossing, we saw the aftermath of its killer tornado that had passed through the previous Thursday. Click HERE for photos.

We arrived at the border just before 9 a.m. to find the Canadian Immigration Officers were just arriving for duty. That's right, it is not staffed 24/7, and if we had gotten there earlier we would have sat – not ideal when hauling a horse. By happenstance I'm sure, all of the immigration officers were blonde, blue eyed, very fit looking women in navy blue uniforms packing huge side arms. I remember wondering why they didn't list to one side from carrying such weight. When our horse and human paperwork was all checked and stamped, we rolled through and breakfasted at Canadian franchise coffee shop, Tim Hortons, known for its coffee and donuts. Sated, we drove another three hours, arriving Regina at 1 p.m. learning that somewhere along the line we crossed into Mountain Time and lost an hour.

Exhausted, we easily found Evraz Place, which is normally a hockey venue, where we off loaded Renoir into his stall in the Canada Central East building. After watching him roll in the fresh shavings, drink and begin nibbling on his hay, we drove the 10 minutes to downtown Regina and checked in at the Ramada Inn.

Regina refers to itself as the oasis of the prairie and I couldn’t agree more. It is a delightful city with its Wascana Lake, sparkling Casino Regina and mature-treed neighborhoods. It is the second largest city in the province (after Saskatoon) and it is the seat of provincial government.

Before leaving home I called our cell phone provider and added a week's worth of international calling time on our plan. I did not want to be hit with international toll tariffs for calls or texts made and received. In fact, I wanted to be able to freely contact folks with updates and the extra $65 for both cells was well worth it.

We were stalled with folks we hadn't met before, but we had the show in common and it turned out to be a fun, talkative group. There was owner/rider Sarah Ingram of Alberta, Canada with her gelding PA Sebastion, who became the two-time 2010 Canadian Nationals Champion in the Open and ATR Jumper classes. Ohio's Alexandra Ramage was our neighbor with her Sport Horse champion stallion Masterpiece PA++++//. She was also accompanied by her Vizla. I’d only seen these chestnut-colored hunting dogs when watching the Westminster Dog Show. This was a nice boy. Septuagenarian Roger Odegard rounded out our end of the aisle and kept us all laughing with his ever-present smile and well-told trainer stories.

Ian and I just love taking care of Renoir. We got to do all the day-to-day stuff; feeding, watering, mucking his stall, bathing, grooming, lunging, petting, loving, kissing. He's a very well behaved boy.

Renoir and Ian showed together in the AAOTH class on Tuesday afternoon. The two did well and came in 4th place, just out of the Top Ten ribbons. I guess I should explain that at the national shows Top Ten ribbons are awarded to 50% of the class versus giving out ribbons to the first 10 places. Renoir's AAOTH class with Ian had six entries, so ribbons only went to the first three places. LDTC's Erik Haff showed Renoir in the Open Stallion Breeding class on Saturday evening and, while we thought they did well, the judges placed the pair in last place (9 of 9). Ouch. I've said before that horse shows are our business meetings. We came prepared but we didn't accomplish what we wanted to. The fault lies with us (humans) and armed with the judging score cards we took the time to look at our performances objectively.

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) rulebook states in part that "[Arabian] Stallions especially should have an abundance of natural vitality, animation, spirit, suppleness and balance." Looking at the posted judging cards Renoir's lowest numbers on his individual score sheet were in two categories, Movement and Substance at the Walk. The class scores were very close, with only single digits between a Top Ten ribbon and nothing at all. Basically, my take is that Renoir lacked the 'vitality' and 'animation' that the judges are expecting in a breeding stallion class. In short, he was too calm and well behaved. To improve his numbers and thus his overall placement in Tulsa at US Nationals we will have to show him with much more pep in his step. I'm confident we can do just that. Heaven knows he has it in him; we just need to ask Renoir to turn it on.

We decided to begin heading home on Saturday evening when classes finished. We had packed up our Ford F-150 and the two-horse trailer earlier that day. We got Renoir loaded and headed out around 10:30 p.m. Ian is the driver. He likes to drive and I like to read or sleep. I climbed into the back seat and snoozed until the border, only becoming momentarily semiconscious when I needed to show my passport and Renoir's stamped papers from his entry into Canada. Passing inspection, I drifted off again and stirred briefly when Ian eased off onto the Rugby roadside rest again. We rolled into LDTC around Sunday lunch, offloaded Renoir and headed home.

Being at the Royal Red Show for the first time was thrilling and I would love to go again. It's always fun to be around high caliber animals and to meet other Arabian horse enthusiasts from all parts of North America. Now we're focused on Tulsa and US Nationals.

E-I-E-I-O

Happy, Hot August!

Mother dear
The final days of July brought some unexpected twists and turns. Mom and I went to a scheduled visit with her orthopedic surgeon on July 26, to decide what the options were regarding her right hip implant which painfully dislocated on July 19, requiring an overnight hospital stay and a hip brace. During the appointment, the surgeon discovered that it had dislocated again even with the stabilizing brace, which really narrowed Mom’s options. She was admitted that morning and had surgery to replace the failed ball-n-socket unit two days later. This is the third such operation on this hip. Mom is truly bionic; both hips, both knees. Her surgery went well and she was recently moved from the surgical wing to the transitional therapy wing. Her release is scheduled for August 13, when she can return to her room at the Veterans Home.

Once Mom regains her physical strength and stamina we will bring her to the farm for a visit. We’re having our front porch steps replaced and a wheelchair ramp built in the garage to accommodate her needs. I suspect Mom won’t be physically ready for a visit until September, so I’ve got time to locate a second-hand hospital bed and lift chair to place in our dining room that we are converting to an apartment-like room for her.

Photos and a fond farewell
In mid July we bid farewell to Darrah, sending her with our best wishes and recommendations back to the Cities, as she looks ahead to community college and for a job she loves.

Arizona-based photographer, Christina Rousseau, took the most fabulous photos of our stallion Legacy’s Renoir and his 2008 & 2009 foals. I have posted some examples. Christina’s eye also caught the golden beauty of AMF Royals Gold Tango, sired by our Saddlebred stallion, Goldmount Royal Design (“Roy”).



























Speaking of Roy, he now lives in Pine City at Wildflower Farm. We are very pleased to have him within 10 minutes drive of our farm.










Furry, fuzzy, fencing, felicidades
Lab puppies Josephine and Cleopatra are now 13 weeks old. They are growing like weeds and are at such a fun stage in life. They are out during the day and share a kennel in the house at night. There are two kennels side-by-side, but they prefer to snuggle together in one.




















One of our three Blue Laced Red Wynadotte hens hatched nine chicks. The hens, chicks and the Black Sex Link rooster are in a fenced area that surrounds the coop. The two Blue Laced Red Wynadotte roosters, Bullwinkle and Rocky, still roam free range. Clearly, they are the most vocal roosters I have ever met!


Ian spent many a July weekend and evening getting two large pasture areas fenced; one for our mares, the other for stud colts and geldings. Of course the horses love being on grass. We have another three-acre pasture to fence, as well as the ¼ mile to close off our north property line. Richard is helping us complete various projects. Before the snow flies we will build run-in shelters in the new pasture areas, install more automatic watering systems (we love our Ritchie), and get the barn organized for another winter.

Dear Mum-in-law
Ian’s mother, Ellen, turns 80 on the 17th. Daughter Jean is hosting a big get together at her B&B in France. We won’t be making the trip, but we send our felicidades, love and best wishes.








Canadian Nationals
August 16-21, Ian and I will be in Regina, Saskatchewan with Renoir attending the Canadian National Arabian & Half Arabian Championship Horse Show! Renoir made this trip as a futurity colt (and won a national Top 10 title), but this is a first for us! Regina is a 14+ hour drive. I’ve never been to the Canadian Great Plains and am looking forward to it.

Ian and I really enjoy horse shows, which we attend as business meetings with our Arabian horse enthusiast competitors; we have an overall plan, our own agenda to follow and goals to accomplish.

The Great Minnesota Get Together
Even though there are plenty of warm summer days left -- the autumnal equinox isn’t until September 23 -- here in Minnesota our State Fair tends to mark the end of summer. It runs from Thursday, August 26 through our Labor Day Monday, September 6, and most children end their summer break on Tuesday the 7th. I love to go to the Fair and we usually make a day of it. I enjoy my annual corn dogs and roasted corn.

Our 2011 Foals
We have four mares in foal; Mona (MAF Last Dance) to Goldmount Royal Design for another Half Arabian, Amber’s Mayday to Famous Echo SCA for a purebred Saddlebred pinto, and purebred Arabians from Inno (Not That Innocent) to Renoir and Addie (Adieu NR) to Conway Arabians’ Noble Way. Two mares are due in April and two are due in May.



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Happy July!

June just whisked by with Alex’s visit, horse shows and photo shoots. It was a very wet month here in Minnesota. While we needed the rain throughout the state, June’s rainfall amounts were record breaking. We are quite soggy and muddy, but are looking ahead to a sunny/warm July. For us, one of the biggest impact is that farmers have not been able to get into their hay fields to cut the first crop or if they did cut on the rare sunny day in June, it rained on the cut rows of hay before it could be raked, dried and baled. We are in the midst of fencing two pastures and need hay to feed until the high tensile wire is strung. We are closer to being done than not, but having some round bales on hand to feed is always a plus.

Twenty-year-old Darrah has been working with us since mid-May. She is a fine rider, groom and overall barn manager. Darrah and her Golden Doodle Lola reside in our second bedroom. Last weekend we went to a local WSCA pleasure show in Braham where Darrah rode 4-year old purebred Arabian mare, WF Lotta Trouble (“Bell”), in two classes. Surrounded by Quarter Horses, Bell was certainly the odd horse out, but she and Darrah did well together and met our purpose, which was to see how she performed at a show. They took 4th and 5th place ribbons and a fun day was had by all.

We added two female 7-week old black labs to the AMF menagerie; Josephine and Cleopatra. They are very cute and have been accepted by the other canines, especially Lady, who has needed doggie playmate. When we met the litter of 11 I couldn't see taking just one puppy - that's too much work. These two occupy each other's time and that works for me.

Mid-month, we spent two days working with professional photographer Christina Rousseau to get equine photographs of the 2008 and 2009 youngsters. Legacy’s Renoir also had new photos taken. He has matured very nicely since his last professional photos were done in 2007 and looks quite different - more grown up. The final choices will be used in marketing efforts to promote the stallion for breeding and his babies for sale.

Saturday, July 3rd is my mother’s 86th birthday. Ian and I are taking her to lunch. We are also going to convert our dining room into a studio-like apartment for her. I would like her to be able to visit us more often and be able to stay overnight for a few days in a row if she chooses. Mom gets very good care at the Vet’s Home and participates in many activities, but she has not made any true friend connections and this leaves her feeling quite lonely. I think Mom being able to come here to visit in a comfy and safe environment will do a lot to lift her spirits. I’m searching Craig’s List for a used hospital bed, a mechanical lift chair, a dresser and other furniture odds and ends. It will be fun to have Mom visit us again.

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Alexandra visits the farm

Ian's daughter visited from May 26-June 17. Alex recently graduated from culinary school on Prince Edwards Island (see Spring comes to Wildwood Road). We had a very relaxing three weeks together; Alex rode, read and rested. She prepared some wonderful meals and was, as always, the perfect house guest. She now calls Montreal home where she lives with her high school sweetheart. Now, Alex begins her work search in earnest and the settling in to life’s rhythm. We love her, miss her and wish her only good things.

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