Breaking Ice with Rosemary

      Good Evening,

     "Is it real?" a customer asks, a mixture of curiosity and squeamishness etched in her expression.  A large lizard lounges leisurely on the table that the patron is approaching.  

     "This is Rosemary.  Would you like to pet her?  She is very friendly," I offer using a well rehearsed reply.

     "Does she bite?"

     "No," I reassure.  "She is quite used to people and loves to be scratched right here behind her ears."

     "Ears!  Where are her ears?"

     "On either side of her head," I respond pointing to the holes behind her eyes that are covered with a tissue paper-like membrane.  Next, I scratch the lizard's head so that she stretches her torso upward and closes her eyes.  The customer prepares to touch Rosemary with a tentative finger, still not quite sure it's a good idea.  

      My iguana seems unfazed in unfamiliar surroundings here at the Adirondack Reader, a quaint and cozy bookstore in downtown Inlet.  Her "Mona Lisa" smile reveals little of her opinion about being away from home today, but her easy going temperament lets me know that she isn't stressed at all.  

     I have brought Rosemary to my first book signing since the launch of Finding My Way to Moose River Farm at my home the week before.  We are set up at a table where several copies of my book are displayed.  The bookstore is a welcoming oasis from the rainy drizzle that forces Labor Day tourists to seek shelter, a cup of gourmet coffee, and perhaps a good Adirondack read.  Store owner, Reggie Chambers, directs patrons, particularly children, to the table where Rosemary waits on a bath towel in front of small stacks of my book.  

     I have brought her as evidence that the characters in my book are real.  Although many of the animals have passed away, Rosemary represents one of the oldest and presently, our longest residing family member.  She has survived several large clutches of eggs, extreme temperature fluctuations, and the loss and regeneration of her tail.  

      "She feels like a beaded belt," the customer reports after touching the lizard, bravely.  Her hand now relaxes as she permits all of her fingers to caress Rosemary's head.  The tight expression on the customer's face is replaced with a smile.  She begins to identify with the iguana as a fellow living being.  

     "What does she eat?"

     "Leafy vegetables, grapes, zucchini, cucumbers and tofu.  This morning she had a scrambled egg."

     "How old is she?"

     "I have had her 19 years so she is about 20."

     "What do you keep her in?"

     "She roams around our house freely, but has a heated cabinet she can climb into to get warm."

     "Where does she go to the bathroom?"

     "On my kitchen floor once a day or every other day."

     "She is so interesting."

     "Yes, she is, thank you." 

     Mission accomplished!

Book singing with Rosemary is a great pleasure!

After a long day, we all snooze on the couch.  Our Dachshund Huxley is the 'lump' under Rosemary.  Hayden is behind my right leg.  Nina, (left) and Niles hover above.  

Squeezing the Last Drops Out of Summer

     Good Morning,
     Summer vacation has run out although I am still trying to squeeze the last few drops of it in these remaining hours.  So much has been accomplished over the last 10 weeks despite sticky hot weather, biting insects and a shortage of lesson horses in the barn.  On the first day of vacation we welcomed Gatsby, a handsome Quarter horse gelding recovering from a tendon injury.  He has made great progress since his arrival.  This week he is back in light work that includes lots of walking on trails.  
     All of the MRF riders have progressed this summer bridging the gap between learning to ride and learning to train.  It is a marvelous transformation to witness and one that both horses and riders benefit from.  Keep up the good work ladies! 
     This last week has flown by from one activity to the next leaving little time for my mind to transition back to that of a school teacher.  Today, however, I find myself making lists that will help prepare for the arrival of my new fifth graders.  I am excited to begin the process that will send them up to middle school 180 instructional days from now.  And I welcome the challenge despite state test scores, common core curriculum, and teacher evaluations.  As my school teacher life resumes in the coming days, I will keep the special summer memories close by for comfort.  Then I will fill up the next 10 months with discovery, enlightenment, and fun, until the last drop signifies that it is summer once again.  Happy New Year to all of us going back to school! 

Welcome Gatsby.

After weeks of rest and rehabilitation Gatsby is back under saddle. Rider; Meg Marcone

After a long and successful day of signing books, I spent an evening by the fireplace with my friend Mary Anne.

Alex stands in front of the quilt, (far left), that her grandmother made for her dad; displayed this week at the NYS Fair.

I want an alpaca or llama....next!

Cute zebra face....reminds me of my donks.

Katherine and Alex wait in line...

...then brave the rides!

The next night we played Horseopoly with other MRF family members.  Apparently, Hayden is an alien?  Why am I not surprised?

  

Available Now!

     Good Morning,
     The last several weeks have been a flurry of activity as the final phase that completed the publication of my book fell into place.  Holding the book in my hands, I am humbled by its very existence.  Between the front and back covers, over 250 pages chronicle my life with animals from childhood all the way through the first presentation of Hoofbeats in the Adirondacks. 
      Finding My Way to Moose River Farm is a memoir that I am proud to share with those who feel the company of a horse, dog, goat, pig, goose, reptile, rat, etc... is among life's greatest gifts.  Enjoy!

(Online orders begin August 24th)

  

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Finding My Way to Moose River Farm Promo

Girls and Horses; 2013 MRF Riding Recital

     Good Evening,
     Last Thursday night was MRF's annual riding recital; an opportunity for all of my students to demonstrate their hard earned skills for friends and family.  The group was small this year showcasing only 9 riders.  As I scan the many pictures that were taken to record the event I am taken by the riders' cumulative years of experience and the range of years that they represent. 
     At the lower end of the age spectrum is 8 year old Natalie who has been riding since Kindergarten.  She begins the season early in the spring and rides right up until the first snow arrives late in the fall.  Natalie enjoys barn chores almost as much as riding.  She also makes time to visit with the chickens on her lesson day at the barn.
     Courtney is the oldest student in the group.  A college Junior, Courtney began riding with her sister Lauren the first summer that we moved to Moose River Farm.  That was nine years ago!  They were both in elementary school and never missed a lesson during the good weather season.  Courtney now rides on Hobart's Intercollegiate Riding Team.  Lately, I've noticed significant development in Courtney's riding.  Her polished position rides with 'feel' rather than mechanics.  It is the one facet of the riding lesson that I can't teach.  She had to get there all on her own through hard work and lots of hours spent in the saddle.  The results make me very proud.
     Jessica and Lauren, two college students have also been riding at MRF for a significant number of years.  Lauren's long, lean physique on the back of a horse creates the desired image that we all strive for.  However, it is her cerebral command of the horse that impresses me the most.  Lauren is a thinking rider who mentally selects the perfect combination of aides prior to employing them on the horse.  Jessica is a natural athlete who can go months without riding and return to the saddle finding all of the correct buttons to push.  She instinctively rides each horse based on his appropriate needs.  
     In the middle is a group of young ladies who have been riding long enough to establish strong basics that enable them to command most of my upper level horses.  Alexis and Haley are becoming aware of the importance of riding between their inside leg and outside rein, a correction that reestablishes everything from the horse's focus to his balance.  Another rider in this group named Alex has improved her skills immensely in the three years that she has been riding.  Because Alex rides just about every day in the summer, she looks and rides like somebody who has been riding a lot longer.  Finally, Trinity and Jenna, two young ladies about to enter middle school also ride with ease established by their natural athletic abilities and strong command of the basics.  Jenna, an avid hockey player has strength and timing on her side.  Trinity rides with a relaxed nature; the result of endless sessions without stirrups. 
    This year's riding recital made me acutely aware of what binds us together at MRF.  We are all girls who love horses, who are connected to horses and who strive to ride our best in a way that keeps the horses happy.  Respect, discipline, assertiveness, and compassion infuse our relationships with the horses as well as with each other.  We all are living very different lives and are at various destinations along our live's journeys.  However, at the barn...we are all the same.
Photos by Michele deCamp

Courtney can ride Easau with calm, grace and...

...precision.

Jessica and Spirit demonstrate harmony between horse and rider.

Jessica and Spirit

Lauren encourages and challenges Joshua at the same time.

She raises his confidence and her own with the results.

Trinity keeps Tango focused on her requests...

... Otherwise, he makes his own decisions.

Haley reminds Lowtchee to keep going forward.

Haley also demonstrates riding without stirrups to establish balance.

Alex and Makia make it look easy.

Their's is a give and take relationship based on respect.

Alexis is another rider who keeps Tango's attention.

The hand-gallop is one of Alexis's favorite gaits.

Tago and Jenna demonstrate the two-point position.

Using the leg and the rein Jenna turns Tango away from the fence.

Natalie and Sandi demonstrate the steady ride that so many romanticize about...

...Truth is, it takes lots of hard work...

...and dedication.

What we all have in common is that at our core we are simply girls and horses.

        

One Gent and Nine Little Ladies

     Good Evening,

     Just returned home from a whirlwind trip to New York City, a little break in the acceleration of summer between July and August.  I love the city.  Neon blinking, traffic honking, aroma salivating stimulation bombarded my senses while traversing block after block from Penn Station to uptown.  

     And then I love to come home.  The simple pleasures of a donkey's bray, horse's whinny or goatie's blat never fail to welcome me back.  Thanks to Rod and a group of competent barn helpers, (thanks Alex, Courtney and Lauren), I was able to enjoy a brief hiatus from stall mucking and animal care.  

     Two weeks ago we agreed to take 10 surplus chickens that one of my students needed to find a home for.  We were excited to have chickens again, especially a flock of hens without a rooster to pester them.  Immediately, Rod began to build a coop for the chickens.  In the meantime the juvenile birds moved into our horse trailer for temporary housing.  

     Upon my arrival home, I learned that our young chickens had taken up residence in their newly erected coop.  This is not an ordinary chicken coop.  It is the Taj Mehal of chicken houses complete with a front porch and sliding glass windows.  The flock has spent the last twenty-four hours inspecting the generous space that the coop and attached outdoor pen will provide.  Six nesting boxes were installed later this afternoon which generated great interest from nine out of the 10 young birds.  In the last couple of days it has become apparent that one of the leghorns, (white chickens), is in fact a rooster!  Cock-a-doodle-doo!       

The chickens explore their new coop...

...and pen.

Finally, some dirt to scratch...

...and nesting boxes for egg laying.

One of these chickens is not like the others....because he is a rooster!  Surprise!

Rachel, Was it you?

     Good Afternoon,

     This weekend we celebrated a union on Raquette Lake.  Our nephew Will was married to Jill in the same picturesque setting that he visited every summer during his youth.  Family and friends gathered to share in the big event.  Although Rachel Phinney, (Will's grandmother and my husband's mother), passed away two years ago, there was no denying her presence at this beautiful Adirondack wedding.  To all my Phinney family I dedicate the following poem.  Did you feel her too?

Was it you?

Was it you who picked the date
then forced the weather to cooperate?

Was it you who safely guided family and friends to the base of West Mountain?

After the rain cleared out of the way
was it you who presented a rainbow over Sucker Brook Bay?

Was it you, I only caught a dash
twinkling from gems of the bride's pink sash?

Was it you standing still
with your arms wrapped around Will?

As he bestowed vows to Jill for the taking, was it you who kept his voice strong and from breaking?

Was it you, I thought I saw
gently waving from the ferns, leaves, and pine trees tall?

Was it you, in the church steeple
gazing down at the small crowd of people?

From every smile that warmed this wedding event, was it you radiating hope, good will, and a great time spent?

And when Donna and Billy were last on the dance floor, was it you sending best wishes for thirty-seven years more?

We all felt your presence, felt you near, felt your love, cascading down sunbeams sent from Heaven above.

While reliving fond memories in the chapel's wooden pew, from when I was your son's bride, were you with me, was it you?

Although you can't see her, Rachel was surely present with Will and Jill Geisdorf,
July 20, 2013.

It was you, Rachel, with us on June 7, 1986.

All in a Donkey Day

     Good Afternoon,

   Summer is in full swing at Moose River Farm.  The hectic school/barn schedule has been replaced by a slower all-barn-all-the-time routine.  And I am loving every minute of it.  The day is full of horse related activities.  However, there are other animals who catch my attention through subtle communications that insist I wrap my arms around their necks and lavish them with undivided attention.  Ah, this wonderful life lived among such fascinating creatures; so much like me and so different at the same time.  

     This is our donkeys' first summer in the Adirondacks.  Now that Frankie has been gelded, his aggressive behavior continues to ebb each day.  Bing is finally able to relax without his brother pestering every time the mood rises.

     A donkey day is full of all kinds of adventures explored between long intervals of grazing.  Bing and Frankie roam our property freely, choosing where they want to be.  The day begins before 7 am after breakfast which consists of two small horse treats.  The first order of business after exiting their stall is to roll in the sandy driveway.  Donkeys tend to this task with much more exuberance than horses do.  They roll over and over, back and forth, preferring to do so in the other's body print left behind in the sand.  Its not uncommon for them to pee in the same spot as well, much like two male dogs trying to have the last territorial 'word' before moving off to begin a different activity.  

      Bing and Frankie are never far from the barn.  Frequently, they seek shelter in the cool interior of the goat stall.  By mid-afternoon quite a crowd is assembled in there including the three goats; all seeking refuge from the sweltering heat and annoying bugs.  The whir from a single box fan provides background noise while the little herd patiently waits for evening to descend, bringing relief from the stifling air.

     The donks keep themselves well hydrated throughout the day by plunging muzzles into the nearest automatic water troughs.  Like kids at a drinking fountain, they take turns slurping deeply.  Occasionally, they squeeze their mouths into a bowl at the same time, draining all the water before the mechanism has a chance to refill.  These cooperative efforts are always a pleasure to witness.  Although the donkeys do wrestle and bite each other during periods of play, I have never thought that it was mean spirited.  In fact as Frank's 'stud' behavior dissipates, a more considerate demeanor is emerging.  Each day that goes by sends memories of demonic Frankie farther into the past. 

     In late afternoon Frankie and Bing return to their stall for horse treats, a belly-filling pile of hay and some much needed rest.  "Sweet dreams, little boys, see you in the morning." 

    The following photos provide just a sample of a donkey day full of enrichment and social interactions.  Enjoy!  

Photos by Michele deCamp  

Long ears swivel and focus so that a donk can keep track of what's going on.

Fiona and Frankie share a bit of gossip...

...along our daily walk.

Fiona is in the process of shedding her long winter bristles.

Our new horse, Gatsby, is introduced to Fiona and the donks.

"My what big ears you have."

♪ Grazin' in the grass is a gas, baby can you dig it. ♪ ♫

Bing and Spirit exchange greetings.

May you all enjoy the same peace, adventure and joy of a 'donkey day'.