Haiku Farm

I'm not gonna reproduce all the cuss words I threw at the truck this weekend. Suffice to say: it wouldn't start on Friday, and I really wanted it to start.


Self-care is especially important for me this time of year.  I spend many hours each week out in the public schools, doing booktalks and presentations for students about the library summer reading program.  That doesn't sound like hard work, but the emotional drain is real.  I come home in the evenings and take a nap, and then go to bed early so I can do it all again the next day.  
The library itself has not been stress-free recently, either.

So, self-care.  Most of mine centers around the Dragon.  She's finally cleared to go out on trails away from home, and we can start expanding our saddle time.  The time I spend doing this is time I need for recharging--more important than naps, even.
Except that the truck wouldn't start.  And Jim was three counties away, attending a weekend-long Santa storytelling workshop.

…

Years ago, I would drive up to Bellingham (an hour or more north)  on Friday nights to tell stories at a coffeeshop open mike.
In those days I spent a lot of time and energy chasing down venues to tell stories.  I drove north, and I drove south, and I drove into the city, and I drove out to parks and libraries.  For many years Jim and I would get up before the chickens and drive to the local radio station to host a storytelling program on Sunday mornings.

These days, my time and energy is mostly elsewhere.  
But recently, a friend told me "You really need to get in touch with Vicky at the Stanwood Library, because she hosts an open mike and she wants more participants!"

I thought, "The Stanwood Library isn't far away at all.  Let's go!"




So, we did. And my friend was right: Vicky is lovely, and her event is a delight.

I took some pictures and video and want to share some of the fun.









Yes, this is Mary from Global Griot! She shared stories and music with the gro…

Here's the trot-out video we filmed last week,  a few days before Fiddle's farrier came out:





Between the passage of time since her last shoeing (right before she tweaked that tendon) and a springtime growth spurt, Fee's feet were long, especially in the toe.


Most Beloved Farrier Mel took off a bunch of foot and rebalanced my mare's feet last Thursday.

The result:







Do you see what we see? 

Doctor Fehr rated Fiddle SOUND on the tweaked tendon left hind, and 1/5 (very intermittent lameness) on the right hind--vestiges of the stifle injury in 2016.

TRANSLATION for the folks at home:  Fiddle can go back to work.  

Slowly, at first:  5 mins trotting, adding more walking and more hills with each session.

EVEN MORE:  She can go and work trails (carefully) with us at Renegade.

We won't be competing until Labor Day at the very earliest (and possibly not then, it's too soon to tell) but our days of trudging grudgingly bareback around the pasture are coming to an end. 

I won…

Here's what the Renegade Rendezvous trail crew did this weekend:










Thanks to Santa Jim, Jason, Sandy, Guy, Sue, Dennis, Beth, Megan, Gail and Mike, Leisl, Ben, two kids, twelve dogs, two cats, (and me!), the trails out of Sawmill Flats are much closer to readiness for the ride than they were on Thursday afternoon.
The work isn't all finished, of course.  
If you want to help out, there's still time.  We'll be re-convening at the ridecamp on June 23rd, and working steadily until ride day on June 30th.  Come for the afternoon, or stay for the entire week.
We'll be happy to see you.

The annual Trail Work Weekend at Renegade ridecamp begins today.  See y'all in a few!

It's SPRING! I think everyone in the world has cute new baby animals.
And I'm all like:

I got a squash.

Totally not exaggerating, either. 

Becky's foal was finally born on day 360 of the pregnancy (330 to 335 days is average, but horses can safely foal far outside that average range).



In usual Becky-fashion, the world was subjected to at least a week of silliness while names for the foal were tossed around.



There are lots more adorable photos of Reverie on Becky's blog.



At the north end of my normal travel range, Stephanie got a new rescue-puppy. 



Jasper arrived via a hoarding situation, and apparently he has some baggage.  I wish I could tell him what a great home he's found now.  He's all set to have a terrific life.


Then there's Monica's chickens. 




As I mentioned in a prior post, Monica tries not to count chickens, no matter when they hatched.



But the baby stealing the show this week is so new he doesn't even have a name yet.



We all had to traipse…