2012 in Review

I tend to get quiet and reflective as the year draws to an end.  I pause and take stock, appreciate what I have and give thanks.   This year, 2012, has been a great year.  One of the best years of my life actually.  So many things to be thankful for and on so many levels.

To begin with, I am a Canadian citizen; not something to be taken lightly.  I am married to a wonderful man who not only puts up with me, but actually loves me, and I love him.   I have my health.  My family has their health.  The raw beauty of the landscape on the Kempt Shore fills me with peace and humbles me every time I look out my window.  My job takes me away from the farm more than I would like but the work is worthwhile and I work with good people.

All this contributed to a good 2012.  What took it over the edge and turned it into one of the best years of my life....was the Tidal Treasure Crew,  the other distance riders I have had the opportunity to spend time with, and all the assorted riding I was able to do this year!  What a great year!

Gary and I put the following video together especially for the Tidal Treasure Crew and our distance riding friends.  We cannot put into words how much you all have touched our lives, so we thought we'd try to do it with pictures!  Thanks for sharing the farm with us; we are blessed to have you.


Happy New Year

Blog Gets a Face Lift!

 As you can see, the blog has received a face lift.  We've tried to compile all the videos in the top two categories on the right side of the blog...so they can be easily retrieved, and we are trying to accumulate the "picture" stories that don't relate to any specific horse in the category "Trails and Tails"  So, if you think you might have missed a video or two, take a quick look.

In 2013, we are going to use the "side categories" more regularly to collect various stories as they accumulate about our trust steads, and over the next few days we'll be make a few more minor changes.

Winter is here in full force.  Already I'm resorting to watching videos of rides...and can't wait for the season to get going in the United States, just so there will be new video to watch.  If you happen to catch a new one, please share!  

We have a ton of video and pictures left over from this last season and will try to post something regularly.  Also, there is some motivation brewing at the barn to start training up full tilt for 2013....so should be lots of stories coming up!  Stay tuned. 

Live Nativity Play in Summerville

Gary and I went to the annual Live Nativity Play down in Summerville last weekend, just before Christmas and I've been meaning to share a few pictures.  This is a wonderful event, and a lot of the community comes out to witness it.  It starts with everyone gathered at the Inn, and Joseph and a very pregnant Mary show up, looking for a room.....Joseph is very upset, trying to find shelter for his very pregnant wife.  (Joseph is a great actor....Neptune Theatre material.) 

Doris doesn't have any rooms but offers them the barn, fetches them a few blankets and takes them outside. The rest of the community sitting in the cafe, follow them outside...

There are candles to mark the way for the crowd,  bales of hay arranged in a formation for everyone to sit on, a beautiful sounding choir off to the side, a narrator to tell the story, and live animals. (Yes that is Ginger...she's been a regular for a decade now)  By the time we all get outside and settled, Mary has had her baby - every year that I am aware of there is real baby for the Play (this year's actor was a 4 month old little girl!).

The Play is over in about half an hour, the kids hang around with the animals for abit afterwards (yes, there were even sheep), then everyone goes inside for cookies and a hot drink.  I heard one little boy as we were finishing up..."Mommy, I didn't know it was going to be sooo magical."  Well, little boy, I don't even know your name, but that was one of the best lines of the night!

Christmas Tags GONE!

Came home from work this afternoon (Christmas eve) and found about 6 gifts along the edge of the tree missing their name tags.  Oh, I KNEW who was responsible, but I could not find them.  So, I just kept my eye on that tree as I went about my Christmas preparations and sure enough.....RADAR scoffed another tag right off the gift!  I watch her play with it....patiently waiting (grabbed my camera in the process) and sure enough, she led me right to her little "nest" of tags!  Merry Christmas everyone - cat for sale real cheap.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTVpzNOtimU

Housework on the Farm

Well, I asked the Good Shepherd (Gary) to help out with some housework to prepare for Christmas.  Small as the house is, there is lots of work to be done!  Once he started helping, I remembered why I don't ask him unless I'm desperate.  He tends to get..umm...distracted and the chore not exactly accomplished, sort of maybe.  Oh just take a look and you'll see what I mean-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9SHGCv9nF0

Marie Eddy One year older; one year blonder??!

Just a note Marie Eddy put on facebook tonight that I thought was funny:

I  waz out in the barn filling up the horses water buckets and i thought it would be easter to take an empty bucket and fill it up then pore the water from that into the other bucket so there was a bucket on a shelf and i did not realize it waz full of water and pulled it down and socked myself in water such a blond moment! Lol

MERRY CHRISTMAS - Reindeer in Training!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx45yrAaVdY

Last Saturday, we took a little video of some of our trusty steads enjoying a day with their buddies.  We also captured  a few candidates trying out reindeer training;  some willing, some "not" so willing!

Merry Christmas all!

First Snow this Winter at Tidal Treasures!

We had our first snow today for this winter.  I'm home sick with a nasty cold and so I decided to play around with some new software Santa is bringing me (relax Santa, I just did some test driving..it's back under the tree)  
Radar, our cat, was sitting home with me, listening to me moan about my stuffy nose and sore throat. She did not like the snow.  Now that it's colder, she goes out into the porch and sits on top of the old organ.  There are three empty baskets on top of the organ and she likes to nestle into the middle one.  Always the middle one.  She had her eye on that snow and was not impressed, so I took out my new phone and took some video, then I tried to put it together on my new computer.  Now I'm playing around with a new blogger software , so it's pot lock as to whether or not it will actually get posted.  Hope it does; it's cute! Now, back to my hot magic bag and pillow.
https://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?ns=1&video_id=LP2a7nvLLwg

test

Happy Birthday Marie!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXq77ddMwEY


11 years old.....imagine!!  Love the new jacket!

Shhhh Christmas gift for Todd and one for Troy!

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I know, I know.....considering the "naughty and nice" list, Troy and Todd should probably get coal!  (Just joking!)  But hey....I figured they were each worth a $1.99 lapel button!  We are having a Tidal Treasures Christmas get together on Friday, so shhhhhh till then!

It will be great to see the Tidal Treasures Crew.  We have all been doing a lot of nonhorsey things this month, getting caught up, but miss each other.   Going down to the barn this afternoon and may see a couple of stragglers.  It will be nice to see everyone next week and get back to the playing with our equine buddies!

Hi all - I just posted an update about Adios on my page. Still getting used to blogging - I thought it was going to show up here! Check out: "Pam's New Horse - Adios Tiki" (Right-hand list)

Beach in November

Spirit and I took a ride on the beach with Max and Ducky.  Beautiful day.  We trotted and cantered along the beach then went for a good old gallop up that great field by Max's that overlooks the ocean...breathtaking views.  Riders and horses were rejuvenated! Here's a very short little video clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Szsi9YWeZVM&feature=plcp