Virtual Brush Box

Awareness of the outside world. On one hand, airplane tickets for an upcoming trip. On the other hand, the issues of oil & TSA & ICE. Time will tell which one will prevail.

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Last week, we had to break out the blankets for two nights.

Perhaps for the last time this season? (Crosses fingers.)

The day between was cool, so I switched them to daywear with a plan to remove if too hot.

Whenever I checked, they were out in the pasture. In other words, not overheated and hiding in the shade.

I finally marched out to double-check. Milton was closest. He was toasty but not hot. The way you might feel wearing a warm sweater on a brisk day.

Hmm.

As he has gotten older, Milton has gotten more blanket loving. He still hates having it put on, but he’s happy to be warm and doesn’t seem to overheat.

Mathilda was the same way. Scoffed at the idea of blankets. Then as she got older, she decided that maybe blankets were not the worst thing. Perhaps even double blankets, please.

I said something similar last year, “Milton is the second horse to warm up, so to speak, to blankets as the years go by. Mathilda turned her nose us at blankets for years, only to become a blanket hog in her old age.” [What’s Been Happening With The Home Team]

Rodney, on the other hoof, is keeping himself warmer these days. I used to say that he was part lizard. [More Heat Therapy 2017]

“Rodney is easy. As long as it is under 70o or dark, he’s good.” [Dressing Decisions 2025]

These days, Rodney warms up almost before Milton does. On some sunny days, Rodney has come close to maybe thinking about possibly sweating. As best we can tell, it correlates with switching him to grain. [Feeding The Same Breed]

More blanketing as one gets older seems reasonable. Less blanketing as one gets older proves that it’s an individual thing.

Onwards!
Katherine

Art of the outside world. Monument Lettering Center: The Lettering of Lady Liberty.

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Colors: raspberry, smalt (seems similar to sapphire), titian.

Color Comment: Raspberry freehanded from the color wheel. Anyone else have trouble getting colors to look the way you imagine them? I feel that I am the chromatic equivalent of tone deaf. Smalt & titian sampled from article, Merriam Webster: 10 Words for Uncommon Colors.

Project Description [Colorwork Alphabet Introduction]

Project Archive [Colorwork Alphabet]

Onwards!
Katherine

Writing of the outside world. See Jane Write: The Reporter’s Re-entry: Reclaiming the ‘I’ in a World of Third-Person Narratives, by Mary Chiney.

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Moral of the post. You never know what another person might be going through. The most harmless phrase might land badly.

At one point, I was having an epically unpleasant day.

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Downers ahead.

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We took our dog to the vet. For the last time. [Once Again]

I found out that my injured foot was in fact broken. [Foot Fashion]

Clearly, treats were in order.

On the way home, we stopped at my favorite bakery. [Hello Sir]

I loaded up on cookies and went to the register.

The cashier asked brightly, “How’s your day been?”

I stood there, thinking, ‘You really don’t want me to answer that question.’

My pause went on long enough to become an answer in itself. I finally said, “That’s why we’re getting cookies.”

Be kind. Because you never know.

Onwards!
Katherine

Photography of the outside world. David M. Bird, Fine Art Photography: Becorns, Little Acorn People Living Big Lives. Hat tip to G.

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Photos by Richard Force Photography.

Continuing to post about my latest outing. [The Ride, AHJA Kick Off Show 2026]

First jump

Second jump, horse looks adorable.

Third jump, got this one for all of you who like my screamy face photos. [Nationals I Have Known]

Third jump, remote camera, got a bit left here, as I recall.

This is probably where we discussed moving on.

Telling Goldy how wonderful he is.

Second trip, second fence, looking ahead!

Third fence, looking up!

Horse show candid, for your amusement.

Photos from the first half of the course. The ones from second half of the course didn’t look as good. It’s hard for a horse to look dynamic over small jumps. In the photo of second fence on the second, you can see that Goldy is starting to unfold the landing gear before his back feet are off the ground.

Alt text. Photos one though eight, rider in a yellow shirt on a chestnut horse, six jumping, two on the flat, last photo is of same figure walking along. Not attached to photos because I could not decide how that aligned with not modifying professional photos.

Cheers for Goldy!

Onwards!
Katherine

Competition of the outside world. Elite Trades Championship Series Electrical, Automotive, HVAC & Plumbing.

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At the show earlier this month, Goldy and I schooled before the show, waited, and then went back into the ring for our rounds. [The Ride, AHJA Kick Off Show 2026]

Goldy & I had never done that particular chain of activities together. He had, I had, and it went fine. But why did it go well? We practice the skills. How often do we practice the skills the way we perform them at a show ?

How often do we practice …

… warming up in one area and then going over to another area to do the thing?

… coming in and out of the ring?

… standing around waiting?

… standing around waiting, after warming up?

… several classes a day?

How often do Saddlebreds practice …

… riding in any weather? Even Saddlebreds may have to go in the rain, if only once a year at Lexington.

… going downhill? For example, down the ramp onto the green shavings at Louisville.

How often do eventers practice …

… tacking up three times in one day?

… jumping in the ring after cross country so it doesn’t come as a surprise on the really big occasions? As I understand it, most events now have show jumping before dressage, for the sake of logistics. Then, suddenly you are at Rolex and are show jumping after XC. (Yeah, I know. But I’m an old dog. [Peregrinatio])

What else don’t we practice?

Onwards!
Katherine

Clothing of the outside world. This Victorian LIfe: The Case of the Small Shoes —a.k.a. Survival Bias: No, people were NOT “just smaller then.” 2017. Hat tip to Flights of Foundry. [The Water Obstacle]

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Ovation Footzees Boot Socks. Found at Carousel Tack Shop. I can never resist a decorative sock.

At the moment, no shows on the schedule. I live in hope. Now my socks can be rays of horse show hope as well.

Onwards!
Katherine

Words of the outside world. Merriam-Webster: Is it ‘St. Patty’s Day’ or ‘St. Paddy’s Day’?.

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At the morning pasture walk, both horses now walk at liberty. Halters on. No leadropes. Of course, this means they have the ability to vote no. We have gotten good at predicting when that is likely to happen.

Milton, is motivated by food. No surprise. One morning the horses got a pre-walk snack. When we started the walk, Milton still had a bite left. There was still. hay. to be. eaten. Milton never let it go. On the first lap, he walked to the far corner, turned around, and marched right back to the barn. No flair, just purpose. Rodney and I did a second lap while Milton was fetched. Third lap Milton attempted – came close – to blowing past the barn-side cookie stop.

Usually Milton chugs along and Rodney is the one who brings the drama. Before you credit Milton with too much of an angelic nature, when I was injured, Milton was the one who put his hind feet in the air and said, We don’t have to listen to you. That’s Milton’s MO. He’s flawless. Then the lid blows off the kettle.

“No one seeing Milton that day would believe until that moment, we HAD an easy horse.” [I am not back. This is not a post., Milton The Driving Horse]

Sigh.

Anyway.

Rodney on the other hoof, reacts to weather. A common pattern around here is to be too warm for blankets at dinner and then have the temps drop over night. It is cold by morning.

“Rodney would very much like someone come out in the middle of the night to dress him suitably.” [Rodney Lives With His Life Choices]

In the morning, they get sweatshirts for the walk. [New Equipment]

Rodney starts off walking calmly. By about the third lap, he starts trotting ahead, or hopping, or flinging his feet. If he’s going to run home, it’s usually around then. His latest trick is to take a hard left (or right, depending on direction of travel) up the hill and swing around to the barn, bypassing near side stopping/cookie point. He is still cold from the night? He is starting to thaw? No idea.

Onwards!
Katherine