Horses & Other Interests
Awareness of the outside world. Why is Haley staying in? IMO, shes making a bet that circumstances will clear the field. Is it a longshot? Sure. Is it for the brass ring? Also yes.
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Tack!
Was worn!
By horses!
Granted they only did a few introductory circles on the longlines, but still, work! Was done!
First of the year.
Onwards!
Katherine
Awareness of the outside world. The Wallace Center for Arts and Reconciliation: Dedication Celebration: Feb. 24, 2024.
Earlier, “A private dedication event will invite descendants to sign the names of their enslaved ancestors onto another column.” Wallace Arts: Community Columns Project.
Update. Links have moved, With Love, For Grief, June 2025.
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Tell me your horse takes turmeric without telling me your horse takes turmeric.
Onwards!
Katherine
Art of the outside world. LOTR Project: Interactive Map of Middle Earth.
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Legend
Nope. Not getting one. Figuring out the titles is part of the fun. I tried to for references that were neither obvious nor obscure. Should be guessable, or searchable. The dragons are not referencing any specific works.
Process Notes
What is fantasy without a map? Alas, once again my reach exceeded my grasp. How could I draw what I saw in my head? I got even more intimidated when I read critiques of Tolkien’s map. Pretty and geographically accurate? Ain’t gonna happen. Reactor: Tolkien’s Map and The Messed Up Mountains of Middle-earth, Acks 2017 & Reactor: Tolkien’s Map and the Perplexing River Systems of Middle-earth, Acks 2017.
Then, an online friend (waves hi!) posted a teaser for a new project. A map that was more symbolic than literal. Hey, that’s just what I need.
I could wish for adorable illustrations to accompany the text. The result is more amusing than artistic. Then again, so am I.
I had help (waves hi!) with the Stoneheart Pass reference.
And that is how the map sausage got made.
Onwards!
Katherine
Awareness of the outside world. Previous mention of the problems at the 2023 Hugo awards. [Observing The Natural World]
Turns out it was not the initial suspects. Whatever: The 2023 Hugo Fraud and Where We Go From Here. Or maybe it was. Charlies’ Diary: Worldcon in the news. I’m lost.
Speaking of ripples, this one will have repercussions for years.
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Weighing the cultural impact of The Lord of the Rings by the footprint it has left.
Terry Pratchett, “J.R.R. Tolkien has become a sort of mountain, appearing in all subsequent fantasy in the way that Mt. Fuji appears so often in Japanese prints. Sometimes it’s big and up close. Sometimes it’s a shape on the horizon. Sometimes it’s not there at all, which means that the artist either has made a deliberate decision against the mountain, which is interesting in itself, or is in fact standing on Mt. Fuji.” Tolkien gateway: Terry Pratchett. Note, the quote is from A Slip of the Keyboard: Collected Non-Fiction, but from the essay “Magic Kingdoms”. Hat tip to G.
Follow chapter by chapter. Reactor: Lord of the Rings re-read: Introduction, Nepveu 2008.
Cover art through the years. The Paperback Palette: The Paperback ART of THE LORD OF THE RINGS, Adazing: Lord of the Rings Book Cover Designs
Craft. The Fellowship of the Knits: Lord of the Rings: The Unofficial Knitting Book, Tanis Gray (Insight editions, 2023). Tanis Knits: Books.
Food. Middle-earth Recipes.
Library. Bodleian Online: Explore Tolkien.
“The Tolkien Professorship was named in memory of one of the most distinguished specialists in medieval literature in the Faculty of English, who was also widely regarded as a novelist.” University of Oxford: J.R.R. Tolkien Professorship of English Literature and Language. Would his work have been enough for a professorship, without the novels, which he wrote BTW? Anyone familiar with academia care to advise?
This does not cover fan sites, academic conferences, museum exhibits, chess sets, tour guides, and so on, and so on.
The Movies
Jens Hansen: Makers of the world’s most famous ring
Previously Posted
Art of the outside world. Works by JRRT. Tolkien, The official site of the Tolkien Estate: Painting, covers illustrations, maps, & calligraphy. [Fractal Alphabet A, Graphic Art]
Onwards!
Katherine
Awareness of the outside world. “AP images must always be accurate. We do not alter or digitally manipulate the content of a photo or video except as stated below.” AP: Visuals
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Process Notes
First attempt at post-production art. Not as genius as it was in my head, but I don’t hate it.
Originally appearing.
Speaking of post-production, this was the base for the black & white photo.
Onwards!
Katherine
Awareness of the outside world. Daily Paws: Have You Heard of Doga? Everything You Need to Know About Practicing Yoga With Your Dog. Valentini 2020. Hat tip to Amy for answering my monthly plea for dog news.
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I have magic fingers. I can pet any species – horse, dog, cat – and if they have a tick, I will find it. Mind you, I’m not looking for the darn things, I just find them. Pat. Pat. What’s this bump? It’s a different situation than checking manes and tails for ticks in the summer. That’s deliberate. This borders on a micro superpower.
Magic fingers. I’ve known this for a while.
Turns out I have magic feet as well.
When you combine a dog rest area with a people walk space, you have … um … moments of intersection. I have a pitchfork on permanent standby. I make a point of noting where the dog is standing. I return later for a squishy scavanger hunt.
Doesn’t help. Brown leaves. Brown piles. Stomp.
Magic feet.
I has them.
Onwards!
Katherine
Awareness of the outside world. What is time even? Listening to Around the World in 80 Days With Michael Palin. It came out 35 years ago. There was a point in my life when 35 years ago was ancient history. Now it is yesterday.
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With the end of Winter Tournament, I find myself examining my equestrian options.
Home Team
Milton and I have drifted so far apart that husband Greg stays home to hold Milton for the blacksmith.
Rodney. Sigh.
Stepping Stone Farm
I promised myself that after Winter Tournament I would stop riding Optimus. He is a busy beginner horse who doesn’t need his schedule clogged by someone who ought to be able to ride other horses.
Had two rides last year on non-Optimus horses. Neither lesson went well. I am so braced for a melt-down that I am riding tight. Horses find this upsetting. [The Lesson That Wasn’t, lesson with Bubba was not as bad, but not brilliant]
Barns change over time, particularly those with a high concentration of kids. Riders grow up, they move off into their adult lives. When I started, there were amazing academy horses. The current crop has more riders in performance, which means their horses are not available for academy.
I miss Sam.
Other Barns, School Horses
No one wants my money. I can kinda see their point. Their programs are full. Why should they make room for me? All they see is an old lady freaking out over cross-rails. They figure, this will be not fun, this will not increase my revenue. They’re wrong about my ability. They can’t see the pieces in the rubble. [Freddie Reintroduces Me To The Concept Of A Course]
Other Barns, Lessons
Those barns with full programs aren’t interested in dealing with the logistics of an off-property AOT. [What I Want From A Hunter Barn At A Show]
Friends Horses
I have had amazing rides on horses owned by friends. Not so much here. [Other People’s Horses]
Tertium Quid
The new horse. More sigh.
Coda
This was gonna be a drama llama post about how my riding career is over. I have no idea where my next ride will come from. See above. Horse shows have receded over the horizon. Whine.
No one wants to hear that. I don’t want to hear that.
Instead, this is me trying to figure out my next step. What I want. What is available. What to do when A not= B.
I think I will be taking March off to ponder. See what happens without riding or horse shows for a month.
Coda Coda
Which leads to the problem of what to blog about. I’ve milked our morning hand-walks for as much as narratively possible. Virtual Tevis does not start until April.
Expect cat pictures and stories from the before times.
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 