Virtual Brush Box

Riding

Awareness of the outside world. National Geographic: Beloved Chincoteague ponies’ mythical origins may be real, Tamisiea, July 27, 2022. Have not read. Need to leave email to finish reading. I was feeling ornery.

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Bubba at Stepping Stone Farm last week. Re-engaging with the double show bridle. Re-gulp.

As I said before, I’m used to hearing about this moment as a major milestone. “In dressage, graduating to a double bridle is a big deal. It is a point of endless discussion, mostly about the dangers and about criticism of folks who have done so without proper skills.” [Different Versions]

Right away, I got the overwhelming feeling that Bubba prefers the show bridle.

Bubba likes clarity. If I sit way back in the saddle and keep my shoulders up, Bubba will canter from a thought. If I slide forward or tip my shoulders even slightly downward, it’s as if I am suddenly speaking another language. [Day 1]

You’d think he could infer from context. We trotted. We walked. What could possibly be next? I may think it’s obvious. but my opinion isn’t the one moving the legs.

So, two bits give a wider range and therefore a better chance to be clear in one’s commands the conversation.

Most importantly, Bubba is forgiving. If I do it right, he will do it right. If I do it wrong, he won’t pitch a hissy. A sterling quality in a horse when one is learning.

I realize this differs from what I said after an earlier lesson. [Return]

Work in progress.

Bubba and I are still figuring out what our story is together. [The Power of Narrative]

Onwards!
Katherine

Horsekeeping

Awareness of the outside world. Since I whined about my cataracts, I’ll share the good news as well. Primary care doc. Checked that I was signed up for the appropriate appointments, i.e. gyn & mammogram. Ordered blood test. C U in two years. Yay. [Minnesota]

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You keep coming out to see the brown horse.

What about the gray horse?

I don’t want to be the center of attention.

I don’t not want to be the center of attention.

I know. I’ll pull a shoe.

Ow. Ow. I did not plan this well.

I forgot that I don’t like being barefoot.

Would someone please come put my shoe on?

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Yes, both horses now have issues with their left front foot.

Blacksmith scheduled today if we can dance between the raindrops.

Rodney made juuust enough progress to avoid going to see the vet today.

Onwards!
Katherine

Horsekeeping

Awareness of the outside world. For your entertainment. TIWJ: Talking Mystery With Lawrence Block, White.

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Two weeks ago, Rodney developed what we are 99% sure is an abscess in the back of his hoof. [It’s Always Something, Rodney’s Latest Drama]

Fortunately, he went from three-legged lame to mildly off.

Unfortunately, he spent last week not getting better, not getting worse.

Barring sudden resolution to the issue, Rodney will be visiting the vet on Tuesday (tomorrow), so that the vet can tell us it is an abscess and poke it with a sharp stick, medically speaking. Given the fluids involved in opening an abscess, we figure it’s better to be at a nice clean clinic with all the handy equipment.

I am predicting a recovery period that is labor-intensive and messy, but not dire. I am not at all worried that this a career-ending injury or an exotic, tendon-rotting disease that falsely presents an abscess. The thoughts never crossed my mind. I am far too calm and level-headed for such nonsense. What counts as a career-ending injury in a 23-year-old pasture ornament anyway?

Or the vet could say, ‘It’s minor. He’ll be fine. Here’s your bill.’ Which would be annoying but a good outcome.

In other news, has anyone else noticed that when you have time, you don’t have energy? This would be a great opportunity to clear out the barn or clean up the house, to repair this or replace that. Instead, I spent the last week revisiting Lawrence Block’s Burglar oeuvre.

Have I mentioned recently how much I hate August? [The Illustrated Month]

Onwards!
Katherine

Images

Awareness of the outside world. NWF: Protecting the Great Lakes, Alliance for the Great Lakes, USDA: Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, & many more.

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Process notes. The intention was five lakes with the indents resembling promontories. What came out was blobs within blobs. So, I fell back on geometrics.

HOMES

Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior

Superior bc it is, given a stereotypical northern map orientation.

Huron is at the Heart of the lakes

Michigan & Erie are on either side of the MittEn.

Erie falls into a big hOOOOle.

CNBC: That acronym doesn’t work for me, Hellman, 2013

Inspiration

Field Notes: Great Lakes. Using what comes in the house as a creative starting point. [Signs of Summer]

Water Flow

“The lakes drain roughly from west to east, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean through the St. Lawrence lowlands. Except for Lakes Michigan and Huron, which are hydrologically one lake, their altitudes drop with each lake, usually causing a progressively increasing rate of flow.” Britannica: Great Lakes, Physiography of Great Lakes

South to Canada

SAS: So, 27 US states are farther north than Canada, eh?, Allison, 2017

‘The southernmost point of Canada is in Lake Erie on a now-uninhabited island called Middle Island, which is part of Pelee Township, which is part of the province of Ontario (which should not be confused with the nearby Middle Bass Island, which is part of Ohio). Although always a part of Canada, Middle Island was until 2000 owned by an Ohio car dealer who bought it as a pleasure island for his family.  After his death his heirs sold it by outcry auction.  A non-profit agency called The Canadian Nature Conservancy, which had publicly raised funds for the purpose, bought it for roughly U$867,000 and then deeded it to Canada.” BarelyBad: Map of U.S. States North of Canada

Onwards!
Katherine

Words

Art of the outside world. Free fiction. Whatever: When the Yogurt Took Over: A Short Story. 2010. Inspired by “No more logical connection to our real one than a world in which an author has imagined humanity ruled by intelligent cups of yogurt.” Whatever: What I Think About Atlas Shrugged.

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[50 States, Cubed]

Been pondering a project that involves each of the 50 US states. What are the options?

Physically, in declining order of time commitment

Living in. AL, CT, DC, MD, NC, NY, PA.

Living in long enough to get mail. Adds summer camps and college to the list. All of the above + CA, NH, western NY, WY, VT.

Visit I. States I neither lived in nor collected mail in, but visited so often, I feel I know the place. Either visiting family members, or living the next state over. CT, FL, ME, NJ, upper NY state, PA, VA.

Visit II. Travel for work or tourism, non-horse. Stay at least one night. Different part of the state if referenced above. Northern CA, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MS, NM, NY, TX, VA, WA. Probably more.

Horse Shows. This would be cool. My showing has been mainly up & down the East Coast: living in the Mid-Atlantic area, intercollegiate in New England, & saddle seat in the Southeast. AL, CT, GA, IN (navigator), MA, MD, NC, NH, NY, PA, SC, TN, VA, VT. You’ll notice that KY continues to be missing from this list. Good thing I don’t let it bother me.

Riding, no show. CA, KY, WY.

5K. In his book Step By Step, Block talks about running a marathon in every state. This is were I got the idea for one-in-each-state. I don’t do marathons, but I could walk a 5K. Maybe put this on the back burner as something to look into when (if I ever get back to) traveling. So far just the one, AL

Geographical Center. Interesting but once you stand there, then what? Two so far, haven’t even done AL, either one of them. AL.com: Here’s why the geographic center of Alabama moved from one county to another, Kaek, 2020. [Tennessee, Georgia]

Geocaching. Another one to add as an adjunct to a future travel list. Also just the one, AL

Just be there. All Fifty States Club. “We ask that your visits entail ‘touching the ground and breathing the air’ of that state.” AFSC: Become A Member. For me this would cover all of the East coast and two drives across the country.

If you just touch the ground, how well do you know a state? For that matter, do you ever know a state? I lived in PA for two years and visited it for many more, but all in the southeast quadrant. There are sectors parts of PA that I know nothing about. The only two states I would say I have seen extensively are NY, due to camp and family, and NC due to business trips throughout state.

Then there are all the states in which I have seen the big city but nothing of the rest of the state: Chicago, Seattle, New Orleans. Can I claim to know anything about IL, WA, or LA?

What would be your measure of checking a state off a list?

Virtually

Let’s be serious. I can’t even haul my carcass into Birmingham. I’m going to travel to all 50 states? I don’t think so. What are the virtual options?

Books. You’d think so, but the definitive book set in a state might not be one I want to read. If I want poignant & heartbreaking, there is always the news. NPR: Traveling this summer? Here are book picks for all 50 states (and then some), Sullivan, Pao, Mazariegos, & O’Reilly, June 1, 2022. I might start making of list of books I have read where the location is essential to the story.

Vwalk a 5K. Good start on this one. AL, CA, DC, GA, IL, SC, KS, KY, MA, MD, NJ, NM, NY, OH, TN, WI, plus vbiking the Route 66 states, and eventually vwalking & vbiking the 10 Mississippi River States

Blog posts I, looking back. Mine & guest posts. AL, CA, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MS, NV, NY, OH, PA, TN, TX, VT. Wanna do a photo guest post from a missing state? 🙂 🙂 🙂 [Vicarious Travel]

Blog posts II, going forward. You saw that one coming, didn’t you? Either a Saturday word post or a Sunday image post reflecting on the state. Stay tuned.

Onwards!
Katherine

Fit To Ride

Awareness of the outside world. I have cataracts. I feel old. Yes, I had to get glasses. Young people wear glasses. Yes, I have gray hair. I started going gray at nineteen. Cataracts are an old word. Doc most unperturbed. Small. Nothing to be done yet. Everyone gets them. That’s all well & good but I still feel old, thank you very much. In related news, does anyone else get knocked out by the eye-dilating drops? I was exhausted. Felt like a junior version of the epinephrine hangover. [All Revved Up]

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A recent purchase related to my daily walks.

Virtual Travel

[Rolling Down The River, Guest Photo]

Still wending my virtual way down the Mississippi River.

[Biking and Walking Virtually, Mississippi River, Part One, Minnesota]

[Biking and Walking Virtually, Mississippi River, Table of Contents & General Info]

Vicarious Travel

Still outstanding armchair travel.

USPS: Postal Service To Honor Mighty Mississippi on Forever Stamps, April 25, 2022

The Waterways Journal: Postage Stamp Series Honors ‘Mighty Mississippi’, Byrne, November 25, 2021

Phancy photo stamps of all 10 Mississippi River states. Field Notes notebook tie in.

Onwards!
Katherine

Pets

Awareness of the outside world. Lane Park: BISS Am.Gr.Ch. Lake Park Ethan, highest placing Basset Hound at Westminster Kennel Club 2022. WRC: results, click on name for presentation photo.

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[Foto Friday: Dash]

First The Sad Part

For the first time since 1988, we are a dogless household. Dash, aka Tidbit, our Basset Hound, passed away last week. The passing of Lady, our German Shepherd, was part of the pet overwhelm a while back. [Where Did They Go? Pet Update]

Then The Happy Part

I’ve always thought a celebration of life made more sense than being gloomy. I’m not in a story telling place at the moment. Instead, tell me something cute your dog has done recently.

[Spotted in Boston]

Onwards!
Katherine