Useful Art for Everyday, New Shawl

Images

Images of the outside world. Monterey Aquarium: Monterey Bay Cam. Recording on Twitter here. Hat tip to @Ada_Palmer, #SomethingBeautiful tweet.
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New shawl. Second verse. As good as the first. [Introducting Shawlene, Handmade, Wearable Art]

I’ve had it a while. I’m foggy on the specifications.

For more information, Imperfect Patience, or contact, andpride@gmail.com

Family photo. Forgive the wrinkles and pilling. Take it as a sign that they are well-loved.

I try to wear the shawls in the same orientation each time so that wear patterns are consistent. The first one has a longer tassel in one corner. For the second, I made an indicator by tying two tassels together.

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With apologies to the maker for taking so long to post photos. I had planned to include the shawl as part of a larger post with other handwork, under the title Artist Are Awesome. However, the other items got sucked into a time vortex. So, the shawl stands alone. Should other items reappear, they will get their own post(s).

Onwards!
Katherine

Book Buying Embargo

Words

Words from the outside world. A list of semi-recommendations at end. Only “semi” because I liked them well enough to buy, but no idea if I will like what is between the covers.
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As an Lenten discipline this year, I will give up buying books.

You’d think this wouldn’t be hard. After all, the books will still be there in 40 days.

HA!

Books are one of the few areas where I actually spend money. The other two are food & pets, which includes horses. Every so often, I’ll get a wild hair and record expenses with an eye toward writing up a budget. The answer is always the same: basic costs, books, food, pets. Every other category is statistically negligible.

Book shopping is the only recreational shopping I do. If I go nowhere else in a town, I will go to a bookstore. [Shipping, end]

What I Will Want Buy & What To Do About It

A new book from an author I like or a book from a new author will go on a book binge list.

Having nothing to read or seeking a comfort read. Read/reread what I have. Rereading a known book is the ultimate comfort read.

A rare find at a used bookstore or on AbeBooks. Voting with my feet/fingers and avoiding temptation entirely is going to be the key there.

So Why?

Why do this, particularly if I plan to buy the books anyway in April?

Years ago, I absorbed the idea that Lent should not be about giving up bad habits. One should be giving those up anyway.

Lent is a time for restraint and reflection thereon.

This will cause much consternation contemplation.

Book Mardi Gras

Looking for a book for an upcoming continuing ed class. First shop – an independent – didn’t have it in the edition I wanted. So I had to go to a second store. You know a chain will carry the Penguin Classic editions. Of course, I bought books at both stores. A last binge before Lent.

Little Professor

Sapiens, A Graphic History, Volume 1 – The Birth of Humankind & Volume 2 – The Pillars of Civilization, by Yuval Noah Harari (Harper 2020).

Run, Rose, Run, by Dolly Parton and James Patterson. (Little Brown 2022) preorder. In hardcover. Will donate to a library. In honor of Ms. Parton. Billboard: A Timeline of Dolly Parton’s Good Deeds, Aniftos, 11/20/2020. Did you know DP was involved with Buffy? Book info, DP: Dolly Parton’s First Novel Set For Release on March 7, 2022, With Accompanying Album of 12 Original Songs.

The Chain

Moby-Dick, by Herman Melville (Harper 1851, Penguin 1988/intro etc. 1992).

Being Peace, by Thich Nhat Hanh (Parallax, 2005). Plum Village.

Escape Pod: The Science Fiction Anthology, Lafferty & Divya eds. (Titan 2020). From the podcast Escape Pod.

Wish me luck.

Onwards!
Katherine

The Effort Required For Everyday Tasks

Fit To Ride

Awareness of the outside world. CBSNews: Rising fuel prices and corporate profits — not wages — are chiefly to blame for inflation, Ivanova, February 22, 2022.

Also, Ukraine. Have no idea what to say.
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Since I have my phone with me to record walk mileage, I have tracked activities of daily living.

Loading Horses

Remember I said that horses soak up a lot of my energy? [Time Off]

A while back, I went over to Stepping Stone Farm help load horses for a show. While I was waiting, I did my daily mile. [October Walks]

Out of curiosity, I restarted the GPS when the bus showed up and we started seating passengers. How long does it take to load six horses and a cart? The envelope, please …

… over half an hour, over half a mile. This was the second shift, so all the gear had already gone with the first group. This was a load & go pitstop. Still took that much effort.

Shopping

This was a quick trip. Baking aisle. Laundry aisle. Automotive department. Check out. Done.

From the Past, Grooming At A Show

My GPS track for the day.

Horsemanship Challenge, 2014, mileage not recorded [Grooming Tweets]

Back to Loading Horses

I call this The Loading Waltz.

Onwards!
Katherine

Horse Shopping, What I Am Looking For

Riding

Awareness of the outside world. NYT: Got a Covid Booster? You Probably Won’t Need Another for a Long Time, Mandavilli, Feb. 21, 2022.
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The first question horse sellers ask is “What are you looking for?” I never know how to answer. Experience? It depends. Breed? It depends. Price? It depends.

Here’s an email Husband sent to a seller. (Lightly edited because I can’t help myself.)

We are looking for a Saddlebred sport horse that will be able to do Novice eventing and local jumpers. Doesn’t have to do novice now, but should have the potential. 5-6 years to 10-12 years old okay. Prefer geldings, but the right mare would be okay.  Hoping to stay around 10K. If it drives, that would be a plus. 

Have complicated horses now. Looking for uncomplicated, straightforward to ride. Rider is experienced, just not interested in a lot of drama.  More whoa than go preferred (she can usually get them to go).   

We recognize that this horse may not exist. New to the Saddlebred sport horse world. Seen lots of ‘Saddlebred isn’t fancy enough to make it in the show ring so lets make it a Sport Horse.’ Would like something suitable to the jumping world.

Thanks

Nailed it.

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Update. I have been advised against making “Not fancy enough for … ” statements in print. This was not my opinion. This is the opinion we have seen from sellers. Happens in every breed/discipline. Horse is not suitable for the main focus of the breed/discipline, so folks try to find it a home doing something else. The thing is, we all admire the same attitude. The athletic, willing horse who can do X is also going to be good at not-X. YMMV

Who knows, I may have made it worse.

Update on the update. Have seen this on more than one occasion in the jumping world. Horse can’t jump, lets sell it as a dressage horse. No, no, no. That’s not how dressage works. Again, YMMV.

One more thought. The Sport Horse as catch-all-category was more prevalent the last time we were looking. ASB Sport is coming into its own. Seen some nice ASB Sport Horses out there this time around. [Show Stalking]

I’ll stop now.
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Onwards!
Katherine

Rodney’s Rain Delay

Riding

Awareness of the outside world. TV Today. PBS: NATURE Season 40 Preview, AMERICAN HORSES. Check your local channel.
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Spring is coming!

Time to get ready!

Time to end Rodney’s winter vacay!

We will move forward with enthusiasm and diligence!

We will embrace the new adventure!

We will …

… watch it rain.

Oh well, Spring will still be coming next week.

Onwards!
Katherine

Mindset Monday, A Moment

Riding

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Arthur Ashe

Remember last Monday I said that I was stressed before an interview? [Wondering]

As a reward, I scheduled a riding lesson. [Saddlebred Attitude]

After three days of winding myself up, I was completely exhausted & out of stress chemicals.

I had a small eek when we set the lesson then I was okay. I went out the barn. Chatted with folks. Brushed the horse. It was wonderful. Casual. Relaxed. Out to have a fun ride. As it should be. Got ready. Got on.

Then.

Just as I swung my leg over, the hyper-excitable emergency alert system in my lizard brain woke up. ‘Wait! What? Getting on a horse?!? Time to pani …’ and done.

A short, sharp spike.

Kinda funny now that it’s over. Disorienting at the time.

Onwards!
Katherine