Horses & Other Interests
Title from De Chelonian Mobile, The Turtle Moves, in Small Gods by Terry Pratchett.
Milton had not been anywhere near the trailer in over 2 years. Walked right on. When I posted this on Instagram, I said it had been one year. I was wrong. Tempus Fugit.
The next step is to get Milton’s paperwork in order and head back to SSF for the various activities that require additional people, i.e. hitching and cowboying. Rodney might go for a spin as well.
Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott
For future reference.
Every character flaw has a corresponding virtue.
I am forthright.
You are inconsiderate.
He is rude.
I am helpful.
You are pushy.
He has boundary issues.
I am easy-going.
You are unmotivated.
He is lazy.
Rodney is sensitive. Those of us who have to deal with his reactions might say over-sensitive. At some point this is going to be a virtue. Brilliance in dressage? A close communion that allows me to read this thoughts on cross-country? Maybe we will never show (shudder) but will achieve some non-competitive goal that currently eludes me?
Someday, I will look back and all of this will make sense. Or maybe the whole thing is a pointless waste of time.
Wow, that got darker than I intended. I’m trying to see the up side, really I am.
Onwards.
Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott
Liquitex Muted Pink Acrylic Watercolor Ink
Fabriano Watercolor Postcards
Princeton Neptune 1/4″ Dagger Brush
Sakura Pentouch White Extra Fine pen
Art card by Victoria Wilson, Instagram, Facebook, Etsy
Box art by Shantall Alam, Instagram, Facebook
#SketchBoxMARCH
Frankly, when I signed on for SketchBox, I expected more pens. Pens I can handle, kinda. Pastels & watercolors? Not so much. Although, having said that, I couldn’t find a way to incorporate this month’s pen. Bah! Artbug!
Lettering 2017
[Daylight Savings]
[Connect The Dots]
[Pen & Pastels] SketchBox February 2017
[NYC 2016]
Previous Lettering
[2016] [2015] [2014] [2013]
Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott
More state of my writing than state of the blog. Previous State of the Blog posts [list].
The USDF Connection piece on Mr. Meredith [Announcer] was my first with the new digital recorder, pictured. Before this, I had been using cassette tapes. Sure they are Flintstones technology but I interview from home over the phone, so portability is not an issue. Plus, have you priced digital recorder$$$? I finally got to the point were the choice was buy more tapes or join the 21st century.
So far, I like it. I can save the files on my computer as backup. No more growing piles of cassettes. (The one interview I tape over will be the one interview I need. Paranoid? Moi?) No more skipping back and forth to confirm a quote. I can go directly to the exact location. Well, almost directly. Still adapting to the forward and reverse rates. It goes slow, medium, and then really, really fast. Also, I sometimes confuse long press with short press, causing me to turn off the machine or jump to different track, causing me to restart the track I’m on, causing me more opportunities to learn about those speed rates. However, the learning curve is flattening out. I overshot way less in my most recent transcription session.
Fear not. I still fly the old school flag. I still interview on a landline. I HATE cell phones for long calls, whether personal or paying. The delay plays havoc with my conversational rhythm. Getting folks relaxed and talking is what I do. Constantly stepping on someone’s sentences is not conducive to the correct atmosphere.
Public props to my IT dude for debugging the new system, mainly due to the age of the other components.
Bought with much helpful advice from Spy Pro Shop, which was an adventure in itself.
~~~
Speaking of USDF, I have a brag to share. A thank you note from the owner of Harbor Sweets [Other Writing: Sweet on Dressage].
Aw shucks, Ma’am, twern’t nothin.
But seriously folks. Just as it is easier to look good on a nice horse, it is easier to interview someone who is pleasant, chatty, and comes with a great narrative.
~~~
How about you, old school or early adopter?
Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott
Artwork by Alyssa of Four Mares. No Money. When an unexpected vet bill zeroed out her horse show money, Well That is One Way to Start the Year, she offered to paint horse and pet portraits to build her fund back up. From an handful of links, she totally captured Rodney’s look. I suspect she is still taking commissions.
The framing was done by the brilliant Craig Zernik at Four Corners Gallery. While he was mostly working off the background colors, the resulting frame suits Rodney’s … um … range of emotions.
As I’ve said [Framed!], I have a slight framing addiction.
May I also say that as I write this, I am following updates on Presto, who is sadly a very sick foal, The $900 Facebook Pony: Say hello to Presto!!! As a result, I am wrapped up in the lives of two women I may never meet. The blogging world is both magnificent and weird.
Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott
That’s a lot of tack to clean.
Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott
Sam has made it clear that the time has come for me to seek fresh fields and pastures new, or at least a different lesson horse [Looking Forward SSF].
In December, I sent Coach Courtney the following email:
I need to move past the Sam safety net. Therefore, my motto for the upcoming year will be to Embrace Challenge. You may need to remind me of this. Often.
Be careful what you wish for.
During Winter Tournament, I rode Robert [Forward, Photo]. Some shows went well [Reports]. Others, less so [Report]. Currently, Robert is being leased by a munchkin at the barn for the move to suit. It is an excellent match, but it means Robert is no longer available for Academy.
My new dance partner is Desi, an adorable little sports car of a mare. Have I mentioned that I prefer to drive a truck? She has the hyper-alert Saddlebred ears that have bothered me from day one [Sam I Am]. Upright ears make me think the sky is falling. In this case it’s not, but tell that to my gut. Plus, if she bounces around and my feet are on the ground, sure, fine, whatever. If she bounces around and butt is in the saddle, sky is falling. We are getting along better each time, but it’s taking longer than I’d like.
Furthermore, Desi is cute and sweet and for sale. I predict that one of these shows, she will go home with someone else. It would be good for her. She’s a one-owner kind of horse. But then I’ll have to go through all of this again.
It is good for me to ride other horses.
It is good for me to ride other horses.
It is good for me to ride other horses.
Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott
Virtual Brush Box 