rust and wood
Originally uploaded by Dancing Crow.

that one’s just cute – this is artistic

cow colored sheep
Originally uploaded by Dancing Crow.

truly, it is a lamb, but my brain went bzzzzt when I saw it

archery award family camp
Originally uploaded by Dancing Crow.

whew –

Sat: family camp, including canoeing, kayaking, a hike, a nap and a herd of 10/11 year old girls (and Noah), and the campfire where one child sang a Bon Jovi song with his foot behind his head, winning the prize for most surreal since two years ago when another pair of children sang the Darth Vader Cheese Song (indescribable)

Sun: more family camp, including High Ropes (yikes! Wheee!) and a painted turtle laying eggs, another nap, the Archery Prize (see photo) and Aerin and I sadly left for home so that she could march in…

Mon: Memorial Day Parade and program at Florence cemetery, followed by Band cookout (along with about 150% of the town population with cousins, offspring and hangers-on) and horse work for me

and today I resumed the schedule concept for fabric work, and accomplished 2 hours of work I cannot show you on the exquisite corpse piece, and jumped the Penny horse, and jammed my finger on the Ruby horse. And had another nap, because I was on a roll. When I had Aerin in Brattleboro for circus.

I know I work better with a definite goal in mind. Doing something every day makes me work more and better too.  I am going to try to keep a log of the hours I work on fabric projects, and make every effort to sink 10 hours a week into making things.

Just for interest sake, I may also log the hours I spend riding, because I know more practice makes me better there as well. I'm curious how that stacks up against the hours I spend in my room making things, and the time I spend doing household things. I am hesitant to keep too close track of time, because the keeping count, itself, can consume too much time. But a rough guess, to the closest quarter hour – that would/will be interesting.

It is the only excuse I can think of – I sat down to work on the Exquisite Corpse yesterday and broke 6 needles at the sewing machine, one after the other. It got more and more frustrating until it got funny.  I finally slowed down enough (maybe) or calmed down enough, or cheered up enough or something that the needles stopped breaking and I could finish the the stitching part.

I can't show you that part, not until it is back with its owner.

Thank you for your kind words regarding the dressage. I have a very wobbly video of Ruby's and my test up on Youtube over here. If it doesn't make you seasick (!) you can see how lovely and round she is!

Well, a success on several counts. No puking. No falling off. I did
breathe, for both tests. There was laughter and stompage. And a ribbon.

For
Ruby I maintained a sense of humor (I burst out laughing at the halt,
she was that foolish) and a good thing too because she was classically
squirmy for most of the test. And – we had ring stompage! One section down,
but a majority of feet remained in the ring and we were not
disqualified. Final score 54.0% from an Extreemely generous judge. It
won us a ribbon! Sixth place, because all the ribbons I have won since
I restarted this process are Sixth Place!

Penny behaved verrry
badly for Bob, cutting corners, failing to canter, breaking from the
canter and finally plowing right out of the ring to eliminate herself.
I hopped on her and spoke severely for a couple minutes, and we had
some much better moments in our test. Again, the judge was generous. Penny broke the canter in the first canter circle, and then we failed the
last canter depart in (because she was tired and it was in a
mud puddle) but there were some very nice trot circles, and the judge
gave us 7s (out of tens!!) for the free walk to med walk transition, and for both
changes of rein. Final score of 57.14%, which is waay better than we
deserved.

Someone, watching me fret yesterday, asked me why I put myself through this. I had to think about it, and I had to think about after I was done with the day.

 So: I compete because I like to know how I stack up. I
like to have a goal. I like dressing up in silly clothes and prancing
around on a pony. I actually like memorizing my test, and practicing
it. I hate the nerves beforehand, and I have trouble talking myself
down from them. Once I am riding, I like being watched, and even
judged, and I loove the comments, because the judge is routinely on your side – they want you to do well, and they are sad when things go wrong, and they have useful things to say about what to work on.

Tomorrow I am riding two different horses in two different dressage tests, at a local schooling show. Although it is not very official, I am a little wound up at the moment, because I have not done this since 2005. With luck, I will have photos and possibly movies to share, later tomorrow. With a LOT of luck, it will not rain on our tests.

I will cheerfully take a lot of luck!

zen frog hang
Originally uploaded by Dancing Crow.

this is the child with the sharp knees, hanging out at family circus

May 13
Originally uploaded by Dancing Crow.

I’m sure the other one will break through tomorrow, and it will get patched as well. This child has extra sharp knees.

Birthday Bouquet
Originally uploaded by Dancing Crow.

A very happy 75th birthday to my sainted mother. I am sorry I’m not there to administer a hug and some breakfast – I hope this day is sunny and lovely.

I love you a lot.

Happy birthday.