"Black Watch" -a must see play by National Theatre of Scotland

We went to see "Black Watch" last night at Shakespeare Theatre and it was fabulous. Maybe the best play/drama I have ever seen. You forgot that these fellows were actors and truly it seemed to be " a band of brothers" in Iraq, trying to make sense of their war. The Black Watch Regiment has a storied history of glory in battles for more than 300 years, in all the major wars and generations of Scottish men have followed a tradition of service. The  history lesson is interesting, but it is the immediacy of the Iraq experience that is so compelling. I have never seen a better portrayal of the bonding of men in battle as this. I was deeply struck by a visual comparison to Greek Olympic athletes from the Iliad to the scenes where the soldiers fight and wrestle each other to stave off boredom and anxiety under battle stress. Women bond like this with girlfriends ( not wrestling) but emotionally, and seek each others comfort  in everyday life but it seemed that men reached this level of deep emotional need for each other only under very isolating and stressful conditions. The play was made even more powerful by the continual bagpipe music. The tradition of bagpipes at funerals really undid me because they played at my father's funeral and a close friend's , so I expected the tears. I did not expect the emotional punch I felt at the end of the play. Try to go see it- it has a very limited engagement but very worthwhile. Afterwards we had dinner with dear friends and had a surreal counterbalance of a hilarious evening of wonderful food and a comical suburban experience with home invasion protection! Ask no more!  This morning was cold and starkly beautiful as I spread lots of hay around for the horses. They are eating a ton of hay. I hope I have enough in loft. To make the morning even stranger, as I got back into 'Gator to continue my hay odyssey, there was a black widow spider creeping along the driver's seat. I was like WTF! Why doesn't the cold kill black widows and stinkbugs!

going out to muck 9 stalls

Ok I decided at 5 PM last night to bring all the mares up. The threat of 5-10" was too much. They seemed very grateful last night, gave big sighs, rolled in fresh sawdust and drank deeply from buckets. There actually was lightning and thunder last night, thunder snow they called it. Well, the power went out about 9PM and I sighed deeply, drank a martini and said "Damn". Snuggled under down comforters and hoped it would come on-  well, it didn't and I built a fire this morning, preparing to start generator etc.  After plowing out with 4-wheel drive truck to get gas for generator the power came on!!  Whoopee, I am so grateful for little things like that.  Now I am going out to muck 9 stalls and enjoy the snow covered landscape and be glad that I can come in and have a shower afterwards!  On a brighter note, The Bloodhorse sire lists have rolled over to just 2011 cumulative stats and I have TWO horses I bred on the Chief Earner lists, Arctic Raven is Dance with Ravens best runner and Baltimore Bob is Malibu Moons!! This will probably only last one day! but it is an awesome statistic for a very small breeder. Those are North American earnings lists. I will celebrate and enjoy my fleeting success!!

That was a short reprieve- winter is back

I looked like Farmer Smith yesterday as I hustled to get pasture seed down on my front fields. When I heard that snow was forecast again, I looked at the rutted, bare front fields and pictured my son's wedding in May beside the same field and thought - get some seed down NOW. I believe the snow helps pull seed down into bare ground and it gets an early start. Called Southern States but they were not getting seed in 'til end of Feb. Called my hay man and he had one 50lb bag.  I grabbed it and started walking the fields with my little hand spinner. This morning the fields are white and I am glad I tracked the seed down. Sam and Steph wanted the ceremony in front of hyacinths and azaleas near front field. Fingers crossed that it will fill in and be beautiful.  Weatherman says 2-4 '' of snow so now I debate bringing up all the horses from back fields. The 'Gator gets dicey in 3 or 4", it can't get up the hills. Guess we are not hunting either!!

a warm up!

It is a warm 28 degrees this morning. This is awesome because I will have a neck again, my shoulders can relax and let my ears out!!  It has been so cold, I want to go somewhere even warmer, like Jamaica  but it will have to wait a bit. Hopefully the snow will also pass us by, tho I wanted to put some pasture seed down before a snowfall. All that snow will pull the seed down and soak it for late growth but nobody has any seed yet- I asked yesterday at Southern States. The wedding plans are coming along, Sarah's shower has a date, as does Sam and Steph's. I am going back out to Los Angeles next week to help Sarah with final details. It is getting exciting. Also I have to finalize breeding plans. So not sure about continuing to breed in Maryland but an empty broodmare in a field is not smart either. I think I will send one to Bullsbay and one to Lion Hearted and cross my fingers that slots keep helping the purses in Maryland.

dodging snowstorm

It looks like we dodged another snowstorm which is lovely. Sorry for the folks in NE but I am very happy- had enough snow last year for several years! I was looking at photos from last winter and it was extreme.  Going to look at some stallions with a client who wants a Maryland -bred. I am still not sure what I am going to do about breeding. I go back and forth about  Case of the Blues. She is a stake winner but is 14, Buddha is 5 and lovely but not enough pedigree- probably shouldn't breed either one. Hope for the Cat's 2009 baby won again yesterday which is great. And Baltimore Bob won at Gulfstream for Carole. It was awesome day for our racehorses. On a very different note, Michael's mom is having heart surgery to have a pacemaker and defibrillator put in today, on her birthday!  Bittersweet I guess, good to be "fixed" but bummer on your birthday. We wish her a speedy recovery.   Check out Leo a year later!

heroes

A friend posted this picture and it suddenly brought back a ton of memories. I so-o-o wanted to be the Lone Ranger  or Tonto when I was a kid. He was the epitome of cool! Rock stars of a horse crazy kid's world. They got to talk in mysterious one or two sentences and jump on wonderful horses, galloping off to rescue people. Then ride into sunset just being so "Johnny Depp-like".  I recently played a family charade -type game and used the character "Roy Rogers". Blew my mind that my nephew had no idea who that was except a name for a restaurant. I don't know why I was surprised. Errol Flynn and Valentino meant nothing to me as a kid. But I do remember running home from school to watch Roy Rogers, Lone Ranger,  Rin Tin Tin and Lassie and I realize that influenced me to want a connection with animals and outside and to be able to gallop around. Nowadays while hunting,  I get to gallop around, wear a "costume" (alas, no mask!), work  with great hounds and horses and have adventures. So, I did grow up to be the Lone Ranger!

ice ice baby

Everything is covered in ice this morning, but thankfully it is not too cold and I think it will thaw as morning continues. Which means I can enjoy the unusual beauty and the crunchy baby steps without cursing because it will go away soon! All the grasses are laid low from its weight and the dogs are skittering across the grass. I feed later these days so as I look out at horses I am hoping that they had the sense to stay in run-ins last night and that the blankets are not soaked.  I have to bring one mare up for blacksmith this morning so I am going to wait a bit more to ensure  I don't end up on my butt on the hill. I will go feed babies in the barn now tho'. Am putting spikes on my boots!!   Preparations for weddings are beginning again, funny to think , my  2011 begins with  two weddings and a funeral.  I hope that is all the big surprises in store for me this year but as I write that  I am already saying, "famous last words". So I know this year will be an adventure and because I never want to be an old "stodgy" I will keep visualizing  a willow tree and pray that I always bend " to the wind", ( or ice in this case ) and learn to sway gracefully when I am traveling on unknown roads. Having children has been the most wonderful part of my life and I love that they surprise me and that they are different from me. I get to experience three other points of view and to see life from other perspectives.  Husband, too, brings a fourth which all told keeps me humble, even as I tell them " Mom is ALWAYS right !"

January cold

It is cold and snowy. A friend optimistically said, " Well the days are getting longer again!" Yes, spring is only about 8 weeks away, but I shiver as I think about getting up to feed. It was in the teens last night and hunting was cancelled because the ground is so hard. This Sunday we have a joint meet with HCIB and I am hoping we get to go. Slowly, life is resuming its pace and all the everyday things demand that we just can on. I miss calling my mom on the phone, just to check how she is doing. I try to silently send my hellos out, wondering if she can hear me. I hope so.

Back home

Personal crisis, like a funeral, seems to simply remove you from your life. Time stops and all energy turns toward family. It was a sad saying goodbye to Mom and at the same time it was a wonderful week with my family. Funny at times, touching, bonding and sad. We were able to pull together a really lovely service and I found the strength to say words of farewell. Cousins were reunited and we reconnected on the deeper level that will keep us together. Plans for future weddings helped bring some joy and even further off we talked of family reunions in fun places like Las Vegas.
The day after coming home was the day I wanted to simply pull the covers over my head. I went riding and just spent time with the horses. That is healing for me, the unspoken connection, the gentle nudges of my equine friends touch my soul and help. I have stepped back into my life and am picking up its rhythm again. Lots to do and lots of plans to start rolling for the family weddings. Horses to be born and to start on their training. I am really glad I got to see my sisters, nieces and nephews and cousins. We are family, ever changing.

Goodbye Mom

Goodbye Mom. I love you.  I know Ian and Dad have been waiting patiently all these years for you to be free from "the bonds of earth". I know you have wanted to be with them again too. I can only wonder and imagine with great awe what it is like "to touch the face of God". Tonight , after hearing the news of your passing, I went out to stand in the pre-dawn night and looked up. Like a child I was half hoping to see a new star but what I felt was the softest of night breezes, warm and caressing, like a mother's touch. Go with God, go with your son and husband. I had a great week of visiting before Christmas  and enjoyed our heartfelt conversations about many things. We had a good time and I am so grateful for those days.  You talked of your own parents, of  how close you were to your dad, Grandpa Goodall and the years when Nana Goodall, your mom lived with you. You spoke with pride about caring for her, being a good daughter. It has come full circle. Your daughters, Margaret, Barbara and Patti held your hand, cooled your brow,  and laughed  and cried with you. We drank scotch with you and we watched The Young and the Restless and we 'dissed on people's manners and clothes . You taught us much about life and I am still the best speller I know because of you. I will miss trying to figure out what to get you for birthdays and Christmas and I will never look at word puzzles without thinking of you. You will be missed now by these daughters and their families, your grandchildren,  but it was only fair. Ian and Dad have been patient and they missed you too. Until we meet again.

Dawn of 1/1/11

This is a very good beginning. It is warm on January 1st and there is almost no snow, just a clump here and there. I think the numerology factor of 1/1/11 must be auspicious. A lot of firsts! Happy New Year !