50th Anniversary: 2010s Friends & Finding My Niche

 During the 2010s I was having a blast attending live model horse shows. While I already had many hobby friends, some who went back decades, it was still fun to meet new people who shared the love of horses, especially model horses, with me.

Here are just a few of the new and very dear friends I have made this past decade:

Liz Cory

Allison Pareis

Nancy Kelly

Nancy Falzone (this is sort of a fudge; I've actually known her since the late 1980s but I have gotten to visit with her a lot this decade.)

Susan Bensema Young (here in the old barn with Sultanna, Abby, and Diablo. Sue is holding a bag of peppermints and just gave each horse one! Look at them munch!)

Anne Field who I have never met in person but chat a lot with online. (Anne, we ARE going to get together some day!)

Jennifer Buxton (meeting here for the first time at BreyerFest in the CHIN.

Marilou Mol, Brenda Metcalf, Steff Bodamer, Jamie Rott, Yvonne Rott, Liz LaRose... the list of new friends goes on.

These women all have contributed to the hobby in meaningful ways. Liz Cory was the editor of Breyer's magazine Just About Horses and now volunteers her time with Great Lakes Congress. Susan and Jennifer make jaw dropping tack, and Anne's dolls are eagerly sought after by hobbyists. Nancy Kelly authors books about various aspects of our hobby.  The list of what these talented women contribute to our hobby goes on.

About three years ago I began wondering what I could do to contribute, to give back to the hobby. I firmly believe in helping others, in or out of the hobby, but I could not seem to find my niche. 

I wasn't an artist (although NaMoPaiMo is so much fun and I am beyond proud of the portrait model I did of Sultanna.)

My tack making skills have not progressed since I was in elementary school.

While I can sew, my doll making skills are very rudimentary.

But it hit me one day in 2018 - I'd just retired from the classroom and was in that early stage of retirement where you are a little unsure of what comes next.  I had a conversation with Liz Cory at a Great Lakes Congress show and found what my contribution could be.

More tomorrow!