News from Several Fronts

Second Post of the Day

The 2025 Best of BreyerFest set was announced yesterday. A Limited Edition set, it will be available to all ticket holders.

The pieces hark back ten years to BreyerFest 2015: Vive Le France and the Stablemates are versions of Traditionals that were part of that BreyerFest.

Left to right: Jubilation (mini version of Truffles, the 2015 Contest Prize model), Soiree (a mini Open Show Overall Champion prize model Creme de la Creme), Revelry (mini 2015 Volunteer Model Parfait), Hullabaloo (mini 2015 Early Bird model C'est Bon), and Red Letter (mini 2015 Open Show Reserve Champion prize Tout Suite.)

Soiree on the Cassidy mold is tempting, but it's not a must have, although if I can find someone selling the piece separately and for a good price, then I might buy her.

Craig continues to heal although he is still not 100%. As for me, I took some steps backward. Despite having been on Paxlovid, my symptoms worsened yesterday. 

I took yet another Covid test, and it was still positive. I'll take the last of my Paxlovid and then call my doctor Monday if I still feel sick. 

In other family news, there are some exciting happenings for Mountain Mama Jessica's family. Cambria and Titan love to sing and they love to perform, and this weekend they have been doing both in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

But that's not all - they are doing something musical that is VERY exciting this Sunday. My jaw dropped when Jessica told me. I'll share that tomorrow.

Stay 'tooned!

(And don't forget to comment if you want to win the January Give Away!)

Covid & More UV Light Findings

Yeesh! What a ride this bout with Covid has been! It knocked both Craig and me flat.

Craig rarely gets so sick that he goes to bed, but this time was different. (I love that his two buddies are keeping him company as he sleeps.)

Two days later it was me who felt like she'd been hit by a truck. I had chills and my head hurt terribly. I realize that I'd felt this way before with Covid, so I got a test out and checked.

I've had Covid several times, but never has a test showed a positive result immediately after I put in the drops. I still waited the time that was directed, but the results did not change - they remained a very clear positive result.

I'm still sick but at least I feel well enough to get up, eat a little (I've lost 6 pounds in just two days) and write a bit. I'm sleeping a lot during the day and tire easily, but I am on the way to being well. Grateful!

Thanks for all who commented or reached out to me. It was much appreciated.

So... Back to using my UV light to look at my new models. And after having found the black mark on my Zulu, I was dreading what might show up on my Gilded.

He's on the Geronimo mold, a mold I like very much

and things looked good at first.

The only visible iffy place I could see was under his off front leg where it looked like there was a small black line in the gold.

Sure enough, under the UV light, there was a heart shaped blemish.

I discovered another one on his near hind hock

and a third one on his neck. 

Oddly enough, he also had some lines that appeared to be drawn on his legs. They almost look like the barring that you might find on a horse with primitive markings.

None of these are visible without the UV light, though.

Finally, a third type of mark were darker smudge-like marks above his near hock.

Completely invisible in normal light, but obvious in the UV light.

Wondering if I would find flaws on every model I looked at, I pulled out some recent models, seven of them, including another recent Geronimo.

None of them had flaws.  Good news, but puzzling, too. I mean, what are the odds that two of my newest ones would have significant flaws and others not?

I decided to pull out my 2021 BreyerFest Dani and check her sort of as the "ultimate test." 

When she arrived, she had a lot of masking left on her that I had to remove.

It was EVERYWHERE. I peeled and peeled and peeled masking off.

The fact that it was blue made it easier to find, but still, it took quite a bit of time to find it all.

It seemed to me that if any model had issues, it might be Dani, and so I put her under the UV light. 

Nothing! She was clean all over, and I looked carefully. That was a relief, but I am still puzzled. Why would two new pieces have such flaws? Did they come out of the same group in the warehouse in China? Do other models from that same group have flaws that only show up under a UV light?

Or do I need to look at a bigger sample of models from my collection? After all, seven (eight with Dani) isn't that many.

It is a puzzle for sure. Not only will I go over all future models with a UV light, but I hope to start going through my entire collection, shelf by shelf. That will be a huge job, but hey, I'm retired! Besides, I love to do research and actually did a lot of research, writing, and publishing when I was in the classroom. This will be an old familiar project for me, for sure.

Wish me luck!

(Go here for some of my research papers.)

Gone Riding

No blog post today and maybe tomorrow, too. Craig and I are sick, sick, SICK. 

To our surprise and despite having gotten our shots, we both have Covid. We are miserable and I am not up to writing this morning. Hopefully I will be back Monday.

A WinterFest Horse & Hibernation Happenings Interrupted

The views out my doors and windows are snow filled and bright white. It's a beautiful scene and it looks like things are going to stay that way for a while - we are expecting 2 to 4 more inches of snow late tonight through Friday morning. 

Neither of us have felt like venturing out - Craig's fall* shook us both up, and we are feeling very cautious about walking Pepper or running errands with this snow cover. Our caution was fueled even more by Lisa's near-disaster yesterday on I-65 when she slid across all three lanes of traffic and back while driving to our home.

So, as I hibernate, I continue to sort out model horses to sell. I found one that I am not selling but had not yet written about here on the blog. Like the snow outside, this model is beautiful.

TB Trueno, the Andalusian Stallion that was a part of Breyer's WinterFest last December.

A limited edition done on the Spanish Stallion/Duende mold, 

he is a portrait model of Sylvia Zerbini's real Andalusian stallion that performs in her liberty group seen at BreyerFest every year.

The model has a pearly finish and is stunningly beautiful. 

Information about TB Trueno from his box.

Despite staying indoors, today may be an interesting one. Teacher Daughter Lisa texted last night and she has Covid. She's not been feeling well for a few days but assumed it was just a bad cold. Craig and I have spent significant time with her four of the last five days.

We are sorry she is so sick and hoping that we will not get it. I am very high risk (no spleen anymore) plus I am teaching a seminar at church this evening and then have my volunteer commitment in Indy in a couple of days. 

I am going to take a Covid test later this morning and go from there. Even if it's negative, if I do begin to feel sick, I will cancel tonight's seminar. I'll decide about Indy depending on what happens before we go to volunteer.

Wish me luck!

*An update on Craig: The swelling in his face has gone down and the bruises are fading. His eyes were nearly swollen shut and barely open; now I can see them again. (And he can see OUT of them again!) He still gets headaches from the concussion, but they aren't as bad as they were. 

A "much better/healing" picture is below. Scroll down if you want to see it. I've put it down a ways so that those who don't, won't.

My poor sweetie!

Thanksgiving 2023: 47th Anniversary Celebration

Second Post of the Day

Happy 47th Anniversary to us!

My dad, Craig, me, my mom, sister Jenny, sister Leslie (ya'll know her already, LOL), and my brother Steve. November 20, 1976, Kensington, Maryland. 

We were married in this beautiful temple; if you've ever been driving the beltway in Washington, DC, no doubt you have seen it off to the side of the road. It was a beautiful place to get married.

Fast forward 47 years and how we have grown!

Our kids treated us to dinner at a very nice restaurant last night. Vanessa, Andrew, Mila, Titan, Ian, Cambria, Lukie, Jessica, and me.

Curt and Vanessa are back in town - they'd spent the past few days at Disney World, gotten in around 1:00 Monday afternoon, picked up Gus from where he was boarded, and then had come on over to join us. Those five cousins are very close and were so happy to be reunited! (And Nashie was especially happy to see Gus again.)

Craig, Curt, Frank, Lisa, and Vanessa.

Dinner was wonderful, the company even better. Thanks, kids, for treating us to dinner and taking time out of your busy lives to be with Dad and me as we celebrate our family's beginnings.

Dinner over, we trekked back to our home and watched some football and basketball, talked, laughed, and played games.

I'd forgotten to get Molly's special bed, a place where she feels safe, out from under the china buffet where we store it but that did not seem to matter - she found it and settled in!

In the midst of all of this, Craig and I got a text from Sarah along with this photo.

Oh no! Sarah and Todd both have Covid! And now they would be unable to join us for Thanksgiving. We are all so sad about this, but are making Zoom plans and that will help. 

Today we were going to go to Turkey Run State Park and do some hiking and have "Thanksgiving in the Woods," a tradition Jessica started where we eat s'mores over a campfire after hiking. Sadly, it's raining, so we will have to adjust our plans. (Microwave s'mores will do fine, at least for me!)

And, Cole, Emily, and their girls are arriving around lunch today! While they are staying at Curt and Vanessa's home, everyone will be here for most of the time, including dinner and after dinner plans. 

It's going to be a good day despite the challenges that have cropped up. Stay 'tooned!

What Zombie Snowmen?

Craig is feeling much better but he continues to stay at home so he doesn't spread Covid to other people.

I've been testing daily as I've had sporadic mild headaches and nausea, but I've taken three tests and all have been negative. Still, I plan to stay home and do Zoom Church with Craig this morning. 

I'd made some blackened beeswax ornaments to take and give to several people as gifts, but those will have to wait.

Neva, the Freedom Series Winter Decorator, arrived a week or so ago.

I love the midnight blue color - wedgewood is nice on model horses, but this pearly dark navy is stunning. I sure hope Breyer uses this dark navy on some upcoming models.

Feedback on social media has been that some of the snowmen have "zombie" smiles

but mine don't. I like how each smile (or non smile) varies, too.

In January I always put out some blue horses for winter decor and you can bet that Neva will be part of that display. 

Christmas Card of the Day

Not a card this morning, but a super cute picture of a palomino pony all ready for Santa.

Pretty Ponies are a Good Distraction

 Oh, gee, are you kidding me? This is NOT the time! Yep, that's a big, ol' positive Covid test!

But it isn't mine; it's Craig's. When Craig goes to bed in the middle of the day, I know he is really sick. So, I suggested he take a Covid test and as you can see, it was positive. 

Our out of town children begin arriving for Christmas just after the window where Craig should be good to go, and that's a relief. But if I become positive, then I may miss some time with our kids and we may have to juggle some sleeping arrangements. 

Always a roller coaster around here!  Anyway, I wanted to show you some pics readers have sent me and said I could post.

E. Lauer won the vintage orange Arabian bridle in the last giveaway.

Doesn't it look pretty on her alabaster Proud Arabian Mare?

One of the last orders I made before closing Horsimama's Mercantile for a two week holiday break was for reader Daphne H. The balloon horses and pink zebras are extra cute!

Peek a boo!

Barn Buddy Kelsey never pays postage - I just put her orders on her saddles in the tack room at the barn! I don't have this model to check for fit, and asked her if the haversack was too big, but she said it was perfect. (You have to take into account not only the length and height of the model, but the width, too. The width is the trickiest part of all in making a haversack.)

Cute ponies are always a good distraction when you are up to your neck in holiday preparations, have company coming, and the threat of Covid is looming over your celebration!

Christmas Card of the Day

From dear friend and reader Shannon C.  (Aren't her new rescue kitties sweet?)