Collections within My Collection: Woodgrains

One of my earliest Breyers was a woodgrain and a gift from my dad.

I'd just gotten braces and Dad, knowing that my mouth was hurting and that I didn't feel well, surprised me when he got home from work that afternoon, handing me this Running Foal and suggesting I name him "Needles" after the famous racehorse and because dentists use needles. 

(Sometimes I think the term "dad joke" was coined because of my father. One of his jokes is still being perpetuated in our family and resides with the grands' generation now.)

 I last pulled all my woodies out five years ago. I knew I had accumulated quite a few, but when they are scattered throughout a collection that is housed in four rooms of the house, it's easy to lose track of what you have.

 

These were all my Breyers at the time plus a 1997 Equilocity Breakfast Stone Drafter.

Opinion of the Jolly Cholly varies as to whether he is a woodgrain or just a brown model, but there are hobby references that state that he was listed as a woodgrain when advertised by Breyer when he was first produced. Personally, I've always considered him a woodgrain piece.

I'd inadvertently left out my other Stone woodgrain, the Ideal Stock Horse, that was produced 1999-2000. Isn't that mold beautiful in that colorway and gloss?

And more recently, Breyer released Woodstock and her Stablemate counterpart, Mini Woodstock, in 2022 as part of the Vintage Club. 

Hartland also produced what they called "woodcuts" in the early days of its company. 

 Walnut woodcut TWH, Mustang, and Three Gaiter Saddlebred.

 Cherry woodcut TWH and mustangs. (I think this is my favorite woodcut color.)

Ebony woodcut TWH, Mustang, and rare Thoroughbred Mare and Foal. The ebony woodcut Mare and Foal are very hard to find and highly collectible. (These two are from Leslie's carpet herd. She gave me her models in the 1980s.)

Trust Liz to find things out of the ordinary.

A Red Mill Arabian "Abu" is now in my woodgrain collection.

He was a gift from her at a Happy Trails show. I'd heard of Red Mill, but never seen one in-hand prior to that. Thanks, Liz!

The group shot could stand some updating, but with the exception of the Woodstocks and the Stone Ideal Stock Horse, they all are here.

I don't actively seek for woodgrains anymore, but I would love to find a woodgrain Stretch Morgan. I have hopes of finding one some day.

But in the meantime, I have plenty of woodies to enjoy!

Historic Saddles: Part 2

Dad's Pony Saddle (1936)

O'Boy was my father's pony. I honestly believe it was Dad's love of O'Boy and the happy memories he'd made with him that made Dad so very supportive of my horsiness. He sure loved that guy.

If you don't know the story of O'Boy, who was a circus pony, it can be found in this blog post from 2016. It was O'Boy who kindled my love of circus horses and ponies.

O'Boy sporting a shiny new western saddle and standing with Dad's cousin, Betty Jean in 1936.

That pony saddle is in my garage now. It sat in Leslie's barn for years until she gave it to me a few months ago.

Time has not been good to it, but I am still glad to have it. 

Some decorative pieces on the pommel.

The horn is iron and looks quite shiny in the early photo of it. Sadly, not any more.

The fenders and stirrups are long gone. (A part of me hopes I'll someday get a text from Leslie saying she's found them in her barn.)

As for O'Boy's bridle, it's been in my possession for decades. I don't remember how I ended up with it, but back in the 1990s I had it hanging on the wall with some other antique tack in my family room in Illinois. 

There is one bridle rosette with it but none of the photos I have of O'Boy tacked up show that. Where did it come from? Is it a clue to the circus that he came from?

That bridle has even made an appearance at a live show - several years ago I did an Anything Goes entry on my circus horse and pony collection, and I used it and a photo of O'Boy as part of the presentation.

After that, I decided that it was simple too fragile for display and I keep it safely wrapped in paper here in my office closet. 

Dad (hatless) and Betty Jean with two unknown people and O'Boy. 1938

As for O'Boy's saddle, I'd like to stop the deterioration as much as I can. Getting it into the house rather than a garage or barn is a good first step, but I'm not sure that much else can be done at this time. And that makes me sad.

Like the two sidesaddles from yesterday, there's a lot of history held in that old leather. My father rode in it as did his siblings and cousins. And judging from what my father said about his time with O'Boy, that history is a very, very happy one.

More historic saddles tomorrow.

Stay 'tooned!

Oh, Ellen!

I have not yet chatted with Ellen - as much as she has on her plate, this is not the time. A card is headed her way and then later I will check in on her.

In the meantime, Steff Bodamer is the liaison between Ellen and her hobby friends, and I have talked with her. She says Ellen has a place to stay temporarily and that a restoration firm is helping to sort and clean what is still usable. For the most part, the house is still structurally sound so it won't need to be torn down.

Ellen's collection has been packed up and taken to the company's warehouse where it will be cleaned later. She is hanging in there, but there is a lot ahead for her and Matt to do before life resumes some semblance of normalcy.

Steff shared some of Ellen's photos on social media, and with her permission, I share them here.

Every collector's nightmare.

Ellen's collection is extensive (I've heard around 8,000+ models or more)

and it must've been a huge job (as well as a heartbreaking one) to pack and move them to the warehouse.

Unpacking and cleaning them will probably be an even bigger one.

I hope that many of the models survived and that Ellen will be able to fill her shelves again with pieces that she loves.

Ellen's tragedy has had me thinking about my own collection and how I would feel if something happened to it. I got my very first piece in 1963 and have had models with me ever since. They are a huge part of my life and bring me much happiness. 

Brownie, my very first model horse. Santa brought him to me in 1963 when I was 6 years old. He's well loved and while I could have him restored, all those breaks were carefully glued by my father over the years and represent his love for me.

For years I had my collection insured but as time passed, I dropped it. Nothing happened to my home or models and it felt like a waste of money.

After seeing what Ellen is going through, I am rethinking that decision.

The Advent of the Advent Calendar

Second Post of the Day

Tomorrow is December 1 and that means I can begin opening my Breyer Advent Calendar! I may be rather "long in the tooth" and I may not collect Mini Whinnies, but that doesn't matter. I am excited to open those doors!

I will clear the the box, Stablemates, and inkwell off from the shelf today and then I will be ready for tomorrow. 

Our family has a history of using advent calendars. Beach Son Kyle helped me do a little decorating yesterday and we both were delighted to pull these out of a tub.

Talk about family memories!

There are four rows of six pouches on this calendar, perfect for a family of six kids. We went in age order and so everyone knew their column. That worked well in helping us all know just whose turn it was for that daily piece of candy.

I've used the green calendar with the Pony Pals and Cowpokes, too, and I may hang it for them this this year.

This one not only has memories of my children attached to it, it also makes me think of my father.

He loved decorating for Christmas, and would shop for things to give his adult children  to use in their homes.

This advent calendar was a gift from him and not a candy calendar - the ornaments were hung on the tree day by day. 

With two calendars, that meant that every three days each one of our kids had a chance to interact with our advent calendars.

Lisa sent this picture recently to our family chat. 

The red calendar was listed at $185 while the green one was $175. No matter what I might get for them, there is no way I'd sell either of them!

Some of my children continue the advent calendar tradition - with Legos!

Pony Pals Susan, Julie and Kate recently got this Lego advent calendar.

Doors to open are on the back and I think there is a Lego figure or piece inside. (I'll ask.) My guess would be that a Lego piece is inside and as the holidays progress, you create a figure of Santa or something.

Beach Son Kyle and his kids also enjoy Legos and many years ago I got this Lego advent candle for them.

You remove a brick every day and as the season progresses, the candle "melts."

I thought it might be fun to get one for our home, 

but after a little research, I decided to save my money for something else.

I'm toying with making my own advent calendar using blackened beeswax ornaments.

399 and her cubs, a set I made for Hawkeye Sarah.

I have enough different ornaments to put 24 on the tree, and little boxes I could put them in and then number 1 - 24. 

Problem is, I don't have my tree up yet! But I may still go for it.

Stay 'tooned!

Family Connections at the Feast

You'll never guess what I did this morning after I got up! Before I did any Feast prep (and there is still some to do), I ordered this year's advent calendar from Breyer! 

They'd posted their holiday items on Wednesday and I had been hoping they'd have a new advent calendar rather than a repeat of a past year (which has happened before.) When I saw it was a new one, I didn't even hesitate - I popped that calendar into my cart and paid for it then and there.

I'm not a big collector of Mini Whinnies, but I really like opening a door every day through December 24 and setting up a little scene as the Christmas season progresses.

I wasn't as quick to order Hot Cocoa, the 2024 Christmas Pony. Mittens (2023) and Kohl (2022) were both vintage molds plus they came with blankets. (I have a small blanket collection thanks to Susan Bensema Young who got me started collecting them!)

I like Hot Cocoa, she has a blanket, and her mold is growing on me, but she's not a vintage mold. Since the other Christmas ponies are still available, I think I will wait until Hot Cocoa goes on sale and then make my decision.

Back to Feast prep...

Thursday I needed to be out at Fort Ouiatenon early. The woman who'd bought my panniers was the opera singer I'd mentioned a few days ago and she was performing several times that morning. (Thursday and Friday are School Days and teachers bring their classes out on field trips. There are demonstrations and performances just for the kids to teach them about Indiana's history.)

Audrey had just bought a sacque back gown and needed help getting dressed. (As she said to me as I pinned her into her stomacher, "I see now why women had someone to help them dress in the 18th century!" True words!)

Leslie had had a huge sale of clothing she's worn over nearly 50 years of reenacting, and the gown was from that sale. And, it turned out to be one that my mother had made.

I can tell my mom's handiwork almost every single time I see it, and as I pinned Audrey's gown onto her, I became more and more certain that I was working on something my mom had sewn. I asked Leslie later if the gown Audrey had bought was made by our mom and yes, it was. 

It's always nice to have a connection to our mom, especially at Feast. She was a major part of it for decades (one of the founders) and it's nice to have something she did still present there.

Thursday was a bright sunny morning with and there was very little traffic so I decided to make a quick video of the grounds as I arrived.

I love Fort Ouiatenon. It is so pretty throughout the day regardless of the time of year. While the hustle and bustle of the Feast of the Hunters' Moon brings it back to its 18th century life, I think I like it best when no one else is there and it is quiet and so, so peaceful.

After I got Audrey dressed and she headed off to the stage, I got started on unpacking my tubs and hanging up the clothing. 

Making order out of chaos!

Because I am going to have the walker with me and will need room in the tent to accommodate it, I did a tighter table configuration than I have in the past - no more walking behind the tables; they are butted up to the tent walls.

My dad is represented at the Feast, too. He made that blue tabletop clothing rack for us years ago.

He also made the dark brown one against the tent wall on the left. 

The light colored one with the red cloak was a gift from a reenacting friend who also made (and gifted) the chairs that Lisa and I use.

My dad never participated in the Feast, but he always supported his family in whatever they loved. Go here to read how he supported me in my life long love of horses. And that is only the beginning of the story of his support of my love for horses!

I had several folks drop in to say hello as I unpacked and set up, so I did not finish as much as I'd hoped. But it's good to see friends and I had the time to chat, time that I won't have once Feast begins on Saturday.

Today is the second day of School Days and Lisa and her colleagues are bringing their students out. I won't be open for business - I'm not demonstrating anything, but I will chat with them and maybe even walk (um, ROLL) around the grounds for a bit with them.

I will also take the maple cakes out this morning. I have three boxes and they are heavy. I won't set them out for sale, but I don't want to haul those out to my tent tomorrow, either. Cars will not be allowed on the grounds then, and with their weight coupled with my walking issues, I need to drop them off today while I can still park by my tent. 

I inventoried them yesterday and I  have 225 maple cakes for the weekend. Next week, I am going to do the October Give Away, and the way to enter will be to guess if you think I sold all those maple cakes or if I had some left.

That's just a heads up - please don't start commenting yet. But be thinking about it!

Off to go out to Fort Ouiatenon and finish setting up! And pin Audrey into her gown again! And meet Leslie and Rick to borrow a small table! And... 

Stay 'tooned! 

Throwback Post: Dad, I Understand

Second Post of the Day

Today would've been my dad's 101st birthday. He was a horse lover himself and always supported my love of horses. In honor of him, I share this post written shortly after I brought Abby home in 2012. Enjoy!

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Dad, I Understand

A new daily habit is my "carrot run" to the barn. Almost always I go on my way home from school, although on weekends I may go out in the morning or even late evening. I rarely miss a day to check on Abby and her pasture pals, and sometimes I go out twice!

I call her name and whistle the same way my Dad used to whistle for Amy and the horses that we had when I was a kid. Abby usually lifts her head up as soon as she hears my call and nickers to me. (She tends to be a vocal little mare!)

(All photos were taken by Vanessa and are part of my Mother's Day gift!)

I might open the gate and go mingle among the horses, or if I still have school shoes on or if it's muddy, I hang by the gate and let them come to me. And usually they do - all eight of them have learned that I have a treat of some sort (apple spaghetti, carrots, or just handsful of clover) to share so they amble over, stretch out their necks to me, and get a treat.

 We visit at the gate, and they stomp around, taking turns to say "hello." I love their soft breath on my face and neck, and they way they offer their faces for petting.

For a while we all stand mingled together, just "chatting" and being companionable. It is a very relaxing, enjoyable feeling to hang out with horses!

One afternoon this week while on my carrot run I had a sudden memory of my father in a similar situation. He used to head down to the gate as soon as he got home from work (and the horses would watch for his arrival, then gallop up to the gate to meet him.) He would lean on the rails, feeding each horse sourball candy that he had in his pocket and simply enjoying being with the horses for a few minutes before coming into the house for dinner.

Dad, I understand.