Glimpses of Family Fun

Getting out to the barn right now is proving difficult! Two family members are in town, friends are coming through today and will be stopping by, we take Kyle to the airport in Indianapolis this afternoon, and then I will be volunteering in Indianapolis for most of tomorrow. 

The BreyerFest models are opened but not yet photographed, and between lots of rain and all the busyness, I have not gotten to the barn since I got home Friday night. I know Abby is in good hands, but I miss her and want to see her. Fingers crossed that I will make it out soon.

In the meantime, here are a few photos from our trip west to visit Mountain Mama Jessica and her crew.

We went several times to her favorite drink shop, Fizz. It serves carbonated drinks that can have flavors and whipped cream added.

Painting a rock to add to Roscoe, the snake the community was forming together to commemorate Orchard Days in Santaquin.

What a clever way to bring the community together while connecting them to the area's heritage!

Jessica, Cambria, and Titan walking the length of Roscoe and planning their own additions to him.

This beautiful painting that seemed to glow with light was part of a mural in the local history museum.

After rehearsing  5 - 6 days a week for ten weeks, Cambria and Titan's dance shoes were shredded and full of holes. The result of all that dancing and practicing, though, was a top notch performance by the cast. I'll do another post or two on Matilda soon.

Titan's performing days were not over after the final performance of Matilda, though. He's recorded a couple of songs for composers in Utah, and another composer who'd seen him perform in Matilda approached Jessica and asked if he would record a song she had recently written.

After doing some background checking, Jessica asked Titan if he was interested in singing the song for the composer (he was), and he was in the recording studio the following week.

That's just a glimpse of some of the things we did together during our trip. I will write some more on Matilda and I have a lot of new models to share, too.

Stay 'tooned!

Another Hobbyist's Horse Room

One of the things I enjoyed most during our trip out west was visiting with Cristine Holt and her daughter, Tara Holt Oliver. Both are long time hobbyists, and have been friends of mine since the mid 1990s. During our visit, Cris gave me a peek into her horse room.

She had a wonderful assortment of models and other horsey objects and art all around the room. (Don't miss that art hanging on the door from a grandchild!)

 Her horse room doubles as her office, and there are several comfy chairs for visitors.

Cris has a collection of cattle - her other collecting love. And the shelves also reflect her love of God, family, and things from her career as a breeder of Tennessee Walkers.

Cris pared much of her collection down when she moved from her native Iowa to Utah five or six years ago.

Customs, long ears, and five gaiters all made the cut. (I love the two long ears on the right who appear to be talking to each other.)

It was fun to sit in there with Cris, chatting and just absorbing the horsey atmosphere. And, it kind of made me homesick for my own horse room!

I'm a Lilliputian!

At 5'6", I'm not a short gal. But this guy sure made me feel that way.

 Meet Riggs, a four year old, 18.3 hand black Percheron gelding, the biggest horse I have ever seen.

He was so tall, I could not even reach the top of his head. I felt short for the first time in my life! His handler told us that they use a ladder for grooming and tacking him up.

 Still, I could give his chest a good scratch. Soon those lips were loose and waggling in pleasure.

Jessica took me to see Riggs and the other black Percherons at Young Living, a farm near her home in Santaquin, Utah that grows lavender for essential oils and raises black Percherons.

 Visitors are welcome in the barns and Riggs was brought out for us to visit.

The Percherons are used for harness exhibits and shows and the walls of the barn are lined with their winnings.

Getting to visit such a magnificent horse was an unexpected treat during our trip out west to Denver and Utah. I've been around draft horses before (and even got to sit on one of the Budweiser Clydesdales as a child when they visited my hometown years ago), but Riggs was quite an awe inspiring experience.

I think I may now be a Percheron fan!