Summer "Moon"

"When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash..." goes the famous song about Indiana. Well, I saw some of that moonlight this afternoon, and I wasn't even down by the river!

I was filling up the water trough and turned to take a last look at the herd. What I saw gave me the giggles:

 It seemed the horses had decided to moon me! 

The more I watched them graze like that, the more I smiled. Perhaps they were turning their backs on me in a snit, possibly because I only give treats to Abby.

But in reality, I am not being shunned by the herd. In fact, when I arrived and called, Abby came right up to say hello.

 She hustled up so quickly, she left the others behind!

 She had her ears up and was making soft little nickers as she approached.

We had a lovely visit, and she licked and licked and LICKED my hand when she finished her sugar cubes.

It was only then that she meandered off to join her pasture buddies and participated in the "summer moon."

New meaning for a beloved song.

"If These Walls Could Talk"

Mike Pinto, principal of Cole Elementary School, sends out a Morning Message every weekday to his staff and friends. Although on staff at another school, I am lucky enough to be on his mailing list and often find him insightful and uplifting.

Today to my surprise, the first thing I saw was a picture of an old barn. With Mike's permission, I share his Morning Message below. Thanks, Mike!

If Those Walls Could Talk

I like cool old barns because they are a dying breed but also because they house the character of the workmen who crafted them with their own hands and with their own brawn. I also like them because they store within them a rich history. Over the years an old barn saw many livestock and lots of manual labor. An old barn also saw triumphs, tragedies, and most likely was a spot where people gathered to laugh and to chew the fat. For a farmer, a barn is like a second home. It’s where he spends many long hours toiling in the heat or freezing in the cold. Over time the barn stands and it takes in all the stories deep into the grains of its hand-hewn beams.  I always marvel at these old barns and would love to tap those stories and memories from deep within.  The walls of a school are like the siding on an old barn.  They too soak in the triumphs, tragedies, and conversations that happen within. They too soak in the stories and the laughter. A school, like an old barn, holds within its walls something magical. It holds the possibilities of childhood and innocence of youth.  Fifty years from now someone will look back on the walls of this school and think, “I wish those walls could talk”.  It’s ironic to think that today we are adding another chapter to the story of our school.  We will have triumphs and failures in this chapter. We will also have many moments of laughter and joy.  But we will also be building something incredible for ourselves and for our students: Memories. And if you take a moment to recognize this, the memory will be richer and deeper down the road of life when someday you strive once again to relive a time where you were surrounded by people you liked, doing something you were put on this earth to do.  So take a moment today to look around and to capture in your hearts and minds the nuances of your space, the sounds of your colleagues and students, and smells of fresh crayons and endless possibilities.  Because in many ways this is the best of times and we are so fortunate to not only be living it but also fortunate to recognize its worth.  Have a great school year.

Michael R. Pinto

Principal, James Cole Elementary School  

A Reproachful Abby

It has been a busy summer, the busiest I can remember in years. All six of our kids and their families came home to visit, I attended two teaching/education conferences, we made several trips to Indianapolis for the Indianapolis Temple open house, Craig's mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and working to clean out my mother's home and disperse her possessions has meant there has been little barn time.

I have been making flying visits to see Abby (usually while on my way to someplace else), hastily shoving a few candy canes or carrots at her, doing a quick visual check for bumps, cuts, or scrapes, and then hopping back in my car and zooming off.

Abby seemed rather reproachful tonight when I went out to see her.

"Where have you been recently??"

"You think a few candy canes are going to make up for ignoring me??"

"Well.... maybe they will. I forgive you. I sure hope the start of the new school year gets you back into a more normal visiting schedule!"

So do I, Abby!! School starts Monday; surely that will help life to settle down for me.

My Horsey Future

If things go the way I hope they do, this will be Craig and me at our nursing home in the distant future.

(Photo from thedodo.com)

After all, I DO have experience with "indoor horses." When I was seventeen and home alone, I brought my horse, Pokey, up the steps, onto the porch, through the back door, and into the house. 

Amy and Pokey, 1974

Why did I bring Pokey into the house? I still have no idea. But I'll own it - I did bring a horse into the house when I was old enough to know better. (And now, as an adult, when I ask a student why he or she did something and they reply, "I don't know!" there's a part of me that goes, "Yeah, sweetie, I get it.")

I hope I always have horses in my life, indoor or out!

It's Good to be a Horse

Some days it's simply good to be a horse. Saturday was one of those days.

 Hokey.

 Diablo.

Fly Swatting Distinctively

Abby has a very distinctive fly swatting method.

 Straight up and down!

I can always pick her out of the herd, even when the horses are far out in the pasture and gathered together. I just look for the tail that is going up and down instead of side to side.

Pictures taken from the day she was rescued show the same thing.

That's her in the middle - see that tail? (Notice she's pointing her left front hoof - they'd chopped off the slippered part and she was hurting. Poor girl!)

Here one of the rescuers is giving her some food. And there goes the tail!

Just one of those fun quirks that make Abby who she is!

"Wibbons" and "Pbpbpbpbpb"

We have had lots of family visiting this summer (and more to come!) Our home has five bedrooms, but with six children and their families in and out, every bit of space gets used.

These two cuties have had to sleep in my office, or "the horse room" as my children call it.

Julie and Cambria, playing the piano together.

Julie (playing here with my real horse sleigh bells - Jennifer Buxton of Braymere Custom Saddlery made me a lovely matching set in miniature a few years ago) was fascinated by something besides the horses.

Her mama reported that whenever Julie woke up, she would chirp, "Wibbons! Wibbons!!"

She was looking at these:

I use the top of my blinds to display some of the ribbons my collection has won.

Cambria is more interested in the horses.

When she sleeps in my office and wakes up, 

she looks at the shelves of horses...

... and makes the sound of a snorting horse. "Pbpbpbpb! Pbpbpbpb!"

Hopefully a new generation of horse lovers is beginning!