Women.  On Horseback.  Kicking Ass.  These are not prints; someone actually painted them.  I paid $3.95 a piece for them.



Here's a close up of each:

My Goose requested an SCA resume from me.  Seems as if I need to do this rather formally as the last one he received was written on a napkin two years ago.  As I am only used to writing screwy lawyer resumes, this is actually becoming quite a nervous chore. 

Do any of you have an actual SCA resume?  If so, would you mind emailing it to me at ISTP [dot] archer [at] gmail [dot] com?  I just want to copy a form but anything you send me will remain confidential. 

Thanks!

Here it is draped over a chair:



Now for the somewhat hard part: putting on the straps.  I should have that done soon enough. :)

I was cleaning up pictures on my camera phone and found this one of a side saddle on a Western tree.  I saw this in an antique store up in Snohomish County. 

The one next to it was a tiny lead line saddle that was beat up and held a price tag of $350.  I should have taken a picture of it for the "Yeah right" factor. 

I am supposed to be reading Art of War.  Instead, I goof off on Facebook and LJ.  I read that book three times before, but I am being tested on it on Monday for my sergeantcy trials.  Maybe it is just brain fry from the pro bono case and work, but one would think I could be better motivated than this. 

Meanwhile, no sewing is getting done.  Not much of anything is getting done.  It is a beautiful day and I am stuck inside studying.  Boo-hoo. 

A friend posted this on our archery list.  He says it summarizes what he loves best about archery.  It does the same for me. 


-=Fields of Green (Paradise)=-

Now Paradise is very nice,
But give me fields of green,
Where regimented targets stand,
And archers can be seen.

Where time begins to lose its beat
In leisured conversation,
And archers bend the bow complete
In measured concentration.

Where day on day can slip away
In soothing repetition,
Where scores are reached - and often breached -
In friendly competition.

Yes, Paradise is very nice,
It's here between the row
Of targets and the shooting line
And archers in the bow.

- David Hulme

It makes me miss summer.  It will be cold and drizzly here for the next ten days and all the while I crave the green pastures that host archery tournaments.  I miss events, I miss camping.  With this long winter it feels like it has been years since I did either. 

You will probably be completely unsurprised: I loved Disney's Robin Hood as a kid.  To this day, I still find that movie absolutely charming. :)

The heraldry test went fairly well.  A part of me says I failed it, but that is likely a lack of self confidence talking. 

I also learned last night that I SUCK at 9 Man's Morris.  I kept getting my ass beat again and again . . .I must have been brain-fried from the test.  For the Games trial, we get to play three games: 9 Man's Morris, Byzantine Chess and a third of our choosing.  The third game I chose is Bocce.  I do great at lawn games, but board games?  Major suckage unless it is Monopoly or Triva Pursuit. 

The pattern for the horse barding also arrived!  I brought it to work with me today so I can start planning for it.  It will be some fairly advanced sewing for me, but I feel up to it.  I can't wait until I have the finished project: barding, nice flowing cotehardie, etc.  It will be so pretty. :)

Chiropractor appointment followed by riding today.  I forgot to let Tegan know I was coming, so it will be a Chase Yanarra Day.  Perhaps she will feel up to some work and grain and will just let me catch her.  Hmmm . . .wishful thinking. 

I am at tudorlady 's getting my cheer on.  :)

She rocks, I tell you, ROCKS. 

My name and device are submitted. 

We returned from southern California last night.  It was nice; in the high 70's and low 80's the whole time.  Thursday was Disneyland, Friday was shopping with Grandma and Saturday we went to Santa Anita Race Track. 

I have finished alot of reading on Seabiscuit and knew that he set a track record there in 1940--which is also when he won the Santa Anita Handicap.  The energy there was incredible.  Everyone was there from the desperately gambling rabble to the rich owners.  The horses were some of the most beautiful I ever seen and the ground were fantastic.  When it was time to leave for a family barbeque, Duncan had to practically drag me out of there kicking and screaming.  :)

With that, how about some pictures?


( Pictures! )

1. Stop talking about politics for a moment or two.
2. Post a reasonably-sized picture in your LJ, NOT under a cut tag, of something pleasant, such as an adorable kitten, or a fluffy white cloud, or a bottle of booze. Something that has NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS.
3. Include these instructions, and share the love



While in California in May, we visited a historic gold mine.  These flowers were on a pillar right outside the mine owner's house. 

This is me and Cookie right before we went on our trail ride.  As you may remember, he was the horse I rode at Long Hollow Ranch. 

He was just big, steady and loveable.  If I had a large truck and trailer, as well as a pile of cash, I would go get him right now. :)

Classy and I have been doing marvelous at the walk and trot.  We do spirals, circles, serpentines, and weave around cones.  She goes on the bit and gives her best.  I do not get the attitude from her I used to get.  I feel like she is truly an equine partner. 

Now we are working on cantering together.  This has been a definite work in progress, but there is progress.  That is all I care about. 

The first time I asked her to canter was at last week's lesson.  She put her ears back, tried to throw me, but settled on turning her head and attempting to bite me in the boot.  I responded by asking again.  That time she cantered, but it was a wild uncollected canter that jarred my whole physique. 

We returned to working on the canter again last night.  Diana showed me how to collect her and we worked on collection for most of the lesson.  It was difficult work, I am sore as hell today, but we seem to be getting it.  Near the end of the lesson, Classy quit pinning her ears.  We did a few good laps around the arena.  She knows her half-halts well and listened better than last week. 

Classy amazes me with her resilience.  It is obvious she was mistreated, but she pulls through.  She wants to trust and be someone's buddy.   She has learned so much since I first started riding her and we improved so much as a pair.  I do hope we get to compete in shows and SCA events together. 

A picture of my Classy girl.  :)

Mocha, the filly at our barn, is about to be weaned.  This weekend, she will be moved to another barn for 30 days.  At the end of the 30 days, she will return to our barn with her very own big girl stall. :) 

Mocha is growing into an absolute beauty; she is a beautiful bay with two white feet and her dam's snip.  She is also sweet, kind and willing.  If she ends up with her sire's conformation, she will be a perfect dressage horse.  It looks like her owner is not going to race her after all. 

However, he has no real plans for her either.  Right now, he is just letting her go through ground work training, be a baby and saddle-break only when the vet says it is okay to do so.    Ground work is going splendidly; she took to a halter almost immediately and is never obnoxious to her handler.  She is easy to catch and loves to be groomed.  It is amazing how this once-scared little filly is now becoming a very people-oriented mare. 

I have known her since she was three weeks old.  Watching her grow has been tremondously satisfying.  If she keeps going the way she is, she will make someone a fantastic horse. 

 The flush toilet.  

During the last five years, I attended SCA events where the biffy-truck forgot to empty to biffies.  Now, I never take sanitary living for granted. 

Ace and I right before the boar-sticking trial at Summer Hunt.  I just love how he stands at the ready.