Time Flies....

The new year started on the shore of Lake Huron with my trusted companion, Jackson. The wind, the waves, the crisp cold air, the sand underfoot…a perfect way to kick off 2022.

Now, almost a year later, time has flown by in an absolute blur. We’re warned that as we get older, time seems to go by more quickly, but my god, I didn’t expect it to feel like this!

These two love the snow and cold weather. They both had a challenging summer having been diagnosed with environmental asthma, thanks to the hot, dry, ragweed-filled summer months that we had. Never would I have thought I’d be buying a Costco membership for Reactine for my horses, but with Bruno taking 36 a day at one point (remembering he’s an almost 2000lb draft horse) and Lightning not far behind that total, it was the only option. All of the various treatments we tried, unfortunately, didn’t seem to help all that much, so I was so relieved when the cooler weather set in and their breathing returned to normal, their noses stopped running and we could back off the meds. They’re now back to being the wooly mammoths they turn into in the winter months and are as content as content can be.

I wandered through the field of lavender at Baroque Botanicals ,then back through the wheat field and forest trails and completed my visit with their beautiful Friesien horses and amazing owners. I look forward to their open house and it’s a favourite way to spend a summer day. They make the most luxurious products from their lavender and I swear by their facial oil, lip balm, candles and room spray. Honestly, all of their products are fantastic!

Jackson and I spent a very relaxing few days at a friend’s cottage by Parry Sound and it was just what the doctor ordered. Sun, reading, more sun, lounging on the dock, a few bevies and lots of time with the fur babe. I think he was just as sad as I was (if not possibly more) when it came time to say good-bye. Jacks is a whole other dog when he gets into the countryside. He’s almost always ‘on guard’ at our house, but when he gets outside the city limits, I can actually see him physically relax and he becomes so at ease. Warms my heart!

It was a year full of beauty, from that gorgeous bouquet from my friend, May Moon Flowers, to some absolutely stunning sunsets and finding my furry pots of gold at the end of that rainbow. I will always be amazed and absolutely appreciate the wonders of the outdoors and what it provides for us.

I look back on this year with gratitude and while it feels like it was just yesterday that I was standing on the shore of Lake Huron, ushering in 2022, at the same time, it feels like it was so long ago. From road trips with friends, to days at the farm or the Country House, encouraging myself to always take the back roads/scenic route (and finding your dream farm for sale but unfortunately not winning the lottery to be able to purchase it) and my ever evolving City Cottage, this year has been filled with many lessons and I’ve learned much more about myself for many reasons. I look at the little world I have formed around me and can’t help but smile and feel a sense of calm in this rather chaotic world. Cheers the the year that has passed and I look forward to the new year ahead. I have a really good feeling for what’s to come in 2023 and thank you to you all for coming along for the ride both in the past, today and in the future.

RR

Saving Bruno

Oh the power of social media….Little did I know that an innocent scroll through Facebook on December 6, 2018 would change my/our life forever.

I saw a post by Horseshoe Stable of the big, handsome face above and knew I had to go meet him. He had been saved from OLEX (a livestock auction in Waterloo that sees most horses sold there go to slaughter for meat…yes, meat…for human consumption) by the incredible souls at Horseshoe Stable and he was in really rough shape. We arrived at the stable and within minutes…possibly even seconds….I knew this big guy (a Clydesdale/Belgian cross at around 17.2 hands) was meant to be a part of our life….

The photo above is from the evening we met him and the photo below is a full view of the extremely poor physical state that he was in when he arrived at Horseshoe Stable. His eyes were so incredibly sad…..after meeting him I had an hour drive to go see my Mom and I cried the entire trip there. I had never witnessed an animal of this size in such horrible shape and it absolutely broke my heart. I didn’t get any sleep that night and at about 2am, I started a Go Fund Me as I knew at that moment he had to come home to me, our family and our farm family at Rivendell. The initial costs associated with rescuing an animal can be very, very high due to all of the unknowns regarding their health, behaviour, needs etc and this fund would go to help this big guy get the care that he so desperately needed. It was the start of his hashtag… #savingbruno

#savingbruno

He arrived at Rivendell at 7am the morning of December 8, 2019. I wish I had gotten a photo of him on the trailer as he’s so tall and almost had to duck, even on a stock trailer.

He stepped off the trailer and I hope he could feel the immediate love and support around him. We walked around the farm and stood to watch the sunrise on the first day in the next chapter of his life….a chapter full of happiness, lots of treats and the care he deserves. He also met his brother, Lightning, and it was brotherly love at the first touching of their noses.

He settled in well and one of our first endeavours was to have our Veterinarian come out to give him a full check up, his first round of vaccines, float his teeth and clean his sheath. Dr. Molson from McKee-Pownall Equine Services has such a thoughtful and patient manner with these incredible beasts and treated Bruno with such care and compassion. He was sedated to have his teeth floated and you could immediately tell there was something wrong when Dr. Molson opened his mouth…..his teeth/mouth were in horrible condition….in fact, the worst she had ever seen. Bruno has a fairly significant overbite (ie. parrot mouth) and his teeth do not wear properly because of this. Dr. Molson said that if we hadn’t done this when we had, in a few more months his teeth would have curled all the way around and would have started to grow back into his palate. Bruno will require dentistry care every 6 months for the next 2-3 years to get his teeth back to where they should be as we don’t want to take them back too quickly due to nerve endings in the teeth. He was such a trooper through all his initial treatments that morning and after 2 dentistry treatments in the past 8 months, I can tell he’s more comfortable and can masticate his food much more effectively. The photos below show his first and second sessions of dentistry care with Dr. Molson to help grind down or ‘float’ his teeth.

After ensuring a solid baseline from his visit with Dr. Molson, it was then time to figure out his food program (we needed him to gain weight but do so in a steady and healthy manner), get his measurements for tack, blankets etc (he wears the largest halter that Brubacher’s Harness and Tack Shop sells and a size 92 blanket - in comparison, Lightning wears a size 82). He lived his few few months with us in a stall overnight to stay sheltered and warm and then out in the pasture making friends during the day. He now lives outside 24/7 and absolutely loves his life with his field-mates and friends he’s made. He has two hearty meals a day and all the hay a horse could ask for. The first time I fed him an apple, the look on his face was like a little kid on Christmas morning. I have a feeling that he did not get many, if any, treats in his prior life and to see something so simple bring him so much contentedness was oh so heart warming.

I’ll now take you through a photographic journey of the past 7 months, to show you the incredible transformation that has occurred before our eyes, thanks to so many people. We truly do have a family at the farm, led by our farm manager, Lori. I can honestly say that I would not have even fathomed embarking on this journey without knowing she was the foundation of our farm and I truly cannot say ‘thank you’ enough for all that she has done for this big guy….and me! A huge thank you too to my Mom for all of her support (couldn’t have done this without you), the family at Rivendell - Mike, Grace, Chelsea etc, McKee-Pownall, Brubacher’ s, Sharpe Farm Supply, and of course, all of the Go Fund Me supporters. You helped me/us get this guy the new start he deserved and I am so beyond grateful and humbled by your support.

His first few weeks at the farm. The swelling in his legs had just started to subside.

Even with a full winter coat, you can see his ribs :(

He truly is a ray of sunshine.

A bit heavier blanket to keep him warm once the snow decided to stick around - size 92!

Making friends….you can start to see the brightness coming back to his eyes.

So handsome.

Eating dinner with his farm pup friends….

Dirty feet…

Look at that belly!

This first time hanging out in a field with his brother…..the boys :) They live in separate fields as Lightning is in our ‘weight watchers’ field with netted hay while Bruno has the ‘full serve’ option in his.

So shiny….and he’s starting to gain back some muscle tone!

Look at him!!! Such a commanding presence with a spark in his eye!

From the other night…. My happy place….

It has been quite a journey over the past 7-8 months and I wouldn’t change a second of it. We still have a long journey ahead….some work to do with standing much more politely for the farrier (he ‘dances’ as I’m sure he’s had a not great experience previously), more dentistry treatments, more weight to gain, more training to do….but that’s what it’s all about….the journey. Every time I pull down the laneway at the farm and see him standing there in the field, his head buried in a bale of hay or munching on some grass, my eyes well up with tears of happiness. He’s an amazing creature and I’m so glad the fates aligned the way they did to bring us all together!

A huge thank you again to everyone for all of your support….it truly does take a village!

RR

Dream Big!

My Mom and I went to the Aberfoyle Market for Mother's Day.

It was a chilly May day and as we wandered through the wide variety of vendors, we entered one stall and this piece caught my eye.

Of course almost anything horse/equine related draws me in, but there was just something about this brooch that pulled me over to it.

I picked it up and took it over to pay for it and the woman who was selling it let me know that there was a story behind this piece that she just recently was told. Intrigued, I inquired and of course, she obliged.

She went on to tell me that the artisan who made the piece had stopped by and told her that the horse at the bottom is actually a statue of a horse and that the horses above him are the horses he dreams of every night, hoping to be them one day...real, live horses that could gallop across paddocks and feel the wind run through their mane.

I had already thought this was a beautiful piece, but knowing the story behind it just added to the beauty. I absolutely love the sentiment behind it and it now has a place on my nightstand to remind me to dream big, no matter what!

RR

Meagan Smith at The Vintage Marketplace

Be Still**

I am always amazed by beautiful creations that pour out of people's finger tips from an image in their mind......and I'm even more amazed when a friend reveals a hidden talent of creating these stunning pieces of art!

I had known Meagan Smith for a while before I had the opportunity to see her work and needless to say, it's an understatement to say that I was blown away when I did.

Meagan and I share a love of a rustic and natural aesthetic. Her adoration of Mother Nature's creatures and beings is evident in every aspect of her work, from what she chooses to paint to the 'canvas' she chooses to paint her pieces on.

Field of Dreams

Free Spirit

She captures every detail perfectly....the delicate tree branches, the fluid movement of a horse....and the fact that she uses wood from around the world, as well as local reclaimed barn board, just adds an extra level of depth through the wood's grain and texture.

Be sure to "Like" Meagan's Facebook Page to see pieces that are currently available and learn more about this incredible woman!

Autumn Leaves

Thumbing My Way

Meagan will be bringing her gorgeous creations to The Vintage Marketplace at the Hamilton Convention Centre in Hamilton Ontario on April 18th and 19th.

Learn more about my beautiful friend via this excerpt from her bio for this event: 

"From as young as I can remember, I have had a great love for art, and would spend hours in my room drawing and painting. Having grown up in the country on a farm, I’ve always felt a connection with, and an appreciation for, Mother Nature and her creations. It was after a profound personal loss that I was inspired to create these pieces as a tribute to a special person who always believed in me, took interest in, and encouraged my artistic abilities. I have found comfort and closeness in the wisdom of the trees, the spirits in the sky, and the innocence of the animals. These gifts from Mother Nature have become my subject matter. It was by purpose that I came to paint these images on reclaimed barn board. Like the one which inspired me, each piece holds a story, has character, and has been resilient to life’s challenges."

Wise Old Friend

This is Meagan's favourite piece (Wise Old Friend) as it was inspired by her horse Jess (a thoroughbred/Clydesdale cross). It evokes a very sentimental feeling for me too as I grew up beside a farm that raised Clydes and they're one of my favourite breeds of horses.

Be sure to make the trip to Hamilton the weekend of April 18th and 19th to attend The Vintage Marketplace to meet Meagan and see her stunning pieces of art. 

I'll see you there (I might even head there extra early to take advantage of their VIP shopping time between 9-10am)!!

RR

**All images are the property of Meagan Smith**