Horse Sketch – Keeping My Hand In

February 9, 2014 / still a dreamer / 4 Comments

Sometimes there is just too much to do … as I’m sure any of you can attest. Between work and shoveling snow … and shoveling snow … and shoveling snow … and just taking care of day to day life, things that really matter can sometimes be sitting on the sidelines. Children’s books are always in my head, so if I don’t have the time to be writing or dummying, illustrating or prepping something to send to an agent or editor, I can do something else … I can turn out a sketch.

This sketch is of a bay pony at water’s edge and from a calendar given to me by a friend who is so helpful in keeping me inspired to write. Well, this time, I drew, but that’s OK, because I’ve still got my hand in.

Helping Horses – Open House at Mylestone

October 9, 2013 / still a dreamer / 2 Comments

Each year Mylestone Equine Rescue holds their annual Open House. It’s an opportunity for horse lovers/animal lovers/people who care about what happens to animals on this sometimes-godforsaken-planet to meet the horses rescued by Mylestone and residing on their farm.

Pictured is Holly, a snowflake Appaloosa, meeting some fans at a previous Open House.

What I love about working with Mylestone is that they save the horses that other rescues will rarely take … the ones that are lame, those who have worked their entire lives serving man and yet will be shipped to slaughter when no longer useful, those whose owners can no longer afford them and leave them to starve in a back field, or those whose owners truly care and are desperately seeking help in placing them.

Most of the Mylestone horses are suitable as companions only; most are not ridable, and therefore, will live their lives on the farm, supported by sponsors and other caring folk.

Because it’s a private farm, it’s only open to the public at this annual Open House or by appointment – so here’s your chance to see miracles in action – each horse’s story is posted on their stall or paddock and what they looked like when they arrived. Their appearance now speaks for itself. If you are in the area and would like to check out this wonderful rescue, why not attend Open House, October 13th from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Complete details are here. There’s a terrific Silent Auction, great baked goods, Mylestone merchandise, vendors and more. Raindate is the following Sunday – check the website before coming in the event that it does rain.

Poetry in Motion

July 30, 2012July 31, 2012 / still a dreamer / 8 Comments

I don’t think you need to be an animal lover, or even a lover of horses, to appreciate the elegance and spirit of the Friesians in this video. But if you are … prepare yourself for a real treat. The magnificence of these animals is simply moving.

KFPS Friesians will not allow the video to be embedded, and in fact, the horses will be much better appreciated full screen. Take a look and enjoy.

Meet the Horses! Mylestone Equine Rescue’s Open House

October 6, 2011 / still a dreamer / 3 Comments

It only happens once a year … Mylestone Equine Rescue’s Annual Open House – your chance to meet all the rescued horses personally.

Mylestone, located in Pohatcong, NJ, rescues the horses that most other rescues won’t take – from the auction, the kill pen, from hoarding and cruelty situations, and more. Some, once recovered, may be ridable, but most can only be placed as companion horses. Many have sufficient medical issues that they will remain at Mylestone as sanctuary horses for the rest of their lives due to required treatment.

But don’t believe for a second that these horses aren’t living the happiest and most amazing lives possible in Mylestone’s care. If you need some good news, perhaps have a hankering to hear about a miracle or two, come to Mylestone’s Open House this Sunday, October 9th from noon to 4 pm. Meet the rescue horses – their lives have been changed forever … yours might be, too.

Me? Write A Novel?

June 18, 2011June 19, 2011 / still a dreamer

A novel? Really? A couple years ago, Sheri, from our children’s writer’s group, said, “You have a novel in you.” I didn’t find that to be something impossible, yet didn’t see it as highly likely at the time, either.

Aside from one story of mine which hasn’t yet found its proper genre – picture book, chapter book or middle grade – I have been focusing on picture books. I read novels all the time, but had not really thought about writing one of my own. The meager story beginning I had written for a First Page Session was a starting point, and even then, I wasn’t all that focused on it. Until I got a critique from two editors on my storyline, and things that did and didn’t work for an MG reader.

Since that time, I’ve had a unique experience. The story is writing itself.

I’ve read online, and seen among my fellow writers, how some novelists just write it all down straightaway, while others make an outline, map it out, etc. This is not what’s happening. The story is telling itself to me … at odd times, when I’m relaxing, working, whenever it pleases. I mentioned this to my friend, Linda, who told me I’m channeling my story. Well, that’s kind of exciting, and makes sense. Although I envisioned a most basic structure for how the pattern of the chapters would go, beyond that, it just keeps coming.

I’m not writing anything down; there’s no way I’ll forget it. I’m allowing it to just come through. I cry, I laugh, I see who’s becoming a character. This is very new to me. Some ideas require some of my attention – for ex., should that character enter my heroine’s life in the same chapter as another? Why IS my character like that? And I let it go. The answers come back in a fairly short time.

I don’t need too many facts at this time – I can fill in the realities of horses, riding, racing, later. But I realize I can also feed my storywriter within, so am reading Taming the Star Runner by S.E. Hinton, and perhaps returning to other horse related books I have here or reading some new ones or checking out some videos. I am fortunate to have friends involved with horses who can help me with facts, as well as one of the sources for this story’s inspiration … the horses of Mylestone Equine Rescue, for whom I volunteer and help in other ways.