peaceful critters

Happy Friday, everybody! Idk about you, but I'm looking forward to this weekend. Unfortunately the constant rainy conditions of late meant postponing this weekend's planned starter trial.... Which is disappointing but also, ya know, kinda ok.

I'm feeling very zen about a cancellation that has nothing to do with my own horse's health and well being lol. Like, 'Oh the weather's bad? Sure, fine, no biggie! So long as my horse is ok!!'

these are the tiniest freakin mice i've ever seen - like the size of the tip of my thumb. still destructive little f*ers tho!

So we're kinda cruisin. Which is nice. I mean, that's basically the normal plan with Charlie anyway, but it's always nice to have it validated by an unexpectedly clear schedule.

Honestly tho the show's postponement did create a bit of a struggle summoning motivation to drive 45min to an hour to the barn in rush hour traffic for a ride in the rain. I've been really pushing myself lately to do it tho. To make it happen.

To make the time for this activity that is so important to me.

back to boat shoes for Sir. and, naturally, he immediately sprung a few nails bc #whynot

Not because I'm trying to hold my nose to the grindstone, my feet to the fire, or anything like that. No no.

Rather, it's other elements of my life that have me feeling like I really need to keep the horsey routine going as a matter of self care. Like my job that has suddenly picked up in workload (a positive thing, for the record). Or the realization that I'll probably be moving house for the first time in a decade sometime this summer.

These are all good things - but they each consume insane volumes of my train of thought at any given moment. Without necessarily being, uh, relaxing or rewarding in the short term.

if you want 30sec of peaceful woods noises, this video is for you

The moving thing in particular is interesting, bc it has me questioning a lot about how I view and value my day to day life. Things like neighborhood. I've been looking all over the city (you saw a few of my "view" options earlier this week) and have been reflecting on what each would be like on a day to day basis.

Getting out to the barn a lot has been clarifying in that matter. I typically use the barn to feel happy about things. To get that feeling of calm that can sometimes be missing from other environments.

And lately it's come into clear focus why the barn helps there. Like how in the course of a single ride I can see foxes, deer, and ground hogs. Three different species of songbirds in a single square meter of fence line (for those curious: red winged blackbird, blue bird, and this gorgeous little black capped thing I think was a chickadee). The resident hawks having it out noisily with their neighboring crows. Plus all those trilling frogs in the pond that spook poor Charlie.

damn tho, maryland is looking tropical lately haha. also the horse ain't bad either ;)

It's just....  ya know, a pretty wonderful way to pass an hour. Or 20min. Or whatever length of time I can give to it.

So I make the time. And it's worth it. And I always feel better for having sat on the horse.

There's always more work to be done, more tasks to prioritize and check off the list. More preparations to be made for future events. Sometimes tho it's just reeeally nice to sit back and listen to some frog song while hacking through a rainy jungle. Bc why not, right?