Pasture Magic: Bonding with Horses and Donkeys



Photo by Marianne M. Smith



Christmas always makes me think about horses (and donkeys, too, of course).  I’m not sure how I originally made this connection.  Maybe it had to do with my earliest desire for a Christmas pony.

By the way, that pony never materialized until I bought it for myself when I turned 40!  (Well, ok, I actually bought two ponies, probably because I thought that fulfillment of that wish was so overdue.)

A few years later, my husband surprised me at Christmas with a Belgian mare, and Nadia is still a strong contender for “best gift ever.”



Nadia with Dwayne



But sometimes my non-farming friends want to know what drives me to continue the farm these days.  To be honest, it has never been a profitable venture, and it requires huge investments of time, money, and hard work.  It also brings with it a disturbing lack of freedom.

However, I can justify it all by citing how rewarding the equine/donkey bond is for me.  Even in this time of economic uncertainty—especially in this time—the bond I feel with my equine and donkey friends makes me feel more sane and balanced.

They are a constant in a world of turmoil and change.  I can count on connecting with them when I can’t count on anything else. 

Recently I was watching an episode of Two Broke Girls.  In case you aren’t familiar with it, the sitcom is based on a poor but delightfully down-to-earth waitress who befriends a fallen rich girl.  The rich girl moves in to the poor girl’s apartment in Brooklyn with her horse, Chestnut, who lives right outside their back door.  With winter coming, the girls decide to find Chestnut a more suitable home.  When Max (the poor waitress) is saying goodbye to Chestnut, she experiences a bonding moment.  I surprised myself by bursting into tears and had trouble getting ahold of myself.  That made me start thinking about why horses and donkeys matter so much in my own life.

Max's bonding moment with Chestnut in Two Brok Girls

The past year has been extremely tough for many of us.  We have collectively experienced a lot of loss.  Dump a nasty economy on top of that, toss in some diminishing dreams, and there is little left to hold on to.

When my heart feels heavy, I know what to do to balance my spirit.  I head out into the pastures, and put my hands on our donkeys and horses.  They live in the moment, and bring me back to it.  Standing firmly planted on land with my hands on the freest of creatures, I regain my center.

If I could send you a Christmas gift, it would be a package full of the feeling I just described.

Knowing that I always have this connection available allows me to take bigger risks and pursue dreams that would otherwise be deep-sixed.  And to me, that kind of support and connection is what drives my passion for farming and ranching.

I’m especially thankful this holiday season to be celebrating with friends and family at the ranch.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

I’d love to hear about your own connection with horses and/or donkeys.  Please feel free to leave a comment.

Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://www.writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com

Call Me Gumby: Thoughts on Flexibility

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I must confess that I have often been described as a “control freak.”  Lately I have been running a grand experiment, attempting to become a more flexible version of myself.  The results have been amusing.

Interesting things happen when I relinquish control.  And some of them are pretty dang cool!  It’s kind of like the song lyric: “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”

Sometimes I believe that because I’m highly organized, I know how to plan things.  But recently some of my most rewarding insights and experiences have arrived decidedly in the form of PLAN B, or even C.

I’m the kind who likes to plan my spontaneity, ya know? J  But these days I’m getting more credit for “rolling with it” and being flexible.  Few things actually run according to plan anyway, so why not relax?

I used to think that staying “on task” was the goal.  Now I’m thinking that flexibility is a better goal, primarily because it is easier and yields better results.  Go figure.

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Maybe there is value in the idea of getting out of your own way.  After all, there isn’t much certainty in life, and people (and their values, motivations, and dreams) frequently change over time.

With the holidays upon us, I’m hoping that I can let go of my expectations and just roll with whatever happens next.  For me, Christmas is rarely a series of Norman Rockwell portraits anyway.  Perfection is certainly out of reach, so I’m trying to just embrace the good moments, and to cope with the not so good.  With a less rigid outlook, I'm finding that a lot easier.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about being flexible versus sticking with your plans.  Feel free to leave a comment.

Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com

Grinchmas: Top 10 Ways to De-emphasize Gifts and Reclaim your Christmas Spirit

We talk about the true meaning of Christmas—the baby Jesus in the manger, and peace and goodwill towards all.  So why is it so hard not to stress out over the required gift-giving?

In this economy, almost all of us are stretching, Christmas or not.  Should we really take on credit card debt (if we even have credit left) for gifts that will, most likely, not be remembered even a few months later?

I wish I could buy all of you lavish and interesting gifts, I really do.  But I can’t.  So what I’m giving you this year is ten ideas about how to redefine Christmas Spirit and de-emphasize gifts:

1.   Change your own attitude.  Christmas is really about the Baby in the manger, and peace and goodwill towards all, right?  We need to GET this.

2.   If you are used to exchanging lavish gifts with those closest to you, consider sending out positively worded Grinch Alerts (or call) saying you’d like to tone things down this year.  Offer handmade gifts, baked goods, or volunteer to babysit for a single mother who never gets out of the house.

3.   Put your emphasis on RELATIONSHIPS and sharing the holiday with those you love.  Go look at Christmas lights, watch favorite Christmas movies, or go caroling.  Light a fire and drink hot cocoa or cider with friends.  Attend or participate in a Christmas Parade.  Help an elderly neighbor string some lights or put up a tree.  Volunteer somewhere.

4.   If postage is a problem, send ecards.  Or how about a phone call or two to faraway friends and relatives?

5.   Trim your list for those gifts you simply must give.

6.   Buy in bulk so you can spend quality time with your friends and family this year.  It really is ok to give the majority on your list the same cool inexpensive gift—just be sure it’s well thought out.  You can give personalized gifts on birthdays, when they matter more.

7.   If you have small children, you may be thinking about how out of touch I am.  My suggestion is to buy or make lots of small gifts and wrap them separately.  For most kids, it’s all about the element of surprise.  And if you are really pinching pennies, just be sure to spend lots of quality time with your kids this Christmas.  That’s something they understand and will remember.  I promise you they won’t remember what they didn’t get for long.

8.   Here’s a radical one:  Change the date on your gift-giving.  For a multitude of reasons, my sister and I are getting together for Christmas closer to New Year’s.  If you move the gift-giving piece away from the 25^th, it’s easier to de-emphasize it.

9.   Use what you have on hand for gifts.  Do you have pine trees that could yield you Christmas wreaths or garland to give as gifts?  Can you make homemade Christmas ornaments?

10. This last one is important:  If you receive an unexpected gift, just be gracious.  Don’t  flinch and make everyone uncomfortable.  Big smile, big thank you!  That is really all that needs to be said.  If you launch into a big speech about how they shouldn’t have, how you didn’t, and how awful you feel, you’ll just ruin it for the other person.

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Ok, it's time to get out there and have some Christmas fun!  And get over the gift thing, already.  You might be surprised by how much it changes your experience of the holidays.  Merry Christmas, Ya’ll!

I’d love to hear about ways you’ve come up with to reclaim your own Christmas Spirit.  Please feel free to leave a comment.

Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://www.writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com

SITTING IN A KALEIDOSCOPE



Photo from inside the kaleidoscope by Marianne M. Smith



Yesterday I had a shocking and awesome experience:  I sat in a kaleidoscope!  No, that is NOT a typo.  I sat IN, not ON a kaleidoscope.  It was a curious and fascinating happening.

I’m sharing this with you because it has completely changed my thinking.  Sometimes a new experience equals a new perspective, and in this case?  Well, boy howdy!

I need to thank Matt Thomas, BFA student exhibiting and getting ready to graduate from TTU/Appalachian Center for Craft.  I’m doing some marketing work there and one of the joys of being on site is encountering art in a personal way while walking through the buildings.  Matt created this “sit in” kaleidoscope, along with some of the other delights you see in my photo below.




Matt Thomas Exhibition, kaleidoscope at left.  Photo by Marianne M. Smith

 

Merriam-Webster defines kaleidoscope as “a succession of changing phases or actions.”  In its simplest form, a kaleidoscope is a circle of mirrors with a changing perspective.

My experience was that sitting in Matt’s kaleidoscope made me think about old things in a new way.  I’m in a phase of my life where I’m looking for creative solutions to old problems, and it was like I was zapped from the heavens.



Photo by Marianne M. Smith



I hope that you have experienced art this way, or that you will very soon.  (If you’re anywhere near Smithville, TN, Matt’s exhibit will be up until December 12^th at Appalachian Center for Craft.)

One thing I loved about Matt’s exhibit was the concept of art giving back.   The gumball machine delivered time capsules, and the floating dog delivered humor and the element of surprise. The exhibit was formally themed as Encapsulation.  It seems art can enclose as well as open.  Of course, my take on all this is certainly open to your interpretation.




Photo by Marianne M. Smith



But I’d like to challenge you.  Go out this week and experience some art first-hand.  You might just have a life-altering experience like I did.  At the least, you’ll gain a new perspective, and perhaps, a fresher way of thinking.  And that, my friends, can bring about some interesting shifts.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about how you experience art.  Please feel free to leave a comment.  And until they drag me out of the building, you can find me sitting in the kaleidoscope!

Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com