A week of corvids

It's been a topsy - turvy sort of a week. Joyful highs, and crashing lows, the sort of week that leaves you feeling exhausted by the end of it. Sometimes, when days are bumbling along, one after another in repetitive monotony, I moan that we live too insulated an existence. Too many degrees of separation between us and 'life', the hard graft of living according to the seasons, being aware of nature's cycles and having to work with them in order to survive. We do try to maintain that connection as best we can, but I'm well aware that we are only really playing at it. The joy of baking our own bread, of eating our own fruit and vegetables, of making do and mending clothes is great, but at the back of my mind, I know that if it all went wrong, we could just go out and buy the bread, the fruit, the clothes. Not in great quantities, and not the best quality - we really do live like this for economy's sake , but we could get by. The small, puritan bit in the back of my mind is glad that the weather is so hot it is causing difficulties. Secretly I enjoy having to lug containers of water across the fields twice a day, to fill the ponies water troughs. There is only time to live in the moment, no time for stress and worries about the future. At least, until the car breaks down AGAIN.

There are days when all the bills come at once, and however much you rob Peter to pay Paul, you just can't make it work. And yet, however despairing I feel, sitting in the garden at dusk and listening to chattering bird chorus, overwhelmed by the heady scent of roses and orange blossom, I am reminded to always enjoy the moment. I am generally of a 'Pollyanna - ish' temperament, and gloom doesn't last long. The postman doesn't always bear bad news - twice this week he has brought me rare treats, exciting, longed for packages. The first was the wooden magpie in the first picture - a beautiful treasure from Moonlight and Hares. It is so much more beautiful in real life!

And the second treat was this Raven's head, from Pyewacketts. I had been admiring him for such a long time, and am thrilled to finally get my hands on him! Again, the pictures really don't do him justice.

I dismantled the exhibition tonight. 'The Naming of the Hare' will be carefully packed away, and I will set about listing the pieces online, ready for sale.

And finally ( it should have been firstly, really) a huge, heartfelt 'Thankyou' to everyone who commented on my last post, offering tips and advice, or simply sympathising with me :) My computer is running painfully slowly at the moment, and it makes it almost impossible to browse online, and get around everyone's blogs to thank them individually, but I am most grateful.
XXXX

A new cuff and Peerifool trailer

I had a wonderful gift in this morning's post ( the first we have had in a few days because of the heavy snow) . It was this absolutely beautiful leather cuff made by Bridget ( Heart of a Cowgirl). I had been coveting it for ages, but was too broke, and then she suggested we do a trade, which I was thrilled about! It's wonderful, beautifully made, and just so comfy - it's even nicer than I thought it would be. I feel like a little kid - I keep grinning when I catch sight of it on my wrist, I'm so happy with it! Now I need to save up for some of her beautiful earrings to match!

Our white blanket is finally clearing away, which is a relief, as everything takes twice as long to do in the snow. The fields are still covered, but the lanes are navigable without a 4 x 4 now. It's meant I have even less computer time than usual, so my apologies to those OWOH entrants whom I haven't managed to visit. I have got through a substantial chunk of the 900 odd entries, but there are roughly 100 in the middle that I just haven't had a chance to look at yet.
The little bit of online time I have had , was spent compiling a seed order. I love doing that and this is my favourite seed company - The Real Seed Catalogue. I buy peas, beans, shallots etc, loose, by weight, locally, but I just love the heirloom varieties that the Real Seed Catalogue sells. It's superb quality, sensibly priced, and comes with brilliant little sets of instructions and helpful advice.

And the other good news of today is that the trailer for 'Peerifool' is out. In the summer, my middle daughter took part in the making of this film by the Chagford Filmaking Group, led by Elizabeth Jane Baldry. She had a wonderful time being one of those small, shrill, golden porridge fairies! We can't wait to see the full film when it is released.

Dancing ponies and Driving ponies

My other prints have arrived! They are just lovely! The first pair are from Victoria Usova - you can check out her Etsy shop here. I've always loved her whimsical work, especially her flying horses. One day, when I'm rich I'd like to comission her to paint my cavalcade of children and ponies. I think that would be wonderful - all the kids playing their musical instruments, and the horses with their names on their necks, like carousel horses. Hmmm, but since I'm not rich, maybe I'll have to have a go myself!

The last print is from an artist who I've admired for a very long time. Ellen Morrow paints many things, but I especially love her crows. I am lucky enough to have a little ACEO original of hers, a moonlit unicorn, but I really covet her crows. Unfortunately, some of my best customers also collect her work, and I have never felt comfortable bidding against my customers on ebay. I would hate to upset them!

I should have been painting this week, but instead I have been working with Marlene, the little Dartmoor pony. She will be 4 this May, and is just the most amazing little mare. So keen to work, and eager to please, she is a joy to handle. I have been long reining her for the last three days, and she has taken to it like a duck to water. We have been out in the field doing tight figure of eights, and lots of transitions, and I reckon if I had a little exercise cart she would be driving in another week.
But I haven't, so we will ride her out instead, if her bit arrives. She is working in her halter here, though she is bitted. It has been minus 4 for the last few days here, and it just seems to me that the quickest way to put a pony off being bridled is to put a freezing metal bit into a sensitive mouth, so I'm waiting for a new rubber snaffle to arrive.

Looking at these pics of her made me nostalgic for my old mare Phoenix. I dug out a couple of photos of her, and have to say the resemblance is uncanny! Marlene is narrower, but she is after all only 3 years old, and will likely broaden a little. She shows all the signs of being a worthy sucessor to Phoenix.

Don't forget! Blog Giveaway ends tomorrow evening ( UK time), so get your entries in quickly!

My Christmas Present arrived!

Oooh, I got such a treat in yesterdays post! I was really rather naughty after christmas, and spent my meagre savings on some artwork! I ordered 3 prints from some of my most favourite artists, and the first one arrived today. It is from Karen, and I am absolutely thrilled with it. I have long been coveting a piece of her work, and one day will be back for more. The owl print perhaps?
The other prints are coming from across the pond, and I will show you when they arrive. Now I have to frame them, but I had a good rummage at Proper Job, the local recycling centre, a couple of days ago, and came back with a bundle of old picture frames, all with good glass in them, just in need of a good clean. I can get new mounts cut, and use these. ( Mount cutting is something I have never got to grips with. I have a mount cutter of my own, but it STILL goes wonky, and I end up swearing at it )

The ground has been frozen solid for days, and Marlene and Piper are glad of their hay. Piper has a wonderful double coat that means she is completely unfazed by the weather. Even driving sleet seems not to penetrate it and she, alone of them all, stands out in the middle of the field in the worst of it. It must be her Highland blood. Marlene too has a thick woolly coat, but as rain is our usual fare down here in Devon, I tend to rug all the riding ponies in the winter. Time is always too short to stand them in and dry them off for hours before we can saddle them. This cold snap is unusual, though welcome. If it carries on for much longer, water may be a problem though.

Red is the only one who really needs a rug - his coat is thin, and we are high up and exposed here. He always chooses to stand in his barn in the rain!

Dont forget, there is still plenty of time to sign up for the ACEO print giveaway in the next post! Don't feel shy - the more, the merrier!