Hi everyone...
Good to "see" you all again. Long story short, its been a LONNNNNG 3.5 months.
In September, my good friend and riding buddy died from a freak horse accident.

We had logged 30 miles that week, and it was her(our) day off.
Won't bore you with many details, but apparently she had been grazing her mare at her neighbors, less than 50 yards from her barn, she jumped on her bareback(she did often) to go home, but this time, something spooked them. What? We'll never know. The mare leapt the embankment, she went flying, and crashed onto the pavement. In an instant, she was gone.
It puzzles me. I wasn't with her, like I said, it was our day off. How? why? she held on for soo long and didn't bail is the question that goes unanswered. The only witness(of the "End") was the driver of a car, who saw them leap onto the road. Miraculously, traffic was lite that day(otherwise normally busy road).
Its been hard. I've not ridden since, mostly because of our fall travel schedule, and stucco'ing our previously wood sided home. I'm thankful for the distractions, but this month's calender had a bunch of "dates" we<she and I> had planned..
Sorry to go on, this is pretty short compared to a newsletter article I just finished for our choir, so...thats the scoop.
Not really have gotten to know alot of you, and there are many new "faces" , since my last post. I missed coming here(oh yeah, my computer had its own set of problems that NOW, in exchange for some Christmas photos, I had my geek friend come fix!
Hope everyone is well! Good to be back!
(photo used with permission from her family- can you believe, I didn't have any??)

Hi Marta,

I am very sorry for the loss of your friend.

James

Marta, I am so so sorry. It brings tears to my eyes to read this. You must be heartbroken as I am sure her family is. It is just such a tragic loss.

Oh, man I'm so sorry to hear that. What a horrible event, I'm so sorry. Just does not make any sense, does it. I really live by the rule, (particularly because many of the things I do are dangerous, including being around my stock), "when it's my time, it's my time, I just hope I'm doing something I love." Sounds like your friend was doing what she loved no matter how tragic it turned out.

Its tough to find a silver lining in this story, but your friend is now safe.

God bless you. And may the new year bring new hope, power, ambition, and courage. . .

"when it's my time, it's my time, I just hope I'm doing something I love." Sounds like your friend was doing what she loved no matter how tragic it turned out.


Thanks James, Julie..
Tony... My feelings exactly!
Oddly enough, 14 years ago, I made an emergency dismount, and that landed ME in a coma. Fran, went instantly. No brain damage, no paralysis.. just freaky.
So life does go on, although there's few people that connect as late life friends, the way we did.
Looking to live each day to its fullest, and may the time come when *I go, like you said Tony, may it be doing something I love.
Blessings!

Hi again Marta,

Just so sad to read this news, most of us have taken risks over the years with horses, thinking we are bullet-proof (especially when younger). Fran's loss is that reminder of how fragile we are, and how precious each day and our friends are.

I looked at your Perennials again (thought there might be a shot of your house, we are doing some renovations here too) - thanks for the link to Neem farms, sounds good and I'm off to see if I can get some locally for my dog with severe hot spots before we need to take the cortisone route.

Hey PC!
Neem is really great. It smells horrible, and you need very little. I had a dog stay with us, with a hotspot, but it was too late for Neem to work.
I have had a vet comp. a visit, due to the change in a quartersized wound, to the size of a hole punch, OVERNIGHT!
I do have before/during photos of the house, just waiting on the after, for putting together a slideshow.
Figure I will offer it to the stucco company, via MY link!
HA! Send everyone there, for the great work they have done, AND, *I* get exposure! (hahahaha)
Little punchy today....the recent shootings in Colorado Springs, happened at my church. Four miles from my house.

Moving on.......

What a tragic story Marta. I am so sorry. Poor woman and her poor family and friends. I'm sure you will carry her with you always. She was a beautiful woman and you can tell what a kind soul she had.

Hey Dee Dee..
Thanks! She was a special lady.
I never want Christmas to be over, but this year(of first's, without her) is rougher than I'd thought!
Hugs!