I survived freezing February through travel!
After not traveling much except for horse shows recently, I packed a lot of trips into February. I think I was home for 9 days! Travel is so inspiring. And expensive, but worth it. I am sure the sunshine and Vitamin D I absorbed in the sunny plaes I visited have a lot to do with it, but I am jazzed up to ride, create and enjoy the rest of winter.
Tucson Gem Show, desert exploration and Horseback riding
At the beginning of the month I joined my friend and mentor in leather work, Susan of Cimarron Handbags on a trip to Tucson, AZ for the Gem Show. I had driven through the Gem show years ago when I went to the first Art of the Cowgirl and knew it looked cool. After making jewelry for years I have heard so many people rave about the options for purchasing gems, tools, and more. It did not disappoint! I can't wait to create with the turquoise, druzy, agate, jasper, pearls and more that I found. Also found some really cool accessories to use on handbags that I can't wait to try. I have so many ideas in my head and sketched, now I have to start translating those into action in my shop.
Besides attending the Gem show's multiple locations, we were able to hike and explore the desert including Sabino Canyon and go horseback riding in Saguaro National Park near White Stallion Ranch. I never get tired of looking at every one of the magnificent and unique Saguaro cacti. Thank goodness for the National Park Service for preserving these lands so we can enjoy them and, most importantly, the ecosystem is preserved. There is so much building happening in Tucson and surrounding areas, some places the housing developments are built right up to the fence of the park.
It was extremely dry there, I know you are thinking it's a desert, duh it is dry, but it is way drier than normal. Sabino Canyon usually has water running through it all year, and there were barely more than a few puddles. All I could think about were the animals who rely on that water. The Saguaro had noticeable growth rings, the outside of them looked wavy, which happens only when they have very little water. When we were there, it hadn't rained in Tucson for over 165 days!
California sunshine, family and nature
After Tucson I came home and had a pretty uneventful week. Mainly uneventful because I was sick as a dog in bed for most of the time. I must have caught some creepy crud on the way home and, unfortunately, as I write this, the cough from it lingers on. I heard from a number of people who have had this bug this winter. Not fun!
Even though my voice sounded like a lounge singer after too many cigs, and an ice storm delayed our trip by a day, Jeff and I boarded our plane in Albany in a whiteout and flew out to LA. We surely lucked out because there was some debacle with an Allegiant flight where people were in the plane on the tarmac for 6 hours and, understandably, very angry. Our flight was delayed and we ended up running through Baltimore airport and narrowly making our connection. We were reminded about needing more cardio but made it and got into Ontario airport on Monday night. Jeff and I hadn't had the opportunity to travel together in a while and it was so fun to get out and adventure together.
It was so great to see my parents! It had been since last April when I drove them from FL to CA so they could re-relocate to the sunshine state. Florida was not for them. Sierra Madre, CA is! Sierra Madre is a sweet little town in the shadow of the San Gabriel mountains where you barely know you are in the busyness of LA County. We stayed in a comfortable VRBO a few blocks from them (they have a little house!) so we got a lot of walking in.
My Dad is doing fabulous and feeling up to more walking so we ventured to the LA County Arboretum and Huntington Gardens to take in nature and history. Dad and Teresa's neighbors hosted a party in our honor, wow I felt so special! And it was a pleasure to meet this close knit group of friends on their street. I love living in the country but we do miss out on this close neighborhood cameraderie.
Jeff and I had such a great time visiting Dad and T, we didn't want to leave. The weather being sunny and in the 70's made it hard to go, too. Jeff, always the responsible one, had to head home to go back to teaching on Monday and I flew onward to Texas for the next adventure.
Cheering friends on at "The Big Show" in Fort Worth and pony time in Weatherford
I made it into Dallas Love airport Saturday afternoon, picked up my rental truck (the mini me 1500 to my white 2500 diesel Ram) and drove the hour to Forth Worth. Friends invited me to stay at their Vrbo house which was conveniently in a neighborhood right across the street from the Will Rogers Coliseum. My friend was competing for her first time in Texas at the NRCHA Celebration of Champions. I am so proud of her and her mare and had to see her compete on this big stage so far away from home. Ended a long day of travel with some tacos and a margarita; can't go wrong!
Seven (Imasunnypepto), my four year old gelding was started by Double R Colt Starting in Virginia. Trainer Randy Brown and his wife Rose (and the lovely lady who keeps the business rolling) spent this winter in Weatherford, TX starting colts for cutting trainers. We had chatted about my plans to come to TX for a few days and they invited me over to see what they were up to. Spent a few days with them, trying to be at least a little helpful while they worked hard. Randy is working with some big name cutting trainers and working their young horses. These horses had bloodlines of all the in demand cutting and cow horses. I could barely follow aong with all the names: Metallic Cat, Bad Boon a Rising, Call Me Mitch, Kit Kat Sugar, Stevie Rey Von, Dual Rey and on... Totally drool-worthy! They were generous to allow me to ride their horses, try a horse for a friend of a friend and even take a cutting lesson. Rose and Randy are such great horsemen/women as well as great people, I am always grateful for the time I get to spend with them. Always big laughs and great times and they always inspire me to ride and learn more to improve myself and my horsemanship.
We all headed out to dinner one night at Texas de Brazil steakhouse. If you haven't been to one (it is a chain) you must go. Well, if you aren't a vegetarian! They give you a two sided button, one side green, one side red. When you display the green side up, the waitstaff keep bringing you freshly carved meats. Flank steak, bacon wrapped filets, top round, other cuts I can't keep track of. Oh and there is lamb and chicken, too, but we focused on the beef. I mean, when in Texas... It was cool to connect four friends who didn't know eachother before but who all are passionate about horses (and steak :)
So my friend who was competing, originally when I booked my trip, she was competing on Monday. So I booked my flight home on Tuesday afternoon. Well, luckily I booked the flight in the afternoon and from Dallas/Ft Worth airport (closer than Dallas Love) because her run was changed to Tuesday! it all worked out and I was able to pack up in the morning, hang with her as she prepped her mare and give her boots a last shine before she headed into the coliseum. She had an awesome run! She and her mare were so in tune and partnered up and her confidence shone like she had ridden in that arena her whole life! I am so glad I got to see it and that she traveled all that way to compete.
I think her run was at 12:15 and I had to head out (after I found my truck! That place is a maze of buildings!) to return the rental and get checked in at the airport. All was smooth on the way home, connection had a good amount of time, so no running, and I even had an empty seat next to me between Atlanta and Albany. Jeff was gracious and picked me up at 11 pm, and besides being jazzed up and on another time zone even after the hour drive home, it was good to be back with my doggos and in my own bed.
Keeping that high and inspired travel feeling
It's been a week since I have been back and I am keeping the momentum from all that Vitamin D and high from new experiences feeling going. I hauled the horses out two days and will go again this afternoon since it is above 30 degrees. It felt great to get back on my ponies and start to get them (and myself!) fitted up for the season. I have some great ideas inspired by my travels to incorporate into my jewelry and leather work and I am excited to get back into the shop today to get started making again.