Sunday, April 10, 2011

Blissed out

I'm pretty blissed out this morning -- the boys and I and my big old family of friends and fellow horse farmers were all out yesterday in McMinnville together it was such a great day... The event it's self was very successful we had about 1500 visitors come and watch the plowing competition and enjoy this day of celebrating old time farming! Big Thanks to the McMinnville News register article and the video and article by they both really helped promote the event!!

In gratitude and memory -

So there was a moment during the event when I was just standing there letting the horses rest and I looked around me. Friends standing in witness grinning and sharing... and standing next to me was Laura, Julia and Sarah -- these women have all been part of this journey each in her own way. I looked down the long row of horse farmers who I now know and call friends with their teams all at different stages of plowing there plots ... it was a stunning site all those gorgeous animals working - time literally did stand still. In the distance at the other end of the field was Duane my mentor and adopted family - he was working his team expertly down the row I was so grateful and proud of all the work and growth that he has walked with me through.This is 3 years ago at this same place - to my right was Lisa Hube a horse farmer who is now a friend she is a woman I would like to emulate in so many ways - she was helping one of her 'students' plow and was there if I needed her... but for reasons I won't take any credit for... all she did all day was look over at me ans smile broadly! My day was also punctuated by several old timers, who were not plowing, coming over to give me pearls of wisdom... subtleties of finishing your rows, turning your plow and fine adjustments all helping me to take this to the next level of art - It was a truly special day - yesterday as I worked with my horses we were a team there was one mind working between the three of us.... so many times that day I caught a gimps of what can be - not one of us broke a sweat and all three of us finished the day happy. So after a long journey of heart break, hard work, ER visits, casts, and literally being dragged through the mud I felt like it was all completely worth it and I felt so honored to be knitted into this community -- I truly felt like I was not me alone accomplishing a 'thing' It was all of us together weaving a living story.



7 comments:

bonjourteaspoon said...

Thanks for sharing Clare. Looks like a joyous day!

Joseph said...

WOW - beautifully said a communion of subjects. Joseph

Cecelia (CC) said...

fantastic photo - is that a glow I see all around you??

Cecelia (CC) said...

look at all three forelocks - ha!

Kathleen Bauer said...

Great post, wonderfully said!

Adrian J.S. Hale said...

Wow! What a journey you are on. We are all so lucky, too. Thank you for sharing this story. I can't wait to eat more eggs!

Alyssa O'Leary said...

Beautiful horses, that must have been a fun day! My first horse was a Percheron gelding; he had been used for plowing and driving, but I just rode him. They're great animals.