Reflections of 2010 - and of Frozen Manure

Today's post is dedicated to my reflections on 2010...oh, and steer clear of frozen manure, just BTW. I had a hard time with that this morning. 20 degrees F., I was fine, with my nice warm felt hat (with fold-down ear covers, a gift from my parents for Christmas), gloves, big coat, two pairs of socks...I was perfectly toasty, but the manure frozen into the mud was rather comical - I literally laughed out loud when I found myself hammering at the stuff with my manure fork...

But enough on that subject...

Here are some reflections on the last year, along with some of my accomplishments:

This time last year, I was just starting my new job at the ranch down the street...I have been enjoying it ever since.

Making money only made my obsession with everything model horsey worse - my collection grew from maybe 50 to over 100 today.

I made several model horse tack items this year; a silvery Western saddle that sold on eBay for $150.00, two dressage saddles (one for me, one for my mom's Seabiscuit model), and many other odds and ends. There is something about tack that soothes my stress - I tend to be a high-energy individual (my heart rate yesterday evening was over 80 bpm), and the tack-making is wonderful to calm me down.

(just a note, at first glance, you wouldn't think I was high-output...)

I took my leased TB/Paint/QH to a 4-H show and got three blues out of four green horse classes. However, I took that same horse to County Fair for 4-H and he was a neurotic mess...(note to self, NEVER breed a Paint to a Thoroughbred)

One of my 4-H photography exhibits got a Champion ribbon and went to State fair, only to bring home another BLUE!!!

(above: me and Buck, the Thoroughbred cross, at the County Fair about to go into the Costume Contest...like his ears?)


So, there it is: a brief summary of my 2010 highlights. Tomorrow I'll tell you my New Year's resolutions, but for now, enjoy some of my photography:

Happy New Year!!