The love of horses…
“An inborn love of the horse is instinctive, quite
unreasoning, and one cannot recall any beginning of
what seems to have always been there, together with a
craving for perfection in the object of interest.”
~Lady Ann Blunt~
Legend of the Bedouin
It was said the Creator
had taken a handful of South Wind
and given each newborn Arabian
the power of flight without wings.
Blog & Pinboard featured on Author Media
Pinterest for authors has been a hot topic these days, and the well respected Author Media group posted 3 Ways Authors can use Pinterest Guilt-Free.
I’m also honored they used my blog and my pinboards as an example!
Go to Author Media (add them to your Google Reader if you haven’t already) and check out the latest Pinterest post!
Read MoreThrough the eyes of animals: perspective and effect
“…a horse’s life is maybe even more important than a man’s, ’cause a horse hasn’t got no evil in him except any that’s put there by men…”
- War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
After seeing War Horse in a pre-screening and blogging about it, I’ve been thrilled to watch the responses of others who have gone to see “War Horse” or who have read the book, which is sitting high on the Kindle Bestseller list (even though the book was published back in the 80s.)
What is it about this story that is so gripping?
What is it that has touched so many people?
What is it that keeps people from even going to see it?
The animals. Seeing the war through the eyes of a horse, taken from his serene country home to enter the torrent of slaughter and death in the Great War battlefields.
I have friends who can watch violent movies without flinching. Human-on-human violence is almost overdone that we’re immune to it (cue the Hunger Games reference). But at the thought of going to see “War Horse,” they balk and say, “I couldn’t handle watching that…”
Think Old Yeller. Where the Red Fern Grows. Bambi. These movies all deeply touch their viewers. And for most people, watching them once is more than enough.
As a long-time animal lover, horse owner and advocate, these movies and books all deeply touch me as well. What touches me more is the bringing to light of issues that the public largely ignores. Animal abuse and abandonment, shown even through snips and scenes of this powerful movie, are even more real today than they were in 1914.
War Horse has earned some award nominations and mixed reviews but still ranked well among box offices. But if telling these stories by focusing on these animals is “too hard” for some viewers, does it accomplish it’s goal?
Have you seen War Horse yet? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments, please!
Read MoreOur most precious resource
Me as Miss Teen Rodeo Washington in 2005
In my rodeo queen days, I competed for the title of Miss Teen Rodeo Washington. This was the most intense pageant I’d entered and I have to confess I certainly couldn’t resist comparing it to the movie “Miss Congeniality.” There were many similarities. But all the girls tended to joke about it and yet we all took it very seriously. For us, the chance to represent rodeo and ride our horses as our talent was worth it.
However, I’d constantly joked about talking about “world peace” when it came to the on-stage, impromptu questions. In Miss Congeniality, that’s what all the contestants answer when “Stan Fields” asks them “What is the one most important thing our society needs?”
Stage time comes. All the judges are watching. Spectators and friends are rooting for me in the crowd. What question do I draw?
“What is the one thing you would wish for?”
Say it: world peace. Say it!
I smiled. I chuckled. I turned and looked at the row of sparkling contestants behind me. I could NOT resist.
So I stopped fighting it.
“I think the correct answer would be world peace.” (laughter as a response – but oh wait, I wasn’t done.) “But in all seriousness, I’d have to wish for more time.” (laughter dies and eyes get a bit teary) “In preparing for this pageant, I have spent a lot of time getting ready and studying, and not a lot of time with my family and friends. I wish I could go back and spend more time with them each day. That is what it is all about.”
When I stepped back into the line of contestants, I realized exactly what I had said – 1. I’d mocked pageants (as politely as I could). 2. I’d given a pretty darn good answer. 3. I’d spoken a truth I didn’t realize I had been feeling.
Time. Time is our most precious resource.
Lately, I’ve been challenged to identify what it is that God wants from me and where He wants my career to go. During a quiet time the other day, it came to me. Time. The one thing I value most is all he wants from me – time and intimacy with Him.
How has God called to you?
Read MoreMy new home away from home
Not literally. But for my latest manuscript, I’ve spent hours pouring over every picture and bit of information I can find about Janow Podlaski Stud in eastern Poland. Isn’t it beautiful?
I’m pretty sure I’ve dreamed about it every night for a month.
In 1817, Tsar Alexander commissioned Janow Stud to supply the cavalry and stock for the nation. Years later, it would become the most famous producer of purebred Arabian and half-Arabians in the country.
But the history of Janow is full of turmoil and invasion. In World War I, the horses were evacuated to Russia and never seen again. In 1939, the invading Russians took with them some of the finest “spoils of war” and Janow lost some of its most valuable Arabian blood.
But Janow’s history is one of survival and resilience. Today, they still produce some of the best Arabian horses in the world. They host the Pride of Poland auction each year and the horses fetch astounding prices.
As far as novel settings, this is by far my favorite. Wouldn’t you want to spend a day of your imagination lost in these images?
Janow is now at the top of my list for places I want to visit before I die. Has a location or place ever intrigued you so strongly?
Read MoreConnect with me
