Lights of the Season

Lights of the Season

I think one of my favorite things of this "Season" is the lights.

I love lighting the Hanukah candles. I buy the small candles in many colors. I love placing a rainbow of different colored candles in the Memorah. Then carefully lighting each one as we say the prayer. The site of them lit always makes me feel warm inside.

I also love driving around to see the many Christmas lights. Our Emily has grown excited at seeing the lights at nights now.
Seeing sparkling lights here and there as we drive thru the cold night warms the heart.

So with warm hearts, Celebrate this Season

Feature Horse story

by Pamela Beers

Writing And Riding: A Spiritual Connection
By Pamela Beers

Some things just go better together than others. A thick, juicy, porterhouse steak with a glass of merlot floats my boat. Creamy peanut butter and homemade raspberry jam on toast with a tall glass of ice cold milk is another turn-on. But, what really excites me is a packet of yellow legal pads and a thick rubber-grip, ballpoint pen. It is difficult to imagine one without the other, like Lucy and Desi or Bogart and Bacall.

Writing has been my passion for years. All through high school and well into college, teachers and professors wanted me to pursue a writing career. At the same time working with horses was, and continues to be, another passion, definitely on equal par with writing. It has all evolved into an eclectic mix of interests. I pondered for the longest time, wondering how and why these two particular areas of my life, writing and horses took such a hold on me and never let go.

I’ve decided to ride Silver Lining this morning. After tacking her up and leading her outside, I proceed to get on her. As we head for the fence line, I see a herd of deer standing motionless, camouflaged among the trees in the woods.

By the time we reach the end of the fence line, the deer have scattered, the underside of their white tails visible as they bound across the dry leaves of the woodland floor. At this point I ask my horse for a hand gallop through the old hay field. It keeps her mind off the departing deer and focused on me. She snorts in glee for almost a mile. It feels as though I am suspended in time, in another world. I feel a sense of freedom that I have never been able to capture doing anything else.

I enjoy a sense of child-like wonder as I observe the surrealistic beauty of my surroundings. It is as though I am looking at a French impressionist painting, becoming immersed in the visual experience, totally unaware of the time, and then getting lost in the Artist’s masterpiece. Off in the distance I can now smell apple wood coming from a wood-burning fireplace. The crackling leaves underfoot make my horse spook a little, bringing me back to the present moment.

Slowing down to a walk, my horse and I continue to enjoy our ride together. We pick up a canter going up and down hills, and at one point, are both startled by a gaggle of geese overhead that “honk” their way toward the lake. After the geese disappear through the now gray cloud cover, Silver and I meander back to the barn, where I un-tack the horse, put her blanket on, and turn her out with her two “girlfriends”.

Walking back down to the house, I think about my ride, my relationship with my horse, and my writing. I can’t wait until I pick up that yellow legal pad, and rubber-grip, ball- point pen. The sights, sounds, and smells of the day have transformed me from rider to writer.

After an invigorating ride across open fields on my energetic, gray thoroughbred mare, it becomes obvious that riding helps me to write. It clears my head. Writing cleanses my soul. Sometimes the process is reversed. Writing clears my head, while riding cleanses my soul. There is a true spiritual connection between my horses and me, my writing and me, and my horses and my writing.

Writing about my sensory experiences as I relate to the horses, enables me to share with others the connection that makes me want to jump out of bed at 5:30 in the morning, and seize the day. It’s a cleansing process for me and hopefully educates and inspires those who read what I write.

When I go into sensory overload, I have a need to write what I see, feel, and smell to make room for more ideas. Writing energizes me. The writing process and its inherent rituals, helps me to organize my thoughts and get in touch with my feelings on much deeper levels. I become more cognizant and sensitive to both my surroundings and other people.

Writers get their inspiration from many sources. Hemmingway loved the sea. Shakespeare was inspired by the absurdity of life. J.K. Rowlings is a single Mom who enjoys the magic of children. Emeril Lagasse is turned on by food and cooking. I love horses and the environment. All writers have a connection to something about which they are passionate. We all have a connection to one another.

Even the subject matter authors write about, such as the sea, life with all its twists and turns, the magic of a child’s world, preparing and cooking food, and horses and the environment; are all interconnected in a spiritual way. My inspiration is gleaned from many areas of life, including the writers mentioned here.

But, the things that go better together than anything else is my trusty rubber-grip, ballpoint pen and yellow legal pad; preceded by an invigorating gallop across the countryside. That is my spiritual connection.

Copyright © 2005 by Pamela Beers. All rights reserved.

Pamela Beers is a freelance writer, educator, and horse trainer. You may visit her website at http://www.pamelabeers.com for all your writing needs. If you have a problem with your horse, Pam's years of experience working with equines will help you solve the problem.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pamela_Beers

Feature Art/Product

"Winter's Eve"
scratchboard

My husband and I enjoy going to New Hampshire. We like the mountains and the countryside. His Dad and step-mother lived near Lee, NH. When we visited once, his step-mother and I went driving about and I took pictures of the scenery. It was winter and I wanted to get some wintery pictures. I then made this drawing of it using scratchboard techniques.

I sent all my friends and family a card with this drawing on it.

Art Exhibit News

“Interpretations”
October 15 – December 31, 2006

The Equine Art Guild's Latest Showing
“Interpretations” is an On-Line Exhibition of work by member artists.

Visit The Equine Art Guild




Have a great day

"pass it on" to a friend.

Sincerely,

Lisa Wald Guarino
Lisa's ART & Horses
181 West Forest Ave.
Pawtucket, RI 02860
lisa@lisasart.com
http://www.lisasart.com