Horsing Around

Hello Y’all,

Thanks for being here. Today just a short note of encouragement to you and me both. I actually managed to have a decent week last week, but I also noticed my mind’s resistance to fully accepting and enjoying the goodness. I’m certain this is my alarm system, which has been going off in the background pretty loudly and constantly since Election Day. Joy feels wrong right now. At the same time I do not want to let those fuckers steal my joy. (Which calls to mind this excellent Lucinda song.)

One of the most wonderful things that happened is that my neighbor’s horses escaped and ran away to my house. For Good News starters, this meant they were safe from traffic, since I closed my gate to keep them in. I felt pretty good about knowing to grab a bucket of feed, to approach them slowly. I was delighted that I remembered where a harness was and how to use it. And though neither horse would allow me to get close enough to put the harness on, I did get them to follow me up to the gate before they got sidetracked by dumpster curiosity and the very large swaths of unmowed grass, theirs for the grazing.

Since they weren’t cooperating with the humans’ plans, my neighbor and I decided to just leave them at my ranch til they got bored, and would thus be easier to wrangle. I was so glad to have them for a day. I no longer keep horses myself, but I have had several over the years and these visitors offered a great trip down memory lane.

My first horse, Tiny, only had one eye and came with the ranch. Early on, I sent him to another ranch for a while, having been wrongly convinced (by a horrible woman I thought at the time was a friend) I didn’t have the capacity to care for horses. When Tiny was eventually returned, he came with another horse I agreed to take on, an ancient mare I called Queenie. This all happened when Bob was here and I will never forget the joy he experienced the day those horses arrived.

Queenie died first. Then Tiny had to be put down because the vet had run out of ways to treat his eye cancer. A couple of more horses were gifted to the ranch during lockdown. Then I bought a couple more. During this time other animals arrived: many cows (all pregnant leading to even more cows); a family of mini donkeys; some pigs.

Eventually I realized I’d overdone it. There were more animals than I could afford to care for—time or money wise. I sent a bunch to live at my friend Brandon’s ranch, including the horses, since he has teenagers that ride and I never was one for riding. Things quieted down at my ranch and, for the most part, got more manageable. There were still animal crises, but fewer of them.

Having my surprise visitors the other day offered a chance to think back on all the various animals I’ve had. I realized that while I remain, at best, a rank hobbyist when it comes to ranching, I still have picked up a lot of knowledge. When I first met Tiny the horse, I was terrified of him. Then we got to know each other and I thought we were friends. Then he bit me and I thought my collarbone was broken and we had to relearn the whole friendship thing, which I was in no hurry to pursue. But eventually we figured it out.

Now, as I worked to round up the neighbor’s horses, I noticed I wasn’t afraid. To be clear, I wasn’t overly confident or cocky. At no point did I forget that these beasts could—intentionally or otherwise—take me down. I paid good attention. I made correct choices. And then, when at last they allowed themselves to be harnessed and led home after a long day of grazing here, I was as glad for their departure as I had been upon their arrival, like the Auntie who happily indulges nieces and nephews, then sends them away.

In October I will mark ten years at this place. It has shaped me at least as much as I have shaped it. I never stop being amazed that I get to live here. I’m usually too busy putting out all the little fires to stop and inventory all the good that has visited me courtesy of switching over to country living. Really grateful those horsies popped by and helped me take a few minutes to pause and see how very far I’ve come.

What about y’all? Any areas in your life where you started out with zero knowledge and now have some confidence? Do tell.

JOY & BEAUTY DEPARTMENT

(My friend Shen painted the most wonderful portrait of the tiny chapel. She is also an amazing writer.)

[Miss Sophi providing live entertainment for the weekly Central Presbyterian breakfast to feed, clothe and provide hygiene items for Austin’s downtown unhoused Neighbors. I volunteer and LOVE it. We are looking for more volunteers. Give me a holler if you want to help.]

THE LAWNMOWER REPORT

NOTES:

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MONDAYS through May 19th, I will be offering a FREE WRITING WORKSHOP at the San Marcos Public Library from 10 am til noon. Information Here. No need to register, you can just show up.

My FREE WRITING WORKSHOPS at Hampton Branch Library happen on the first and third Tuesdays of every month from 5:30-7:30 pm. These always fill up so please REGISTER.

Mondays in and May I will be offering DONATION BASED Writing Workshops in South Austin from 1:30-3:30 This is an experiment. If it works, I’m going to keep these workshops going. Space is limited. You can REGISTER HERE.

Ranch Writing Day! June 7, 2025, from 10 am til 1 pm. It’s donation based. I’ll be serving fresh pastry baked by me and delicious coffee from local roasters Wild Gift. We’ll write for 90 minutes and share for 90 minutes. You can REGISTER FOR FREE HERE.

New Mexico folks! Great news. My son Henry has a solo exhibit opening at the end of May at the Valley Gallery in Taos. I hope you can attend.