July 5, 2010

Monday July 5th, 2010

Dearest Pony Farm Followers, Moms & Dads, Grandparents and Friends of the Farm,

Whewwwwwwwwwwwwww, it sure is a hot one here today. I bet you are sweating like mad wherever you are. It is a true heat wave. The girls are all fine…but rest assured that we are taking great care to keep everyone well ‘watered’ both inside and out. It is truly a hot one.

Let me begin by saying what a pleasure it was to have so many of you here for the horse show. I know it is a lot of miles and an early morning or late evening for those of you who have to travel far. You are good sports to come and share in the festivities, especially on the 4th of July weekend. However, for all of you who were not able to join us, fear not, your kiddos were well loved and cared for with swimming, extra ice cream, a peaceful movie with fans, and a good quiet night’s sleep.

Sunday started off peacefully too with the kids reading and staying in bed longer due to it being their ‘day off ‘ from all horse activities, including barn chores. The girls enjoyed neatening up their rooms, getting their laundry organized, and of course stroking their horse show ribbons. I am happy to report that everyone got at least two ribbons….I always breathe a sigh of relief when that happens. I know life is not supposed to be ‘rigged’ and ‘sometimes you lose some, and sometimes you win some’. We just like Pony Farm to be on the time when ‘you win some’!!!!

This Sunday was a little different than most Sundays that are during the middle of a session because of it being the big 4th of July! The kids and staff were eager to go to the Temple Ball Field where all sorts of athletic games of prowess were held, complete with more ribbons. The Temple gang does a great job of this fun, farm community event with a delicious lunch cooked by our fire department, and the games run by the town rec department and policemen. The old fashioned fun games like the egg toss, wheelbarrow race, three legged race, grain sack race, and the Firemen’s Relay were all still popular with the kids of both camp and the town of Temple. With race heats for all ages, our girls did an amazing job of winning a lot without taking over the event. The running games ended with a huge long tug of war with a fire rope…..The fire hose, full blast, was held exactly in the middle of the rope. Everyone pulled and pulled as hard as she and he could, trying not to get drenched. With both sides winning and losing, everyone enjoyed a good soaking and gales of laughter….Just the kind of thing that should happen on a beautiful summer day. If you want to see the fun in action, take a look on the Pony Farm Face Book where you can see the festivities as they happened.

I am truly dazzled by my adventure as a Camp Director as I seek to balance the best of the” old” while allowing the fun and excitement of the “new” into the young lives invested in my care. I love so dearly to see the kids all running, getting strong and tan, and learning how to be part of a big group in an historic old town like Temple, which was incorporated 5 years after my farm was built. This farm started with one little log hut in 1754….Temple was soon thereafter incorporated and became a ‘real town’. To have the kids celebrating the birth of our country on the 4th of July in a town that is older than our country, really thrills me….Conversely, it is such fun to be able to share the fun of the moment by posting some happy pictures on Face Book….It seems like just such an oxymoron in all the best ways possible. I hope you are able to find them and enjoy them.

We are also just about to post a slideshow of our horse show on Saturday up on UTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-84p1mANAg ) or Pony Farm July 3rd 2010 Horse Show) for your viewing pleasure. One of our great staff who is a good ‘techy’, as well as good rider and teacher, spent the morning honing the pictures she took. We believe that we got at least one shot of everyone into the slideshow…..We sure tried! We thought this would give all of you a sense of the breadth and depth of what kind of riding goes on here at Pony Farm. We are mighty proud of our horses, ponies, campers and teachers…We think it all came together pretty darn well with only one week to practice and get everyone on the right horse and in the right class. Take a look and let me know what you think!

So, as I laud the marvels of technology, I also stick to my guns about the importance of just plain relaxed fun and ‘down time’. Yesterday afternoon, the kids played in the pool….and it was finally sparkling clean! They groomed and played with the farm animals o’plenty, as well. All the while, they were creating skits, songs, dances, gymnastic routines and impersonations for the upcoming Talent Show. By dinner time, we had a whopping 18 acts on our roster. I was worried we might be sitting under the stars as we watched the sun come up….but they were all cute, sweet, appropriate and to the point. We have some good talent out there, a testament no doubt to hours of driving to lessons of every variety by YOU….!!!!

However, just so that they had enough energy to strut their stuff, I did one of the favorite desserts of all time….THE TROUGH….Kris and the camp nurse, Donnie, frown at me as I work with the staff to fill up a 20 foot long gutter (I promise it has never been used as a rain gutter!) with four kinds of ice cream, fluff, whipped cream, sprinkles and all sorts of gooooooey toppings, minus nuts, of course. The kids then rush forth with their spoon in hand and literally dig in….Last night every morsel was lapped up….and my own favorite ending, a water fight of course, with me at the helm of the hose, closed down delicious, drippy, delightful decadence. I hope you are smiling and don’t think I am the world’s most derelict camp director for instigating this….I also promise you that kids are given the option of getting their ice cream delivered the civilized way, in a bowl and a spoon, individual, that is!

We then went in and I led a little bit of a celebrate America and its birth with the kiddos. I read a few oldies but goodies poems about our country and its vision. I then shared, that while we have a lot of still fix and we are not a perfect country, that we are a kind and most noble people. We shared about this country’s willingness to volunteer both at home and abroad, and our generosity with money. I also shared a little about the men and women I work with in our Horses for Heroes Program with Horse Power….and how much we love our animals. In short, it was a patriotic reflective moment. The girls then added things that they loved about their country or things that made them proud to be an American. We ended by singing “This Land is Your Land, this Land is My Land”. It was a sweet and lovely moment in time. Your ladies are most articulate. I was also pleased that so many of them were willing to express their feelings in a whole group.

Bedtime followed with not one peep….Kris and I finalized the planning for this week….and everyone went to sleep well after a long and lovely day.

Today, dawned hot, hot and hotter….So we decided to modify the Hunter Pace so it was only a walk and trot ride…..with the times slowed down for the weather. Several kids chose to be Safety Spotters or Movie Watchers as they felt queasy in their tummies. We obviously do not want to send kids out on a 5 mile ride if they are already a little dizzy….All the teams had a blast and everyone of the teams came in with nice cool horses, and big smiles…..They are in rest hour now….

This afternoon, the kids have the following choices….to going swim, take the farm animals wading in the creek, to paint the parts of the horses on their ponies and then give them a bath, do arts and crafts inside, or to drive the miniature horses with me in the indoor. We want to get the kids driving and can do it out of the hot sun by using the indoor. Yipee, for lots of options.

Tonight, my Mom, who is 88, is coming to dinner and to tell her stories of her early days working on a cow ranch in Wyoming, on a horse farm in hunt county in Potomac, MD, and as a volunteer ambulance driver during World War II. Her tales are just fascinating and a real staple of camp life once each session. She does kid that she worries that the campers remember the stories better than she does now….but she loves coming to tell them and they love hearing her….and I love the combination. We will all sit out in the cool night air, watch the stars start to shine, and enjoy a fabulous evening of living, oral history….What could be better!

I should end now…but let me just say that we will also be having lessons the next two mornings….the camping trip is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, evening and Thursday morning. We will be doing a lot of driving, vaulting, Gymkhana Games on horse back, training greenies, riding Western, team jumping….just to mention a few of the fun things in store for this week. I can guarantee you that no one will be bored…..and we are paying close attention to dehydration and wellness….with lots of sunscreen and shade in the offing.

I must end as I need to get back up to camp but I do love writing you to let you know all the fun and varied things that we do here together. Do look at the slideshow and the face book so you, too, can share in the great adventure we are in together, heat or no!

Thank you for lending us your Treasures….We are taking good care and having a blast….Also, I will FINALLY be back on email tomorrow. They have promised to come hook me up in my new air filtered office so that I can be in better touch….I can’t wait to be able to dash off an email to answer a question. I only apologize that this took so long. I just did not realize my asthma was not going to work well in my usual summer office space…or I would have made the conversion much sooner before you all got here. I apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused you.

Most Sincerely,
Boo