To begin, I would like to explain my "Blog absence" : I believe that time is ACTUALLY running away from me. Weeks have gone by in the blink of an eye. I teach a one hour lesson, and as it wraps up, I can not believe an HOUR went by. Each horse I school, each meeting I have, each Farming For Resilience session I co-facilitate ....all are flying by. All kidding aside, both Dusty Dog Farm and Cooper's Crossroad have been BUSY.
Cooper's Crossroad Farming For Resilience fall program began the week of Sept. 21 with 20 students from Ashuelot Valley Academy, participating in two weekly sessions. Some of the students participated in the summer program July/August of this year. The remainder, an enthusiastic and excited new group (having heard peer reviews in school). The program (teaching courage, gratitude, forgiveness and compassion through the use of horses) is inspiring to facilitate, rewarding for the volunteers, and educational for all...although most significantly the students. So, Monday and Wednesday Dusty Dog Farm welcomes in the Farming For Resilience program. Cooper's Crossroad also hosted a Farming For Resilience Open House, Sunday Sept. 27. Families, care givers and educators from Ashuelot Valley Academy were invited to the facility to see what the participants have been up to at the farm and hear, first hand, what is happening. We had the pleasure of a guest speaker, a sixth grader who spent the school year '19/'20 "Farming For Resilience". He proudly shared highlights of his experience, not the least of which was creative shavings bag exploration. Paralleling Cooper's Crossroad's activity, Dusty Dog Farm is moving quickly through early fall. Lessons, clinics, training, team practices and our last horse show for the season, keep us all on our toes, and often feeling like we need an additional day each week. I personally have had the joy of watching our "farm filly", Phoenix, growing and growing and growing. She switches regularly between being a sweet thing, wanting her booty rubbed, to a "wild mustang" personality. We had an early and hard frost several weeks ago, so I relutantly bid adieu to the garden splendor. Now, I listen the the "rusty" sound of wind whipping through the corn, heralding in the bright colors layering the landscape. Already I am planning the "next" garden. But soon that project will be layed to rest... until the sun sits with us longer again. A promise to self : Hold on to the time. Enjoy the little things. Slow down every movement. And embrace the minutes. It is all so precious! Enjoy the colors of fall. All my best, Christina