Gratitude in Uncertain Times (Bloghop)

Liz over at Omnia Paratus suggested this blog hop to keep us connected and to deal with the stress of these times:

And so, in an effort to introduce a bit of positivity and happiness amidst uncertain times, I thought I would share some of my gratitude items here in the hopes that our lovely little community of bloggers will echo back with some of their own. It's been awhile since a blog hop has gone around, but perhaps our little group can come up with a suite of them in the coming weeks to ease us through these unknown times?- Liz

She is so wise and her post really resonated with me. So here is my list of things I'm grateful for amidst the uncertainties of this pandemic: 

• I am so grateful that my family is safe. My son is in the middle east and all leaves have been cancelled. But he is safe and well. Ed's mother is doing well although not happy with not being allowed to go to Costco. 

• That my work has made arrangements for our employees to work from home. And, not only that, but are also checking in to make sure that they are okay and doing well. 

watching dinner preparations

• Many barns are closing and it makes total sense. This makes me very grateful that my horses are in my backyard. I can continue to ride and to take care of them. I would be really struggling without horse time. 

• That I have my own woods to walk in. There is no need to worry about social distance

• That spring is setting in and the snow is gone allowing me to ride. If we had a repeat of 2015 I would be losing my mind. 

no thank you

• For comfort food and baking.    I know it sounds ridiculous but the cooking is relaxing. Yesterday I made some brown bread.  I have been playing with my new Ninja Foodi and I am so impressed with it-  the air fries are amazing. I'm going to try to make dehydrated horse treats with it next. 

lightly toasted with homemade jam. The perfect comfort food

• Being at home with Ed and for us enjoying each others company. Although I won't lie- the fact that he has his garage and I have my barn helps (secret to a happy marriage- have you own building).  this is an actual conversation we had yesterday morning: 

Ed- you took my knifeMe- no it’s mine. Ed- I put it right there Me- I used my knife, put there for minute and took it back Ed- I put that one in the sink. That’s my knifeMe- so you took mine and now I have no regrets for taking yours.  Ed*SIGH*Me- I agree! 

• Books- even you can't travel anywhere books are wonderful way to escape without leaving the couch. 

• For those keeping the grocery stores, pharmacies and vet clinics open. 

• and lastly I am grateful to all those working to take care of the sick: not just the nurses and doctors but  also all those behind the scenes: managers, cleaning staff, lab techs, ward clerks, paramedics. Everyone is working to make sure that those who need the help are getting what they need. It seems a small thing for me to keep my distance and stay home. 

I am sure that there is more that I'm grateful for but this list captures the main things. 

What are you grateful for? 

Blog Hop: Things I've learned from Other Bloggers

Thanks Sara for this great idea for a blog hop. Since I've started blogging I've found an on-line community that is, at various times, funny, touching, heart breaking and informative. Riding has been difficult because of the weather. I did manage to get in a hack at Coveside this morning but I have no media from it. Carmen was great, a little spooky with the weather but nothing that was a big deal. So having a topic to write about is great.

I have a number  of blogs that I follow and I know I'm going to leave one out and regret it terribly. But here are some highlights from various blogs:

no new media so here's one form the summer

1.  BelJoer writes amazing and funny reviews of books. This summer she has reviewed the Black Stallion Series. If it wasn't for her I would realize how truly bizarre these books were. When I was a child I remember being riveted by them and never caught on to the plot holes and craziness.

2. Austen has two horses. I was inspired reading about her progress with her older gelding (with the most awesome name of Guinness). Now I'm loving reading about her journey with her young TB, Bast. Who definitely gave her a run for her money when she started with him. Reading this I have learned how to approach Dressage with a sense of humour. her show recaps are hilarious. Sometimes I play them back in my head when showing.....

3. Megan is a dressage trainer and I love reading the details in her blog posts. She has helped me to step back and think about things. She also appeals to my inner nerd.

4. I've been following Emma for a long time now. I've learned so much about the support of eventing. I will likely never ever ride a cross-country but she makes me what to try. Reading about her work with gelding also demonstrates how much patience and humour is required in pursuing a sport.

5. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to move to Europe and continue your passion for horses you can find out by reading Lytha's blog. I enjoy reading about her life in Germany and her descriptions of the horses and people she meets are fascinating.

6. Karen's blog has helped me learn so much about the sport of Working Equitation. It's been fascinating to read and she's really good about answering questions.

7. Dom is a trainer who is very good with difficult horses. I've learned a lot about training by reading her posts. She shares her struggles with being a professional which gives me a new view of the whole world of horses. Lately I've been getting insight into the world of training TB horses and it is an interesting read.

8. Olivia has two mustangs and a mule. I've enjoyed learning about mules and she often does posts describing how to do various projects.

riding is fun. Right Carmen?

There are so many other blogs that I enjoy and love reading (you can see them on my blog list). The span the range of horse activities: endurance, hunter/jumper, eventing, dressage, racing, trail rides and more. Their passion for their sport and love of their horses in all of them.

What a lovely world.