March NEWS FLASH

To watch the horses enjoy the sun is so peaceful. You can almost feel warmer yourself as they soak up the rays, and I do believe they and we are ready for warmer temps. The horses are actively shedding now that the days are longer and the nights are shorter. I know. I wear their discarded coats on my fleece!

By the way, here are several pieces of news that might interest you. The newsletters are now on the website. Yeah! I've just linked you to the two newsletters from October and December AND there is a link to the current news from January-March.

If you don't want to wait for the mail, you can find copies of this year's Spruce Twigs by checking in to the Camper News page: www.sprucelands.com/camper_news.html. Campers and staff registered for the 2008 summer will get a copy of the newest Twigs in the mail. They will go out this week.

One more thing. if you have a friend interested in coming to Sprucelands and you feel as though you would like a flyer to give them, there is a flyer uploaded for your use. That is found on this page of the website: www.sprucelands.com/index2.html. You will ALSO discover we have uploaded a pdf of the Camp Brochure. So help us recruit new campers. Use these tools for your own marketing. Help us get camp filled for the summer!

HORSE APPLICATION ~ If you are bringing a horse to camp, you may now download a horse application from the website. Along with all the other information about bringing your horse to camp, you will find a link to the application at www.sprucelands.com/camp_with_horse.html. There is also a link on the forms page. Everything is in pdf format. If you have trouble downloading the application, please let me know and I'll put one in the mail. Try this first though because it saves us postage.

Finally, the CAMP APPLICATION is now fine tuned so that you may type into the application before you download it, sign and mail in with your registration. The camp application and all the other forms you need for camp are located at www.sprucelands.com/camp_forms.html.

Spring Riding

Saturday of last week, I had great fun teaching four of our clinic helpers in a riding lesson. It was an interesting lesson because the bright sun was warm and so chunks of snow either slid or crashed their way off the roof of the indoor arena. That of course resulted in very energized horses, often four very energized horses.

Still, we had fun. Erin, Katie, Agy, and Jenn rode Kokomo, Romeo, Cody and Mikey. We worked with patterns on the flat and then played with very low jumps. This was Mikey's start to being reschooled after a winter rest and I have to say he thought he was performing in an Open Jumper class! There were moments when he looked as though he was putting on quite a show for the non-existent judges.

Anyway, the day was SO bright that the color about blew out on my photo. So I've changed the picture to accommodate that reality. We're ready to do another lesson this week even after another six inches of snow. Do you think spring will ever come?

Winter Hike with Brenden

Brenden came to camp a week ago to spend time with grandma on a day off from school. Sprucelands had been blessed yet again with two feet of snow, and so boy that he is, Brenden wanted to hike up Boys Hill and visit his cabin from the summer. With camera in hand, I attacked the hike with hopes for simply surviving.

We did okay walking down the road from my house to the second bridge because we were of course walking on the road and it was plowed. In the cold the snow creaked crisply under our feet. We laughed as the dogs bounded in the snow, plunging ahead of us. Brenden was so excited.

The lake was covered with ice except for an area near the first bridge where the water churned and then smoothed, reflecting the blue sky. We didn't see the muskrat that was usually swimming there. We did have fun throwing chunks of heavy snow and ice onto the frozen lake. Some of the heavier pieces would break through and sink beneath into the water.

Well, then we started across the second bridge, stepping into knee deep snow. That was just the beginning. Oh my! I wasn't sure this was going to work. But one step at a time, slow and steady, we hiked up the road to the boys village, found Brenden's cabin, trudged on to check out the other cabins, and realized we were actually hot. Brenden chattered the whole way about how exciting it was to see camp in the snow. I of course took lots of pictures!

When we decided to come back to the house, Brenden's face lit up with the bright idea of hiking down the Goat Path. For new readers, that means taking a path that in the summer winds straight down what I call a sheer dropoff. In the summer, you hold onto trees to keep yourself upright and steady. The boys love it because the trail addresses their need for daring and adventure. For me, that daring and adventure is something I gladly leave to the boys.

So Brenden and grandma tackled the trail. Brenden slid most of the way, laughing gloriously about how the boys from summer camp were missing a great time. I stared for a moment downhill with visions of not so positive consequences, and then realized the snow was helping me stay upright because I could dig in my heels, and I'm good at digging in my heels. I've had lots of practice.

Needless to say, we made it to the bottom of the hill and back to the house. Brenden was satisified, hot, tired, and ready to curl up on the couch to watch cartoons while grandma baked cookies.

I have to add that Pudge and Babe thoroughly enjoyed their morning exercise with Brenden. They were very kind to hold back and not roll Brenden down the Goat Path. Now they too looked satsified and quite happy to crash to the sounds of slapstick cartoons.

Winter in March

You know, sometimes there are quiet moments before the snow is disturbed. The dogs haven't run through it. Our vehicles haven't made their paths. The wind has finally settled, and all looks right with the world.

Last Saturday morning, this was the scene that greeted me in the parking lot by the lodge. It was beautiful, breathtaking, peaceful, drifted blue snow, and in it I nearly got stuck. Stacey hadn't plowed yet, but thanks to four wheel drive, I made it to the barn. I had to share these photos with you because you wanted to know what camp looks like in the winter. These are the scenes that I envision on those hot summer days when I need to cool down. You'll be able to go there with me now.

This is the horse pasture before the horses went out to romp and roll and rear and play with each other. I didn't know whether I could capture the untouched beauty of the rolling hills. I share with you what I did capture. The morning colors and shadows were so crisp and clear.

For those of you who are new to Sprucelands, this gives you a winter view of our pasture. The horses love to run over these hills in the summer, and we all feel quite peaceful as we stand and watch them graze.

Those days are coming again. After the mud leaves us, the grass will be green and we'll be in our shirt sleeves complaining about the heat. Till then, we enjoy what we see and take pleasure in the beauty before us.

Our Dear Fella

Winter doesn't seem to be going away, at least not here at camp. Last weekend we had another two feet of snow. At the barn, we were knee deep in the powdery white stuff that covered the sticky sleet from the day before. I don't think we can compete with the 85 inches I understand they have had in the midwest across the winter. We've been quite lucky.

When I let the horses loose to run to the pasture for their hay, Fella had a bit of fun in the barn parking lot. You can see he is round and fuzzy from the winter. The good news? The horses are starting to shed. With the days getting longer, they are beginning to rid themselves of their winter frock. Thought you'd get a kick out of seeing Fella again. He's one special guy.

Meagan's Winter Visit

We had a surprise visitor last weekend. Meagan Daniel from Arizona came for a visit. How exciting that was! Meagan is the pretty gal on the right in the blue sweatshirt. She and her Aunt Bradley popped in to ride for a while and chew the fat.

Meagan will be a Counselor this summer. For those of you who are new, meet Meagan. She has been coming to Sprucelands since she was a little girl, and has about grown up here. It has been fun to witness her growth. Now she is ready to be a positive role model for campers. I feel like a proud mom bragging about how far Meagan has come during her Sprucelands experience. And now she will share it with you.

Bradley is of course a Hill Parent/Riding Instructor/Master of all Trades person on the staff. You will all be knowing her this summer too. She is one of those special people you want in your life. Bradley makes everyone smile.

Boomer and Jenny

Another rider that has been having fun across the winter is Jenny. She works with Boomer and Boomer works with her. Together they are becoming quite a team.

I am proud of Jenny. Years ago, she came to a Girl Scout Clinic and was afraid to sit on a horse. It was major when we inspired her to risk it. Well, she sat on a horse with fear and trembling. But she did it! That summer, she joined us as a summer camper. Then she became a member of our clinic helper team, and has progressed to Counselor in Training in the summertime and regular riding lessons across the winter.

Last summer, Jenny rode Madge. Our Head Instructor, Jaime, worked with Jenny to gain confidence at the canter, and canter Jenny did. Amazing!

Now I can report that Jenny is cantering Boomer with confidence and grace. They are becoming a team, trusting partners. That's what it's all about, isn't it?

Kokomo and Erin

I can't resist bragging about Erin. She takes lessons twice a week and is doing so well. Last summer she added two weeks of camp to her riding experiences. Maybe some of you remember her.

During camp, Erin struggled with a few of the horses she rode, especially one she found challenging in a horse show situation. But she did not give up. She has continued to ride and is now doing very, very well on Kokomo.

Erin has been working on the flat of course. That is ongoing. But since she rides twice each week she experiments with an extended trot, smoothing her transitions, collection, and now jumping combinations of fences. We are so lucky that she has two lessons a week with which to learn.

I am particularly impressed with Erin's ability to process directions and then put into action what we want to accomplish. She and Kokomo seem to do that well. There is a chemistry between the two of them that is outstanding. In fact, during their cool-out time, Erin walks around the arena and Kokomo follows her wherever she goes. It's beautiful to watch them.

Across the spring, we are going to start Erin on some training projects. We have talked about having her help with schooling horses like Mikey. That will expand her horse knowledge and in the process spark Mikey to remember why he is here.