Supporting Sprucelands

Right now the economy is a challenge to all of us. Some have asked if camp is okay, and at the moment, my answer is yes, we are here and business is moving forward as usual. In fact, campers are enthusiastically mailing registrations from near and far. I am beginning to feel the excitement about our 2009 summer season. Despite the snow and cold, spirits are warming in anticipation of summer.

Something new is happening on the Sprucelands website. To earn a little extra toward maintaining the horses over the winter, Eileen is starting up a shopping page. This page is for you, your friends and family to use. It has been created through a website called LinkShare. Sprucelands earns a commission for anything you purchase from the links on the shopping page. Simply go to the first page of our website (http://www.sprucelands.com/) and follow the link to this interesting adventure.

For those of you who like music, there is a link to itunes and napster. If you download your wonderful music or audio books, please do it through our site. That helps us out. You can order flowers for Valentine's Day, send a gift basket, shop at Petite Sophisticate, go to Walmart, purchase Legos, and even get pet supplies. It's pretty amazing!

In addition to the shopping page, Eileen is also tapping into her photography skills. She is marketing note cards now and the name of 'her store' is Connections. Using a website that supports all things handmade, she is selling 5" x 7" blank note cards, and will grow from there.

Eileen hopes you'll stop by the 'store'. You will find a link to the right of this post. Check things out. You can purchase cards in a bundle or individually. There are horse photos like the one of Harry here. There are also flowers, winter photos and more.

Join this endeavor. If you have ideas for additional products, let Eileen know at her 'store' email address: spruceconnect@gmail.com. Please know that profits from these note cards will help Sprucelands during these economic times. Best of all, you benefit with something lovely to send your friends.

Mastering Marea

For those of you know who don't know Marea, she is a spirited Chincoteague pony who lives at Sprucelands Camp. She arrived here when she was three months old for her ground training. Later outside training made it possible for campers to ride Marea. Today she is all grown up and doing really well.

For those who have ridden or who ride Marea, she is getting a new kind of education. This is the first winter where she has given lessons all winter long. Through those regular lessons, we are learning her quirks - like speed when the rider doesn't want speed - and we are addressing her issues with continuous discipline, riding exercises, and tack.

I love the picture above because Marea is giving us a look like we finally have figured her out and she's not so sure she likes that! Anyway, after consulting with Alison, we changed Marea's bit to a Tom Thumb. You would be absolutely, positively amazed at the difference in her performance.

Erin has been riding Marea regularly. She has been very brave because there were times when Marea took the bit and ran so fast that Erin could barely stop her. Well, with this Tom Thumb, Marea is actually listening and responding. What a difference! There might actually be a chance at teaching her about collection.

It's really exciting to work with a horse like Marea. In the saddle, Erin is feeling the progress. She is so proud of Marea, and I think Marea is responding well because the two of them have a close relationship. One thing Erin allows Marea to do is canter in the snow. Marea looks so tired and happy after one of those canters like she is doing what she loves.

Christmas Reunion

Looking back to the Christmas Reunion is fun because we had a lot of fun. Our turnout was awesome. Lots of Clinic Helpers came to share comaraderie, laughter, winter snows, riding lessons, Christmas stories, and more. It was the perfect finale to a good camp year.

One of the best parts of the weekend was sliding down the hill in front of Eileen's house. The kids had a terrific time together. They rolled in the snow, did fancy sledding moves, ended up wrapped around a tree every once in a while, and then walked to the top of the hill and started all over again. Of course, having snow early this year really made it nice.

Saturday evening we shared more serious moments, read Christmas stories, and watched the Clinic Helper DVD. Sunday morning was tree decorating time. Tarrah went with Eileen to get the tree and then everyone pitched in for decorating.

This year it was a bit of a challenge to get the tree straight, but lots of clinic helper advice later, it was a project in process with everyone joining together to hang decorations on tree limbs. Chris put the angel on the top, and then we enjoyed our red ribbon ceremony. That ceremony means we take time to think about folks who made a positive difference to us in 2008. For each one of them, a red ribbon went on the tree. The results were meaningful.

Our dedicated Clinic Helper group is awesome. They work hard, build spirit, practice good teaching skills, learn to speak up for themselves, and help perpetuate the Sprucelands spirit.

I am constantly surprised and pleased with the teachers I see come out of each year's hard work. I can't say enough about them. They are family, and I love them each and every one.

Goodbye, Babe.

A lot has happened since last I wrote. A big loss was my wonderful black dog Babe. I had to put her to sleep December 8th, the day after the Christmas Reunion. I should have known that was a reality when one of the Clinic Helpers put a red ribbon on the tree to honor Babe.

Babe was my family, my shadow, my friend, going everywhere with me. She went with me to the Adirondacks, followed me on trail rides, and was everywhere I was in camp. At times, I took her to school. She was a therapy dog for me there. Some kids would talk with her that wouldn’t talk with me.

Babe was quiet. She would stand silently by you to let you know she was there, hoping you would acknowledge her presence. I could give her a hug and she would ‘talk’ to me. I will never forget that. Often we would snuggle on the kitchen floor together to watch the evening news and chat about the day. I often said there was a person in Babe trying very hard to communicate.

I know Babe was trying to tell me for quite a while that she wasn’t well. I knew in the summer she was having trouble and spent a hunk of money getting opinions from vets about what was going on. All her tests came back okay, even the day I made the decision to put her down. The vet said there was nothing wrong. But there was. Babe and I both knew.

When Babe stopped eating the first weekend in December, she started to tremble and so she and I had a few long talks. We sensed what was coming; x-rays finally confirmed that cancer had inhabited all of her. Babe looked at me as if to say, “It’s okay, Mom. I’ve got to go now.”

So I sat with her, held her head and her front paws. She looked at me, lay her head on my hand, and gave her final sigh. I knew right then that we had made the right decision. Babe is where there is only love and good memories. I need not worry.

In retrospect, loving a pet means forgetting I will out live them and be left with the pain of their parting. Means making the most of every minute with them.

I still find myself including Babe when I talk to Pudge. It’s a habit, I guess.

You know, when Babe and I talked at the end, Babe let me know that it is okay to get a new puppy. She knows Pudge likes to play and she doesn’t want her to be lonely, and so after the first of the year, Tom and I will start looking for a little tyke to carry on the traditions at camp and challenge Pudge to act like a smart mom!