Order Your Calendar Today

Good morning everyone! Since I'm looking ahead to the coming holiday season, I thought you might be too. Thanksgiving is next week already. I can't believe we're so far into November and before I blink my eyes again, Christmas will be here. Oh my! I have much to do.

Thought you might consider thinking about holiday gift giving with me for a minute.

This blog alerts you to the really wonderful calendar I've made featuring campers and staff from our 2009 summer. It's filled with photos you'll want to remember and friends you won't want to forget. I went through the pictures from the entire summer and selected a bunch of the best. They are filled with laughter, horse moments, connections with friends, and memories of evening programs galore.

The photos are framed on a black background. I like that because it highlights the photos and helps them stand out. You can see from the selections I've chosen to share that the black background is awesome.

At the bottom of each collection of photos for a particular month, there is a caption that captures the spirit of the page. Best of all, every page is different so you stay interested and caught up in the fun of the calendar.

Lots of pictures are also included on the actual calendar dates. I love that I found a calendar program that would allow me to insert photos here and there randomly. I was also able to write in comments here and there that let you know how special you are or reminds you to send in your registration or forms for camp.

This is a perfect calendar for you to hang by the desk in your bedroom. It's good for an office, the kitchen, even your den. It's a Christmas or Hanukkah gift that you'll treasure no matter whether you are camper or staff.

You'll be able to mark off the days till camp starts on June 27th and feel like you are counting down with your friends. Or you can guard your calendar with your life and save it as a camp memory for years and years.

What is important is that you get your order to me soon so that I get the calendar in your hands by mid December. I already have an order of 20 calendars in my home ready to mail out. So contact me by email, phone call or letter and I'll send one to you. Cost if I hand deliver to those in the local area is $20; cost if I mail the calendar is $25. You can even pay with paypal on the camp website.

Make your holiday gift something special for your son or daughter. This is a gift that I know you will value. Hang it in a place of honor because we love reminders that the Sprucelands Spirit connects us all. Sprucelands forever! Yes! Yes! Yes!

Caption Contest: Photo #3

We have had two photos in our captions contest. I want to take time to mention that this last photo had four comments made. They were clever comments. This was the photo. Thought you'd get a kick out of knowing what caption we chose.

The winning caption - drum roll please - goes to a reader out there named Emily. Not sure which Emily that would be. The caption however is: "Blech! That's the last time I try eating a lead rope!"

I always like to give an Honorable Mention too because it is usually difficult to decide the best caption. So here goes. Honorable Mention goes to an anonymous entry: Inhaling flies is not my favorite pastime.

It's really fun to hear your input on these photos. By the end of the winter, we'll have quite a collection of fun pictures with photos to match. I'm putting them together in a little slide show for you to eventually upload onto your computer.

I hope you will have fun now with this new photo. It's one of those photos that fools you into wondering what is happening.

Use your imagination a tad especially knowing that Andrew is actually a spotter in the clinic. He was playing around and we were all having fun with it. In some ways, Andrew has created an optical illusion here. Kind of neat.

Remember. All you need to do is enter your comment at the bottom of this post. Click on the comment tab and slip in what you think would be a good caption. Have some fun! Be clever! Be serious or silly. Doesn't matter.

You might even consider what your perspective would be. Write your comment from the viewpoint of Boomer or the scout or Andrew. Hmmm.

I'll post another photo in a few weeks depending on how much of a response we get to this one. Enjoy. I look forward to hearing what you've got to say.

November News

I am finally re-entering my routine. Was out of the loop for a week with the flu. Not fun. However, we did a wonderful scout clinic over this last weekend. The weather was beautiful, probably perfect would be the better term.

It was great seeing all the clinic helpers again. I love when we sit around the kitchen, talking, giggling, sharing music, even studying together.

Before I slipped into bed for my week's flu retreat, I enjoyed having Tsz and Hayley out for a lesson and trail ride. They had such a good time together. That was another pleasant Saturday and we were surrounded by beautiful color in the trees. The perk was that awesome rustle in the leaves underfoot as you walked in the woods. Lily enjoyed the girls. She was their guide.

I must say we have had periodic respites this fall from cold weather. I keep saying, "This must be our Indian Summer." Fact is we've had several of those 3-4 day stretches when the weather is seasonal and lovely. I take them as gifts and enjoy the moment because all too soon we'll be in the middle of freezing cold and blowing snow.

Thanksgiving is about here. I've ordered my home-grown turkey. The kids are making plans to come for the day. I'm figuring out my menu as many of you must also be doing. At the same time, I find myself reflecting on what I'm thankful for in 2009. This has been a good year with lots of good friends and enthusiasm, a top-notch Dr. Seuss summer, miracles that can't go unnoticed, safe trail rides, and the promise of better economic times ahead.

Sugar, the new horse, is settling in just fine. She had a lot of fun watching the scouts ride in ring #1 this weekend. She's learning we all work here. Actually, I think she and Ellie were eyeing Thunder. They're the three musketeers these days. They go everywhere together.

Anyway, Tarrah surprised me with her presence this last weekend and so she hopped on Sugar for a lesson. Sugar is a willing ride. She even jumped a bit. Doesn't like the rider pulling on her face. She much prefers seat and leg. I like that kind of horse. Really soft mouth.

So this blog catches us up with each other again. I'll start writing more regularly. Remember to get your early bird registrations in because soon the discounts will decrease. I've tried to leave them in place longer than usual so you can take advantage.

Signing off for now. Please leave any comments you might have about this post. I love hearing from you because then I know we're connected again, and connection is everything.