In Our Backyard...

...The birds of paradise are blooming. Such a unique flower!

...The one orange growing on the dwarf orange tree is nice and big and...green.

...There's this old wooden gate hanging in an alley of ivy.  It's always been one of my favorite things about this house.  Just thought I'd share it with you.

...And last, but not least, there's a national monument in our backyard.

Okay, not exactly in the backyard.  But close.

As of October 10th, the San Gabriel Mountains have been named a national monument by our very President Obama.  He was in Cali last week at a town somewhere nearby for the ceremony of designation.  There are obviously differing opinions as to whether this is 'good' or 'bad'.  Since LA doesn't have much open space and few parks, this will raise awareness of the space in these hills and some people think it will keep these mountains protected.  Other people are worried that the government will get too involved and close trails or overregulate.  And those are just a few examples of the issues that have arisen from this.

I think it's cool to have a national monument in my backyard.  That hasn't happened anywhere else I've lived (who makes a national monument of a cornfield?) I've watch the sun set on those mountains during supper, the canyon is no stranger.  I feel a sort of connection to those hills.  Yet I can understand the concern that it's one more thing the government has a hand in.  It's nothing I've set my mind to worrying about as time will tell if this was 'good' or 'bad'.  Meanwhile, I'll just keep enjoying those mountains and remember it's the Creator owns them.



The Feast of the Hunter's Moon

Every year a highlight of fall is the Feast of the Hunter's Moon held at Fort Ouiatenon near West Lafayette, Indiana.  It is a historical celebration of sorts but may be more accurately described as a reenactment. 

Here's a condensed version of the history behind Fort Ouiatenon I gathered from the Tippecanoe County Historical Association...

Back in 1717 the French established Fort Ouiatenon (pronounced Wee-OT-uh-non) as a defense from the British, source of wealth, and mission to the pagan Indians.  As the area was abundant in furs, French traders used to come down the Wabash river to trade their goods for the furs trapped by the Native Americans.  For about 40 years the settlement there grew; however, during the French and Indian War the years the British overtook Fort Ouiatenon which didn't make the Indians too happy cause the British were a little more forceful and not as willing to trade as the French.  Long story short, the Indians and whites eventually signed a peace treaty but Fort Ouiatenon never returned to what it once used to be. 

The time that the Feast represents is unclear to me as while it seems to be celebrating the peaceful days of the French and Indian trading, the English are also there in all their glory.  In the morning they reenact the French voyageurs coming down the Wabash.  Then there is a parade (pictured later) where many dressed up folk march into an arena for the 'Opening Ceremony' where there is a brief history talk that we don't listen to every year (which may the reason of my lack of knowledge on the origin of the Feast), Indian songs, shootings, flag raising--all the pomp of a ceremony.  Throughout the day there are reenactments, music shows, pow-wows, and booths where people sell food or goods such as furs, pottery and pewter, blacksmith work, leather, herbs, authentic clothing, and such like.

For about 55 years, people have gathered at Fort Ouiatenon for this festivity; some dressed up to participate, others just to watch and learn.  Somehow my older sisters got connected with the children's trading blanket years ago and so several years Leah and I also worked there.  Our role was just to dress up in accurate time-era apparel and trade with children who could buy a small bag of items to exchange for mini gourds, Indian headbands, toys, rag dolls, shells, furs, and other small trinkets.  The child's job was to tell me a story (and he was encouraged to use his imagination) about why his good was trade-worthy for my good and I would tell him a story about my good in return.  We had to play dumb if they brought up anything modern, anything that was used before the US became a nation.  It was fun, but when we worked Leah and I missed out on the other events that happened during our shift which was a bummer.  Also, every year we liked to add something to our costume so we went from lowly peasants to young ladies with feathers in their hats and lace trimmed clothing.  My poor mother had several last minute sewing projects until we decided we could do the job for ourselves.  It was still last minute.

This year was my first year in many that I didn't dress up.  When it came time to get ready for the Feast I didn't know how to dress.  What do 'normal' people wear?  The forecast was saying a high in the fifties and thinking that the fifties can't be too bad I tried to layer but still didn't dress for the occasion.  Turns out that while we were there in the morning it might have reached forty but definitely not fifty.  It was windy, wet (correction: muddy with oversized puddles or miniature ponds), and quite miserable temp wise.  Thankfully the food, smells, sounds, sights, ahh, everything else was just like it always is.

Here are the ones that dressed up from our group.
Edie, Isaac, and Danny.  Ok, so Edie's shawl and rubber chore boots (not pictured) weren't the most authentic, but otherwise her outfit was pretty accurate.  Isaac is a voyageur.  Danny a white-skinned Indian :D

 

We got there around 8:15 and went to the pancake place for breakfast, a tradition for the Rob Lehman family which was who we joined as my parents aren't faithful goers.  I just got sausages because with all the good food I'd be eating later there wasn't room for pancakes ;)

 

After breakfast we walked around looking at different booths.  Danny and Edie traded at the children's trading blanket.

 

Danny went after Indian headbands.

 

Edie excited about her new treasure.

 

We got some incredibly delicious pork chops.  One thing you have to understand here and now as that the Feast is literally a FEAST!  That's what you do all day.  You eat fattening comfort food only stopping to catch your breath.

This picture wouldn't rotate but here it is anyway.  There's all those nummy seasonings rubbed on the chops.  They were especially delicious this year as they warmed our hands and bellies.

 

There was at least one person that had no reason to dislike the cold.  Rain or shine he loads on these furs every year and is known as the story teller. 

 

We didn't watch the voyageurs race to the banks of the Wabash but we did watch the parade!

See those guys coming in the kilts?  They're the bagpipers.  I like them.  Not the kilts, the bagpipes.

Here they are taking the corner turn very seriously.

A future bagpiper.

 

Isaac and Danny enjoying the parade!  It was so cold that our little voyageur put on a modern sweatshirt ;)

We didn't listen in on the opening ceremony but I took a few pics so you get the general idea.  This year there weren't many observers compared to other years.

This observer had a really cool hat.  I wonder where you can buy one of those.

 

Edie was glad for some warm coffee while we halfway watched the ceremony from a distance.



When they fired the guns during the opening ceremony I jumped, hence the blurry shot.

The smoke clears...

 

A colorful booth of knitted things for sale.



And furs.

Okay, this was what I ate after the pork chop.  Fry bread topped with apple butter, cinnamon, sugar, and powdered sugar.  It tastes like an elephant ear but is in a doughnut shape.  I totally could've eaten two.

 

Since we had plans in Illinois that afternoon we were limited to how long we could be at the Feast, which was good for my wallet and waistline.  However, we did have time for a forfar bridy.  If you ever go to the Feast, please, please, PLEASE!  Get a forfar bridy!  Most years the line is long and daunting, but we wait anyway because it's worth it.  This is the stand where they are sold along with shortbread, which is also delicious, and spiced tea.  Thankfully with the smaller crowd early time I got them the wait wasn't long.  Secretly, this is why I went to the Feast.

Basically it's a pastry filled with a sausage mixture.

I cannot describe the delight this gave my taste buds.

We ate them while we watched the 42nd Royal Highlanders.  It's actually their people who make the forfar bridy so that was a very patriotic thing to do.

This guy danced a jig over a sword.  It was a very cultural experience--not your typical high school dance yet not really comparable to ballroom dancing either.









 

After watching this reenactment we started heading towards the car.  Kim, Danny, and Edie refilled our root beer bottles that were bought at the Feast other years.  At the homemade root beer place you get a deal if you bring your bottle back so Danny was sure to bring ours along.  The root beer is good in a strange way.  It's flat but has a stronger sassafras flavor than the typical root beer.  Something that's worth trying once.

 

We were pretty frigid by the time we left but that was sort of a good thing because it made it easier to leave the charm of the Feast.  It's funny cause it's kind of a strange event, a weekend that a bunch of adults play dress-up and camp out in the cold.  Yet the fact that we do it almost every year, and that there is really good food, gives it this certain charm that makes it exciting to join in on the fun. 

 

 

 

P.S. Is it bad if I'm already looking forward to my next forfar bridy? 



A Change in the Herd

Last night Kim, Danny, Edie and I were excited to get home and see Dad and Mom.  They had taken Rain and Tex with them to Brown County State Park for a few days of riding to celebrate their anniversary and got home while we were at church.  As we drove down the little hill we could see that the lights were on in the barn and the truck was backed up to the barn door.  Still unpacking.

I pulled the car into the garage and we all got out at different times.  Kim dashed into the house and Edie followed pretty close behind.  I was still sitting in the driver's seat singing and taking my time.  Soon Dad peaked his head through the garage door and said, "Where's Kim?  Did she go in the house?"  There was a sense of urgency in his voice and his expression held concern.  Immediately I sensed that something wasn't right and assumed that the problem was somehow horse related.

"She's in the house," I replied.  The exact details aren't clear to my mind but I think Danny went to get her.

"There was an issue with Texy in the trailer on the way home and we need to deal with it as a family.  Get Edie and let's go together."  He was dying.  I knew it.  Not Tex!  Although he is one of our older horses, he still has so much energy and the go-get-em spirit of a retired sulky race horse.  Why did this have to happen to him?  I was almost crying as we started to head toward the barn.  Dad said he wanted Edie to go first.  That seemed strange to me as Edie was probably the most sensitive but nothing was really making sense.  We approached the barn and the trailer was no longer attached to the truck.  What had happened?  Did somebody run into the trailer where Tex had been standing?  Did a tire pop letting the trailer swerve out of control until there was an accident?  I tried to voice my questions to Dad but he was hesitant in giving answers.

The walk to the barn isn't far but in that short time my mind was going wild.  Here we were walking out to say our final goodbyes to a good horse that was still too young to die. 

"Does Maria know yet?" I asked.  She had developed a close bond with Tex in the earlier years that we had him.  He had gone to His Ranch with her for a few months and they had spent a lot of time together before she had married and moved away.  Knowing how sad I'd be if this was Bandit I felt a twang of pitty for Maria and relief for myself.

"Yah, she knows," Dad replied.

Edie asked if we would need to get two new horses as we have wanting a new pony for her for several months.  Cruiser's great to have for young kids who like to be led around, but he's the typical pony when it comes to stubbornness.  He's charged Edie when she's trying to catch him; he's taken off running for home when we're out on the trails and left Edie hanging on to the saddle horn for dear life.  Yet despite these quirks Edie still loves and rides him and we've decided to hang on to him until we find that right horse.

Dad wasn't sure about getting two new horses.  We were nearing the barn and I was both hesitant yet anxious to see Tex in whatever injured state he was in.  As we walked into the barn Mom was videoing us with her phone and had a pitiful expression on her face. 

Edie led the way into the barn and Dad instructed her take a look in the first stall and see how things were going.

We were a pretty somber group as you can tell by the snapshot I took of Mom's video.

"Mom, stop videoing.  You're so morbid," I said as we walked in.

Edie cautiously peaked into the stall...

 Then Danny joined her and pretty soon he was exclaiming, "Ohhh! Ohhhhhh!" and Kim confusedly added, "What in the world?"  What we saw in the stall surprised us all.

"Wait, is that my horse, Mom?"

You can imagine the shock of seeing a little buckskin pony staring back at us where we imagined to find a wounded, dying horse.

"Wait, what?" I cried.

"I thought something was wrong with one of the horses," Kim added.

"I thought you said something was wrong with Tex!"

"I said we had an issue with Tex in the trailer on the way home," Dad said before he laughed.  I'm sure riding three hours in a trailer with a new horse caused some issues.  Just not the type we had imagined :)

We were all so in shock and amazement that we didn't really know what to think.  Danny was first into the stall while Edie just looked around.  Dad assured her she could go in and that the pony was gentle.

The next few minutes were full of excited questions and we found out that the pony is a girl.  She is ten years old.  Her previous owner was an elderly man who had her for his granddaughter; however, his granddaughter wanted a more spunky horse than this pony.  They had called her Princess, but her real name was Bitsy.  We prefer the latter although the horse is rather stocky.  Dad and Mom told Edie she could take some time to pick a new name for her new pony.  We've thrown around some suggestions but it may take a while for Edie to decide and who knows what she'll come up with ;)

We were all in pretty lively spirits and partway through our rejoicing Danny said, "I'm gonna go give Tex a big hug!"  What a relief.  And what a tease my dad is.

This morning Edie was out of bed with no delay and visited her pony before she got ready and after she was ready for school.  We're hoping to take her out for an easy ride this afternoon to get to know her better and see how Edie likes her under saddle.  There is a possibility that she might be too much horse for Edie and the man assured Dad and Mom that if she wasn't a fit they could take her back.  It's always a little difficult to be completely comfortable and trusting with a new horse and as Edie is of a more cautious nature we may find that her new pony would be better in a different home.  However, we certainly hope that is not the case.  This new pony isn't a super lovey dovey pet me type but we're hoping to change that by showing her lots of love and more affection than her previous rider.