Go For a Run

Are you feeling slow, lazy and uninspired? Watch these guys and feel worse :P ... really though you should check them out.. and if you want to see more go to Youtube and make a search for Parkour you'll never look at the city-scape in the same way again.

Memory Eternal

In November 2006 construction of a small chapel was finished and dedicated to the thousands of people who died during the Red Terror 1920- 1921. So many people were murdered that the streets ran red with blood. My great-great grandmother is buried here in the forest. The dedication and consecration of the chapel was Saturday November 11th 2006

Here is the chapel. It is located in Bagreevka, Yalta.





"In this place rest approximately one thousand people victims of the Red Terror years 1920 and 1921 Princess Nadegda Alexandrovna Baryatinskaya, nee Stenbok-Fermor 31st July 1846, General Ivan Sergeivich Maltzoff born 1st February 1846, Irina Vladimrovna Maltzoff, born Princess Baryatinskaya 18th February 1880, Captain Lieutenant Sergei Ivanovich Maltzoff, born 17th February 1876. ALL WERE KILLED HERE TOGETHER 22ND DECEMBER 1920"


The depression in the forest floor to the left of the cross is the site where my family was shot and buried.

Celebrating with Apples

Don't adjust your monitors or get your eyeglasses.. these pictures are blurry. Aristoitle had a low key celebration which included a nice grooming session, massage, pedicure, and we shared several apples.
Here he is looking at me with that sideways glance because I've just reached into my pocket, and that nearly always means something tasty is on the way.



Operating the camera and feeding a horse who plunges in for the apple on my hand at the same time isn't an easy task, I tried a few times to capture the moment of the bite..

strike one


Steeerike two..


Strike three... but I got a good nose shot which I thought was a keeper.

That's it for the low quality photographs. I was pretty busy getting dirty with the grooming and trimming and all, so I didn't take out my camera except for the apple shots.

I am always pleasantly surprised by the way the horses interact with me when I come to see them. If you have read my long post about the company I keep you know I try to spend as much time hanging around with the other horses as well as with my own. The mare in the field is at the top of the hierarchy, followed by Aristoitle, and Desperado. When I step into the picture I assume the top position and keep the mare away from Aristoitle and keep Aristoitle away from Desperado if he happens to come up beside me. Imagine two horses standing facing one another with me in the middle petting one then the other. Sometimes the third horse comes into the picture and now there is a circle of three noses facing into the circle and I am at the center - keeping everyone a polite distance apart. The minute I step away they are making cut-eye looks at one another and rearranging the herd structure back to where it belongs when I'm not there.

I think my relationship has come to the point where I can trust the mare and Aristoitle if I want to sit on the ground near them while they graze. Desperado can get a little frantic if the mare chases him off and I worry about him running over me. Aristoitle always knows what's going on around him in that hyper vigilant sort of way, and the mare just knows. There is nothing quite as nice as having a horse come over while you are sitting on the ground and lick your forehead.

Aww no photos tonight..

I'm having trouble loading the photographs from today's visit with Aristoitle... The pictures are small file sizes, so I don't know what the hang up is. I'll try again tomorrow. :(

Aristoitle and I haven't celebrated his foal-day yet.. but I think I'm bringing champagne to the party now ;-P
While you wait for celebratory photographs I leave you with some squiggly drawings.. nearly all continuous line. These masterpieces of scribble are a product of my insomnia a few nights ago, so they are extra wobbly because of the way the sketch book was propped up on my stomach as I lay in bed.

Belated Birthday Wishes to....

ARISTOITLE! 22 Years old this April 14th.. I'll be celebrating with him later today (bran muffins will be involved) and will post current photos, but in the mean time enjoy this older picture of him modeling his Parelli bridle.

How Do I Love Thee?...


Dearest Pop-Tarts® how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to your depth and breadth and height
which measure 5mm x 7.5 cm x 10.3 cm


thank you for inspiring me Elizabeth Barrett Browning 1806-1861