Living on Orcas Island

Today as I stood in the arena lunging Black Elk, I watched a pair of Eagles engaged in a mating dance. Their cry was completely different from what they normally sound like, and I stood watching them tumble and fall straight up above me, then over the marsh, up into the woods and back again. I thought this is why I live on Orcas!

And when I went to Coffelt's for eggs and saw these wonderful photo ops.  Wheelbarrows in a pile, shovels and pitch forks, a lake rimmed in pastels.

Perhaps it was the joy I felt when looking down the driveway and seeing Ken and Jay and Megan all digging holes for the yurt platform. Jay and Megan will have housing for the summer, our farm is growing.  Our neighbor, Dan had helped Ken design the platform it and then carved out a path lined with old logs with moss intact.

 Perhaps it was the felling of connection  I felt this afternoon I saw two friends who I helped find their homes on Orcas.  Jim had me over to talk about the market and how to prepare his house for sale. We brainstormed about his next tranisition and swapped a few tales.  Then I ran into Tom at the Post Office. He owns Deer Harbor Charters - and takes people whale watching. He had a fire in his home and yet was so happy with the changes he made with the home he   invite to stop by and see his remodel.  We chatted about his winter which he claimed was colder in Florida then here on Orcas!

 I think it was watching my grand-daughter, Trinity learn how to handle the wheelbarrow that made me happy to be on Orcas.

 Or maybe while watching her sleep...

Perhaps it was the long emails I got from a new friend assuring me that going virtual in our Real Estate Business will work just fine, and her warm invitation to join a oil painting class.

Lots to be thankful for; the beauty and the people and of course the gift of living on this very special Island.To see what kinds of properties are for sale on Orcas Island go to: www.orcasdreams.com

Black Elk's First Ride!

 Black Elk's first day on Orcas, just being together.

It's a long road from getting a horse out of the wild to actually riding him. First, he needed to let me touch him,  we had to become friends, and he had to accept me as his leader. He needed to learn I could be trusted.  I took it slow, no need to rush, I would not ride him for a year at least, as he was much too young.

What a huge change for Black Elk, from the mountains of Nevada, to the corrals in Utah, to a little valley on Orcas Island. At least he had horses in the next corral, and lots of hay. Nevertheless, I really felt sad for him, losing his life in the wild. I would try to give him the best life I knew how.

We spent a lot of time together, just hanging out, or my moving him around with body language. He was so attentive to every nuance. Eventually, I used a clicker and fine tuned lots of little communications. When he was not sure of what I wanted, he put his nose on the back of my hand and stood quietly, not nosing me, just waiting. I loved his quiet nature, and his intensity, and I loved watching him move. He would nicker each time I came out of the house, and snort if not sure of something new. Like my mustang, Rasacal, he was a talker!

Pretty soon, he was out of the round pen, and into the arena. He learned about lunging and leading.  Then, this summer we started walking the trails together, often at liberty without a lead rope.

 Now this was more like it, he says!

Then, we were ready. He seemed mature enough to be ridden, and I was anxious to begin!  The first ride is always so exciting. Well, actually it was so simple and so easy and calm. That is what I always try for, no big surprises, no big upsets.   I rode him in a halter, with a rope for reins. We walked around in a few circles, we turned, we stopped, we even side passed. Sounds rather dull even to me. No buck, no snort, no worries.

True to his name, it felt a bit like riding an elk, as his stride was so long and loose.

Many thanks to my young friend Abby for her help with my first ride.