White Christmas

The weather in Virginia has been amazing. Except for a few inches of snow just before Halloween (long before Ottawa had any!), it has been in the 50s and 60s most days (that would be in the mid-teens in Celsius), with a few nights getting just below freezing. Since it is December, I’m really not complaining.

I decided to head back to Ottawa for Christmas. The cats stayed behind (in the capable care of Pat) and Nikita came with me. Although there was no snow when we arrived in Ottawa, it did snow on Christmas Eve — it would be a white Christmas after all.

After many delicious meals, lots of presents and a few tipples, it was time to work off some of the calories I had consumed. It has been a Boxing Day tradition to go skiing, but this year we decided to go snowshoeing. The temperature was about -10 C, which is certainly manageable, particularly when you’re working up a sweat. After a few hours of tramping around the woods and fields near Bowesville, we headed to Mrs. Le’s for some delicious Vietnamese food.

The rest of the week was spent visiting with friends, taking the dog for long walks in the snow (which she loves) and organizing stuff I wanted to bring down to Virginia. I pulled some items out of the storage facility and sorted through the stuff at Kim’s house. I spent my last day in town packing my car to the gills in freezing weather (-30 C with the windchill). I was ready to go south, this time with a good selection of riding gear, including my saddles and enough tack to get me started.

I love turkey!

Just back from 5 days in Florida, where I went to spend Thanksgiving with my brother’s family. My niece hosted and served up an amazing meal — lots of turkey and fixings! We ate lots but tried working off some of the food by exploring the area: wandering around the quaint downtown, searching for shells on the beach and checking out an historic fort.

Then, there were many football games to watch. Alex is working at Notre Dame so that game was must watch. We even managed to fit in a hockey game (for me) — too bad the Sens lost. There was round 2 for the turkey — yummy sandwiches with cranberry sauce and stuffing — my favorite!

The weather was nice — it was warm (not hot) but rather windy. I had a great visit and it was wonderful to see my family. It is nice to be home again and get back into a routine. And, most definitely time to get exercising and work off some of that holiday eating!

My new life

The animals and I are settling into a bit of a routine. I’ve been dog sitting for my landlord so Nikita and I typically take Casey out for some exercise in the morning and evening. Casey is a 100-lb curly coated lab; he is about twice as heavy as Nikita and about that much more energetic (I think he is about half her age). They get along fine and he’s a pretty nice dog, so it’s not a bad way to earn a few dollars.

I’ve been riding a bit, mostly helping Nikki out when she is short of time and needs to hack more than one horse. Riding out is what I really love — I could hack all day, every day. It will certainly help me get in shape, as I’m not sure that I could really sit a trot for very long. My riding gear is always in my car, just in case I come across a random horse to ride. I’d hate to have an opportunity come up and not be prepared!

I keep a post office box at a small general store not far from where I live. It’s close to 100 years old and has a great selection of wine, products from local artisans and all the basic essentials, plus a small post office at the back. I love checking out what they have, but mostly I just check my mail. One day, as I was leaving, a woman rode down the street, ponying a second horse. The sight almost made me cry; this is why I am here — there is a horse on every corner and many people’s lives revolve around horses. I love it!

My new home

I spent a weekend looking at places to live — from “tenant” houses on farms to barn apartments to historic houses in small towns. I must have driven a few hundred miles and looked at more than a dozen places. After all those miles, the place I found is just 5 minutes down the road from Nikki’s — on the same road — and less than 10 minutes from Middleburg (epicenter of Virginia horse country).

My new digs are an apartment over a (currently unoccupied) barn on a small private farm. The place is quite new and very clean (particularly relative to some of the places I saw). It has one bedroom and an open concept kitchen/dining room/living room. There is a fireplace (!) and tons of windows. The best part: my new landlord was fine with all my critters — a big concern of mine now that I am a renter. 

The great news is that he has no interest in putting horses in the barn, so it is mine when/if I want it. I’m really hoping Winnie — the grey horse I rode in the spring — is available as a “free lease”. There are miles of hunt trails behind the farm so it is possible to ride for hours.

I will probably wait a little while before moving a horse into the barn, but it is very exciting to have a horse at home as a possibility.

Moving on

As fall settles in and winter approaches, it is time to move on from the cottage. Although I love being here, the lack of heat and insulation mean it is not possible to stay much longer. It has been a warmish fall so far, but the days and nights are getting cooler and it is getting harder to pry myself out of my warm bed each morning.

So, after a summer of travel, relaxation and reflection, I have made my decision as to where I will move. Drum roll please, and the winner is… VIRGINIA! There are many reasons for my choice, but a key factor was horses. It is time to get back into the sport that satisfies my soul. I’ve missed riding so much and the random ride here and there has definitely not been enough.

My hope is that I will find work related to horses, perhaps resurrecting my horse photography business and/or expanding into equestrian-related marketing and communications. I feel really good about the decision and can’t wait to get started on my new adventure.

I’m packing up all my worldly possessions (or at least all that will fit in my car) and heading south tomorrow. Stay tuned for more updates!

Adventurous women in adventurous endeavors

Personally, I would not consider myself to be an “adventurer”. Sure, I like to push myself and try new things, but climbing Everest is not on my bucket list. Climbing Kilimanjaro and hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc are, but they are in a whole different category.

Maybe that is why I was blown away this week when I attended the Women in Adventure Sport Film Festival. Held in Arlington, MA, the event was organized by CMPZ Productions, who have hosted the Banff Film Festival for 16 years. The two guys (!) behind the festival uncovered an amazing array of films that ranged from Annapurna: A Woman’s Place — the story of the team of 13 women who were the first Americans and the first women to climb Annapurna in 1978 — to Kick Like A Girl — about a team of 8-years old soccer players who play in the boys’ league in order to get some competition.

The stories told in the 11 films (screened over 2 days) varied considerably but a single theme ran through them: perseverance. In each film, women took on a challenge to do something different. In some cases, it was to take on a physically difficult endeavor — like rowing across the Indian Ocean — while in other cases, it was to go against cultural traditions — such as participating in motocross in Indonesia. In all cases, the women were inspiring for what they accomplished.

Some highlights:

• The “Heartstrings” Award goes to Heart of the Sea, a film about Rell Sun, a pioneering pro surfer, who battled breast cancer for 14 years. She never let go of her passion for surfing, even when she was too weak to paddle; she simply got someone to push her board into the surf so she could the ride the wave while lying down.
• The “Which Way is Up” Award goes to Women at Work, a self-filmed odyssey about three women who free climb Mount Proboscis in the Cirque of the Unclimbables (in the Northwest Territories). From the helmet-mounted camera, we have a view down to the valley floor — 2000 feet below — and up to climbers above — who look like they are working their way along a roof of granite thanks to the angle.
• The “Look Out World” Award goes to girls of the Mighty Cheetahs soccer team from Kick Like A Girl, one of whom said: “When we play together as a team we are superheroes and we can do anything.”

I’ve always felt that sport can be transformative. You push yourself physically and mentally to succeed, which can give you a self-assurance that translates into all parts of your life.

Many of the women in the films talk about the confidence they have now thanks to their sport. In addition to pushing personal boundaries, many of these women were pushing cultural norms, which can be transformative not just for the individual but for society. Breaking norms and creating greater acceptance of what women can accomplish will only make our world a better place.

Learn more about the films and the filmmakers on the festival website. The organizers — Kevin Shea and Paul Fitzpatrick-Nager — are planning to take the festival on the road. Be sure to let them know you want to see it in your town.

You can also check out some of the films online:

• Women at Work — three women free climb in the Cirque of the Unclimbables (in Canada's Northwest Territories).
• Kick Like A Girl — adorable and articulate 8-year old soccer girls take on the boys
• Shattered: Rescue on The Grand — an unexpected rescue get capture on film
• Send It Sistah — beautifully shot film about "highlining", the art of balancing on a 1" web slackline strung high above the ground
• The Eighth Parallel — young Indonesian women who challenge convention by participating in rock climbing, motocross, mountain biking and surfing

“Do one thing every day that scares you.”

Eleanor Roosevelt



Staying put at the cottage

When I sold my house in Ottawa at the end of May, my plan was to spend the summer at the cottage while I worked out where to move next. As it turns out, I’ve been running around so much that I’ve barely spent any time here at all — no more than 5 or 6 days in a row.

The amount of travel I’ve done is illustrated by a glance at the odometer of my new car. Bought in mid-June — only 3 months ago — it reads 10,000 km (6,000 miles). It used to take me at least a year to put that many miles (or kilometers) on my car.

This revelation made me decide it was time to stop moving — and stay put at the cottage — for a while. It’s been a lovely and quiet few weeks now and I’m feeling nice and relaxed. Nikita the dog and I have gotten into a bit of a routine. We walk around the bay most mornings, past my cousin’s place and up the ridge on the other side of the bay. After all the driving around, we both need the exercise.

Throughout the summer and now into the fall, there has been an incredible amount of rain here. The direct result is that the water level in the lake rises, sometimes rather rapidly. More than once, the dock has floated away. And more than once, I have jumped in the kayak to wrangle the wooden sections back to the shore.

After a few episodes of dock hunting, I decided to pile rocks on the dock. Now, I’ve done this before, but with just a few rocks and it really wasn’t very effective. This time, I was determined to weigh it down so it couldn’t go anywhere. It worked but there were so many rocks that there was not much room to walk around (it’s not a very big dock to start with). It was weirdly cool to walk on the dock while it was under several inches of water, with no concern for a sudden dunk in the lake when it is revealed that the section you are standing on is no longer supported at one end.

In addition to our exercise walks, Nikita and I take a stroll down to the lake in the early morning (as the sun was rising) and in the evening (as the sun was setting). The mornings are particularly magical. Often, curls of fog slide across the still water and visibility is pretty limited. Then, a breeze will move the fog aside, revealing a lone loon in the middle of the lake.

To the Pinnacle!

Just as Hurricane Tropical Storm Irene blew through, my friend Ann drove to visit me at the cottage. Wind and rain swirled around her as she slowly made her way through Montreal traffic. She made it in one piece, but she was a little wound up by the endeavor.

The next day was lovely, so we decided to take a hike. We didn’t want it to be an all-day adventure, but we did want to break a sweat. As I perused the mostly outdated brochures that we keep around the cottage, I remembered a hike I had taken last summer that fit the bill perfectly. Located in the tiny town of Baldwin’s Mills, Barnston Pinnacle — or simply “The Pinnacle” as it is now known, tops out at about 665 m (2181 ft). On a clear day, the views from the top are quite spectacular.

When I was about 12, my mother and I climbed Barnston Pinnacle. At that time, the access was through private property but, as a long-time resident of the area, my mother knew the way. Today, the Pinnacle is part of Harold L. Baldwin Park, a 200-acre preserve that was donated by the Baldwin family.

After leaving the car in the designated parking lot beside the church and the general store, Ann and I, plus Nikita the dog, head up the road to the trailhead. The trails are well-established and well-marked. The first half is deceiving for its lack of difficulty while the second half becomes much steeper and stays that way, but overall, it is not really a difficult climb — a gain of about 250 m in elevation takes less than an hour.

After hiking along the wooded path, we emerge at the top where rocking outcroppings provide the perfect setting for a picnic with a great view. Even though it was a little overcast, we could see a number of local ski hills in both Quebec and Vermont — Orford, Owl’s Head and Jay (I think).

The cliffs of the Pinnacle are popular with rock climbers as well as the summer home of peregrine falcons, but it was a quiet, mid-week day and there were no birds, climbers or other hikers while we were there.

Round trip, it took us 2 — 2-1/2 hours with some time at the top to admire the scenery. Just what we needed to get a little exercise. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera at home so I don’t have any photos to share. However, I did find a painting by John Lyman — which is a lovely illustration of Barnston Pinnacle with Lake Lyster at its base.

Barnston Pinnacle, by John Lyman (c. 1948) — owned by the National Gallery of Canada.

Renewal at Omega

It has been a busy spring and summer — with lots of travel and lots of personal ups and downs. Frankly, it left me feeling a little numb and burnt out. Quite some time ago, a friend suggested I read a book by Elizabeth Lesser called “Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow”. She also mentioned that the author was a co-founder of the Omega Institute in New York and I should check out their programs.

Time passed and I did nothing about either. As I was getting ready to head to Virginia for a month, I finally got around to ordering the book. The book arrived a week before I was to leave and I didn’t even crack it open, but I did look into the Omega Institute. With a focus on wellness and personal growth, Omega hosts thousands of people each summer who attend a variety of workshops and programs. As I looked at the offerings on their website, I was almost overwhelmed by the choices — so many sounded interesting, how would I choose?

I settled on the Women’s Wellness Retreat. It featured a variety of activities — including yoga, meditation, nutritional and health information, as well as stress reduction techniques. Spread over 5 days, the purpose of the retreat was to help women find balance in their life — emotionally, spiritually and physically.

The drive down was stressful, thanks in part to a long delay at the border, so I arrived anxious to be there in time for dinner and worried about what I had signed up for. As it turned out, the friendliness of the people and the serene atmosphere of the place quickly dissipated my anxiety.

After a wonderful vegetarian dinner and a good night’s sleep, I felt much better. I was up early, before breakfast, so I put on my running shoes and went for a tour of the 200-acre property. Up the hill and into the woods was the meditation center, complete with a pond full of koi, frogs and water lilies; down the hill and across the street was a sandy beach on a small lake and the yoga studio. I made this walking tour part of my daily routine — a great way to get the blood flowing in the morning.

The week was full of interesting people, great information and useful techniques. I came away feeling refreshed and refocused, ready to take on life again with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

For all that I did during the week, one of my favorite memories took place on that first day. As I headed to breakfast, I came across a young groundhog on one of the paved paths. He was acting rather erratic, looking up then side to side. I watched him for a while trying to figure out what was going on. Then I saw what it was: this groundhog was chasing a butterfly — how perfectly zen and what an appropriate reflection of the atmosphere at Omega!



Just a 3-hour tour

My cousin Jim lives across the bay from our cottage. Waterskiing runs deep in his family — he was a great skier and his daughters have taken up the sport. Both skied competitively but are now off at university. Not having a motor boat, I don’t get very far when I go out on the lake. I’ve been fishing for a boat ride for ages.

Finally, I get an invite! I head over thinking we’re going out in the ski boat. Turns out I’m wrong. Jim has a new pontoon boat, but it’s like no pontoon boat I’ve ever seen. Most of the pontoon boats on this lake are pretty basic. This is the yacht of pontoon boats. There are built-in lounge chairs (plenty big enough for 4 adults), a fridge to keep our beverages cool, a table to serve food and a fish finder so we know how deep the water is. There are even moveable cup holders for the seats. Pure luxury!

We head out to tour the lake. We cruise around checking out all the houses and cottages and keeping an eye out for famous landmarks. About half-way down the lake, we stop for a swim. The water is warm (about 72 F) despite the fact that we are in the deepest part of the lake — about 270 feet deep. The fish finder says there are fish down there, but my cousin says it could be anything. The lake is deep but murky at the bottom — like Loch Ness. Rumour has it that there’s a monster but nobody has seen it in decades. I feel much better knowing that as I jump into the deep water for a refreshing swim.

The lake is about 10 miles long and it takes more than 3 hours for our leisurely cruise. Not much in the way of exercise, but what a great way to spend an afternoon — fresh air, good food and great company on a lovely summer day.

Horsing around in Virginia

I’m back in Virginia for a month of farm sitting. My charges include: 3 horses, 3 chickens, 3 guineas, 3 indoor birds, 1 guinea pig, assorted barn cats and one 7-month old puppy. Phew, that’s a lot of critters. They’re all great — even the exuberant puppy — but I do feel like I spend a lot of time picking up after them. I’m amazed at their owners for managing it when they have jobs.

Nikita & Lucy "play"



I’m riding one of the horses most days so he will stay in shape for the owner. His name is Cal — short for California Dreaming! At 17, he is a senior citizen in the horse world, but he is sound and fit so I take him for long hacks most days. In Virginia, you can access a lot of trails on public and private land, but I don’t know my way around very well so I stick to the roads. I can go for miles on dirt roads and there isn’t much traffic. Plus, most folks understand enough about horses to slow down when they pass you. I even had a delivery truck stop and turn off his engine to make sure we passed each other without incident.

Even following the roads, I got lost one day. My theory was that if you kept turning left, you’d eventually end up back on the road you started with. It didn’t work here; none of the roads here go in a straight line, so the block I’m trying to go around has about 6 sides. After at least an hour, I hit pavement — this is not a good sign. I don’t really want to turn back (in case I’m close to home) but horse shoes on pavement can be very slippery and dangerous. Luckily, I find someone in their yard and ask him directions. Turns out I am almost back on the road I started with and it’s just a short section of pavement so I forge on. Round trip, it took almost 2 hours. Later, I drive it in my car to see how far we went — more than 8 miles! Way to go Cal.

This trip to Virginia is a bit of a test — to see what it’s like in the summer and help me decide if I want to move here. It has been incredibly hot, and that’s not just my Canadian body saying that, the weather man agrees. Actually, the entire East coast (including Ottawa) is being hammered by a heat wave. My friend keeps telling me this isn’t normal. I sure hope not; my car says it is 41 C (106 F) in the shade. Yikes!

Thank goodness I have riding and barn chores to do. Otherwise, I would probably never leave the air-conditioned comfort of the house. Even with the a/c temperature set fairly high, the heat and humidity hit you like a brick wall the minute you stop outside. I think the pros and cons debate will continue for a while — do I give up the bitter cold winters for hot humid summers?

Country Living

Living in the country is great, but I am learning to plan my shopping trips. Here, it is not possible to walk a few blocks to pick up milk at the corner store or pop over to the mall for a quick shop. While there is a small general store about 5 miles away, it takes more than 20 minutes to get to the closest grocery store. Serious shopping — at major retailers — requires a 40-minute drive (one-way) to Leesburg.

While I am not doing a lot of walking, I am doing a lot of riding, which is fine with me. There is so much countryside to explore. You can ride for hours across farmer’s fields, through woods and along hunt trails. Spring has arrived but it is still too early for planting so the fields are a great place condition the horses — with solid footing and no obstacles.

Nikita the dog is staying in shape too by accompanying me when I condition Winnie. She is such a pleasure to ride, I don’t mind trotting circles around the neighboring fields to put some muscle on her in preparation for the upcoming competition season.

Nikki is away for a few weeks so I’m getting in shape myself by riding several horses a day. At first, all that time is the saddle lead to some soreness, in places you only notice when you ride — particularly as you sit back in the saddle again. However, I’ve managed to work through the pain discomfort; it’s all worth it to be riding this much.



Farm work is hard word

My good friend Nikki manages a horse farm in Virginia and I’ve been here for about a month visiting and giving her a hand. It is in the heart of horse country, which I keep describing as “you can’t swing a cat without hitting a horse”. For those of you who have never heard that saying, it simply means that there are so many horses that you couldn’t help hitting one if you were to swing a cat, which by the way, I would never do.

Winter in Virginia isn’t much like home but the temperature often stays below freezing and there is sometimes snow on the ground. Even though many of the horses are not in heavy work, there is plenty to do. The retired horses live out unless the weather is really bad, but the others come in during the day — for meals and riding.

Most days, I help Nikki with the riding. We each ride 2 horses and often do some conditioning work in the neighboring fields. Nikita the dog usually comes along and can be counted on to chase some deer. One time, we lost her in the woods but when we got back to the farm, there she was lounging in the sun by the house.

Every night, we head out to check on the retired horses that live out in the “back 40”. We change blankets if needed and make sure they have plenty to eat. We use the “Mule” to transport everything — hay bales and blankets, plus the dog. Nikita could care less about the horses, but she loves riding in the Mule!



Walk in the woods

For three years, I have been on the board of a non-profit focused on helping women in the outdoor industries succeed in their careers. I am honored to be part of this board; it is filled with the most amazing women (and now one man). We recently rearranged the schedule of our board meetings, which meant another retreat, this time in Bend, OR.

After landing in Portland, I drove with my fellow board member, Heather, to Bend. We chatted the entire 4-hour trip while she drove and I gawked at the scenery — mountains and trees and canyons, oh my! Our accommodations were at a resort just outside of Bend, nestled in the in the valley below the ski hills.

Our agenda was packed with all-day meetings, so I started each day with a walk in the woods. Each day, I tried a new trail. It wasn’t until day 3 that I got lost. The woods were filled by the biggest pine trees I’ve ever seen and, after a while, they all start to look alike. A multitude of trails criss-crossed through the woods and, reminiscent of Children of the Corn, any trail marker I saw said the same thing: “Jogging Trail, 2 miles”, with no indication where it began or ended.

At first I wasn’t worried. I meandered around on sand trails through the forest, staying on what I thought was the main trail. It was beautiful and peaceful; a lovely way to start the day. But after a while, when I figured I should be getting close to the condos, I started to get concerned that I didn’t recognize anything familiar and couldn’t see any buildings.

From an orienteering course, I learned the concept of a backstop — referring to a feature such as a river or cliff or road, which could give you a bearing on where you are relative to where you want to be. I employed this technique — with limited success — by noting hydro lines and the sounds of cars on what I figured was the main highway.

You would have thought that my November experience would have taught me to be more prepared when I head into the woods. Thinking I was staying on the resort property and that there would be some directional signs, I went off with absolutely nothing! Well, almost nothing; I had my watch — which told me that I was going to be late for my meetings — and my cell phone — which I refused to use, because I didn’t want to be known as one of those people who goes into the woods unprepared.

As it turns out, I ended up making a very large circle before I found myself crossing over a path that I had been on before. Very relieved, I jogged back to the condo for a quick shower. My walkabout took about half an hour longer than I had planned, but I managed to arrive at my meeting only a few minutes late. Of course, I had to explain why I was late, and have now earned a certain reputation.

The next time I go for a walk in the woods, I will be prepared — really!

Skiing in Utah

After 4 busy days at Outdoor Retailer, I headed to the mountains to ski. This is my 4th trip to Salt Lake City but the first time I’ve ventured outside the city. It’s about time! My friend and roomie for the show was planning on meeting friends to go skiing and she invited me along — thanks Julie!

After picking up rental skis from a shop behind our hotel, we leave the bowl of Salt Lake City and drive up into the mountains. It takes us about 40 minutes to reach the ski hill. Julie regularly skis at Tahoe and her friend is a ski bum here in Utah, so I was a little intimidated since I’m an average skier and it’s been years since I’ve hit the slopes. Even my clothes feel out of date!

When we arrive at The Canyons, nothing matters any more. It looks like a postcard, with big, fat snowflakes falling as we take the gondola to the base. The skiing is fabulous — hardly anyone around and lots of powder. Now, powder is pretty well unknown to an Easterner like me so I find it hard work. I manage to stay upright, but not without considerable effort.

After a couple of hours, we take a break to have a bite to eat. The rest of gang heads out for one more run or two before the lifts close. I bow out; I’m pooped and it’s been such a great day, I don’t want to ruin it with an overtiring last run.

Instead, I go shopping and find a great gift for a friend who is taking care of Nikita the dog. Then, I chill on a sunny patio with local craft beer in hand — not much could be better than this!