Video of the Tornado Hitting Southwestern Middle School

Here is actually video from security cameras of the tornado slamming into Southwestern Middle School in 2013. A couple of things to note:

1) There's an ad at the beginning that I cannot get rid of.

2) At times the screen goes black - the power has gone off and when the picture comes back, it's because the generator has kicked in. 

3) Two moments most chill me - when the brick wall of the gym peels off like it is a stack of blocks, and when the lights and ceiling fall down in the hallway. Had kids been in the building, they would've been sheltering right there in that hallway.

Here is the link:

https://www.indystar.com/videos/news/2013/11/27/3767855/

Spring Ups and Down in Indiana

  Springtime in Indiana has a beauty all its own.

My favorite bush in the yard always has the most beautiful blooms.

And this year my clematis is so heavy with flowers that it pulled the trellis over!

Seven baby bunnies lived underneath our rolling planter on the patio for a little while.

And my morning walks to the park with Pepper to play frisbee have been warm and breezy.

So breezy that it couldn't have been a bad throw from me that put her frisbee in the lake, could it? 

The grass in some of the pastures is as high as the fences. (Abby is playing hide and seek again!)

Because she is nursing a foal, Sultanna gets grain every day despite that excellent forage in the pasture.

And Miss Two Socks is growing just as fast as the pastures!

But spring in Indiana has its downside, too. Tornado season.

Thursday evening we were sitting down to dinner when the tornado sirens began wailing. And like every good Hoosier, I went outside to check the clouds.

Sure enough, the southwestern horizon was growing dark and was looking a little ominous.

A shelf cloud was passing right over us.

A confirmed tornado was on the ground in the southern part of the county close to Curt's home. In fact, it was by his kids' school which had been taken out by a tornado  several years ago - it was two years before the kids could go back to class in that school. 

Curt texted me that they were okay (they have a basement to shelter in) and the tornado dissipated. A half hour later, the sirens began wailing again.

The news reported that the rotation was heading our way and would pass right over Arbor Chase. I stepped out again, snapped this shot, and quickly went back inside.

Fortunately, that rotation over us never came to anything, and the final tally was just two tornados from that system. They were small and weak, and there were no injuries. Grateful!

If you're interested, here is a link to a video about the two schools, Southwestern and Mintonye, that shows some of the damage when they were hit.

My Penpal, Pepper: My Busy Social Calendar

  Dear Mom,

Happy Birthday! I think I am late and I am sorry. Lynn keeps my social calendar SO BUSY that I forgot. I keep telling her to give me some time to nap and go eat bunny cocoa puffs, but for some reason she doesn't. (Lynn here, and Pepper, you can nap all you want but bunny cocoa puffs are gross and off the menu. Permanently!)

We do always make time for our daily frisbee game. That is, we did until Lynn threw it in the lake. (Photo of green frisbee floating off shore.)

I went running after it like always but then a gust of wind caught it, lifted it, and dropped it in the water about ten feet off the bank. Naturally I streaked across the ground after it and...

Can you believe that Lynn stopped me? She would not let me jump into the water and get my frisbee. First of all, it's MY frisbee and I want it back. And second, I am a labrador RETRIEVER and am supposed to RETRIEVE things! But she said something about not wanting to have to give me a bath and that the lake was absolutely off limits to me. (Sheesh! First no bunny cocoa puffs and now no swimming!)

Luckily, Craig (who REALLY loves me) went down to the lake and got my frisbee, washed it, and gave it back to me later that afternoon. (Have I ever told you how much I love Craig, Mom?)

Anyway, back to my social calendar. Guess what? I have been going into schools and reading with kids!

Photo of Pepper lying on a yellow carpet surrounded by 4th graders who are petting her. She has a big smile on her face as do they.

I visited that school by myself. (The teacher is Lisa, Nash and Molly's mom and Lynn and Craig's daughter.)

Then I went with Nacho and Tate to another school where we read with second graders. The kids had written puppy poems that they wanted to read to us. (Picture of Pepper sitting on the carpet looking at a girl as she reads a book.)

Can you tell why I really liked this girl on the left? She's wearing kitty ears! It reminded me of you, dad, and our kitties! (Close up photo of Pepper with two girls, one wearing a headband with cat ears and the other with her arm around Pepper's shoulders. All three have big smiles.)

Many of the poems began with "Puppy, Puppy" and I loved it when the kids changed those words to "Pepper, Pepper." (Picture of Pepper smiling big and looking right at the camera with two girls next to her.)

The school was so happy that Nacho, Tate, and I came and read with them that we made the news! Millions of people have now read about our visit. Lynn is going to help me start making some pawtographs to hand out when we are in public because I am now famous. (Pepper, I am doing no such thing. Besides, that would take up your valuable nap time. You sure you want to do that?)

I just know you'd like to read the news article so Lynn said she'd post it here.

Well, I must scoot. Nash and Molly are here to play today, and Lynn says I need to get out from under her feet be polite and go play with them. I send wags and wiggles to you all!

xoxo

Puppy Puppy Pepper Pepper

Retirement & New Beginnings

 My friend Kathy had to retire her guide, Nacho, this spring after six years of faithful guiding and leading. This was a big deal in our community. 

Since Kathy is the administrator of the school corporation's mentor program for new teachers, she and Nacho are in every school building (all twenty of them!) throughout the year. As a result, Nacho is well known and quite beloved by students, teachers, and staff alike. Several teachers put their heads together and decided to hold a retirement party for Nacho. 

Pepper was invited to come, and so Lisa, Pepper, and I joined the throngs to thank him for his service and have our picture taken with him.

There was a yummy cake for the adults 

and one just for Nacho, both baked by the head chef of the high school culinary school.

Kathy and Nacho do a lot of public speaking outside of school and around the community, and so his retirement even made the news.

As you might imagine, Nacho's retirement was very bittersweet for Kathy. Their lives were so interwoven, she even wrote an insightful book called Two Plus Four Equals One about her relationship with her guides. But it was time, and so Nacho is now living with Kathy's parents. (Kathy's parents live a few blocks from her so she sees her beloved boy often.)

Meet Tate, Kathy's new guide. A big, strapping two year old black Lab, Guiding Eyes for the Blind matched the two in April and she traveled out to New York for several weeks of training with Tate. (The matching process is lengthy and detailed, but Guiding Eyes for the Blind works hard to match the personalities and needs of both partners.) 

Look at those jowls!! Kathy and Tate meet for the first time.

He is a massive boy. 

Kathy and Tate learning to work together in New York City.

After a week of letting Tate settle into his new home and routine, Kathy texted and invited me to come over and meet him. She asked that I bring Pepper, too.

Both black Labs, but look at the size difference. 

They got along well, but I think Pepper was a little intimidated by him. 

Meanwhile, Nacho is thoroughly enjoying his retirement. I see him frequently when he is out walking with one of Kathy's parents, and he's even been over for a play date with Pepper.

Tate, Nacho, and Pepper are getting together tomorrow for a field trip with Kathy. She is taking the dogs (and her mom and me) out to a local school to read with a group of second graders.

That is something Pepper is familiar with and enjoys. Last week she went into Lisa's classroom and was read to by her students.

As you can tell, Pepper enjoys that!

It's the end of the school year and graduations and other retirements are happening. But there are also new beginnings, and Kathy and Tate's partnership is just that.

I look forward to seeing this partnership grow and thrive.

Abby's Eye

 In March, Abby's right eye began draining and soon it was clear that she had a case of conjunctivitis.

I began treating her with Terramycin daily, and Tim (best barn owner ever) told me that he'd medicate her eye, too, when he was out there if I'd like.

It took about ten days before her eye cleared up and soon I was no longer concerned about it. 

Until Tim texted and said he'd noticed a white spot developing on that eye.

We talked about it and I took some photos of the eye for Tim to send to a vet who had said he'd take a look at them for me.

The verdict wasn't bad, but I was still a bit disheartened. The vet said that it was scar tissue from an old ulcer or wound (probably this bout with conjunctivitis) but that it was far enough to the side that he didn't think it would inhibit Abby's vision much.

Tim asked if maybe it had been there before the recent eye issue, but I take enough photos of her that I knew it had not. 

It doesn't bother her and she can see my hand approach her eye from the side and from behind as normal, so the impact seems to be more cosmetic than anything.

It certainly doesn't slow her down as she hustles out to see me during our visits!

And if worse came to worst and she did go blind in that eye, she will be okay. The pastures, barns, horses, and people are very familiar to her. She will be okay regardless.

Now THAT was a Horse Race!

 I'm not a follower of horse racing, but I do try to catch the Kentucky Derby every year. Yesterday was no exception and I sure am glad I watched - it was one of the most exciting Derbies I've ever seen.

I started the morning by baking a Kentucky Derby pie - the real kind with walnuts, not the permutation with pecans. (Recipe at the end of the post.)

My six piece collection of Derby glasses (each from the birth years of my kids) was out along with a lovely bouquet of tulips that Curt gave me for Mother's Day. (I had had a bowl of rose petals on that table, but those tulips were just too gorgeous to not put there!)

Another bowl of rose petals plus my vintage Kentucky Derby salt and pepper shakers were on the dining room table.

And the kitchen table had a Derby table runner and another bowl of rose petals, too.

As always, my Breyer porcelain Refrigerator with Kip Dideriksen up graced the antique player piano.

Coverage of the Derby began earlier in the day, but I didn't tune in until after 5:00. 

What a race! I don't think Epicenter and Zandon's jockeys even knew that Rich Strike was coming up on them and the announcer doesn't even mention him until just before they cross the finish line!

Attention now turns to the Preakness in two weeks and no doubt many more people will be tuning in to see if Rich Strike can do it again. (I sure will be!)

And let's hope that for the Preakness, they give his poor pony a shield like some of the other ponies had.

Kentucky Derby Pie

1 9" pie crust

1 cup melted butter

1/2 cup  granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup flour

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cream butter and sugars, then mix in eggs, vanilla, and flour and beat well. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts and pour into a 9" pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. (The middle of the pie should still be slightly jiggly when done.) Note: The original recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of bourbon but I leave that out.

A Decade Together - Part 2

 Part two of looking back on ten years with Abby.

2016

 

By this time, she and Diablo were best friends and always together.

Diablo, Abby, Sultanna, and Snickerdoodle enjoying some early summer pasture.

A selfie in front of the old barn.

Hustling up on a summer's evening for a visit.

Late summer coat - so frosty looking!

2017

Behind some hastily erected temporary fencing to deter Snickerdoodle from escaping (again.) 

Staying cool in the old barn during the summer heat with her BFF.

Corinne visited with her "twin horse" that summer. One of my favorite photos of all.

Falling asleep while getting her feet trimmed. (Usually Tim trims them but he'd hurt his back.)

I was still teaching and the first day of Fall break, I headed to the barn and spent extra time with my girl.

2018

Pony Pal Mila hands out carrots to Diablo, Abby, Sultanna, and Hokey.

Tackmaker and hobbyist Susan Bensema Young came for a visit and enjoyed meeting the mares in the old barn.

Whenever I make an apple pie or crisp, Abby gets the apple spaghetti. 

This last photo from 2018 is from my all-time favorite blog post. Jennifer Buxton challenged her readers to find out if their horses liked candy corn.

 Oh, did Abby ever! 

2019

This was a seminal year for me. I was in my first year of retirement and decided that it was time to finally lose the weight I had gained over the years.

Me, January 2019

Me, 85 pounds lighter

That weight loss was fortuitous - a precancerous mass was found on my pancreas and I had to go to Indianapolis for a very difficult surgery that removed half my pancreas, my spleen, and a lot of lymph nodes.

I cannot imagine trying to recover from that surgery had I had all that weight still on me.

After a week in the hospital, I came home and Craig drove me out to see my girl. He continued to drive me out whenever I wanted to go until I was cleared to drive again.

Enjoying some grooming from Cowpoke Ian and Pony Pal Mila.

She is so good with kids.

Abby was a bit affronted, though, when Cowpoke Lukie began eating the carrot that was intended for her during this visit.

Craig snapped this photo during one of the times he'd driven me out during my recovery.

Part 3 will come soon, so stay 'tooned!