Christmas Greestings from the Past

Merry Christmas

Sister's

Lets ride! Christmas on Maui and we are all together! The youngest says, "But I don't have breeches." We have a ton and half chaps too. "Why do I have to go first. You ride first, that way I know the horse is safe." Come on Diane, even Charlie rides Kalae. She is a schoolmaster! Trust us she is safe. "I don't know about that"....... Come on, get on! "I cant ride long, I'll be so sore my Christmas vacation will be miserable". 15 minutes later as she and Kalae lap the arena at a trot. "This is fun, I'm an expert again, maybe I will canter tomorrow"

Afternoon ride

Kalae 12 yo 15.3h bay mare, my first Hannoverian foal. Partner extrodinare, trys her heart out.

Freederic the Great 9 yo, 17h Hanoverian gelding. Grey who is the sweatest big guy around!!

Hard at work with a ocean view!

Yes, another day of work in paradise. Medic 3 Kihei is literally across the road from the beach. Great sunset views. I cant imagine working on the mainland in the cold and snow. Lucky to live Hawaii.

STORMY,STORMY NIGHTS

As is major RAIN - buckets, kittens and Holy Cows.

Oahu got the most

14 inches in 12 hours in Wahiawa

Stef was flooded in Waialua, she was jet skiing in her front yard.

Her boat washed off its trailer and she anchored it in her yard.

Carole reports the dry gulch in Kapolei was roaring with water

I no longer have a grey horse - he's brown now, so is the ocean!

The arena footing is perfect!!!

Winter at Kalae Farm Hannoverians

So sorry, I couldn't restrain myself. I am so spoiled to have been born in Paradise. Now it will probably rain for 40 days and nights! I invite all my mainland friends to come visit and get warm. It actually was 61 degrees at 5 am this morning but that was warm compared to the mainland. It quickly warmed up to the high 70's today although it was a little overcast. The ocean was totally flat and the wind calm.

National Dressage Convention Denver Colorado

I

could never figure out why our United States Dressage Federation (USDF) had the big National Convention in Winter. Really... Denver in December! Now I know why. Because you cant ride, so you might as well sneak away from the frozen water buckets and treat yourself to a week of celebrating the horse, learning, shopping for horse related items and meeting old and new friends from around the country.

It was really a Christmas feeling. Snow on the ground, small tiny snow flakes drifting lightly down. Being bundled up in down. Hot chocolate, Christmas music and festively decorated hotels. Trees on main street wrapped in lights and the convention arena with dazzling gold streamers.

It was interesting learning how the Federation executive board and the delegates interacted. Not easy to balance the budget. Performance standards were discussed with GMO members having their input. Instructor and judge forums. Educational sessions regarding exercise and rider fitness/suppleness. Rider psychology. How the saddle fit is critical for the horse. The highlight was Kyra Kyrklund. 5 time Olympic competitor 10 time Finnish Dressage Champion. Kyra lectured on Friday evening and taught Saturday and Sunday. She was fabulous. Every rider and horse improved.

BURRRH!! Colorado in December

This is 17 degrees, then 10 degrees, a small snow fall! Frozen water buckets.

I love Maui, I love Maui!!! To all the people in the world who live in the snow - your very tough frozen cookies. A little antifreeze in your blood..ahh... that's why whisky was invented. And to all those riders who rider their horses in the winter - that's total dedication. I salute you from my sunny patio in the middle of the Pacific in my aloha shirt and shorts this winter.

SPECTACULAR HALEAKALA

OMG - Haleakala crater is so spectacular. With the recent front dissipating and the sky appearing to clear we headed up to the Halemau trail head at the 8,000 foot mark on Haleakala.

We began hiking at 11am. Our destination was Holua Cabin at 3.9 miles down the switchback trail. After 20 minutes of hiking the crater unfolded before us. It was a spectacularly clear day! What a view. 2 hours to the cabin, rest and eat some lunch. Trek through the lava tube and begin our afternoon ascent. Yes! Only an hour and 45 minutes to hike out and I wasn't winded!

Where are the Waterfalls?

It had rained over 2 inches the day before. With more rain in the forecast and a light drizzle we headed toward Hana on a dark drizzly day. Over each narrow bridge we looked for raging streams only to find they were barely running. Wispy clouds hung in the valleys. Bright orange flowers adorned the side of the road. Keanae was peaceful with a steely grey sky and a stormy looking ocean. We never found our waterfall!

Maui No Ka Oi

La Peruse

Spent the last few days touring Maui. Kauhakaloa on the narrow, skinny, scary road. Checking the surf at DT Flemming and Honolua Bay. The blow hole at Nakalele was spouting off.Then Hiking out at La Peruse. Saw a mongoose out there with a 6 inch centipede it was carrying around. Body surfing at Polo beach. The water was great!

Grand Canyon and Prescott Dels

Desert View - East Grand Canyon & Prescott Del's

Carole's first time to the Grand canyon. The Eastern Desert View was most impressive. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long and over a mile deep. Up to 18 miles wide and 2 billion years old. The next day Jim took us hiking on the Peavine trail through the "Dels" in Prescott. These rounded granite rocks are 1.5 billion years old. Wow!
I loved watching the Ravens dance on the thermals. Fold their wings and dive. Then soar upward with out a flap of their wings.

Kamaoli Beach Park III

South swell! Grab your boogie board and head to the beach

Hookipa SURF

The national weather service predicts 12-18 foot waves. They were right! It was mesmerizing!

What a great day in November on Maui. The windsurfers were not to happy: waves and no wind!

IAO VALLEY - IMAX in real time

Spectacular Iao Valley: You just can't fit the whole view in. This is 1/4 of the view. IMAX in real time. We have hiked beyond the barrier which says "Don't go" We are on a ridge in the middle of this old caldera. Sheer cliff and a streams flowing on either side. Quickly we are in the bracken ferns waist high with Ohia Lehua tree's on the edge of the trail.

Arizona 75mph - woooohhhh

West Fork of Oak Creek - Sedona AZ.

I don't even drive the ambulance that fast!!! So it was a quick trip! Fabulous highways.
Only a few U turns as the "nag-avator" was top flight. The pilot was on cloud 9 after excelling in her judging program in Phoenix. Of course this is after following the nag-avators advice to practice watching dressage tests on Youtube.com. Practice-practice-practice... I was impressed.
From Phoenix where I died from the heat last weekend at 95 degrees. It was so hot I heard the Ultra dog, and dog-dog competitors from around the country discuss the crazy dressage riders who were out competing in wool coats, are they nuts? Got to meet Forest Gumpie dog-dog champion from Canada. Apparently you can google him and see his 24 foot jump. I only survived by escaping into my good friends wonderfully air conditioned 5th wheel RV parked at the show grounds.
Then a few days ago in Prescott I froze my petuki ( spell check wants to put in Petunia - ya, that froze too) at 28 degrees. My timbers were shivering (shiver me timbers). Fun visiting great friends and touring Arizona. I am thinking if I cant hardly survive AZ in Nov. how on earth am I going to Colorado in Dec. Ha ha - Arizona was a warm up to Colorado. Cabellas.com here I come for winter boots.
I freely admit "I am a Hawaiian wimp." I am so spoiled!!!! It felt like walking into a sauna when I got off the plane. Ahhhh - warm again.

Divine jumps

Anuhea jumps Divine while mom throws her hands over her head, I would have thought it was over her eye's. You know, every time your parents would come watch you ride you would eat the dirt. All your friends would be snickering trying not to laugh.

Inspiration

" Never put an age limit on your dreams."

Dara Torres

5 time Olympian

2008 Silver medalist Swimming at 41 yo

When asked what she would tell her 2 yo daughter about her Olympic experience

SHARKS are soooo AWESOME

Remember when "JAWS" was shown and you didn't get in the ocean for at least a year afterwards.

Then when we were out sailing off Waikiki Dad would ask if we wanted to go in the water and get towed behind the boat. Yes we 3 sisters cryed! We would dive into the cobalt blue with rays of light shimmering in the depth. 5 minutes of fun and then Dad would say, was that a shark? Heads whipping left and right we would start the hand over hand rush toward the stern only to realize Dad was playing out the line further. Needless to say my exposure to Sharks was a one sided fear based media portrayal.

Until Stefanie took me out on her shark boat off Haliewa last year and again this year for my birthday. Sharks are so, so awesome. Dive with the Sharks in the morning and ride your horse in the afternoon - what a life. If I had never done the shark cage dive I never would have realised how awesome sharks are.

"Keep your hands inside the cage" I guess I selectively did not hear this. I touched a Tiger shark and a Sandbar shark. So soft, like touching a baby's skin. They are so graceful and powerful at the same time. I could watch them all day long. IF you ever get to Oahu you have to go out on Stef's boat.

Save the Sharks! http://www.sharkallies.com/ Stefanie's misssion to save the sharks

Hard at Work

Its a good day at work, when the hardest thing you have had to do is clean bird crap off your hood and take in the scenery.

Pineapple fields forever

Horses got Saturday off after the 3 day clinic. Rather, I got Saturday off - so exhausted the couch and the recliner kept leaping up and grabbing me. Sunday - time to ride. I had never taken Freederic out on the trail as I always ride #1 girl Kalae. This time Marilee visiting from the Big Island got Kalae and I got brave and rode the BIG BOY. He was just perfect. He only got a little excited when the skeet shooters started popping off rounds across the gulch. You know, head up, get suddenly 20 hands tall and piaffe a few steps. But he listened and calmed right back down.

Set your Horse Straight and Ride Forward

Aloha - Its been a little time since my first post. Got locked down by google for a few days :)

Yeah made my first post then blammm - locked down. But I'm cleared and back in cyber space.

Experimenting with photo uploads.

Mr. Lassetter was visiting from Europe. Great riding, friends and lots of laughter. I survived riding Freederic the Great in a clinic setting. My 17h, 9 yo grey Hannoverian gelding (Freestyle/Diamont). 45 minutes and I only had to walk twice :) Only those who ride with the master would understand. I was stoked. He tried really hard and was zooming down those long sides "steady". I had been having trouble with diving inwards with the L shoulder when tracking L. Inside leg, inside palm up and cross toward the neck for 1-3 strides(then give the rein up towards the neck to remind you not to do this all the time) , make the circle more square for 1/4 circle and it worked quite well.

A great exercise. On the middle 20m circle tracking R, when you get to the center line a smaller 12m circle to the L. When you return to the track and straighten, canter R on the middle 20m circle. repeat. Change rein and repeat the other direction. He was not cantering immediately on his L lead. Small tap with the whip on the shoulder and the next time he was fine.

Head to the wall leg yield in trot. Halt 3/4 turn on the forehand to a shoulder in position. Shoulder in for 8-10 steps in trot. 10 m circle returning to head to the wall leg yield. Halt 3/4 turn on the forehand and repeat.

It tried to rain, went from dead still and muggy the first day to gale wind the next. Up at 5am and to bed at 11pm. I need to go to work so I can rest.

Whoa! Fasten your seatbelt, the first post! 10/9/08

Aloha! Does that give away where I live? I have had the good fortune to have been born in Paradise. In addition I was born loving horses! Now over the years (30+) the horses are in full control of my life. I don't own horse's, they own me!! I work as a Paramedic (28 years) to provide for them. It's a great life. Horses to the max 5 days a week and lights and siren entertainment 2 days a week. What more could a person want?
I am at work now. My home away from home. This time of the year is normally a slow season but with the financial woes and billions in tax payers bailouts, there are not too many tourists flying to Hawaii. Money is tight for the normal person, unless your a AIG employee having a spa retreat to the tune of $440,000 after your company has just been bailed out. Hawaii needs tourists, we are almost 80% tourist based economy. Come to Hawaii! Empty white sand beaches. Empty shopping malls with 50% sales!
I work 48 hours straight and then have 4 days off. The only call we had yesterday was a tourist verse a ceiling fan. Watch out for those blades. You know, remember when your mom would yell at you not to bounce up and down on the bed. Well when your in your 40's don't bounce up and down on the bed, your taller now! Alcohol may make you feel like you can fly but look up first. Also make sure your not any higher than the first floor so you don't bounce into a window and really fly out. Geeze I still remember when I did that. I was 7-8 years old visiting my Granddad who lived in a high rise in Waikiki. We kids were bouncing on his king size bed when I flew full body into the open screened window. Thank God the screen held or it would have been a free fall of 6 stories. We all immediately stopped jumping on the bed realising right then it was not the same as jumping out of the plumeria tree yelling rip cord! with our capes on.
Other than that I made my famous crock pot chili yesterday and two batches of pancakes. beeep, beeep, beeep Just went on a call and hit the Publish Post as the alarm went off. Now I'm back.
Did you know elevators can call 911? That was a first for me. A few months ago a car called 911 giving the street location via GPS. Sure enough it was a car into telephone pole with "On Star" making the call. For today's call both elevators at the complex were working and nobody was trapped. I was asking dispatch if they had a call back number. No, the call was made by the elevator. Ah! I wanted to ask if the elevator had a deep voice like Darth Vador. May be they are cousins. "Hello this is Otis El Vator calling. I'm stuck. Send police, fire and medics."