The Vagabond Chronicles 3: The Best Laid Plans....

Perhaps you're like me, constantly rushing into, and through, a flurry of events that seems neverending, and relentless. I constantly find myself surprised at the crazy number of projects that seem to fly headlong at me, often wondering, sometimes, how in the world I'd gotten myself smack into the middle of some of them. Ahh, happy busy mischief seems to follow me everywhere.

For the past few weeks, however, the rate of busy-ness made it almost impossible for me to move forward on almost everything important, including planning the next phases of horse-drawn wagon preparatory. It doesn't help living in the big city; contrary to popular belief, I find living in a city with so many people and built up bureaucracy can sometimes make it difficult getting a direct answer.

Here is the rundown so far of The Best Laid Plans. For two weeks now, I've been trying to contact two different stables near my home in New York. Yes, New York City keeps horses, albeit in the outer perimeters of the city. The goal is to volunteer with the horses enough to figure out how to drive them. The Bronx Equestrian Center appears to be the better choice of these, but the manager has been out of town or busy each time I call. More problematic is that is rather difficult to get to by public transport. There is another riding stables Riverdale Equestrian that is much more convenient to me, but it seems less inclined to driving than riding, though that never hurt either. So far, I probably will have to visit, though, as they are rather hesitant to new volunteers, and I suppose it will be difficult to prove I have animal technician credits under my belt, and am serious, over the phone.

A bigger concern is that I've scheduled myself into my own crazy life, within an inch of my life. You can't get squeezed much tighter, folks. Sleep is optional, so I'll have to figure how to physically manifest this into time for volunteering. I have to say, though, things often have a strange way of working out as needed, so perhaps me simply typing this out to the Universe will bring some luck. While I can't complain that being busy and productive is bad, I can only hope I don't go cross-eyed and whiplashed in the process.

In the meantime, I have been researching on the possibility of using modern day caravans for the journey. Though a few sources recommend actually building your own modern day "vardo," this would resolutely be out of the question for me, since I have all the building skills of...well, a city slicker with the body strength and construction knowledge of a five year old. One of the more interesting sites dealing with this is HERE.

It is times like this when I envy those living in Britain, as gypsy vardos and the like are still revered, and sometimes still used, and can be built to order. You can get yourself a custom wagon HERE.

However, there ARE places within the states that will sell vardos, as well as the Western type wagons that I profiled HERE . They are, however, located in the West. One is Old Western Wagons. Another good source for sheep wagons, which I profiled in my last post, is Idaho Sheep Camp.

Since they are not local, and I'll need to look at them myself, this means: roadtrip! And a revisiting of the sort of budget I have. Clearly, I was aware that this would be a big project and that it might need outside funding, but I will definitely need to refine a plan on how to actually manifest donations and sales. I'll also need to figure on how to run away from my clientele and the concrete jungle I live in, for awhile, anyhow.

Ahh, decisions, decisions! I can't say I'm unlucky to have these sorts of "problems." What sorts of dreams would you like to manifest?

The Vagabond Chronicles 2: Inside the Box

The title of today’s post, admittedly, is a play on the words of the title of THIS POST. However, in this case, today's post is a quite literal response to THIS POST.

Several of you have been very kind and have commented on my literal travels, however slow they seem to be going. Of the post on gypsy vardos and other forms of wagon travels, I seem to be getting a few questions on what the "insides" of these respective "boxes" look like. I can't blame the curiosity, since the outsides look so wonderous!

So, here are a few pictures of what you can expect upon going into these enchanted mobiles. Remember, all objects are fitted into a moving cart!

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The elegant insides of a gypsy vardo. Somehow, I doubt the insides of anything I'd drive are quite this elaborate!

A historic picture of a general gypsy vardo. I love all of the floral touches!

(pic: University of Liverpool)

Perhaps the most probable of the bunch: A recently designed sheep wagon. Looks practical and enchanted at the same time!

(pic: Idaho Sheep Wagons)

The last of the pics is designed by a modern-day restorer of these wagons, and just one of the options to use for horse and cart adventures. More on this soon!

Have a wonderful day, friends!

Into The Wild Winterhood

The strangeness of last week seeped coldly into my life, both in regards, literally, to the weather and in the chilly marks that unpredictable people often etch carelessly upon each other.

I chose to focus on the beautiful icy weather, as I love nature. And so the cold works of nature trumped the cold works of the strange human heart.

By now, most folks have uttered enough derelictions against Jack Frost, wishing him to go away. Enough cold had blown, enough walkways shoveled under burdened backs, enough layers of clothing were shivered under. But I love winter, magical in even it's fierceness. I will say my least favorite parts of snowfall, to be sure, is not the snowfall itself, but the mucky-slush results once the frost driven falls are man-handled, literally. I can't say that I know anyone who enjoys the gray driven sleet once cars and people have tramped through snow, can you? But still, the silver white magic of snow never ceases to tempt my imagination.

And so, here is a day of frozen wonderland, this past Friday:

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The trees donned their winter finery:

So fierce and splendid, indeed....

That they sometimes made for artistic shots and framing...

But there were other interesting images to be seen, snow-bound-ed:

Bicycle under snow...

Cars, orphaned and avalanched in snow:

By the way, this was the only way to get anywhere--walk straight through the streets, as the sidewalks were completely impassable (or is it, impossible)!

An outer garden chime, in snow:

Even in the man-made world, there are still moments of serenity and beauty, no?

An urban firescape garden, winter chilled:

Those of you who don't believe in urban farming, now you have proof...though I have no idea what this will look like in the springtime!

My favorite though--my puppy client, enjoying snow:

This is Nala. She is one of my charges in my day job as an animal whisperer. She is a 6 month old Golden Retriever. Like most dogs, she loves snow....

"Gee, Auntie Zan, can we EAT the snow?"

And of course, she loved snow so much she ran past me each time I tried to call her back into the house!

But mostly, she just was cute enough for shot like the one above!

And then on the way home, the papery-ghost-white image, a snow-moon. A perfect end to all wint'ry days:

*~May all your stormy days be magical ~*