Freedom for Horse Owners at Risk

I have been following closely the information regarding the NAIS and the effect it will have on small ranchers and breeders as well as owner of pets. I fear this intended tracking of livestock represents the eradication of our Constitution and Bill of Rights, as NAIS is in violation of no less then six Constitutional Amendments and Rights. NAIS imposes a lot of new, additional expenses on small breeder’s owners, of not just horses but other livestock and us. They mean to have us register with the government, tell them each time I take my granddaughter’s pony, or any of our pleasure horses, off the property to go to a parade, show, a ride down our country road, or a trip to the vet!

The USDA released "Draft Program Standards" and a "Draft Stategic Plan" in 2005, outlining a 3-step system.

1 Premise registration: Every person who owns or manages property with even ONE horse, cow, pig, chicken, sheep, goat, deer, elk, bison, or ANY livestock animal, will be forced to register their home in a database.

2. Animal identification: Each and every animal will be assigned a ID number, also kept in a database.

3. Animal Tracking: The owner will be required to report to the government with 24 hours; everytime a tag is applied, a tag is lost or replaced, and animal is born or dies. Reporst will have to be filed every time an animal goes off or onto the premises!

WHAT does this mean to us as owners of animals? We will have to registar with the government, tell them what animals we own and how many, microchip EACH and EVERY ONE of them, and report each time we want to trake a horse off the property. Including each time you what to go ride down the road, go to a show, or take a horse to the vet!

UNBELIEVEABLE?

Please visit FARFA wbesite t www.FarmAndRanch.org to learn more
or visit www. NONAIS.org

This is a terrible burdensome and intrusive program that was developed by representatives of large industry and government bureaucrats. Please help us find a way to limit this program!


Renee Spahr
Firehill Farms

Visions in Dance .... again

The captivating, Visions in Dance starred as the guest performers at the Kismet Hafla on November Twelfth, marking their one-year anniversary from their first public performance and they effortlessly proved again that they are a delightful, not to be missed phenomenon. Visions in Dance prove without a doubt, that they can create a fantastical ambience for which the troupe is quickly becoming renowned.

Visions In Dance’s unique style captures the mysterious enchantment of belly dance taken to the next level. The imaginative choreography deluges the senses with imagery of motion that blend seamlessly the scope of passions and synchronized moves with unique rhythms. No matter how often you see them, they remain fresh and are constantly changing and perfecting their technique.

Not surprisingly, Visions in Dance’s style is already showing a marked influence on the local Belly Dance World as other local groups consolidate Visions In Dance moves in their own performances.

Saturday night’s appearance proves that Visions in Dance will continue to provide stunning performance spectacles that always defied easy classification. Visions In Dance weave together various styles, from duets, solo, and group performances, into an extremely choreographed narrative of emotions that easily segued the range of rhythmic portrayals from serious to humor.

Each segment showcases different members of Visions In Dance and each segment is as intense and riveting as the other.
While each performance segment was, in its way, spectacular, their signature piece Tool, is certainly the most breathtaking. With meticulous accuracy, Visions in Dance manage to balance impeccably timed motion and urban music into effortless rhythmical sequence.

Technical elements, including music, costumes, and make-up are blazingly impressive and strikingly evocative on all levels. Visions In Dance never fail to bring the audience to their feet in standing ovations. Their phenomenal performance proves they remain true to their goals as a groundbreaking troupe in the field of Dance.

Dangerous Squirrel

A dear friend of mine sent this email to me. It made me laugh so much I just had to share it. I would LOVE to write this funny. I can tell funny stories very much in the same vein, but this is priceless.......enjoy!
http://www.ridetwisties.com/mike7.htm
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A Dangerous Neighborhood
-Daniel Meyer-

I never dreamed slowly cruising through a residential neighborhood could be so incredibly dangerous!

Studies have shown that motorcycling requires more decisions per second, and more sheer data processing than nearly any other common activity or sport. The reactions and accurate decision making abilities needed have been likened to the reactions of fighter pilots! The consequences of bad decisions or poor situational awareness are pretty much the same for both groups too.

Occasionally, as a rider I have caught myself starting to make bad or late decisions while riding. In flight training, my instructors called this being "behind the power curve". It is a mark of experience that when this begins to happen, the rider recognizes the situation and, more importantly, does something about it. A short break, a meal, or even a gas stop can set things right again as it gives the brain a chance to catch up.

Good, accurate, and timely decisions are essential when riding a motorcycle... at least if you want to remain among the living. In short, the brain needs to keep up with the machine.

I had been banging around the roads of east Texas and as I headed back into Dallas, found myself in very heavy, high-speed traffic on the freeways. Normally this is not a problem; I commute in these conditions daily, but suddenly I was nearly run down by a car that decided it needed my lane more than I did.

This is not normally a big deal either, as it happens around here often, but usually I can accurately predict which drivers are not paying attention and avoid them before we are even close. This one I missed seeing until it was nearly too late, and as I took evasive action I nearly broadsided another car that I was not even aware was there!

Two bad decisions and insufficient situational awareness... all within seconds. I was behind the power curve. Time to get off the freeway.

I hit the next exit, and as I was in an area I knew pretty well, headed through a few big residential neighborhoods as a new route home. As I turned onto the nearly empty streets I opened the visor on my full-face helmet to help get some air. I figured some slow riding through the quiet surface streets would give me time to relax, think, and regain that "edge" so frequently required when riding.

Little did I suspect...

As I passed an oncoming car, a brown furry missile shot out from under it and tumbled to a stop immediately in front of me. It was a squirrel, and must have been trying to run across the road when it encountered the car. I really was not going very fast, but there was no time to brake or avoid it - it was that close.

I hate to run over animals... and I really hate it on a motorcycle, but a squirrel should pose no danger to me. I barely had time to brace for the impact.

Animal lovers, never fear. Squirrels can take care of themselves!

Inches before impact, the squirrel flipped to his feet. He was standing on his hind legs and facing the oncoming Valkyrie with steadfast resolve in his little beady eyes. His mouth opened, and at the last possible second, he screamed and leapt! I am pretty sure the scream was squirrel for, "Banzai!" or maybe, "Die you gravy-sucking, heathen scum!" as the leap was spectacular and he flew over the windshield and impacted me squarely in the chest.

Instantly he set upon me. If I did not know better I would have sworn he brought twenty of his little buddies along for the attack. Snarling, hissing, and tearing at my clothes, he was a frenzy of activity. As I was dressed only in a light t-shirt, summer riding gloves, and jeans this was a bit of a cause for concern. This furry little tornado was doing some damage!

Picture a large man on a huge black and chrome cruiser, dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and leather gloves puttering maybe 25mph down a quiet residential street... and in the fight of his life with a squirrel. And losing.

I grabbed for him with my left hand and managed to snag his tail. With all my strength I flung the evil rodent off the left of the bike, almost running into the right curb as I recoiled from the throw. That should have done it. The matter should have ended right there. It really should have. The squirrel could have sailed into one of the pristinely kept yards and gone on about his business, and I could have headed home. No one would have been the wiser.

But this was no ordinary squirrel. This was not even an ordinary p**sed-off squirrel. This was an evil attack squirrel of death!

Somehow he caught my gloved finger with one of his little hands, and with the force of the throw swung around and with a resounding thump and an amazing impact he landed square on my back and resumed his rather anti-social and extremely distracting activities. He also managed to take my left glove with him!

The situation was not improved. Not improved at all. His attacks were continuing, and now I could not reach him. I was startled to say the least. The combination of the force of the throw, only having one hand (the throttle hand) on the handlebars, and my jerking back unfortunately put a healthy twist through my right hand and into the throttle. A healthy twist on the throttle of a Valkyrie can only have one result. Torque. This is what the Valkyrie is made for, and she is very, very good at it.

The engine roared as the front wheel left the pavement. The squirrel screamed in anger. The Valkyrie screamed in ecstasy. I screamed in... well... I just plain screamed.

Now picture a large man on a huge black and chrome cruiser, dressed in jeans, a slightly squirrel torn t-shirt, and only one leather glove roaring at maybe 70mph and rapidly accelerating down a quiet residential street... on one wheel and with a demonic squirrel on his back. The man and the squirrel are both screaming bloody murder.

With the sudden acceleration I was forced to put my other hand back on the handlebars and try to get control of the bike This was leaving the mutant squirrel to his own devices, but I really did not want to crash into somebody's tree, house, or parked car. Also, I had not yet figured out how to release the throttle... my brain was just simply overloaded.

I did manage to mash the back brake, but it had little affect against the massive power of the big cruiser.

About this time the squirrel decided that I was not paying sufficient attention to this very serious battle (maybe he is a Scottish attack squirrel of death), and he came around my neck and got IN my full-face helmet with me. As the faceplate closed partway and he began hissing in my face I am quite sure my screaming changed tone and intensity. It seemed to have little affect on the squirrel however.

The rpm's on The Dragon maxed out (I was not concerned about shifting at the moment) and her front end started to drop.

Now picture the large man on the huge black and chrome cruiser, dressed in jeans, a very ragged torn t-shirt, and wearing one leather glove, roaring at probably 80mph, still on one wheel, with a large puffy squirrel's tail sticking out his mostly closed full-face helmet. By now the screams are probably getting a little hoarse.

Finally I got the upper hand... I managed to grab his tail again, pulled him out of my helmet, and slung him to the left as hard as I could. This time it worked... sort-of. Spectacularly sort-of, so to speak.

Picture the scene. You are a cop. You and your partner have pulled off on a quiet residential street and parked with your windows down to do some paperwork.

Suddenly a large man on a huge black and chrome cruiser, dressed in jeans, a torn t-shirt flapping in the breeze, and wearing one leather glove, moving at probably 80mph on one wheel, and screaming bloody murder roars by and with all his strength throws a live squirrel grenade directly into your police car.

I heard screams. They weren't mine...

I managed to get the big motorcycle under directional control and dropped the front wheel to the ground. I then used maximum braking and skidded to a stop in a cloud of tire smoke at the stop sign at a busy cross street.

I would have returned to fess up (and to get my glove back). I really would have. Really. But for two things.

First, the cops did not seem interested or the slightest bit concerned about me at the moment. One of them was on his back in the front yard of the house they had been parked in front of and was rapidly crabbing backwards away from the patrol car. The other was standing in the street and was training a riot shotgun on the police cruiser.

So the cops were not interested in me.

They often insist to "let the professionals handle it" anyway. That was one thing. The other? Well, I swear I could see the squirrel, standing in the back window of the patrol car among shredded and flying pieces of foam and upholstery, and shaking his little fist at me. I think he was shooting me the finger!

That is one dangerous squirrel. And now he has a patrol car!

Wisdom on Aging

My daughter sent me this, I wonder if she is trying to tell me something?
I wish I know who wrote this little gem. It's lovely



Old age, I decided, is a gift. I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body-the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, skin spots and bumps, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror, but I don't agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, and my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I have aged, I have become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I have become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement fountain that I didn't need, but looks so avant garde on my patio.
I am entitled to overeat, to be messy, to be extravagant. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read until 4 AM, and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 70's, and if I at the same time wish to weep over a lost love, I will. I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the bikini set. They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten -- and I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when a beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turn gray or even lost forever, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep groove on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver. I can say "no," and mean it. I can say "yes," and mean it. As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be.
And I shall eat dessert every single day.

So there !!!

Phantom of the Opera Review

I wanted to write a review for the film version of Phantom, but since I had to put off our viewing, the review was also put off. But I recieved an email from my dear friend Drew Hunter. He wrote a reveiw so much better than I could. Here it it.....


Charles and I saw the film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom" this evening. We'd been anticipating it ever since we saw the first previews last summer. I've seen the stage version four times and Chuck's seen it three times, and we love it (who wouldn't?!). But how would it translate to film?

Would they totally screw it up, as has been done in so many cases of taking wonderful shows which were fantastic on stage and hammering them to death on the big screen? For example, witness the film version of "The Fantastiks", which is a worse-case scenario, or "Man of La Mancha", which is pretty dreadful on its own account. And lest we forget the film version of "A Chorus Line" -- oh, go ahead, forget it. Or the old chestnut "Brigadoon" -- ever try to sit through that movie? (Theater folks tend to refer to ANY version of that opus as "Brigadoom", with good reason.)

Or --- would they actually improve on the stage show? It's been done, albeit rarely. How can anyone sit through a live theater-bound production of "The Sound of Music" with painted backdrops of the Alps and NOT wish you were soaring over Julie singing her heart out and spinning around in a mountain meadow? And take "Cabaret" -- they rewrote the play pretty much, switching the lead characters' nationalities in the process, and made the film a much tighter, more significant, more hard-hitting and more enduring work.

And then there are the few movies that are basically straight film versions of the stage versions. "The King and I" is a good example. Sure they "opened it up" a bit here and there, but really it's a classier film record of the Broadway show (and a magnificent record for all time of the role Yul was born to play).

Well, I'm happy to report that "Phantom" is a winner! It's true enough to its stage origins, yet has plenty of embellishments, surprise twists, new background info on some of the characters, and cinematic magic to take on a dazzling life of its own. If you know the score of the stage version almost word by word and note by note as we do, yes, there are differences. There are deletions, lyric changes, event timing changes, and more. Do these things hurt the overall impact of the show? We didn't think so.

In fact, the entire product becomes much richer. The prologue auction scene in the stage version is intact, but the way it's handled in the film, plus further developments on it and the character (Raoul) it focuses on are fabulous moments which broaden the range of the film and enhance the sentiment. The very end of the film -- a scene after the final scene of the stage version -- is remarkable, poignant and rather chilling.

Back to the auction scene at the very beginning ---- if you know the show, Raoul buys the little monkey music box. Why? Well, the film answers that question. How did the Phantom come to lurk in the opera house? We learn that as well. Plus a lot more!

And if you've heard that the film is "over the top" -- you've heard right. The scenery and costumes are incredibly breathtaking. No expense was spared, it seems.

Now -- what about the performances? Without going into any details, they are fine. I will say that if I hear one more person whine that the Phantom in the film isn't exactly like Michael Crawford's phantom, I'm gonna hurl my own crystal chandelier down on their heads! It's a rougher interpretation, more sensual, and more angry.

I have a few gripes about the movie, sure. But go see it for yourself. For example, if you want perfect voices and perfect singing, you won't find it in this "Phantom". What you will find is an all-round entertaining movie, a magnificent, emotional and insightful version of Gaston Leroux's timeless Phantom and Andrew Lloyd Webber's immortal musical.

See it on the big screen!

Can't wait to hear your thoughts on it!

Happy Holidays!

Drew

Neighbor disputes

Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits.
-- Mark Twain

The most frequent grounds for serious neighbor disputes -- trees, fences, boundaries, easements and noise -- There will always be something to set someone off with almost any other kind of neighbor problem, starting with friendly negotiation and, if truly necessary, going all the way to court.

We don't have the pleasure of choosing our neighbors -- they simply come with the territory. What a great joy it is to move into a strange city or new area and be warmly welcomed by a courteous and thoughtful person who lives next door. And what a terrible disappointment when instead, the next-door neighbor is thoughtless or given to some activity that is a constant annoyance.

In today's society, the limited space between properties magnifies even a small annoyance. Especially if it occurs every day, what starts out as a bother can turn into a nightmare for a neighbor. And sadly, neighbors (even those who are the cause of the problem) sometimes retaliate when they feel threatened or disturbed, fueling what can escalate into open warfare.

I am frustrated with my neighbors. I have lived in the country most of my life, and for the most part have had nothing but good neighbors. We, who have livestock, can pretty much expect to have them find a way out of your pasture no matter how good, or bad, your fencing is. We also expect to deal with neighbors livestock thinking that there must be better eating in our pasture or yard then what is proved for them in their identical pasture. We have chased pigs, cows, horses, goat and an occasional lama or emu. I have used my horses to herd long horned cattle, not an event my mare and I wanted to repeat frequently.

This is pretty much the price you pay for the joys of being outside the city limits. Most neighbors appreciate, and understand the dilemma of dealing with animals. That being said my frustration has nothing to do with my neighbors having animals that get out and travel to my pasture. It has to do with my mini horses getting into my neighbor’s pasture. It started with my tiny little mini babies walking UNDER the wire into the neighbors, lush, un-grazed pasture. The * lovely* lady blew off and air horn and then resorted to shooting her gun. The poor little things ran and ran until I finally was able to catch them and scoot them back under the fence. The rest of that hot summer day was spent redoing a different part of the pasture and putting all of the mini’s in a much smaller area for their protection.

Later on that same month, my tiny mini stallions got out, and of course, where do you think they went? Next door to the same lush pasture. Again, she shot her gun off repeatedly running the extremely tame minis around and around, until they fled down the road in the fog. Two hours later we finaly found them back in her pasture. She threatened to kill them the next time they “ate her prize flowers”!

Mind you, it's been a LONG hot summer with water rationing.... I didn’t see one blooming flower anywhere!

But this dispute didn’t really start with the miniature horses. The neighbors are gun happy. They shoot at anything. They shot and killed my wolf a few years after we moved here. Can I prove it.. No.

They have shot over the barn while I was working out there, they have shot over my son’s head while he was working on his car at the barn. He was playing his radio at the time, but the polite thing to do would be to ask he to turn it down ( wouldn’t ya think?)

They have shot at the big horses, they have shot through my house, the bullet broke the window in my studio, passed long the top shelf , I have ruined computer programs and books to prove it. The sheriffs came out to take the report, dug out the bullet and that was the last I heard.

Saturday Kelly, my youngest son was cutting firewood behind the barn while I working on redoing stalls in the barn before the artic cold front arrives. We were enjoying the radio tuned to Sounds of the Season when they pulled the lawn mower, tractor, and leaf blower over to the fence dividing our property and ran them so we couldn’t hear the music.Were they mowing... no. Were they blowing leaves.. no. Just running the machines for the noise they could make.

Ignoring them my son turned up the music.

BOOM! The neighbor shoots. The shell rattled down the tin roof of my barn.

Hey at least we weren’t singing out of tune!

On my net search I found this..

*The law offers protection from a neighbor's disturbing activities. Local laws and subdivision rules prohibit almost anything one neighbor can do that would seriously annoy another. And when there isn't a relevant law, a person can sue a neighbor who unreasonably interferes with the use and enjoyment of his property.*

I am thinking about sending them a letter something like this:

"Everyone has a different tolerance and a different concept of noise,"

I am playing music at the barn to recondition my mini horses. They have been unduly upset by your shooting at them. Your constant discharging of a fire arm can be considered criminal recklessness with a weapon.
I intend to show some my miniature horses, and it is necessary to acclimate them to music and noise they will encounter while at shows or in their role as therapy horses for children and the elderly. I would appreciated if you did not trespass on my property again.

SaturdayNight Musings

J.R.R. Tolkien: Lord of the Rings. You are
entertaining and imaginative, creating whole
new worlds around yourself. Well loved, you
have a whole league of imitators, none of which
is quite as profound as you are. Stories and
songs give a spark of joy in the middle of your
eternal battle with the forces of evil.


Which literature classic are you?
brought to you by Quizilla


Thanks to Lisha, I decided to take the Which Literature Classic Are You quiz. It’s fun, give it a try.

Then in a fit of boredom I took the other test in quizilla, “ Which Monty Python & the Holy Grail Character are you REALLY?” Gads! I am King Arthur of the Britons! I gotta get a real life.


You are King Arthur of the Britons! You let no-one
stand in your way, you are brave and strong!
Keep searching, you'll find the grail yet!


Which Monty Python & the Holy Grail Character are you REALLY?
brought to you by Quizilla



Sad to say I am not in the decorating mood yet. Usually by now I have the Christmas tree decorated, lights strung all over the place, candles waiting to be lit and the odor of Holiday spray hanging in the air. Hopefully the mood will hit me this coming week and I will go into a decorating frenzy. Holly and Lisha
(my dear good friends) are a real inspiration. They have their house looking all festive and ready for Solstice. But, frankly, I must admit they are the only friends / family I have visited that have made any attempt to capture the spirit of the season. Must mean that I have kept my head buried here at home. Must dig that sucker up! This whole thing is being to sound like something out of a bad Monty Python show. This is so pitiful I am embrassed that I have nothing better to write.....

Visions in Dance Review

I wrote this little piece up to honor my friend Lisha and the other wonderful girls who together are making magic under the name of Visions in Dance.

In November in Dallas Texas, I was lucky enough to be in the audience at the Kismet hafla. While the show was outstanding in the level of talented belly dancers performing there, the next to last group brought with them a new definition of "Dance."

Visions in Dance were the most spectacular and emotionally thrilling of the show.

In a dynamic and well-integrated piece, with visuals, technology and beautiful choreographed moves, the audience was simply held in thrall from the first moment the eerie sounds of their slightly menacing sound track filled the room. Impeccably designed motion combined with the techno sounds conjured up strange futuristic images of dance with perfectly choreographed traditional belly dance moves accented with touches of humor, meshed into a spellbinding whole.
Visions in Dance brings forth simultaneously an exhilarating tribute to the ancient art of belly dance combined with a visionary stagecraft, non-traditional costumes and a poignant depiction of the soul of dance. The performance, both magical and surreal, brought devotees and performers of tradional belly dance to their feet in homage to the four visionary dancers.

Vision in Dance are without a doubt, brilliant entertainments with a charm all their own. Find them, watch them and know you are seeing something very special.

Belly Dance is a living art form, and as such will evolve. While deeply rooted in tradition, Belly Dance is still growing and changing among the young dancers. The heart of the artistic spirit is personal creativity, and the essence of creativity is to create--new ideas, new artistic works, new ways of presenting classic material, and evolution of new forms. Some who see the traditional moves of belly dance translated into a newer form will of course protest that Visions in Dance are not doing *true mid-eastern dancing*.

Keeping Middle Eastern dance alive and respected is a difficult job for any dancer, and not a simple issue. Each dancer must chose between being an artist and accepting the stereotype or abolishing it to establish something new in technique. There are many fantastic and renowned Middle Eastern dancers in the United States who keep the culture and history of Middle Eastern dance unadulterated. With all of today's negative publicity qualities associated with the Middle East, the dancers' struggle to break the social stigma is still met with misunderstanding. It is encouraging that there are young avant-garde dancers like Vision in Dance who are adventurous enough to test the limits of this ancient dance form and use it as a lexis of movements from which to draw inspiration and to becomes the vehicle of communication to make sound and emotion visible to a new audience.