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Published: April 20th 2009
(Shepherd’s Hill Farm)
I think I've explained that the equestrian program here is run by a private company, a couple who needed a place to keep their horses and do their program. They work with the SHF kids, but also with different programs, many of them involving special needs kids. One special ed class comes out every Wednesday morning, and there is program for some emotionally disturbed kids. Saturday a Girl Scout troop was out here trimming hooves (not an RVICS job!) and earning their horse badges. The group (Reins for Life) owns 26 horses, plus six that SHF owns = lots of horses. But they have plenty of pasture land, and things grow like crazy, so it works well.
Last Wednesday we had a session with Cheryl (Reins of Life owner) ~~not because we’re emotionally disturbed, or even mentally handicapped (which could be debated!) but just to see what they are doing, and how they’re doing it. It would be too lengthy to explain here, but the message is trying to get something, or someone, to do something without being a bully; or “How to Get Along in the Real World Without Using Brute Force”. We also learned
Duhlonega Town Square
You can only drive in one direction in a townsquare, so it almost serves as a turn-about. This was early in the day~~by noon the traffic was a mess, and the people who had been there before knew not to drive into the sqare!that the horses are smarter than we are~~collectively! We didn’t ride, although Annie did on a different day. I have no desire to get on a horse.
For tour we went to Dahlonega for the Bear on the Square festival. It is the prettiest little town, and they have managed to keep the storefronts around their square filled~~many of these small towns have empty buildings. Dahlonega was a huge player in the gold rushes in the 1800s, and the locals say it’s still possible to pan gold out of the creeks. (No, we didn’t!) The whole festival is based around jam sessions~~they were happening on the courthouse grounds (all the way around the courthouse!) as well as on the sidewalks or under any awning that would offer shade! It was very fun; there were oodles of people, and everyone was happy and visiting. And you could buy boiled peanuts! On the way we stopped at Camp Hope, just outside Gainesville, where another RVICS team is working~~the same one that came here the week before. They showed us their project, and we visited before all heading to town.
Speaking of boiled peanuts, Bob and I went back to the
Jam session.
One of several going on that day. Some groups were smaller, and some were more formal. At one place there was a man just playing his guitar and singing...not a scary man like you see in the cities, but a regular guy who wanted to sing and no one joined him! Anderson flea market on Saturday~~another opportunity to get them! Trace (from here at the camp) says you need to try them four or five times before you begin to like them; to which we all replied, “Why would you want to???” He moved here from Chicago and tried them because he wanted to fit in (No, he wouldn’t have jumped off a cliff if everyone else did!) I tried them once, and then filed it in the same category as raw oysters! He says now he’s hooked on them! In some cases the vendor scoops them out of the simmering water, and puts them in a cup (hot) and the people look happy. I don’t get it, and don’t want to, but they’re so popular that the Exxon station on the freeway has “Clean Restrooms, Diesel Fuel, and Boiled Peanuts scrolling on their marquee.
This is a four week project, meaning that we finish on Thursday; the previous projects have been 3 ½ weeks~~we ended on Tuesday. I much prefer the four week projects~~it doesn’t sound like that big of a difference, but if we were on 3 ½ weeks, we would have spent this past weekend organizing, and
The wisteria is very common here.
I didn't realize it was such a climbing vine, but it creeps to the top of the trees, as well as being a free-standing plant. We could smell these two blocks away, but they're not gaggingly sweet. They're beautiful flowers. getting ready to move on Tuesday. As it is we will do that this week; humor me, it just seems longer! I like longer!
Another sign I saw going down the country road was at Knuckle Draggers Motorcycle Repair Shop~~they also do tattoos…..seems like a weird combination, doesn’t it? And not very clean either. I didn’t get one! They might want to get a new marketing manager…..
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Rhonda
non-member comment
I've had boiled peanuts (I can't remember where and Butch can't even remember having them) and liked them the first time! I am guessing that Butch did not!