Hard work but worth it

Living on a farm we've spent many hours doing improvements. We live on the flood plain for the area, which unfortunately means all our neighbours drain onto us. There is a municipal riding ring next door but it's hog fuel and we've always wanted our own sand ring so several years ago we spend a lot of time and money to convert one of our un used paddocks into a riding ring.

Above is the start, a layer of crushed rock, then some smaller gravel, then landscaping cloth, then sand. It tools days of work but it was worth it.

The finished ring is something the horses love to be turned loose in, it's our old geldings favourite place to roll! The boys really enjoy any play time in there they get.

Good Physical Change

I have always been active growing up in the equestrian community. Coaching professionally for over 15 years and keeping track of 20 or so horses at any given time and more students than I'd ever have cared to count really kept me on my toes. It also kept me very active, but the activity was rarely focused on me. I really enjoyed coaching and had wonderful students and horses but what started to burn me out was being responsible for someone else's happiness on a daily basis. I felt my happiness starting to slip away.

About 7 years ago I quit coaching completely, sold my school horses and down sized to only having out own personal horses at home. No training and no boarders, just us. For me it was one of the best life decisions I could have made.

It allowed me to focus on myself.

I started running and a personal milestone was running my first 10K on my 40th birthday. Running has stuck with me since then but I've also added triathlon training this year. 

A life long fear of water has made swimming a struggle. I joined Tri Stars a local triathlete group and their coaches have been wonderful. I'm still not the best swimmer and struggle with it weekly but focusing my training on myself has allowed me a chance to grow mentally and physically. Current set backs aside my physical changes within the last 5-7 years have all been well worth the work.

Changing Up My Keepsake Line

I've had a keepsake line in my Etsy Shop for a year or so now and have really wanted to expand on it. With prompting from a few friends I've finally added a few new pieces. The ring above is a sterling silver hollow form ring, poured with resin and silver pixie dust, cured, then a piece of my horses tail hair wrapped in silver wire has been laid in and another resin pour on top. I am so smitten with this design. I think it offers a unique, one of a kind keepsake for people. There are lots of things that could be laid into it. Any kind of hair, dried flowers, sand and I suppose even ashes.

The other pieces I've added are pet keepsake pendants, they have a 3 D effect to the as the top plate is raised up from the backplate. A name or saying can be stamped into the backside.

It's been a bit of work to figure the new additions out but it's nice to change things up and offer some new pieces.

What's Even Scarier?

45

Today is my birthday, and I'm 45. Talk about change!

45, wow how did that sneak up? To be honest I don't feel 45. My 30's were ok but 40's, what a blast! I've done a lot of things in the last 5 years I never thought I'd do.

Snowmobiled up mountains, swam in a LAKE, drag raced, ran a triathlon and finally feel like I'm finding my voice in the glass world.

So in honour of my milestone birthday I'm giving myself the cutest cake ever, it's sugar free, has no calories and of course is chocolate!

Physical Change

Running used to be my get away, a time in the day for me. I used to plug in some good music and zone out in my own little world for a while. Or meet with a group of running friends and laugh, chat and run.

Lately I've been battling a few physical issues, I have a permanent back problem (scoliosis) that's never slowed me down much. It's combined recently with a sciatic issue and now a hip bursa issue. So running feels like I'm slogging through a quagmire of muck.

Up until now I've managed to alter my running program to accommodate my body and it's needs. Until now.

The bursa issue popped up last week and is probably the worst pain I've had in many many years. A OK run lead to a good swim. A short drive home led to extreme hip pain, climbing stairs was even a problem. Chiro the next day confirmed what I feared, NO running until pain is gone.

Hrumpf!

Double Hrumpf!!

I've gone from 10 K being a decent distance, to no running and feeling like I'm aging faster than I'd like. Physical pain isn't easy for me to wrap my head around but they say "change is for the good" so I'm trying to think positive and hope that in the end the time off will be worth it.

31 Days of Blogging about Change

I've joined the blogging challenge 31 Days. My topic is going to be "The Many Faces Of Change".

The last few years have been really interesting, good, bad, a struggle, uplifting, depressing and everything in between. But one thing that's been consistent is change. There has been a lot of change.

Verb

1. make or become different. "a proposal to change the law"

2. Take or use another instead of. "she decided to change her name"

Noun

1. the act or instance of making or becoming different. "The change from a nomadic to an agricultural society"

2. coins as opposed to paper currency. "a handful of loose change

I'm probably going to focus on "the act or instance of making or becoming different" but may foray into other area's. Check back daily for new blog posts!

Links below to each of my 31 Days posts.

Day 1 - Physical Change