Wanda Snow Porter's Blog, page 2
May 11, 2014
For the Love of Pets
May is National Pet Month. Studies say loving, nurturing, and stroking a pet keeps us healthy. I happily live with threevery intelligent pets, a cat and two horses. Early to bed and early to rise is supposed to be good for your health, and my cat, with his amazing awareness of time,wants me tostay healthyso makes sure Irise early. Since my cat alarm clockwoke me before six o'clock, at sunup Itrek out to the corrals to feed my pasture pets. Glad to see me, my horses greet me with loud whinnies...
March 7, 2014
Spring Ponderings
Spring has sprung. After the prayed-for rain, the grass is finally green and birds that carouse in my bird bath flash brighter colors. The only thing I hate about this time of year is the buckets of winter hair I brush off my horses. Since March is poetry month, inspired by my now shedding horses, with an apology toreal poets, I will share a poem I wrote.Horses Change Coats
Before winter clouds plump in the sky,
before snowdrifts pile up too high,
before the sun with its bold, bright...
December 31, 2013
Twelve Days of Christmas
This holiday season was marred by sorrow. Charles, my husband for thirty-four years, unexpectedly passed away October 31st. He was a wonderful man, and I miss him terribly. He was a faithful Christian, and I know he's at peace in heaven with Jesus and his departed family and friends.
To spite my grief, a week before Christmas I unpacked our pre-lit tree and set it up at our front window. My great-grandson helped his father put up my nativity scene, and on Christmas day, I placed baby Jesus in...
October 7, 2013
On Dressage & Writing
When I recently cleaned out my filing cabinet, I found a few tests I used years ago when applying for my United States Dressage Federation’s
Bronze Medal Rider Award. To earn the award,I had to achieve a score of at least 60% at a USDF recognized show, on two different rides, judged by two
different judges, at 1st, 2nd, and 3rd levels.
Dressage tests are performed in a 20 x 60 meter (about 66 feet x 198 feet) arena, and require specific movements be executed at letters pla...
Bronze Medal Rider Award. To earn the award,I had to achieve a score of at least 60% at a USDF recognized show, on two different rides, judged by two
different judges, at 1st, 2nd, and 3rd levels.
Dressage tests are performed in a 20 x 60 meter (about 66 feet x 198 feet) arena, and require specific movements be executed at letters pla...
September 3, 2013
Vacation's Over
The Porter Ranch’s fall roundup went well. The weaned calves
have been auctioned, and the cows are awaiting the birth of their new calves.
The hay has been mowed, baled, and stacked in the barn. Long
summer days wane. Soon the fields will again be disked and prepared for planting in anticipation ofwinter's life-giving rain.
Labor Day signals my vacation is over; it is time for me to go to
work on a new novel. For inspiration, I am reading Practical
Tips for W...
have been auctioned, and the cows are awaiting the birth of their new calves.
The hay has been mowed, baled, and stacked in the barn. Long summer days wane. Soon the fields will again be disked and prepared for planting in anticipation ofwinter's life-giving rain.
Labor Day signals my vacation is over; it is time for me to go to
work on a new novel. For inspiration, I am reading Practical
Tips for W...
July 24, 2013
Old Movies
I love old movies, and yesterday I watched “Of Human Bondage”
(love that title) on TV. I was interested in reading the book and was thrilled to find in my Kindle Store the e-book was free. Before getting a Kindle, when I heard about a book I wanted to read, I wrote a note to buy it, whichoften got misplaced. Now, no more notes. My to-be-read books are immediately and conveniently put in my Amazon shopping cart or on my wish list.
My next problem is finding time to read all those books. Somet...
(love that title) on TV. I was interested in reading the book and was thrilled to find in my Kindle Store the e-book was free. Before getting a Kindle, when I heard about a book I wanted to read, I wrote a note to buy it, whichoften got misplaced. Now, no more notes. My to-be-read books are immediately and conveniently put in my Amazon shopping cart or on my wish list.
My next problem is finding time to read all those books. Somet...
June 1, 2013
Summer Reading at the Library
I’m looking forward to participating in Grover Beach Community Library’s Summer Reading Program. Book Club graduates of both the teenage and elementary school age children’s programs will receive one of my books as a gift from the library.
“Soar Like a Kite” is the library’s theme for their Summer
Reading Club, which is open to all local K - 6 readers. The children will be challenged to read a minimum of 6 books in 6 weeks to qualify for a Certificate of Accomplishment and the closing party...
“Soar Like a Kite” is the library’s theme for their Summer
Reading Club, which is open to all local K - 6 readers. The children will be challenged to read a minimum of 6 books in 6 weeks to qualify for a Certificate of Accomplishment and the closing party...
May 23, 2013
Memorial Day
Observed on the last Monday of May, Memorial Day honors men and women who died while serving in the United States military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it likely began when townspeople gathered in different states to honor their Civil War dead in the 1860's. Yet Memorial Day didn't become an official federal holiday until1971.
Recently, I'vebeen reading letters my father-in-law wrote while serving in the Pacific during WWII. He writes of homesickness and hardship. The years he spent i...
Recently, I'vebeen reading letters my father-in-law wrote while serving in the Pacific during WWII. He writes of homesickness and hardship. The years he spent i...
May 1, 2013
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo is one of two national holidays celebrated in Mexico.
During the 1858 Mexican Civil War, Mexico borrowed heavily from European countries, and by 1861 it could not repay its debts. In December of that year, France, Britain, and Spain sent ships to Veracruz to get payment. Spain and Britain made an agreement with Mexico, and sailed back home. However, Napoleon III of France saw this as an opportunity to make Archduke Maximilian of Austria his puppet ruler of Mexico and demanded $15...
During the 1858 Mexican Civil War, Mexico borrowed heavily from European countries, and by 1861 it could not repay its debts. In December of that year, France, Britain, and Spain sent ships to Veracruz to get payment. Spain and Britain made an agreement with Mexico, and sailed back home. However, Napoleon III of France saw this as an opportunity to make Archduke Maximilian of Austria his puppet ruler of Mexico and demanded $15...
April 1, 2013
April Fools
On April 1st, many countries celebrate April Fools' Day. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, it is
not a nationalholiday but a widely recognized day when
people play practical jokes and hoaxes on each other. It’s
believed that April Fool’s Day began with the reform of the calendar.
In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII ordered the advancement of the calendar by 10 days and introduced a new corrective device to curb further error: century years such as 1700 or 1800 would no longer be counted as leap...
not a nationalholiday but a widely recognized day when
people play practical jokes and hoaxes on each other. It’s
believed that April Fool’s Day began with the reform of the calendar.
In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII ordered the advancement of the calendar by 10 days and introduced a new corrective device to curb further error: century years such as 1700 or 1800 would no longer be counted as leap...
