Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group discussion
What are U doing today?
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What are U doing today? (Ongoing thread)
Thanks, Joy! I actually had a pretty good day yesterday, considering. Although I didn't feel bad physically, I think my system needed the rest day to recuperate. Since I couldn't get online, I was able to find time to do some other non-strenuous activities that I'd been wanting to do, so that was good.Yes, horses can swim instinctively. (Some fiction writers don't know that, with very unrealistic results. :-) )
I thought everyone knew horses could swim. Are there any animals that can't? Doesn't anyone read Misty of Chincoteague & all any more?!!! Wonderful series. They swim the ponies from Assateague to Chincoteague for the auction every year. We went when I was about 6 or 7.
Jim wrote: "... It is a good source of mud, which is something the horses love as that keeps the flies at bay. They'll often roll & get so mud covered they look like something out of a horror movie - "The Mud Horse from Hell" or something."LOL - I didn't know that. Interesting that horses realize that mud keeps the flies at bay. Any pics of a mud-covered horse?
Werner wrote: "... Since I couldn't get online, I was able to find time to do some other non-strenuous activities that I'd been wanting to do, so that was good. ..."The Internet keeps me from doing so many other things. But it helps me to sort my priorities. Things which MUST get done (away from my computer) seem to get done, eventually.:)
Jim wrote: "I thought everyone knew horses could swim. Are there any animals that can't? Doesn't anyone read Misty of Chincoteague & all any more?!!! Wonderful series. They swim the ponies from Assateague ..."Jim, thanks to you, a while back I saw the movie adapted from the book,
Misty of Chincoteague (by Marguerite Henry).
I had almost forgotten about it.
Here's my GR review:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Jim wrote, "I thought everyone knew horses could swim." Well, to be honest, for most of my life I didn't know that --I'd only rarely seen live horses, and didn't know much about them. :-) But when Barb and I were reading a fantasy novel together, back in the early 90s, it gave her an eye-rolling moment when the author had two horses fall into a (perfectly calm) river and drown; so I learned something that day!
You should read 'Misty' some day, Werner. Great story for the grandkids.Joy, I've taken many over the years, but they just don't convey the sight properly. When they're really coated, the camera makes it look like slicked back hair, not the horror that it really is. It is a horror if you have to clean them. That's why we have a wash stall with a garden hose hooked up to hot & cold running water, not to mention a special vacuum for them. The vacuum is something like a shop vac, but it has 2 motors in it, not just one. They're expensive & ours is over 30 years old, but I just replaced the second motor (I did the first a few years ago) for $80. Here's a link:
http://www.enasco.com/product/Z16218N
Jim, I've just added Misty of Chincoteague to my "to-read" shelf. Barb would like that one, too; thanks for the recommendation!
Jim wrote: "...That's why we have a wash stall with a garden hose hooked up to hot & cold running water, not to mention a special vacuum for them. ... Here's a link:http://www.enasco.com/product/Z16218N "
Jim, now I've heard everything! A vacuum to clean horses! LOL I would think that the noise would spook them but the ad says: "The Jet-Vac cleaning nozzle, curries with fingers of air - animals love it."
The word "curry" prompted a little search online and I came across the word "currycomb", a new word for me.
currycomb: a comb made of rows of metallic teeth or serrated ridges and used especially to curry horses
FROM: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictio...
I came across these pics of currycombs:
http://www.google.com/search?q=curryc...
There are so many kinds!
But the most interesting one was this one because our son brings it when he visits with Alice, his German-shepherd-type dog:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia...
The URL uses the word "shedding blade". It's extremely effective in removing the dog's excess fur/hair. Alice seems to like it. At least she doesn't shy away. Alice never expresses too much pleasurable excitement. She's just interested in guarding all the toys she hoards. :)
More at about currycombs here: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_c...
We went for a ride tonight. I took Chip into the pond twice while Marg or Erin took photos. Got some good ones. If you're interested, they're here:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...
The vacuum does scare them at first, Joy. So does washing them with a hose, especially their heads. They get used to it, though.I've never seen a metal toothed curry comb. All ours are plastic or rubber. We do use a serrated metal shedding blade, though. The flat side can be used to dry a horse by scraping the water out.
I think you'll like it, Werner. All her books were good. You might even get into the series.
Barb and I read Henry's Mustang: Wild Spirit of the West some years ago and, of course, her King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian. We really liked both of them.
Jim wrote: "... The flat side can be used to dry a horse by scraping the water out."I never thought of that use for the flat side. Of course, I never wash Alice. If she has an odor when she's brought to us to babysit her, I bring her to the groomer. :) The cold water from a hose wouldn't be much fun for her and there's no way I'm gonna put that big dog in a tub. LOL
Jim wrote: "We went for a ride tonight. I took Chip into the pond twice while Marg or Erin took photos. Got some good ones. If you're interested, they're here:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s... "
What great pics! Those horses are so cute, especially Chip playing in the water. I can see how he loves it. I can also see why your whole family loves the horses and the dogs. That was quite an adventure. Does Chip enjoy jumping over the logs? I can see that YOU do. LOL
Hey, nice legs. LOL
Werner wrote: "Barb and I read Henry's Mustang: Wild Spirit of the West some years ago and, of course, her King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian. We really liked both of them."Werner, between you and Jim, I might develop a serious interest in horses. :) Meanwhile, I've got my little Maltese. :)
Joy, the scraper to dry them doesn't work well on long hair, but is fine on the horses' fur.Yes, we do have a ball with the horses, dogs, & just riding around together. It gives us all a bit of adventure. This time of year, the pond is an extra bonus for some of us. Of the dogs, only Jazz likes to swim, but both Lily & Pixie like wading. Topaz, Blue, & Chip like going into the pond, but Cutter only likes rolling in the mud. Speedy isn't bothered by the flies (flies like darker colored horses better) so normally doesn't get near it, but spends the time stuffing his face.
Chip does like jumping & will go over that fence on his own just to get to the field if we have the gate closed. We usually keep an extra board on top of it which is called a rider. It makes it a foot taller. He's not confident about jumping that high yet, although both Speedy & the goats will occasionally still go over it.
An open shirt, a pair of shorts, & Docksiders is my summer uniform. Thanks for the compliment on the legs.
;-)
Werner, whatever works for you hope it helps you to get back to normal. The orange juice suggestion was mostly when you have nausea or diarehha. probably wrong spelling. Good luck.
No one answered my question about the book, Night Circus. Our independent book store owner thinks it will be a classic and said of the hundreds of books she read last year, it was her favorite..I am half way through it.
Jim wrote: "... Speedy isn't bothered by the flies (flies like darker colored horses better) ..."Why do flies prefer darker horses?
Nina wrote: "No one answered my question about the book, Night Circus. Our independent book store owner thinks it will be a classic and said of the hundreds of books she read last year, it was her favorite..I a..."Nina, in my previous reference to The Night Circus, last October, I wrote the following:
=================================================
"I've got The Night Circus on my keep-in-mind shelf. It will be interesting to see how it goes. I see that it's now #5 on NY Times Best Seller List for Hardcover Fiction."
==================================================
Now I can't find it on the bestseller lists online but LibraryThing.com says it got the following "Awards and honors":
Indigo Books Heather's Pick (2011)
Alex Award (2012)
Orange Prize Longlist (2012)
Locus Award Finalist (First Novel, 2012)
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award Nominee (Adult literature, 2012)
FROM: http://www.librarything.com/work/1204...
Here's a short reading of it on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=...#!
The reading is less than 2 minutes long but it makes you wonder about a circus that opens only at night! The book is in the fantasy genre.
Joy H. wrote: "Jim wrote: "... Speedy isn't bothered by the flies (flies like darker colored horses better) ..."Why do flies prefer darker horses?"
You'll have to ask them, Joy. I have no clue, just see that's what they do. The horses are bays, & Chip is an Appoloosa. All of them get twice as many flies as Speedy.
Nina, in the context of nausea or diarrhea, the idea of avoiding strongly acidic foods and drinks like orange juice actually does have a point. Acids make an upset stomach worse, whereas bases tend to soothe it.
Jim wrote: "... The horses are bays, & Chip is an Appoloosa. ..."I've always been confused by the different kinds of horses. So I did and search and found the following page:
http://www.horses-and-horse-informati...
Looks like a good listing with links for more info. But I'm not sure I'll ever get all the breeds clear in my head. At least with dog breeds, the varied appearances make them easy to categorize, but all horses look almost alike to me. :)
One thing about the info referenced above, the names of the original horse of the breed is given. I didn't realize they could trace them back that far.
For example:
American Standardbred Horse:
The American Standardbred was based on an English Thoroughbred by the name of Messenger. Messenger was brought to America in 1788, and was bred with all sorts of mares including many Morgans.
FROM: http://www.horses-and-horse-informati...
Morgan:
The Morgan Horse is the first documented American breed, and began with a stallion by the name of Justin Morgan. Foaled at Randolph, Vermont in 1789, he was originally name Figure, but was given his owner's name (a teacher and music composer named Justin Morgan) after his owner passed away.
FROM: http://www.horses-and-horse-informati...
Appaloosa:
The wonderful Appaloosa horse was the result of selective breeding by the Nez Perce Indians of Idaho, Northeast Oregon, and Southeast Washington. They based the breed on Spanish stock. The word "Appaloosa" came from the Palouse River, which runs through the area. These spotted horses were mentioned in Lewis and Clark's journal from their 1806 expedition.
FROM: http://www.horses-and-horse-informati...
Joy, you opened up a real can of worms with 'kinds of horses'. They have breeds, several types (work, gait, conformation & others), sizes, & some names that can mean multiple things. Most aren't like dog & cat breeds. If you breed two Maltese together, you get a Maltese. Well, it works that way with Thoroughbreds because they have a 'closed' registry, but they're more the exception than the rule with equines.First, equines are measured in hands (h) of 4" each. So a 10h pony is 40" at the top of its withers, the place where the neck joins the back above their front shoulders. Up to 14.2h, they're a pony. Above that, they're a horse. That's the simple rule of thumb, but it has exceptions that I'll mention later. Ponies come in small, up to 12.2h, medium from 12.2h to 13.2h, & large, 13.2h to 14.2h.
Horses & ponies are of the same species, so they can breed & the foal is fertile. This is not true of horses & donkeys. They're the same genus, but different species. They can breed together, but you get either a mule or a hinny, neither of which is fertile. (Mules are male donkey (jack) & mare cross. Hinny is a stallion & jenny cross.)
The word 'breed' means an inherited trait, but there are a lot of traits that people want in a horse, so many horse 'breed' registries are 'open', which means that if your horse meets the breed criteria, they can join. Sometimes that's based on color, gaits, conformation - or a combination of those & possibly other things.
For instance, if they have the right coloring & height, they can be an Appaloosa (App), but two Apps can have a foal & it might not qualify to be one if it isn't between 14h - 16h. If it is under 14h then it's too small, but it can be registered as a Pony of America (POA) if the color & such is OK. Over 16h, it's a mutt. So, people say an App is a horse, but it can actually be a pony in some cases. Still, it's a 'horse' breed.
Confused yet? Wait, it gets worse.
Horses can belong to multiple registries. I think they can be cross registered as a Palomino (Pinto?) Appaloosa, Quarterhorse. Odd since Palominos, Pintos & Apps have a large color component to their standard, but there is some overlap because colors get REALLY confusing. Buckskin, roan, line-backed dun & such are all color descriptions, not breeds. Worse, a white horse usually isn't. In fact, they're almost as rare as hen's teeth. Normally, they're light gray. We refer to our horses as bays, their primary coloring, but Cutter is a dark bay (almost black) & Topaz is actually a roan, although you have to look very closely. Only Blue is a regular bay.
Other times there are gaps in registries. The only difference that I know of between POA's & Apps is size. 20 years ago, we had a POA mare that was pink papered because she was too tall to be a POA & too small to be an App. I don't recall who changed what, but they've since changed it so there isn't a gap. Back then, our mare was 'pink papered' meaning her parents fit the breed standard, but she didn't. The pink papers meant she could compete in some things by breed, not others, & that her foals had continuity in their breeding for whenever they got registered.
A horse is a Palfrey if it can amble, a gait that is somewhere between a walk & trot in speed, but very smooth & has different hoof movements than either. Broader type names like hunters & driving horses are also used to describe the work the equine does. The list is long & there are convulsions to some of the types that will curl your hair. Sometimes the breed or type name can be formal, if they're registered, or it can just be an informal description, so context is important.
How a horse is trained & what tack they're ridden in can influence their naming & sometimes that can be pretty exclusive. Someone who rides English won't have a 'cutting horse' (herding) because their saddle & riding style won't support the maneuvering required. Nor will a Western rider have a jumper because the saddle is not conducive to that activity. The deep seat & horn don't make it impossible, but pretty darn tough. You'll never see anyone riding a trotter, either. They pull a sulky because no one could sit their gait.
There is also a temperament label: warm, cold, or hot blood. Thoroughbreds (TB) are hot bloods, Hanoverians are warm bloods, & Clydesdales are cold bloods. TB's will flip out over nothing at all, many of the big drafts wouldn't blink if the world ended. Warm bloods are in between. They have more sense & are heavier than the hot bloods, but are more energetic & limber than the cold bloods.
Just to really confuse things there are local, old, & incorrect names. For instance, I grew up being told a horse was over 15h, while a pony was 14.2h & under. So what did that make anything in between? It was a cob. But a Cob is actually a breed based on size & conformation in England & Europe. Ponies are definitely 14.2h & under. Horses are 14.2h & up as a type, but some had to be taller for some competitions. Some jumper shows when I was a kid were broken into 4 size classes: Horses, large ponies & cobs, medium, & small ponies. So, I was taught incorrectly, but it worked for the area & type of horses we were dealing with.
To add more confusion, up to 8h, they're often called minis now, not ponies, & some are registered as miniature horses. It's a breed standard based on their conformation. They look like miniature horses, while a tiny Shetland might be a mini, but its conformation is definitely that of a pony.
We used to have a bunch of hunters, meaning they had proven they could go out chasing a fox around with a pack of hounds & jump the fences. One was Spice, a Palomino Shetland, a small pony of 10h. Another, was Nutmeg, (Spice was her dam.) who wasn't a Palomino, but was still a Shetland. Both were also driving ponies, meaning they could pull a cart. Our other Hunters were a wall-eyed, Pinto Cob (a true one who was a 'pure bred' Quarter horse), a couple of Apps, & a few Thoroughbreds. (Wall-eyed means blue eyed.)
That's a thumbnail sketch of the 'different kinds' of horses. Are you sorry you said anything?
;-)
Thanks for refreshing my memory on your reply to Night Circus. At first I thought I wouldn't like it but now that I am almost half way through it, I find it fascinating fantasy. On another subject, we watched the Miniseries from BBC, Little Lord Fauntleroy and it was excellent; acting etc. I recommend it.
Jim wrote: "Joy, you opened up a real can of worms with 'kinds of horses'. They have breeds, several types (work, gait, conformation & others), sizes, & some names that can mean multiple things. ......That's a thumbnail sketch of the 'different kinds' of horses. Are you sorry you said anything? ;-) "
Jim, I'm glad I brought the subject up, even though now I'm more confused than ever. lol At least you've made me aware of all the different things there are to consider when categorizing a horse.
I think it helps to own a horse because that's when you start to understand all the different specifications. As they say, experience is the best teacher. Owning one particular kind of horse gives you a starting point when comparing that horse to other horses.
At least, from looking at pics of Chip, I can now understand what an Appaloosa is, because I see that Chip is a spotted horse.
Nina wrote: "Thanks for refreshing my memory on your reply to Night Circus. ... On another subject, we watched the Miniseries from BBC, Little Lord Fauntleroy and it was excellent; acting etc. I recommend it."Nina, I've always loved the story of Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Recently I bought a book by that same author entitled The Racketty-Packetty House. It came as a special offer when I ordered the book, The Enchanted Dolls' House by Robyn Johnson.
The reason I ordered The Enchanted Doll's House was because I've always loved the film, "The Enchanted Cottage" (1945) starring Dorothy McGuire and Robert Young:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037671/
(Wiki calls it "a romantic fantasy".)
So now I'm drawn to all things "enchanted". :) It's a lovely word.
I just learned from IMDb that "The Enchanted Cottage" was based on a play, The Enchanted Cottage: A Fable in Three Acts, written by Arthur Wing Pinero.
The story is about two unattractive people who magically seem attractive to each other because they live in an "enchanted cottage". I've always loved this movie and the lesson it teaches about love.
More about the film and its plot here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ench...
Funny how the mention of one story leads to the discussion of another story. :)
PS-Below a plot summary of The Enchanted Cottage which I once found at IMDb and saved:=================================
"A homely maid and a scarred ex-GI meet at the cottage where she works and where he was to spend his honeymoon prior to his accident. The two develop a bond and agree to marry, more out of loneliness than love. The romantic spirit of the cottage, however, overtakes them. They soon begin to look beautiful to each other, but no one else."
[Summary written by Daniel Bubbeo {dbubbeo@cmp.com}]
=================================
PPS-Below is an IMDb link to the 1924 film of the same title:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0014869/
At the above link there is a user-review which is interesting to read. It gives a detailed plot description. You have to scroll down to see it. Below is an excerpt:
========================================
"This is a beautiful and subtle film, made more so because we never quite know how much of this is genuine fantasy, and how much of it merely the fancies of the on-screen characters."
========================================
I remember seeing and liking The Enchanted Cottage. Now after reading the above I think it is time to watch it once again.
Nina wrote: "I remember seeing and liking The Enchanted Cottage. Now after reading the above I think it is time to watch it once again."Here's the trailer to the 1945 film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOk65f...
PS-Here is the music from the 1945 film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M_d-p...
This YouTube page has links to pieces about the 1924 silent film.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search...
Scroll down to find the various links. There are quite a few.
This one looks good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ri65C...
(gives an idea of the plot)
Below are links to the 1924 silent-film version of "The Enchanted Cottage" on Youtube:The Enchanted Cottage 1/8 (1924): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbMexz...
The Enchanted Cottage 2/8 (1924): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwWCqR...
The Enchanted Cottage 3/8 (1924): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXbo_B...
The Enchanted Cottage 4/8 (1924): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ri65C... (gives an idea of the plot)
The Enchanted Cottage 5/8 (1924): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urlXg2...
The Enchanted Cottage 6/8 (1924): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-XUDT...
The Enchanted Cottage 7/8 (1924): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIzkcq...
The Enchanted Cottage 8/8 (1924): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RdScB...
COMMENT BY A YOUTUBE VIEWER: "Every time I see The Enchanted Cottage it reminds me to try to see the world through the eyes of love."
PS-The music during the silent film was enjoyable, especially at the end when it seemed to be music by Victor Herbert.
Later this morning, I'll be heading off to Florida (Palm Beach Atlantic Univ.), where I'll be attending a library conference, and will be gone all week. Looking forward to re-connecting with you all when I get back!
Have a good trip, Werner.Enjoy.
Werner have a very interesting trip and did you know my daughter is a librarian in Post Falls, ID?
Nina wrote: "Werner have a very interesting trip and did you know my daughter is a librarian in Post Falls, ID?"Nina, Werner is probably in FL right now.
You'll have to remember to tell him when he gets back. :)
This morning my book club discussed, "Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English," and no one could find one thing wrong with the story. We all loved it. So, I once again highly recommend it. Joy, you sent info about, "Night Circus," but has anyone out there in Goodreads land read it? I am three fourths finished and I think it is probably the most fascinating book I have ever read. The author must be a genius..
Nina wrote: "This morning my book club discussed, "Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English," and no one could find one thing wrong with the story. We all loved it. So, I once again highly recommend it. Joy, you sent info about, "Night Circus," but has anyone out there in Goodreads land read it? ..."Nina, I haven't read either of those books.
However, I started the following discussion of Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/9...
I also found the following discussion of The Night Circus:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7...
Hope this helps as a follow-up.
Sorry I have not been posting--under the weather. Two medical tests today--wish me luck!
Mary JL wrote: "Sorry I have not been posting--under the weather. Two medical tests today--wish me luck!"Good luck, Mary JL!
Come back when you can.
Not fun to be ailing so hope you are back to normal soon. rest and drink lots of water. Read a good book to take you away...nina
Joy, thank you so much for posting the info about NIght Circus. I truly enjoyed reading other peoples reviews of it. Most I agree with.
Nina wrote: "Joy, thank you so much for posting the info about NIght Circus. I truly enjoyed reading other peoples reviews of it. Most I agree with."You're welcome, Nina. I read some of the posts at the GR discussion topic about The Night Circus. They certainly make me curious about the book. I'll post the link here again for reference:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7...
PS - FOR REFERENCE:Here's a link to a sample of _The Night Circus_ to read online:
https://play.google.com/books/reader?...
You can put it the sample in your ebooks library (called "My Library" or "My Books" or "My Book Library") via Google Play. You'll need a gmail addy to do this.
I was telling my grandson about the reviews and added that I didn't really like the book but it was the most fascinating book I have ever read. He said he couldn't understand how I came to that conclusion. I am not sure myself as I would give it five stars.
Nina wrote: "I was telling my grandson about the reviews and added that I didn't really like the book but it was the most fascinating book I have ever read. He said he couldn't understand how I came to that conclusion. I am not sure myself as I would give it five stars."Nina, yes, that IS a strange conclusion but I can definitely understand it. There's an expression for that sort of thing (being drawn to something in spite of yourself) but I can't bring it to mind. Can anyone think of what the expression might be?
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Chip's love of the pond is cute & fun. The farm he lived most of his life at had a pond & that was his main source of water. I guess he misses it, but the pond in the south field is too mucky. One of these days when I get some extra money (hah!) I plan to get it cleaned out. The pond in the north field is nice, except it doesn't have a great source of water & tends to dry up every year. It is a good source of mud, which is something the horses love as that keeps the flies at bay. They'll often roll & get so mud covered they look like something out of a horror movie - "The Mud Horse from Hell" or something.
;-)