I've been really busy working on my children's picture book, The Mutt & the Mustang which is going to press overseas next week (April 10). The book should be stores in June. So far several bookstores and horse rescues have signed up to carry it. I was so impressed with a wild horse sanctuary in northern California which has 200 plus wild horses on 2,000 acres that after they ordered a few books for their gift shop I not only donated a book for their raffle but also donated a limited edition miniature bronze horse sculpture valued at $350. This is why I will never get rich -- I always give away more than I take in.
But one of the main reasons I wrote the Mutt & the Mustang is to help raise money for dog and horse rescues. So far none of the dog and cat rescues or humane societies have responded to my post card mailing to carry the book in their gift shops or on their webpages - tho I am offering them the same discount as book stores so they can use The Mutt & the Mustang to raise funds. Maybe they are waiting until the book comes out to carry it.
I know I need to have The Mutt & the Mustang on Amazon but as they charge 15% more than bookstores to sell it --that cuts into my profits so much that I'm wondering if it would be worth it - and there wouldn't be enough profit to donate to animal rescues.
I thought spring was in the air but then we had sustained 40 mph winds with gusts at 90 mph which took out 20 feet of my arena fencing. Not to worry, my neighbor Dan is going to help me put it back up today.
When the sun came out and the wind died down I got spring fever and planted pansies in my deck planters - unfortunately, thanks to an inch of icy snow the pansies didn't last a week. Every year I plant them too early but I can't help it - After months of winter I need to see their velvet smily faces.
The buck that has had the injured front foot since last January seems to be doing ok. All the bucks except one shed their antlers during February and March - wonder why a yearling still has his?
Elk antlers are starting to grow. Just watched three bull elk visiting my paint horse Rio over the fence. Rio sniffed the neck of one of them. One of the bucks jumped into the pasture with the horses and is cleaning up scraps of hay from morning feeding. My horses are so spoiled that they only eat the greenest leaves and stems so I don't mind the elk cleaning up their mess. The barn is closed so the elk can't get to the good stuff.
The annual Colorado Governor's Art show opens with a gala reception at the Loveland Museum within two weeks - As director/curator of this show I still have a lot to do before it opens from taking in art to PR to local newspapers - all the while keeping my fingers crossed that even though the economy is weak art sales will be strong. By the time the show ends on June 5 The Mutt & the Mustang should be here so I can spend a lot of the summer reading it to children at libraries and bookstores - which will be a fun way to spend the summer.
