This morning while walking my German shepherd Cheyenne and my poodle mix Kody (on leashes) to the corral to feed the horses we ran into three coyotes! One of the coyotes stood his ground in the arena watching us. First let me make it clear I love coyotes - but not when my hundred-pound German shepherd is barking furiously and dragging us toward them. Instead of looping leashes around an arena post like I usually do while I'm feeding hay I dragged the dogs back to the house and returned to the arena alone where the curious coyote was waiting for me. Coyote watched me do my chores then loped off into the brush.
My horses, Rio and Raven and the one I board, Java think coyotes are just other German shepherds so they don't pay any attention to them. We need the coyotes to pass through once in a while as my acreage has once again become a metroplis of ground squirrels. I've figured out a non leathal way to make ground squirrels move on -- pour very used smelly kitty litter down their holes - which I do if they dig in the arena or pastures where the horses hang out. Otherwise, I really don't mind the ground squirrels - it's fun to watch them chase and groom each other and fill their cheeks with grass and hay as they harvest their winter bounty. When temperatures drop and snow covers the ground , as if by magic all the ground squirrels disappear into their burrows not to be seen again until spring when their noses start budding out of the ground like weeds and wild iris.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Crazy day of lows and highs
What a day! Woke up to find Java, the horse I'm boarding for a friend stuck beneath a wood rail fence. He must have laid down then his head and neck slid under the fence leaving his body on the other side - pinning him to the ground. When I found him, he wasn't moving so I thought he was dead or dying. I ran to my neighbor, Dan for help. Dan sawed the thick rail fence apart and Java stood up - except for cuts, bruises and a wound above one eye he is okay - which is amazing because I have no idea how long he was pinned.
The vet gave him antibiotics but pronounced him ok - what a relief.
Immediately after rescuing Java I went to MacDonalds Book Shop for a book signing of The Mutt & the Mustang children's picture book. Pat Greenberg, the illustrator was also there with me - While we were signing, the store ended up selling more than 45 books! Which they said was fantastic as the most they have sold at previous book signings has been 10 to 12! I told Paula, the owner that I will come back to talk about my book at different times throughout the summer as the book sells itself when people are shown the beautiful illustrations inside and the page of photographs that show the real dog Kody riding "his" horse.
The local newspapers had given the book excellent coverage but we mainly sold to tourists - The Mutt book is going to Tenn, New Jersey, New York and tons of other places. I'm having a ball meeting new people who love the Mutt and the Mustang.
The vet gave him antibiotics but pronounced him ok - what a relief.
Immediately after rescuing Java I went to MacDonalds Book Shop for a book signing of The Mutt & the Mustang children's picture book. Pat Greenberg, the illustrator was also there with me - While we were signing, the store ended up selling more than 45 books! Which they said was fantastic as the most they have sold at previous book signings has been 10 to 12! I told Paula, the owner that I will come back to talk about my book at different times throughout the summer as the book sells itself when people are shown the beautiful illustrations inside and the page of photographs that show the real dog Kody riding "his" horse.
The local newspapers had given the book excellent coverage but we mainly sold to tourists - The Mutt book is going to Tenn, New Jersey, New York and tons of other places. I'm having a ball meeting new people who love the Mutt and the Mustang.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Marketing The Mutt & the Mustang - and Artists' Charitable Fund
Writing my children's picture book, The Mutt & the Mustang was easier than marketing it! However, I'm making good progress. Though this picture book has only been available since the end of June, it is currently in nearly thirty stores plus two distributors have started repping it. Plus, a corporation that buys for several national and state parks has ordered it for park gift shops. Best of all, The American Dog magazine will be featuring it in their fall 2011 issue.
MacDonalds Book Shop is hosting a book signing for the illustrator and myself this Saturday --- Last Friday I enjoyed reading The Mutt & the Mustang to 70 kids at the YMCA who all wished to have a horse riding dog like Kody. The kids especially loved the page of photographs at the end of the book which shows Kody riding "his" horse.
In addition to marketing The Mutt & the Mustang I'm coordinating the annual art auction for The Artists' Charitable Fund, which provides financial assistance to artists in medical crisis. This auction, which is our only fundraiser takes place August 13 in Loveland. Last year, the auction raised $42,000 -- a record I hope we can break this year. So far, getting some great original paintings donated by artists, including Sallie K. Smith, Tamara Simmons, James Biggers and Cathy Goodale. A long way to go - as the auction needs between 60 and 100 pieces to be successful.
Artists are asked to donate for so many causes that I hate to ask them for the auction - but at least The Artists' Charitable Fund, which was started 20 years ago by several sculptors is there to help artists. The Fund has purchased a wheelchair for a sculptor, paid for dental work and eye surgery for painters and a portion of hospital bills for many artists under going cancer treatments.
You've heard of a bee in a bonnet - well, yesterday I had a bee in my blouse. When I was growing up I remember seeing a ton of bees, crickets and butterflies but for the last few years I've rarely seen any - thanks to so many cities and neighborhoods spraying to kill mosquitos and beetles. I made sure the little bee in my blouse flew safely away.
MacDonalds Book Shop is hosting a book signing for the illustrator and myself this Saturday --- Last Friday I enjoyed reading The Mutt & the Mustang to 70 kids at the YMCA who all wished to have a horse riding dog like Kody. The kids especially loved the page of photographs at the end of the book which shows Kody riding "his" horse.
In addition to marketing The Mutt & the Mustang I'm coordinating the annual art auction for The Artists' Charitable Fund, which provides financial assistance to artists in medical crisis. This auction, which is our only fundraiser takes place August 13 in Loveland. Last year, the auction raised $42,000 -- a record I hope we can break this year. So far, getting some great original paintings donated by artists, including Sallie K. Smith, Tamara Simmons, James Biggers and Cathy Goodale. A long way to go - as the auction needs between 60 and 100 pieces to be successful.
Artists are asked to donate for so many causes that I hate to ask them for the auction - but at least The Artists' Charitable Fund, which was started 20 years ago by several sculptors is there to help artists. The Fund has purchased a wheelchair for a sculptor, paid for dental work and eye surgery for painters and a portion of hospital bills for many artists under going cancer treatments.
You've heard of a bee in a bonnet - well, yesterday I had a bee in my blouse. When I was growing up I remember seeing a ton of bees, crickets and butterflies but for the last few years I've rarely seen any - thanks to so many cities and neighborhoods spraying to kill mosquitos and beetles. I made sure the little bee in my blouse flew safely away.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Marketing The Mutt & the Mustang picture book
Marketing my new children's picture book, The Mutt & the Mustang has been keeping me very busy - so far I have gotten it in 22 stores - from museum gift shops to dude ranches to horse rescues to western stores and book stores plus a distributor contacted me about repping it as a corporation who buys for several national and state park gift stores wants to buy it through them. I hardly make anything per a book after the distributor takes a percent on top of the store's percent (and makes me pay for postage to ship the books to them) but its a way of getting my books out there.
Besides, it will be wonderful to have my picture books in national park gift stores.
My book is in stores in Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada, South Dakota and one horse rescue in California.
Next, I need to start working on getting it in stores in other states.....The book has only been out less than two weeks so I should give myself some slack but if it's going to succeed I have to work my butt off.
I'm starting to think writing it was the easiest part.
Tomorrow afternoon I'm going to have Mutt books available at a fundraiser at the Elkhorn Lodge for a non profit group that hopes to preserve the Elkhorn - the oldest lodge in Colorado -and its 68 acres which a developer has talked the town into helping them go after state funds to turn the site into commercial space - including condos, parking lots, retail shops and a ski run!!!
Estes Park is NOT a ski town - the high altitude sun melts the snow so if they do put in a ski run I've heard they are going to have to take water from the river to make snow --- an environmental waste! Plus real skiers are going to continue to go to the ski towns on the other side of the Continental Divide where they get tons of snow that stays on the slopes all winter long - not a small run in Estes.
Tourists are drawn to Estes Park because it adjoins Rocky Mtn National Park where they can view elk, deer, big horn sheep and coyotes- not to see more condos, retail shops and children's playgrounds. ....but as usual dollars speak louder than deer, elk and bear and other wildlife that use part of the Elkhorn acreage ---city fathers are forever after more sales tax and property tax dollars so they can spend it on such "needed" projects as $2 million plus to redo a city park that isn't a block big --- I had tears in my eyes when they cut down several beautiful 100-year old pine trees in the park then replanted small trees --- boy the town sure needed that.
Anyway, it should be fun showing my picture book about my little dog who rides "his" horse every day to folks coming to the Elkhorn to listen western music, explore the old cabins, eat chuckwagon fare and ride horses.
Besides, it will be wonderful to have my picture books in national park gift stores.
My book is in stores in Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada, South Dakota and one horse rescue in California.
Next, I need to start working on getting it in stores in other states.....The book has only been out less than two weeks so I should give myself some slack but if it's going to succeed I have to work my butt off.
I'm starting to think writing it was the easiest part.
Tomorrow afternoon I'm going to have Mutt books available at a fundraiser at the Elkhorn Lodge for a non profit group that hopes to preserve the Elkhorn - the oldest lodge in Colorado -and its 68 acres which a developer has talked the town into helping them go after state funds to turn the site into commercial space - including condos, parking lots, retail shops and a ski run!!!
Estes Park is NOT a ski town - the high altitude sun melts the snow so if they do put in a ski run I've heard they are going to have to take water from the river to make snow --- an environmental waste! Plus real skiers are going to continue to go to the ski towns on the other side of the Continental Divide where they get tons of snow that stays on the slopes all winter long - not a small run in Estes.
Tourists are drawn to Estes Park because it adjoins Rocky Mtn National Park where they can view elk, deer, big horn sheep and coyotes- not to see more condos, retail shops and children's playgrounds. ....but as usual dollars speak louder than deer, elk and bear and other wildlife that use part of the Elkhorn acreage ---city fathers are forever after more sales tax and property tax dollars so they can spend it on such "needed" projects as $2 million plus to redo a city park that isn't a block big --- I had tears in my eyes when they cut down several beautiful 100-year old pine trees in the park then replanted small trees --- boy the town sure needed that.
Anyway, it should be fun showing my picture book about my little dog who rides "his" horse every day to folks coming to the Elkhorn to listen western music, explore the old cabins, eat chuckwagon fare and ride horses.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
The Mutt & the Mustang picture books arrive
So excited to have my children's picture book, The Mutt & the Mustang finally arrive ---
They arrived at 1:00 and by 3:00 that same day I had delivered them to several stores in Estes Park! - In shops as diverse as the famous Stanley Hotel gift shop, to Gateway - a beautiful store at the Fall River entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park, MacDonalds Book Shop, Colorado Homestead, Estes Park Historial Museum gift shop, and two dude ranches. How exciting to finally have my picture book in stores.
Tonight had my first book signing at the Loveland Museum Gallery opening of a horse art exhibit. Pat, the Mutt book illustrator went with me --- The street in front of the museum was closed so live horses and a trick roper could perform along with three artists - and us, two old broads selling picture books. As you can imagine, most kids ignored us for the horses and the trick roper.
Those folks who stopped at our booth loved the book -- highlight of the night - Jillian, a seven year old girl who after talking her grandmother into buying a copy chose to ignore the trick roper and live horses to sit on a chair and read The Mutt & the Mustang from cover to cover. When I asked her how she liked it, she hugged the book and said, "I love it."
Other highlights - a 16 year old boy buying a copy of The Mutt & the Mustang with his own money -who would have thought a teenager would buy a picture book? and a man in his 70s buying a copy for himself. All in all, tho we didn't sell many books we had fun and loved the positive reaction to the book.
Got home to find two new Mutt books chewed up! There went tonight's profits. I had the books in a canvas tote on a high table - Skye, my Siamese mix loves to push things off the table - so she and the dogs must have been in cahoots --- she pushed the books to the floor where the dogs chewed them up ---I suspect Kody - tho both dogs are old for such puppy antics- Kody turned 11 this month and Cheyenne is 5 - what got into them?
Oh well, I'm just happy Kody is still spry enough to act like a puppy and ride a horse. Today, Kody got two rides - one in the arena and another one from the house to the barn. I'll know he is an old dog when the time comes (if ever) that he no longer wants to ride "his" horse. Maybe he was mad at me for not taking him to the signing of the Mutt book - as after all, he is the star. Wearing his scarf and cowboy hat, Kody would probably have brought a lot more kids to our booth!
They arrived at 1:00 and by 3:00 that same day I had delivered them to several stores in Estes Park! - In shops as diverse as the famous Stanley Hotel gift shop, to Gateway - a beautiful store at the Fall River entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park, MacDonalds Book Shop, Colorado Homestead, Estes Park Historial Museum gift shop, and two dude ranches. How exciting to finally have my picture book in stores.
Tonight had my first book signing at the Loveland Museum Gallery opening of a horse art exhibit. Pat, the Mutt book illustrator went with me --- The street in front of the museum was closed so live horses and a trick roper could perform along with three artists - and us, two old broads selling picture books. As you can imagine, most kids ignored us for the horses and the trick roper.
Those folks who stopped at our booth loved the book -- highlight of the night - Jillian, a seven year old girl who after talking her grandmother into buying a copy chose to ignore the trick roper and live horses to sit on a chair and read The Mutt & the Mustang from cover to cover. When I asked her how she liked it, she hugged the book and said, "I love it."
Other highlights - a 16 year old boy buying a copy of The Mutt & the Mustang with his own money -who would have thought a teenager would buy a picture book? and a man in his 70s buying a copy for himself. All in all, tho we didn't sell many books we had fun and loved the positive reaction to the book.
Got home to find two new Mutt books chewed up! There went tonight's profits. I had the books in a canvas tote on a high table - Skye, my Siamese mix loves to push things off the table - so she and the dogs must have been in cahoots --- she pushed the books to the floor where the dogs chewed them up ---I suspect Kody - tho both dogs are old for such puppy antics- Kody turned 11 this month and Cheyenne is 5 - what got into them?
Oh well, I'm just happy Kody is still spry enough to act like a puppy and ride a horse. Today, Kody got two rides - one in the arena and another one from the house to the barn. I'll know he is an old dog when the time comes (if ever) that he no longer wants to ride "his" horse. Maybe he was mad at me for not taking him to the signing of the Mutt book - as after all, he is the star. Wearing his scarf and cowboy hat, Kody would probably have brought a lot more kids to our booth!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Art Show - sick horse & wildlife
The 2011 Colorado Governor's Show which ends this Sunday at the Loveland Museum has set a new art sales record of nearly $200,000! Maybe the economy is turning around.
Last week my 27 year old mustang had a fever of 102, didn't want to eat, had white snot coming out his nose and coughing a lot- as the local vets were out of town the only thing I could do was give him antibiotics.
Worried about Mustang I didn't sleep very well but the next morning he was back to normal. The vet thinks his illness was caused by the neighbor's having their trees sprayed to kill beetles - If I had known when they were going to spray I would have my horses out of the way - but they sprayed while I was gone and the next day Mustang became ill -
I don't care what the manufacturers say about insecticide spray - it does kill butterflies, birds,(especially humming birds) bees and good insects and obviously can make a 1000 pound horse ill! According to studies I've read the spray isn't even that good at protecting pine trees and the ones in the national park that have been sprayed died anyway - while my trees which have never been sprayed are healthy - it has to do more with how much water the trees are getting.
My water table is high so my trees are healthy -- even during the drought. News articles ask what happened to all the bees? Even a dummy should be able to figure out when every spring thousands of acres are sprayed with poison to kill beetles and mosquitos they are also killing bees. It has more to do with politics than the environment. The bluebirds that were nesting before they sprayed have disappeared....it makes me so sad. Wish I had hundreds of acres instead of only 3 so I could protect more wildlife.
The Mutt & the Mustang book doesn't arrive until the end of this month but I'm already getting lots of orders - so exciting....can't wait until the book hits the stores. At this point the books are on a slow boat from overseas which won't get into California until June 20.
Memorial Day I spent at a friend's bbq where we were lucky enough to see a nearly new born elk calf - so darling to watch the calf bounce around next to its watchful mother. Driving to my friend's house I saw a yearling bear trying to cross Hwy 7 - poor thing was having a hard time with all the holiday traffic. The bruin would get to the edge of the highway then stop with all the cars whizzing by --- turn around and run back into the bushes. Lots of wildlife still in town as there is so much snow - 270% more than usual in the high mountains that they have not yet migrated to more peaceful areas.
Last week my 27 year old mustang had a fever of 102, didn't want to eat, had white snot coming out his nose and coughing a lot- as the local vets were out of town the only thing I could do was give him antibiotics.
Worried about Mustang I didn't sleep very well but the next morning he was back to normal. The vet thinks his illness was caused by the neighbor's having their trees sprayed to kill beetles - If I had known when they were going to spray I would have my horses out of the way - but they sprayed while I was gone and the next day Mustang became ill -
I don't care what the manufacturers say about insecticide spray - it does kill butterflies, birds,(especially humming birds) bees and good insects and obviously can make a 1000 pound horse ill! According to studies I've read the spray isn't even that good at protecting pine trees and the ones in the national park that have been sprayed died anyway - while my trees which have never been sprayed are healthy - it has to do more with how much water the trees are getting.
My water table is high so my trees are healthy -- even during the drought. News articles ask what happened to all the bees? Even a dummy should be able to figure out when every spring thousands of acres are sprayed with poison to kill beetles and mosquitos they are also killing bees. It has more to do with politics than the environment. The bluebirds that were nesting before they sprayed have disappeared....it makes me so sad. Wish I had hundreds of acres instead of only 3 so I could protect more wildlife.
The Mutt & the Mustang book doesn't arrive until the end of this month but I'm already getting lots of orders - so exciting....can't wait until the book hits the stores. At this point the books are on a slow boat from overseas which won't get into California until June 20.
Memorial Day I spent at a friend's bbq where we were lucky enough to see a nearly new born elk calf - so darling to watch the calf bounce around next to its watchful mother. Driving to my friend's house I saw a yearling bear trying to cross Hwy 7 - poor thing was having a hard time with all the holiday traffic. The bruin would get to the edge of the highway then stop with all the cars whizzing by --- turn around and run back into the bushes. Lots of wildlife still in town as there is so much snow - 270% more than usual in the high mountains that they have not yet migrated to more peaceful areas.
Monday, May 23, 2011
My book is here! My book is here! Also Art Show sales
Today I received advance copies of The Mutt & the Mustang, my children's picture book. When I opened the box I burst into tears - didn't realize how emotional this would be for me. I love the book!
I showed it to Paula who owns the local book store - she too loves it and can't wait until copies are here for her to have in the store - that won't be until the end of June.
This evening I hosted a small celebration gathering that included the book's illustrator, Pat, her husband, Paul,
Lynda who brought us together and my neighbors who if it weren't for them I could not live on 3 acres with fences and barns falling apart --- We indeed celebrated - Paul brought a bottle of wine he had made - complete with a beautiful label showing him mountain climbing. Everyone made over the stars of the book - Kody, my poodle mix who rides a horse every day and Cheyenne, my German shepherd who has a special relationship with my paint horse Rio - we stayed busy coming up with ways to promote and market The Mutt & the Mustang --
Now to the art show --- sales are now approaching $185,000 - the following artists have sold out:
Nikolo Balkaski
Perry Brown
Kim English
Sushe Felix
Kit Hevron Mahoney
Stacey Peterson
Sallie K. Smith
Through the five weeks the show is on display at the Loveland Museum nearly 4,000 people will view it -
we will continue to have sales - check back to see if your favorite artist is on sell out list.
I showed it to Paula who owns the local book store - she too loves it and can't wait until copies are here for her to have in the store - that won't be until the end of June.
This evening I hosted a small celebration gathering that included the book's illustrator, Pat, her husband, Paul,
Lynda who brought us together and my neighbors who if it weren't for them I could not live on 3 acres with fences and barns falling apart --- We indeed celebrated - Paul brought a bottle of wine he had made - complete with a beautiful label showing him mountain climbing. Everyone made over the stars of the book - Kody, my poodle mix who rides a horse every day and Cheyenne, my German shepherd who has a special relationship with my paint horse Rio - we stayed busy coming up with ways to promote and market The Mutt & the Mustang --
Now to the art show --- sales are now approaching $185,000 - the following artists have sold out:
Nikolo Balkaski
Perry Brown
Kim English
Sushe Felix
Kit Hevron Mahoney
Stacey Peterson
Sallie K. Smith
Through the five weeks the show is on display at the Loveland Museum nearly 4,000 people will view it -
we will continue to have sales - check back to see if your favorite artist is on sell out list.
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