Coffee Clutch with Dutch Henry: Winnie The Pooh

Showing posts with label Winnie The Pooh. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Writing to Disney

Howdy Friends,

Writing to Disney today, I need Winnie the Pooh!

Over the past few days we’ve been reviewing the final edits for my next book, It’s for the Horses, An advocate’s musings about their needs, gifts, spirit and care, and I realized I need Winnie the Pooh. The final chapter “Those who shaped me” is stories about Ravishin’ Robbie, Diane Sept, and I close with Winnie the Pooh.

Many of our Coffee Clutch and Facebook friends know why Winnie the Pooh is so important to me, why he’s my hero. Folks who will just be getting to know me by reading It’s for the Horses, won’t know the story of my “room years.” Those horrible years I spent locked in a room as a boy with even the window painted black, the beatings and worse that happened there, and haunt me still today. They won’t know how that tattered old book and little yellowish funny, brave bear and friends carried me away to places I could stop crying.

Here are a few excerpts from “Why ‘Gitty Up’ And Why I Love Winnie the Pooh,”

Winnie The Pooh held my hand in my darkest moments.

I used to pretend that room, with its solitary window painted black, was the Hundred Acre

Wood. Like Pooh, Piglett, Tigger, Kanga, Roo, Eyore and Christopher Robin, my adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood were imaginary, but Pooh was a terrific imaginary guide.

My email signature comes from Pooh Bear. Our daughter, the sweet and terrific Abbie, had a Winnie the Pooh desk calendar a few years ago and on July 17 that year Pooh was dressed as a cowboy and the caption was, “Gitty Up Pooh Bear.” She sent it to me with a note, “Thought you would like this.”

So I latched on to “Gitty Up, Dutch Henry,” and except for the most formal emails, that’s what I use. I often wonder what folks think about that. But just as the spirit of the horse has in fact saved my life, so too did a tiny, yellowish brown, inquisitive, funny and heroic bear hold my hand in the darkest moments.

***********

There is a half page at the end of Pooh’s story, the very last page of It’s for the Horses. I’m writing to ask Disney permission to have a picture of Winnie the Pooh on that page. He should be there for had he not been there all those years ago, this book may not be here today.

Gitty Up, Dutch Henry

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

"Why "Gitty Up" ~ And Why I love Winnie The Pooh"

Howdy Friends,

From time to time I am asked about my love for Winnie The Pooh and my signature, "Gitty Up."

Winnie the Pooh and I became friends in those years when as a young boy I'd been locked in a room for 3 years, before they put me out on the farm and I found the spirit of the horse.

Horrible things happened in that room, things that continue to haunt me today. But at some time in those room-years I somehow got a Winnie The Pooh book. I used to pretend that room, with its solitary window painted black, was the 100 Acre Wood. Like Pooh, Piglett, Tigger, Kanga, Roo, Eyore and Christopher Robin, my adventures in the 100 Wood were imaginary, but Pooh was a terrific imaginary guide.

Pooh Bear has been a steady and loyal friend throughout life, always ready with a funny story or song, and advice. I credit him with my love of honey. And butterflies.

My email signature comes from Pooh Bear. Our daughter, the sweet and terrific Abbie, had a Winnie the Pooh desk calendar a few years ago and on July 17 of that year Pooh was dressed as a cowboy and the caption was, "Gitty Up Pooh Bear." She sent it to me with this note, "Thought you would like this."

That little picture and her note resides on the table under glass by my chair ever since. About that time I was just beginning to find my way around the keyboard, and emails. I noticed folks had clever and heartfelt sign offs at their siggys. So I latched on to "Gitty Up, Dutch Henry," and except for the most formal emails that's what I use.

I often wonder what folks think about that. But just as the spirit of the horse has in fact saved my life, so too did a tiny yellowish brown inquisitive, funny and heroic bear hold my hand in the darkest moments.

My hero

I think I'll shovel an extra spoon of honey on my oatmeal this morning.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

Welcome to the Coffee Clutch

Welcome to the Coffee Clutch, a happy place to visit. I write uplifting stories about a wide variety of subjects from horses to birds and nature, to love and family and friends. Sometimes I'll post excerpts from stories I've written for Equine Publications. Sometimes I'll post about writing itself. Coffee Clutch got its name because I often write while enjoying my morning coffee in the barn with my mare Kessy, and all our critters. Join us here for fun conversation and stories I promise will make you feel good.

It's For The Horses

This is not a book about riding, or training horses. It is a book on my thoughts, ideas and suggestions on how folks might find the joy in doing things for the horse, with the horses’ point of view as the leading guide. My hope is to help as many people as possible learn to hear the horse, feel their spirit, and in that way help horses everywhere. Over the years I’ve met and worked with remarkable people and horses who taught me about their feelings, their joys, their sadness, and their spirit. As a horse advocate everything I do is from the horse’s perspective, including this little book. Every story, idea, suggestion and thought on these pages will be to suggest and share thoughts and ideas on how to maximize a relationship between horse and human—from the horse’s point of view.

Tom Named by Horse

The only man ever to offer Tom respect is Red Cloud. The only woman to give him love is Red Cloud’s granddaughter. Struggling with his own personal demons, Tom finds himself wedged between honoring that friendship and staying true to the depths of his conscience. Amid a backdrop of tumultuous social upheaval, he finds nothing prepared him, the woman he loves or Chief Red Cloud, for the changes about to thunder into their lives, sweeping them helplessly into the tides of human conflict and historical drama. Available on Amazon.

From The Banks OF Little Bear Creek

The Tom Named by Horse Saga continues. Three years after the death of Tall Dog, Tom Named By Horse and Soft Cloud have turned the little soddy, the lands granted them by Red Cloud, and the lean-to barn into a thriving horse ranch, fulfilling Tom’s dream. The Plains Indians Wars, or Red Cloud’s war, is mostly behind them, and the lands have had their transformation as Red Cloud’s vision had warned years earlier. Trailing horses from the ranch to Denver city has become an annual event for Tom, Buck and the rest, and this is the story of that trail. In the spirit of a good old John Wayne movie, vengeance, cattle and horse thieves, a dirty sheriff and corrupt mayor, and a wedding make this year’s drive a ride you’ll want to tag along on.