Coffee Clutch with Dutch Henry: summer

Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts

Friday, July 11, 2014

"Birds, Fans and Coffee Clutch"

Howdy Folks,

We are surely stuck in a pattern of hot, humid and rain here in Appomattox, VA. Coffee Clutch started at 73 degrees and very still heavy air at 6:15 this morning. As I went about feeding the chickens, Saturday and Kessy the woods were alive with birdsong. I'd been missing that lately, a combination of birds not being very active and that doggone fan in the barn.

The Coffee Clutch bunch

Chores complete, I settled into my chair next to Kessy, and poured my first cup of Folgers from my thermos. The fan whirred. It's not too loud, but makes enough of a drone to muffle the bird song, darn it … I could faintly hear our busy little Wren chattering and singing, and thought I heard a Cardinal, and perhaps an Indigo Bunting too. I knew I heard the Scarlet Tanager. I tried hard to listen, but it was a muffled chorus, not a glorious symphony.

Kessy's barn is very open, only the north wall is closed, and that wall has widows. But nestled snugly in the trees as it is, when the summer humidity rolls in, and it's been exceptional this year, it gets very damp and heavy inside. So for most of the summer that fan hums, whirrs and moves air. And bother me. Kessy loves her fan and divides her time between the cool shade of the tall trees and standing in the breeze of her fan. The fan also help with flying pests. I have friends who have fans in their run-ins just for the purpose of keeping the biting flies out. And really, Kessy's bedroom is not much more than a run-in with a hay room, tack room, and storage room attached, and a twelve foot over hang running the 40 foot length. I always figured the big openings and long overhang would create plenty of natural ventilation, but not in this weather!

So as I sat sipping and trying to take in the morning birdsong I decided the fan must take a break. Switching it off instantly allowed the beautiful songs to drift inside, and I reveled in it. Kessy's munching added the perfect touch. Delightful.

We enjoyed the magical music show for exactly 2 minutes … Then the rain started again, heavy. All the chickens, and roosters, ran at warp speed for cover inside with us … The roosters lighted on the half wall, all 3 of them, and began to crow. And crow. Drowning out any hopes of listing to the Cardinal, Summer Tanager and the rest. I smiled to Kessy, switched the fan on again, and poured my second cup …

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

Monday, January 27, 2014

Let Your Horse Help You See The Moment

Howdy Folks,

During these past few weeks of what I like to call a throwback winter, I often chuckle at folks posting countdowns to the first day of Spring, and friends calling to assure me they've had enough of this cold Winter. Soon enough it'll be Spring, and I do love the budding leaves, wildflowers and Spring songs of courting birds. And glorious Spring rides through the woods. But we've got some mighty fine Winter left to enjoy, too. I asked Kessy about longing for Spring, she took a deep breath, and let go a sigh, then rubbed her head against me.

On the heels of Spring comes Summer, the heat, the horseflies, ticks and fleas. The yard and garden work and play. Folks will then be posting about the heat, the horseflies, fleas and ticks, and counting down to Fall. I asked Kessy how she feels about Summer. She took a deep breath, let go a sigh, took a bite of hay and gazed out over the snow covered forest floor. Then rubbed her head on my arm.

Fall will come, leaves will change, the forest will look spectacular. Days will shorten, the moon hang larger in the sky, and gardens will show signs of wear. I asked Kessy what she thought of Autumn. She took a deep breath, looked out at the snow, then rubbed her head on my shoulder.

Of course as Fall wears on the days not only get shorter, but colder too. Mostly the horseflies, misquotes and ticks go their way, away from us, hiding from the cold about to embrace us. Then Winter pays us a visit, bringing along his friends, cold, snow, ice and Mr. Blustery Wind. Folks start longing for Spring, talking and writing how they're ready to be finished with Old Man Winter. It seems whatever season we're in, folks long for the next one, living months ahead of themselves, instead of enjoying the moment they're in. I asked Kessy how she felt about Winter, she took a bite of hay and munched away. Then she rubbed her head on my shoulder.

Kessy and me, enjoyin' a moment.

I like to write about our weather, too. In fact I have lots of fun with it, and love sharing the moment and descriptions with our Coffee Clutch and Facebook friends. I enjoy each season we're in, from the high heat of Summer, to the low cold of Winter. I cherish each moment, live in it. Find the beauty and fun in it. Kessy and other horses taught me that. When you get anxious, worried or frustrated, let your horse help you see the moment. Let her rub off on you.

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.