Say Hello to Q...

 And say good-bye, too. Q (yes, that's his whole name!) is retiring after 14 years of service as a therapeutic riding "instructor".  Q is a Paint horse that husband Jack purchased long ago. He planned to work with him and show him at horse shows. However, as they worked together, Jack could see that Q was a good, patient, and cooperative boy but he didn't have the moves he'd need to be competitive at shows. He was just four at the time, and Jack considered whether to keep him on our farm as a trail horse. But what he decided was to offer Q to the Marion Therapeutic Riding Association, a non-profit that uses horses to assist riders of all ages who have limitations. Although they don't often accept horses that young, the staff could see the Q had the kindness and qualities that would make him of benefit to the program. So for the last 14 years, he has been a faithful steed to dozens of riders. And now it's time for him to enjoy a retirement. That called for a party!

A large turnout came to enjoy the celebration, and Q was offered the first piece of cake. Sugary treats are not usual for the horses, but this was his day so an exception was made. He was not impressed and preferred the carrots and horse treats instead.

Here's the cake a baker at Publix designed for Q, using a photo of him. She got the color and his distinctive white face just right. And this is actually individual cupcakes assembled into a portrait, so the it was easy to serve. Nicely done!

You can see that he was a little tentative about his cupcake, but did get frosting on his nose.

This happy staff member got to take Q to her farm where he will reside for his retirement. She'll trail ride with him, and he has a pasture mate to enjoy hanging out with. We also offered that if she's unable to care for him for any reason, he is welcome to return to our farm. Have a nice life, Q! Your retirement is well-earned.

I've not written a post for this blog for some time as I was visited by whatever bug was making the rounds this month. Just getting my spark back now. But there was certainly a bright spot while I was feeling badly- this wonderful fiber valentine arrived from friend Robbie of Robbie's Paw Prints blog. She makes a number of these every year and surprises friends with her happy mail! You can read about how she made these delightful pieces here.

Even though I was a bit lackluster, and didn't go near the sewing machine for a couple of weeks, I did manage to make this little art journal. It's the first of 16 lessons in Tiare Smith's One BADASS Art Journal 2017 online workshop. Book artist Kiala Givehand was the instructor, and she's an excellent teacher with lots of ideas. I used a Gelli printed piece of canvas for the cover on this journal, but have another cover underway as well. You know I'm a big fan of online classes, and this one is no exception. More to come!

 And once I was feeling up to par, we took a day trip to St. Augustine. It was a lovely day to stroll around the historic downtown, and there are pretty courtyards and restaurants tucked in and among the historic buildings. This restaurant just looked so appealing with its painted chairs and greenery. Couldn't you just walk right in?