A Horse named Fire

 Last week I had a chance to go to the Iowa State Fair.  I had a perfect day enjoying the National Percheron Show, that happened to be held on my day off from the Post Office.  I will share pictures of that in an upcoming blog post about Percheron show horses.  The Budweiser eight-horse-hitch makes a yearly appearance out our state fair.  As the old movie song goes, (movie titled, "State Fair") "Our state fair is a great state fair... it's the best state fair in our state."

These Clydesdale horses are breathtakingly beautiful.  I watched them prance perfectly through a crowd, complete with yells and screams coming from a nearby midway, and a band playing rock-n-roll at the bandstand.

I took pictures of the process of un-hitching this team and a video of the Dalmatian being helped off the big wagon.

Yes, this is me! I took a "selfie" because I happened to have on a red shirt and it looked like I was part of the crew. I wish!



 I took a lovely video of these horses parading back to their home-base horse stall area.  You can view this video by clicking the link below. You may need to have a Facebook account to view it.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=275887645937785&set=vb.135416786651539&type=2&theater

 I love the feathering on the fetlocks of Clydesdale horses, as seen here. You won't find many of this breed of horses on an Amish farm, mainly because of this feathering.  Imagine what they look like after getting into a cockle-burr patch.

Clydesdale horses were "bred up" over the years as a carriage horse, with long legs for transporting loaded wagons quickly.  Belgians and Percheron horses were traditionally bred with shorter, heavy boned legs for strength in pulling plows and doing field work.

 Nowadays, you will find many Percheron and Belgian horses have evolved (selective breeding) into "Hitch Horses" with long slender legs, ideal for the show ring.  I'll show some pictures of that in my next blog post.

My own Percheron team is more the old-fashioned type of thick-bodied heavy-legged horses made for pulling a plow.  I prefer the old style but don't get me wrong, I love to go see these amazing creatures at the State Fair.

 While I was watching, snapping pictures and taking videos, I overheard a young couple talking to their children beside me. They were very friendly people and had three cute daughters. I heard them telling their little girls that the big horse nearest me was raised by their grandfather.

I told them politely, that I'm sorry to be eaves-dropping but did I hear you say that your dad raised this beautiful horse.  The woman said, "Yes, my dad raises Clydesdale horses and sold this horse named "Fire" to Budweiser.

 I asked if I could snap a photo of her and Fire for my blog, and she was happy to oblige. Fire is one of the "Wheel Horses" the team closest to the wagon and the biggest.  She told me that although her dad doesn't live in Iowa, she and her husband live here.  They came to the fair not knowing they would see their family horse, Fire, but were pleasantly surprised when they recognized him.

After the Storm

Karm and Coke, glistening wet after a torrential downpour.

There is a song that I love, in the Mennonite Hymnal, The Storm is Passing Over.  Every time a really bad storm hits, and then passes, I think of that song.

We had a really powerful storm here in the Kalona area about a week ago.  It brought torrential rains and flooding. Which is an interesting coincidence, because the novel I'm working on now, is about a flood in the fictitious community of Bull Town.

There is nothing fun or beautiful about floods.  I do find some storms amazing even if they are frightening, as you well know if you have read my novel, Under the Heavens.  Although, I will say that my favorite part of a storm is the peaceful aftermath.

These pictures were taken after that kind of powerful, yet amazing storm.  I didn't touch them up at all.  This is exactly the way my cell phone, and my family found the scene.
A huge double-rainbow appeared and of course we had to remember the youtube video, Wow, double rainbow. 
My picture, of the rainbow, doesn't show the double part, but I love the rays of light, beaming out of the Heavens.

You can lead a Horse to Water...

 Water is a source of life.

We need water everyday, but it does happen that we sometimes get too much of a good thing. 

 When my wife and I visited an Amish community near Hazleton, Iowa, spring melt was causing a bit of flooding.  This Amish fella had some manure to haul and he didn't let a little field pond get in the way of his work.  I was surprised that his horses walked right in; some horses will refuse.  I probably would have gone around this part of the field, just to avoid putting my horses to the test.  This is why horses owned by Amish are such well trained creatures.

A few years back, I gave a horse drawn wagon ride for a local Mennonite family's reunion.  They wanted me to take them to an Amish home a few miles from mine, where they were going to look at some quilts.  It was a wonderful evening for such a ride and the perfect destination for a horse-drawn hay ride.  There were a couple of snags along the way for me though.  First off, I told them that twenty people would be a full load and they told me that only twenty wanted to ride.  Closer to thirty got on.  Then, it was a really warm summer evening and my team was sweating pretty good when we got to my Amish friends home.  He came up with a bucket of water and offered some to both of my horses... but they refused.  Old John Henry said, "Well, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."

Everyone was having such a good time, when we were ready to leave it was getting dark.  One of the family members had brought their grandmother in a small pickup, they followed me back home.  With headlights shining through the crowd and horses, we could almost see and be seen.  This and insurance purposes are some of the reasons I don't hire my horses out for rides anymore.  Sad though, because it was a lot of fun.

At the end of the day, it is still true, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink.  Which reminds me of a scripture.  Jesus was waiting for his friends by a well and a woman came along.  He didn't have a container to draw water with, so he asked the woman for a drink.  She was surprised, because Jewish men of that day wouldn't speak to Samaritans, much less a Samaritan woman.  She said, and I paraphrase, You are asking me for a drink?  His response: "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water... whoever drinks the water I give him will never be thirsty again."
             Gospel of John, Chapter 4
       My desire is to lead my friends to this living water, though, I understand that I can't make them drink.

Where Horses are still King

 There was a day when horses ruled the earth, so to speak.  In the 1800's, horses powered most of the world, at least on land, while steamboats ruled the waters.  Shortly after the turn of the twentieth-century their reign ended, as they stepped to the side of the road while automobiles and tractors took over.

 When we used horses everyday as our main mode of transportation and when they powered our farming operations, we knew them well.  Nowadays, even many horse owners barely understand their friend, the horse, and struggle to work peacefully with their charges.

What I have discovered, living near an Amish community, is that there is no replacement for working with horses everyday, if you want to understand them.  I love my own horses, but when bad weather hits, they stand in the barn.  Imagine if the only way you could go anywhere, in any weather, was to harness up a  horse and hitch it to a buggy or wagon.  Wind, rain, cold, heat, storms or being in a hurry, all are enough to make a preacher swear... when he is in a car. Try all of that behind a horse.

Generation after generation of farmers, passed down horse handling skills to their children and grandchildren, as they worked together on the farm.  Now, we try to learn those same things from a manual or DVD.  It is always better to learn first hand from a master, not to mention what we've lost, in not spending time with our extended family.  My Amish neighbors are still part of this historic loop, that we have stepped out of in order to improve our lives through modernization. 

 There is still a place where horses are King,

among the Amish

Pictures provided by my friend, Jerry.  If you would like a print of any (but the boy and draft horse,) contact me at amishhorses@outlook.com and I will get you in contact with Jerry.

Horse Girls

My little granddaughters definitely have their grandpa's love of horses!

Above, you see Peaches and Cocoa stabled up in the bedroom near the horse bedspread. (Yeah, Grandpa bought them those horses but as you can see, they've been rode hard and put away wet!)

At left you see Lyla riding a snow-horse, she and her daddy made. Below, Kinley riding a merry-go-round horse.  And, below right, Lyla with a stick horse her mama made for her.

These girls love to watch horse movies and shows!  Just a few days ago they came to see Grandpa, or should I say, to see Karma and Coke.  They brought out a big bag with apples, carrots and sugar cubes.  I had to limit the sugar!  They always spend a long time passing hay over the fence to their big friends.


Their mama, Lisa, is my daughter. She looked just like these girls at that age!

Lisa loved to ride along in the horse wagon but didn't play horses anywhere near as much as these girls do.  Although, my daughter is the one that carefully cut out all these paper horses her girls are playing with.

As they say, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!"

Miss Lyla, watching a horse drawn exhibit at our Fourth-of-July parade. The picture of Lyla sitting on Coke was taken that same day a few hours later.

Tour Kalona

If your looking for a relaxing weekend in a quiet Amish/Mennonite community, Kalona may be the perfect spot.

Kalona has a number of quaint shops to visit.  The Rug Cottage Country Store is between Iowa City and Kalona on Hwy 1.

 This store is beautiful inside and out! Our family has been long time friends with the proprietors and they are great people.  2014 has had a rough start with snow and cold; but the ice is slowly melting and here comes the sun.
Spring will be a perfect time to get out into the countryside and see Amish farmers working up their fields with horses.

 As you can see (pictured below) The Rug Cottage also carries, Under the Heavens.  This novel is about a fictitious place "Bull Town" but is based on the Kalona area.

On the counter, next to Under the Heavens, is a display of locally raised, un-pasteurized  honey.  Did you know that eating honey, bees have made from local pollen, builds immunity to those allergens. This is a good place to pick up some of that sweet medicine and get immunized before hay-fever replaces cabin-fever.  

This store "Barntiques" Antiques Mall, is located just behind the Rug Cottage, on the same acreage.  You will see a big American flag on Barntiques as your coming up the hill on hwy 1, toward The Rug Cottage.

Amish Quilts and Woodworking

 J & K Creative Wood and Gifts
This beautiful store is located a few miles from Kalona on a gravel road. Don't let gravel discourage you from making a visit, the drive is through scenic Amish country.
Once inside you will find a wide variety of items ranging from handcrafted clipboards and cutting-boards made on site, to amazing Amish made hardwood bedroom suits.

 Amish made quilts hang on the walls filling the place with color, they are all for sale.
You will also find artwork from local artists, framed and ready to display in your home.
The Brokaw family are terrific people and they all take part in running this business.

 Oh, and by the way, did I mention that Under the Heavens, my novel is available here too. A fitting location because it is written based on the Kalona area. I bought my first team of draft horses only a short way from this place, and the first time I drove them was to J & K Wood! The Amish man I bought my horses from was showing me how to drive a team, and we came here to pick up a load of wood shavings. He uses the wood shavings as livestock bedding on his farm.
Here is a link to J & K Wood and Gifts:
http://jkartisans.com/