My trip to Alabama went very well. As it was work related I am not going to dwell on it, but rather move right into the recreation from the following weekend - the Father's Day Bluegrass Festival in Grass Valley!
My family has been going to this bluegrass festival for years and years and years and years.....and it's become a family reunion of sorts. Hence the yearly picture:
I'm in the back with the red hat. Want to know why the short person (we are all standing on the back of his little scooter, none of us are that tall) chose to stand in the back? I cannot STAND hyped up posed pictures. So, they arrange themselves, the camera is focused and then I come into the picture at the LAST possible minute. Hence, I am in the back.
My camp set up was quite nice. My truck is the far-right hand one. My camp is under the gold colored canopy. I had a tent and a little kitchen set up. All the other RV's, tables, tents etc in this picture are family.
My brother and I got some quality time practicing together. This is the first time I've gotten to play with him! He's been playing banjo (bluegrass style) a couple of years ago and we finally know some of the same songs.
After the festival ended I dragged out some of my music to try and nail down one of the songs my brother and I played together.
I'm finding out that it's incredibly important that there is something in my life to counter balance the tremendous time and effort I put into horses and endurance. The fiddle, civil war reenacting, hanging out with family, and my own fitness events (marathons etc.) are so important to my mental health. I feel kind of flat and 2-D when all I do is endurance and horses day in and day out. I really missed my pretty pony this week, but I wouldn't have missed going to this festival for the world. I got to work in the membership booth with my mom. As she isn't a horsey person, events such as these give us a starting point for a relationship with common ground.
BTW - I just have to brag a TEENSY bit.....see the pretty case in the 2 pictures of my playing? The absolutely BEEEUUUUUUTIFULLLL case? I bought that at the festival. It's humidity controlled, fiberglass, top of the line most BEEEAUUUTIFULLLL case I've ever seen. Now when I fly with my fiddle I won't worry so much about the elements.
Thought for the Day
Does anyone else have a major activity in their life besides endurance that keeps them sane? Or do you find that you don't need anything besides endurance? How does your family reconnect over the year?
I actaully find that my family helps me a lot, as well as my boyfriend. I certainly would get too into endurance and then get burnt out on it!
ReplyDeleteMy family all live very close together, my two sister live less then 40 minutes away, I actaully work at the house of one of my sisters! And my brother we try to see as often as possible even though he lives over an hour away, but as he is only one with kids my dad like to includ him as much as possible! We have always been a really close family and would hate to be apart for very long.
Other then Endurance I don't do many other events, but I do like being at home and working around the house on my dads property.
This year doesn't count since the sport of endurance has been a little on the out of reach shelf.. but family is definitely a big one. Riding horses generally takes up most free moments I have, which are few and precious, having to work full time plus. I am at the gym 3-4 days a week , I read books, I enjoy yardwork , taking my dog to the river or a lake , hike when I can or supporting my husbands sport of choice , Horseback archery. I have tons of interests...just never enough time. To be honest, I wish I could spend more time focusing on endurance.
ReplyDeleteI am absolutely amazed that you find the time for all your activities. My endurance training is also on the shelf for the summer, although I will be riding someone else's horse in a race early this Fall. My husband and I reconnect at the endurance meets because he is my crew and excels at it. Making time for friends outside my horse community takes a lot more effort.
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