Ridin', Reinin' and Writin'

Five years ago today I moved to the Chilcotin. Looking back, I'm not sure how I accomplished that by myself. I moved out of a huge property in Armstrong in November, re-located my horses, lived with my dog in the living quarters of my trailer for six weeks, then loaded the back of my truck with bales, packed the living quarters to the roof, hitched up, loaded my yearling stallion, Wolf, Splendor, and Legacy, jumped Kirby (my Samoyed) into the back seat and started driving. I took possession of my new property at noon on December 22, 2006. At about 12:15 I turned off highway 20, down the lane and through the gate to my new home.

I have yet to find words to describe how I felt (and I've tried...) when I first glimpsed the rustic log house overlooking the river.
 Relief to have arrived - yes, but so much more than that. The preceding twp years had taken a toll on me - my husband abruptly leaving me, the sale of the property we had owned together and a host of mental and physical challenges with the divorce and the burden of maintaining the property until it sold. I suppose uppermost in my mind as I slowly wound my way through the trees was the thought, "This is mine and no one can take it away from me!" but there was more yet. An incredible peace settled over me, as if the past two years had been washed away. My home was here now - in the Chilcotin.

For the next four hours the movers carried furniture and boxes in the house. After they got started, I dashed back outside to put Wolf in the old round pen and the mares in the panel pen I had erected on a previous trip. These two pens were the only enclosed areas for horses on the property so the rest of my herd (eight) were boarded in the Okanagan until spring.

With the movers gone and the house heating up again, I sat down among the boxes. Here it was three days before Christmas and I was all alone in a remote area of B.C. I loved it! I had brought some wine in the house from the trailer living quarters. Now I looked for the box that said, "glassware" and opened it. The first wine glass I pulled out of the paper had a wolf on it - how perfect is that! I opened the bottle, poured and there, among boxes, paper and a total disarray, I toasted myself!

Although some elements of my property have stayed much same, there have been many changes. In 2007, I added what I called "The Big Three" - water (trenched to water bowls and hydrants), all perimeter fencing, and a barn.

The riding arena was a two year project although I kept riding (started Wolf the first winter in the snow) but by summer of 2008, I had all the rose bushes out, had moved the back fence back 10 feet (all posts put in by hand), took out the rest of the old posts, pulled all the rose bushes and went over it more times than I can count with the ring conditioner, gathering roots every time.

The past five years have been busy and productive, I think. Besides fencing, hydrants, water bowls and barn I, with the help of my neighbour, cut rails and erected several pens - five under the trees for boarding horses and one at the back of the barn to turn mares with new foals in to. Every spring I pick up debris from the trees, etc in the pastures and burn the piles. I cut some of my own firewood and have become somewhat efficient with a chainsaw. Also, although I had to have help to put it up, I peeled and stained logs for a new entrance gate.

In all, fourteen foals have been born on the property and numerous horses trained in the arena - winter and summer. Last year I put up a "mare motel", again digging in all the posts by hand and railing it myself.

I have planted strawberries, raspberries and a few new shrubs and every year I grow a garden. Tulips bloom every spring and last fall, I dug out two more flower beds for iris and lilies. I have stained the trim on two sides of the house and the deck and hope to finish next year. Inside, I have replaced the flooring and redone my bedroom. There are many more projects in the house in the planning stages.

Five years ago I moved on to a property not ready for horses in a strange-to-me area. I didn't  know a soul living in the area. Now I can say my property is a working horse property. I have a dog and several horses for company and friends I can rely on.

Many wondered why I moved to the Chilcotin and, I think, wondered if I would stay even one year. Five years ago, as I pulled my truck and trailer down the driveway for the first time, I knew why and now, five years later, I still have the same sense of peace here.

With Christmas only a few days away, I am thinking back to my first Christmas in my log house in the Chilcotin five years ago. I built a fire in the fire place on Christmas morning and opened my gifts with Kirby beside me. For what would be one of the first of many, many times, I marvelled at the view from my living room window.

Kirby is no longer with me. Instead, my new puppy Mischa will be opening gifts with my Christmas morning. Other than that, not much has changed. I will probably build a fire in the fireplace on Christmas morning, open the drapes and drink in the view once again and then open gifts.

Merry Christmas everyone! May it be as peaceful as mine.