House Post: A republic, if you can keep it

My parents visited this weekend, and I will have some house updates to share next week. We didn't get as much work done as we might have: we had important things to do.

Weekly Blog Roundup

LOADS of reading this week. It's a reading kind of week. Enjoy that freedom of expression while we still have it, folks.


Mass Review: Back on Track Stuff! from The Feral Red Horse
I've used a handful of Back on Track products on Tristan and I like the results I've seen. I'm getting closer and closer to purchasing more - just trying to shore up those spending holes and savings accounts first.

What has happened to bridles lately? from Clover Ledge Farm
I know you all like your PS of Sweden bridles but...yeah. They don't do anything for me.

Branding the Equestrian Business from House on the Hill
I've been thinking about branding a lot lately and this was a thoughtful appraisal.

Safety Features from WeanieEventer
The trailer widget highlighted here is SMART.

Intro to EquiVibe from The Jumping Percheron
I...am not convinced, but I think you could describe me as intrigued.

10 tools to blog more in less time from Blogging in Balance
Some of these are a little too specialized for me, but they're still useful to think about.

A Different Path from A Enter Spooking
Really, really wonderful examination of personal motivations and sacrifices.

Freaking Fantastic from Fly on Over
It's really important to think hard about what works best for your horse as an individual, and this is a great example of tailoring a management program with success.

Pet vs Partner from Dr. Mel Newton
Deeply thought-provoking way of looking at the horses in our lives.

Partner versus Pet from In Omnia Paratus
Liz's response to the above!

And the non-horsey read of the week: Every book Barack Obama has recommended during his presidency. This is a really extraordinary list, trending (obviously) toward the erudite and complicated, but with so many real gems. Everyone will find something to love on there, and I would urge us all to pick out something new to us to expand our worldview.

Boston Public Library Photograph Collections: Horse Sports, Part 2

More gorgeous photos from the Boston Public Library's Flickr collections!

 Part 1 of this post gives some background.
    

Wordless Wednesday: Beach Vacation

I should only ever go to the beach in winter. All the natural beauty, none of the tourists.

House Post: Miscellaneous Updates

At a certain point, layers of plaster look the same in pictures. But here, have an update again, showing layer #2. Depending on how this week goes, we'll be painting next week.

In other parts of the house, I spent some quality time organizing the basement. These pictures would be way more exciting if I showed you the before, but I am a failure as a blogger and didn't take adequate pictures.

Basically, there was a lot more junk, and it was all in the way. Now things are redistributed so paths are clearer, and there's more shelving for various tools. We've still got a ways to go, but the feel is already way better.