From the President

by President Topaz Owl

"Three glories of a gathering: a comely [mate], a good horse, a swift hound."
– Triads of Ireland

It will soon be time to begin the harvest. Already, some tiny potatoes are ready to harvest for my favorite summertime snack, boiled new baby potatoes with butter. But in about a week, the harvest begins in earnest, and we will be busy here on the farm until almost Samhain. So the Wheel of the Year turns.

Lughnasadh, the First Harvest, has always been associated with the great horse fairs in Ireland. I try to always do something special with my horses at this time, and I ask the Gods to bestow a special blessing on them, for I am blessed every day just being around them. Unfortunately, this year, the equine love of my life, Alf, is having some lameness problems that no one seems to be able to figure out, so I have been really busy soaking him daily in a whirlpool bath that we made for him to keep the circulation moving in his hind legs. He is an amazing animal, putting up with a great deal of strange stuff that I’m sure would cause any other horse to balk or freak out. Not Alf. He’s as steady as the day is long, and that’s why I love him and will do anything to make him comfortable and happy. Next Wednesday he has an appointment with a lameness specialist that I will have to trailer him to see, as this veterinarian doesn’t make house calls.

So, Alf is partly the reason that I do not have a lot of time to write for my column this Lughnasadh. My schedule is so overbooked that I have not one minute to spare. I simply wanted to touch base with all of you and let you know that I am still here, still in service to all of you, but just a little stressed right now by life in general. When Alf feels better, I’ll be more accessible, and back to writing things that I hope are inspirational, or at the very least, interesting.

On another note: many thanks again to Red River Study Group for hosting the annual meeting in Shreveport, LA. A good time was had by all!

My Keltrian friends: may your Lughnasadh be fruitful.

— The Topaz Owl