Counting Sheep

So I got back from spring break vaca on sunday night very, very late. It literally took me about 3-4 days to just fully recover. Now, Mexico has exploded out of my travel tote bag and is all over my room. AH!

Further, I just finished taking a quiz for this extremely interesting travel and tourism class that is online this semester. We have to make a travel itiniary for our term project and mine is going to be on New Zealand. Yay. I have TRULY always wanted to visit there! My first fun fact that this country's sheep population is double the actual amount of residents. So if I ever visited and could not sleep, I am sure I would have plenty of sheep to count =)

Pictures from the islands later - I highly recommend cruising! It was a fantastic vacation.

Wait just a minute...

I take that back. It totally snowed all day yesterday...again! Ugh.

The only thing keeping me going at this point is the fact that on Friday I will be headed somewhere muchos warmer. Traveling south, further, further, and then cruisin' down towards the equator! Woot!

"I got my toes in the water, booty in the sand, not a worry in the world, cold drink in my hand - life is good today."

Thanks.

Today merits a huge "thank you" to Mother Nature as it was a day of clear skies and sunshine without a snowflake in sight. =) As you can imagine, this made me smile. Then again, the mild warmth of the rays of sunshine remind me how long it has been since I rode last...almost two months to be exact! Miss Julia has settled nicely into her new home in Goochland and I could not be happier; though I do anxiously await her horse show debut this spring with her new owner. I love kids. Most of all, Jules' new kid is an exceptional one. I love horse shows and pony club events and having a horse/rider combination to cheer for! I am sure that they will do positively fabulous their first time out.

The feeling after the last xc fence, galloping to the finish, adrenaline pumping and enjoying every bit of the rush from jumping large, solid obstacles at speed is definitely a feeling an eventer never forgets. A time of celebration that is virtually a different experience for every rider. A time to relish in the accomplishment. I know that Jules' new kiddo will be able to experience this extreme emotional rush, and I smile inside.

In closing, only one exam, 3 more days of class and a 15 hour drive separates me from a warm Spring Break Vacation! Woot! Keep your fingers crossed that we will have sunny, warm and dry weather in the Caribbean this coming week - look out Florida, here I come! I promise tropical pictures to follow B-)

SNOW-AWAY!

Dear Mother Nature,

I don't even remember the last day it DID NOT snow. I only have five more days before my very last spring break from college, which will also include my very first spring break vacation! I would like to just tell you that yes, everything looks serene and calming with a blanketing of white fluff, but after a while it is destroyed. Classes are not cancelled. Footprints in the snow begin the damage. But you see, after three weeks of living in this frozen tundra, snow-covered-everything is not so pretty. Piles of "snirt" are everywhere. This is a new buzzword for year 2010 describing the snow-and-black-dirt-mixture. Oh yeah, and the freezing cold wind-blowing-snow-sideways-thing needs to stop. Otherwise, I hope you can get out your spring flowers and warm sunshine for us in the near future.

Much appreciated,

Maggie

Favorites of 2009

Okay, so here are a few photos that I have deemed as my favorites from 2009. It was a fantastic year, between my internship at the Virginia Horse Center over the summer that was more than a mere life experience, as well as transitioning from a Junior to a Senior at Virginia Tech this year. Yes, it really has been a doozy! You will notice that I certianly am an avid equestrian and try to find beauty in the outdoors everyday. ENJOY!

June 2009 - Virginia Travel Guide photoshoot

Spring 2009 Dogwood at Chestnut Bay Stables

Random portrait shot of my horse buddy, Rachel and Miss Julia

August 2009, Miss Julia & Summer at Sunrise Stables in Lexington, VA, content in munching on some fresh clover.

December 2009, White House Christmas Tree and the Washington Monument

[I thought this was a wicked cool shot!]

Flakey 2

Flakey

Sometimes blondes are flakey, dry skin gets flakes, but the last two-weeks-of-life in Blacksburg... has been flakey. No, really. Loads of snowFLAKES have been falling and thus lingering about my little townhouse. Not only sledding but just not-so-sober walks home turns into a slippy-slidey drunken falling causing a trail of bruises down my thigh. But it is all in good fun, both the sledding and going out. So here are a few moments of snow-filled fun captured.