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dancinghorseThe May campers are off on the road now, and we're settled in for our long summer's siesta. But minds are busy and the future is taking shape. ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sartorias is plotting evilly. Go see. Be sure to check the comments.
That's October 4th-9th. Mark your calendars.
The most recent incarnation was very interesting, in that it was quite long and not, in the end, horse-related. Lots of writer and editor talk, local writers and editors stopping by for dinner, and sightseeing and touristing and general enjoyment of the surroundings. The gila monster continues to be our totem: a very happy camper saw one in Saguaro National Park East, one stormy afternoon.
And so we evolve. The model so far seems to involve longtime online and real-world friends and colleagues, a small and closely knit group in each camp, and additions through lj comments and referrals from campers. We get quite a few repeats. Initial, introductory format is the weekend (i.e. three days/two nights, not necessarily Friday through Sunday), in which campers get to know the facilities and personnel, work out a routine, and determine whether it works for them. Return engagements tend to be longer (5-7 days) and feature more concentrated writing time. (This is good for my own writing commitments, and wonderful for putting me in the proper frame of mind.) What exactly we do during camp is up to the camper--each camp is individually tailored to the camper's needs (and that includes the menu). The one constant is the horses' schedule. They determine the rhythm of each day and the timing of meals and meetings.
A number of things have come out of the camps we've done so far. In more or less random order, here's what I've observed and reflected:
You will sleep while you're here. There's something about the country air and the quiet. People relax here; sometimes they turn into complete puddles.
Thanks to the plant-destroying kittens, there is now a cat-free room/conservatory. As long as you don't mind sharing space with the ex-patio plants, if you have allergies, there is a space to retreat to.
Camps after the end of April can be challenging. Expect ferocious heat, which the house is set up to counter, but outdoor events in the daytime can be considerably curtailed. We go out voluntarily before 9 a.m. and after sundown. The rest of the day, air conditioning rules, and siesta makes a great deal of sense. The heat moderates by October, though early October can still be warm (but, for the most part, dry). The best months are November through April. That's when the snowbirds fly here, and for good reason. But, we do have winter, and December and January can be tricky, with winter rains and even snow.
I am open to summer campers, mind, but they should be well prepared for triple-digit midday temperatures and, in July and August, monsoon rains. But oh, the nights are beautiful, and we have stars. Do we ever have stars. Tucson is a Dark Skies city. Astronomers rule.
Astronomy fans, in fact, may want to factor that in. Most of the major observatories offer tours, and some (Kitt Peak notably) have nighttime programs for visitors. Kitt Peak is about 90 minutes from here.
Old West fans can get their fix, too. Tombstone is 45 minutes thattaway. There's a route you can take through the ghost towns of southeastern Arizona. Tucson has its rodeo in February, and a Rodeo Museum with vintage horse gear and carriages. The parade is the longest nonmotorized parade in the world. Other delights: the old mining town of Bisbee with its haunted hotels, Willcox with its Rex Allen Days, Douglas and Sierra Vista (with Fort Huachuca) and the old Indian strongholds in the Chiricahuas, the old Spanish missions of Tumacacori and San Xavier del Bac, the Presidios in Tucson and Tubac, the list goes on and on.
Natural history? Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Saguaro National Park East and West, Ironwood National Monument, Cienega Preserve, Madera Canyon, Ramsey Canyon (birdwatchers know that one)...
Back at DHF, there are riding lessons available if scheduled in advance, and experienced riders can play with the Lipizzans. But non-horsepeople are very happy here, and some even become horsepeople after getting to know the Space Aliens in horse suits. One of them will adopt a camper who indicates willingness, and that's your Lipizzan for the weekend.
If a camper wants to be involved in the farm, we can do that. I use stall-cleaning as a meditative exercise myself. Horses always need grooming and fussing over, not to mention riding.
Food. We do good food here. There's fresh bread daily, desserts are often made with citrus from the tree (and there's fresh ruby-red grapefruit for breakfast in season--just go out and pick one), and I'm inching toward a small kitchen garden with herbs and tomatoes and such. The horses' schedule in the summer can make that a bit of a challenge however, as I feed the herd at sundown and usually eat after that. Which puts us on a sort of Mediterranean schedule, with siesta in the afternoon followed by some sort of afternoon tea or snack, and dinner quite late in the evening. Breakfast and lunch are ad lib--make your own from the breakfast bar or raid the fridges. (Plural. We have two.) In the cooler months, with earlier sunset, this is less of an issue; meals happen on more of a normal American schedule. Menus are developed with campers. I'll cook for special diets, just let me know the parameters.
Oh, and yes, we do lots of writing and talking about writing. And more writing. Guests get the library with comfy chairs and lots of floor space, and one guest room has a desk. There's a patio to sit on in season, and five acres to wander around.
It's a safe space, and a quiet space. I like to share it, because sharing is part of what it's for.
sartorias is plotting evilly. Go see. Be sure to check the comments. That's October 4th-9th. Mark your calendars.
The most recent incarnation was very interesting, in that it was quite long and not, in the end, horse-related. Lots of writer and editor talk, local writers and editors stopping by for dinner, and sightseeing and touristing and general enjoyment of the surroundings. The gila monster continues to be our totem: a very happy camper saw one in Saguaro National Park East, one stormy afternoon.
And so we evolve. The model so far seems to involve longtime online and real-world friends and colleagues, a small and closely knit group in each camp, and additions through lj comments and referrals from campers. We get quite a few repeats. Initial, introductory format is the weekend (i.e. three days/two nights, not necessarily Friday through Sunday), in which campers get to know the facilities and personnel, work out a routine, and determine whether it works for them. Return engagements tend to be longer (5-7 days) and feature more concentrated writing time. (This is good for my own writing commitments, and wonderful for putting me in the proper frame of mind.) What exactly we do during camp is up to the camper--each camp is individually tailored to the camper's needs (and that includes the menu). The one constant is the horses' schedule. They determine the rhythm of each day and the timing of meals and meetings.
A number of things have come out of the camps we've done so far. In more or less random order, here's what I've observed and reflected:
You will sleep while you're here. There's something about the country air and the quiet. People relax here; sometimes they turn into complete puddles.
Thanks to the plant-destroying kittens, there is now a cat-free room/conservatory. As long as you don't mind sharing space with the ex-patio plants, if you have allergies, there is a space to retreat to.
Camps after the end of April can be challenging. Expect ferocious heat, which the house is set up to counter, but outdoor events in the daytime can be considerably curtailed. We go out voluntarily before 9 a.m. and after sundown. The rest of the day, air conditioning rules, and siesta makes a great deal of sense. The heat moderates by October, though early October can still be warm (but, for the most part, dry). The best months are November through April. That's when the snowbirds fly here, and for good reason. But, we do have winter, and December and January can be tricky, with winter rains and even snow.
I am open to summer campers, mind, but they should be well prepared for triple-digit midday temperatures and, in July and August, monsoon rains. But oh, the nights are beautiful, and we have stars. Do we ever have stars. Tucson is a Dark Skies city. Astronomers rule.
Astronomy fans, in fact, may want to factor that in. Most of the major observatories offer tours, and some (Kitt Peak notably) have nighttime programs for visitors. Kitt Peak is about 90 minutes from here.
Old West fans can get their fix, too. Tombstone is 45 minutes thattaway. There's a route you can take through the ghost towns of southeastern Arizona. Tucson has its rodeo in February, and a Rodeo Museum with vintage horse gear and carriages. The parade is the longest nonmotorized parade in the world. Other delights: the old mining town of Bisbee with its haunted hotels, Willcox with its Rex Allen Days, Douglas and Sierra Vista (with Fort Huachuca) and the old Indian strongholds in the Chiricahuas, the old Spanish missions of Tumacacori and San Xavier del Bac, the Presidios in Tucson and Tubac, the list goes on and on.
Natural history? Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Saguaro National Park East and West, Ironwood National Monument, Cienega Preserve, Madera Canyon, Ramsey Canyon (birdwatchers know that one)...
Back at DHF, there are riding lessons available if scheduled in advance, and experienced riders can play with the Lipizzans. But non-horsepeople are very happy here, and some even become horsepeople after getting to know the Space Aliens in horse suits. One of them will adopt a camper who indicates willingness, and that's your Lipizzan for the weekend.
If a camper wants to be involved in the farm, we can do that. I use stall-cleaning as a meditative exercise myself. Horses always need grooming and fussing over, not to mention riding.
Food. We do good food here. There's fresh bread daily, desserts are often made with citrus from the tree (and there's fresh ruby-red grapefruit for breakfast in season--just go out and pick one), and I'm inching toward a small kitchen garden with herbs and tomatoes and such. The horses' schedule in the summer can make that a bit of a challenge however, as I feed the herd at sundown and usually eat after that. Which puts us on a sort of Mediterranean schedule, with siesta in the afternoon followed by some sort of afternoon tea or snack, and dinner quite late in the evening. Breakfast and lunch are ad lib--make your own from the breakfast bar or raid the fridges. (Plural. We have two.) In the cooler months, with earlier sunset, this is less of an issue; meals happen on more of a normal American schedule. Menus are developed with campers. I'll cook for special diets, just let me know the parameters.
Oh, and yes, we do lots of writing and talking about writing. And more writing. Guests get the library with comfy chairs and lots of floor space, and one guest room has a desk. There's a patio to sit on in season, and five acres to wander around.
It's a safe space, and a quiet space. I like to share it, because sharing is part of what it's for.
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no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 06:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-28 12:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 06:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 06:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-28 12:50 am (UTC);>
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 06:29 pm (UTC)Still, online auditing sounds good.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-28 12:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 07:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 07:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 07:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 07:23 pm (UTC)I do airport pickups at TUS, and can pick up guests at the Arizona Shuttle depot. Lots of options. :)
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 08:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-28 12:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 09:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-28 12:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 11:05 pm (UTC)Also, squee! I want to participate online!
no subject
Date: 2009-05-28 12:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-28 04:40 am (UTC)I wish I could attend. I sort of stumbled across this blog.
Not to be all creepy like, but your book, Avaryan Rising, was actually the first fantasy novel that I ever read. It was a gift from a friend of my mother's and I finished it (the first time) when I was in the fourth grade. After that I was hooked on reading and sci-fi/fantasy in particular. It is still one of my favorite fantasy stories.
Your horses are gorgeous, by the by. I saw the Royal Lepizzaner stallions when I was a kid and thought they were gorgeous. I don't know a lot about them other than that, though.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-28 12:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-28 09:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-28 10:07 pm (UTC)