Tuesday, September 7, 2010

My Summer Vacation? Maybe next year...

Once upon a time, when Michael (Where is he?) was maybe NOT Shouting at Street Lights , he was kind enough to tell me about a magical sounding place for horse lovers. It may have been when I posted a photo of a real sweetheart, Chloe, a mare I had visited at the AU vet school, or perhaps when I had done one of my many
"Boy-do-I-love-horses-and-wish-I-had-one-now-and-forever!" kind of posts.
Anyway, he sent me a link to a place in Northern England that I frequently visit online. After I have read all about the different "rides" that Cumbria Heavy Horses has to offer, then I invariably float off into a Walter Mitty styled daydream of not just going there for a summer vacation...but actually going there to live part of the year. For a little while, I ask myself...."Dang, Miss Marnie, have you lost your mind?" Realizing that over the years, I have listened to fans of Fantasy Football, Fantasy Baseball, Quarter Horse Trail Riders, Harley Riders, and Appalachian Trail Hikers, go on an on about their passions, I must say this place does not seem so far fetched.

Okay, call me romantic, but there are two things high on my Bucket List: Ride a horse on a an English beach in the winter and go on a sleigh ride.....yes.....in a one horse, opened sleigh.
I am sure these winter fantasies can be attributed to far too many viewings of
THE LION IN WINTER and DOCTOR ZHIVAGO! I too am of the Woolly Socks school of thought made so totally endearing and fashionable by Willow of Willow Manor fame!

So pop over to my Fantasy Horse Farm where I borrowed these images to lure you there!

Let me know if you want to join in .....when I win the lottery and buy this place!


And yes, I will have to have plenty of sheep too!

PS Don't forget to explore all of the warm and welcoming places you can stay
at the end of long day of riding on the fells !
Oh Lord!! Someone stop me before I create another link!

13 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

Tapokata, Tapokata, Tapokata....that's the Walter Mitty-ish sound of the horse pulling the sleigh! Oh, gosh, you know me so well, yes, a Zhivago sleigh ride, complete with our woolly socks and Zhivago hats. Heaven. When you win the lottery and buy this fabulous place, count me IN!!

FireLight said...

Topakata...SPLASH....Topakata....SPLASH...Topakata...that is the sound of our horses' giant dinner plate sized hooves crashing through the icy shallow waves of the English coastline as we pull up our woolly socks and find our frozen Butts in the Hall of Fame! (such a darling interpretation)!

Tess Kincaid said...

I led the pigeons to the flag...? That is TOO funny. I'm never going to get to sleep tonight...I'm laughing too hard!!

Lesley said...

Hi, I go to Cumbria for Christmas and New Year, every year. We stay at a wonderful place called, 'The Wild Boar'. You can google it. There's even a pic of the bedroom we always have. We love it there.

Betsy Brock said...

Lovely thoughts...I'd right there with you on the sleigh ride or galloping on the beach. sigh.

~T~ said...

I don't think even wooly socks would be enough to keep these feet from freezing on a wintry beach. But a leisurely ride through the Lake District sounds scrumptious. Definitely fantasy-worthy!

Unknown said...

Well, I suppose I could always meet you there after your horse ride! I could have a seat in the sleigh though and might bring a thermos of hot chocolate!

FireLight said...

Lesley, I heading straight over to have a look! I want to hear more reports about your Christmas trip!

FireLight said...

~T~, just put on extra pairs of socks, my dear!

FireLight said...

Betsy, I can see you enjoy a bit of escapism. It is definitely a great way to take a break...no matter how brief!

FireLight said...

Derrick, now that's the spirit! I do love hot chocolate.
Do you remember that it was always the favorite treat for the staff when Mrs. Hudson ran the kitchen in UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS?

Unknown said...

Can't say as I do, I'm afraid, but they would probably have called it cocoa?!

Berowne said...

Ah yes, I well remember "Upstairs-Downstairs." (Signed, Soames Forsyte). :-)

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Recreational scholar, former high school and junior college English teacher. Animal lover (especially horses, dogs, and people), lives in the South, sometimes poet and essayist... "Ireland, Scotland, Britain, and Wales...I can hear those ancient voices calling..." Van Morrison from Celtic Heartbeat