Posts Tagged ‘chesapeake boomerang
New Paintings & Cards
Fall (along with winter) sometimes proves to be a difficult season to paint with the ponies. Not only is the weather unpredictable (rain & snow) – but the cold sets in. While the cold proves to be no deterrent to the boys, I on the other hand suffer from cold fingers and an overall lack of motivation to lug out the paints and easel.
So as we head into the cooler weather, the number of new paintings the boys do will begin to dwindle as we all prepare for a “hibernation” of sorts. We’ll do our best to keep the paint flowing!
Here is one of Chincoteague Minnow’s latest paintings, “Whispering Wind“.
Ammo the Dachshund launched a new line of Christmas Cards with his adorable mug on the front. These have been selling rather quickly, so if you have a favorite, stock up now before they are sold out!
End of Summer Paintings
"Purple Lovelies" by Chincoteague Minnow
On August 16th we had another group of pony campers come out to the farm. The ponies always know when visitors are coming because they all get baths, and I begin filling their small paddock with all of their trick paraphernalia. And then the painting easel comes out. Heads perk up, and the ponies peer over their dutch doors in the hopes that is their turn to paint today.
Sorry Boomer and Blitz, but today was about Minnow – the very first (and my personal favorite) Painting Pony. Minnow would stand at that easel painting for days if I let him – unfortunately for him we only had time to make two paintings. “End of Summer Blues” and “Purple Lovelies” are now available in the shop. Minnow also painted a few new mini 8×10 paintings too! I love his bright colors, and how every one is always different, it’s like a magical surprise.
NEW! mini 8x10 paintings
"End of Summer Blues" by Minnow
Pony Penning 2010 – Day 5
Chincoteague Minnow, Me, and Misty's Black Mist
Friday, July 30th….my very last day on Chincoteague Island….so sad. I look forward to this trip every year (this being my third year attending) – so it’s always sad to see it come to an end. Although coming home just means that I get to start planning for Pony Penning 2011! Woohoo!
Anyway, Friday morning I was headed over to take care of Minnow again – usually by Friday I can tell he’s about ready to go home. Probably missing his turnout buddies, and his juicy pasture filled with grass (even if he only gets to experience it through a muzzle) – but this year he didn’t seem as anxious, he was a lot more content with being on the island for day #5.
Needless to say, as sad as I was to be heading home – I was looking forward to seeing the Dachshund (oh and my husband). After helping Minnow to start his day I headed back to the Assateague Inn, where we stayed for the week, to check out. After checking out of the hotel my mom and I headed out on a little shopping excursion. The first stop on my list – Pony Tails – for some much needed saltwater taffy. I have a weakness for saltwater taffy…especially when it’s freshly made! After that we went down to mainstreet in search of a treat for the Dachshund. I remembered there was a “dog” shop in town last year, but this year it was nowhere to be found. After a pretty thorough search for doggie treasures I didn’t come up with much, and knowing that my little sausage boy would just be thrilled to see me no matter what I had – I gave up on my quest.
Chincoteague Minnow and Black Mist
Then after lunch it was back to the Pony Centre to get packed up for our trip home. After I finished packing the trailer Minnow had a little impromptu painting session in the parking lot behind the Pony Centre. I set up his easel in a shady little spot under a tree, and Minnow set out painting a custom work of art for one of our friends at the Pony Centre. Minnow gathered a small crowd of our friends as he whisked brushes all over the the pretty purple canvas. One of the little girls from the Pony Centre bought one of Minnow’s mini paintings with all of her Birthday money from the day before – it was so cute I nearly died as she handed me a stack of one dollar bills. I dug around in the packed car and handed her one of the new dvd’s of Minnow and his pony friends as a little extra Birthday Gift from Minnow – for her to share with her brother and sisters too.
"Purple People Eater" by Chincoteague Minnow
Oh and I nearly forgot to mention that Minnow appeared in Thursday’s issue of the Chincoteague Beacon. It was a nice little article about his appearance at the Pony Centre – which you can read in it’s entirety here. (Download PDF)
"Patriotic Pony" by Chincoteague Minnow
Finally it was time for Minnow’s last show at the Pony Centre this year – and he painted one of my favorites of the whole trip – “Patriotic Pony”. In between his painting and trick performances I had my mom snap a few photos of me, Minnow, and the famous misty family pony – Misty’s Black Mist. Black Mist was quite funny and kept “smiling” at Minnow with this weird toothy grin…I think she had a crush on him. Black Mist wore her Breyer blanket – which brought me back to my youth of collecting endless amounts of Breyer models….most of which I still have. If Minnow were ever to become a Breyer Model, I think my life might just be complete! It’s probably because Breyers are such a nostalgia for me – you have no idea how many hours I spent as a kid playing with them – and to think that out in the World there are tons of little girls and boys playing with a model that looks like MY pony …would just be the icing on the cake for me. Oh and lets not forget that Minnow would need his little sidekicks as models too – Blitz, Boomer, and Ammo the Dachshund (complete with stunt helmet and cape)!! haha. Maybe someday it will happen….you never know….and if you want to write like a bazillion letters to Breyer telling them that Chincoteague Minnow should be their next model – I definitely wouldn’t complain. 🙂
A happy little girl with her Minnow painting
After the show we said our goodbyes to our Pony Centre friends. I LOVE everyone that works at the Pony Centre, they are so nice and friendly – they really make it inviting, and every single one of them has a love for the ponies. I miss all our PC friends when we leave – but know that we will all reconnect again…if not only through facebook.
Thus began my 250mile drive home – partially in the dark – and when we pulled up to the entrance of Iron Horse Farm around 10pm, I was very happy to be “home”. Boomer and Blitz came bounding to the fence to greet us, and I had missed their curious little faces. I whisked Minnow off the trailer and plopped him out into the pasture with the boys. Minnow wandered off to scarf as much grass as he could through the tiny hole in his muzzle – we know where his priorities lie. Boomer and Blitz waited patiently at the gate for some much needed attention. They wanted their itchy spots scratched and their noses rubbed, and they WANTED to do some tricks! I love when I go away and when I come back all my ponies just want to be in my company – it’s the greatest feeling.
But our time was short-lived as I was pretty tired and ready to head home to see the little Dachshund. When I pulled up to the house I could see his little sausage body jumping around in the sunroom. I burst through the door throwing my bags to the floor as Ammo jumped up to lick my face. He squealed and wiggled – oh boy did he wiggle! Instantly I noticed his tiny little sausage frame wasn’t so tiny, seems he had put on a little extra weight since he had become accustomed to sleeping 11 hours a day while I was gone. (I was sure to schedule a much needed exercise trip to the dog park to swim the very next day!)
Sigh. What a wonderful end to Pony Penning Week.
Minnow and my Mom
There is nothing like coming home after a long trip and being greeted by the animals that love you. I hope they know how much I love them too.
Painting Pony DVD release!
For the past month my family has been working on a little project. My younger brother, Taylor, is a talented filmmaker and editor, and my younger sister, Laurel, has a special talent for photography. Armed with a fleet of talented trick ponies, and a Dachshund, we decided to make a new Painting Pony DVD.
With my brother up from his home in North Carolina, we spent one day shooting out at Iron Horse Farm. The ponies were amazing – performing their tricks over and over again so my siblings could get the right shots – even Ammo endured the hot day in his flannel stuntdog gear so we could capture him among the ponies.
I think the end result turned out fabulous! I think it really shows what life is like for the Trick Ponies (and Ammo). I especially love the music, which was mostly created by my brother (who is also a talented musician) along with his band, Cinder Cat – the music gives it a magic feel.
The DVD is available for purchase in our Online Shop. Give it as a gift, send it to a friend – spread the joy of Chincoteague Ponies! We hope it will bring a smile to your face.
And since we want everyone to be able to enjoy the magic of these special ponies and their Dachshund friend, we’ve uploaded the video to youtube. Spread it around! Share it on facebook, twitter, myspace, etc!
Special thanks to….
Taylor Hellhake from Depthink Productions
Cinder Cat
Laurel Hellhake (in collaboration with O’Leary Photographics)
Iron Horse Farm
and
Ammo the Dachshund & The Trick Ponies of Chincoteague!
Countdown to Pony Penning
Minnow at the Chincoteague Pony Centre 2009
In 17 days it will be time once again. Time to pack up a culmination of years worth of work (and a very fat pony) and make the trip down to the Eastern Shore for Pony Penning.
I taught Chincoteague Minnow his very first trick in 2005 – never thinking that it would lead to this. I taught him because I wanted to, because I wanted to have fun with him, because I loved him. What happened after that was just luck.
Minnow at the Pony Centre 2008
Luck, because my desire to connect with my pony led us to do something that we both love. When Minnow was diagnosed with Ringbone in 2008 and I found out I would never be able to ride him again I was crushed. As Minnow sat around day after day watching the comings and goings around the farm his eyes got sadder and sadder. I missed my pony and he missed me.
Then, as luck would have it, I was contacted by Kendy Allen from the Chincoteague Pony Centre. She had heard that Minnow (who once resided at the Chincoteague Pony Centre) had learned to paint. She invited me to meet up with her at a small event in PA – demonstrating what Chincoteague Ponies could do at a feed store.
Minnow at Pony Centre 2009
I was excited, Minnow and I now had something to work towards. We spent a few weeks practicing tricks, and readying our “props”. I had no idea what I was doing. We had a collection of tricks – none of which made sense together – and I didn’t know what to expect. But when we showed up and Minnow painted, crowds started to form around him. Little girls and boys wanted to pet him, and parents snapped pictures of him. I was proud and Minnow was happy. Minnow’s eyes sparkled and right then I knew this is what he was born to do.
Impressed with Minnow’s performance Kendy invited us to come down for Pony Penning week. I obliged, but honestly I was scared. What should I bring? What should we do? Will Minnow be too nervous to perform? What if I fail miserably?
I headed down early for the 4th of July weekend with Minnow so we could have a little “warm-up”. I had never been to Chincoteague Island, nor the Pony Centre, and I was only armed with my bag of tricks, and my painting pony. Looking back, I didn’t need to worry, because Minnow performed like he had been doing so for years!
Our first Pony Penning in 2008 was full of excitement. I fell inlove with the breed all over again when I watched the wild ponies make their annual swim. My heart ached for one of the newborn foals, even Minnow nickered at each one that trotted by him at the Pony Centre. Minnow performed all week and loved it.
In 2009 we spent all year learning new tricks, and even developing a skit to debut at Pony Penning 2009. Minnow’s fans returned at the end of July and even I was impressed at all he had learned in a year.
Upon our return home last year Minnow started to get fan mail. Letters, pictures, and even emails poured in. Minnow was igniting a spark in children for a life-long passion in horses, and he was helping adults fulfill their dreams of meeting a Chincoteague Pony.
As we ready ourselves once again for the 2010 Pony Penning I am reminded of all of Minnow’s fans who have helped him to discover his purpose. We have begun getting emails and messages asking if Minnow will be back at the Pony Centre again. I wonder if Minnow knows how much he is loved? Does he know that his paintings bring joy and happiness to people all around the World?
We both look forward to spreading the joy of horses in a few weeks. Hopefully you can join us, and if not, I’m sure a full recap will follow on the blog!
For a schedule of events check out our website.
