Abundance, generosity and the wonders of spring!

I sit at my desk in front of a large picture window looking out into the expanse of prairie landscape and open sky. Out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of a small sparrow landing on a young reddish tree (I think it's an ornamental crab???) and suddenly I am fully in the moment, savouring the beauty of the vibrant spring colours. And oh, the many colours of green at this time of year! After a bit of rain and lots of sun, the lawn is lush and green. The trees are wearing their fresh new leaves, a colour of green that is almost irridescent. The lilac hedge a deeper green, and I could go on and on to describe every possible shade of green imaginable. The bird varieties are plentiful and I wish I could identify all of them, but just in the last few minutes I have seen Starlings, Barn Swallows (making their nests on the house and ignoring the HUGE barn!!!), Chickadees, American Goldfinch, crows, sparrows and of course, pigeons. Butterflies flit back and forth and the drone of a large bumblebee comes and goes.



Thanks to Bianca and Chris from Germany, our Wwoofers (Worldwide Opportunities On Organic Farms), many important projects have been and are being completed, much to my deep appreciation. The furry and hairy ones here at Ravenheart love all the extra attention too! Thanks also to Elizabeth, a friend who is staying here for a while. We all love that her favourite pastime is cooking! Here is a list of just a few things that they have contributed to Ravenheart.

• Beautifully groomed horses


• Clean paddocks and shelter


• Clean barn


• Beautiful garden space hand dug and planted with a variety of fruit and vegetables


• Ravenheart sign painted and installed on roadway


• Rock gardens freshly tilled and weeded


• Stairs and entrance built to barn loft


• Many, many, many repairs to this and that


• Rock fire circle completed


• Firewood stack created


• A variety of new shrubs and perennials planted


• Did I mention the abundance of delicious, nutritious, and "slow food" meals? Chris and Elizabeth are both fabulous cooks (Blessed are Bianca, Wes, Melva and I :}!)


• Round pen completed


• Large north pasture fence completed


• Piles and piles of rocks picked and stacked


• Paths and trails groomed and maintained


• the list goes on and on...the tasks too numerous to capture all here

Thank you Chris, Bianca and Elizabeth. You bring love, spirit, energy, creativity, dedication and hardwork to Ravenheart. I appreciate your willingness, encouragement, the spirit of cooperation you demonstrate to everyone who visits here, and especially the love, care and respect you give to our companion animals, the wildlife and natural environment.

I admit I have fallen in love with Saskatchewan. The vast and varied landscape beholds many exquisite gems. The open spaces provide such a sense of freedom. The people are friendly, honest, hard-working and loyal. The air is fresh and clean. Nature abounds. Lakes, trees, rolling hills, lush marshes brimming with an abundance of water fowl and other wildlife, fresh, locally grown and organic food (a 100 mile diet is easy here), arts, culture, music, holistic health and recreation are found in the smallest of villages like St. Brieux, Meacham, St. Louis, Quill Lake and many others. Melva and I just discovered a most exceptional natural retreat called Torch Valley Country Retreats (http://www.torchvalleycountryretreats.com/). Our intent was to stay two nights and move on to discover other wonders of Saskatchewan, but we couldn't leave! We stayed in Cabin #3, the newest of three custom designed, authentic and original log cabins, this one constructed from logs salvaged after a forest fire blazed through part of the 2000 acres of land a few years ago. Cozy and comfortable with many natural features and a focus on sustainable living, yet fully furnished with all the amenities for a luxurious stay. Miles of inviting moss coverered trails, gazebos along the river bank, wildflowers, fiddleheads, mushrooms, birds, wild life, deep forest, marshes, ponds, and so much more still to discover. And for wintery or rainy days, there are bookshelves lined with classic novels, local poetry, naturalists, and artists, classic videos and DVD's. We will be back Jean and George! Thank you for your hospitality and the incredible effort you are making in the conservation of Saskatchewan's natural habitat.

At 6:15pm the horses and dogs are fed. Polly and Charlie are laying in the cool of the evening shade, tired from a full day of bone chewing and roaming the land, along with keeping up to Chris and Bianca as they move from chore to chore. (They really do get to relax here as well - kinda of a working vacation).

May you be at Peace. May your Hearts remain open. May you discover the Spirit of your True Nature. May you be Healed. May you be a Source of Healing for all Beings.

Wake up...and smell the horses...

Twas a lovely spring morning
the 12th day of April
We responded to the call
of the Ravenheart stable.

I jumped in my car
a bit after seven
to head north on Highway 20
a wee bit of heaven.

The marsh at Port Hyman
was well worth a stop
to see geese and gulls
and the golden eye duck.

Also worth mention
as I was cruising along
was the beautiful sound
of the meadowlark song.

He ignored the "Danger,
High Pressure" sign
he used as a perch
along the fence line.

His golden breast
reflected such beauty
that my soul said a prayer
out of love and duty.

Thousands of snow geese,
the Canada too,
filled up the sky or rested
on field or by slough.

I arrived at the farm a little bit late
but, with open arms, Carol met me at the gate.

I was greeted inside
by Holly, Catlin and Terry;
beautiful souls
no need to be wary.

Out in the corral
the horses were grazing
ready to greet us:
Sugar, Lacey, Brownie, Raven

Sugar's charming and sweet,
Lacey and Brownie a bit shy,
Raven stood a long way off
avoiding our eye.

Back in the house
we poured out our souls;
shared with each other
some of our goals.

We were joined by an author
through the pages of her book
comparing horse and human energy
was well worth a look.

In our high-top rubber boots
we went back to the corral.
We schmucked through the muck
to rejoin our new pals.

And I would be remiss
if I didn't mention
the smell of horse manure;
but is caused us no tension.

It was part of the experience;
a natural fragrance.
Nature's way of neutralizing
our human arrogance.

It opened the way
for communication
with one of God's great beasts
we would feel deep-down elation.

I don't know about the others
but Brownie said to me
through Carol's interpretation,
Let it go and let it be.

Brownie sensed in me
a great tension in my body.
perhaps, my dear, she said
You need to stop being so haughty.

You're not fooling anyone
certainly not me.
Just be yourself - let go, let God
and then you will see...

That life can be quite easy
we've all got one purpose:
to love and revere life
in our wordly circus.

Not just people and their cultures
but meadowlarks and horses,
mosquitoes, wasps and turtles,
dandelions and marshes.

Embrace them all with love and joy
and when you're feeling pain
seek the opportunity
the Universe knows you can gain.

For it's in your darkest hour
or when you've hit abysmal bottom
that the true love seed is planted
to see you through from spring to autumn.

The seed of love like all seeds we know
patiently awaits the right time to grow.

So have patience my friends,
myself included,
though at times our life seems
so dark and excluded.

As we learn to accept
fear and doubt as fodder
for growth of our spirit
firmly joined to mother/father.

We can rise above
what came before
and thank Mom and Dad
for their love, and more.

And always remember
pain and sorrow are a boost-up
from those wasteland spaces
Aussies call the whup-whup!

Don't fear the pain
embrace it with love
know the Universe supports you
as firmly as a glove.

Phew - that was heavy -
but now my load feels lighter.
Thanks Carol for offering space & time
my way seems so much brighter!

By M. Hunter
(Horses, Spirit and Play April 2008)