How The Foal Bound For Slaughter Became Mine...

I want to share how Patches, the little unwanted foal in dire need and I came together.  My previous horse went blind, but a lady looking for a companion for her blind horse in a safe facility was thrilled our mutual vet told her about Havilla, so I donated Havilla to her.  I then began looking for a foal to raise and have for its' lifetime.

The farm where I boarded my horses for years was a beautiful place owned by brothers who could be tough with their horses.  One day Paul called me to say he had found the perfect foal, a registered six month old Quarter horse colt he put in the box stall at the farm.  

Then he warned me, "The man threw in this three month runt of a foal for me to get rid of and it is in the stall too.  BE CAREFUL!  It's very dangerous!  It took four of us and a lot of beer to finally get him!"  

My heart immediately went out to the "dangerous runt."

I rushed to the farm and found the lovely fancy colt and the "dangerous runt" who had just been ripped away from his mama by four loud beer drinking men, with a heavy long rope tied around his neck looking very dejected.  As I slowly entered the stall the "runt" began to back up but I stepped on the rope.  He trembled.  I whispered I was only going to stroke his forehead so he could end the day by being touched GENTLY.  He relaxed.

From the barn phone I called Paul.  

"I'm taking the 'runt!'"  

He kindly replied, "What?!!  You're crazy!!!  He's dangerous I tell you!"

"I'm taking him anyway!  Besides, you will have no trouble selling the fancy colt and I will save you the trouble of taking the "runt" to slaughter."

"I still think you're making a huge mistake you'll regret!" 

"I'm taking him anyway.  How much?"

The next day I took sweet feed, a small halter, and grooming stuff with me.  The "runt" began to back up then stopped...without trembling.  While he ate I gently groomed him with no sign of any fear or "danger" at all.

Patches was a palomino pony with white patches, hence the name I immediately gave him so he would not become known as "the runt."

Day three he nickered when he saw me.

I needed to get him out of the very dirty, dusty stall.  Told Paul I was turning him out.  

"What?!!  You're crazy!  You'll never be able to catch him again!"

"Don't worry we've got this."

I turned him out.  Day four I arrived and found Patches on a hill.  I called him.  He stared intently.  When I went up to Patches he made no attempt to run.

On day five when I called him, Patches neighed and came galloping TO me!  The "dangerous runt" was safe, loved, and mine.  We became very VERY close sharing a wonderful twenty-nine years together.  They know when they are in danger and they know when they are safe.  And love grew Patches into a much larger pony than was expected too.🐎💕🐎

When Patches was a year and a half old I put lead shanks on each side of his halter one day.  Got on him and simply began riding him.  THAT was all it took!

One day Paul happened to come along and see me riding Patches.  He stammered, "You're...you're RIDING him!  How did you...I...I can't believe this!"

"Yep!  This is the 'dangerous runt' bound for slaughter. Still think I'm crazy?!!"🐎😃🐎

A sleepy Patches at four months old.  During the night either a horse, brambles, or some old barbed wire did a number on him.  Immediately I treated his wounds with

an antibacterial ointment for horses from my equine first aid kit I always had with me.  Then used a liquid ointment to help protect him from the flies.  In the process of all this my darling one fell asleep!😃💕💫

Two Of My Amazing Horse Stories...

The following two pieces are not enough for a blog entire yet powerfully illustrate why horses forever hold 

my heart.  They are also why I feel so privileged and profoundly grateful to have been born with the soul of 

a horse.  Though I may say I "owned" seven horses over forty-nine years, I did not.  They were mine yet they were my galloping partners of the Magic we shared.  Each one KNEW how deeply they were Loved.  And even needed.

Havilla was the only one of all my horses who never came to me when I called her.  Though I would have to go get Havilla, she never made an attempt to run away from me.  

Havilla, who was black, was extremely close to a beautiful gold palomino horse named Strand and the two were always together.  Yet when I would take Havilla away from Strand they were never upset being separated as some horses become.  When done with Havilla I noticed she would neigh for Strand and wait for him as he came to her.  Then the two would go on their way.

Watching the two one day I noticed how after Strand came to Havilla, as they left Havilla was constantly touching his rump with her nose.  Then it suddenly hit me, something was wrong with her eyes!  Soon after the vet confirmed it.  After I told him about Strand being her eyes we both marvelled at HOW did they work this out?  HOW did Strand understand she needed him in THAT way?🐎🥰🐎💫

The farm where I boarded some of my horses was 250 acres with only the outer perimeter fenced.  There was a long driveway that wound its way through the property.  If Patches saw my car coming I wouldn't even have to call him because he KNEW my car!  He would come running then follow or trot along side the car until we reached our special place beneath a grove of trees.

Since two other boarders had cars the same colour as mine with similar shapes I asked them if Patches ever followed their cars thinking it was me.  He never did.  Yet he KNEW exactly which was MY car from a very long distance.  Amazing.

The miracle and wonder of horses...but then, I am really VERY prejudiced you see.🐎😃🐎💕💫

Patches was in the high pasture upper left of photo when he heard me call him after an absence of four months while I learned to walk again the second time.

I had been concerned Patches may not remember me but he beautifully put my concern to rest by loudly neighing after hearing me call him, then charging to me.  I was using one of those disposable winding cameras back then.  Here he is charging up the hill to me "squeaking" with joy.  Unfortunately before I could get a closer shot Patches arrived and was already happily rubbing his head up and down me.🥰

Havilla...within months of owning her I realized she clearly had vision problems...mainly revealed to me in the extraordinary way Strand became her eyes.😍  She had lost her vision to a eye condition unrecognized prior to entering my life.  Her Equine Eye Veterinarian had a client who had a blind horse in a safe set-up built for 

him and she was looking for a blind companion horse.  So I gratefully donated Havilla to this lady and Havilla was able to live a safe, cared for, happy life for years to come despite being blind.😊

As Long As You Ever Can...

Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as you ever can.

                    ~John Wesley

Pied Piper Adelaide...

The following two pieces are not enough for a blog entire, yet I sincerely hope that maybe they will brighten your day. 

As shared in this blog I have two very serious blood

conditions with a rare form of hemophilia causing my blood to suddenly not clot and chronic anemia. Because of these I had to be hospitalized twice as a young adult on Pediatric Oncology Wards to receive a new powerful drug which had to be administered directly into my bone marrow.  The procedure itself was not so bad but the drug caused severe pain in my bones.  At times it even felt as if my hair hurt.

Anyway, I would have to be hospitalized in the Ward for nearly two months.  Because of my uniqueness as being about the same height as the children on the Ward, and an adult who was a patient like them, I was like their Pied Piper.  Along the way in this blog I have shared some very touching stories during these Pediatric Oncology Ward intervals here.

The children loved my sense of fun, that I was a artist who could draw them pictures of special requests they could then colour.  Most of all they loved when I told them stories about my horses and what it was like to soar across fields on their barebacks faster than the wind.

With my second stint in the Pediatric Oncology Ward I had to be given a more potent round of drugs into my bone marrow.  For awhile Adelaide The Pied Piper was a very sick little Pied Piper.  Yet with so many children on the Ward hoping their Pied Piper would make it, Addy (as I was known since many kids couldn't quite pronounce Adelaide) HAD to pull through for their sake!

Whenever I had to be admitted to The Ward, besides my boombox I would also take my in-line rollerblades with me.  When I was well enough to do this I would visit the kids by rollerblading to their rooms and they absolutely LOVED it.  Parents loved how Addy and her rollerblading visits had a way of not only cheering their child up but cheering them up too.  This is what I have always strived to do though since very young.  As I have shared so often, the deeper sorrow carves into our soul the more joy we attain.  By bringing others a moment of cheer or fun, I was filling the void my childhood sorrows carved with happinesses of healing.

I may no longer gallop on horses, hang upside-down from a rope swing high above a rocky ravine, or rollerblade, but I still am that little Pied Piper trying to bring gifts of inspiration or love and laughter everywhere I am.

The last time I had the bone marrow treatment six year old twins Marla and Macy were patients.  Macy was battling leukemia but because the girls shared a rare blood type the doctors needed Marla to give Macy a blood transfusion.  Macy's Oncologist (and mine) thought he explained the procedure clearly enough for six year old Marla to fully understand how the procedure would unfold.

Not quite.

Marla appeared terrified for a moment then took a deep breath.  She told our Oncologist how much she loved Macy and their Mommy and Daddy and hoped her blood would make Macy better.

When our Oncologist told Marla the transfusion was nearly done she fearfully asked, "Is this the time the angels take me to Heaven now?"

You see, though Marla thought she was going to die giving her blood to Macy, she courageously and with profound love quietly proceeded with the intent to save her sister.

Every adult in that Pediatric Oncology Ward was deeply touched by something far bigger than ourselves that day.  Love reminded us all there are those in this world who live their love powerfully.  Even six year olds.  And a little Pied Piper.

Doing Our Thing...

I do my thing

And you do your thing.

I am not in this world 

To live up to your expectations 

And you are not in this world 

To live up to mine. 

I am I,

And you are you,

And if by chance we find each other, 

It's BEAUTIFUL. 

               ~Fritz Perls 

1,975 A.D. Hilarity...

Though my family did not go to church, from early childhood on I believed in God and treasure a loving God as I believe Him to be.

At age nineteen I began going to a dear church in the country and was baptized.  It really was a very profound experience...but...BUT...sometimes the most hilarious unexpected things can happen to me.  Remember THIS fact:  I am very buoyant in water.

I had become close friends with the pastor, his wife (who both were older than me), and kids.  As we adults were in school with many expenses, often on Sunday nights I would join them for fried egg and ketchup sandwiches while we shared hopes, tears, laughter, and dreams.

Several others were being baptized the same day I was with a packed church.  Now this was a full immersion baptism so the water was 3' deep, right up to my neck.  BUT I LOVE WATER.  Oceans, swimming pools, lakes, creeks, I am in!😃

The church had just gotten these brand new white baptism robes, with mine being a full 7" longer than me.  And did I happen to say yet I am very buoyant in water?😂

I was last.  I gathered as much of the excess robe in 

my hand as I possibly could and stepped in before the packed church watching, including my dear friend Jackie who could laugh loud.  Really loud.

When I reached bottom the water immediately caused me to pop up like a cork, as a HUGE expanse of white material suddenly rose to the top.😳

By this time I was floating and trying to look in control at the same time.  Ron could immediately see we were rapidly losing control, both in the water and trying not to laugh.  Nevertheless, we had to continue.  He managed to guide me over to him and asked the right questions I responded to, and then...AND THEN came that Big Moment to

dip my head beneath the water by laying me backwards.  SO not good.  NOT good.  Remember, 

I am very buoyant now with a HUGE expanse of white robe.😱

Ron laid me back and before he could react my legs went flying out of the water straight up in the air.  By the way I should say I thankfully did have on a bathing suit.😂

He first had to raise my head back up, then quickly managed to force my legs back down but white material was floating everywhere and I had to grab onto Ron because I was clearly floating out of control.😂

So much for trying to BE in control.  We lost it.🤣

Just as Ron and I thought we were getting some semblance of control and dignity, we could first hear Jackie trying to stifle her unique loud laugh, followed by others who were losing it.  Then WE began losing it.  And this was a baptism!  Heaven surely had to be falling over laughing up there!😂

As Ron kept me from popping out of the water he carefully pushed me to the other side to get out.  BUT it didn't end there though, you see.  Remember the expanse of robe?  As I was about to climb out part of the brand new robe got caught on a nail and I became stuck.  We're talking VERY stuck here folks!  In the water!🤣

So as poor Ron was trying to seriously speak to the congregation, out of the corner of his eye he could see I was stuck.  Good and stuck.  Not only that, he noticed I was totally shaking in laughter so hard I was making big waves roll across the baptistry.😂

Jackie said they could tell something else crazy had happened because suddenly they began to see all these waves rolling across the baptistry.🤪

Bless his heart though, somehow Ron was able to quickly wrap up what he was saying.  Only he couldn't exit my way because I was still in the water wrapped in white robe that had become like a strait jacket stuck on a nail.  He had to go the other way then hurry around the long back hallway to help me get out, but it was very difficult you see.  We were both in hysterics.  We totally lost it!😂  And he still had to deliver a sermon!😱🤣

Somehow we finally managed to get the new robe off the nail without shredding it...MUCH...then got me out so he could be on his way.  With all that HUGE expanse of heavy wet robe I somehow made it to the change area.  

I realized it would be very wise to wait until AFTER 

the service before joining Jackie and the congregation.  With good reason, you see.  EVERYONE later said they would have lost all control, bursting into laughter as soon as I entered, including Ron trying to deliver the sermon.🤣

That had to be the funniest baptism in the history of mankind.  Jackie said it could ONLY happen to me.

Ohhh, YES!😂

Decades later I heard they were STILL laughing about Adelaide's baptism that Sunday, 1975 A.D.🤣🐎💫

Being Shoved Into A Gift I Hadn't Known I Had Yet...

Though I have been told boldness is my middle name, and I nailed Acting 101 required in the Scene Design Program, I never imagined I would become a speaker.

ME?  NO WAY!  Not even on my radar.  

But sometimes life takes us to places where what we have learned and our ways of telling these things are discovered and the next thing we know we're at a podium standing on a chair in front of a bunch of people getting inspired by OUR journey.  And laughing too.  Then MORE want to hear us, and BAM, we've suddenly become a speaker!💥

Well, something like this anyway.😂

My dear mentor friend Nora I first blogged about in, "Adelaide Goes To Prison," where Nora who also never thought SHE would become a speaker in demand too had been asked by The Women's Prison Warden to come speak.

Since Nora didn't drive she asked him if she could bring her friend because, "Warden, she too has a powerful story to share."

Then Nora called me asking if I would drive her, which I was happy to do.

And then...AND THEN...

"Adelaide, I uh, told the Warden you also had a very powerful story to inspire the women with."

"You WHAT?!!"

"You'll be speaking too."

"But I'm NOT A SPEAKER!"

"You ARE far more than you think by the way people respond to just meeting you...your courage, your humor and charm...and the crazy way you dress."

"It isn't...THAT crazy...IS it?!!"

"It's unique and don't you ever change it!  I'm brand new at this speaking thing too.  Look my dear, we both have these stories everyone keeps begging us to tell.  We can do this.  YOU can do this.  Folks are drawn to you!"

"No shit.  I stand out."

"Yes, but I see them being inspired by you.  Or laughing like crazy at your funny stories!  My goodness child, you're only twenty-three years old and here I am almost, uh...forty-nine..."

"Nora, you're fifty-six!"

"That's to be kept between US, my dear!"

"We need to talk about this age thing you ha..."

"As I was SAYING...you already have lots more wisdom and experience and rising above shit than most do at ninety.  Folks WANT to hear you.  Folks NEED to hear you.  Folks adore you."

"As they need to hear you too, Nora.  Okay, I get it!  We can do this.  I hope.  By the way, uh...since this IS a maximum security prison we're speaking at, they can't lock us up if the inmates don't like us, can they?"😂

So off to prison Nora and I went.  

The women, guards, and Warden absolutely loved us.  We were asked to come back many times.  The Warden, guards, and most of all, the women, said we reached them in ways no one else ever did before.  

I think one of my favorite African American writers, Zora Neale Hurston says it best, "You have to go there to know there."  Meaning you have had to walk through it to be able to inspire.  That we weren't talking "at" them with just words, but "to" them as survivors like they could be too. 

Afterwards the Warden told his wife about us.  She had us come speak to her Women's Group, then those women invited us to come to their groups, and it took off from there.  However, I only took on speaking engagements aside from my work as a Scene Designer.

Not always did we speak together, being asked to each speak at other groups or churches.  Through the years 

I have often been asked to speak at doctors groups.  These would involve question answer sessions, like how when I was nearly paralyzed permanently with only movement to my toes, did I do it focusing so hard until more movement happened.  Other sessions were all about dwarfism and how to relate to us best ("Well, for one thing, don't talk DOWN to a Little Person...talk TO them").

Becoming a speaker definitely was not something I set out to do.  Yet sometimes in life when we grab onto treasures in our own lives of survival and learning, we may just be meant to inspire others too if we can with how we got there ourselves.  

The very creation of this blog is because I have been asked many times through the years to please put in writing what I was speaking about for not only my listeners to keep, but so more may some day be blessed too.  

It is my hope you are.🐎😃🐎💫

 

Adelaide's WOW...

I first am going to share the story about two seeds with you.  One seed boldly determined she wanted to grow tall and get off the ground doing it.  And she did.  You see it was very stormy where she was so with her courage she soared with the wind to a grove of trees where she made friends right away with the other trees and squirrels too.  Not only did she grow she lived a very full, colorful life.  She was admired for having the courage to live her dream.  There often were tough challenges of stormy weather but she realized the challenges grew her into the wonderful tree she became.  

Now the other seed instead lived in fear and insecurity.  Rather than soar with the wind to amazing new places filled with wonders and a place to grow tall she remained exactly where she was.  She worried about everything.  Most of all she worried about any missed opportunities if she left the ground like the other seed had done.  So she chose not to go anywhere.

Not good...not good.

For one day a crow came along and devoured this fearful, unhappy seed.

I am here to tell all of you about a really kind of mind blowing profound discovery I made recently.  This must be similar to when people suddenly have one of those moments of seeing their life pass before them as they have a near death experience, otherwise we would never know these events are possible for one to have.  Which is a good thing.  Though I have been extremely close to dying several times along the way I have not had nor am I having one of those.  Besides since I bought a expensive wild horse calendar as I do each year for this very purpose, I assure you my going anywhere is definitely not happening anytime soon because I invested in that calendar.😂

Though being height challenged you may have found by now I still managed to live a life of WOW (a life of WOW is another one of those many endearing, so I am told, "Adelaideism" things hoomans who know me either love or laugh hysterically about) by boldly surviva-soaring my way along and carving out one hell of a WOW life anyway.

Only I didn't realize quite how much of a life of WOW I had until I FINALLY arrived at this place in my life where I am writing all the things down I kept promising many I would do (so grateful I kept journals through the decades).  The reason it took me so long to do this is because I was too busy pouring myself into living 

in-between all the hospital living.

Another "Adelaideism" you are about to have the privilege of discovering here is, "The Adelaide IF Threads."  These are when one thing needs to happen for another to happen in life.  We ALL have an "IF Thread Of Gratitude" running through our lives.  Should you be unaware such a vital life treasure exists, please know that it does and hold it dearly.

I believe there is far more to our existence than these amazing bodies made up of billions of cells as we  dwell upon this tiny speck of Earth found somewhere 

in a VERY HUGELY VAST Universe and THIS is BIG folks! 

Anyway, I believe in all that VASTNESS there must be reasons why some of us come into this world with a 

Mt. Everest of horrendous challenges.  I believe this is why some come packaged with treasure, for I was blessed to come packaged with the soul of a horse, a sense of humour, the powerful gift of having love in the midst of hell without love, an indomitable spirit, determination in spades, creative talent, and an innate sense of positivity. 

Now...to my own amazing "Adelaide's IF Thread."

IF Adelaide did not have her loving babysitter at three and the other kids who adored her, she would not have known how much she mattered to others at such a tender age...the beginning of her journey.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide had not learned that love she wouldn't have begun boldly knocking on doors by five in yet another new town as her parents kept moving so much.  Because she did this she immediately found new friends and their parents who loved and accepted her and who stood by her when needed the most.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide's parents hadn't moved again she would not have known the bonds of friendship she found in kids living in the Orphanage, who like Adelaide were adults 

in kid's bodies because our adults failed us.  With Adelaide's innate courage and her new friends she learned to be stronger than all the ridicule and hurt hurled at her.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide had not written a sad yet powerful poem about losing hope read by a teacher who embraced Adelaide with her compassion by taking Adelaide into her home and heart, Adelaide wouldn't have had her first mentor friend who restored her hope.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide's wounds from yet more violence in her home had not been so severe the next morning, her parents feared the teacher would notice and they get arrested and suddenly Adelaide's dream of finally having a horse in her life happened.  Adelaide would not have known her first experience of being set free by her horses without the violence first.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide had not been set free with her horse, she would not have had the ability to paint and draw horses the way she could by making them free, and an art gallery who saw her work would not have represented her at seventeen.  Because of this...

IF the art gallery had not represented her and the local newspaper had not done a story about Adelaide and her art, four very special people touched by something they saw in Adelaide would never have known Adelaide or each other.  They would not have become Adelaide's dear mentor friends who loved her on her journey Adelaide began soaring upon.  Because of this...

IF these four had not taught Adelaide so well and nurtured her innate gifts she would not have pushed so hard to follow her heart into theatre, believing she had what it took to become a set designer.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide did not believe she had what it took to follow her heart to become a Theatre Set Designer she could not have blown away the Theatre Department Chairman with her boldness who accepted her into the Theatre Scene Design Program when he almost didn't. 

Because of this...

IF Adelaide's indomitable spirit following her first spine surgery had not come shining forth as she fought to walk again against the impossible she would not have inspired others who needed to be inspired.  Because of this...

IF one of Adelaide's mentor friends had not recognized Adelaide's gift to inspire others this mentor friend 

would not have encouraged Adelaide into becoming a powerful speaker.  When she did, Adelaide touched many lives by inspiring them.  Then the ripple effects of Adelaide's words they shared with others spread further and further touching more lives.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide never shared the gift for humour she had been given, doors of acceptance would not have been opened.  Most of all, many hearts may not have been opened too.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide did not have the courage and optimism including some insanity to take a HUGE plunge to raise the funding needed for a move to Maryland for more surgery and treatment with a new bone marrow drug by riding her horse ten miles with the media along on the ride too, thousands would never have taken Adelaide and Patches into their hearts.  They never would have embraced the inspiration they said Adelaide gave them.  And the laughter.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide had not plunged forth to Maryland she never would have found the love of her life and become the love of his life.  Though tragedy took his life, Adelaide would never known how deeply one could love and be loved by another and this is a treasure she will forever cherish.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide had not learned the profound gift and meaning of having friends so young, she would not have been able to nail this down so young.  Because of this her gratitude knows no bounds for all the friends she loves and holds so dearly.

You see, despite all my challenges what a fun, creative, filled with a huge cast of characters, love, horses, cats, adventurous, wonderful life I have had.  I have poured more living into my journey with all my severe challenges than many do without physical challenges. 

I have been very blessed to live a life of WOW.  And because of that...

Adelaide Bits...

These are little pieces not long enough for a blog entire, yet still funny and interesting (I hope) to share...🐎💫

In my blog piece, "To See A Doctor," I told the amazing story how Dr. Kopits, renown orthopaedic surgeon for Little People became my doctor.  What I didn't tell in the piece was how I nearly injured him...

Many of my doctors often ask me to press my hand 

or foot against their hands to determine how much strength or neurological movement I have as all my surgeons did prior to seeing Dr. Kopits.  

So Dr. Kopits and I were seated in chairs close together directly across from each other.

"Now Adelaide, press your foot against my hands as hard as you can."

"Uh, Dr. Kopits, shouldn't we do this with me on the table pressing down on your hands?"

"Don't worry this way is fine.  Give it all you've got."

"Okaaay..."

Immediately Dr. Kopits came to the conclusion that 

with me being both a horse person and doing a very physically demanding job for decades I was far stronger than many of his patients he was used to seeing.  For when he insisted I show him how much strength I had in my right leg I gave it all I had as requested. 

Again keep in mind we were seated very close directly across from one another...

Let's just say had he not reacted as fast as he did my foot came extremely close to making contact with a region of his male anatomy.  

Very highly unintended on my part I must say.😳

For a very brief moment Dr. Kopits, his nurse, and I were at a loss for words.  However if you've been reading this blog for awhile you will not be surprised by what happened next.   Yours truly burst into laughter.  They burst into laughter.  All three of us dissolved into uncontrollable laughter with tears streaming down our faces.

"Dr. Kopits, you did tell me to give it all I had!"😂

I know I was born with the soul of a horse because I never remember seeing my first one, yet from as early as I can remember I have had a passion for horses far too deep for words.  And my deepest passion has always been for wild horses running free, living free, born free.  

From the time I could hold a crayon I began drawing them.  Never halters, bridles, or fences 

are ever in my equine art.  I am quite sure there must be some deep symbolism here, for though my soaring spirit has seldom been defined by being a Little Person I still am trapped in this painful broken body which constantly gets ridiculed as happens to all Little People.  

My most successful, longest selling print is entitled, "Breaking Free."  The drawing says it all because this is what I have always done:  lived a very soaring, daring, loving, and a hell of a fun journey too regardless of how I came packaged.🐎😃🐎

My first claim to fame as an artist was at age ten.  Each year in the fall was The Fire Prevention Poster Contest sponsored by the local fire department.  The prize was a Stingray Bicycle for a boy and girl, and a feature in the local newspaper with the winners and their posters.  By the way, I had been riding bikes since age six so to have a brand new cool one would have been really something.  However, my parents in typical fashion took one look at my poster and said it was terrible.  I was so crushed I almost didn't even try to submit it after working so hard on it.  Apparently the judges really liked it though because I won!  My poster was a very colorful matchstick with arms, legs, and a face which was in flames.  I had it seated on a pile of trash and he was holding up one hand in a warning with the words, "I'm burning up because YOU didn't put me out!"  The newspaper had a photo of me sitting on the bike holding up the winning poster I came very close to not submitting because it was so "terrible."🙂

Years ago when I was working at a huge performing arts center complex The Ringling Brothers And Barnum And Bailey Circus came for three sold out shows.  They arrived two days before to set up.  The arts center complex also contained shops and restaurants.  One day backstage I nearly ran into a Little Lady who was a clown.  As I approached her with my hand extended to meet her  she bolted away.  One of the average size clown ladies told me the Little Person had already been aware of me but felt embarrassed because she was "only" a circus clown.  Apparently some Little People told her she was demeaning herself and all Little People by being a clown like her parents and grandparents had done.  I asked if her friend would give her a message for me.

"Yeah, sure honey, I'll be glad to!"

We went to a nearby coffee shop and as we had a cup of coffee, I briefly shared my journey as the lady jotted things down on napkins.

"But most of all tell your friend this...she has nothing to ever feel ashamed about.  She is not defined by her dwarfism or being a clown.  That if she is happy doing this (which she was actually), she has already attained far more than many in life do.  Tell her never to let others have the power to take away her happiness or make her feel less than what she is."

The next day the Little Person and I saw each other briefly as she was dressed as a clown rushing to do a performance, but she went out of her way to show me a very happy face and heart sign.  Then she gave me a very enthusiastic thumbs up I returned back to her with a huge smile and heart sign.😃👍💫

                          

Adelaide's Life At Three...

Way before I ever even got to kindergarten age I had learned a lot.  I learned swear words.  You see my parents drank, partied, fought with each other constantly.  And swore A WHOLE LOT through all of that..  

So being the VERY receptive and talented three year old child I was all of those words became MY vocabulary too.  How could they not?  I heard them constantly.  And the violence never stopped.

My babysitter Mrs. Cassity, was an older lady I loved dearly who kept children in her home during the day.  

Since swear words were a regular part of my vocabulary they came out no matter where I was but never to be mean or anything like that.  

If the wood blocks castle thing I was building [future Theatre Scene Designer in the making, you see] came crashing down I would very calmly say, "Oh f**k, I'll have to do it all again."

Or, if a crayon broke [usually the black one because of all the horses I kept drawing], I would also very calmly say, "Oh SHIT, my f**king crayon just broke."  And if it was raining outside I would calmly make the important observation, "Oh damn, it's raining."  Then quite often I would tearfully share with Mrs. Cassity, "My Mommy and Daddy had a BIG f**king fight last night breaking shit and I couldn't sleep.  Please why can't I come live here?"

Unfortunately though it turned out the other kids there were just as receptive and talented as I was for they too began repeating all the new words they heard Adelaide saying their parents never said.  So your Adelaide at three was innocently corrupting two and three year old kids for life.

Thankfully though dear Mrs. Cassity and all the parents of the other talented kids understood I was only repeating the words I had to live with and did not punish me, which really would have been very confusing for a three year old as to why I was being punished for words I heard all the time.🥴 

She would instead let my father have it when he came to pick me up!  Sometimes the fathers of the other talented kids like myself would let my father have it too.

By the time I was four though, Mrs. Cassity had very gently, lovingly helped me understand the words were not nice words a child should say even if my parents said them all the time.  No doubt that dear lady saved me from not only being thrown out of kindergarten later but perhaps even a life of crime too!😂
 

Robert Fulghum wrote his best selling book years ago about the important lessons of living we begin learning at the tender age of four or five.  He even included a list of what he thought his young self may have thought important.

This is Adelaide's "version..."😃

Be nice to others.

Make friends. 
Horses are good for you.
Play.

Let others play too so they do not feel all alone.

Have fun.
And laugh.

Draw horses.
Hold hands and care.
Don't stare at others the ways I see others stare at me because it makes me cry inside my heart.
Say thank you if someone is nice wants to be your friend.
Cuss words and mean words are not very nice even if you have to hear them lots.
Big people fighting is very very scary.

Mine always fight and I don't know why.
If you are loved by a mommy and daddy it must feel good to be loved your mommy and daddy.

I know my mommy and daddy do not love me.

I do not know why.
Animals do not care what I look like.
Walk tall even if you're not tall.
Horses are good for you.

Horses do not make you cry the way people do.
Never lose wonder.

Wonder is a good thing.
Aplomb is a good thing too.
You're never too old for crayons if you draw horses.
Draw horses.
Smile at others...you will make them happy.
Gaze at the stars above.
Plunge forth and not back.
Have courage.
Love life.
Be kind. 

Be kind to horses too..
Give hugs.

Please give Adelaide hugs too.
Dance.
Love music.
Horses are good for you.

Horses are always good for you.

Adelaide loves you.

Humor On Old Tombstones...

Along the way I have gathered treasures in 

wisdom written on tombstones and some even 

in humour like the following ones found inscribed on old tombstones...

Remember, as you pass by,
As you are now, so was I,
As I am now, you will be,
So be prepared to follow me.

Then on a old sign someone creative (not me) attached to the tombstone these words:

To follow you, I am not content,
Until I learn the way you went.

We Finally Found A Place To Park!

I Told You I Was Sick!

Damn, It REALLY IS Dark In Here!

Here Lies Marvin Fife

For Fooling Around 

With The Sheriff's Wife

A Drastic Situation...

We have all surely had these moments in our lives at one time or another and then if we haven't we must not be opening our mouths or signing with our hands very much.😂 

Because I am talking about all those folding up with embarrassment moments and the opening our mouths and inserting our foot moments.  And yes, yours truly has managed to have quite a few zingers along the 

way too.😳  

As the show must always go on even if the Scene Designer gets thrown into a hospital for a unexpected long time, the theatre I would be working for very understandably needed to hire a replacement to finish the season.  Then after I recovered from whatever surgery and long recovery I had no choice but to find temporary work which was never a problem.  During those intervals I have helped veterans obtain their benefits, made signs for small businesses, did framing, worked for (in the offices of) horse farms or equine veterinarians, and even worked for a architectural firm painting what a building would look like to give clients a visual rendering beyond the hard to visualize plans staring at them.🙂

So this particular open-mouth-insert-foot event happened when I was working at the architectural firm.

The somewhat small firm was owned by a very dear husband and wife team employing approximately twenty-five men and two women, aside from the owners who were not there often.  

One day out of the blue the owners suddenly brought in a new Marketing Manager and wouldn't you know it was their daughter in-law.  In the first place we didn't even have a Marketing Manager position to begin with.  

Some of the guys were uncomfortable with this.  

Soon we ALL were very uncomfortable.😱

Unfortunately you see, Ms. Donna brought along with her a problem which immediately began affecting us.  For dear Ms. Donna had a body odor issue.  An intense one.  While the rest of us dressed comfortably, aside from me who dressed like a hippie, Ms. Donna who was also extremely haughty, dressed quite impeccably.  She wore expensive business suits with matching high heels.  And she constantly worried about her appearance.  

One day when she needed a ride to pick her car up that had been worked on everyone suddenly had excuses as to why they just could not give her a ride...except me.  I got caught off guard.  So I had to give her a ride in my car which contained two bales of hay, horse feed, grooming supplies, bridles, lead shanks, halters.  Ms. Donna then worried and fretted to no end driving us crazy fearing she smelled.  Like a horse.  To the point she rushed home, changed business suits and immediately took the one she had on to the cleaners.  

Believe me we would have all been very grateful IF SHE DID SMELL LIKE A HORSE after riding in my car but alas, she didn't.  No way.🥴

Something drastic had to be done.  Giving her perfume and fancy soaps on her birthday didn't work.  So all the guys, Miss Bailee, and I met after work one evening.  Right away the guys felt either Miss Bailee or I had to take this task on because we were of course women you see.  

Then the conversation went like this...

"Adelaide, we think you should be the one."

"ME?!!  Why ME?!!"

"Because you're so cute and the owners really like you.  Besides you have something in common with her."💫

"I don't have A THING in common with her!"🙄

"You're near the same age, and she nearly pees her pants laughing like the rest of us when you tell your hilarious horse, dwarf, or theatre stories!  She never even smiles at any of us."😱

"So please do it for all of us, Adelaide!  PLEASE?!!  We'll EVEN buy you a whole month's worth of horse feed if you do this!  PUH-LEEZE?!!"

They got me on the horse feed.😂

As soon as there was no chance of rain in the forecast so we could be outdoors for my sake, I reluctantly asked if Ms. Donna would have lunch with me at the park.

"Sure.  But I'll drive myself if you don't mind and you must drive yourself!"

"No, I don't mind!  Not at all!"  

I wasn't about to tell the poor woman how badly she smelled if I didn't have my car with me!🙄

At the park as we were nearly done eating with 

Ms. Donna at one end of the long table and I waaay at 

the other I asked, "Ms. Donna, have you ever had concerns expressed where you previously worked about body odor?"🤫

"No, why?  Are YOU having a problem with body odor, Adelaide?"  [Sometimes people are terribly slow about grasping what one is saying no matter how clearly one expresses it]🙄

"HELL NO!!!  I uh...ahem...mean NO.  But didn't ANYone ever express to you the fact YOU have a unpleasant smell?"😖

"Not exactly.  I never worked any place for very long.  I wear the best most expensive clothing yet people don't like me for some reason."🤪

"Uh, what do you mean by, 'Not exactly?'"🙃  

"Okay!  So I've been told I have body odor, can you believe that?!!  How rude people are!  After all I take my clothes to the cleaners each week and I bathe [once] every week too, so how could I possibly smell?!!"💥

"Ms. Donna, something is not working and there is no other way to try to put this.  You really smell.  And you smell downright awful.  You must be a very lovely person but it is so difficult to be around you no one can find this out.  Miss Bailee is getting calls from those you visit to promote the firm begging to please not have you ever return."😱

"How dare you talk to me this way!  I don't believe you!"

"Ms. Donna, I'm trying to tell you in the nicest way possible you flat out stink to high heaven.  Worse than cow manure.  Even rotten eggs.  Probably not as bad as a skunk though..."

"I've never been so insulted, you...you..."

"Midget?  You've got to admit..."  

"I'm calling my in-laws!"

"...at least I'm not a stinking midget!"💥

I really tried so hard to use my best tact.  I really did.  Yet I think it all fell apart when I mentioned the manure, rotten eggs, and skunk bit to her.🤫

Not surprisingly I received a call the next day from the owners who wanted me to come visit their home right away.😱  As I left my comrades in arms were preparing to revolt on my behalf.😃

I went to the mansion overlooking the river where the owners lived.

When they told me they were absolutely thrilled with me, I was speechless.🤣

The gist of it all was first, their beloved son blinded by love was immune to his wife's odor issue.  It was destroying the family.  They didn't know what to do.  Besides the woman couldn't hold any jobs due to this "problem."

But the owners had explicit faith in their employees.👍 

After Ms. Donna lost yet another job they created the "Marketing Manager" position [the sneaks] as a way to put Ms. Donna in our midst hoping WE could somehow put things into motion for what THEY were too afraid of trying to do themselves.  So in effect I then became THEIR catalyst.💥 

As they listened to the very excellent "tact" I used to make Ms. Donna aware of the situation the owners couldn't stop laughing.  Gave me a huge raise!  Said they were going to give the rest one too.😃

"Uh, may I please make a phone call right away?😳  

I need to stop a revolt from happening!"🤣

The owners had a long talk with their son and daughter in-law who finally acknowledged she had a problem.  Somehow it all got resolved, she got a brand new job and the last I heard was still working at the same place after many years odor free.👏

Amazing.  And all because of the very excellent tact I used...😂💥

Why Dandelions Should Matter...

I would rather see one brave dandelion flaunting its little bright yellow banners in the chill of an early spring wind, than a hothouse of perfect red roses.

Once when I was being interviewed for a magazine about my life and art, I shared the above quote with the reporter, who was so taken with not only the quote, but what he described as all this enthusiasm and optimism he said I had which he felt was very refreshing.

Alec had only been told I was a unique artist when assigned the interview.  Well, to Alec most artists are unique anyway, so he didn't think much of it.  That is until he met me discovering I was a artist AND a Little Person.  So immediately he became very intrigued.🤔

First, enthusiasm and optimism go hand in hand.

Yet what exactly ARE they?

From the book, "A Touch Of Wonder," Arthur Gordon says, "The enthusiastic person has the capacity for generating excitement.  They respond to the stimuli of life not only with their five senses and brain but with their emotions as well.  They feel things...care.  And as they care they are ALIVE."

"This is why the display of enthusiasm is such an endearing and contagious thing because it has optimism in it."

Alec knew as a Little Person I surely had so MANY challenges to deal with in every capacity of life and was very keen to know how I came to have the amount of enthusiasm and optimism he encountered.  You see until Alec shined a spotlight on this I hadn't realized my exuberant way of living was unique.  I had assumed most everyone were also living their lives this way or trying to.  

I told Alec I had learned from my challenges one should have what I call a "gratitude attitude," by focusing on the many things in our lives to be thankful for rather than a focus on what was wrong.  For in so doing we become a happier, far more appreciative person.

Then Alec asked to hear about my journey.  Like what carved me into who I was.  By this time I had just had my third spine surgery where I had to learn to walk again for the second time.  And soon after had to be hospitalized on a Pediatric Oncology ward for a bone marrow treatment.  Then I touched on my childhood which was a very difficult one.  

As Alec was there to focus on my art I then shared how I was the youngest artist to be represented by a art gallery at that time, showing him the work he wanted to see most which is of course...ahem, horses.🤣

And obviously that led us to my own horses.

"OH MY GOSH!  You have horses?!!  And you RIDE them?!!  How...HOW do you get ON them?"🤣

For two hours we talked discussing my Art, Theatre Set Design work and what they meant.  Then my piano playing, my seven horses, hopes and dreams.

Alec again returned to seeking more insights into how such a young talented very physically challenged person still managed to attain so much optimism.

I gave this some thought for a moment, then shared with him how in "A Touch Of Wonder," Mr. Gordon also described an encounter he had on the beach with an old Rabbi friend early one morning.  

The Rabbi picked up a shell and held it up exclaiming with excitement, "Oh look!  The sun is shining from within it!"  

"You see Mr. Gordon saw shells all the time yet never saw the wonder in them before the way the Rabbi did, and he saw how this applied to everything.  He realized, '"One who has an awareness for the gifts and wonders of life with appreciation and enthusiasm, somehow always manages to rise above their tough challenges without inwardly becoming dragged down by them."'  And this describes myself and the way I strive to rise above my challenges."

"Wow, Adelaide.  You have shown ME so much today!"

Alec went on to write a very lovely article using my dandelion quote and referring to me as "that one brave talented little dandelion flaunting her shining banners against the blowing winds of life."  This article received many letters conveying how the piece about this particular artist had quite an impact upon them.  I was profoundly touched.🙂

The gifts of enthusiasm and optimism are meant to be shared my dear ones.  For when you share these gifts with one, just even one, they will touch others and so it goes like ripples in the water spreading out more and more than you can ever imagine.🐎💕🐎

The Magic...

Sometimes if we just put ourselves out there the most amazing things can be ours to treasure.

Since the 1800's if one has a way with horses here in Kentucky they are referred to as having "The Magic."  Today this is now often referred to as one being a "horse whisperer."

Without a doubt I knew there was Magic between my horses and I but it wasn't until I met Secretariat and shown in a very extraordinary way I really had Magic with other horses too.  Even very famous ones.

Secretariat was indeed a racing legend, winning the 1973 Triple Crown of American horse racing shattering records in all three of the Triple Crown races that year.  However it was the way he won the Belmont that made him a legend.  He won by an astounding 31 lengths!  It was unbelievable then and still is now, for quite often horse races are won by noses and necks.  Not an astounding 31 lengths!

After Secretariat retired from racing he came to the beautiful Claiborne Horse Farm in Bourbon County Kentucky.  Many MANY came to see him through the years before he became seriously ill in 1989 with the extremely painful hoof inflammation disease known as laminitis and had to be put down.  So at age nineteen Secretariat galloped away leaving all who loved him in his dust a final time. 

Several years after he retired my NYC friend Annie and 

I made the journey to see him one day.  About twenty others were there too and we got in line.  A semi-retired staff member was there to make sure all went well. 

And he really needed to be there this day for Secretariat did not appear in any mood to have visitors come to his stall.  He was throwing his ears back and trying to take a bite out of each person who stood before him hoping to just touch him!

My turn came.  Suddenly he pricked his ears forward immediately leaning over his stall door, then lowered his head to my level!  I began stroking his forehead and rubbing beneath his cheekbones which horses love as he closed his eyes.  This is the moment when the staff member exclaimed in awe, "Why...you...you have The Magic!"

I could only nod as I had a huge lump in my throat and tears in my eyes because something very special was clearly happening here.

Since others were waiting to see Secretariat too I had 

to move on.  I whispered, "thank you," to him, kissed his forehead and slowly moved away.  

As soon as the poor lady next in line moved before him, he suddenly jerked his head up, threw his ears back and lunged trying to take a bite out of her, continuing to do the same with the rest. 

While Annie and I were trying to take in what had just happened we saw the staff person telling other Farm employees what he had just witnessed by pointing my way and exclaiming, "She's the one who has The Magic!  You should have seen it!"  

No one even mentioned I was a Little Person but only that I had The Magic!

It took Secretariat to show me in a most amazing way I not only had The Magic with my own horses but even with him.  And this was indeed a gift to be treasured.

When you put yourselves out there you will find a world awaiting you with bright treasures.  

And sweet, sweet Magic too!🐎💫

The Grand Finale...

Years ago my beloved horse Patches and I made "The Ride" of a lifetime with one hell of a grand finale...😂

When Patches and I successfully arrived at the Danner Farm with all the media people in tow after completing the ten mile Ride I relaxed as soon as we turned into the gate proceeding along the tree lined lane knowing we made it.

Mr. Danner raised and showed miniature horses.  As soon as one entered the lane was a pasture with many of them.  

For the first time in Patches life during The Ride he encountered the police who escorted us, media, loud trucks, two bridges, and many along our journey who came out to applaud us, and he did beautifully.🐎😃🐎

So I relaxed you see, assuming there was nothing else which could possibly frighten Patches.  However one must never ever make assumptions with horses for they are very good at suddenly surprising one.  And Patches did just that while the cameras were still rolling.🥴

The group of miniature horses were so excited to see this new horse they came charging up to the fence neighing.  LOUDLY neighing.  

It had never occurred to me that Patches becoming frightened by his own species would be a cause for concern.  So at the precise moment I relaxed Patches suddenly leap-twisted sending me flying high through the air!😱

Remember my blog on aplomb?  Aplomb is when one who rides horses and may fall off at times, can show others how talented they are by the way they have learned to perfect this event.  

After a brief moment of ground contact first there follows this very smooth, fluid movement of keeping going until one is successfully standing again as if one had intended to perform the whole amazing feat on purpose.😂 

So with my considerable aplomb finesse I was able to successfully perform this amazing feat with a very smooth, fluid landing on my feet (eventually) single event.  And delivered a smile too!😃

However this was not quite the grand finale we all expected.  

Thankfully I was allowed to remount Patches, who by then had become acquainted with his miniature horse fans, and we did the coming through the gate arrival scene again in a much quieter, more dignified way.😊

Later though much to the delight of our adoring public by then, the original grand finale fall off Patches with aplomb was shown in a bloopers segment with all the many other bloopers we managed to accumulate of that one very amazing smooth event showcasing my "talent" for eventually landing back on my feet.  And yes, with the smile too.😃

So remember, keep to the bright side my dear ones, for you always land back on your feet.  

Uh...eventually.🤣

               Patches at two soon after The Ride