• I have many journals that sit on the shelf at home. They chronicle many aspects of my life. I love to look through them, enjoying the things I have written or the pictures there in. It is my hope that as you look through these pages, that you too will enjoy the things placed so lovingly here.
    It has been a journey that has seen me through many joys and a few heartaches. From the start of Crimson Chickadee and my growth as a person and as a photographer. From the realization that how many fans I have on my facebook page does not merit my worth, to the swelling in my heart as I hit publish to a post that I know will mean so much to the intended recipient.
    I hope you join me often, with a good cup of coffee, and enjoy these pages as much as I do creating them.

    {hugs}
    Nicole

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Category Archives: Sage Hill Stable

First Lesson | This Life Remembered | Wainwright Lifestyle Photography

Thursday, February 10, 2011

She loves horses. She could spend hours with them. There have been times when we have gone out to the corral and she has sat on “mommy’s horsies” until mommy was so cold she could not feel her fingers anymore…but she could have stayed for who knows how much longer.

She loves mommy’s friend Sherry. One time last year she was so excited to see her she ran as fast as her little legs could go, proclaiming as she jumped into Sherry’s arms,  “Sherry! I thought I lost you!” They are the best of buds.

Today she was lucky enough to get to go riding, have pizza for lunch and spend time with Sherry.

And since Sherry is one of my closest friends…AND she has a great big, brand spankin new arena…I am going to tell you to go here….SAGE HILL STABLE and check her out.

It’s cold out here….Come on Beauty!

Oh Beauty…I love you…

How about you do it…

Ummm Sherry…I don’t think this step is high enough.

I don’t know about this Sherry. Does my mom know you have me in a western saddle?

As we drove away I heard her sigh from the backseat. I turned to look at her, asking her what was up. She leaned her head against the side of her carseat and looked at me with those sparkling eyes, saying “I’m happy mom”

Me too Dolly. Me too.

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The unthinkable…

Thursday, August 12, 2010

The unthinkable is what Sherry calls it. I agree with her completely.

Last Friday strong winds and possibly a twister took its furry out on the roof of my dear friend and owner of Sage Hill Stable’s arena. The tin was stripped off the roof, exposing the rafters. Jumps were moved 30 feet and large trees broken.  A horrible occurrence but thinking on the positive side…no people or horses were hurt.

But…

the Alberta weather was not finished taking its toll on Sage Hill Stable. Tuesday night we had terrible storms and rain. Over an inch of rain. With no protection on the insulation things got worse.

Slowly throughout the day on Wednesday the roof began to sink. It pulled the walls down with it and late in the afternoon the rafters could take no more. As Sherry sat and watched it slowly sink to the ground…heartbreak sets in. I remember when she built the arena 5 years ago…the exhaustion that was so apparent on her and her families faces. It is her life. She has put her heart and soul into it. I wanted so desperately to snap my fingers and for the whole thing to be fixed and full of riders again. While we are surveying the damage later in the afternoon there is still insulation floating in the air…like snow. She states with distress in her voice that her and her dad blew in all 621 bags of that insulation. We look at the insulation covering the footing and sit in silence.

Thankfully she has insurance. Adjusters have been out and clean up is set to start in the next few days.

If you see Sherry or her family around town..please stop and give them an encouraging word..and perhaps a great big hug. For those of you who are wondering if you can help you can email me and I will forward your message on to Sherry.

As you drive in the yard you are confronted with a view of the arena. Normally a beautiful view…it does not look so now.

The opposite side of the arena.

Stating the obvious…

Light that would normally get my photographer’s blood pumping seems so strange and out of place.

My first thoughts were…Do not enter at A!  For all of you non-dressage riders this is where we enter the ring while riding a test.

There is no riding the rail here…

This jump looks so lonely sitting here like this…I think it tells the story well.

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