Ranch Landing
Before leaving for Casari Ranch this morning, I dress in multilayers. As much as I love being outside spending time with the horses in their pasture as one of the herd. I don’t have hair all over my body to keep me warm and it’s 35 degrees out.
The name, Casari, is a blend of Casey’s and Ariana’s first name. Ariana, a dear friend, and mentor is one who wears many hats. She is the gold standard in the Horses as Healer field, an earth shaman wild woman, and general force of nature. Casey is her husband, kind, subtly funny and, always, always wearing a baseball hat, even at repose, with a little pouch of tobacco tucked away under his bottom lip. We have this thing about my missing items. “Looking for this?” he asks holding out a hat, a water bottle, a jacket, a packet of tea, you name it. I’ve left it!
Casari Ranch is on its 4th incarnation, moving from Valley Ford to Point Arena in 2015, back to Bodega in 2018, and finally Sebastopol in 2021. Each so different, so much beauty in every manifestation, so much creative energy to make them home.
I prefer to take the slower route via the streets outside the towns of Sonoma County, but I’m running borderline late. The freeway is faster but still quite scenic. We’re having what I would call a normal early spring, with enough rain to green-up the hills and the early budding trees like willows and acacia are leafing out. As I ease into light traffic, I shift into cruise control and concentrate on remaining present at the wheel while enjoying the drive, which has become a ritual in itself.
This never gets old. I pull onto the access road. The gate is open. I’m inching my way past the house as a cacophony of critters meets me. I grin, gently opening my car door even before I park in front of the guest house:
“Hey, Bitty, I guess Ariana must be around. Billy, Johnny, Buddy, Rocco, quit howling like I’m a stranger, you puppies act like you’ve never seen me before. Awww, Brookie, I forgot your treats again. Shoot! The soft spot of my heart opens a little more for the kitty with a crooked tail. Hello Chickens. Man, you all make a mess. I look forward to the chore/privilege of sweeping up again.
I yank on my rubber boots and as I walk from my car to the barn, I begin to open my senses full tilt. I once again, welcome the connection with my wise, intuitive animal body. One of the most cherished aspects of my involvement with SkyHorse EGE; is our rescue horses. My rescue horse Penny lives here. As I prepare to greet her, I begine to shed my accumulated defenses that have piled up from being back ‘in town’. Grateful that I feel safe enough here to do that.