Ever Wonder?

My painting done in acrylic was inspired by the night skies that bless my home in the winter. Often my husband and I stand outside and listen to the owls call to one another...their eerie call always leaves us speechless and in awe of all nature has to offer and question....at once we feel that we are part of a special private moment...Ever wonder how things come to be? Ever ponder the great mysteries of the universe? Ever wish the answer to your questions would be revealed? For all of time owls have represented wisdom and great mystery combined...my painting "Ever Wonder" gave me a chance to explore my many questions through the eyes of the owl himself...maybe the answers are as infinite as the night sky ~full of wonder and ever changing possibilities? I don't know...I am still wondering!

Living in Northern Ontario in a rural setting flanked by a lake on one side and bush on the other, I am often lucky enough to see the wolf in its' natural setting...however once they leave my view I am left wondering about what they do with their day and how they interact with their environment in general. I am curious about what they think about. This painting makes me think that they are much like us sometimes and that they must enjoy just taking in their surroundings and contemplating the beauty of it all. Every creature must have a place where they can find peace and contentment. In this painting I think my wolf has found her "good place" a place where peace washes over her and she realizes that all her struggles for survival each day are worthwhile and that she has a lot to be grateful for each day.

If you are interested in purchasing this piece you may contact me privately at jasandcrys@hotmail.com

"Constance"

There is something to be said for the love a mother has for her children. That feeling of caring and endearment seems to me to be something universal across all species whether they be human or animal... A mother's sole purpose is to protect and nurture her children and to be there when the rest of the world seems cold and uninhabitable. When all else in the world seems dark and cold a mother's love is something that all children in this world should have the blessing of depending upon to give them warmth and comfort. This painting was inspired by the love I feel that my own mother gave and continues to give to this day to my sister and I.

When I think of all the times that my own mother wrapped her love around us just like the mother Polar Bear in this composition I smile fondly and am brought back to a time when life was simple. As a child ( and now as an adult ) I could always go to her and know that no matter what was dark and scary in my life at the time; her arms around me would instill a feeling of safety and comfort. From the love and support she would give me by just wrapping her arms around me it would make everything okay. From there I could go forward and conquer the world and whatever demons I was dealing with at the time I could see clearer, more confidently and know that she "had my back" no matter what.

Polar Bears live in one of the most unkind environments known to mankind yet they thrive. What is it that continues to make this species continue to bring little ones into the world? Maybe those mother bears have learned the value of supporting their children and of being there in the moments that really count?...Theirs is an environment not unlike ours ~ full of coldness and harsh realities...the daily perils and challenges that all children must endure to become adults is daunting at least. However how many of us can say that we'd have made it in this world when things became tough without the love and constant support of our own mothers?

My own mother's name is "Constance" ...and she has lived up to the name that her mother gave her and shows my sister and I daily (even as adults) that she is a woman who can be counted upon for her consistency and undying love and support for us.... I could think of no better a name for this painting then "Constance" for it represents all she has ever been and continues to be to my sister and I ... I am honored to have been able to paint this composition and hope that you enjoy knowing about why I painted it on May 20 of this year ( my mother's birthday)...we may live hundreds of miles from one another however she is never far from my thoughts and I know that I am always in hers. I hope that I live up to the legacy that my mother has forged. She has taught me invaluable lessons about all that love can do. I hope to be able to follow in my own mother's footsteps in being able to give my own two daughters that place where all is right in the world and where they know that they are loved, supported and valued above all else in this world just as "consistently" as my mother did and continues to for my sister and I.

If you are interested in adding this very personal painting to your collection please feel free to inquire about purchasing at jasandcrys@hotmail.com

Kapuskasing Veterinary Committee Educational Opportunity For Horse Enthusiasts!

The Kapuskasing VSC would like to invite you to join us for an evening of education ....if you have any questions in regards to this seminar or suggestions for any others that you'd like to see in the up coming year (any livestock ideas welcomed) please feel free to contact me at 1-705-339-1017 or email your questions/comments/suggestions to jasandcrys@hotmail.com~ I look forward to hearing from you... Crystal Calbert, Chair Person Kapuskasing VSC



Horse Health and Management
Information Session

With Dr. Bob Wright
Lead Veterinarian, Equine and Alternate Species

THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008
7:00 pm
Civic Centre - Green Room
Kapuskasing

Free Admission

This information session will be of
interest to individuals involved in the
equine industry, including equine health
practitioners and equine facility
operators, as well as horse owners and
other horse enthusiasts.

Dr. Wright will address a number of
important topics including:
• Body Condition Scoring
• Weight Estimation
• Horse Nutrition
• Hay Production and Analysis
• ...and more!

Agricultural Information Contact Centre:
1-877-424-1300
E-mail: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca
Northern Ontario Regional Office:
1-800-461-6132
www.ontario.ca/omafra

What a Great Line Of Products!!!!

It is not often I endorse a product as you know however this line of products from an small Ontario based company is to say the least FANTASTIC! Have you ever had a horse who is has sensitive skin or just been looking for a line of products to heal and clean your horse that is made from natural ingredients? Well now we need look no further!

Equine Essentials makes a shampoo and conditioner which is safe for everyday use and will get your horse sparkling clean and shiny they are carried by all the major tack shops such as Greenhawk and Apple Saddlery . But that is just the beginning of the product line they offer. While down at the Uxbridge Horseman's Association Trade Show I encountered the helpful staff who run Equine Essentials and they introduced me to a wonderful product that they have created called "HEEL -IT" ....I have a horse who is very photosensitive (as many Paint Horses are!) and I tried this salve on her to soothe and heal her sunburn...I can not stop singing the praises of this ointment! I had tried many other "concoctions" without much success and not only did "HEEL-IT" soothe her burns it started to heal it at an impressive speed. The ingredients in "HEEL-IT" include vitamin E, Lavender, Tea Tree Oil and Geranium and the key here is that they are all in a vegetable base....so it spreads paper thin and absorbs into your horse's skin. Not only can you use this product on cuts, sores and burns but it is also useful in softening cracked heels. The surprise to it is that it does not attract dirt because it is not sticky and it can be used as a face enhancing shine for the show ring as well...talk about a product that does it all!

So the long and short of it is that I fell in love with this product as well as a number of other ones that I brought back from Uxbridge for our clients and us to try and wanted to re order them (because they were all great!)....and here is where I ran into a road block! Greenhawk and other reliable tack stores do NOT carry Equine Essentials whole line! So desperate to replenish my stores of shampoo, HEEL-IT and Stable Girl ( a great human shower gel!..) I contacted the owner of the company Joanne Cummings who was more than helpful in setting up an order of my favorite horse products for me over the phone....a service that was much appreciated ...as up here in the north when you find a good product it is often hard to replace it because of distance!

Equine Essentials Canada has a website that is well worth looking at if you are looking for a horse friendly line of products that smell great and work wonderfully to enhance the look and health of your horse friend. Learn about all the products they carry, about their uses and ingredients at http://www.flaxsheen.com/ You can also get a hold of Joanne Cummings at 1-800-269-0493 They accept all major credit cards and are very polite and helpful in helping you select the best product to suit your needs!

Thanks EQUINE ESSENTIALS and JOANNE CUMMINGS for everything, I am looking forward to continued success in using your products at home and in preparation for the show ring.....and I can hardly wait until my shipment arrives!

The first show of the season has come and gone. We travelled to New Liskeard, Ontario on May 26 to enjoy a show hosted by " The Temiskaming Pleasure Horse Club" and it turned out to be a great day for myself and our clients. I took our 3 year old Paint filly "The Key To Eternity" and she did very well for her first time out under saddle. As well as receiving a first in Open Showmanship and second in Open Halter Mares.

The TPHC has a variety of riding events for all levels of riders to compete in. The morning of the show sees the hunters into the ring and showcases the jumping talents of many local riders and the afternoon ushers in the western riders giving them a chance to compete in Halter and Showmanship classes as well as Western Performance classes such as Pleasure and Equitation.

As always this was an enjoyable trip for us. New Liskeard is about a 3.5 hour trailer ride for us however we rarely miss the opportunity to travel to this show as we can always be guaranteed to have well put together show to compete in.

Anna Sawiki (one of our boarders) showing her faithful 18 yr old mount "Chelsea Buns" did a great job securing a second in Showmanship and a third in Halter. She also competed in several Performance classes and shows a lot of improvement from last year! "Chelsea" has quite a bit of "go" for a pleasure ride however with a lot of perseverance on Anna's part she is well on her way to getting herself sorted out by the end of the season and we are really proud of this team's progress thus far!

Zoe Delaurier (one of our youth riders) did a fantastic job showing my grey filly to a first in Youth Showmanship. She nailed a flawless pattern with "Portia" and we couldn't have been happier for her. As a beginner in our stable she is really chalking up a lot of positive experiences on the road and we feel secure in the fact that she is ready to start showing her own beautiful paint mare "Payday Spree". She will likely be out at the next show on "Spree" her red dun tobiano mare.

Just a note to fellow equestrians in our area. ****If you have an event that you would like to tell us about that is horse related please submit it to us at jasandcrys@hotmail.com and we would be more than happy to add it to our "Event Calender" for free! Also if you attended this recent TPHC horse show and would like to post your experiences please share them with us! Anyone who would like more information on the TPHC events can check out their website at http://www.tphcon.com/ where you will be able to locate a complete list of dates and judges.

Look forward to seeing everyone out there this year at the shows! Good Luck to all our fellow competitors!

A Brand New Day!!!

So here we are thanks to Internet WebDezines! We would like to thank them for all of their hard work and I hope all of you who visit our site on a regular basis enjoy our "new look"! We sure do! Keep checking in with us here at Crystal Clear Stables for what is new and interesting in our area. We want to use this blog to encourage the Northern Horse Community to continue growing together. We will also use this area of our site to post interesting equine tidbits and training tips. We invite horse lovers of any age to take advantage of the opportunity to ask us any horse related questions of interest to them...we'll post the questions and the answers here....you can contact us anytime at jasandcrys@hotmail.com We look forward to hearing from you!

Crystal and Pascal