A Blank Canvas

I can't tell you how many nights I spend here at the ranch sitting on the front deck and just stargazing. I am totally in awe of this world we live in.

It makes me wonder what it was like before creation: When it was a blank canvas. Dark, I bet. And suddenly there was light. Every great painting and every great artist comes from that creation. Without it, nothing exists.

I see the miracle of creation everyday here at the ranch. You only need to look at the animals to realize just how uniquely each was created for its role here on earth: Reindeer are so well insulated that they can literally lie down in the snow without melting it! They even have a nose designed to warm the air as they breathe it in. Camels do just the opposite: They actually store moisture from the air in their nostrils so they can cool and hydrate the air they breathe. They store fat in their humps so when there are hard times, it breaks down to provide nourishment and hydration. Now you tell me, who could have come up with that? Amazing.

On September 6, Windswept Ranch will provide an opportunity for your child to get creative on a blank canvas: We will be painting ponies! The kids will work with washable paints to create unique works of art, and then we will have a pony parade. Painting will happen at 10:30, 12:00, 1:30 and 3:00. There will be a materials fee of $3 per child. We will only have 3 – 4 ponies available to paint and there will only be 4 kids per pony, so a limited number of opportunities will be available. You can call ahead to be put on the list, or come on by and hope there is a spot open. This is an opportunity for the kids to share a unique experience and we hope you will come on out.

The idea of sharing these special animals and teaching about their uniqueness gets me so excited. The non-profit, The Animal Education Center at Windswept Ranch is the perfect vehicle to do this. The volunteers are amazing, but there are way too few. We talk a lot about how to get more volunteers, but seem to have no luck doing it. The educational tours are a lot of work. It is not just the teaching part. It is the cleaning and getting ready for the public every Saturday at what is basically my little working ranch. We debate whether or not we can even keep it going, and I think the consensus is that it will take a small miracle to make it happen.

But here at Windswept, I have only to look out the window to see a miracle, so I know it is possible.

We are open Saturdays through October from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Come on out. Call for more information at (661) 809-3965.