ultimate horse woman

remember this post?

well i picked up the quilt last week and the recipient should receive it today, thanks to fed ex. as promised i will tell you more about the person who inspired this quilt.

her name is priscilla. and she lives in new mexico around the bend from my parents. i first met priscilla when i was 17, my parents had just bought a house in galisteo, which is about 20 miles outside of santa fe, and we were there for a fall weekend. my brothers and i were out walking around the village, getting the lay of the land. when we approached priscilla's house, i immediately noticed that she had a riding arena, huge barn and horses. before i knew it, i was walking through her front gate towards the horses. i know, i was trespassing, but it was like showing a small child candy and then telling them they cant have it, they can just look it. the pull of horses was too strong to resist. before i knew it, this strong voice demanded to know what i was doing on her property? and before i could answer, she said i was on private property and told me to leave. from that moment on, every time i went by her house i was terrified she was going to come out and yell at me.

flash forward 10 years, my parents have moved to a bigger house, are living in galisteo full time and have become friends with priscilla. i have no doubt that she knows all about my brothers and i, as well as my love of horses. we are all home for christmas and mom tells us that we are going to priscilla's christmas party, christmas afternoon (it is a very big gathering with lots of fabulous food). i am more than a little nervous about officially meeting priscilla and wonder if she knows that i am the girl, now grown up, who wandered on to her property to see her horses. she could not have been more gracious and acted like she had known me all my life. we instantly connected over our deep love of horses.

from that moment on she was no longer the woman who scolded me all those years ago, but was family. i always look forward to seeing her when we go home. while she has had a huge impact on me, she has touched my precious husband in a way that i can not describe. he absolutely adores her. we are fortunate to have several of her pieces of art and anytime some one new comes to the house, he tells them about her, her work and shows them her book. it is so endearing. but i think what moved him the most was her love, words and support after cooper died. we got a lot of emails and cards during that time, but the thoughts and words she shared with us, have stayed with us.

we were talking one day about how we could thank her for all that she has done for us, especially making 100 cooper candles. we are at a loss, and then i saw the heather ross equestrian themed fabric and decided i would make her a quilt. i knew she would appreciate the fact that it was handmade, but would who better to love the horse fabric than the ultimate horse woman!

a small gift for a woman who has shared her heart and soul with us so that our hearts could heal and who has touched our lives in more ways than she knows.