Pony Penning

So ..... the husband and I have thoroughly enjoyed our week with the boys away at Messiah Camp. Raiding the local convenience store in the middle of the night for snacks we don't need ... roaming aimlessly through the mall browsing with out having to say "no you can't have that", "stop touching everything" and stuff like that. It has been a really welcomed quiet week. We even kenneled our beautiful Shiloh and stole away to the beach for an overnighter.

We were trying to decide what to do this week, and we came to two choices ... either head to the mountains of West Virginia and Black Water Falls to relive a childhood memory, or head east to Chincoteague Island to see the ponies run. Being the beach bum that I am, we weighed heavily on the East.

Chincoteague Island is a wildlife refuge at the Southern most tip of the DelMarVa peninsula ... a very picturesque four hour drive from our home. It is commonly known for the wild ponies that freely roam the beaches year round. What a photographic opportunity ..... and ..... it's the beach. Win/Win!

So Wednesday morning, we through an over night bag in the truck and off we went.

Now, I had read on the "official" Chincoteague website that there was a penning Wednesday and Thursday. I understood that the ponies would swim across the channel from Assateague Island over to Chincoteague Town, some would auctioned and then there would be the swim back. That would be something cool to see.

Well ........ as it turns out, my husband and I would be the only two people, of the 40,000 in attendance, who were unaware of just how big of a deal this little event is! Good thing we learn quick! The biggest lesson is that 40,000 on a small island is CRAZY CROWDED!!!!!

Sadly, the intended purpose .... seeing and photographing the wild ponies on the beach did not happen ... but, man, did we have an awesome time! And .... we will be back .... just not on a penning weekend! :)

There are no life altering lessons in this post ... just a genuine good time in the sun ... however, when I got home I saw a funny thing on facebook. The quote said "Life is not lost in dying. It is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the small uncaring ways"

What an awesome reality check!

Soooooo .....

Marking the seconds, caring uninhibited, loving unconditionally and choosing to dream enormous dreams without limitations .....

Kalena Living