We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
We have been so grateful in 2022 to see the return of so many of our overseas friends and guests! We had missed our international crowd throughout the travel restrictions. It really felt like we were back to normal with our diverse mix at the ranch. We had a very successful year, though not without trial. We hope you are also looking back at 2022 with a smile.
The guest ranch was busy this summer with a long, full season of fabulous guests. The horse herd was amazing and we were very pleased with everyone’s performance throughout the season. We had awesome interns this year and have been so proud of all of our staff as well. It was hot and dry this summer but fortunately not too smoky. We’ve welcomed in a long cold winter with some wonderful snowpack so far. We hope that this will heal the lack of groundwater that was suffered last season. Three days prior to Christmas we got to enjoy some balmy Arctic weather, feeding hay and caring for the horses in -40 degrees. Christmas day is supposed to be almost 40 Fahrenheit, an 80 degree swap!
Zack was supercharged through 2022 on housebuilding. The home for Ben and Maria is coming along beautifully, and we hope they will be moving in by spring. He only took time off to stack hay and get involved in local politics. The home was bricked in throughout the summer and the fireplace all finished. Now they are finishing up the interior.
Patty was without rest as usual, managing the bookkeeping, bookings, kitchen, and watching grandkids. We have been encouraging her to get out and ride more, which was successful until our weather became very cold. She loved the clinics through the end of September, riding with Dave and Jody Ellis and Martin Black always inspires us all to keep improving. She has agreed to increase our staff here at the ranch for next year also, which we are all looking forward to.
Ben and Maria are doing well. Maria’s shoulder has healed and is getting back to it’s old strength. This year they were asked to be respite foster care for a little girl, Rosie, who will be 15 months old at Christmas time. It’s been a joy having her around, but we will not know for many months if Ben and Maria will be able to adopt her. Our prayers are that Rosie is able to be put in the place that is best for her, and we are grateful to have her here.
Tom and I have our hands full with Arthur and Sofia. They are both communicating more and more, and it’s so fun listening to their stories and interpretations of things. Arthur loves the sky and stars, and Minecraft. Sofia can’t get outside enough and is crazy about horses. Tom is doing well working at SoFi. Anna always wants to be out with the horses, and continues to improve at rehabilitating lameness.
Our friends and staff are doing good. Justi is in Mexico at Los Barriles teaching kite-surfing for the winter. Julia is taking care of lots of maintenance through the winter here. Kilian is keeping Zack supported on all his projects. Bridgid is hauling hay and feeding cows and horses and helping with the kids this winter. Maddie is caring for all the horses and going through the tackroom maintenance, stitching leather and building new headstalls this winter. It is looking like a long cold winter, but we are keeping busy and productive.
Merry Christmas to everyone and may you bring in 2023 with joy and good cheer!
~The Rocking Z Family and Crew
