Accountability

One thing that some people love, and some people hate, is the lack of accountability the internet provides.

To most people, the internet is a forum to post anonymously and say whatever you like. To post what you like. To perhaps write things you would never say out loud. To be "hidden."

Of course, this sense of security is false, especially when placed against those of us more experienced with ferreting out information.

However, the majority of people feel safe posting some pretty interesting things. Behaving differently than they would online. A whole world is out there where, if you're clever enough, you can be whoever and whatever you like.

Then the problems start. Where is the accountability? Even when those of us who are a bit more clever when it comes to unraveling the depths of the internet, HOW can we hold someone accountable for their words and actions?

Sometimes, we must go forth and dig up more information on someone. Or we have to continuously remind someone who has done something amiss that we as a community have *not* forgotten, will *not* forget.

Sometimes this is the *only* way for someone to be held accountable. If we allow it to "disappear" into the depths of the internet, the person is allowed to wipe away bad deeds and proceed on, feeling justified in their neglect, because no one can "do" anything about it.

Will someone learn a lesson from it? 99% of the time, no.

But that 1%...that ONE PERCENT who stops and goes, "Man...I really did wrong. My behavior and attitude were wrong." THAT is what makes it worth it.

I've been online since nearly the beginning of easily acquired home based internet. I have "seen" many many things, been a part of a massive multitude of forums and chats, still am even!

I have seen that 1%. I have, in my time, BEEN part of that 1%. It's very hard to come back and say, "I was wrong."

But those who come back and do it are worth ten times the 99% in my eyes.

Body List

Now there's an interesting title?

Here us a list of current bodies I have available along with their discounted prices, as I am trying to liquidate standing stock. These prices are for the body AND the painting job!

If you are not sure what a body looks like, a quick look at Identify Your Breyer will help you, or ask me on my Facebook page.

Traditional Scale Models, normally $60 each

• 1 Phar Lap - $55
• 1 Stock Horse Stallion -$55
• 1 John Henry - $55
• 1 Ashley Foal - $25

Classic Scale Models, normally $40 each

• 2 Terrang - $30
• 1 Man o War - $30
• 1 Might Tango - $30
• 1 Mesteno's Mother - $30
• 2 Mesteno - $30
• 1 Johar - $30
• 1 Andualusian Mare - $30
• 1 Duchess - $30
• 1 Grazing Yearling - $25
• 1 Mesteno's Foal - $20
• 1 Mustang Foal - $20

Misc

• 1 German Shepherd Dog - $20
• 1 Cat Medallion - $20

You can contact me via email, my Facebook page, or DeviantArt to order. I still offer any mold/model I can easily get, as well as many non-Breyer models. Just let me know what you're looking for!

Let Go

Let go. Do it. Try it out. You'll thank me.

Many of us, including myself, have a hard time doing so. We hold on tight to a multitude of things, be they fear, anger, worry, desperation. We hold onto material things. We hold onto relationships. We hold onto things that we do not need to be holding onto.

We hold on because we care too much. And in the end, it will only bring about our own demise, as we fight so hard for others.

Stop worrying. Yes, it's hard. You can tell me, but I *have* to worry about this. No. You don't. You can think, you can plan, you can analyze, problem solve. Don't *worry* about it. Worrying over things is no different than a dog gnawing ineffectively on a bone. Are you making a dent? Not ususally.

Stop being angry. Let it go. What good does it do *you* to be angry at someone? As a wise person once said:

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.  ~Buddha

 Makes sense, doesn't it? What harm befalls the person/object/situation if you are *angry* at it? Nothing. It only harms you. Again: think, analyze, plan, solve.

Stop being afraid. This one even I struggle with, if you can believe it. I am afraid of several things, things that are a different level. If I allowed it, fear would overcome my life and render me useless. So, when I can, I let go of fear. If I can do it, you can. Will it be easy? It never is.

Stop trying to fix everyone around you. Stop trying to save everything around you. These ones I fight with the most. Too often I feel called to save one more thing, one more animal, one more person. I put myself on the line for them. I expend energy, both physical and mental, in efforts to "rescue" one more soul.

We cannot save everyone and everything. We must learn to let go when it is appropriate. We must remember that *we* come first. It is *not* your responsibility to make everyone around you happy. The only person that you can truly influence on your own is yourself. The other person must *choose* to change themselves. Sometimes we can help. Often times...we cannot.

So let go. Remove the burden from your shoulders, even for just a little while.


**Note**


You'll notice the new addition of a "Donation" button. I have added it in the hopes of offsetting some of the running costs of everything I do and use to continue my work, be it online, web design, art, farm, etc. No one ever needs to donate, but it is welcome.


Thanks! -Epona

Short Story - Wings

Wings

It was over. My enemy had won.

I fell from my domain and lay on the ground, breathing slowly. I could feel my mortal wound draining my life, and could do nothing but wait for the end. I could not call out to my family. My friends. Were they nearby? Had they left me for dead already?

The pain was ebbing and my eyes grew dark. I knew that death would soon take me and I resisted. This was not the way I wanted to die, overthrown by someone I had known my whole life.

I fought to stay conscious, desperate. What could be worse than dying, laying in the dirt, alone.

A shadow fell over me. My time had come. Fear stabbed my heart, when suddenly I was enveloped by warmth. I felt as if I was lifted from the ground, surrounded by smooth curtains of safety.

I took a deep breath, astounded. It was true then, what all the strange ones claimed. There was something, something at the end.

I was wrapped in comfort. I was protected from all. I was not alone. I closed my eyes, and I accepted it.


         *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *


The young girl looked sadly at the tiny bird that lay in her hands. She stroked the wing feathers, then left, taking it with her, to seek a burial place.

Not Enough Negativity?

Anyone who reads my blog knows what a big supporter I am of positive thinking, and how I implement it in my own life.

But is too much positive thinking a negative thing?

Sure, it sounds like a contradiction, but I had a bit of a revelation that has been brewing in the back of my mind, and connected it with other things I believe to bring you this new blog post.



I live with my husband and brother. Both are bull-headed young men with a lot of attitude. Most of the time they get along great, but sometimes they butt heads. During these times, I've learned to step away. Yesterday was one of those days, and frustrated and angry with their apparent inability to get along, I walked away and took a stroll down the road for a bit.

While I was walking along, I was angry at them, and upset that I didn't have a "normal" family like others do. A moment later, I was overcome with self-loathing for my thoughts. How dare I think such things. How dare I be ungrateful for what I have.

Shocked at my own thoughts, I stopped and rolled back the thoughts I was having. Was it wrong to be upset? Was it wrong to be angry?

No. No, it's not wrong.

It's OKAY to be angry/sad/upset over something. It's OKAY to wish for better. If we did not, how would we ever move forward in our lives? Strive for a brighter future?

If anyone ever tells you that YOUR problems are not "problematic" enough, that you don't have the right to be upset/sad/angry, then they are not worth your time.

It's when those feelings overwealm your good sense and prevent you from moving forward that they become a problem.

And with a new found sense of stability, I resumed my walk, heading home.

Recipe Post - Vinegar Cheese

Today we have, as promised, a cheese recipe! This is a very simple easy to make soft cheese. You can make it with whole cow's milk, or as I prefer, goat's milk.

Ingredients:
1/2 gallon milk
1/4 cup vinegar
Salt
Herbs/Peppers/Seasonings/Fruit (optional)

To start, we heat our milk. You'll need a candy thermometer that clips onto the side of the pot. I like a stainless steel pot. SLOWLY heat the milk on direct heat. You want it to slowly rise to 175 degrees F.

 

Once the milk is at the proper temperature, remove from heat and slowly stir in your vinegar. The milk should almost immediately begin to change. Cover and let sit for at least 15 minutes, and no more than 20 minutes. 

After 15 minutes, uncover and take a look. You should have curds and whey! The whey is the yellow liquid left after the curds have formed. Gently pour the mixture into a colander lined with quality cheese cloth or muslin. Certain linens also work excellent for this. Tie the curds up and hang them to drain for around 2 hours. The leftover whey can be used to make other types of cheeses or fed to dogs, pigs, or chickens.

Once your cheese has hung, remove it from the cheese cloth into a container. From here, you have free rein! You can mix in whatever seasonings you like, or peppers, onions, garlic. Even fruits to make it into a sweet cheese. You can crumble it, or press it into a block. Once mixed, you refrigerate it, where the flavors will meld together.

This cheese is good for 7-10 days in the refrigerator.

PSA: Turtles

A good reminder to us all.

As you drive along this spring and summer, please watch out for our reptilian friends! As the season progresses, turtles, snakes, and lizards will be on the move, looking for new homes, mates, and places to lay eggs.

Please avoid running them over when safely possible. They are apart of our world, even if you are not fond of reptiles.

Do not take risks to move a turtle or other creature off the road unless you are safe. Turtles, lizards, and snakes all can bite!

Use a long stick or pole to gently prod a snake into crossing a road when safe. Pick up turtles, staying out of reach of their heads, and put them on the side of the road they are pointed. Use a pole or stick on lizards as well.

Whatever you do, do not pick up the reptile and take it home with you. While turtles, snakes, and lizards make marvelous pets, the place to get them is not from the road. They belong in the wild and are an important part of our ecosystem. Do not bring turtles home and release them somewhere "safe" either. Most reptiles, especially turtles, are adapted specifically for their own territory. When taken somewhere new, they often will try very hard to return home, perishing in the attempt. Snakes and lizards tend to fair better in these circumstances, but turtles need to stay "home."

Keep an eye out and be safe!

Insecurities

Most of you who "know" me, or read my blogs, probably believe that insecurity is not likely one of my character flaws. (Arrogance, on the other hand..)

And most of the time, you'd be correct. I am not insecure in my self, or my knowledge, or where I stand. I am firm in my beliefs, in my wisdom, in my own body.

But you'll be interested to know that even I struggle with insecurity on some level.

For me, it's the concept of change. I don't like it. I even fear it.

When change enters my life, it throws things out of whack. And so I abhor it.

You see, I operate on a rhythm, a schedule, a routine. I like things done a certain way, a certain order, each and every day. So when a change comes through or is being considered, things are not "my" way, and it can be difficult.

Yes, it sounds a bit spoiled, but routine is what grounds me to life. We are all different, and while this is a flaw in my build, I feel no shame for it, as you should not either.

So how do I deal with change? The same way I deal with everything. I take time to think about it. I weight the pros and cons of an upcoming change. I work through the details in my head until I am satisfied. And then I accept it. Of course, this works best with planned change. Unexpected change is far more difficult. In those cases I am working through it on the fly, improvising as I go along, until things settle back down and my routine rebuilds itself.

So that is my insecurity and how it is dealt with. Just about anything you are afraid or insecure about can be handled in a similar fashion. Take a step back and take control away from it. When you let fear or insecurity control your life, you are giving the reins over to irrationality and closing your eyes to what may come.

What are you insecure about? How do you deal with it now? Can you deal with it better?