Meeting (a) Legend

Wagon ho and away we go! For our first night out on our trip to New England, we boondocked at the Aspire Ranch in Merrill, WI. What a beautiful, serene Harvest Host experience. Owners Kristin and Adam warmly welcomed us and led us to our parking site for the evening. Just outside our door we were greeted by three of their “kids,” namely Digger (a palomino quarter horse), Bella (a Friesian mare) and Gus (a Belgian gelding). In the distance, we saw their donkey and miniature horse. However, the best was yet to come.

Kristin proudly introduced us to Legend, featured at the top of this post. He’s a two-year old Shire stallion. The Shire breed is the largest breed in the world; it is a British breed of draught horse. The breed is endangered with only 4,000 Shires remaining worldwide. Legend is currently 17.3 hands and will grow to somewhere between 19-20 hands in the coming years. His girth will expand in kind, likely doubling.

What a majestic creature Legend is! Skip and I watched Kristin leading him in training exercises. What a thrill that was for me especially as a horse lover. As a teenager in horse years, Kristin commented that Legend’s attention span was quite brief. She expertly corrected, affirmed and coached him. Kristin will wait to ride him until he is five, fully grown, and well trained. Carrying a saddle is part of his training to grow accustomed to the feeling and weight. Legend will help the breed to continue as a mature stallion when he is sold as a stud.

In addition to caring for their four-legged “kids,” Kristin and Adam also host a marvelous antique shop inside a one room, bright red school house. The quaint building apparently has been moved several times up and down the nearby road, but Kristin promises it will remain on their ranch. The eclectic sundries inside did not disappoint. Several unique antiques each had a story Kristin shared. We purchased a few items, including a locally made candle with a wooden wick. I selected the scent “flannel shirt” given Skip’s love of a good flannel shirt.

A two mile walk along a quiet country road enriched our morning today. The leaves are beginning to turn, splashing autumn colors through the surrounding landscape of the tree-lined local farms. Hay bales punctuated the fields, waiting to be stored for winter. The crisp air and the quiet of the country filled me with a deep sense of well-being. As we finished our hike, Skip picked up a small (RV sized!) pumpkin at the neighboring farm’s pumpkin patch. What a lovely reminder it will be of our visit to the Aspire Ranch as we continue our travels to New England.

We’ve settled for the night at a campground in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The drive was beautiful through Wisconsin. Groves of thick sumac decorated the state highway with a vibrant magenta fringe. Brilliant sugar maple red and orange tree tops hovered between tall pines against a clear blue sky. Driving along the northwestern tip of Lake Michigan was a delight. God’s creation is something to behold!