Bee-Attitude: 3/2/14 Arts and Midnight Forest Chapter II

In my last post the painting of Ruby and Rain, parents of Midnight Forest was done by my niece, Kathy. She is quite a talented artist specialized in pictures of animals. I wanted more pictures for Midnight Forest story but Kathy was busy with her day job. Then a couple of weeks ago, I got an invitation on Facebook to attend a silent organized by artists to raise fund for a baby named Leni to fight against Leukemia. The event was close to my home so I went to check it out. There were two art pieces that I liked: one is a print of painting of a tiger under a bush of beautiful pink Chibese peony flowers; the other a print picture of a window glass reflection of a horse and trees by an artist named Forest Podrait. I placed bids on both but could only get the one with the horse, which is now perfect to use with Emi’s Midnight Forest storybook. Chapter II will be the last one that I will publish for now on this blog. E-book will be available upon request in the comment section or via e-mail to Waneej@gmail.com. I will let every one know here when it is available.

Artist: Forrest Podrait

MIDNIGHT FOREST

II Growing Up and Work

As I grew older, my mother could leave me and went out to provide rides for children.

The chickens’ eggs were sold, the cows produced milk, and calf was born, the pigs had piglets and were sold to other farms, Rocky was put to work and Chester was for hacking and riding lessons.

Lilly soon became one of my friends. She always came to me with a banana. Sometimes Grace would give me bread..

One day, Chester had a male foal. It was a gray foal with a stocking marking. Lilly named him Stocking. He was curious on his first day outside, just like me.

After I was broken in, Lilly often rode me. Sundays and Tuesdays were the days that all the horses were in the barn. Rocky would be given treats for all his hard work. Lilly’s friends sometimes came over and rode me. But a few didn’t know how to ride. Lilly gave them treats to give to us, and sometimes Lilly was kind enough to peel the skin off a banana. The pig loved that because Lilly would throw the skin into the pigpen. Then they would gulp it down.

One day, I was put for riding lessons. The child was nine years old. She had ridden before, and known how to mount. After the lesson, Grace told me, “You did great, she’s coming back next week. Do you mind?” I didn’t mind because I like the girl.

Lilly came over and gave me a carrot. “How did Midnight Forest do?” She asked.

“Better than I thought.” Grace said. I walked closer to Lilly and she stroke me.

“You didn’t buck or rear or bite or…”

Grace cut off Lilly by saying: “Midnight Forest would never to that.”

The next year, Rocky, Rain and I went to the zoo to make horse rides. Each ride was six dollars and the path went in a circle then a straight line, a curvy pathway, over a hill and under large trees. Then over a bridge, an uncountable number of logs, and back to the start. It was tiring, but enjoyable.

Grace, the man, and Lilly were busy with us. So many people wanted to ride us that we had to close many times for a break. We went back home at 5:00 PM. Thanks to our breaks, we survived the twisty trails; I was very tired from our long day.

III. Life Changes

My life wasn’t spent all the time at the barn-Every time one foal was born a healthy adult would be sold. A foal was born this year so Grace told Lilly that I had to go.

“Midnight Forest will sell with the best price. She’s our healthiest.” Grace explained. I was worried I never see Lilly or Grace ever again. Lilly gave me an apple, but wasn’t looking happy.

“Mom’s going to sell you and Rain” she said, sounding disappointed.

A month later, I was sold to a rich man; he brought me to a big stable and gave me a good meal. I mated with a Shetland pony called Lightning.

The man treated his horses well, except for a few things. He overworked his workhorses and put bearing reins on his best horses, but good thing he had Saturdays and Sundays off. He treated his sick horses well, and took good care of the mares that were going to have foals like myself. I was relieved when I heard him say I would be used for riding lessons.

A year later, I had a foal-it was a brown colt with white legs; my mate and I called him Bright Star.

We were turned out into the meadow one day-it was spring, and my master was out riding while his wife and daughter were in the house. We were so happy running, and prancing that we didn’t realize that the sky was darkening. Suddenly, the air began to chill. Lightning and I went under the large, bushy apple tree for shelter. Bright Star followed. Lightning and I made a circle, and Bright Star came in it. It started to drizzle, and I saw other males and females came near us. Some males helped warm Bright Star.

All of the sudden, the rain showered the ground. I felt like I was lifted off the ground, along with Bright Star and Lightning. The other females and males were lifted along with us. Thousand of Pegasus horses and ponies circled us, and I saw Angels riding the Pegasus, blowing horns. I felt a golden bridle was being placed on me by a beautiful angel-Her hair was golden, braided with a flower string tying in it. She was wearing white dress; nothing Lilly or Grace would ever wear while working with a horse. Bright Star was right next to me. The Angel put a saddle on my back, and I saw my coat change from ordinary coat to my same coat, but shinier than I could ever imagine. Light blue Pegasus wings grew on all of us.

“What’s happening?!” I shouted.

“What do you think, none of us know!” A female shouted back.

Then finally, our feet touched the ground, but it was a new ground. I have to say that I loved it more than being in the stable or paddock-there was a sparkling stream that gave plenty of water to everyone. The ground was covered in grass and flowers. We were fenced and given to our new owners.