Man. Horse. Dog. Forage.

For me, there is no better day that one spent on horseback, trail riding with Felipe, our dogs bounding ahead in search of iguanas and rabbits. Add food to the mix and you have Abby’s perfect day (a glass a wine and it’s my nirvana). This weekend we trekked up the mountain for bonetesBonetes are wild papayas, and are my second favorite foraged fruit, they taste like apricot custard. They are messy fun to eat because the flesh is really mushy and sticky. They are loaded with seeds, and I find the best way to eat one is to scoop up a blob with your fingers, as if you were eating poi, suck the flesh from the seeds, and spit the debris. We then make our way to the watering hole to destickify ourselves, before the flies swarm us.

Felipe, Tasha and Jake.

We have also been eating Juan temprano this month, a succulent similar to purslane. It has very little flavor, but is prolific and grows right outside my door. It is dark green, so I have decided it must be loaded with nutrients, and throw it in everything: eggs, salsa, salads and stir-fries. Continue reading

My Kingdom for a Horse

An excerpt from my upcoming memoir

When I turned thirty I figured I had better decide what I wanted to do with my life. At the time I was working in an art gallery and making art. My life was good, but I was not satisfied. I knew there was something missing, actually, there were many things missing but I knew what I really needed was that thing that Joseph Campbell calls “your Bliss”. In my heart, for years, I had known it was horses. It is embarrassing to admit that your greatest ambition in life is to have a horse. Other people’s goals and dreams seem loftier, less selfish, more terrific. At thirty I finally fully embraced my purpose, I just wanted a pony.

I’d had a horse when I was a little girl. My relationship with my pony Bobablu, was one of the most influential of my childhood. To mount bareback an 800 lb. animal and run at full speed into the wild makes a profound impact an eight year old girl. He made me strong and brave, he trusted me, and I trusted him. He forgave my errors and was comforting. I loved him, the love was real, it took me a long time to have love like that again. True love.

Owning a horse is not as simple as it may sound. Continue reading