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A Life Blessed with the Magic of Animals and Writing
Like most born in my era, my family and my neighborhood worked hard to provide a religious foundation, inspiration toward achievement, and a sense of safety. I was fortunate they provided even more, something unique by the way they earned their living and where they choose to live. A native of the then rural San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, California, I enjoyed the best of both worlds: stability among farmers and ranchers, plus adventure among exiting people with exotic lives.
Surrounded by the magical world of carnivals, circuses, rodeos, and movie stables, I took my childhood for granted, learning how different it was only after reaching adulthood. Mr. Ed lived across the street, Lassie two blocks away. Gene Autry was my first boss -- at age eight -- hiring me to ride as a stunt double for "Calamity" in The Buffalo Bill Jr. television series, starring Dick Jones.
From each of these marvelous worlds, I learned the duality of splendor and hard work, that one cannot exist without the other. As we traveled on my father's carnival, we learned to improvise. When a cotton candy pan was lost in transit, we fashioned a new one out of aluminum foil. If a pony bridle broke, we repaired it with whatever was at hand. Tired after a day's work, we still sang as we traveled, still stopped to see the sunset or birds on a lake, and thus learned to be happy in the face of change. But most of all, I learned to make friends in each new place and to appreciate the customs of others. We spent the Chinese New Year in Chinatown, made sno-cones on cold nights for sweating Native American Dancers in full regalia and sampled the cuisines of a host of nations.
I never doubted magic. How could I? My father's best friend, a ventriloquist, made it seem like little people were stuck in a drain pipe, calling to me to let them out. Lassie barked a greeting as I passed each morning on my way to school. The palomino that nuzzled my hair each afternoon was adored by millions, who wondered how he "talked." My movie hero came to life and rode beside me through a western movie town.
Magic included books and animals, especially horses. I've always been in close communication with animals. They understand me as well as I understand them. Neighborhood cowboys joked I learned to walk when I fell off. That may be true. I rode my first pony as soon as I could sit up. My mother claimed I was reading by three years of age. It is not surprising most of my reading involved animals. Books were places where I could hide behind the letters, which formed a barrier others could not overcome. Once inside my book, it became an adventure. I was the hero, the villain, the daring explorer.
For nearly three decades, I trained horses professionally. During this time, I also earned a degree in journalism. When I began to write, it was natural to incorporate my two loves into one, creating my world anew. My writing has encompassed many facets, from investigative journalism to creative nonfiction, fiction and travel writing. Endowed with many passions, my writing has an eclectic mix of subjects.
Both my writing and my animals remain an integral part of my life. Along with horses, I've continued my enjoyment of friendships with a wide variety of animals, including the exotic. My home is shared with several of them, with new volunteers appearing often. The current count is a mere eight, but in the past, it has been in the high double digits . I've enjoyed every one of them and every minute spent with them.
From the very first day, the Internet has felt like home, a place filled with wonder, magic and adventure, yet offering a solid path to success in any chosen field. It seems I have returned to the land of my youth after all, a feat few accomplish. This site is my thanks to the people who filled my childhood with both awe and practicality -- and an invitation to join me in celebrating life.
Lore
