"Seasons at the Stable"
Claire Wilson
Hawthorne Elementary PTA
Salt Lake City, UT

Read This Artist's Statement

Seasons at the Stable
My favorite place is the stables

In autumn when the leaves have fallen it makes the trails beautiful.
A blanket of cherry red, yellow and gold like a bright marigold.
The breeze nips at me playfully.
It makes me want to fly away with the birds.
Leaves crunch under my pony's hooves.
It sounds like someone chewing cereal.

In the winter the sparkling snow makes the stables look like a Christmas card.
The evergreen trees are weighed down with snow.
Ponies race around the paddock, their breath frosting the air.
Everybody feels excited here!
Bundled up in my coat I waddle like a big penguin.

In spring the flowers burst open: Marigolds, daffodils, and crocuses.
Birds chirp merrily.
Sunshine warms the muddy path.
Snow melts, turning into slush.
Squirrels run along the trail. Rabbits bound through the woods
The ponies shed their furry coats.

In summer kids swim in the pond, laughing and screaming.
I wish I could jump in with them.
The ponies rest in the shade under the maple tree, swatting the flies with their tails.
Some graze in the fields snipping at the grass like scissors cutting paper.
Others come up to me and nicker for apples.
I stroke their hot necks and think "what a beautiful place."

My favorite place is the stables.