Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary

07/11/2024

Seeking shade...

07/05/2024

Summer gives us a break from the labor intensive work of the winter months. In winter, the horses living here at our sanctuary need hay (forage) in front of them 24/7. When summer rolls around, we rely on green pastures to provide the herd with what they need. And not buying or giving hay also gives us time to rebuild the sanctuary funding. We simply could not do what we do without funding. Unfortunately, our area is in a difficult drought. Heavy traffic areas in the pastures have turned to dirt, and the pastures themselves are crunchy. Today, I had to buy a load of hay. A big financial hit. And I'm going to have to buy more. Proud Spirit has been in operation for over 30 years. We have intervened on behalf of 100s of at-risk horses and dozens of other animals in need. We could not, and can not, function without help. We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization with an exemplary international reputation. If you follow me and the sanctuary, you know I very, very rarely ask for help. But, as mentioned, we can not survive without help. If you are able, if you believe in what we're doing here... consider a tax deductible contribution. The link is in the comments.

07/04/2024

The work here at the sanctuary doesn't take a holiday. We finished a second water collection station today. (Once again, I say "we" when really Jim did all the hard labor. I'm the go-fer). We have three of these now. They are going to be vital in providing water for the herd while easing the strain on our well - now if we'd only get some rain. We're in a terrible drought. The pastures are crunchy, and I'm worried we'll have to begin giving hay. Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary

07/04/2024

Oh, my...!!! Speaking of my publisher, LOOK what just released! "DEAR READERS AND RIDERS: The Beloved Books, Faithful Fans, and Hidden Private Life of Marguerite Henry." By Lettie Teague. I can't wait to get a copy. And I know so many of my horse loving friends will be all over this. Where can you purchase? I'm a fan of supporting local Indie stores, and any one of them can get this in for you. Or order directly from my publisher: TrafalgarBooks.com (Sorry the pages of the catalog in this photo are bent - I was like a crazy person getting to the LITTLE PEARL page) 😆

07/03/2024

Well, my goodness! This super-terrific fifth grader has been named NH Kid Governor for 2024, and she mentions Liberty Biscuit in an interview. Wow! (Link to the article in s in the comments).

"The book LIBERTY BISCUIT by Melanie Sue Bowles is a great read," says Ellie. "The story teaches about how animals are getting abused and why it is important that we work to help them. Even though it is fiction, it teaches the lessons of loving and caring for animals just as well."

06/29/2024

The Horses of Proud Spirit - Living in Peace and Freedom (older photo).

06/25/2024

A few members of the Proud Spirit Herd... And they are why we do what we do. Most of the horses who arrive at the sanctuary are emaciated, terrified, un-trusting, sickly, in urgent need of care. We are proud (and grateful) for the way they look, and feel, now.

06/24/2024

Brutally hot, and this is brutal work - but it has to be done. We're building an elevated platform to hold two large capacity water collection tanks on the side of the barn. I say "we"... but poor Jim. He's doing all the hard labor. While I'm the go-fer and trying to keep him hydrated. After that horrific, stressful, and expensive ordeal back when the well for the barn went dry - we are being as pro-active as we can. We'll build another identical one on the other side. Now we just need some rain! (After we finish).

06/20/2024

If you're making a summer reading list for the kiddos, or creating a list for publication - don't forget LIBERTY BISCUIT. That bedraggled little donkey with bring out all the feels.

Katherine Pearl Baker—“Kip” for short—is the only child on her family's rural peach farm. She longs for a pet to ease the loneliness. Unfortunately, her father has an angry opposition to all animals—horses in particular. Why he dislikes them is a confounding mystery. Hiding in the woods on...

05/17/2024

Just look at this beautiful piece of art we recently received... A gift from a dear friend and big fan of our Little Pearl. (Who isn't a fan of Little Pearl, right?). She's the star of my upcoming book of the same name. Releasing this fall!

05/16/2024

Well, I'm a dunderhead. I missed "Buy A Horse Book" day. Yes, it's a thing. And I missed it. Authors of books about horses (and/or donkeys) were supposed to post a pic of themselves holding their book(s). I'm late, but here ya go. *sigh* This is me. Bumbling through this crazy, sometimes difficult, sometimes amazing world of publishing. PS...! Buy my book!!!

03/31/2024

Dozing in the woods... It is such a beautiful day!

03/30/2024

In case you missed it...! Pre-Order of LITTLE PEARL now available (which is a huge help to little authors).

In this soulful sequel to the crowd favorite Liberty Biscuit, a young teenager learns that no dream ever came true without believing it would.Katherine Pearl Baker—“Kip” for short—has just gone from being the only child on her family’s rural peach farm to becoming a big sister. As her worl...

03/27/2024

Kindle a light in others and you illuminate your own path...

03/20/2024

Did you know, if you want a successful book release, you have to plan events months (and months!) in advance. Most bookstores/venues request your "author pic" all those months in advance. I'm not much on tending to my appearance. I do not own one single item of make-up, mascara, lipstick, and so on. Not one bit. I mostly hack at my own hair when it becomes a source of irritation. And I spend my days covered in horse slobber, dog hair, dust, and bits of hay stuck to me and my stained clothing. At 66 years old, I finally decided to leave my hair alone. Let a professional do her thing. And actually follow her advice. I'm SOOO excited and grateful for a few things that are already on the books for the 2024 Fall release of LITTLE PEARL - my stand-alone sequel to LIBERTY BISCUIT. And here I am, making an attempt to look like someone who is an author and is capable of cleaning up and will, hopefully, be presentable for public appearances. 😁

03/15/2024

A heartfelt and loving farewell to Joe Camp. This man changed the lives of thousands of horses and their owners - for the better. He was the creator of Benji. A movie producer, an author, and so much more. SO. MUCH. MORE. This photo was taken about 15 years ago at his home in TN. I'm proud to call him and Kathleen friends.

03/15/2024

I'm SOOO excited! Pre-orders now available!!!

The untold story of the bestselling children's book author and how her most popular titles came to influence generations of aspiring writers and devoted equestrians. In certain circles, her name inspires immediate recognition and pronouncements of a committed admiration that has likely spanned decad...

03/13/2024

A beautiful, beautiful Spring day... Time to shed those winter coats!

03/13/2024

We had Bradford Pear trees on a former property. We removed them all. Bradford Pear trees:

~ Are invasive tending to aggressively propagate with other flowering pear trees as birds ingest their berries and spread their seeds indiscriminately. The resulting trees crowd out desirable trees and shrubs and produce thorns that are so sharp they have been known to puncture tires.
~ Are unstable trees with shallow roots and weak branches that tend to split and fall during or after adverse weather conditions (as seen in the photo below that was taken in Nashville by the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps) causing a hazard to people, property, pets, and vehicles.
~ Have berries that emit an unpleasant rotting odor that attracts flies.
~ Have a short lifespan of 10 to 25 years.
~ Have been banned in South Carolina starting October 1, 2024, and a county in Kentucky has offered a free tree to anyone who cuts down a Bradford pear in their yard.

03/11/2024

So many extraordinary moments at the Lexington Book Festival. Like the discussion between these two super-smart authors. Jeffrey Dale Lofton and Amber Smith (sorry, I couldn't tag you). There was a very poignant moment with someone in the audience, and as my friend Kyle Mendenhall said: "We are reminded that there are conversations that still need to occur."

03/10/2024

Sending a huge shout-out to everyone who created, organized, put-together, volunteered, worked-so-hard, and made the Lexington Book Festival happen. What an event...! All the folks behind the scenes did a remarkable job. Truly. Another big shout-out to the official bookstore for the festival: Pig City Books. Owner Sedley Abercrombie and her staff were wonderful! It was so fun to see author friends and meet new ones. I had the great honor of moderating a session with one of my heroes, Laura Whitfield Fischer - author of UNTETHERED. We had a terrific conversation about her very brave, and very poignant memoir - I loved this book. And then, another honor! I was lucky enough to moderate a conversation between the super-smart and ever-entertaining Robert Gwaltney (author of THE CICADA TREE) and Jeffrey Dale Lofton (author of RED CLAY SUZIE). Both of these books are must reads. We had a serious, meaningful discussion along with moments of levity - such as when I asked Jeffrey if his bow tie was "real" or a clip on, and he let me tug on the ends, revealing that he does indeed tie his own bow. And Robert, just in the nick of time, redeemed himself by saying I was like a "sassy aunt" to him when moments before he'd said I was "mother-ish" - HEY! I said. I'm not THAT much older than you! 😆 Or, I don't know. Maybe I am. He looks about 27. We had SUCH a great time

03/10/2024

So many amazing things (and people) to tell you about from the Lexington Book Festival...! Such a well-run event, and we all had a blast. But I have to quickly share that one of the highlights was sitting in on Ashley Belote's session. Even though I'm not 5 y/o I could have listened to her read her books all day long. I smiled and laughed so much that my cheeks hurt. Truly a remarkable young lady, and a brilliant author and illustrator. What a joy it was to meet her! More to share - stay tuned. But right now I have to get caught up on chores.

03/08/2024

I'm getting ready to gallop on out of here and head to the Lexington Book Festival. An all day free event March 9th, downtown Lexington. It's going to be a terrific event! Something for everyone. Come see us!

03/07/2024

I had to take a moment - more like a few hours - to catch my breath on this... my (amazing) publisher just sent the cover reveal and the title they've developed for my fifth book. Interesting fact: authors don't have much say on the cover design or the title of their own book. Which, in my opinion is a good thing because publishers are dedicated to trends and popular visual art. My newest release, a sequel to LIBERTY BISCUIT is now available for pre-order! Take a peek! My, goodness! I'm beside myself. And I'm probably gonna wear y'all out for the next couple weeks.

The untold story of the bestselling children's book author and how her most popular titles came to influence generations of aspiring writers and devoted equestrians. In certain circles, her name inspires immediate recognition and pronouncements of a committed admiration that has likely spanned decad...