In the Spirit of Rohan: Horses & Bison in Focus

Black & White photo; two horses grazing behind fence

September has been the month I've focused on Rohan from The Lord of the Rings. One activity to match this theme might have been to ride horses, however, I think my horse riding days are over! ha. So instead I found myself inspired to photograph horses in appreciation for the noble steeds of the Rohirrim. These photos were captured as I drove around. Many times I had no choice but to pull over, get out of my car, and try to snap some quick shots from the roadside. One day, there happened to be a location that also allowed me a few fantastic photos of bison. Through my lens, I hope to share an appreciation and glimpse of the connection between these powerful creatures and the landscapes they roam.

I liked the sepia version of this one too!

Charmwoven Wrap-Up: A Year Curated by Lord of the Rings

Horse in green field - September Rohan activity from LOTR

This past year [Oct 2023-Sept 2024] has been a unique blend of milestones, learning, and discovery. I found myself drawn to curating my life with activities inspired by Lord of the Rings characters. [read the original post here] Through this process, I embraced more personal reflection, diligently engaged new experiences, and gathered some wisdom from quotes I came across. From moonlit nights to sun-kissed mornings at the lake, this journey has been as varied and meaningful as the characters who inspired it.

Highlights: This year, I turned 50 years old! Other highlights include many nights spent watching full moons, making a pie from pecans off my own tree, walking through my first corn maze, witnessing both partial and total solar eclipses as well as a partial lunar eclipse, and I even saw the Northern Lights.What a special year! Focusing on LOTR characters yielded other interesting activities like crafting handwritten letters to my loved ones, forest bathing and grounding, and learning some survival rope knots. I still have some things to complete this month, like leather stamping, doing a "dwarven" beer tasting, and taking horse photographs. [horse photos coming soon!]

This year has been a journey inward as much as it has been outward. Through reflection and embracing new challenges, I’ve come to better understand that having planned adventures brings me joy and that I must pursue them with intention. The people, moments, and even the wisdom from books have given me the most meaningful experiences. Having activities to push me out of the daily grind helped me shed insecurities and step into a more confident version of myself.

I found even more joy capturing the smallest of moments, like watching a quiet full moon or baking a pie from my own pecans. This year taught me be in the beauty of the present—whether it was walking through a corn maze or reflecting on how the grass felt as I was earthing. The simple things—my walk in the forest in Sulphur, OK, handwritten letters to my family, and learning survival knots are all moments that I've deeply enjoyed.

Within these 12 months, I used AI to help me correct a joke I've been telling wrong since I was four years old.

The real joke is:
"A cowboy says to a scientist, 'Howdy, partner!' The scientist replies, 'I'm not partner, I'm part nerd.' "

Here are the quotes I came across this year that made me pause and consider: 

"Which is more important," asked the Panda, "the journey or the destination?" "The company," said the tiny dragon.

"We don't learn from experience; we learn from reflecting on experience."

"Distraction is the death of art."

"Misery might love company, but so does joy—and joy throws much better parties."

"Hell is empty, and all the devils are here."

"Am I unhappy with the circumstances I'm in right now, or am I unhappy that I can't control how I think things 'should' be?"

"Don't hit at all, if it's honorably possible to avoid hitting, but never hit soft."

"There are worse things than death."

"If you are with someone who doesn't speak your language, then you'll spend a lifetime having to translate your soul."

"I'm not the whiskey you want; I'm the water you need."

"You still have time."

"Death doesn't end a relationship, only a life."

"I love blocking people. Like bruh, you're not gonna stress me out on my cellular device."

"When you are the star of your own life, who cares what the extras say."

Looking back on this year, it's clear that each experience—whether big or small; failure or success—added another layer of joy and I absolutely feel like I've squeezed the most out of these days. As this chapter closes in September, I look forward to the next year ahead with a lot of enthusiasm!

So coming in October I'll be introducing my new planner, it's name, and the book'ish focus!  

In case you are wondering, and following along with my adventure, I combined some of the last months of the original plan so I could start the new theme when I start my new planner in October. (see below)