Welcome to the Bistro!

​And another fine week it has been!!! A bit on the warm side which is playing havoc with the lawn, gardens and woodlands. The latter of which are dotted with browned-out Jack-In-The-Pulpits which would normally be nice and green throughout August. My poor tomato plants are struggling although the herbs, peppers, eggplant and rhubarb love the heat.  I’m thankful for the rain and hope everything will green up again.  All the horses in the barn are kind of slow and sleepy due to the heat an  I “caught” Picasso resting in the middle of the morning. I can count the times I’ve seen him curled up on one hand. He is a very flight oriented horse so usually he’s on alert.   And Z was totally not into his work with me… it was a struggle to get him perked up and moving. He was rewarded with a nice cool hose down and then out to the pasture to munch the afternoon away. Lucky dogs, lucky horses, lucky girl!!!

​Last year I learned about a non-profit, Detroit Horse Power, that I’ve been following and involved with.  Its mission is to develop life skills in Detroit’s youth through the power of horse-human connection. The program lasts 8 weeks during the summer and each week about 30 students, recruited through community partnerships in Detroit, are transported to a horse training facility in New Hudson. During the week they are equipped with character skills that promote academic success and work force readiness. They include: Confidence, Perseverance, Empathy, Self-Control and Responsible Risk-Taking. All traits, by the way, that is imperative for anyone who is around horses on a regular basis. There is class time in the morning and the afternoon they get to spend with the horses. The first day or two is spent learning how to groom and then they get to ride.  On Fridays family members are invited for lunch and to spend the day. I was thrilled to provide their meal and enjoyed it so much I’m going back for the final Friday.  A major goal of Detroit Horse Power is to build a new riding center that will transform 20 vacant acres of currently blighted Detroit land into a vibrant community center. It would also have capacity for private boarding and equestrian competitions. As of now Detroit equestrians are very limited as to where they can board their horses. David Silver the Founder and Executive Director hopes to have the facility open by 2019 and his vision is to have the facilities and horses completely supported through boarding and event revenue with sponsorships from equestrian industry partners to augment income. Thus the facilities and most personal overhead are dependent of philanthropic support with all grants and donations going to the youth programs. Sounds like a win-win to me. 

These quotes are testament to the impact of the horse-human bond. Check out the website at detroithorsepower.org.
“Horses taught me to be a leader and be confident.” Kayla (15)
“Horses taught me that I can do more than I think I can.” Aries (9)
“I think it would be a good idea to have horses in the city because we had fun and learned about horses and ourselves this week. Just imagine if we had this in the city of Detroit all year” Jada (13)
Sharon and crew have some awesome Chalk Board Features once again. Pan Roasted Wild Alaskan Coho Salmon is served with Dijon Redskin Potatoes, Wilted Swiss Chard and Roasted Tomato Butter; Maryland Lump Blue Crab Cakes are accompanied with Southern Style Succotash and Chipotle Mayo; Guisado, a Mexican Stew of Braised Beef Short Ribs, Tomatoes, Onion Garlic, Chilies and Spices Presented Over Rice and Beans with “Smashed” Avocado and lastly our Veggie Lovers Delight of Locally Foraged Wild “Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms” Dredged in Buttermilk and Seasoned Flour, Fried and served with Mashed Potatoes, Real Chicken Gravy and a Green Vegetable Tangle. YUM!!
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WE WISH YOU MANY MILLION DOLLAR DAYS AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE BISTRO!!!!
 
XO, MARY, NIKI, PICO, Z AND PICASSO