Oh, the places you will go . . . .

I know that yesterday was "Read across America" day, inspired by Dr. Seuss's birthday. I was reminded of that while watching the evening news and seeing Spokane TV reporters reading to kids. I've done that a couple of times over the years and have found it very enjoyable.

My favorite Dr. Seuss poem has been given as a gift many a time to high school graduates. "Oh, the places you will go . . . ." The doc had it right for anyone at any age if they just open the door to adventure.

Sometimes we initiate those adventures; sometimes circumstances create them for us. I've enjoyed one such ongoing Seuss adventure over the past few weeks, and, as often happens, my writing assignments created the situation. Sometimes the situations create some great writing topics, as Monday's trip to Bonners Ferry.

In this case, I've been assigned three stories about horses for the summer edition of Sandpoint Magazine, and, believe me, there's a lot of research and interviewing involved. I've talked to people about their special horses who mean the world to them and everyone around them. I've learned about a new horse-related winter sport for this area, set to have its debut later this month.

Yesterday I visited one of my former colleagues at Sandpoint High School. She's had horses all her life and, for years, has enjoyed participating in 3-day eventing or dressage meets. She also works with a group of neighborhood girls who love horses and participate in the nationally-sanctioned Pony Club activities.

During our visit, we caught up on kids, looked at horses and talked horses while her hubby, one of the local surgeons, worked under his boat. While there, I met a lady whose name I'd heard many times in relationship to horses but didn't think I knew. Turns out, when she got out of her car, we both realized we knew each other after all.

This lady makes her living taking care of people's pets and providing common-sense horse advice to clients as well as doing some dressage training.

Today my agenda includes visiting with a dressage instructor who lives in our Center Valley area. I know of her, but she doesn't know me. I've never been to her place, and I'm anxious to see her in action as she guides one of her students. Plus, I'll take a picture or two.

Friday I'll visit a local rancher who's ridden horses since he was a toddler. He's busy getting bulls ready for a sale this week, so we agreed on Friday as the day for picture taking. And, Saturday I'll drive across the lake to shoot some pictures of a local lawyer and community leader who's happy as he can be, owning and riding his first-ever horse. He's 60-something.

These story assignments have taken me to old friends and to new places. In each case, I drive away, feeling invigorated with the reconnections or the new acquaintance or with the newfound knowledge that's ever-evolving when you continue to learn about a topic you've loved all your life.

So, this has definitely been an "Oh, the Places You Will Go . . . ." couple of weeks, and I've enjoyed the answers to every question, the results of almost every picture and the camaraderie of every visit.

I'm also very thankful for those situations that get me out of my comfort zone and enrich my life. Now, when the hard work of putting all this material into 600-word stories comes, I may have a different opinion. For the time being, I'm enjoying the journey.

And speaking of journeys, one of my students started down a new road in her life. Erica Curless became a mom late last night on Dr. Seuss's birthday. I read that news first thing this morning on Facebook. She and her husband Matt now have a little daughter named Quinn.

Congratulations, Erica and Matt. Oh, the places she will go!