In this week’s episode, Kim reads her newest Stable Roots essay, We’re Still Standing — a piece shaped by loss, loyalty, and the beauty of still being here. This is a story about this year where everything shifted: the exits that cracked the foundation, the people who stayed and held the beams in place, and the web of horses, history, and human hands that keeps rebuilding Bramblewood Stables, thread by thread.

This essay is a meditation on hope (even for a self-professed catastrophizer), the clearing-out so many have weathered this year, and the raw truth that sometimes losing what we love makes room for the life that finally feels like our own.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

- How a year of upheaval reveals who’s actually in your corner

- The illusion of loyalty — and what remains when it falls apart

- Why hope is a “weird little animal” worth tending

- The story of Michael Ziemer, Julie, and the move that changed everything

- Generational ties through Emery, Izzy, and returning riders who help the story circle back

- How the web at Lavender Hill keeps weaving itself into something stronger

- Why still standing — scorched, bruised, wiser — is its own quiet miracle

Events Mentioned:

Rooted: Women’s Gathering at Lavender HillThursday, November 20th, 11 AM–1 PMA time of grounding, reflection, and connection by the pond and in the fields with the herd. Additional dates in December.

Stable Roots Zoom Gathering (Paid Subscribers)Tuesday, November 25th, 6:30 PM EDTA virtual circle to reconnect, share stories, and ease back into our monthly rhythm.

Black Friday Day Camp for KidsFriday, November 28thA day for the younger ones to meet the herd, play, and remember nature, their strengths, and how to speak horse.

Links from the Episode:

- Read the full essay: We’re Still Standing

- Subscribe to Stable Roots

- Learn more about Bramblewood Stables

- Listen to past episodes of Stable Roots

Get full access to Stable Roots at stableroots.substack.com/subscribe