Tuesday's With Texas Chapter 10 ( Moving On )

                                                                Texas     January  2012

                                                                        
  I have been called a wild child on more than one occasion... admittedly I would have to agree with that assessment....on occasion. I would have thought of myself .....perhaps as a reserved wild child, even though I have always run with an older racier crowd I always held something back, I have never felt like I could  do anything with total abandonment. With life all up in the air and not being quite sure where or what I wanted to be doing I was kind of leaning towards the wild side. ....I don't think I need to elaborate. I am not going to make excuses either...it is what it is, being honest about it ... with the hmm....lets say alternate lifestyle and what not.... I wasn't  very happy and I wouldn't say I was having a whole lot of fun either.I only had one thing going on in my life that was a constant, that is probably the only thing that kept me out of deep sh#t I'm sure.....cause there was plenty of times that bad stuff should have happened and instead somehow was barely averted. That one constant....you may have guessed.... would be Texas.I believe it is a serious responsibility to be the sole caretaker of an animal,it is not in me to do it half assed ....so yes I do take it all the way. I'm quite sure that if at that time in my life I hadn't had that responsibility, I would still be here.....having Tex in my life made the choice of  going down the right road a lot easier than it might have been without him, he toned down my relapses into wild child mode and even though he couldn't know it, his constant presence in my life kind of shoved me in the direction I needed to go......it was time to put on the big girl panties put the past where it needed to go and get on with life ....and so get on with it we did!!!!!!!When Spring was upon us the work began. I was riding everyday and preparing Tex for competition ( mostly barrels)by early Summer we were ready to go for it.....and so..... go for it we did.

                                                                    

                                                                        

Sunday Challenge " Nature's Frames"

I could have tried to make this weeks challenge more interesting( Nature's Frames) but with the continuous snow and wind I really wasn't all that inspired to go brave the elements. I would much rather do this particular challenge in the Spring or Summer when there are much more interesting... pretty things to check out.

OK I cheated with this one. I pulled this out of the almost forgotten. I was going to go to the same place and get this pic in the snow but I ran out of time, and really I'm kinda ...just a little ....no a whole bunch sick of the snow!!!!!!!!!

And last but not least another oldie...it is so nice to be reminded of something besides snow.Well that's it for me. I'm off to see what you got. Later.

                                                 Have A Great Week

Had to add just one more....well he was posing .....

OK now I'm really done.

I lied, Dave just got back from a foray into the bush and this is what he came back with. So the photos aren't mine but I had to put them in. This is about as close to Nature's Frame as you can get.

I don't think this little one was overly impressed with the hounds baying at it from the bottom of the tree.....can't say I blame it.

Dave said there were 2 kittens but the other one was in a different tree so he didn't get a picture. Mom sure looks like she is keeping an eye on the situation.

                                

Pretty cool huh...I wish I had been the one on the other side of that camera.  OK I really am done....I promise. FYI these cats were not harmed in any way....well other than they were detoured from whatever they were doing ...they were not being hunted to be killed just treed.

                                                                               

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesdays With Texas Chapter Nine ( Life Goes On With Or Without You)

Life got pretty rough for awhile after Rick's decision to not be here anymore. I went and stayed with my friend and left the horses at home....I use the word home loosely, it quit being a home when the sound of a gun shot destroyed the peaceful, safe  place I considered a sanctuary. I pretty much got a routine down for the chores but the longer I had to keep going back there the more it bothered me. I have to say I don't even remember  where I moved the horses to...I know I could no longer afford to have them, so I had to make the decision to let them go...it was hard but had to be done. I found good homes for them ...the one that bothered me though was Dandy, I think it was because I had been around him for a long time and he had belonged to my friend....so I felt the pull of guilt over that one. In case you're thinking how could she ...I did not let Tex go....that was already something that was etched in stone...something that would never happen.  Even though I wasn't 100% I had to go get a job...bills to pay ....blah blah blah the usual stuff everybody has to deal with. I was still feeling pretty raw and would rather have run away and done just about anything else....however life goes on whether you are ready or not. My faith and trust in people was at an all time low but the one thing I had that I could put my faith in was this, no matter where we moved or what gateway he stood in ...as sure as the sun will rise...I could count on this.

How can a greeting like this every morning not put a smile on your face.

For 32yrs no matter what life has thrown at me I have been able to rely on Tex for comfort and companionship and for 32 yrs he has never failed to come through for me.

Sunday Challenge "Birds"

This weeks challenge is Birds. Now you would think that would be easy....not so. I'm putting it down to weather, although besides crows we don't really have that many birds that hang around here. I went with good old faithful. This Pigeon arrived here in the summer and has decided to stay, why I don't know. You would think it would get lonely...also it has a pretty stressful life here.If the cats aren't tag teaming the poor thing the dogs are forever trying to get a chance at it. I think I would have kept flying to a more peaceful location....who knows maybe it likes living on the edge...maybe it likes the adreneline rush. Whatever the reason here it stays.

                                                                     This is in the summer

This is now, looks to be doing almost the same thing, although he tucks himself in a little deeper now...I don't think it has been enjoying our -20 temps.

                                                                                        

Well sad I know but that's it for me..all I got. I'm off to check you out.

Have A Great Week

Wordless Wednesday ( Almost)

It would have been Wordless Wednesday except... I just have to say one thing...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHIRLEY

(Ride A Good Horse)

It's a bit of a Milestone this one....and just has to be mentioned. Congrats on getting there and looking pretty darn good doing it. Hope you have a wonderful day.

Sunday Challenge " Corners"

This weeks challenge was Corners (play with light - shadows) I'm not sure I did very well. I ran around with camera in hand and took a bunch of pictures....I didn't really like any of them but I settled with these. I don't think know that this is what was being asked for ......so I did my own thing. Light and Shadows are a foreign thing to me, although I kind of got that in the first shot....well sort of...can't you see the shadows:)

Gotta run ...waiting critters. I'll chack ya all out later.

Have A Great Week

Birthday Girl

Today is Sage's Birthday. She is eight.

At one time I had lofty plans for Sage...she was going to be the next Super dog...or a great Sheep dog....or an amazing agility dog...however due to an injury those plans were thwarted. It seemed that the injury was going to be the end of her....but she is a fighter, it was slow going but in time she recovered. ( Mostly) 

Even though Sage is unable to do a lot of things....she can't ride with me anymore...she'll never herd sheep and she'll never do agility she has managed to carve out a lifestyle that keeps her mind and body active and  alert. Her need to herd makes my heart skip a beat from time to time, however I let it go because I think she has to do it to stay happy and healthy.

Would Sage have ever achieved my goals...who knows....I don't waste to much time on the what ifs. She will never get to be the next Super dog...... but what I do know is Sage is my Super dog, a wonderful companion, she loves me and she puts a smile on my face everyday.

Sunday Challenge

This weeks challenge was odd but fun. Light painting ....who knew.... I didn't quite get what I was after but I came close. The idea was to play with the settings on your camera ... Shutter speed and the like,which by the way I am not good at .....big surprise right :) Tried to do this with my new camera no luck at all. This is what I got with my old one ...at least it tried to get something. The first two are off the tv, that second one is kinda creepy don't ya think....it looks a little alien to me.

This one is from a pocket size flashlight, I was trying to make an S...almost got it too.

Well that's all I have. I bet there is some very cool light paintings out there . I'll be checking you out.
                                                                 Have A Great Week

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesdays With Texas Chapter 8 ( More Rough Patches)

This is a tough chapter for me it takes me back to a time in my life that the only good thing I had in my life was my horse....which by itself would be OK.....now if only there wasn't all the other crap that was going on too.
We had settled comfortably into our new life style. I was getting stronger all the time. I was able to ride every day for longer periods....Tex and I were really learning how to ride with each other. During all this riding and getting back to health( or something like it)I started to notice a big change in my partner Rick.....it was not a pleasant change. The more time I spent getting out and about seeing friends and slowly but surely getting back to a bit of normalcy....the more withdrawn and unpleasant he became. I am not going to go into any details here but I have to say that his behavior finally made it impossible to be with him.I guess I have to give a little info or it just won't make sense.Rick decided the best way to keep me from going was by threatening to not allow me to take my horses....specifically Tex....who under no circumstances was going to be left behind. That particular threat didn't concern me too much, I knew I could get my horses....but I did not want to be there because honestly he was scaring me ....a lot. I told him I was moving out and the threat he uttered then stopped me in my tracks....he said he would kill my horses......Yes you read right. Honestly would he have done that, I don't know ...I would like to think that I would never be with someone that could do such a thing.....but the fact that he said it was more than enough  proof to me that it was time to move on. I stayed at my friends house that night and her boyfriend gave me a ride home in the morning. When I got there the first thing I did was check the horses...big sigh of relief.... all well there. As soon as I opened the door to go into the house I knew something was wrong....The house was cold , my birds were squawking and pretty upset.I went into the living room and found Rick, he had decided to do the chicken sh#t thing and take his own life....it wasn't something I  could have anticipated.... never would have thought he was the type, how does one handle that. So needless to say the next few hours were a bit of a blur with all the appropriate people scurrying all over the place.In stressful situations my self preservation mode kicks in, I shut myself down.The noise from all the  people became a dull roar,  I just tuned them all out. I went and did my chores. At least that was a sane activity I could deal with. I went and sat with the horses while they munched away, unconcerned with all the people and noise surrounding them.Tex knew things weren't right and he came and stood beside me.....still as a statue....my sentinel....blocking out the sights and sounds.....steady and calm.....once again there as my support. He stayed with me until I had to go deal with all the other crap.

Sunday Challenge

This weeks challenge really was a toughy. Your favorite pic of 2011. Well I have a few so picking just one.....? When I really started thinking about it it was an easy choice. The chances of me seeing Texas like this again could be slim, so in spite of all the dirt this is my favorite for 2011. The other part of this challenge was to tell what our photography goals are for 2012....this one is a no brainer for me.......Learn how to use my (any) camera properly!!!!!!!!!!!!!

       I'm really looking forward to seeing what ya all got. Happy New Year

                                                                Have A Great Week