Friday there was a high school rodeo, and Sunday there was graduation for my niece; but Saturday, oh Saturday, was SO MUCH FUN!

I love taking photos, even if they’re the set up photos like you see from graduation, but when you get to put two awesome, good looking individuals together, well there’s NO way that can go wrong! And it allows my more “creative” juices get to flowing (though the rodeo photos I took this weekend are pretty creative too, I think. But you’ll have to wait to see those).

Saturday had me doing engagement photos for Jessica and Jayce. They’re getting married this fall, and they’ve been kind enough to ask me to photograph their wedding too! It’s always an honor to be asked to capture that special day!

I’m telling you, I had a super hard time narrowing down my favorites from the evening. The light was gorgeous, the bride-to-be is gorgeous and the future groom- well he has a smile that is infectious.

I’ll let you be the judge so you can decide which ones are your favorites, okay?

I wasn’t lying, eh?

There’s plenty more where these came from on my Facebook Page.

Happy Trails!

Gumbo Lilies

I thought we’d do something fun this month, so here goes…

I’ve created a gallery, especially for you all to upload your photos.

For the remainder of the month of May upload your favorite photo (limit three per person, please)- for now it can be of anything! But it must be a photo you’ve taken, and at the end of the month I’ll pick my favorite, critique it, and the winner will be given an 11×14 of their choice from any of my photos.

Eventually we can choose a theme for the month if we think that’s a good idea!

We can all leave comments/critiques on the photos in this gallery, so it will be a good learning experience all around! I know a lot of you that ask for photography help, and this is one way I think I can help!

Who’s excited?

Use the link below to upload your photo. Be sure to include your name/email so I can contact you should you win!

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/guest/h4Ct64/MayFanPhotos

Now scurry off, you! There’s photos to upload!

Today was one of those days where I had something pressing to do. A couple weeks ago, as I was wrapping up my day, I got home, and was here just long enough to enjoy a big glass of water, and realized that I had mares spilling out on to the road through the neighbor’s pasture. So I put them up, but it was too late in the day to go fix the water gap, which was obviously out. If you’re wondering what a water gap is, never fear, the answer’s near.

The next day the neighbor comes over, bringing those same mares, down the road. So I put them in the “Middle Pasture” about three miles down the road. If they get out of that one, ether side is our place, so it’s a bit harder to “lose” them in the country.

Not all of the mares escaped that day, however. There were 5 still in the pasture where they belonged (up in a corner, far away from the water gap that was out), so I left them there.

And today, I needed to find them, get them moved, and pull hair on one of them so I can get a DNA test done for registration purposes.

So I set off for the pasture where I’d last seen them, the pasture we call the Parker Creek Pasture (probably because Parker Creek runs through it! Genius, I know!).

This is what I saw on the way out:

And then I ran across this pretty thing:

I never did get photos of these last year, and now that I know where they’re hiding, I figure it’s time to break out the big guns!

I found more of them, as I searched for the mares:

And then there was this pretty view:

Meanwhile, there’s still no horses in site. I mean, I realize I’m looking for 5 of them, and that’s not that many in a 900 acre pasture, but still!

I decide to finish up searching the East side of the Parker Creek Pasture, by checking the water gap that goes between Parker Creek Pasture and the “Bottom Half” of the Middle Pasture. They were sure original when they named stuff on this outfit!

Notice the hoof prints in the gumbo? I did. And I had an inkling that they’d gotten through right there where the fence was down but I wasn’t sold on that idea, since they may have gone out and come back. After all, I hadn’t checked the West side of the pasture yet.

You can see where I’ve pulled up the washed-out posts and wire because the dirt is dark and wet.

Now, if you’re still wondering what a water-gap is, I shall tell you. Basically it’s a fence that goes into the water. It “gaps” the distance between the shore and the water to keep the animals in their specified location. And they work great, when the river is as high as it has been the last few years. But now it’s down to what I think are normal levels, and the water gaps are mostly washed out due to all the extra water that Lake Ohae/The Missouri river have held the past few years.

I could have sworn I took an “after” photo, but I can’t find it now, so we’ll just have to call this project done. Except that it’s not really. See how there’s a little “lagoon” in front of the river? Well, I didn’t have enough extra wire or posts, or clips to reach that far, so I have to go back and finish the job. It’ll be my Tuesday project, unless something else comes up.

It’s now time to head over to the West side of the pasture, which means crossing Parker Creek. Not usually a big deal. Except that this time, someone failed to recall the week of rain we just had. My usual crossing spot (where I crossed two weeks ago when I put the escaped mares away) didn’t favor me as much this time:

And yes, I’m buried up to the axle.

Another view:

I should probably back up…

When I first realized I was stuck, my initial reaction wasn’t to take a picture. It was to start hoofing it to the highest hill so I had cell service and could text The Cowboy’s, brother, Bud, to see if he was available to come pull me out. If he wasn’t, I was prepared to walk however far away from home I was- I’m thinking it’s about 2 miles by the way the crow flies, but would have been more than that to walk it, of course.

So up the nearest hill I go- it was a good quarter mile hike at least. So I send this text: “Hey, um, I kinda got stuck in the bottom of Parker Creek, in Parker Creek. Can you help me?”

This was followed by an “I will be right down”, and then I added that I needed to be on the West Side, but that I was stuck in the middle. He asked for further locational directions (lucky for me, I was stuck smack between two old creep feeders and everyone on the ranch knows where they are) and then he suggested I take a photo, so he could determine if it was too wet to bring a pickup- in which case Big Green would have had to make an appearance. I replied that I would have to “go back down the hill”, to which he replied, “You can take a pic from there if you can see where you are stuck”. But of course I was too far away. So I ran back down the giant hill, took two photos and hoofed it up a hill on the West side, since I had a better view of the gravel road from there. Needless to say, I was a hot mess by this point. I had mud on my jeans, on my boots, and in my hair, on my shirt, and I was sweaty from a 75 degree day and a trek up a 65 degree hill or two. I’m not complainin’. I’m just sayin’.

While I was on top of the second hill, I took this photo:

When I saw Bud heading toward me in the pickup, I hoofed it back down the hill and went to sit in the machine. I took this picture of the creek:

Why I thought it was a good idea to cross right there, I’ll never know, save for that it’s worked for me before.

He gets me unstuck and I tell him I will just go around, to which he replies, “just pick a different spot, give ‘er hell, and try while I’m still down here”. So I did. And I made it. I checked the West side of the pasture and no horses. I visited the water gap over there, the one that I knew was out, and well, let’s just say, that one needs work. But there were no hoof prints going around it. I still figured I should cruise home through the neighbor’s pasture just to be sure, plus that way I didn’t have to cross the creek again! By this time it was about 3pm and I hadn’t had lunch yet, so I decide I’ll grab a bite before I check the pasture where the hoof-prints from the water gap led.

After a quick bite, I head down the road and go through the Middle Pasture, to the “Bottom Half”, or the “Sundance Pasture” (as it’s referred to) where I plan to search. There’s three gates from the “Middle Half” into the “Bottom Half” and I opted to cruise through the one in the middle. I search, and see no horses. I check the water gap on the East side, the one I’ve not yet checked this trip (I checked it and fixed it a couple weeks ago) and it’s still in. Then I start to see hoof-prints but I can’t find any horses. So I head West, to the third gate that I’ve not yet been through.

And what do you suppose I saw?

If you guessed a wrecked gate you’d be right!

It’s not supposed to look like that.

I’m not the best fence fixer in the world, but I’m determined to try. So I pull out my new BFF, also known as a Plammer.

They’re a combination fencing plier/hammer. Creative name, right? I was glad that I had those with me, as opposed to a simple pair of fencing pliers (which, by the way, I also had with me), because this gate was wrecked. There were staples on the ground, and I had to take a stay off to get it back to some semblance of straight-ness.

But, I overcame.

This is what it SHOULD look like!

I think it’s appropriate at this time to say that I was praying that the missing mares were in the top-half of Middle Pasture where I’d set out to put them in the first place. I hadn’t seen hide nor hair of them all day!

As I drove away from my newly repaired gate, I spotted a mare that I thought was among those MIA. I carefully circled the wagons, and lo and behold, wouldn’t you know it, all the mares are in one pasture. It only took me 2/3rds of the day to figure that out!

Wasn’t it a beautiful evening? It was about 5:30 by the time I found them.

When I got back to the corrals, I found our newest heifer’s, heifer calf sleeping quietly, so I took that chance to tag her:

Isn’t she sweet?

Her mama and her were set up just right to let them out into the big trap now that they’re getting along well. Sometimes first time mamas need a bit of extra help, but she’s really trying hard and her baby loves her, so it was time. I hazed them into the big trap with our other pairs and headed to the house.

Then I sat on the deck and enjoyed a cocktail:

And watched the sun go down:

And that, my friends, ends another day in my life.

Happy Trails!

I shared a lot of them on Facebook, but for those of you who’re not on Facebook, and who may have missed them, I’m here to show you my favorites!

Happy Trails and Happy Wednesday!

And kids:

Gorgeous skies and Landscapes:

And what would a day on the ranch be without seeing the girls?

I think that heifer 007 would like to say Hi too!

Let’s not forget the wildflowers that are showing up!

And a Curlew!

Here’s wishing you a week full of blessings!

Cows walked down to the chute:

An X:

A side-ways Y:

A Lazy 33:

And this scene, The Brangus Bulls checking out the cowboy’s brother and Crystal.

How did you spend your Easter?

This one might be my favorite. I love the road and the fence line in the background.

A slightly different view:

And because I can’t leave well-enough alone:

I love how his tail feathers are all curled in this one:

Happy Trails!

Dino being, well, Dino.

Kids! I must add that my niece thinks they should be called “goatlings”. She said calling them kids is just “insulting”. She’s something, that kid!

There were two does and a buck- he has a spot on his back:

Sonora, Nora my beautiful dragon:

She is affectionately referred to as the dragon because when she pins her ears she looks like the dragon from the movie, Shrek. She’s all bark and no bite.

Gump and I on our ride where I shared my “office” view:

Heading to the gate on the East side of the pasture, Gump is certainly fast enough to have beat that brumby and his crew out of there, but I didn’t send him galloping across the pasture.

A pretty bay mare. I call this one, Wind In Her Hair:

DX Black Velvet:

The neighbor’s cows are fascinated by my chicken in the yard. I snapped some photos of them at dusk the other evening and then used some new photoshop tools, just because I can.

I love the light and the bugs flying ’round.

Thunderhead:

This kitten is so comfortable looking!

Furs and Purrs!

Thanks for letting me share my week with you. As an aside, if you haven’t liked my Facebook page, you might want to do that now. There’s all sorts of fun stuff going on there!

Happy Weekend Trails!

Camera Love by jenn-zeller on polyvore.com

Row one- L-R:
1. Canon 7D. My camera. $1599, 18mp. Shoots HD Video. Love.
2. Canon 50mm lens. F/1.8 $117. I use this lens a lot and I think it’s a must have for every photographer.
3. Photo taken of Miss Indian Rodeo with the 50mm.
4. Canon 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens. $372. A good all-purpose lens.

Row two- L-R:
1. Photo taken of Miss Indian Rodeo 2012, with the 28-135mm lens.
2. Canon 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS lens. A good entry-level telephoto with image stabilization.
3. Prairie Chicken photo, taken with the 250mm Lens.
4. Canon 28-300 f/3.5-5.6L IS lens. Opens wide, for low light settings but only at 28mm. Still a great L series Lens. $2631

Row three- L-R:
1. Canon 400mm f/5.6L No image stabilization in this lens but the price is good! Would not be good in low-lighting situations. $1249
2. Photo of a Hawk, shot with my 250mm lens. It would be an even cooler photo with a 400mm lens. I might not have scared him off!
3. Canon 17-40mm f/4L Ultra Wide Angle Lens. What’s not to love about a lens that can take in more of the landscape? $779.
4. Canon Speedlight 430EX II Sort of a must-have for indoor weddings/parties. $299

Row four- L-R:
1. Canon 400mm f/2.8L IS. My dream camera lens. This lens opens up wide to let in a lot of light, and would really let me take a great photo from a distance in all kinds of lighting conditions!
2. Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3MP Camera.. Takes HD video in 1080. My dream camera. Someday!
3. A wedding photography flash and lens kit from BorrowLenses.com. Genius! $215 for a week. Includes a Speedlight, wide-angle lens, 50mm lens, and 200mm L-series Lens.
4. Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS. A great, all purpose lens that opens up wide to let in a lot of light, has image stabilization and let’s be honest, you can’t have too many camera lenses!

What’s in your camera bag or on your Wish-List?

As I made it closer to the dam however, I realized that the geese I heard were on the dam. Which meant if I played my cards right I might, just might, get some photos!

Now, I said last week when I posted photos of the Prairie Chickens that I don’t have a big lens- so this is what you see with a 250mm lens at dusk.

Happy Trails, and Happy Monday!