The Photo Shoot--One of My Best Days

Photography.  I LOVE IT!  There is just something about taking photos of things I love that make my heart happy.  God's creatures and his creations are my favorite.  I wish I knew more about Photoshop and other edit programs that enhance your photos...I'll put that on my "goal" list!

I recently had a photographer from Austin do a photo shoot with my horse and I.  I can take the photos of my horse, and do all the time, however, getting me in the photo too would be a real trick.  So I had to have someone else do it.  I would love to have taken more time, gotten more emotional shots, waited for his ears to be perked forward...a number of things.  However, when the photographer is not me, it's their call.  He did get some great shots that I love.

This one is sweet, sans the crooked halter!

This one turned out really well too.

There's a back story on this dress.  When I started planning the photo shoot and what I might want to wear I wanted a long cream or white dress.  I had one!  I had purchased some time ago from someone so it was not new, but it would be perfect with a jean jacket over it.  Well I looked and looked for it and finally believed I had taken it to a friend to sell in an estate sale.  I even emailed her and said "do you by any chance still have it?"  She said no.  So I went searching for a replacement.  I really love this two piece outfit I found at Glory Bs in Geronimo.  It's a sleeveless top prairie skirt with a very sheer beaded long sleeve top over it.  A perfect replacement.  A few days later I found the original dress!  I'm saving it for the photos with my other horse!

So I planned all my outfits, down to getting my suede shotgun leggings repaired, buying a leather belt  to put my once won Reserve Champion belt buckle on, snap cowboy shirts, borrowing a cute shorter dress and a white tee shirt and denim shorts for the bareback shot.  Hats, boots, flowers, braids, the whole nine yards!

The morning of I went to the barn and swept out the concrete floor room, not really used for anything but overrun stuff.  It worked well though for what I needed.  I took a fan and left the door open and it was actually pretty cool in there.  The day was cloudy (a little sad as there are no sunset shots) however, it made for a cooler day.  Here's all my stuff!

Seriously as this life dream was coming to be a reality I wanted it to be as perfect as it could be.  I planned it for months, from purchasing a new beautiful halter, to guessing when Mosey would be shedding his winter coat, to finding tail whitening shampoo to which socks to wear, and deciding to be barefoot in the bareback shot with an ankle bracelet I got on my last vacation with my mom.
It's often in the details that the best shots are taken, so I wanted to think things through.
 It's also often however, that the best shots are the ones you don't expect.  That's where a good photographer comes in, spontaneous photos without the pose.

 After the bath.

 Everything done at the barn...headed to hair and makeup!
Below, headed back to the barn after the final shot!

Even though he didn't perk his ears up every time, he was a champ.  He was patient and quiet and a great partner. Kisses and hugs of love to you.  What an amazing day.

The photographer sent me less than 100 photos.  I would have taken hundreds.  Some, he said, were out of focus or the light was not good.  I usually shoot on automatic.  It takes the guessing out and it also usually gives me great shots...just the truth.   I'm not sure which photos I will actually create photographs with.  Maybe I'll make a photo book.  I love that we did it.   I love that it was one of my best days.

While I speak of all the details and all the planning I did, most importantly, God is in the details.  While I speak of all I did to get it ready, I know without a doubt He's the one who truly made it all happen.  Anytime you've been dreaming of something all your life, and it comes true, God is in there, you can be sure.   The way I found this photographer, just asking for one on a public site...that had to be God.  The photographer told me "taking photos of a woman and her horse is on my bucket list!"  Really?  And he saw my post?  Coincidence is not in my vocabulary.  I thank God for this day and every day to follow where he knows my heart about something and he answers those prayers.  I'm working to line my dreams up with his dreams, as I'm sure his dreams are more than I can imagine.   (Eph 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us).  So in the meantime, I'll try to be patient to wait and see what He has planned for me next.

 And oh by the way, I'd love to get some shots of my other retired gelding, Smash.  Maybe I will just set up my tripod!!!

"The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean."  Rev 19:14

Encourage One Another and build each other up.  I Thes 5:11

Continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you, xoxo

"She never shook the stars from their appointed courses, but she loved her God and she rode good horses!" 

Afternoon at the Ranch

Baby Gray has been asking since he met Mosey to go back and see him at the ranch.  Today was the day!  He donned the new cap he picked out and off we went.

Once we got to the ranch, he, T-Paw and I headed off for the barn.

He helped feed the horses and enjoyed watching them eat.  When we went inside the stall to give Mosey a pat, T-Paw caught these photos.  Mosey was a trooper and liked having his photo taken.

He met the other horses too, including "Marnie" (formally called Marty), Smokey and Solo.

He also took his balls along to the ranch for a bit of football.  As usual, he was very good at creating something that actually was created for something else, into something he likes...he made the gates into the barn into goalposts and spent a lot of time throwing his footballs over that.

Here just a few other photos of us having fun hanging out at one of my favorite places.

What a good day!  Fabulous weather, just cool enough for a light jacket!

More creativity, Koozie's into "mi'ins".

Steaks and baked potatoes were "what's for supper"?

The end of a perfect day.  My favorite photo!!

Psalm 36:7
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Encourage one another, continuing the journey on fresh paths!

Blessings and love to you.

Living Water

Two things.
I'm packing...well, I'm purging my house in preparation for packing.  Friday I found a small yellow card with a scripture or  prayer written on it that use to hang on the mirror in my bedroom back home.
I was delighted to find it.  I use to read it every day.  It said,

"God, whose grace overflows at times we find ourselves in a dry and weary land, lead us to streams in the desert.  Quench the thirst of our souls with your living water".

Today as I was riding I thought of the scripture again.
Last year I wrote about my horse and I finding this "oasis" in the desert which was created by an irrigation system in the cotton field.  Well, it's irrigation time again in west Texas and last Saturday, the "creek was flowing".  My horse could not get enough.  He drank and played and pawed and stuck his head in the water.

On Sunday when we rode again it was not on.  He truly was very disappointed.  Both times going past it in both directions he just stopped and stared.  I felt so bad for him.
Well, today, praise God, the system was watering again.  Today he did the same thing, drinking and walking through the water.

We could see it from a distance.

After drinking, he just stopped and rested and enjoyed the water bouncing off his head.  He was at peace feeling what felt like rain.
What came to mind for me, was the scripture I had just read.  How God will create a stream in the desert to quench our souls.  He will truly let water or his word flow into us to revive us, to give our souls living water.
For that I am truly thankful.
And to the cotton farmer I am also thankful.  He gives my horse a reprieve from the heat, from the dry dusty earth and waters his soul as well.

Glory be to God!

I tried to find this scripture in "Bible Gateway" but could not find it exactly under several translations so I am not sure if it is a scripture or a prayer.  Either way there are a number of scriptures in the Bible expressing the same thing.

NOTE TO ME who has a short memory...I put this card back where I found it in the Justin boot box with my buckles and belts.

Continuing the journey, with fresh paths.
Encourage one another

An Almost Perfect Riding Day

I don't really know what would be classified as a "perfect" riding day...but today was pretty close.  The sky was overcast, giving a rest from the hot beaming sun Midland has chosen to dish out early this year.  It was a tad bit on the breezy side...just this side of windy, but nothing to blow my cap off.  No dust was blowing, that's the main thing when the wind blows.  The temperature was 75 degrees.  Seriously between 1:30 and 3:30 pm, the temperature was 75 degrees.  I took a photo of the bank sign on my way home to prove it.

My horse was quiet and easy going, cooperative and pleasant.  Although I love riding almost any horse, I like riding mine best.  I know him better, his little quirks and jitters.  There might be some surprises, but very few.   I guess a friend to ride with might have added a little fun and bit of a social side, however, I'm so use to riding alone that that really doesn't matter much.  I listened to a little country music via "Pandora" for part of the ride and then just listened to life around me the rest of the way.  The country side in west texas can be a little lacking from south central Texas where I use to ride.  South Texas is filled with lots of trees and wildlife, cattle, creeks and ponds.  However, you can't see very far for the trees as they say.  I have gotten use to the openness of west Texas and being able to literally see for miles.  I like that.  So all in all, I'd say it was a perfect day for riding.  My pony would probably say so too.  He got a little bath and then a bucket of grain and some alfalfa.  What better way to end a day than a cool bath and a full tummy.

Thank you God for the blessing of my horse and my ability to ride!

Encourage one another!