Catch It If You Can

Several years ago I took a photography class.  The teacher recommended a specific lens that would be good for portraits.  I wasn't doing many "portraits" back then and I'm still not, however, I do take close ups with my zoom.  The lens I want I'm told you will need to "zoom in with your feet" is what I've been told, in other words, you have to get CLOSE UP AND PERSONAL.  Since I've not used one I'm not sure I'd like it, but I hope so.
So I'm perusing the internet, ebay, Craigslist and any place I can think of to look for a deal.  There just aren't any.  Used ones are not much less than new ones...so why opt for that.  These lens' are about $200 plus.  That's a bit of a chunk for something I've never even tried.  But I'm up for it!
I keep my Nikon DSL with me most of the time, however, you'd be surprised at what I catch with just my iphone camera.
Here are a couple of examples...

Sweetest dog ever!

Sweetest boy ever!

These little birdies all grew up on my front porch and flew away!
And here is the best one!

Mosey ALWAYS yawns after we ride...it's his way of letting loose tension and relaxing.  I was ready for him today, but you still have to just catch it if you can.

Yesterday someone asked "what do you do to add excitement to your every day life?"
My answer..."I carry my camera everywhere, looking for an amazing moment or an amazing thing to capture and  immortalize through my lens. My favorite thing to photograph is horses, but my eyes are peeled for anything awesome!" So here's to capturing the moment and catching it if I can.

Matthew 3:16

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you, xoxo.  

Branded and Scarred

I'm sure you know that branding is the "cowboy" way of marking his animals to prove ownership.  It's been going on for years.  When you are viewing or looking at an animal, like cattle or horses, the brand stands out or shows up and can be seen by the naked eye.  It is easy to see if someone is trying to sell and animal or if you are trying to locate a stolen animal.  Brands are "registered" so that only one person has a specific brand.  The location of where the brand is placed on the horse is also noted in the registration (such as on the upper right hip or the left shoulder).  

Several years ago I developed my own brand and had it created by a welder.  It's a running R with a T that comes off the right angle of the R.  

Brands are created by two different processes.  One is created by hot fire and is called a "fire brand".  The fire brand kills the hair and is basically a scar on the hide of the animal.  No hair grows in the area where the hot branding iron was placed.  The other process is created by dry ice and is called a "freeze brand".  The freezing cold actually changes the hair growth and white hairs grow back.  It's still like a scar, however, it does have hair growth.  

I freeze branded my bay horse Smash with a freeze brand.  It is very easy to see on him since he is a dark red brown color.  This is Smash's brand.  It is placed on his left upper hip.  

Below is a photo of Mosey, my gray horse, right after the freeze branding took place.  It was swollen like this for several days.  It eventually went down.

 This is how it looks today.  It actually froze off most of the hair but there is a little white that shows through. Since he is almost white (pale gray), if it were white, it would not show up. 

This however, is my favorite marking on him.  It is a scar where he cut his let years ago in barbed wire.  It is the sign of a cross.  It is on his back right lower leg.  His black skin shows up very well through his white hair.  If I lost him or someone stole him, it would be easy to identify him by this cross scar.  I think it's kind of cool that he wears a cross.

1 Corinthians 1:18 
 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

I'm back to riding regularly now, well as regularly as you can in 100 degree south Texas weather.  Even after being "off" for 3 months, he's still as steady as you go.  He's still quiet and doesn't get in a hurry to go anywhere.  I'm so grateful I was not riding him the day of the accident.  If I had been, it might not have happened.  He's still my go to guy for calm and relaxation, for quiet and peaceful outings in the country.  Being back in the saddle is the best rehab ever!

Mark 8:34  Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you, xoxo.

Rewrite the Story

Watching "SMASH" reruns this week Karen and her male star boyfriend sang a new song.  It's called "Rewrite the Story".  In the show they're talking about themselves as youth who have grown up in difficult situations they don't feel they can get themselves out of, and about wondering how can they rewrite their stories or change their lives from this point forward.  In the play they are young.  They have their whole adult lives in front of them.  They are asking themselves what can we do to change this...before it's too late.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUYGmiQoTPw&feature=player_embedded

Have you ever wished you could?  Rewrite your story?  Have you ever looked back at your mistakes, at your unspeakable regrets, unforgivable words you've spoken, unhearable things you've been told, your unbearable pain you've felt?  Have you ever wished you could have a "do over"?

I must say I have.  I have looked back at all those things.  I have on occasion wished I'd done it differently; wished I'd taken a different road, wished I'd made a different decision or said a different thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrNiina93n8

 I've wished I could change an outcome, wished I could change a course, hoped for a different result.
I have hoped for a do over, a one more chance to get it right, knowing it's virtually impossible.

At this point in my life I have but one choice.  I must look forward and move forward.  No looking back will change things.  No turning back will erase the past.  No regret will change your history.  So I've tried to take everyone of those negative or regrettable things and find the good God made of it, find the lesson I learned from it.  I know there were many, lessons.

To change one thing would change another.  To change one thing would most likely have changed the course of my life.  The course has not always been easy.  In fact, it seemed almost unbearable at times. I remember thinking "I can't make it to the other side of this".  However, based on what others have been through, based on the current lives of some of my friends, I'd most often chose my own life over theirs, my own misfortune, my own history or my own pain.  I know truthfully, my life might have been so much more difficult.  So for the road I've traveled, I must be grateful.

Based on the blessings and peace I have in my life now, God has made it all good.  He has cleared the way for an exceptional life down this road.  The sky is the limit.  I hope I proceed, full speed ahead.

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good ofthose who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

John 16:33 says, "I have told you these things, so that you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." 

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you, xoxo.

Return to Normal

Finally after 15 1/2 weeks it appears that there is a conclusive return to normal.  Oh and how I thank God for that.  Saturday, August 2nd was the first day I saddled and rode all by myself, for 2 1/2 hours.  

This is us leaving the barn.  For about the first 5 minutes I admit I was a little anxious, but after that it was all rock and roll!  My boy could not have been more perfect.  He never batted and extra look at anything.  It was as if we'd been riding daily since April 15th.  He was quiet and calm which was very reassuring to me.

 I purchased Mosey a little fly bonnet to keep the big flies from biting his ears.  You can see it here.  It looks a little goofy, but it worked.

I love days I ride and see lots of wildlife.  This day I first spotted a raccoon in a tree.  She climbed down and ran off down the creek.  It is very seldom that I see a raccoon during the day.  Other sightings were hawks, a coyote, tiny baby hogs and a lone deer.   Wildlife always makes the ride more interesting.

Overall it was a great ride.  It was just so peaceful, so quiet, except for the sounds in the sanctuary.  It's easy to just lose yourself in the moment and to be grateful for so many things.



It's hard to describe the feeling of normal again, of being able to do just about everything I was able to do before.  It's hard to describe the feelings of freedom and independence and competency.  Being dependent on others was very difficult and very humbling.  However, being in that place has given me a much greater compassion for others in need.  I hope I can be a better giver, a better helper to others who are now walking in those shoes.  There are always lessons to learn from the hard knocks in life.  I hope I have learned some.

James 4:10 

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Encourage one another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.
Blessing and love to you, xoxo

Exodus 15:17

You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance— the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established.

One Day Closer Finally Came!

Read here first...http://thegoodlife54.blogspot.com/2014/05/one-day-closer.html

Then here...http://thegoodlife54.blogspot.com/2014/06/its-little-things.html

Some said it was still too soon.  Some said I couldn't do it.  Some said how can I help.  I knew in my heart I was ready.

The cheer was not only in my head this time, it was out loud with my hands held high in a big ole holler I rejoiced "praise God, I'm doing it!"....I rode my horse for the first time yesterday after 10.5 weeks out of my saddle.  Truly amazing.  And I did great.  I caught him, haltered him, brushed him, saddled him, bridled him, got on him and off I went.  I even opened a gate and went through the creek where the accident happened.  It was just a glorious day.  And my best friend D, my "wrangler", was right there with me, just in case.  We rode for 2 hours.  The weather could not have been better.  The day could not have been more perfect!

"I am who I truly am when I am in the saddle".

Last week was a welcomed week of "normal".  I babysat for my grandson not once but twice.  I photographed with my camera!  I rode my horse.
God blessed me with amazing joy and amazing grace.  To God be the glory!

To God be the glory, great things He hath done,
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life our redemption to win,
And opened the life-gate that all may go in. 

    Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
      Let the earth hear His voice;
    Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
      Let the people rejoice;
    Oh, come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
      And give Him the glory; great things He hath done.

Encourage one another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.
Blessings and love to you.

It's the Little Things

When you can't do much, ,due to an accident, even the things you thought weren't that big become huge.  And the big things become huge.  So when you begin to do things, it's the little things that become big things!  Like the first time you could put on a shirt without buttons, or pull on your under ware, or zip your zipper, or put on your bra or raise a fork to your mouth to eat.  Those are the things you never even give a thought to about being big or little...they are just things you do.  However, they become milestones when you couldn't but now you can, do them.
I can hear the cheer go off in my mind when I do them again after I couldn't for weeks.  Yea me!  Praise God!
So here's to milestones, to first time in a long time, and total recovery!
And remembering I'm one day closer!

Be blessed.

Isaiah 58:8

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Encourage one another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.
Blessings and love to you.

I Shall Keep Horses

While checking out pinterest this morning it lead me to an equestrian website.  It contained a forum where folks write in with issues.  One gal wrote in that she had fallen from her horse, broken several vertebrae in her back and had decided that she was not going to ride any more, that it would be too dangerous.  She asked others if they had any suggestions of what she might do to be a horse person who doesn't ride.  She got a lot of encouragement and suggestions about working horses on the ground, grooming, volunteering, or rescuing horses that may not be able to be ridden.  

Since my own recent accident I was very interested in reading all their suggestions.  As you know I have no intention too quitting riding however, I might be interested in some of their ideas until I can.  The one response she got that truly captured my attention and the one that has the thoughts that are most along my line of thinking, was this one...  

"This Monica Dickens quote sums it up for me : 'When I can't ride anymore, I shall keep horses as long as I can hobble around with a bucket and a wheelbarrow. When I can't hobble, I shall roll my wheelchair out to the fence of the field where my horses graze and watch them."

Having horses in my own barn, in my own backyard, where I can see them grazing out my kitchen window, and walk out and saddle up at any time of the day has been a life long dream of mine.  Thankfully my life isn't over yet.  

 Smash

 Mosey and I

Encourage one another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you.

I'm one day closer!