Hot Rod Cowgirl

Versatile Bloggers Award…Wowie Zowie!

Yesterday afternoon as I was putting together my secret family spaghetti sauce…I had a humbling surprise. Creative Noshing  sent a note saying that she had nominated me for The Versatile Blogger Award!

I was so excited to be nominated that Minnie and I did the happy dance:) Well ok she watched as I did a quick disco move or two…

Then she rolled back over and went back to her afternoon nap!

When I first started this blog last summer, I was not sure what tags were or categories or really what was Word Press and how did it work? I have learned that this is a community of fellow bloggers with stories to tell and pictures to share. I have read beautiful inspiring words that reach down deep to touch your heart and occasionally even my toes…very gifted writers that have the ability to tell the story in one word. Photo images that are simply breathtaking…gifted photography that pulls you into the story that is being told through that one image. The creative and artistic element that involves so many artists on Word Press is helping me to grow and learn…thank you for sharing your wisdom, knowledge and artistic ability

Thank you to Creative Noshing  for nominating me. You have given me encouragement and determination to write better and shoot more pictures:)

Now I am to share seven interesting things about myself and nominate seven other blogs.

A picture of WB and I visiting with a fellow survivor and friend…we are on the right. Tough Enough To Wear Pink Day or TETWP happens every Thursday of the Pendleton Round Up Rodeo…cowboys, contestants and everyone in the crowd comes to the rodeo that day wearing pink. It is a day of hope and celebration for survivors…I was in charge of the arena presentation for the survivors…which included their family members…as those who are in our family are very much survivors with us. TETWP raises money and awareness each year for local cancer survivors with support to help with their healing physically and emotionally. TETWP is a national organization that has spread to every rodeo whether large or small…check it out in your area:)

Seven random things about me….

 1: The end of July 1993 at about 9500′ elevation behind Yellowstone Park I was gathering and moving cattle with several neighbors. We had about 500 head gathered as we moved them up Pinion Ridge, which is a dividing ridge for the Columbia River, The Green River and The Mississippi River. As we started up this massive ridge a Wyoming thunderstorm had begun…the lightning struck all around us, starting small fires that the snow would put out…yes we were in a blizzard of snow too as we climbed…it was so bad near the top that the only thing I could do was pull my hat down lower and allow my horse to follow the one black cow we could see…I had no idea where I was and where my neighbors were. We were all in a storm cloud that boomed with thunder and flashed with lightning that was brilliantly white in the snow. Finally we came into a clearing…the storm faded away and the sun came out…the herd was together on the grassy meadow with all my neighbors. I sat in the sun soaking it up and was visiting with a neighbor when he said “Oh look Doc is trying to chase a Buffalo out of the herd…it looks to be 3-4 years old…lets go”…no one will believe this….and Toto we are not in Kansas anymore….a buffalo in the herd…what?

2. I love to write….as evidenced above! I have written as far back as I can remember…being an only child it gave me something to do with my imagination.

3. I love photography…I am self-taught and still learning…I get truly excited when I walk into a camera store to look at new equipment. Photography and writing go hand in hand…they feed my heart and spirit and I love doing both.

4. My office is in my parents old bedroom…I spent many nights in there due to the boogie man or the wind blowing or the house creaking…mostly the boogie man.

5. I am a tall person and a short person in one….my leg inseam is 36 as I am mostly legs and that is the tall person part…my arms are long too and I can bend them in weird ways…the upper part of me is little….when I sit down I sit short but when I stand up I am tall.

6. My husband “Wild Bill” builds custom cars…we own and operate Holton Secret Lab LLC…www.holtonsecretlab.com This  is a 1928 Dodge Coupe that WB customized and built with various details….such as a V-12 Jag engine….WB had to custom build the engine compartment to make the V-12 fit…the name of the car is “Jagged” and he is still working to finish it…the above picture was taken in our shop in May 2011.

7. I went to a small school 8 miles from the house…in the four-year high school there was between 35-45 students. When our youngest son began 1st grade in the same school he had two kids in his class….himself and a girl.

8. One more thing….see I told you I like to write….I am living in a house that I was born into on our century farm….my Grandfather Gunder built the house for my Great Grandmother Anne Marie in 1920…my parents moved into it in 1939 and WB and I moved into it in 1980.

My choices for the seven blogs:

The Simple Life Of A Country Mans Life

Real Ranch Wife

Veeder Ranch

My New Favorite Day

Brian Gaynor Photography

Sotardalen Nokota Horses

1001 Scribbles

If the above mentioned nominees feel moved to play the game, here are the rules:

1. In a post on your blog, nominate 7 fellow bloggers for The Versatile Blogger Award.
2. In the same post, add the Versatile Blogger Award.
3. In the same post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back to their blog.
4. In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
5. In the same post, include this set of rules.
6. Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.

It was hard to pick only seven as every person on Word Press is very good!

Congrats from HR Cowgirl!