Photography | Hot Rod Cowgirl

Simple Times In A Simple Country Girl’s Life

10 Jan 2012 12 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Heritage, Juniper T Ranch, Photography, Ranch History, Ranch Life Tags: Heritage, Juniper T Ranch, Photography

Simple times in a simple country girls life in Juniper Canyon can be interesting…always changing…certainly not boring. What is it like where you live? If you were to ask me what is it like here, this is what I would say…

Amazing views because you can see forever…ever changing incredible light for picture taking nuts like me…you never know what living scene of daily life you will see or experience.

Most mornings you wake to a beautiful sunrise…filled with a revered quiet…stillness that fills you with a sense of God and peace for the new day.

Equally beautiful sunsets kiss your face each night and never fail to put on a chromatic color scheme of pure country beauty.

Solitude…looking into forever…not seeing another person…just you and the stillness of the land.

I know that horses will be in heaven because God made them and He loves to ride them…I feel like I am already in heaven when I ride Melody…she makes my heart rest and my spirit go ahhhhhhh.

A warm winter’s night that feels like spring…it was incredible to look up and see two jets overhead in the golden evening twilight.

One of our resident hawks taking off to hunt for dinner. I then convinced Wild Bill to hike up on the hill as I was hoping for some moon shots.

Even after living here forever I never get tired of the views and knowing that the ground I walk on has been in my family for over 100 years…that speaks deep to your soul. I thank God for our home and this land everyday.

Here is a bit of history…the old clubhouse that we made for our kids and eventually became our grandkids. It has been everything from a rocket ship to a fort to a tank to a spaceship. In real life though it was an original tractor cab way back in the early 40’s. It kept the weather out and some of the dust…if only it could talk the stories it would tell.

And then…the moon peeked out from over the hill….perfectly blessed:)

Wild Bill agrees the hike was worth it!

Country beauty…country blessings.

Always interesting and intriguing.

As we headed for home we passed the stand of old trees that my Dad planted way back when. The weather and harsh winds take a toll on them but they have an enduring beauty of their own.

Hey Little Buck Buck…he is enjoying his evening hay dinner.

One last Juniper moon shot.

I hope you have enjoyed a small…very small part of our simple life here. May you be blessed where ever you are.

Hot Rods and Secret Labs

06 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Holton Secret Lab, Hot Rods, Photography Tags: 68 Cougar, Custom Cars, Ford F-100, Holton Secret Lab, Hot Rods, Photography

Hot Rods and Secret Labs….what does that sound like but Holton Secret Lab!

“Should you accept this mission?”

I decided last weekend that no matter that it is cold out, it was time for another HSL photo shoot to let you know what we are working on…we have many various projects going currently.

By the way…all you car people out there…you can click on all these pictures and they will blow up and fill your screen…makes them look very nice!

I love the shot of the “53 F-100″…it sits right and looks bad to the bone…it is parked in front of “The Secret Lab.”

Currently we have been working on two F-100 Ford pick ups.

We call this “56 F-100 The “Chrome One”…the paint and all the chrome make it shine beyond belief! It is like a mirror…and shines like a wild thing…it is going to be a show stopper this year.

It has a big heartbeat…yah-yah! Can we all say…incredible…awesome and fast!

When you see this F-100 in person…it is jaw dropping and ver cool.

Can you say “Zoom Zoom?” This belongs to a “68 Cougar” that we have built a new suspension for among other details….if this car pulls up next to you at a stop light…forget it…it will blow your doors off!

The ever changing scenery in the lab…I never know what I will see on the rotisserie…here we have a “54 Willy’s” cab on one end and a “35 Dodge” cab on the other end…getting ready for priming.

We spend hours customizing each customer job to their specifications…from a louvered firewall…

To a custom dash and interior as most customers would like to have more gauges and air conditioning installed as well as satellite radio etc.

Another custom touch…a back light on a “35 Dodge Belt Line.”

It takes many shop hours…labor along with talent to create and fabricate hot rods into outrageous and outstanding rides.

This “48 Ford Coupe” is in process right now…it is getting a new heart and suspension.

This is a “46 Ford Tudor ” that we built and if you look close at the two vehicles you can see that we customized this Ford a lot.

Here is my “36 Ford Pick Up Cab” sitting on top of the paint booth…”Hey…wait a minute Wild Bill…I want my pick up finished!” I used to own a 35 Ford Pick Up that got sold…arggghhhh!

On any given day this is what I see…

Cool stuff…nice stuff…custom delight stuff and yee-haw…oops…sorry…the cowgirl got the best of me:)

Cragers…wow…unfortunately you do not see them as much now…when I met Wild Bill they were the only wheel to have…I loved them then and I love ’em now!

And Bella Bel-Air!

And this very cool F-100!

This was just a very brief look at “Holton Secret Lab” as there is much more to showcase.

“Hang on and check back with us”.

“We deliver the unexpected.”

“Burn ‘Em and Enjoy The Ride or The Drive!”

Until next time…”Your mission is complete.”

This brief will self destruct in 5 minutes…over and out!

http://www.holtonsecretlab.com

Winter Wonderland Has Transformed Juniper Canyon Into A Twilight Zone

12 Dec 2011 4 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Horses, Lifestyles, Photography, Weather Tags: Christmas, Lifestyles, Odd beauty, Photography

Winter wonderland has transformed Juniper Canyon into a twilight zone of frozen earth and frozen air.

For several days now we have had heavy fog and frigid temps.

The landscape has become a monochromatic world of frozen tundra.

While the trees are clothed in a whiter shade of pale…and gray.

The heavy frost is slowly transforming ordinary things into weird shapes and images.

The trees though held captive by the bleak grayness are beautiful in their own way…if you look for the beauty amidst the stark contrast with the sky.

Both man and animal alike is feeling humdrum from the gray days…as evidenced here from Melody to Patio Horse…. “What are you staring at me for?”

This kind of weather wears on you after a while and yet…there is still an odd beauty to the frozen days…our lone evergreen shrub looks frozen yet festive for Christmas!

My log fence is dressed for the holidays with its white garland…can you say brrrrrrr.

Melody is still not sure about “Patio Horse”….”Annie did you see that weird horse over on the patio….I tired to talk to it but it just looked at me with its frosty glare and icy hair.”

” Patio Horse” is a bit threatening with its eyes staring at you.”

Ooooops the grayness and surreal twilight zone pulled me into a warped sense of reality for a moment…sorry for the lapse…ok moving on to decorations….let’s forget weird and dreary for a minute!

This is one of our traditional decorations…not sure where my Mom got this Moose but she loved it and I dig him out every year.

And this is my Christmas Angel that I have had since I was little. She is one of my keep sakes and yearly traditions…the first decoration I get out right after Thanksgiving.

“Wild Bill” brought the tree home last night on “Melody” who was not thrilled as you can see by her look. I am hoping to get the tree decorated tonight!

The front porch wreath is up to welcome visitors…with a cherry Merry Christmas!

However our handrail looks a bit hairy and icy today and not too welcoming.

One last tree shot…despite the mundane days if we look hard there is beauty to be found all around us:)

Could not resist this fun shot…Happy Monday!

Last report I heard was that “Patio Horse” was running wild….keep your eyes open for him!

Crazy…Fast and Furious…Unpredictable Life Filled With Many Blessings!

08 Dec 2011 4 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Heritage, Juniper T Ranch, Lifestyles, Photography, Ranch Life Tags: Heritage, Horses, Juniper T Ranch, Lifestyles, Photography

Crazy…fast and furious…unpredictable life filled with many great blessings…I often experience a mix…and even though it is fast and furious I find myself grabbing on to the important seconds that tick by….filing them away in my heart and trying to see every little detail of God’s world that we live in.

Prince was my first horse and best friend. Prince carried me for several years all over out here where I still live…a heartful of memories in a young cowgirls life.

I grew up behind my Dad’s back…where Dad went on a horse I went too…that was life to me…being on the back of a good horse…riding behind my Dad…and I miss his back.

Cows and horses or horses and cows…how I grew up and what I saw daily, normal everyday cattle ranch life…my history filled with many memories.

I am sure you all have those early life memories of daily life with your parents and where you lived…how you lived and what your life was about…moments that will live on forever and yet often, only live on in your memories.

My life was growing up here…on the Juniper T Ranch…various family and friends were around during early summer when we moved the cattle up to the mountain ground and again during the fall gathering. Three of my Aunt’s are in this picture…and this is where my Mom cooked for 20-30 men every day on a wood cook stove in this log cabin…no water except hauling it by bucket…that was life back in the late 60’s for this redneck girl.

With this post I am writing about life chapters…old times and new times…old memoreis and new memories.

A glimpse of the special moments.

Experiences of a lifetime…Hobby and I playing with a cow.

She was just learning to hook on here.

And then she got it!

I loved the feeling of a horse under me moving and dancing with a cow…nothing quite like it! Hobby I miss you girl…miss you lots.

From work to play on a simple warm trail riding kind of day. Sitting on top of the Blue Mountains…the best place to be on a horse around here in the summertime!

Life with many adventures and well-worn chapters in the book of simple times.

Chapters of buying a new horse and bringing her home…our time getting to know each other….Melody you are the song in my heart:)

Turning golden worn pages to another chapter of life…grandkids and fun times with friends at the beach.

Moments with our sons…ocean views…happy times…family memories.

Special birthday times with our youngest son who is a “Moose”…Hot Rod Cowgirl is 5’9″….youngest son is a “Giant” at 6’5″.

Snap shots of a funny moment of “Jagged and Wild Bill”…silly, crazy times!

Of course “Smart Alec Times”..I think Hot Rod Cowgirl is picking on Wild Bill:)

Birthdays and grandkids helping me celebrate…two granddaughters…lots of resemblance in our eyes and mouth…you can see that we are family:) Ok guys you can close your mouth…Wild Bill…Natalie…Becca…ok I know the cake is looking yummy and all but come on for the picture…close your mouth like me and smile big:) Oh Becca…where oh where are you??? Come back to reality girl.

An ordinary life filled with times such as this with family…love…happiness…that incredible moment when time stands still and you know….this is beautiful life.

Life takes you to places you have been before and places you have never been before.

Like “The Portland Roadster Show” in 2006 when we took three customer vehicles and won three Best Of Class!

And snow storms that drift and give you great photo ops!

Christmas is coming sooner than we expect…and before we know it…less than three weeks!

Just ask Ms. Minnie Mouse:) She likes sleeping under the tree when we put it up…now on to decorating it.

Christmas with Grandkids:) on our antique red sofa…long story for another post….the sofa is 1940’s vintage red leather and I love it!

Good Night where ever you are…it is super cold here tonight…snuggle down with your loved ones and remember to look for those special memories and moments in your life…may you be blessed by the season at hand.

I Felt The First Breath Of Winter Today…

24 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Breast Cancer, Clouds, Lifestyles, Photography, Storms Tags: Life Scenes, Lifestyles, Photography

Today was the first day that I have actually felt the first breath of winter…artic cold wind…and dark clouds.

We were out this afternoon worming our three horses.

It was cold with the wind blowing out of the North…the outside lights were on at 2:45 in the afternoon and it looked like it would either snow or rain any minute.

Melody and Annie were good with the wormer…I am sure it tastes like ick…but once it was down I gave them treats..and lots of rubs and luvs.

Here at our house our horses…dogs….cats…are our kids and we love them 1000%.

Buck was great with his shot and then the wormer too….he is so polite and quiet.

As soon as we were done, I hot footed it back to the house…brrrrr.

It snowed here a year ago on November 21st…so will it this year too?

I wrote this a few weeks ago….was going to shoot more pictures and get it posted…I know if I am going to blog I need to do it once a week at least or more often..then I got busy and did not get this posted.

I have disappeared the last few weeks from the blog/web world. Where have I been? This was the last picture you saw of me taken in October.

I had surgery in Portland last week at Oregon Health Science University so I was a bit detained from my computer! I picked up something way too heavy for me to lift and ended up with a hernia.

Some of you know that I am a breast cancer survivor and almost have six years under my belt now…I went through lots of surgery in 2006…20 hours in one week and then another 5 hours four months later. We had been very proactive as I was high risk and when they caught it on the mammogram it was the size of a small orange…the Dr. recommended a mastectomy.

Wild Bill and I had already discussed this as I had 8 biopsies from 2001 through 2004….had one year off and then was diagnosed in January of 2006. It was wide-spread but not yet invasive and caught early so I feel I was lucky. We chose to take both breasts and at the same time do the reconstruction with a double free tram flap as it was the most proactive thing we could do for my survival. The first surgery was 16 hours and then 48 hours later another 4 hours. It was a miracle…no infections and yes the healing time was six months but I came back good as new….I was working out at the local athletic club with a trainer at five months.

This is me today…I look the same…but I have to be careful and not lift over 10 pounds as now I have a mesh screen in my belly as a tram flap is using your own belly tissue and muscle for the blood flow for the new tissue to form new breasts.

I was afraid I would puncture implants doing ranch chores or riding horses. Out where we live it is a different life…you do what you have to do when you have to do it…if you have never lived in the middle of no where or the country that may not make sense.

As it is, I ended up with a hernia from lifting something when Wild Bill was not around…I know stupid on my part…but seriously I do not think and I forget…this has been a new normal for this country girl.

Here we are coming home from OHSU after the surgery last week….I love the city but I am always thankful when we get on I-84 and we are headed for Eastern Oregon…..home.

Ok well forget November 21st on the snow…this is November 16th…oh what a fun drive we had.

It went from a bit of snow to…

Serious snow…I am not thinking this is looking good…I was not worried about us as we had four-wheel drive and are used to driving in winter conditions etc. but being on the freeway with lots of traffic is not good with icy conditions.

Oh great!!!!!

And then…we finally broke out of it as we hit the edge of Eastern Oregon.

Biggs Junction and Maryhill…they have excellent wines at Maryhill Winery.

And then…God smiled….and brought us home to Juniper Canyon…with peaceful views and the blessing of “home.”

Melody and Annie said hay hay hay! Mom’s home…we missed you…come see us and give us some luvs…rubs and apple asses:)

Minnie missed me too…she and I have spent the last week on the sofa under the quilt recovering. Of course I have my laptop and a new phone to play with…which is fun of course…and lots of well wishes and my hubby who has been awesome to be my nurse and my cook:) I have several weeks yet to go with recovery but we are on the road.

I am thankful to be here and to be healthy…to have life and years yet to live. Please be sure to take care of your health and know that your life is your life and your health is your health…do all your yearly exams and be aware of your body and of your health. I am living proof of doing that as with the cancer I had you could not feel it…and yet the area was the size of a small orange. Both Wild Bill and I saw it after the biopsy. My Doctor did not want to wait on doing a surgical biopsy as he wanted to get it out…so six days later after the mammogram he did the biopsy in his office where I was fully awake. Seeing the size of the lump, and yet I could not feel it, helped me understand that you may not always be able to feel a lump with breast cancer. Doing your yearly exams and in my case a digital mammogram saved my life.

Moving on to Holton Secret Lab News….as soon as I am feeling a bit better I will be updating the new web site.

The Portland Roadster Show is coming…March 2012. This is a picture of our display at the Roadster Show…10 Customer Cars…12 Awards.

What’s that sound? It’s a V-12 1928 Dodge Coupe…”Jagged!”

Holton Secret Lab…need I say more? Check out…www.holtonsecretlab.com

Come see what is so dang secret about “The Lab”…You Will Not Be Disappointed!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011…From Hot Rod Cowgirl…Wild Bill and Holton Secret Lab LLC.

Check Out My Other Blog On Holton Secret Lab

06 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Holton Secret Lab, Hot Rods, Photography, www.holtonsecretlab.com Tags: Holton Secret Lab, Hot Rod Cowgirl, Hot Rods, Jagged

Check out my other blog on our website Holton Secret Lab. If you like Hot Rod Cowgirl…you need to go check out what put the Hot Rod in the Cowgirl:)

Our newly revamped website is up and running. I still have lots to update on the website but that will take time yet. I think I have about two years worth of updates with events, restorations, awards, articles etc. Part of the problem was having to pay a web tech to upload my pictures and news…with our new website I can upload news and new pictures due to Word Press. Thank you Word Press!!!

Type this address http://www.holtonsecretlab.com/ into your browser and go to Holton Secret Lab.

If you go to the web site…check out all the links and see some awesome work and cars…then head over to the Blog link and you can read about the “Secret Lab”.

This is the header for the Blog…Hint Hint…Cool Cars!

Like this one! Incredible 3 D flames huh? My husband is a creative artist.

Amazing 1972 Bronco…built and restored with custom fabrication and details from the ground up…this Bronco is jaw dropping…it won the very first show it went to at the Portland Roadster Show…winning Best Of Class!

Our current “Wild Bill” build in progress “Jagged”. A 1928 Dodge Coupe with a V-12 Jag motor in it and yes it runs really well! Look close at all the custom fabricated work on this car. “Wild Bill” had to make the headers, manifold and the intake. “Jagged” has nitrous injection with a dual four tunnel ram. “Jagged” is going to the Grand National Roadster Show.

Another cool shot of the 1972 Bronco…incredibly customized and truly one of a kind! It needs to be in a magazine…it is beautiful.

We have owned “Bella Bel-Air” now for 6 years. We restored her to stock and that includes the paint. It is fun to drive her as truly you feel like you are back to the 50’s or 60’s.

“Mr. Blu2” at our restored gas pumps that we use for photo ops with the cars we restore and paint…it is fun for me to take the pictures and then roll back the time.

Cruzin Magazine interview at the “Lab”. All customer cars that you see HSL built and restored…we had about 20 customer vehicles lined up in front of the shop that day.

“Wild Bill” got a louver machine a few years ago and of course he went nuts…he has 936 Louvers on “Jagged”!

Close up of “Jagged’s” heart…why you ask…because we can. V-12 Dual Four Barrel, Tunnel Rammed, Nitrous Injected Jaguar Motor…in our 1928 Dodge Coupe with a 5″ Chopped Roof and lengthened 10″ to fit the Jag motor on a custom frame…all built by “Wild Bill” and Holton Secret Lab. If you go to You Tube I have a video of the beginning of the build on Jagged. Go to YouTube and search for Holton Secret Lab…I have 15 videos of various frame off restorations that we have done.

I know I know…you came to my blog to see horses and ranch life and cowboys and cowgirls…the wild west!

Yes I am still a 100% cowgirl here…this cowboy scene that you see, is happening about 150′ from Holton Secret Lab…on the other side of the 103 year old barn.

I could not leave out Fanny Annie…she is a sweet girl:) Ok “Wild Bill” I am getting back to Hot Rods!

This gray “1936 Ford Five Window Coupe” is on You Tube too…the video is incredible as the restoration was intense….lots of fabrication of parts as we could not locate a few of them…quite a bit of rust repair etc. The “Gray Ghost” as I call this “36 Ford” came out beautiful!

This “1970 GTO” was also intense with lots of rust repair etc. and for those that do not know…black paint shows every flaw…so if it is “Black and Beautiful”…it is Beautiful!!! This GTO is a crowd pleaser as you do not see these rare cars very often anymore. Go take a look at the YouTube video of this “1970 GTO”…it is impressive. “HSL strives to do every car good enough to be painted Black.”

This is the link to the YouTube Channel. http://www.youtube.com/

We go to the Portland Roadster Show every year with several of the customer car builds that we have done. It is a fun week for us and for our customers that go with us. Lots of people and it is fun to get out and meet new potential customers. Of course we always hope we will win several awards each year for our customers and for HSL!

Typical view at HSL…incredbile cars! This “1970 Chevelle” is on You Tube too…..and this little Chevelle has won lots of awards! Check out the ghost flames on the hood!

I think that “Wild Bill” spent too long in the sun that car show day…hmmm…stay tuned.

“Have A Happy Sunday!”

“Over and Out from Hot Rod Cowgirl…Hobby and I getting ready to cut a cow, which was so much fun, the next second of this sequence we were cutting. OK Wild Bill…I know it is time for me to go make dinner:)”

Thank you Kristen of http://nine2fivecreative.com/

If you need a new web site…get hold of http://nine2fivecreative.com/

Late Fall Is Rolling Into November In Juniper Canyon

02 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Heritage, Photography, Ranch Life Tags: Heritage

Late fall is rolling quickly into November in Juniper Canyon and while the weather is still pleasant, Wild Bill and I decided to go for a drive yesterday on the ranch so we took Leap-N-Leana our Jeep out for spin. Our skies and views here are amazing as you can see in every direction. Of course I had my camera in hand with my photographers eye looking for the perfect shot.

He really does not like me taking his pictures…I had to sneak a bit to capture this one through the wheat grass in the CRP.

This is what it looks like where we live…a lot of country and a lot of no where.

Can you see the very small trees off to the left in the picture…our house is below the trees. When I was little my Dad planted the trees on top of the hill behind our house.

This is a zoom in photo so you can see the trees…those are windmills in the distance…not stick art.

And here we have a Tucker in the bush…not a Bev Doolittle…instead a MJ Toolittleholton…she is reddish like the wheat grass so she can hide.

I love this picture with the contrast of the blue and rusty golden color.

Liked this one too with the interesting weeds…they look like a rusty flower bud.

Of course our gang came along with us for a fun family outing!

Looking the other direction…in the distance you can see the foothills of the Blue Mountains…which is about 20 miles from here.

Light is beginning to change and soon the sun will set.

Peek A Boo Blue Mountains…through various weeds and CRP.

This is what our Chamber Of Commerce sells…Eastern Oregon Sunsets.

One of our very serious guard dogs…I thought he looked good with the contrast of color.

Here you see the incredible solitude of the land…living here forever has given me the appreciation of the true beauty of the life that is all around me. The ever changing views of landscape as the weather changes with the clouds moving in and out of the sun…the quality of daily life out here where you still know your neighbors and they know you…we have a great neighborhood watch…it is still small town America where we live…where life still makes sense…and the times when it doesn’t…you have the support of community and family.

I love this time of evening with the magical light and colors which is perfect for photography. Ok I am grabbing my camera again…hang on the world is turning orange with color.

Turning from soft light to dark light.

There she goes softly slipping from view.

Beautiful sight on a beautiful night.

Incredibly lovely…we are blessed to see this and be part of it. The mountain that you see is Mt. Hood…which is 250 miles from where we live…skies here are usually always this clear so that you can see long range.

Sometimes there are no words…and my hubby would agree…he loves those times:)

As the sun went down the sky behind us turned golden…outlined with the windmill stick art over the hill from us.

One last shot…see the three jet trails….kind of a cool shot with the light and colors. Happy November and enjoy the night!

I Am Headed Down The Road Of Fall Colors And Autumn Adventures…

21 Oct 2011 Leave a comment

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Juniper T Ranch, Photography, Ranch Life Tags: Heritage, Juniper T Ranch

I am headed down the road of fall colors and autumn adventures…as

Summer has faded into history…and even though I grumble that summer went too fast…I am drawn into the change of seasons with the vivid colors of autumn…softer colors and softer light for photography…rusty colors…golds…greens…oranges….burnt yellows and the deep rusty reds that I LOVE!

The ever changing landscapes of life arise with new colors in each season…the seasons softly call my name as each season has much life to capture…so I grab my camera to record the life and adventures that I see…feel…and experience…I am blessed to be here and part of HSL and Juniper T!

A few days ago I walked along the edge of Payette Lake, which was incredible, with my hubby Wild Bill…we felt the brisk air of fall with a touch of winter on our cheeks…hearing the cold crunch of leaves and rocks under our feet and seeing the geese planning their flight South for warmer weather…means that soon winter…

Will fall up on us…but for now it is time for fall’s gentle rains and various curious clouds to add interest to our ever changing views…each day the temps get a bit colder…the colors get a bit bolder…and I hold on tighter to WB:)

Evenings can be spectacular as the soft golden light of sunset falls gently on the parched dry land left from the summer heat…creating a beautiful landscape with incredible hues that speak to your heart…I grab my camera quickly…I do not want to miss out on the magical moment…you know the one…the photographers moment for that one incredible shot…the one you will love and feel a part of.

October is a time of reflection as we look back over the year behind us and then forward to the family holidays that soon will be here with lots of yummy holiday meals with family and friends…I need to think about making Norwegian Lefse or potato cakes…by the way they are extremely good, hot, rolled up with 100% butter!

It has been said that Autumn is the years last, loveliest smile…and I do believe it is so…it is bittersweet and yet it is very sweet.

Another part of fall for us is getting the last load of hay into the barn for winter.

Grandson Cody and Flame are getting ready to load the bales onto the hay elevator. Our barn was built in 1909…we sided it in 1981 to protect it but I remember it when it was a burnt red and then white. I love this old barn as it has been here through out my life…I made many forts in it growing up and played with my horses in the stalls in the winter…it holds 100 tons of hay upstairs.

Fall is family time with sons and dogs…grandkids…horses…sweet kitty cats and warm gentle days…memories and fun times.

Speaking of horses…here’s “Lil Buck”…he is watching his winter food being loaded into the barn. I love Buck…he is so very laid back and yet he is so galant and steadfast…he is very true of heart.

Having the hay elevator is a huge help! The way this works is that you have a trailer loaded with 5 tons of hay….bales are 100 pounds…you pick up one at a time and load it on the conveyor belt of the hay elevator…

It takes the bale up into the barn door where others catch it and load it on a cart…the cart is stacked three or four high and is wheeled over to the stack to unload…another art in itself!

Son Greg is running the cart…by the way the hay cart is 100 years old…this cart was a wheat cart from way back when…wheels made of iron…yep heritage runs deep here…I bet my Grandpa Gunder built it or one of his brothers did…Wild Bill is catching the hay off the elevator and Robby Bobby Blue Eyes is watching…and notice in my barn and only in my barn…see the headers hanging on the wall behind Robby? There is the reason for my name…Hot Rod Cowgirl!

Three generations here…Wild Bill…son Greg…grandson Robert…and me taking the pictures:) Family history and heritage is sooooo very important!!! There are many traditions we pass on to our kids as well as family stories about old times…and good times.

Ah here are the barn cats Pat and Jack…go ahead break into the barn and make their day! No the dogs do not go upstairs to visit them as they are afraid to! Pat and Jack are happy…they are getting new condos in the hay!

Can’t you see their smile? Kind of a snarly smile…with a few hooks of the claw.

Grandpa and Cody hauling hay for my ponies up at the house…I have a couple of rather spoiled ponies right outside my kitchen window…I am able to keep my eye on both of them:)

“Grandpa..geez..I need help…it’s not working:( It’s ok Cody…all is well…Grandpa WB will fix it:)

Fall clouds with magical light and incredible colors.

Evening sunsets with cloudy skies can be incredible if you watch for that one magical moment

When the sun touches the dark clouds with a sun touched kiss of beauty…I am grabbing my camera and hoping to catch the artistic shot for you!

Buck agrees…he is very wise.

So does Ms. Kiah…she is wise too.

And Minnie has her heating pad back on so she is a happy wise kitty too:)

This is a glimpse of the view I see when I ride my horses up on the hills that are all around us…can you see the mountains…on a clear perfect night you can see three mountains…Mt. Hood…St. Helens…Mt. Adams…and once in a great while Mt. Ranier.

Fall delights us and gently invites us to enjoy the golden warm days with ever-changing scenery…wherever you are I wish you a beautiful fall!

Cowboys..Horses…Aussie Dogs…Late Fall

09 Oct 2011 2 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Clouds, Horses, Juniper T Ranch, Photography, Ranch Life, Storms Tags: Horses, Juniper T Ranch

Cowboys…horses and Aussie dogs…always make for a good story and good photos!

October snuck in gently with warm temps the first week but now is letting us know that our late fall-summer is officially over. I had to finally change out my capris and t-shirts for jeans and sweaters.

I never get tired of taking pictures of clouds and funky colors…out here where I live…this is what we see on a daily basis…I keep my camera handy for shots like this!

We are to get rain this week finally…the farmers need it for fall seeding for next year’s crops.

Can you see the deer…they are my early morning and evening visitors.

I love how the light filters through the clouds this time of year with soft beautiful colors that bathe the land in golden hues.

This is little “Buck”…he is our newest family member joining us here on the Juniper T.

Buck is special to us as he belongs to our Cowboy Son. We first knew Buck when he was two years old…he lived out here for a while on the ranch while Curt broke him to ride.

The round corral was built that year with Buck in mind.

When our Cowboy Son and his wife called us to see if we would like to own Buck, we immediately said yes! They live in Seattle now where the weather is gray, rainy and muddy…they felt that Buck needed to come home where he would be out of the wet weather for his feet. A decision that was not easy.

Buck is the classic old-fashioned quarter horse build which I personally love:)

Curt trained Buck and he trained him the right way!

This is a horse that listens and trusts…it was not easy for Curt to leave Buck as they are very connected in heart and spirit.

The relationship you have with your horse is profound and truly from God above. Horses are incredible…beautiful…spiritual beings and they love us…they feel and think.

You have not been loved until you are loved by your horse…it is a very special bond.

Cooper…you are such a good boy… I love you too:)

Curt is getting ready to ride bareback…making the halter lead rope into a rein…and talking to Wild Bill.

Wild Bill is making some profound point…I wonder what he is saying…hmmm?

As you can see…Curt truly takes Wild Bill seriously:)

Camille and her herd of Aussies! We all love our Australian Shepherds!

Cowboys and horses…and the women who love them.

Riding Buck…with Cooper following.

Camille keeping her eyes on the gang…”You guys sit and stay and be good.”

This picture brings back old memories…Curt on Buck with Coop following.

Summer night 2004…Curt on Hobby with Buck following.

Coming down the rail…2011…I think I have seen this before?

Yep pretty close…Buck is following down the rail as a colt in 2004.

Buck and Curt 2011

Buck and Curt 2004…this was Buck’s first ride and Curt rode him out into our fields with a halter…no bridle…and all went well.

Wild Bill and I plan to go on some mountain trail rides and plan to ride all over out here…it is incredible out here in the summer as when you ride on top of the hills you can see three distinct mountains…with incredible views for miles.

We will watch the sun go down and the moon come up…taking time out to enjoy life when we can…away from the stressors of life…it is true that there is something about a horse that is good for the insides of a man or woman.

We will ride both Buck and Melody this next year…they will carry us on down the dusty trail:)

Annie will be broke to ride this next year too…and that will mean lots of time on her too. I am looking forward to it as I have ridden alone most of my life…except when my Dad or Wild Bill rode with me on the Juniper T.

Thank you Curt and Camille…we love you both very much…and Buck will always be here for you to come home to and ride…anytime.

Curt On Hobby…”Bo The Incredible Aussie”…And “Little Buck”…Summers Night 2004.

My guy with Bo on the left who is Dash’s Father…Dash is on the right…Bo was significant in our getting Aussies…when Curt introduced us to Bo we fell in love with him right away…he was protective and could be scary mean if the wrong person came around….and he was always here with us…did not wonder off…very smart dog.

Curt with our Kiah and his Tuff…they are brother and sister…not from Bo but from a different lineage…very smart dogs too.

Another shot of Camille with the gang:) ” Sit still so I can brush you!”

Typical summer nights on the Juniper T.

Buck is awesome and beautiful….so are the hearts behind him.

Look for joy this week and good stuff…simple stuff…family times…making memories…your life has a beat…listen for it and find your rhythm…it’s there…so often we do not get quiet enough to hear it with the fast pace of our lives…but it is there…and the peace that comes with it is incredible.

Behind The Scenes Of Pendleton…Let ‘Er Buck 2011

29 Sep 2011 Leave a comment

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Horses, Photography Tags: Horses, The Pendleton Round Up

Behind the scenes of Pendleton…Let ‘er Buck 2011…I decided this year I would go behind the scenes with my camera…this is where you see the real life of the contestants….the people….the livestock…the all “American Cowboy Life”. I love it as it is the real deal…truth in pictures…I hope you enjoy the photos that I captured…I have a few in the arena too but will do one more post for them as my posts seem to get long quickly.

Horses behind the grandstand…sleeping…hanging out…waiting.

Cowboy parking behind the grandstands…I would not want to pull in with our trailer and try to park…no way.

Round Up Indian Village.

Cowboys warming up…talking with friends and trying to relax.

Cowboy town…trucks, trailers, horses…I love the heart beat of the western life of the cowboy and cowgirl.

Cowboy ponies and wild ponies…does not matter as all are the same in the horse world…some are trained and others are not but they are horses… they all have huge hearts and want to get along.

Sports Medicine Van standing by…hoping to not be needed!

I love watching the horses the most…they have their own language and it is all body language…I am trying to learn all of this right now….have been a student of horses since I was 2 years old…and a serious natural horsemanship student for 10 years of learning about the horse and I am still learning…will be learning forever I am sure…as you can never know it all and anyone who says they know it all does not know much.

Warming up…and some are cooling down.

Actually laying down and cooling off…feels so good to roll.

And feels so good on my itchy back!

Ok guys lets go…hope you all feel better now that you rolled, itched and cooled off a bit:)

Back to warming up…cowboy style.

Moving with the rhythm of Round Up.

Hoping to win their round…old friends and new friends…cowboys doing the rodeo circuit.

“And I was so dang close to winning…and then lost by 1.1 second…or less…my wife and the kids are good…my horse is doing fantastic…I hope I win…can use the money to pay expenses…no hard feelings right.”

“We need to get together after the craziness of competing and have a bq with our families.”

“Whatever guys….geez…I am trying to get my head on for the final barrel race run of the day…here at Pendleton for crying out loud…and you are trying to bond…geez…ok focus…focus…focus…get my head on right cowgirl style!”

Thinking…praying…sitting…trying to relax…breathing cowgirl style.

Moving and riding with purpose to prepare…some are riding with purpose to relax.

Horses getting tired of standing and being after a long week in Pendleton with the hot weather…the crowds…noises…cowboys…and just rodeo…on one hand I love it…on another I can see where it would get old.