“Hello Kansas…Are you Missing Some Clouds?”

28 Mar 2012 22 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Animals, Clouds, Landscapes, Photography Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Hello Kansas…Oklahoma…how about Nebraska…we are having the most incredible bizarre weather we have ever had here…a bit crazy…a bit wild…wild west weather…ride ’em cowboy!!!

Good Morning…Juniper Canyon!

Today does not look like the spring weather we usually have…at all?

Melody just had a brief morning shower…and she is not that impressed either.

At 9:00 this morning it became 9:00 at night…

Hey Toto…looking for the yellow brick road?

Hang on…me too:)

Last week we had winter…today we had

Whacky Weird Wednesday Weather…

Incredible photography moments…I was amazed as all of a sudden I was seeing images I only saw on the Weather Channel…here!?!?!

Wild weather gives views that make you stop and look with awe…taking your breath away…

Landing you in the middle of the Wizard Of Oz..2012 style.

With Fanny Annie…and of course Hot Rod Cowgirl…and

Toto…we are still here…smile:)

We can relax as God has the night shift…we can all sleep tight, as we drift off humming the “Yellow Brick Road…We’re off to see the Wizard!”

Hot Rod Cowgirl Heads To The Portland Roadster Show 2012…Part One

20 Mar 2012 23 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Award, Holton Secret Lab, Hot Rods, Photography, Wild Bill Tags: , , , , , ,

Hello my fellow bloggers and friends:) I am finally able to update you on the last week at the Portland Roadster Show.

We left last Wednesday morning for Portland, Oregon…which is over 200 miles from our front door step.

This is about half way into the trip to Portland…we are now in the Columbia River Gorge…as you can see the terrain is vastly different from what I usually photograph.

The Gorge is beautiful and scenic but you usually have weather of some sort…we had snow off and on as well as mist from The Dalles on…only once did the trailer slip a bit….and HRC  prayed a lot!

Setting up at the Expo Center last Thursday morning…the Portland Show invites us to put our car trailer into our display as they like the trailer and people like walking through it…WB and his buddy Jack are rolling out the awning…WB is on the ladder trying to tear some tape off with his teeth…ding dong now quit that!

Here is a small view of the inside of the trailer once the car is unloaded.

And here is what I got to do….not fun! Cleaning and scrubbing the tires of both vehicles that we took once they were unloaded. My fingers are still cracked and split as I had to use my fingers tips to get into the deep places in the tread on the Bronco…I was thankful that my Sister Blah Blah other wise known as T,  helped me do the Bronco tires before they left for home…the party poopers!

I kept my smile and as you can see the part of the tire that is done is shiny clean and black while the part not done is dirty and blah…it makes the car when the tires are detailed out…the differnce between winning or not.

Here WB is helping me with the second vehicle tires and wheels…lots to do and get ready once you do get to the show. See my entry…the saddle? I thought I would show the original car seat:) Hee-hee wink wink:)

My hubby Wild Bill built this 1972 Bronco…it is custom and beautiful. We bought the Bronco back in 1993 for WB to build and have fun with:) And he did for several years when he had time…if you look close there are no door latches…he built the tauna cover that is open in this picture…of course he louvered the tail gate and did an amazing job. I could go on and on about the various customizing he did to the Bronco…

See the ladder bar suspension under it….WB designed and made them….WB is very innovative and creative….he is an artist of restoration with customizing, building and creating. We sold the Bronco a few years ago…which was hard for us to do as it had been part of our family for 16 years. It won Best of Class last year at the Portland Show…the first show for the Bronco…note the flames on the rear end housing:)

This is just one row of the 500 plus cars that were displayed at the roadster show…it is a huge show to attend and the vehicles are pristine…perfection…incredible!

Stay tuned tomorrow for Part Two…and the rest of the story:)

Thank you MJ for the awards:):):) I have missed all of you!!!

Simple March Days

10 Mar 2012 21 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Clouds, Landscapes, Minnie, Photography, Sunset, Weather Tags: , , , , ,

Last Sunday was one of those rare warm spring days…and Minnie Mouse was taking it in breathing all those yummy outside smells!

She is so very cute!

Mom can you smell that!!! She is in her jungle mode scoping out her pray…and planning her attack!

While Minnie was occupied with spring smells and Wild Bill was playing on his laptop, I had the opportunity to go for a walk with my camera….it was truly peaceful, warm and beautiful.

The light was beginning to change to a golden soft light…perfect for pictures.

Before we know it this wheel will be turning and watering the pastures once again.

I love the sagebrush…the colors of the sky…the land…and the clouds.

Various hues of light dance as the sun is slowly fading…

The sky seems to constantly change as the golden light softens Juniper…

Amazing….from second to second the colors change all around me as I click and snap picture after picture.

The sun is dipping into a can of various colors of orange, gold and purple as it sets.

The sheer gold light reflects itself into the landscape…

Until our sun slowly sinks lower behind the hill…gently rolling over to go to sleep after a long warm spring day

Springtime Weather Arrives

02 Mar 2012 27 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Clouds, Landscapes, Photography, Storms, Weather Tags: , , , , ,

Springtime weather has arrived with different clouds and storms, and I find myself grabbing my camera shooting shot after shot with a sense of awe and wonderment.

Clouds casting interesting images on the landscape…

With ever present contrast between the colors of land and sky.

Shades of light “play” in the clouds as they constantly change and move, morphing into new shapes.

While the landscape becomes part of the clouds…joining together on the horizon.

Winter wants to hang on yet…this was two mornings ago…but

Our seasons are changing…I can feel it in my heart…

Soon days will be warm and the fields will burst with green…our crickets will return at night to serenade us as we drift off to sleep…soon.

Spring’s Coming!!!!

A Wild West Wednesday Windstorm!

25 Feb 2012 36 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Clouds, Landscapes, Life, Photography, Sunset, Weather Tags: , , , , , ,

 A “Wild West” Wednesday  windstorm made its appearance with lots of gusto…dust with dusto…tumbling tumbleweeds and brisk cold winds out of the west!

An unusual storm for this time of year here in Juniper.

With damaging winds that gusted over 65-70 mph as well as dust thick like fog in some places…it was a heck of a storm!  Fortunately with the canyon wall behind our house we had some protection from the winds and our CRP thankfully kept the dust down for us.

Late Tuesday afternoon it began with a sudden gust of wicked westerly wind, with dark clouds waiting for their cue to drift in with a hu-rrrummmph…threatening attitude!

Horses are not fond of wind as they are prey animals and keep aware of their surroundings in case they have to flee for their life. When the wind blows the normal usual things they see everyday that are “safe” become unknown shapes…that is when they jump or spook. WB’s horse Buck was on guard…watching closely as the winds were whipping it up pretty good moving sagebrush and bushes that are in his pasture.

And then…while I was setting my camera….”Close Encounters Of The Third Kind” showed up to visit me from 1977.

 Threatening clouds were drifting in from the west, seeming to hang in place…almost like it was the preview before the movie…I was never good with scary stuff so quit IT and no it is not really a spaceship hidden in the cloud…with aliens…..

By early Wednesday morning tumbleweeds were rolling and blowing…it was incredible to see so many roll by my window. Where is my long lens WB…and are those dang weeds ours? The roar of the wind told me that it was only a matter of time before the dust would blow.

And blow it did…between the dust and the gusts it was a wild winter weather day in Juniper Canyon.

For unknown reasons the county road department decided it was a good day to blow the dirt off the roads out here…are you kidding?

Annie is not sure about this and wonders what is brush the dirt off the road day anyway?

The flashing lights and equipment were enough to scare her! The wind already had her scared and now in her mind the Big Boogie Man with flashing eyes was coming down the road after her!

Annie ran into her stall while Ms. Melody Calm Heart ran out of her stall to see what was happening. Melody will look and maybe snort…maybe jump once…she is so very trustworthy in her world, she knows that her human (me) is keeping her safe and she is ok…I love love love this girl…I have had lots of horses but never one like her. I hope to get Annie feeling solid like Melody…part of this years training plan in round corral 101.

It blew and blew and blew…all day long…and then finally.

The light began to change and the darkness turned to beautiful skies as all things work together for good…even dust and gusts. We can find the good in every part of our life, if we look:) The sunset was beautiful and simply incredible with the dust particles in the sky that evening,

Golden clouds touched by God Himself…

As I post this today on Saturday, we are under another severe weather watch as the winds are gusting upwards to 60 mph again…we had quite a bit of rain last night but as of this afternoon we are back to seeing dust in the distance again…ugh.

In case you have never seen a tumbleweed…this is a tumbleweed…they have stickers all over them. They grow green with the stickers and when they dry out they break off and the wind carries them away as they tumble off and  roll. They can block a road and they can pile up against a wire fence…a few yeas ago I spent a month pulling them out of our New Zealand fences and then burning them in a pile. Songs have been written about them…new swear words were created because of them and they have been used to decorate with twinkle lights in them…I prefer to burn them:)

Leaving you with a smile…hum or sing with me the old cowboy song Tumbling Tumbleweeds…do you know the song?

” The Tumbling Tumbleweeds” by The Sons of the Pioneers

I’m a roaming cowboy riding all day long,
Tumbleweeds around me sing their lonely song.
Nights underneath the prairie moon,
I ride along and sing this tune.

See them tumbling down
Pledging their love to the ground
Lonely but free I’ll be found
Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds.

Cares of the past are behind
Nowhere to go but I’ll find
Just where the trail will wind
Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds.

I know when night has gone
That a new world’s born at dawn.

I’ll keep rolling along
Deep in my heart is a song
Here on the range I belong
Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds.

Sure brings back good memories as I can hear my Dad whistling along to this as we rode together gathering cattle in the mountains…we did not have tumbleweeds there but we had nettles!

Enjoy your weekend where ever you are! Let the end of Winter roar itself out…hang on tight…Spring will be here before we know it!

Foggy Views From My Kitchen Window

10 Feb 2012 16 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Clouds, Life, Lifestyles, Photography, Storms, Weather, Winter Tags: , , ,

Foggy views today from my kitchen window brings shades of gray into play…and my camera clicking away!

Familiar horses are now shrouded by the mist that swirls in and out of the canyon..night comes early on a foggy afternoon in Juniper.

A barren frozen tree takes on a stark beauty captured in the fog by the eye of the beholder.

If you look deep within yourself you can find beauty that is in every impression of your eye…no matter the color of the outside world you see or live in.

Depending on which side of the window you are on…you can go from foggy and cold to warm and inviting…life is like that…perspectives with different angles of view.

Winter soon will pass and the beauty of spring will return full of God’s grace.

Fillies will play under rainbows in the summer rains.

While the farmer’s golden wheat prepares for the bounty of harvest once again.

Gray foggy days like today usually bring reflective thoughts to mind as I pause to remember.

Memories of happy times…nostalgic times…thankful for life times. In all things I try to give thanks…even gray dreary days like today:) Spring is coming…then warm summer days and flowers.

Have A Happy Friday!

 

Writing On Frozen Winter Days

21 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Clouds, Photography, Weather, Winter Tags: , , ,

Writing on frozen winter days when you are confined to the house, can feed your  soul with visions that you can not find by looking out the window. For me, writing is a vacation for my mind as I explore my thoughts and imagination…dreaming with a pencil to paper.

Living out here the view before you constantly changes with the light and shadows during the day…each season has a light of its own…I never get tired of watching the landscape play through the day. Often in winter we have fog that lingers close by…can you see the wispy mist quietly waiting to seap slowly back down into the canyon?  This frozen fog can be incredibly dense…even the most seasoned person who has lived here forever will find themselves lost in the murkiness of the mist and the nothingness of the fog.

The frozen world seems surreal…eerily quiet and unnatural…life seems to be on hold…like the gears on a truck…when shifted into neutral there comes a pause between gears as you shift…then the transmission catches and off we go in high gear again. I like how winter forces us to slow down and rejuvenate…before life once again grabs that gear with a hectic pace.

We still have snow but it is now covered with ice, the top of it has a crusty crunch to it when you walk. We do not venture out anywhere other than to check and feed animals…I am thankful that our horses have heated water troughs, good hay and shelter…but cold is cold.

Last night as we slept we had more icy rain fall for several hours…as soon as it hit the snow it froze. When we looked out this morning, the storm had left a slippery glaze on everything. I don’t mind the snow but freezing rain and ice is the worst to deal with. No traction or control…just skating. When it is like this I give up and do not go anywhere…the Burb is parked as the 40 miles round trip  to town is not worth it. I usually have extra supplies stocked up that we need from the grocery store…when you live far out of town, you stock up when you go to the store as you go to the store once a week or less.

We had blue sky and sun for a few hours this afternoon…the first sunny blue sky in a week!

Such a welcome sight to see. We have more storms on the way but today I am going to carefully go outside and feel the sun on my face…and capture some new pictures…

Like this one right at sunset…I love how the sun made everything so vividly deep with color.

I hope you snuggle in and enjoy the neutrals in your life as much as I do…forget grabbing a gear and grab on to the time we have to rest as before we know it…the icy roads will be dry…winter will be behind us and zoom zoom we will be racing around once again.

 Minnie  Mouse says “Quit taking my picture, my hair is a mess and besides it’s snuggle down nap time…Meow-Meow.”

Ms. Madame Cold Winter Answered Loud And Clear

19 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

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

Ms. Madame Cold Winter answered LOUD and clear with drifting snow…freezing rain and ice…more snow on top of the ice…and frigid cold. Currently it is 7 degrees….wind is blowing a bit between 5-15mph…so it is a nice balmy bone chilling cold tonight in Juniper.

Ok Ms. Madame Cold Winter thank you for showing up but it is time now for you to head back home to the Hinterlands of the North…please or I will be forced to make you drink a nice hot cup of tea or something to warm you up all over.

Ms. Cold would you like to ice skate a bit tonight? It looks divine…a perfectly good time of slip sliding and fall on your patootie:)

Or how about a nice hot warm your tummy up kind of soup….I promise it will melt your heart:)

Living the isolated stuck in the house during a freak winter storm kind of day…you have to figure out creative things to do with your brain and time so you do not die of boredom or sit and chew your lip all day…so today I made ear rings…beading is fun and can take the ho-hum away:)

This is a picture of my process and how I decide which beads I want to use…first I put several beads together…I then look at the colors and light…hold them up to my ear…hmmmm…then I fiddle with them some more…and finally decide if they are right or not. The best thing about beading is that when you get all gussied up for a rare night off the ranch and your jewelery does not match your mood…you can whip up a pair of ear rings and off you go sparkling and shinning…looking darn nice!

Minnie Matilda agrees…she is safe and snuggly in her quilt and happy that I am stuck in the house with her:)

In closing tongight…when Wild Bill was feeding the ponies all three of our amazing Aussie Dogs came to visit me…they are in and out of the shop all day…of course today they never left the shop until Wild Bill fed…and yes they have nice warm dog houses with lots of blankets to snuggle down in at night…and they own the garage too…anyway…Dash is the blue merle male and he is the biggest…Tucker is the red merle female and she is the boss lady dog…don’t mess with her…and then there is Kiah who is the female blue merle that is always so dang cute…she is only a bit over a year old…so she gives poor Dash and Tucker a run for it…she is the young’un.

Tucker sitting with “Her” toy to the right of her…go ahead and make her day…she is “very” territorial about her toys and space.

And here is the cute kid Kiah….”Huh? Did you want me or can I play with Tucker’s toy???”

“Tucker’s ploy…c’mon Dasher…dare ya!”

“Yah-yah I sees it…should I do it?” “Where is that darn Kiah when I need her?”

“Ohhhh I’m so cute…I’m so cute and Mom loves me…I’m so dang cute”

Dasher sees it and wants it and ohhhh what do I do…”KIAH…go for it!”  But Kiah is only thinking one thing…”Mom thinks I am soooo cute and wellllll…hee-hee”.

Minnie is content watching the entire doggie game out the window and wonders….”Dogs…ding dongs and why do they lick themselves?

Stay warm and cozy where ever you are tonight…stay safe if you travel.

Winter Arrived Today On A Weird Wacky Wednesday

18 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Photography, Ranch Life, Storms, Weather, Winter Tags: , ,

Winter arrived today on a weird wacky Wednesday!  Full of gusty wind…whoop ’em up country style weather with mighty might!  Going from snowy blizzard type conditions to freezing rain and late this afternoon freezing temps…it is 21 degrees currently…with a windchill of 11.

An early morning view today of our girls Melody and Annie waiting for their breakfast. I bet Annie is asking Mel what the heck happened the last few days…she is not yet 3 years old so this white stuff is still a novelty to her.

Chilly winter scenery….a frozen flower barrel with white fluffy snow growing out of it instead of summer flowers on a warm summer night.

Like this:)

I know we need the moisture and also the freezing cold temps which will help kill off the farm bugs…and we need the snow pack in the mountains for the mountain resorts that make their living off of the snow….plus with lots of snow pack the hay fields will grow better hay next summer and our wheat will be another bumper crop and the irrigated crops will produce more food for all of us…so quit complaining Cowgirl….right?

But…..brrrrrrrrr. I went out this afternoon to take a few pictures and froze in the short time of maybe 30 minutes with my Carhart’s and Sorrels on too.

Venturing out in the freezing cold temps to capture moments in time…tells me that the photography bug in my heart is part of the creative writer part of my heart…only with a lens instead of a pencil. Often that one image tells the entire story….life images…moments frozen in time.

Have I introduced you to Mr. Porch Owl yet? He keeps the sparrows away from trying to fly into the windows on the front porch in the spring and summer…today he is looking quite crabby about being blown around with the wind out of the North…he is glaring at me and you.

Hang on Sloopy…Sloopy hang on…this used to be one of my sledding hills when I was little…wheeeeeeee:) Yes without the log fence…LOL.

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.

– Edith Sitwell

Snow Update In Juniper Canyon

16 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Photography, Storms, Weather, Winter Tags: , , ,

Snow update in Juniper Canyon. Here we go…the clouds were serious with the “Impossible Snow Mission.”

Yep…the snow has landed here in Juniper Canyon finally this 2012 winter.

One last shot…it is still coming down…snow from heaven…tonight we are under a Winter Storm watch for the next several days…I will keep you posted.

May you be blessed by God tonight…snuggle up and sleep well.

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