Autumn Colors And Light On A Captivating Night!

07 Nov 2012 26 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Clouds, Hot Rod Cowgirl, Photography, Sunset Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A few nights ago, the magic hour of color and light paid me a surprise visit.

Golden light and magical beauty in the skies above…the first evening in several weeks that we had actual clouds.

Clouds add interest and amazing detail…soft enchanting light and colors that deepen with views that you usually do not see.

I did not have time to put on my mucky yucky chore shoes…when the light is right, you hurry quickly as the light changes so fast and you do not want to miss out on one second of the golden hour.

I grabbed the closest shoes I could grab next to my camera…my Danskos…my one pair of nice black town shoes…and off I went carefully as the shoes have a slight boot heel and I am known to be a total klutz!

Fanny Annie was shocked that I did not have my boots on!

As I climbed through the fence and headed up the muddy hill behind the house wearing my nice Danskos…

I wondered if this means that I am truly becoming a real photographer?

I was caught off guard as the day had been sunny without clouds…I greedily took shot after glorious shot:)

Amazing views full of various hues and ever changing light with the clouds above.

I have missed the dramatic ways you can capture and photograph the landscape…for about a month we have had nothing but bright sunshine without clouds and a blue sky faded out to a blahsay color.

My Sony a77 Camera, shoots 12 frames per second. It is fast with no lag time, which I love! One of these days I will be up here filming WB going through the gears of his current Hot Rod! I am always thinking drama and creatively…I can see him coming through fog or smoke…going through the gears…not sure if I can pull that off but it would be a fun day of great shots and videos! Also, notice you can see my arena and round corral…maybe we could get some cows to work too:)

Hey WB, I’m up here…in the mucky mud with my Danskos on…I think I am obsessed with my camera and photography.

Artistic shadows on the landscape bring depth and intense colors that knock my socks off! I find that my eye constantly scans my horizon looking for something creative and unusual to capture.

I have lived on the land forever in isolated areas…

And I never grow tired of scenes like this…

Or of my horses…I love Annie’s cute ears outlined in black…she took a mud bath, see the dried mud on her neck:)

Skies of gold filled with beauty that we will miss if we are watching TV or on the computer…I love the colors of gold and blues in this shot.

God’s creative, ever changing scenery…beautiful!

Never boring at all!

A fun reflection in the puddle in front of the house.

A gift to capture the reflection of the clouds, the colors and the light in it.

This one is my favorite with the log fence and the almost surreal colors that give a muddy ranch puddle an unusual perspective of beauty!

Sometimes it is hard to find the words to describe what you see…incredible and beautiful:)

No matter where you live you will find beauty all around you in different ways. I have been in huge cities before and seen incredible beauty that I never see here…and I love the desert…most think it is just a flat boring place…uh-no.

 “Seriously Mom, I can not believe you wore your Danskos in the mud and went up on the hill to take pictures…geez!”

“Well, I know Annie…and you rolled in the mud right after I had brushed you so pretty and nice:)” “And I love you Annie Fanny…you are so sweet and cute:)”

Annie Fanny and HRCG are wishing you a wonderful peaceful evening and a great week!

Hot Rod Cowgirl Is Still Blogging!

31 Oct 2012 31 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Breast Cancer, Holton Secret Lab, Hot Rod Cowgirl, Photography, Wild Bill Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

As you know WB had neck surgery a few weeks ago…and my blogging ability has slowed down a bit…but…please keep hanging with me. WB has always said I have at least 10,000 words each day to say and if I were to stop writing…he would go deaf and I would feel awful!!! Don’t give up on HRCG’s slower posts:)

WB and I are survivors and this is October, the one month a year that is all about PINK.  

This is the last day of October so I think I will have to carry this on one more month:)

I am way late with this mention….with WB’s surgery I do not know where the last month went??? Hot Rod Cowgirl Ding A Ling:)

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I am a SURVIVOR, so is my Wild Bill…he went through every biopsy…8 of them being diagnosed high risk in 5 years…and then he went through the big one….20 hours of surgery the first 48 hours…believe me he too is a survivor:)

I am modeling for the Pendleton Woolen Mills http://www.pendleton-usa.com/ in the above and below pictures for a local fund-raiser for all kinds of cancer.

I am standing at the end of the fashion show with other cancer survivors and we are one tough bunch!!!

Check out our YouTube Video as our cars modeled for The Pendleton Woolen Mills 100th Fall and Spring Catalog Homecoming Celebration…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCidRC7ySAc&list=UUwUpsbWihKx7ukx3EN1_Piw&index=8&feature=plcp

WB says that I am doing the MJ smile:)

Happy Terrific Thursday…Wishing You A Fantastic Weekend:)

I am praying for all of you on the East Coast of the US. God Bless You and Keep You….know I hold you all tightly in my prayers…I can not imagine what you are going through. Hugs and huge prayers for you.

Love, HRCG

Ocean Waves…Sandy Beaches…A Bit Of Heaven On Earth!

26 Oct 2012 46 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Hot Rod Cowgirl, Landscapes, Ocean, Photography, Weather, Wild Bill Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ocean waves…sandy beaches…a bit of heaven on earth…and with each wild wave of the ocean…the peace of rest washes over your weary soul.

Seeing my hubby doing this last week blessed my heart. WB is a very strong man, but his neck fusion surgery has been very painful and difficult, so we went to the most peaceful God place we could go to so he could rest…and that was the Oregon coast.

There is something about the ocean that is very spiritual and healing to your heart and soul…it is the peace that passes understanding to me:)

Maybe it is the wild at heart feeling of the power of the water and the waves…

Or maybe it is the power of the ocean that only God can control…whatever it is…it is balm to your soul.

The roar of the waves we could hear from just about every room in the townhouse, brought deep relaxation during the daytime and lulled us to sleep during the night.

I loved the beauty of the Twin Rocks…two silent partners that have stood the test of time in a timeless world.

Filled with varied light and muted colors that invoke life’s mysteries…and for some reason our spirit connects deeply with the beauty that our heart sees, as life is like that at times….sometimes the muted colors of our life or the memories that have faded are yet the most beautiful and impacting parts of our lives here on this earth.

Incredible views framed with the intensity of life’s blues from the living room balcony.

And with a flick of a moment of life…the views change and are framed with an ethereal glimpse of another world and another time.

The ocean is always changing…maybe that is why I like it…it reminds me of the Rocky Mountains…weather can change in seconds there…views that literally take your breath away…life is ever changing and you move with it…much like you do with the incredible ocean.

And then the sun would slowly begin to set…each night with different colors and light.

Incredible ocean vistas…

Full of glorious sunset beauty…

The last glimpse of the sun and the end of another beautiful day.

I have never grown tired of the ocean…

 Walking forever on the beach…sand between your toes.

A constant calm filled with…

Incredible God given beauty.

Indescribably fun for camera nuts:)

I love the ocean and Wild Bill…

“Thank You Lord for creating such a Wild At Heart and Beautiful Sanctuary of Your Glory for us to go to…and a bit of Heaven on earth:)”

I hope you all have a happy weekend filled with good stuff and know HRCG and WB are thinking of you:)

Gathering Time….Cattle Drives….Heading For Home

15 Oct 2012 40 Comments

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

During the fall months, mainly in September and October…old memories flood back to my mind when I first wake up…I want to grab my long johns…(under armour with the nice slick material had not been invented yet)…instead we had the thick long johns which were never long enough for me…next I put on my heavy socks, then my wrangler jeans that I had to struggle with to get on over the heavy long johns…without the long john legs riding up my leg…which added to my mood of grrrr. I added a layer or two of tee-shirts on top with either a flannel shirt or sweatshirt or both with the finishing touch of one of my brightly colored wild rags to keep my neck warm and mouth/nose if needed…shoved my boots on with the heavy socks, grabbed my chaps, heavy coat and gloves and I was good to go…all depending on the weather as you never knew if you were going out in an early snow storm or rain or frigid temperatures. My knee jerk reaction in the fall is to be gathering cows on the mountain…after living it and doing it for over 40 years…old memories remain. I should be horseback in the mountains looking for cows…gathering and herding them towards camp…where we sorted and organized them for the long 90 mile cattle drive home to the winter grounds.

After gathering a large bunch of cattle, we pushed them back to the headquarters at Beaver Creek…somehow they seemed to know it was time to leave their summer home and go home to lower winter pastures where they had better grass and open lands. It is amazing to me how animals can sense the seasons changing…or an approaching storm…they have a sixth sense of life around them as well as what we are feeling with the sense of our emotions that they pick up from us.

It took many long days and several weeks to find and gather 1860 head off 25,000 mountainous acres…lots of ground to cover and many miles…and as Dad always told me “Now push them slow Marcy, we want to keep the weight on them and not work them too hard.” I can still hear him telling me this in my dreams…I already knew this fact from years of riding with him, as keeping the weight on them was what we wanted…but he would diplomatically tell me this in front of town friends who did not know. I would get the lecture of sorts…privately I had to roll my eyes and often I was embarrassed as everyone would look at me…”Dad, I know”..and no I never said that to him…I knew I was the fall guy.

We began to ride various pastures from the middle of August on to push herds closer to our headquarters at the main ranch on Beaver Creek where we had corrals and the set up to sort cattle and load them out into cattle trucks. We had 800 Black Angus mama cows to gather along with their calves…200 head of replacement heifers and 60 head of bulls…so that was 1860 head of cattle to round-up and account for…and every year we would find that we were short 20 to 30 head…thanks to the work of cattle rustlers.

One of our cowboys taking a bath in the Grande Ronde River…it took time to find each and every cow…and sometimes the cows would get confused and try to run away from you as their natural instinct was fear or flight…they did not understand what to do…especially if one got separated like this one.

The first two years Dad tried to run both Herefords and Angus…and then went to 100% Black Angus  and Black Bawly Cross as they surpassed the Herefords in weight gain, endurance and did much better overall in the high country.

Dad on horse Bucky with dog Blue…holding herd. One of my favorite pictures of my Dad as I can see his life and humanity…he loved what he did…cattle…horses…mountains…family. It was his life. When he was so very ill I often whispered the good old memories and times riding with him gathering cattle in the high country…and how God rides in the high country too and He is with us and with you Dad…and so am I…and someday I will ride with you again in the high country of God’s mountains:)

Another of my favorite pictures as this picture truly shows my Mom and Dad…you can see their committment and love. Mom grew up in the city with a cook and cleaning lady….then she fell in love with a cowboy and here she is with a smile on her face…she learned how to cook and run a ranch beside her man.  I learned about love and true committment from my parents…I was so very blessed to have them as examples:)  You can see why I called my parents “John Wayne and His Lady”. One of  my favorite John Wayne movies is McClintock with Maureen O’Hara.

Working cows in the corrals, sorting off the calves etc…in the background you can see the cattle trucks waiting for their loads. In the fall we sold the calves at the sale in Baker…the bulls were trucked down to the winter ranch and the mama cows would make the cattle drive to the winter pastures. In the spring we trucked the entire herd up, mama cows and their babies and the bulls…we tried to drive them up a few time in the early years but it was not do-able as the cows wanted to turn back and after several stampedes it was decided to truck them up June 1st.

The Juniper T cattle drive historically began October 15th and would last 10-14 days depending on weather and also how well the cattle moved. I have the cattle drive pictures matted and framed…this is early morning on October 15, the cows are leaving Beaver Creek heading for the low lands…they are crossing the Grande Ronde River at Starkey.

Heading out the second day from Four Corners…towards Indian Lake…two days ahead of us…cold with snow. In the early years the cattle did not know the way but in later years the older ones knew and would lead out pretty well.

Cows milling around close to Indian Lake…we are about half way through the drive.

From the air the herd is stretched out…

Cattle reaching the stock driveway…smelling home getting closer.

Taking a coffee break at the chuck wagon bus (WB wants to restore the bus as it is a Diamond Reo). Dad on the far left with the dark cowboy hat on and his brothers…and hired man “Big John”.

I am sure this was our friend and cattle buyer’s plane’s shadow, doing a fly over to see where the herd was at. He taught me how to play Gin Rummy and dang…I was good at it…I loved playing it with him and miss him. When we lived in Wyoming we called it Wyoming Rummy and when Oregon friends and family visited we challenged them to Wyoming Rummy verses Oregon Rummy:)

This in the Birch Creek crossing in Pilot Rock…we have about 2 to 3 days left before we hit winter pastures…as you see it is quite a bunch of cows! Going through Pilot Rock at daybreak was always interesting to me as I saw so many women out with hair curlers in their bathrobes ready to attack any dang cow who wondered into their yard to grab a bite or two of flowers or grass or shrubs…they had brooms ready to swat any wayward cow! We tried hard to not let that happen but it was tough to keep every cow out of yards….once we got over Birch creek we got on a road that became a stock driveway all the way to Butter Creek and the winter ground and headquarters for the Juniper T.

Today WB and his HRCG are celebrating our 36th Anniversary…can you believe we got married on October 15th…the first day of the cattle drive!!!! Long story for another time….

Stay tuned the story will be continued:) and I have some new photos to upload towards the end of the week hopefully if the weather co-operates with me:)

Juniper T Ranch Quietly Changes Scenery As The Seasons Of Life Continue On…

06 Oct 2012 74 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Hot Rod Cowgirl, Juniper T Ranch, Lifestyles, Photography, Sunrise, Sunset, Wild Bill Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Juniper T Ranch quietly changes scenery as the seasons of life continue on with Autumn’s golden light on the landscape…where did summer go?

Life has been a bit crazy and I have not been able to blog as often as I usually do…I love to write and write and write…I love to photograph tons of various pictures to share with you and I like to yak a lot:)

I have missed reading your blogs…which makes me sad, as I enjoy hearing about your lives and seeing your photography…seeing a glimpse of your world.

A week ago Thursday my hubby Wild Bill had surgery on his neck. He was pulling hard on a wrench under a vehicle on the hoist last July and all of a sudden he heard a snap and loud pop sound in his right shoulder…instant pain…but “Mr. Tough Guy” did not say anything to me until about 5 days later…”Oh, uhhhhh MJ…can you call in and get me a doctor appointment, as I did something to my shoulder a few days ago and it hurts like heck.”

I have NEVER heard those words uttered out of his mouth before in 36 years of marriage…so I knew he was in pain. I was able to get him in right away so on July 25th he had the first MRI and our family Dr. sent him to see a shoulder specialist. At first they thought it was either a rotator cuff tear or that he tore his bicep muscle.

We had to wait until later in August to see the shoulder specialist. He ordered more tests and we saw the MRA’s and the MRI’s and you could see his bicep was still intact but had several frayed tears…and the rotator cuff was ok thank goodness! The Dr. was going to set up bicep surgery and Wild Bill was saying how much the back of his arm hurt too as well as he had two numb fingers on his right hand.

The Dr.’s eye brows went up and he said ok that is indicative of a neck issue. I want to send you to a nerve Dr. to do a nerve study…sure enough we heard his nerves screaming in agony in his neck on the nerve study and the next stop was the spine Dr….we saw him in early September.

Note: The above picture of WB was taken before his injury…and he was having fun!

Bill injured his neck July 20th…that is a very long time to live with the kind of nerve pain he was living with…but he did and we saw the Dr. who did another MRI on his neck and you could see the two vertebrae under the two that were fused 6 years ago, and a very distinct nerve under the bottom vertebrae looking pinched…surgery was scheduled for September 27th.

In the mean time I teased the heck out of him:) Imagine that! I have found that humor always helps:)

It was tough to have to wait as he was suffering intense pain..I have gone through a lot of surgeries but nothing like what WB went through. Nerve and bone pain is the worst pain you can have. I had lots of nerves involved in my surgeries but not bone…and yah nerve pain hurts and once it heals it is annoying…I get an itch and scratch but can not feel it….LOL:)

While we waited WB sat out on the patio with me in the evenings…we have not watched TV since last March…once the  time change happens with Spring Forward, I want to enjoy each hour of daylight. Winter is coming and it will be dark again at 4:00. During this time of the year I want to be in the middle of the glorious light and experience the clouds and feel the warmth. I love the evening light, the beauty all around us…seeing the wildlife, watching my horses, petting the dogs, counting the stars, hearing the crickets and frogs and just taking in all the wonderful country smells of summer and fall:)

 I love the colors of the sky during the magic hour each evening as the sun slowly sinks down to its bed for a good rest while the moon takes its place.

And if we’re lucky it will be a harvest moon that slowly peeks out at you.

And slowly rises over the hill across the road.

A shot of the log fence with our 10-12′ sagebrush that you see across the road in the background along Juniper Creek. We love our sagebrush and it is amazing when you stand in it as it truly is that tall. When I was growing up I spent hours over in the creek catching tadpoles and pretending various scenarios that always revolved around my horse and I…we played Annie Oakley or I was tracking buffalo or elk or cowboys and looking for the Native Americans:)

As September 27th drew closer we both became nervous. WB has only had two surgeries in his adult life…when they took him to surgery in 2006…I cried and could not stop. I took his clothes out to the car in the parking garage and was still trying to stuff my tears and emotions…and then I heard this beautiful music coming from somewhere or someones car. I looked around and did not see anyone…the music was a song I knew from church about God… how He loves us and will always watch over us…I knew then that WB was going to be ok and he was:)

This time when they took him to surgery I began to choke up and tear up trying to not let him see me doing that…it is so hard to see your loved one go to surgery as you feel helpless, worried and scared. Just as they began to take him through the swinging doors I noticed there was someone walking towards us down the hall…it was two of our best forever friends John and Tara…with big smiles. I grabbed the arm of the nurse to stop Bill’s gurney for just a minute so he could see them too. What a blessing it was for us that they came to be with us:) Having Tara spend the day with me was answer to prayer…she is a sister to me. And John, who is our family too, stayed to visit and encourage me before he left to join his wife for the day. John has been with us through lots of life stuff…God is very good:)

The surgery went well…as the Dr. lifted the bone off the nerve that was pinched, he said that even though WB was sleeping he let out a sigh of relief. Later when WB woke up in his room he said “Wow, my shoulder does not hurt anymore.” The Dr. also repaired the vertebrae using new bone and once they were done they attached a steel plate to the vertebrae with steel screws. The surgery was about three hours with almost two in recovery.

It is not an easy surgery or recovery. In 2006 they went in through the back of his neck and this time they went in from the front of his neck which involved moving the esophagus over to be able to get to the vertebrae. WB’s pain has been pretty intense the last week…he has three months to go before he is able to resume all his normal activities.

In the picture above right across from our house…see the joys of country living…dust gently hanging in the night air…drifting closer and feeling welcome enough to come into my house! It does add to the picture but darn it as I just dusted the house!

The first month of recovery is the toughest…the most he can lift is 5 pounds and he can not reach up over his head or reach to the sides or reach towards the floor etc. We have been home a week now…in fact they allowed us to go home that night about 9:00…I was Nervous Nurse Nellie…but it was good for him to be home and to sleep in our bed. And I have gotten into the role of being Nurse Nellie which means I give him his meds every 4-6 hours 24/7…and give him the stink eye when I see him doing something he should not do!

“Don’t worry WB, you will be perfectly fine…it just takes a bit of time to heal”. I love his smile:) Besides the surgical pain the hardest part right now is that he felt he would be further along after a week…this recovery stuff is all new to him yet…so I watch him like a hawk as he wants to do more but NOT now WB. I feel like a nag but he forgets and will start to bend over to reach for something and I say “No…Wild Bill, quit that”…then he looks at me like a little boy who was caught…it is hard for him to just rest and rest and rest and not feel guilty for resting. I remind him that yes I know…I had to be very good for six months after my year of surgeries…and it took me a good year to regain all my strength and energy back but I did and WB will too if I can keep him under house arrest:)

Melody says it will be ok WB…and do you happen to have one of those awesome Apple Berry Treats for me?

And Kiah loves you and says all will be fine Dad…now can I finish getting into your lap?

I have not fallen off the planet or quit blogging…just taking care of my hubby to get him well and healed back up:) Whenever I get the chance I head outside to capture pictures to share with you….which is a vacation for my mind and heart…I love the artistic part of me that gets fired up:) And I want to develop it more and more and more:)

I hope you have a wonderful Fall evening and weekend wherever you are…look around at the beauty that is all around you and smile:)

HRCG over and out for now!

Scenes Of The 2012 Pendleton Round Up From Hot Rod Cowgirl!

21 Sep 2012 49 Comments

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

As I write this post, The 2012 Pendleton Round Up Is Officially Over Until Next September 2013. Pendleton, Cheyenne And Calgary Are Known As The Big Three Rodeos Among The Cowboys Who Favor Them…Some Cowboys Say That Pendleton Is Like Coming Home. Pendleton Has 102 Years Of Rodeo History, Heritage And Community Support. Hundreds Of Local Volunteers That Follow In The Footsteps Of Their Families Before Them…As Each Year They Put On One Outstanding Rodeo!

Come See For Yourself And Experience The Magic Of Pendleton…Seeing First Hand Why This Rodeo Is Filled With American Cowboy Heritage, Heart And Soul.

Did I Mention I Have A New Camera From Wild Bill For My Birthday? He Blessed Me With The Sony a77 And I Love It:)

My Cowboy Buddy…He Loves Horses And Cows And Someday He Will Have His Own Ranch…It Will Be Top Notch:)

Are You Guys Ready To Rock And Roll With The 102 Year Old Beat Of Pendleton?

Here Comes The Flag Bearers! God Bless America…God Bless The Cowgirls, The Cowboys And Their Horses!

One Of Our Four Beautiful Round Up Princesses…She Made The Run In Across The Arena…Jumping The Fence…Calmly Smiling And Waving To The Crowd…This Is A True Round Up Princess!

The Flag Bearers Are Awesome…I Love Seeing Our Flag Waving…On The Back Of A Horse…Perfecto!

Beautiful Princess Cowgirls And Beautiful Horses!

 Queen Alex Of The 2012 Pendleton Round Up…Making A Perfect Jump!

Here Comes The President Of The 102nd Pendleton Round Up!

Its Official The 2012 Round Up Has Begun!

History Is Being Made And Recorded In The Books! Look At Them Go!

Beautiful Teepees Filled With Native American Heritage…Hallmarks Of The Round Up!

The North Grandstand Is Ready To Boogie With What ONLY Pendleton Can Deliver!

Hang On Tight…Pendleton Gets It On With Action!

Cowboy Ponies Resting…Waiting For Their Events.

Contestants In The Warm Up Area…Giving Support With The “You Can Do It Attitude”…Which Is What We Do As We Honor” The Code Of The West.” If You Grew Up With It And Lived It…You Know What I Am Talking About.

 The Sports Medicine Van Stands By…As Well As Top Notch Equine and Animal Vets…They Are Ready To Help Any Injured Contestant, Volunteer Or Injured Horse Or Animal…Dr. Corey Has Been My Vet For 32 Years With My Horses…He Is Outstanding In His Field!

Bucking Horses Hanging Out Behind The Scenes…These Horses Are Loved And Well Taken Care Of…They Have Great Value And Are Raised By Their Owners To Buck And Perform.

Pendleton Has It All! And Bill Dawson Is Incredible With Repairing The Historic Wagons And Getting Them Ready For The Parades And Arena Presentations.

Horses Stand By Patiently…Taking A Rest In The Shade.

What I Love About The Round Up Is That I Get To See My Favorite People…And This Couple Is On The Top Ten Of My List:)

Hey Cowboy Dog…He Actually Told Me He Travels To Lots Of Rodeos And Loves It…But Pendelton Is His Favorite:)

Horses Discussing Their Owners And Their Ding Dong Events…LOL…And Waiting For Their Time To Shine!

Outside The West End Of The Round Up Stadium…You Find Another Part Of The Rodeo Back Here Behind The Scenes.

You See Cowboys Swinging Their Ropes…Loosening Up…Trying To Relax…And Cowgirls Relaxing Their Horses By Giving Them A Job To Do…With All The Commotion It Helps Both You And Your Horse To Have a Focus.

My Favorite Picture This Year Is This One:) I Like The Sepia Color And The Horses Seem To Be In Sync…I Love The Build Of “A True Classic Quarter Horse”…Put Together Rock Solid…I Love Muscled Quarter Horse Butts!

The Same Picture With Colors Is Ok Too:)

Pendleton Is Like No Other Wild West Rodeo…Full Of History…Full Of Tradition…Full Of Memories And Old Friends:)

Forever Families Who Have Lived Their Lives Here Settling The Land…Raising Their Families…Building Their Future With Hopes And Dreams…It Was Through The Story Of Their Lives…That The Pendleton Round Up Story Was Born 102 Years Ago.

And Is Still Going Strong Today…Filled With Historical Heritage And The True Western Spirit.

Happy Birthday Dad! He Was Born September 17, 1914…Four Years After The Round Up Began…He Grew Up In It And Played A Huge Roll In It…I Am Proud Of My Dad Forever And Always! He Taught Me Everything I Know About Horses And Cows!

One Of These Years WB And I Are Going To Play Tourist…Go To All The Parades, Dinners, Breakfasts, Main Street And Do The Entire Week Of Rodeo and Happy Canyon:) We Have Always Been In It Or Involved And Have Not Seen What The Tourist Sees…So Yee-Haw!

Minnie Cow-Kitty  Says Meow-Yahmoo! Isn’t She Cute…I Love Her Green Eyes, Her Markings and Her Long Whiskers!

Let ‘Er Buck!

This Was My Morning Sun Today…My Prayers Go Out To All Who Are In The Middle Of Fighting For Your Homes And Your Lands…Your Animals And Lives. I Pray That God Will Send Heaven’s Rain And Blessing You With His Glory…Putting Out ALL The Fires In The Western United States! God Bless You All!

The Pendleton Round Up 2012…Let ‘Er Buck! Hot Rod Cowgirl Is On The Move With Her Camera…Stay Tuned!

12 Sep 2012 39 Comments

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

Of course you remember last year right?

Lots of horses…

An All American Rodeo…Not Just Any Rodeo But…The Pendleton Round Up!

Get Set…Get Ready…And Let ‘Er Buck! The 102 Year Old Rodeo Officially Started Today With Horses, Cowboys and Cowgirls!

Rough and Tough…Here Comes The Round Up Princesses!

The Pendleton Round Up Queen Follows…These Girls Know How To Ride Fast and Hard!

Bucking Chutes Waiting…

Pick Up Men Helping!

Friday Morning 2011 Westward Ho Parade With 101 American Flags!

Contestants Warming Up…For Their Chance Of Winning Pendleton!

Cowboy Horses…Patiently Standing…Taking A Break.

This Is Pendleton…its boogie time!

Turn and Burn Girl…Rock On and Go!

Traditions And Heritage…Wild Bill Taking The Oxen Through The Westward Ho Parade.

Me Riding My Horse Lottie Helping With The Oxen…Lottie Was 4 Years Old Here And Such A Good Girl!

My Dad On Gypsy…He Was President Of The Pendleton Round Up 1963-1964.

My Mom Attending A Round Up Function…She Is In The Middle Of The Group, In The White Suit.

The Budweiser Horses Came To Visit When Dad Was President….I Got To Meet Them All In Person:):):) They Were Incredible!

Little did I know that Wild Bill and I would move to Wyoming and mange a 110 mile ranch for three partners and one of the partners was Paul, who owned the Melody Ranch in Jackson Hole and whose Mother was a Busch…this picture shows me with the long red hair…to my right is Margo, a lovely lady and friend, to my left is Paul with his Mule “Honey Buns” who was really cool and that is my Wild Bill in the flat hat…actually back then it was a WY. hat…and behind us in the near distance was the incredible Wind Rivers!!!! That is the Continental Divide (not a very good picture of them so I will do a post one of these days on our time there with better photos)

Ok I had to slip one photo in so you could see what i saw every morning and every night and all day long:) The Wind Rivers were incredible and I got to wake up to it every day and watch lightning storms over it every night…I loved, loved, loved Wyoming:) It was the life I grew up in…the American West…horses, cows, mountains and weather, elements of Mother nature…and life…sweet cowgirl life:)

My Dad was asked to be Grand Marshal of The Westward Ho Parade a few years ago…and at the time the main horses we had were younger and Lottie was the oldest, so Dad asked me if he could ride her through the parade. I of course said yes and then I got to work…she had been in parades before but she was only 6 years old and I wanted to be sure that she remained calm with Dad. As soon as I could I got hold of the serape behind the saddle and every late spring and summer evening in Juniper Canyon, I had the serape tied behind my saddle and Lottie and I rode…no make that galloped up and down the hills out here with that serape flapping and rusting against her to get her completely broke to the sound of it and the feel of it.  I was worried as Lottie did not like men for some reason…and she would buck them off! Ask Wild Bill…and he is good horseman!

God heard my prayers and Lottie did not buck with Dad…he was the first man ever to ride my mare and not have an issue:) I was sooooo relieved!

This Week I Am Taking Pictures Once Again Of My Hometown Rodeo…Next Week I Will Post What I Shoot So Stay Tuned:) In The Mean Time Let ‘Er Buck!!!

Sky Paintings…Created By God…Captured By Hot Rod Cowgirl

12 Aug 2012 46 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Clouds, Hot Rod Cowgirl, Photography, Sunrise, Sunset Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A few nights ago I had the chance to capture one of God’s incredible sunsets that we are blessed with out here in Juniper Canyon.

Sky Painting By God

We have a very artistic and creative God full of beauty and grace, as He paints the sky with…

Hot Rod Cowgirl

 Ever changing colors of golden orange, rusty reds, majestic purples, shades of blue  and glimmering gold.

And with a stroke of His hand…

He creates a burnished beauty in the luminous evening sky above.

And in the blink of an eye He changes it with magical colors of pinks and blues adding ethereal light.

Enchanted inspiration stirs my creative spirit…

As I stand in awe on a warm summer night.

Beauty that can only come from “Heaven” above:)

As the sky was on fire…

Ever Changing…

Moments of wonder and divine creativity….times in our lives when we can’t help but stop and take notice of the beauty around us that God has masterfully brushed into our lives. Watching a gorgeous sunset with magical light and color that fills your soul with wonder…as we create our own moments to remember.

I love summer evenings, when the first stars come out, the warm glow of sunset still stains the rim of the canyon, while yet coloring the western sky.

The moon was visible for this shot, a pale white globe, while the sun slowly sets on another incredible summer night in Juniper Canyon.

Sunset

If you look around you…you will see the creative gifts of God…the artistic beauty of His love for us is everywhere:)

Happy Sunday!

Hay Hay Hay…Fall Is Coming!

07 Aug 2012 28 Comments

by Hot Rod Cowgirl in Hot Rod Cowgirl, Landscapes, Photography, Wild Bill Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Sometime soon we will feel the breath of fall…right now we are hotter than hot with 100 degree days but soon it will begin to change…I can’t describe it exactly but around mid August…you feel it, nature clicks and the season begins to change, the light changes as well as the air.

Remember last year going with us to the hay-field the end of September…this year it is was last weekend.

We were pulling the trailer along as they loaded the hay right out of the field which means it is nice and fresh:)

The tractor has a front end loader on it so it pick can pick up 1-4 bales at once…if you are a seasoned tractor driver you are good at loading each bale with precise perfection! It is an art as it is very important how you stack it on a trailer that will be traveling down the road.

Wild Bill is getting the ropes out to begin securing the hay to the trailer as we have about 80 miles to go home…with big hills and many corners.

Here he comes with one of the last bales to load.

Touchdown!

We live up over the hills in the background…not that far to fly but driving it takes a couple of hours.

Wild Bill is checking his ropes and the load before we get on the highway.

We have a little over 6 tons with this load. Our barn here actually holds 100 ton and when we ran the cattle it was always full…now with just my horses we usually buy 15-20 tons a year. I always buy plenty so we will not run out in the middle of winter! Back when we wintered the cattle on the winter ranch, about 100 miles from here, we fed over 300 tons of hay…now that was a huge stack!!!

“Like A Rock!” Seriously this Chevy Pick Up Rocks with the Duramax…talk about power! It pulls a fully loaded four-horse trailer up big hills, mountain hills quick and will pick up speed as she climbs! Of course Wild Bill being Wild Bill had to put in a chip last winter for the heck of it and now the pick up launches off into space fully loaded! I do have one of those Oh S*** handles too!

And then…we were only about a half hour from home…bang!

Uhhh…Houston, we have a problem!

We are smiling…wow…not normal at all…but

My sister came to help us and so did Ry-Man:) We were on a slope, right where you can not pull off the highway either…hassle. Yes we have a floor jack under the trailer…the man killer jack is only for extra precaution.

And my sister always brings her camera and wants a photo op…so yah…I was trying to hide as we were to pose for the ding-dong camera person:)

We made it home…all is well on the Western Front…and Kiah was pooped:)

My ponies are happy…as they love their grass hay.

It is 101 degrees right now outside…we are inside staying cool…hope you all have a great night wherever you are:)

The Mighty Columbia River Gorge Of Oregon…Round Two!

23 Jul 2012 18 Comments

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

As  side note…if you click on my photos they will enlarge so you can see them better if you choose.

Last weekend we attended our niece’s wedding in the small town of Carson, WA.

This was our view out the window in our very classy hotel room…we loved seeing the green trees and the mountains cloaked with weather…and hey…there is the Columbia River!

We stayed at Skamania Lodge…in Stevenson, WA. I highly recommend it…they have spa services and excellent restaurants for small snacks, as well as nice dinners or maybe just a relaxing sandwich at noon…we missed out on their Sunday Brunch which is famous for the food and atmosphere…next time WB. They offer a golf course, swimming and lots of great trails to hike that are mapped out from easy to difficult.

When we walked into our suite and saw the view…we instantly relaxed:)

Looking back across the Columbia River towards Cascade Locks, OR. The bridge you see is called “The Bridge Of The Gods”…it is one of the many bridges that crosses the Columbia River into either Oregon or Washington.

Looking East towards home for us…the Columbia River is a river that you respect as it is wide, deep and fast-moving. We have boated on it lots as our ranch is only about 30 miles from it…being able to make a quick drive to the river during the hot summers always appeals to you…I love boating, as long as the boat is big enough to ride out the waves with a V-Hull!

It was truly beautiful to see our niece look so very happy…you know without a doubt they are soul mates…like WB and me:)

Before we knew it, time passed quickly and it was time to head home. We decided to travel home on the Washington side of the river until The Dalles, where we crossed another bridge to reach the I-84 freeway…seeing the river from both sides is worth it, as the views on each side are vastly different.

We had quite a bit of wind on the way home and look who is out on the river…the windsurfers…they pray for windy days like this!

They fly across the river with the wind…they are true athletes and fun to watch…often we see 100’s of them on our trips down the Gorge to Portland.

I am enjoying the view but, I would not care to be on the water with the white caps…as you can see the wind is blowing pretty good…and about perfect for the windsurfers!

I was standing down there on the concrete deck when WB took my picture.

Looking West…pretty view huh?

One more view of the Gorge Wind and my flaming red hair!!! What a great hair styling job…ala natural…which I love anyway:)

Another stop for photos…we are getting closer to The Dalles and home…

The closer we travel to our neck of the woods…the Columbia Basin of Eastern Oregon…Cowboy Country…Let Er’ Buck…Yee-Haw…the less trees and green. Western Oregon receives several inches of rain a year, where we usually have around 9-10″ a year…we are on the dry side of Oregon.

Crossing back over the Columbia at The Dalles Damn…tried to grab a quick shot of the spillway…could not talk WB into stopping in the middle of the bridge so I could take pictures…geesh…he said something about cops and mumble mumble…hmmm?

And then we drove on another 100 miles into Eastern Oregon…to our home…to the North Country of Juniper Canyon…into wheat country:)

As far as you can see wheat fields…that are almost ready for the harvest of 2012!

Once we were home we had lots of petting and loves for all our animals, as they missed us…our dogs are so protective of us but so sweet to us too:)

And our horses came over to see us as soon as we pulled in the driveway…it is funny that they know the car…

And the real “Boss!” I know she missed us….right?

“Minnie….I missed you!”

Minnie said back to me “Oh sure…what am I chopped liver? Going to see the dogs first…hurumph!”

And then she took pity on me as I love her very much…”Well ok…just this once I will forgive you about the dang dogs!”

“But do not let it happen again Mom…”

“Ok already Mom….I am so glad you are home:)”  Me too Kitty Girl…my Min-Min Kitty Angel:)

We had only been home for a short time when the incredible clouds rolled in for a rock and roll thunder storm…

The summer of 2012 has gone down in history with different weather and clouds such as these…

Reminds me of Wyoming weather and not Eastern Oregon where for the most part we have mild weather…with four seasons.

It keeps it interesting and keeps me grabbing my camera trying to capture the strange weather…how about you…is your weather odd this year too or is it just here that it is a bit crazy?

Hope you have a great week! Enjoy your summer with warm days and magical nights! Find time to relax and take it all in as summer will be gone before we know it!

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