Oh Sunny Day...........

Wow....woke up to SUNSHINE and no rain.  Joy!
With dark rumbling clouds, whipping wind, and slashing rain for .....forever......it's so nice to think about a normal day of getting things done around here. I think we still have horses and chickens.  I KNOW we have weeds and lakes in pastures and stalls to clean. 
When it's the same day and night....dark and stormy....its fun in its own way....sitting in front of the fire watching movies together, reading, taking naps because you stay up way too late working on photography editing and printing, etc, etc, etc.............
BUT.......I'm ready for normal again....... for a while at least, and 'they' say we have a week of sunshine here.  So let 'er dry up and we'll be getting something done outside before the next rains blow in.

I think we're going to have sunshine next week.....

We saddled and loaded horses this morning and headed to the ranche's covered arena to rope.  My fingers felt the damp and cold and even with under armor, insulated socks, knee high boots, chinks, vests, hooded coat, etc......I was a little chilly.  The wind was howling.  All the horses were fresh and jumpy and squirrely.  It was fun tho and we only had two blowups.  One colt freaked as the rope hit the fence and the tarp across it........big loop ya know......and there was some dirt flying and cowboy up going on for a minute or so.  Then one horse being led past a tarp over a table (inside) got spooked when the wind hooked it and literally ran over the human and drug her a bit.  No broken bones but scrapes and bruises immediately and LOTS of sore later.  She rode her goofy boy anyway.  Cowgirl up!
Then off to Bert's for late lunch......always :)
And now a quiet, warm couple of hours AND then a movie with the guys while snuggled around the fire.  Rain is good for something!

It's taking a looooong time......

to become the person I want to be!

SPRING..............wishful thinking, I guess!

New art image of Mr. Roo....he's my favorite living, breathing, walking, strutting, arrogant art form......my husband runs a close second...

Shadow Man is always causing trouble around our ranch.....teasing cats and dogs, scaring horses, spooking chooks, trying to scare me at dusk.....what a trouble maker he is!

My ferocious looking sweetheart Rowdy.......

Ya can't ride n' rope on a chicken but I love 'em anyway.......

Nevada Mustangs...........outside Tonopah

FINALLY............my big laptop is done backing up........I've been going thru withdrawl trying to work on my iPhone and 10" laptop.....

I'm typing on my little 10 inch laptop and now I remember why I don't use it much...first....it's very cute.....tiny and white and glossy and light.....buy when I'm typing it often skips back to another line and just takes off from there. makes me crazy! Still it's better than typing on my iPhone with one finger. Geez....I type like I talk as it is.....but on the iPhone ......just difficult......

Gotta love a cowgirl..........

So if anyone just HAS to have some fun portraits taken just let me know and I'll be happy to oblige.

I love taking candid photography in natural light.  Looooove capturing the personality of my subjects. 

Gotta love the face of a mustang :)

Now before anyone gets their panties all in a wad......let me just say...I know we have to do something to help manage the mustang herds...I've written the BLM and given them my two cents worth.  Told 'em to castrate the older stallions and turn them back out, put marbles in mares they don't want bred, and let the rest breed naturally.  Maybe adopt some of the yearlings to folks.  I don't want to see herds dying like flies around a dry water hole or starving to death.  But, I ALSO don't want to see them penned up for months.....let alone years....living a worthless and horrid life.

I've adopted 3 terrific mustangs myself.  All horse owners oughta adopt ONE and help out with those stuck in BLM pens.  You'd love 'em.  They're strong, loyal, have awesome wild horse instincts, terrific feet, and they are very intelligent.  They are, after all, horses!

So with that said.........here's a poem I wrote today after working on some mustang photography taken a couple of years ago......and knowing my own dear mustang friends...........

THE MUSTANG

With my blaze all askew across my nose,

N' my long sorrel dreadlocks near down to my toes...

I‘m standing here panicked!  Don't know where I am...

Don't know where my sire is... or my dam......

Most of my family and friends aren't here

And sometimes I’m overwhelmed by my fear

I’m still kind of sick from the ride in that box

As it roared and rolled over dirt roads and rocks

N' those two legged creatures are mean... they scare me …

they poke me and prod me ...and terrify me!

I have no idea what they want me to do!!!

But, they’re loud and rough and they force me through.

I want to run far!! And as fast as I can!!!

But I can’t... so I have to fight where I stand.

I’m tired and frightened and weary and sore

N' I’m not sure my heart and mind can take more.

Copyright © 2011 Victoria Boyd

Jodie n Kaci showing how it's done..........you go, Cowgirls!!!

Anna and Annie

Sharing some 'friend time' in the Big Empty after moving the herd to the trap.

This is one of my favorite 'captures' and I've been playing with it in my new photoshop program..........too fun!

I'm back...I was sick and then three of my horses needed a vet.......when it rains it floods....but I'm starting up the old Jeep and get some 'shootin' done again.......

Getting caught up...........

I finished up editing 3 photo projects in the last few days and rewarded myself with a movie night last night.........three movies in a row.  It was so fun to just kick back and laugh.  We love romantic comedies.
The big storm blew through yesterday/last night and today is calm and serene...... nice and green....my work is done outside .....and I'm on my way to the dentist to see if in fact I have TMJ and can find some relief or if I have a bad tooth, earache, whatever.  I'm not very patient day 3 of pain.....constant, unrelenting pain. 
Motrin is my best friend as of now!

Sweet, Funny, Wild, and Wonderful Moments in Time..........

Today I finished editing (and copying to DVDs) family portraits for one of our kids, and a child's portrait session for our good friends.  Gifts!  They were fun to take and I enjoyed cruising through and editing them.  Now they get to enjoy them!
Last week I sent off some of my favorite Western themed photography to Western Horseman magazine, and next week will do a Stallion promotion shoot.......if the rains stops for a few days.
And most fun of all.........I have grandkids with cameras who are as crazy about photography as I am!  Oh Yeah!!!!!

Rain equals green grass here in California.........

Well, we've apparently just ended a 7 year drought cuz it's been raining like crazy the last few months.  Other winters I remember wondering how we're going to make it with only a handfull of rains all winter.  It's raining as I write this.....been raining all day and all night so far.  Love the sound of rain on the roof.  Love the green grass growing everywhere you look.  It's gonna be a good year!