so interesting

I have a thing for clouds. I am constantly taking photos of the beautiful skies to submit to one of my favorite sites - www.clouds365.com/community  Here, hundreds of people post photos from all over the world of the skies above, all from that day. I have met such fantastic people through this site, from Europe and India, Canada and Argentina, ALL over the United States, and we all have a love for watching the skies.

Quite often I receive comments on the photos I post, usually things like wonderful and awesome, sometimes specific comments about the colors or scenery from that particular photo, but this photo brought a new comment, "so interesting" - that was it - what a perfect comment!

Who knows what she saw here that attracted her and caused her to take the time to comment, it could be the red of the soil, the slice of sunshine in the distance, the snow caps on the mountains, the fog over the distant layers of mountains, the low, gray clouds - anything, it's up to the person reading the comment to interpret.

I think most everything is interesting out here in the Wild West - nice to know someone else saw it that way.

How could time have gone that fast? 7 months ago was my last post?

It is November 9th today, the first real snow to speak of, very late this year. Work has kept me busy, both my real "day job" and the work here at the ranch - the Spring, Summer, and Fall seasons were so very beautiful!
We had calves, most survived, a few did not - I've learned to accept things  I thought I wouldn't be able to. The land proved to be harsh but yet forgiving of our Eastern idiocy - we had fantastic visits with family and friends, and I saw new and wonderful things.



Time.
When I was in school, and then as my children grew and went through school, life was in sections of time, beginning of school, Christmas break, Spring break, almost Summer, and the very best - SUMMER and each section of time seemed to stand on it's own.
Almost 30 years later, the sections are not dictated by anything other than mother nature and they blend as they fade, one into the next, and before I know it years have passed and I wonder what I missed while life was buzzing by.

In January, I vow to stop and smell the snow, drink in the silence and the vastness, until then, I'll keep working at it all - promises to post more photos soon!

Easter

Tomorrow is Easter, April 4th, 2010.
For a few weeks now I've been looking for a photo that shows a cross, something subtle, you know, branches in a tree, a pattern in a rock, I had all but given up and on the way home from taking sunrise photos at Renner - this presented itself to me. I realize they are electric poles - but the way the 3 of them show up on the hill and the rest blend - seemed like the perfect Easter scene. It is Saturday, the fields around the crosses are deserted, everyone has gone home, the 3 men crucified are entombed - only  Christ's followers pray, but tomorrow morning they will be witness to the resurrection of One and only Son of God the Father Almighty, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

7 am Sunrise Service at the Ten Sleep United Methodist Church and then breakfast. I have missed going to church, for the last few months we have been pretty regular attendees there, it's very small and very friendly, we like it a lot. While there is something to be said for personal meditations on a mountain top, there is also great value in fellowship with other Christians and I'm happy to be back in the saddle, so to speak. The minister, Rev. Huston Green, has a very casual way about him, he takes a while to get around to his point in his sermons, but he's already made me think and I mean 3 weeks later I'm still reflecting on his sermon.

It's time for bed now, I'm still in wonder over God's gift to all of us, I'm so very thankful for everything He has given me. I feel humbled and undeserving, I'm looking forward to tomorrow's service.

White Lava March 31st, 2010

The variety of landscapes in this area is fascinating, I have often noticed this off white lumpy textured rock near the top of the Renner Ridge and wanted to touch it, walk on it, experience it. It sounds (and looks) like the last dry day for a while, so today Bear Dog and I took a different 2 track on the back side of Renner Wildlife Preserve - I'm so happy I decided to risk it. I got a close look at the rocks I've been so curious about, I swear they look like white lava, like a cake decorator carefully decorated the earth with vanilla butter frosting, in swirls and swishes, buttons and rosettes - and it hardened into rock (I've had frosting turn out like that.)
Someday someone is going to have to explain these things to me.

Because I took this trail on a whim, and no one knew where I was, (yes, I know, NEVER do that again!) once it turned a little slick, I decided to turn around before running into problems. That means I didn't get close enough to touch it yet, but that also means I'll have somewhere new to set my sights on for a hike! Hard to believe this is 15 minutes from my house.

I wonder what the pioneers thought when they saw this kind of thing, I wonder if they were in awe, in fear, or disappointed because it wasn't productive land. I wonder if the Indians thought it was a special place. I wonder how much it has changed in 100 years.


As I watch the clouds thicken and begin to spit, I know I have to make it back to safer roads quickly, I'm always torn at this point because I want to stay and explore. Next time.

Snake Skin?

Well, I didn't think to get a picture - but here's the story - Bill saw what he thought was a snake skin out in the pasture, a rattler - so we had to have it to send to my nephew Liam (Yes, I do love my sister, but Liam LOVES snakes and creepy crawly things, so I have no choice but to send things like this to him).

Well Bill went bumping and twisting across the pasture in the Suburban to find the skin back and pulled up next to it so I could pick it up, the first warning sign was that it gave me a static shock when I picked it up, which made me not notice until way too late that it was far too heavy to be just a skin . . . .

The smell actually struck me first as we ambled the rest of the way down the drive toward the gate, sniff, sniff, what is THAT? Uh Oh.

The snake skin wasn't just a skin but a long dead snake, and upon closer inspection, you could actually see a small mouse or something hanging out of his body portion, the skin was actually still supple when I went to toss it back out of the vehicle but rest assured, I first checked to see if there was a worthwhile rattle to remove for Liam, there wasn't.

Lesson learned - pay attention when picking up dead things.

Silence

I finally got my Verizon card to work with my new computer AND took my laptop along on the 4 wheeler - up to the high country, took Bear Dog with me - the sun is shining, it's gotta be at least 60 something, the only sound is the wind blowing through the sagebrush.

This is my view

This week has been strange, a woman I used to work with and consider a friend lost her 21 year old son and the funeral was Friday. I of course, called and talked to all 3 kids and made sure they know just how much I love them, how proud I am of them, etc. and I called both parents - but I can't help but feel like I should express my thankfulness for all the blessings in my life. Someday I am sure I will have to deal with tragedy, with the unexpected death of someone close to me - but for now, I can only try to imagine the searing pain each time they think of Griffin and how much fun he had and how it JUST ISN'T FAIR that he is gone.

I know how much his family and friends will miss him, he will NOT be forgotten, I pray he is at peace now and I pray for peace for those here waiting to join him.

I'll be back in a bit to post again, but right now Bear Dog is quite insistent we take a hike.

Fear

I wrote in my Birthday reflections blog about fear - it is funny how yesterday it was a distant memory, properly placed in the box called "The Past" - and today - WOW - it flooded over me and knocked me off my center (The state of my balance was obviously much more precarious than I thought)

I continuously walk into situations assuming the best of people, and I really like that about myself . . until things like today come up. I find I question myself, I can feel my intestines twisting and I suddenly want to vomit, I want to pace until there is a path worn into the floor, I KNOW I am over reacting, because in the end, the only thing I have control over is that very thing, my reaction. And so I have to talk myself (and ask my Sister to do the same for me, just as I do for her when needed) through this and hope that I don't allow it to change the way I perceive things.

Note to self: I am OK, I like the fact that I trust and give, I will not allow another's need for control to change the person I am at my core.