Favorite Photo Friday: Jessie

Jessie is one of my parents’ two golden retrievers. My parents got these two dogs when they moved into their house about 5 years ago… meaning, the dogs were owned by the previous homeowners and ended up staying with the house (yes, really). They have been embraced into our family like they had always been there.

Before life with my parents, they were outdoor-only dogs that likely didn’t get much attention. We know they were often left loose outdoors when the previous owners traveled. Now they live indoors, travel everywhere with my parents, and have access to napping on various forms of furniture if they so wish. They are loved.

Jessie, golden retriever

Jessie

This is one of my all-time favorite photos. Jessie is resting her head in my dad’s hand. It is a typical pose for them. She adores him. I think the feeling is mutual.

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Favorite Photo Friday: Winter Birds

Yay! It’s Friday! My favorite day of the week AND I get to share some more photos (lucky you, huh?).

I decided to go with a winter theme this week in hopes of filling my mind with cool breeze thoughts in the never-ending heat and humidity of this summer. I hope it works. :)

Woodpecker Taking Shelter

Shelter from the storm

This woodpecker was taking shelter from the blowing snow and cold. Poor guy was attempting to eat sunflower seeds from the nearby feeder, but kept getting buffeted around from the wind. I actually took this photo through the window of the sunroom and was pleasantly surprised that it turned out as good as it did.

Mockingbird in crabapple tree

These are MY crabapples. Back off.

This mockingbird was my daily greeter each winter for two years in a row. I have a row of crabapple trees that line my driveway and every winter they are filled with dried fruit that the birds swarm over. That is, until this mockingbird discovered them. Then they became his and his alone. He protected that food source all day, every day, chasing other birds away that dared to attempt to help themselves to the crabapple buffet.

I know that many people consider them loud and obnoxious pest birds, but I absolutely love mockingbirds. They are a favorite of mine. This guy would let me come within a few feet of him and would just cock his head at me when I talked to him. I looked forward to seeing him every morning just outside my garage door.

One day in the middle of winter, a large flock of starlings overtook his domain and completely stripped all of my crabapple trees of all their fruit… and then they disappeared, looking for their next food source. This poor mockingbird was so distressed. I tried putting out raisins and dried fruit for him, but in the end he disappeared also. I can only hope that he found another food source elsewhere and didn’t perish that winter. He never did return and I’ve missed his presence and song in my yard ever since.

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This Kid Can Sing

Stumbled upon this video while skimming through a blog I follow for work… and it is goosebump-inducing. I can’t sing worth a darn, so I really admire those who have a gift for it. This kid truly has that gift. Enjoy!

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Favorite Photo Friday: Refined Horsemanship Show

I’ve decided to start doing a “Favorite Photo Friday” post, to share some of the photos I’ve taken over the years that I love. I should add the caveat that I am far from a professional photographer! I’m completely self-taught and still don’t know what everything on my camera does. I’m not ashamed to admit this. :-D

My goal when I take photos is to capture moments that touch me in some way. Usually, it is something I find beautiful, but not always. Most of them will probably be animal-related, although I know nature/place photos will find their way in too. In any case, I hope others enjoy them.

I’m starting with a few photos I took at a US-RHA show a few weeks ago, only because I don’t have my photo external hard drive handy at the moment and I had these stored locally on my laptop.

Shelby riding her cremello Lusitano mare Virgina in a US-RHA show in London, KY

Shelby is my horse’s trainer, my riding instructor and friend. She has worked miracles with my horse (many stories there to tell) and I can’t say enough good things about her. Plus, her riding is beautiful and the relationships she has with her horses is inspiring to witness.

Virgina is a cremello Lusitano mare (who happens to be my mare’s pasture mate) that belongs to Shelby and her husband David. This was her first real trip off their property and her first show. She was a star and not only won her classes, but received the show’s overall High Point Award. So proud of both of them.

Here are a few of the other competitors (some of them also friends) and their horses:

Kellie and her young Lusitano gelding Doc

Amanda and her paint mare War Bonnet

Renee and her Friesian/Appaloosa mare Willow

Shelby and her Lusitano gelding Quetero

Sweet moment before entering the obstacle competition

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The Green Apples: A Kitten Choreography

I have been giggling over this video all morning… it is too good not to share. Enjoy!

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Saving Valentina

A friend shared this video with me and it is incredibly heartwarming. People who think animals (of ALL kinds) don’t have emotions or feelings are crazy. I’ve seen it in my own pets, wildlife… and this video is another great example of it. How can you watch this and not be filled with joy at the ending?

The child’s comment was the perfect ending, I thought. So beautiful. Enjoy.

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Wishing For a Truck

There are so many things I’d love to have (yes, I realize this sounds materialistic and selfish, but today is one of those “wishing” days). Wood floors in my house (I really dislike carpet and laminate flooring), a lawn maintenance guy (to mow and weed, so I can do what I like to do… like plant pretty things!), tall ceilings in my house, a new kitchen (goodbye to those DIY cabinets from the previous homeowner), and so on.

One of these things I’d like to have is a pickup truck. Specifically, a 1997-2003 Ford F250 diesel 7.3L that can pull my horse trailer with ease (hey, I know what I want). A shell over the bed would be great also, so my dogs could ride in the back. I’m not picky, really. I just want it to run and be mine, thank you very much.

My sister and I bought our horse trailer thinking that the pickup truck she and her husband currently owned could do the job. Since then, that truck has broken down multiple times and is frankly just not powerful enough to do the job well. Plus, it isn’t mine… so I don’t feel like I can just go get the truck and trailer whenever I want.

I occasionally look at used trucks for sale online and think maybe I should just buy one, but the responsible part of my brain usually takes over and tells me I can’t afford to spend that kind of money on something I’m only going to use for pulling a trailer. Of course, meanwhile the trailer just sits there, mocking me. Sigh.

Is there such thing as a truck fairy? Maybe I could put in a request? I’m thinking of something along these lines…

pickup truck

Ooooh pretty

Yes, I know. Keep dreaming. I will.

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