Challenge Challenge...I like Challenges

My first 'new' challenge I made up was to only use the Lensbaby lens for walking around with Ariel on the evening of the 3rd and the 4th.

We headed past the shady garden and the late evening sun just glowed on the tall phlox. 

We walked out onto the ridge where there was a nice breeze. Ariel wanted to get in some walks while she visited. We'd set Grandpa up with a TV show or two and we headed out for our walk. It was still hot and muggy, but my 21 year old 'kid' walked with purpose.

This is something she has started to do for herself. Walking. What a great idea. I haven't been too motivated these past few weeks so it was a delight to have a companion to walk with.

Below is a Lensbaby shot of a hayfield getting ready for baling. It is being cut wayyyyy late this year due to the fact that this 85 yr old female farmer has to hire out for these jobs. Some jobs she can no longer do in a timely manner.

I've always loved this view though and on the 4th, it was stunning. We even stopped and visited with Olive for a few moments as she was out bottle feeding their new calf.

Ariel and I chatted about nothing important. I'm sure I sounded like an old fuddy duddy just rambling on about farms, skies, plants, bees, flowers, dogs, and life in general. But Ariel and I have been pals since she was 4 years old and started spending overnights with us on the farm.

I think even though I am not biologically her true grandma, I am her grandma [along with her two biological ones]. I'm the different Grandma. Which is cool. I play, I hike, I like the outdoors.

When we came down the driveway towards home. We admired the way the sun was going down in the sky.

I had to try a 'sunset' shot with this odd lens.

So.
This is considered an 'Art' lens. It was probably the cheapest ever lens I've acquired. It takes effort to use it as everything has to be manual. 
I never thought of it as being a landscape lens ... but then... I really loved the shots I found just walking with my granddaughter.

 Ariel had to go home and wanted to beat the incoming rains and storms. When she left, I felt. Well. Honestly? I was like Charlie...
I wanted to pout and look out the window too.

Eventually I decided to try some more challenges after I did my normal housework and cleaned up an accident by hubby. 

Funny thing. When Ariel visits, she has a quiet calming effect on me. I feel more relaxed with her around. There are moments we can sit on the bench on the porch and not say a word...just watch the clouds, the birds, and be content. Her company is comforting. We can just 'be' together and not impose on each other.

She even jumped up before me and assisted her Grandfather with little things.

She took these shots when I was doing a fly spray wipe and clean up of the mule gals.

In the distance you can see Lil' Richard grazing on the hard to mow hillside. Charlie is watching Sundance who is pawing impatiently.

When the rains moved in, I thought I'd try getting some shots of the garden while it was raining. I could squat under the porch roof and get some shots.

Not shot with the Lensbaby as I needed some reach to get out where it was raining.

Then I switched over and had some fun mixing a Lensbaby shot with a photo that I took of the same spot with my 90mm macro lens.

In essence, I made a double exposure from two different types of photos. I really enjoyed how it turned out.

I then took a double exposure with the Lensbaby ... this was okay...

There is such a subtle difference it is hard to spot. But the one below is made to be softer and more like an impressionist photo. I did that in my old plug in of Topaz Studio 2. 

This last shot was taken on the spur of a moment. I had some flowers I picked and arranged on a large wooden spool.

I don't know why, but I certainly loved the look. 

It reminded me that on these really hot and humid days, I could be practicing some more Still Life images with flowers, vases, and maybe not toys....

I'm digging the Lensbaby because if I get it right, there is nothing else to do to the shot. 

It also gives me a new way of looking at things and a challenge to do it well.

I like Challenges.

Get up and go...

What do you do when it is 90+ F outside with humidity that chokes you? Well, first off, chores have to get done when the sun is coming up. 

Later in the day any sane person would retreat from the heat, there is mowing and yard work still to do with breaks in between.

To enjoy some mindless quiet time, I get out the crafty stuff and start to imagine what I'd do with mushrooms, mosses, glue, paint, and soda bottle tops.

How about little 'flat' pretty marbles? I imagine them to be like Lily pads with little micro flowers on them. Perhaps a butterfly or two would be fun too.

So all these ideas came about when I was at the Farmer's Market a couple of weeks ago and saw a lady who took pieces of wood and had glued mosses to it. She had some tiny mushrooms she'd made and painted that she attached to the little logs.

I studied it and thought it would be cute to have this for my own. Until I saw her price tag. $68 for little 12 inch 'stick' that was about 3 inches in diameter with a few bits of moss and two tiny mushrooms.

She had different sizes and prices. But I couldn't spend even the $28 for one of them. I studied it. Then I decided to use her wonderful idea and make my own decorations. 

My own decorations turned into scenes for my Lego minifigs. 
 

The morning light was too good to pass up. So I took my camera out on the porch to let it acclimate to the heat and humidity while I grabbed my old cookie sheet and made a pond.

Arranging things on a cookie sheet to do a tiny scene was so engaging.

I put it on a plastic crate for easier photographing.

I tried both my Lensbaby SOL 22 lens and my 25mm prime lens. I ended up liking the softness of the Lensbaby best.

Shooting on the porch concrete proved a bit harder to get 'the look' I wanted. But this will give you an idea of why I moved it.

I find the little cookie sheets very helpful in 'setting' up a scene. It keeps me focused on a small area which is what shooting tiny figures is all about. The porch garden provides a perfect backdrop to the items on the tray.

I needed to make this shot look as if it was in a swamp. So I picked some weeds and quack grass out of the garden and dropped it into the water on the sheet.

Glenda meets Alli along with Alli's friends. 

Most Legos are not evil...Glenda and her new found friends decide to take a tour of the swamp.

I haven't quite worked out the best angles to really do a great job, but I am enjoying the process. I can also hear Rich when he rings the bell inside the house for assistance. 

I get a bit of down time along with a bit of play-->distraction time.

What will I do with all my bits and pieces? I don't know. When I am done using them for now, I'll keep some bits out to decorate my flower table with and I'll store the rest in a tote.

I will have one tote full of bits and pieces from junk I repurposed two summers ago for scenes about space or exploring other avenues. 

Example:

[the bits and pieces are script containers and bits of CPAP tubing]

Now I can add these bits and pieces for 'natural' settings without going out into the woods and finding them.

[I'd rather be in the woods, but that is too far away from watching over hubby.]

I can't wait for another decent morning to try out some more tricks on the porch with my cookie tray.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As for the 4th? We didn't do anything but we had a wonderful visit with Ariel. We heard fireworks going off on Thursday night in the surrounding area. We enjoyed a simple cookout and a lot of visiting.

Ariel and I took evening walks together after supper while hubby watched Death in Paradise. 

The yard is mowed, the laundry is hanging out to dry until the rains come again. The next two days are going to be quiet too.

Astra says...

"If you were able to fall a hundred times as a child and rise, 

you were able to fall a thousand times as an adult and soar."

~~Matshona Dhliwayo

Weekend Wrap up....

The past few weeks have been insane...right? Or do I just get too excited over stuff???

Maybe I need to go sit in the forest for a day and just not think or do....

Sometimes things happen in succession and drive a person up the Crazy Wall.
When I got home from CrossFit Friday morning I parked the 'Ru, then walked out late in the afternoon to see this....
By the time I had the 'fake tire' on, Ariel arrived. 

Ariel cooked Grandpa his absolute favorite meal on Friday night. Liver and Onions. She pretty much knew how to make it and I assisted. 

What a cool young lady. She wanted to celebrate her birthday weekend by cooking a meal she knew Grandpa would love.

Very thoughtful.

Saturday was to be a shopping spree for books that Ariel had in mind to add to her collection. She is a bibliophile. She had spent 3 months working overtime and extra hours to save up for some specific books she had in mind.

With a flat tire and no repair shops open over the weekend, I let her do the driving while I navigated to the stores she wanted to go to.

We wandered Barnes & Noble for hours.

We found a series of books that we both thought would be fun to read--- The Little Old Lady Behaving Badly! 

Next she took me to Chick fil A for a late lunch. 

We sure had a laugh over this sign-->

We made another stop at Michaels to browse yarn and crafty stuff.

When we turned into the last isle we found Dragons! We both think dragons are cool mythical creatures and Safari makes some really fantastic dragons. Ariel admired one in particular. I picked up one myself and told her to pick 2 as an addition to her birthday gift. I got the white snow dragon...

Having a driver was so nice. I didn't have to do much other than help Ariel get around unfamiliar territory. 

Monday was all about getting the car fixed [again], calling in medications, talking to the Palliative Care Nurse, talking to the LP company, and fixing the land line phone issue. 

Some days I miss my previous life where I was busy with work and other interests.

These past couple of weeks were wonderful. I had so many things to look forward to.

...

A Day off the Farm!

I always start with a fence-pasture check and see how the elderly girls are doing. I went into what we call the Meadow to put an SD card back in the Trail Cam and came out of the forest to the above shot. I only had my cell phone with me.

I imagine the doe had run off while the fawn was sleeping and suddenly the fawn looked a bit confused.

I stood quietly and just waited.

I was able to switch to video ---> 28 seconds...

I ended up seeing 4 more does on my walk back to the house.

I did chores and got moving as I had a 'date' with my Grand daughter Ariel and a 2.5 + hr drive to her new apartment. This is not something I normally do. Travel that far, but I had two neighbors for back up and prepped lunch ahead of time for hubby.

I cannot believe she is going to be 21 years old in another month or so! OH MY! Where did the time go??? I'm sure her mom and dad are thinking the same thing.

She grew up under my nose! 

She is employed, owns her own vehicle, and now has her own place to live. She wanted me to come see her 'new' place and chill out with her. Here is a view out her living room window. She didn't give me permission to take her photo or to take and post photos of her place so I just won't do it.

Suffice to say, IF I'd had an apartment like hers, I would have loved it! She is in town and can walk all over and ... it is 5 minutes to work for her. Like most young folks she had parents and grand parents who helped provide her with things she needed.

I was so tickled to see one of my favorite shower curtains in her bathroom! Small things matter!

We went to a late breakfast then went shopping at JoAnne Fabrics. Ariel has taken up crocheting and is making soft fuzzy blankets for her relatives. She introduced me to the Big Fuzzy Soft Yarn she likes to work with. She studied all the colors they had to see if anything tickled her fancy. She asked the girl who was stocking the shelves if they had new colors coming out.

I know a lot of ladies who read this blog who love yarn and collect yarn! I could definitely see picking up crocheting with that fuzzy soft yarn. Ariel even showed me some loop yarn that you don't even have to crochet! Hmmmm. I could dig that! Might be something I could do at night while I sit with the other half and he is watching something boring!

We then parked in a public parking lot and took a tour of the town. We spent time in a bookshop that served coffee and sandwiches. We browsed and Ariel showed me the books she admired most.

We ended up at an interesting little shop that sold Geodes, candles, scented soaps, carvings, incense holders, and all sort of cool hippy stuff. I found some neat 3D printed dragons that would go along with my Lego People. I like dragons of all sorts.

They'll show up later in some Lego or Toy adventures.

Back at her place, we relaxed and chatted. She told me about her job and workplace and how she was doing. 

Again. Hard to believe I was sitting in her apartment with her as an adult. But there it was. When I was getting ready to go, she asked if I'd stop and see her brother who works at Culvers. He'd just gotten promoted to a supervisory position, and she thought we should say hi.

Another small kid....who GREW up!

He gave me permission to post his photo.

When Ariel and I started to walk out the door we turned and waved to Dennis and the whole front staff all hollered out "See yah Grandma!"

That was super cool.

I headed home to the farm with warm fuzzy thoughts and a huge smile on my face.

A day off the Farm! 

Pausing on a rainy sleety day

First off, I am totally excited that my Granddaughter Ariel will be coming to spend next Friday with us. She'll stay over night.

She turns 19 next Friday. Where on earth did all those years go???

Here are some photos from years past. 

Ariel brought so much into our lives over the years. Her folks used to come often to visit and would drop her off at our house while they stayed the weekend at my Mother in Law's large house.

Ariel wanted to be like Grandma Val with a 
backpack and camera...

Dancing with Grandpa Rich in the yard.

Helping Great Grandma Lenise

Helping Grandpa with chores

Riding Badger

Ariel let me know last month that she was planning on driving up her new to her car that she bought on her own to visit us. She'd been wanting to do a solo trip on her own for a while.

She is no longer a child but a grown up. She is working on getting her own apartment and place to live which is not easy right now. 

Secretly, I'd love it if she moved near us and worked at one of the nicest places around "Go Macro".  I doubt that will happen but I could wish it.

I'm not her 'blood' grandma, but I sure do love her.

I always have enjoyed our time spent together. She is a quiet person with a great imagination and is very intense in her sense of responsibilities.

I am looking forward to her visit as is Grandpa.

Mica

August 2009 is one of the last times Mica was ridden out and about. I don't recall why Rich stopped riding most of the time, it seems that my job then interfered a lot with riding.
Here she is in full riding gear.
Mica has an excellent training backround. Her trainer was pretty meticulous about her ground behavior and her manners.

Fast forward to 2017. Mica has been 'out to pasture' retirement. Not because anything is wrong with her, but because Rich just 'didn't have time' or was 'too busy' to ride.

I insisted on keeping Mica even though she hadn't been ridden in ... 8 years. Rich took her out a few weeks ago and she acted like a bit of a ninny.
I sometimes wonder if it is the attitude of the person handling the animal.
Don't get me wrong, Rich is not mean but he does demand perfection.

I realize the animal is an animal. Mica has been handled a lot since her 'retirement' I catch her often, clean her feet, move her from one pasture to another...and she has never been tough to handle.

So. Yesterday she came out of retirement at the ripe age of 21.

I worked for about 20 minutes with her. Then I put on a saddle and mounted, dismounted, and lay across her.
I let her 'heel' me around the pen, stop, turn, follow, back up, and stand on vocal command.
She actually was enjoying the attention and the work.

The kids handled her too. And she was polite when Dennis made mistakes, she tried to 'heel' him and not get in his way.
After a bit of coaching, Dennis nailed it.

I was so happy and Mica was so content with the kids petting and grooming her.

My question to the kids was.
"Do you think Mica enjoys this?"
"YES!"

Most mules love a job. Mica is going to love coming out of retirement.

We put her away and the kids still wanted to 'mess with mules'.

So out came the fabulous bay duo.
Siera and Fred.

End of story!

I needed to bring Mica out of retirement. The kids want Grandpa to ride with them. He can ride Miss Sunshine and go along if all goes well with Mica.
This week will be fascinating.

A Love Affair of Sorts

What happens when you introduce a young lady to equine? What happens when this young lady learns the feeling of self confidence and awe when she learns to ride?

I've always felt Siera had some potential in some sort of fashion.

I recall the power of attraction when I was Ariel's age. I recall the how my heart soared each time my uncle would let us go riding. I recall staying at his place and him telling me that a horse he was keeping called 'Buddy' was mine to ride and care for during my week long stay.

At the begining of the week, I told Ariel that Siera was her mule for the week. Hers to groom, to ride, to hand walk if she felt like it. Hers to handle for her stay.

Imagine suddenly having the confidence to walk into a pasture and gather up the mule you are to take care of.

You can catch her at any time and take her out. You've learned to properly saddle her by yourself.

These are the things Ariel learned this week. She also learned so much more about riding.
Siera has been an excellent mount for Ariel. The mule is calm, relaxed, easy going, and quite attached to her handler.

Experience ... Experience ... Experience. Practice and practice. Riding is a long and gradual learning curve. Each experience builds on another.

But the experience becomes more real and more incredible with each ride. Slowly, each piece of the puzzle that comes together.
Catching Siera,
grooming her,
and then saddling her properly by herself.

These are things Ariel has learned and can now do with confidence.

We took our first extended long ride. I rode Sunshine my little redhead.

We passed along the ridge top and then headed into the valley where the creek is. The snow mobile/camp road has not been used at all this year so we had to make our way slowly. It involved a bit of 'ditch diving' which is mule-speak for dropping off or climbing up ditches that are about 5 feet tall.

I led with Sunshine and for a moment Ariel sat on Siera and said, "Um, that is steep! I don't know."

I smiled and said, "Trust your mule, Siera won't let you get hurt. She likes you."
Actually, mules are self preservationists and normally refuse to do anything dangerous.

Ariel asked Siera to drop down the harsh steep bank. Siera balked and then calmly made her way down.
The realization and the smile of wonder that lit up Ariel's face was worth all the hard work we've done for the past three summers.

We rode down into the forest where I stopped to check saddle girths before we rode down the steep hill.

The trail had suffered some fallen trees so we did a bit of brush busting. We rode into the valley and Ariel was surprised at how different yet same things looked and how much more fun it was to ride to the creek than walk!

We explored for a while and I told her that in the future we'd cross the creek and explore some more amazing places. I lamented too that now that I had a fun riding partner ... she had to go back home.

We rode quietly back towards home as the sun was setting. Our very first sunset ride.

And I leave you with this....a Quote I found while browsing Horse Quotes. I changed the one word to Mule.

Why do I ride mules?
Because I look at my mule and I see
My Hopes and Dreams.
I see my Happiness.
I see my Hopes and Dreams.
I see my Pride and Soul.
I look in a mirror and I see a
Person.
I look at my mule and I see
Myself.

And that I think, says it all.

Healing Powers of Equine

For those who own horses, donkeys, or mules I guess I don't have to really say much as an introduction.

There is something wonderfully healing about being around an equine.

When Rich had his stroke and we were looking at downsizing, he thought we should sell Mica and Sundance. Sundance is in training and Mica hasn't been ridden in quite a while.
His reasoning was that "I'll never be able to ride again."
I told him that was not so. Never say never.

At that moment however I did have doubts but held out because without hope there seems to be nothing, right?

I asked him to help me out with Mica and see how much re-training she would need to get her riding again.
She was a roping mule when we got her, trained by Chris French of Rafter CF Training Mule Company.

This was long before Chris was a well known trainer.
Anyway Mica was herd sour and wanted to be with the other mules, but she quickly started thinking like a trained mule would. She knew her manners and what she should do, she just didn't quite want to do it.

Yesterday morning as we were eating breakfast and planning our day, I casually slipped in "We will catch Fred and saddle him up for you so you can ride with Ariel and I."

Rich barely blinked. I thought he didn't hear me. He smiled and nodded but didn't react. I pulled Ariel aside.

"We have to get Grandpa on Fred and take him for a ride. It will be good for him. I need your help to convince him."
Ariel agreed and said she'd help me clean up Fred and saddle him too.

We saddled the mules and got things ready. Ariel was going to ride the now very much loved Siera, I'd ride the little redhead, Sunshine...and Rich had his old stand by, Fred.

Next thing I knew Rich was mounted and wanted to know why we were still on the ground.
Wow....

We were soon on our way. Ariel and Rich were in the lead and I of course was bringing up the rear.

We rode out on PeeWee's driveway towards the old cabin and then cut alongside the soybean field.

Fred walked with purpose and Siera just did her thing with Ariel. I enjoyed the view from behind.
I then realized that this was the absolute first time that Grandfather and Grand daughter had ridden together.

Two years ago Rich was ready to give up on riding when he went through throat cancer treatments and his TIA that affected his balance. This year he had the stroke, again he was ready to give up.

None of that was on his mind as he rode with Ariel. They didn't have to talk, they just rode quietly mostly side by side. Rich would give Ariel a direction or two, or maybe say something.
But mostly the ride was in peaceful silence. The sort of comfortable silence that riders get when they are concentrating and just enjoying the view from the saddle.

When we got closer to home Rich started talking about riding the cropland on the ridge. He thought that we should ride through the oat fields that had been harvested and baled.
I thought that was a good idea.

He agreed.
I then had the two of them stop and turn their mules towards me.

My guess is that I won't have to urge the two of these guys to go riding again.