Take a Hike!

Okay, I hope that didn't sound mean at all.  But I just had to try out my new snowshoes.  
It is funny how after a few days of bitter cold, it doesn't seem to bother me much.  
Of course I do dress for it.

The snowshoes worked wonderfully.  Morris even liked them enough to try and walk on the backs of them.  I took them off when I got to the creek and left them on the trail to put back on when I returned.  This meant coming home the exact way I'd left, but that was okay.

Morris as usual, had a blast.
Here he tries to dig out a mouse nest.

Later on as we got nearer PeeWee's Valley, we heard the ruckus of snow mobiles.  I swear, they must put something on those things so that they literally scream.  The echo in the valley was a bit loud.

Morris didn't really like them at all and we didn't travel any further down the valley.  I had intended to go to the big spring and get some shots of the frost on the rocks, but that will have to wait  for another day.
The shot above was taken with my FujiFilm FinePix HS 30 EXR in RAW mode and then edited with Fuji Film's software.  I think this is some of the finest software that any camera company has ever come up with for RAW.  Nikon has a stand alone converter, but it isn't as good as this.

My purpose today was to try out some more functions on the Fuji and on the Nikon D3100.  I was trying to avoid the dreaded blue cast that I seem to get quite a bit on snow shots.  There are some tricks to helping with it and I'll review that on another post.

After about an hour Morris began to try and walk ~ not walk on his feet.  He kept holding his paws up and then began to shiver pretty hard.

I decided to pack things up and head back home.  Feeling a bit sorry for him I held out my arms and he climbed into them.  He then rode with his back feet on my pistol belt and spare cartridge, his front feet cradled into my arm or sometimes...he turned and rode looking backwards over my shoulder.

We got home just before dark and began to help hubby out with the chores.  I had let Morris in and he raced towards the heater which was blowing warm air.
It was a great day.

Mind Boggling Fractals

This was absolutely fun.  I used Mandelbulb 3d's newer version. v1.8.2

Parameters:
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................................nqNQP1w0Pz1.. ......Y./.........E.......UF/2...wD
...Uz....cz9..../MU//....6UN....N9...6E0..... MGJlj8.BKsD/.ElGOnDDzz52dkpXm1....U
z.....kD12../2.........../................... ..............u1....y1...sD...../..
.w1...sDC21YYF8kbx9JZcczt8kTzG/0oQZLuhrj2QyS2 z4YPxn62zbaicOTzqWtVLy0.urD7uymM6NP
2yPTZZV.ag.IzQj1.oZT1dqD.....5oK.........2... .kD.2....sD/2E.....................
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.....AQxcz1.....9/kz...Ik0.U..6.T/...M1...kA. ...y1...Q2...k3....T....kHB..ECKND2
...U.ydelyjeYF1U...../......1c..pzzb..k.Tci/2 UyD4A72QifFjz1...........k.8.UO6N0.
.6HNL1YP0.A.cEO5Jb5..1..........U2V0.IqLE...n p0CG3A..tFHcG.V9V.E............Gc..
SiY1..kuvBTuCfxj.SwRAgHzmz9.zlXxChK..1k28..U. /...s6QZJdbqz982RiGMQZhz0.ptFJMDg.E
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.....................A.....3....7....22JZFbQV NpI.w4S.I4.........................
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..UH./.......O3E........6.2........wz........ ...................................
................................m....E/....0. .../pKMuZaPb/mIp7bN................
............5.U/4M..0.....................2.. ......wz........Y1E.......Ua/2.....
..EC./....................................... ...................................
............................................. ...I....k....EHZtqNZ7rGjB4O...IjR5.
..........................U/4MU/4M........... .....62./..................2.2.....
...wz........................................ .................................zD
............................................. ..............3....A....AJOZ75Q6Z4P
WJaQo/kPr/...........................MU/4MU/4 .................zD........Mz9.....
...wz..........E............................. ...................................
........6.2.................................. .................../....E/...E.....
TB3QcJaQZNoPgFKOiRKA.......................0. ...........................Uz1.....
............................................. ...................................
............................................. ...............................}
Originally
Inside the Sine Wave by
DysyneGrafix but altered in color and formula:
http://mandelbulbers.deviantart.com/gallery/?set=27818884&offset=24#/d4zfslq

I'm just now exploring the pano or 360 feature.  It does some very interesting things to the fractals.  You can download this program free at:

fractalforums

Chore Time!

I love/hate doing chores.  Okay, I like it.  I like doing it in the snow.
WHAT?
Are you out of your mind?

I volunteered for it today.  And yes, I was not out of my mind.  You see, snow has one advantage over no snow.
The cheap cheap plastic sled!
Yes, the sled.

I can put a bale of hay on it and ride the whole works down to the pasture for feeding!

Or I can use it to carry water to the cow's tank.  This one is not heated so we water more than once a day.  Drag the sled up with buckets of water, ride the sled down to the hydrant when empty for refills!

Then I can clean the cow tank with a tine fork and give them fresh water.  No sled riding with a hay fork on board...!

Next is the big heated water tank that serves 3  winter pastures.

Hubby is insulating that tank for the animals and a 100 gallon one also to hopefully cut down on the use of electricity needed to heat them.

All of my choring this morning took about 2 hrs.  Mainly because I just dawdle along and enjoy the weather.  I let Dixie out and tied her up so she could watch and not get in by the mules or donkeys.
She doesn't know any better quite yet.

I'll be going out with Dixie for more snowy adventures today.

Christmas

While others were celebrating with family I practiced a wonderful tradition of my own.  Don't get me wrong, we had a wonderful family Christmas with my stepdaughter and her family.  The week before I spent 'Christmas' with my mom...so essentially I had Christmas day to myself.
And I spent it wisely, I think.

I used my new over the glasses snow goggles to protect my face in the sub zero temps.

I took the puppy Dixie along with Morris for a walk in the valley and along the creek.
I ended up carrying both dogs as their feet got cold.  
No easy task, but fun and interesting never the less.

The quietness of the creek bottom was relaxing.  Dixie set up a fuss in trying to cross a downed tree.  Mr. Wonderful Morris ran back and 'showed' her how it was done.

Morris is an awesome little dog who is so full of energy and heart.  However yesterday he did show his age a bit...but not until we were done with the hike.

He laid in his special spot on the couch and remained absolutely still, even for petting.

Dixie is getting much larger than Morris.  Yet he still is the alpha dog and leads the way.  He helps her learn how to cross streams and climb logs.  He watches her and keeps an eye on me.

The creek bottom was beautiful.  It warranted the cold weather and the trek through the snow.  [Next time snow shoes!]

The perfect way to spend a Holiday.

The night the toys play...

It seems to occur when you least expect it.  You glance at the Christmas tree as you pass by it in the middle of the night.
Something strikes as not quit right or a bit of odd.  Something is out of place, but you can't put your finger on it.
Morris is curled up on his favorite spot on the couch.  He is in place and sound asleep, head buried in his blanket.

Wait, what's that?
No, that is not right.
Morris's toys are under the tree doing what?...
Surely my eyes are not seeing correctly!

Toys?  Toys!
They are still, but I know, yes I know that I did not put them like that earlier.  I'd put Morris's toys in his tub.

I go into the kitchen and get a drink of water.  I decide to turn off the Christmas tree lights and then go back to bed.

Uh oh.  I rub my eyes frantically.  Now the Christmas Bears seemed to have joined in the fun.  I eye Morris.  He is still sound asleep, or is he?  

I take a close look at everything as I turn out the lights and go back upstairs to bed.

Certainly it seems magic occurs under my tree when I least expect it...coincidence that is happens every year around Christmas?

I find myself humming a Christmas tune as I get back into bed.
This sure is a magical time of the year!

For Ariel

My Grand daughter.  I spoke with her on the phone today and she was wondering if I had any photos of Dixie.

I guess I need to oblige!

This was two weeks ago after our first little snow fall.

Dixie taking a walk up the driveway in the blizzard with me.

Dixie the adventurer.
She loves to play in the snow, roll in the snow, dig in the snow, and run in the snow.

Here she is Ariel, isn't she pretty?

And then there is this....

As difficult as the drive home was yesterday, I wouldn't change my visit with my mom for the world.  I had the greatest time.  
Not only that, she whipped out homemade soup for me when she found out I had a cold.

Yes, I gave mom the option to opt out of my visit as soon as I could, warning her that I didn't want her to get a cold from me.

"Pah!" she had said.  "You need your mom now and some good home cooking!"
She was right, I did.

True to her mom-ishness, she made me promise as I left to drive home that I would call her when I stopped to get fuel and walk Morris.
I did call.  
She made me promise to call her when I got home.
I was a good daughter and did that also.  
But I didn't tell her until I'd gotten home about how bad the weather and roads had been.  
I really didn't want her worrying for 2 hrs that I might run into some tricky driving.

That leads into today.  I went to town because I'd been gone for 5 days and needed a few things.  

I stopped at Walmart for some items and at the check out I put some things on the belt then stepped over to talk to a neighbor.  
The checker was ringing up a long list of items from the woman before me.

My neighbor nodded towards my cart and I turned.  

An impeccably dressed couple [very obviously NOT from our local area...okay I made a judgement on appearance didn't I???] were taking my items off the belt and putting them in my cart, they started to push my cart back and push their cart in front of mine.

I really was in disbelief.  I stepped over and looked the man in the eye and asked him if he wanted some help.  I smiled at him and began to dump items back onto the belt.  I think the poor checkout girl was aghast.

Suddenly the couple got terribly interested in their cell phones and turned their backs to me.  As I checked out the 'couple' began to put their items on the belt.

I smiled at the cashier and told her to have a great day, then turned to the couple who tried to avert their eyes and wished them a Merry Christmas.

How bizarre was that?

B I N G O

How fun.  Today was show and tell.  My mom took me to the Senior Center to show me off to her friends and tell them I was the daughter from far and away.  


I enjoyed it so much.  Mom and I dressed in the same colored turtlenecks and then mom found two matching hoodies.  We dressed like 'twins'.  Her friends said I was much my mother's daughter.  :)

That makes me proud!

After the other Seniors had their lunch we gathered to play Bingo.  Now let me tell you I cannot recall the last time I played Bingo.  I have the general idea, but these folks have something called Postage Bingo, Cake Bingo, and Line Bingo.  We played with 6 cards.  What a hoot!  I had so much fun it was down right awful!

Everyone ought to go and play with some Seniors.  I visited with a man called 'Red', who was very interested in cameras.  We discussed film cameras and he had some rather in depth questions regarding Digital Cameras.  It was rather fun and one of the most enjoyable days I've ever had.

My visit ends tomorrow.  I'm supposed to go with mom to do something in the morning and I'll be heading home before noon...what a fun visit we've had.  

I'm at Wits End by Morris

First HE brings a puppy home and THE puppy gets all sorts of attention from her.  I mean, come on!
I'm the dog of the house, not some black and tan thing that doesn't know anything but how to 'look' cute.
I hear her in the kitchen [we have a baby gate separating us because puppies are not allowed in the rest of the house...] making nicey nicey over this puppy.  You'd think she or he had hatched it the way they carry on.

Seriously.

Okay, the pup is cute.  Her name is Dixie, and I like to run outside and play with her.  But she need not take my person's attention away from me.  Yes, I'm getting old and grey in the face...but I do have that CUTE factor still don't I?
Then I wake up from a nap and find that SHE has taken all of my toys and put them under the tree.
Oh now that is awful!
I know that I cannot mess with the tree or things under the tree.

That is so unfair!

Well I am happy to report that just before I got to 'Wits End' SHE removed them and put them back in the proper place.

I am now resting comfortably on the couch in the glow of the lights of the Christmas Tree.  Now if Santa will bring me something nice.
I have been nice!

I just don't want another puppy!     

I love carrying my FujiFilm FinePix HS 30 EXR!

I know, this is probably going to sound stupid.  But really everyone should carry a camera with them.
OHHHH, wait!  People like my son and his wife who have smart phones [who doesn't these days?  :)  ME!] would be carrying a camera with them at all times.

Okay, let me rephrase this then.  Carry a cool camera that has magnificent zoom lens capabilities.

I have started carrying my FujiFilm FinePix HS 30 EXR with me in the car.  Yesterday on the way to town I pulled over twice and grabbed that camera.
Once for this:

And once on the way home for this:

I think they are the same pair.  I shot both of these photos through my old Cavalier's windshield and they actually came out pretty good for going through the scratched and pitted glass to attempt a focus on far away objects!

Later on I went for a walk with Morris and Dixie.  I used the FFFP HS 30 EXR again to take a panoramic shot with Morris in it.
The shot turned out okay, but I have to laugh as Morris was moving so there are three shadows of his back in this shot!

I'm quite excited about the snow fall STILL!  The trees are still laden with heavy snow and I'd like to get some shots before the winds come up and blow it off.  

It is fairly cold outside.  21 degrees F, or -6 degrees C with a wind chill too.  Although I can usually avoid winds if I stay in the woods.

The First Snow

The First good snowfall of the season brings joy to those with children's hearts.  I was literally dancing waiting for my husband to finish his coffee so we could go out and do chores together on Sunday.

We awoke to snow coming down.  He was Grumpy about it, I was simply delirious.

The animals seemed perfectly content with the snow.  

Bob

Lil' Richard

Nikki

The boys

Hubby...oh well he was Grumpy about the snow, but I thought it was quite beautiful!

It was about time we had snow!  December 9th, 2012, we had approximately 5" of snow.
I hope to get out and explore the creek and the valley tomorrow.

Delightful evening walk

Grandma want to go for a walk?  Ariel asked me.
I thought about it for a moment, then decided...well a walk would be good.

We got our coats on and headed out the door together.  We walked alongside the road and breathed in the fresh crisp air and enjoyed the chill the slight breeze brought to our cheeks.

Ariel chatted about this and that.  As I walked alongside her I suddenly realized how much fun I was having and what a gracious young girl she really could be.
I felt very close to her...just me and her walking down the side of a fairly rural road.
We talked about stuff, nothing terribly important, yet nothing astounding.  Just 'stuff'.
And I found myself wishing that the end of the walk would not come.

A perfect Grandma moment.  I felt something stir deep inside of me that just wanted me to put my arms around her and sweep her off her feet.  I guess I just realized how much I really did love this child.

I'm not the easiest Grandma in the world to figure out, but I sure have those moments!  And I am looking forward ... hopefully for another nice walk with Ariel in two weeks.

Thanks Ariel for giving me a wonderful gift tonight.

 
 

Morris thoughts on Holidays....

If Christmas were to be left up to pets, we'd just gather for some kibbles and chase a ball or toy, sniff each other's parts, and take a nap.  
Any growling or not getting along would quickly be sorted out and forgotten and forgiven.  
See how easy it could be???
I think we could all learn from our pets!

Morris says, smell your sister's butt, lick her face, toss a ball or Hedgehog at her [you can insert any relative in place of the sister]...go outside and pull down your pants and 'go' in the yard together, nothing like that kind of bonding.  Come in, eat, play, and take a nap.  No discussions of religion, politics, or anything else. 
What a smart dog!

Boy do I miss riding!

You know what?  I haven't been in the saddle for quite a while.  There are a LOT of excuses.  One of them was my work schedule and the horrible summer.

Now I wonder a bit if it isn't just because I lost Badger and I've needed time to want to invest my heart so heavily in another mule.   I mean it is impossible to ever again have what I had in that mule.
We trusted each other so much.
He took me everywhere I asked and kept me safe.

There is Opal with whom I've developed a real bond with.  I really like her, she has issues with most humans .... and at 29ish, I don't think I'm going to change her much.  She will come to me though.

She is as sure footed and smart as they come and wise too.  But at her age, I wonder how long we can ride together?
Then of course there is Siera who I had been working with and sort of just...stopped for the time being.  She is smart, moves along well, but it not sure of some things...or perhaps she just needs some more confidence with me on her back.
She is tender hearted and sweet.

Then there is Badger's little half sister Sunshine.  She is an excellent, wonderful, little Red Molly mule, a good ride, good temper, and ... well she can be like her mom, a bit headstrong at times!

I just need to get myself out of the 'Badger slump' and back into riding don't I? 

I guess I just miss him still.

So my promise to myself is to go out and dust off my saddles and start having some mule-person time.
It isn't like I don't have good choices now is there?  So what is my excuse???

Some folks like hot baths... I like...

To hike to relax.  Today was a great hiking afternoon.  I didn't have to go very far to find interesting things.

Morris came along, we'd walked Dixie already and she was napping in the house.

I know he was thrilled, especially when he found several 'icky' things to roll in!
He was in his glory of course.

After we found fresh coyote tracks, Morris stuck a bit closer to me and didn't run off to investigate every smell and sight that he could stuff in his nose.

We found that the creek was indeed very low further down the valley.  We are currently something like 6" short this year.  I don't think we are going to make it up before Dec 31st.

We got to the middle of the valley and found a the skull of a deer and some other bones.  The coyotes had made quick clean up of their kill.

The view from the valley looking back up towards the east was pretty awesome when see in a panoramic view.

The fall beauty has faded away leaving the forest with a washed out look.  Morris and I headed further east towards Black Bottom Creek.
I was really glad that I decided to go in that direction.  I'd forgotten how beautiful the creek could be when it was picking up the afternoon glow from the hills.

We turned around and simply went back home, retracing our steps.  I sometimes do that as a 'work out' ... meander around and then hike with a strong purpose back up through the valley towards home.

 
I simply cannot wait to do this again.  Although I'd like to hike Jersey Valley or Sidie Hollow next!
 
 

Another Puppy?

I'm sort of thinking my hubby needed another hound dog like he needed a hole in his head.
Hmmmm.

Of course he knew that my heart would melt when I met this little thing.  He's not stupid.  He knew we would have to keep it in the house and house train it.  He also knew that I don't like the mess, so I would clean up after her accidents. But this time around, if she makes a mess, ol' hubby is going to take some responsibility.  
I have to chuckle at that...he said he would.  But I haven't seen it happen quite yet.

Truthfully, when attended to properly, she does not have accidents except perhaps in the middle of the night.

Meet Dixie:

Cute as all get out right?  Morris can not say that he is impressed.  This is the 4th hound dog pup he's had to help raise.  He's actually being a good sport over the whole thing and doesn't mind taking a hike with Dixie.
He simply enjoys the fact that she has clumsy puppy legs and that he has the speed of a Jack Russell, he loves to run circles around her.

I can't take her for long walks yet as she is still too little. 

The day is young, the sun is shining and it looks to be a good day for Morris and I to set off on an adventure.