snow flakes on fuzzy berries

We woke up to a light dusting of snow and an overcast sky this morning. By this afternoon, the sun is shining and it has pretty much melted away.

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you have a sun-shiny weekend!

A young deer learning how to jump fences got a tuft of hair caught in the barbed wire.
 

Couple Things…

1) Just like humans, cows use their tongues to drink and break down food. But did you know that they curl their very large tongue around the grass and feed they eat? She then chews her food, swallows, then regurgitates the food as cud to be chewed again.

2) The average cow moves its jaw (and tongue) 40,000 to 60,000 times per day just chewing food.

But why does a cow stick her tongue up her nose? Well, because she can.
 
How’s that to spice up your Monday.
 
P.S. #249 says your eyes would water too if you had to stand out in this roaring wind today.
 

Wyoming is inhaling at the moment. The air is calm and warm and the sky is gorgeous. After several days of constant exhaling with 60 to 90 mph gusts, the grass is laying sideways and tree limbs are scattered throughout the meadows.

We might see snow from those clouds but for now, we are enjoying the calm beauty this Saturday.

I failed to mention to you that with this image, matted and framed, I won first place last year at the Douglas State Fair here in Wyoming. I mentioned it on my Facebook page but didn’t write about it on the blog. I was encouraged by gallery members and friends to enter another. Yesterday was the reception for  the second contest I’ve ever entered, the 3rd Annual Platte River Photography Show, also in Douglas. Patrick and I drove the icy roads last Friday to get my images entered and hung.

The competition was fierce with big cash prizes. It was an open show, no categories and you could enter up to 3 framed pictures.

I entered Daybreak, Bald Eagle, and the Chugwater Grainery. The Bald Eagle is on the easel in the image above, 3rd one from the left.

Daybreak is hanging on the wall in the middle of the image just above the blonde looking at the framed pictures in the table.
Third place went to the sweetest picture of a Horned Owl peeking through tree limbs. It was a cute one and a favorite. Now please allow me to toot my own horn…drum roll please…..Second Place went to Daybreak!!! I was so surprised and very excited. The cash prize will definitely help with my travels back east in the fall for my best friends wedding.
First place went to an elephant photographed in a zoo in Utah.

I am so honored to be recognized for my work and am inspired now to enter more competitions and to work even harder at my photography.
Thank you for encouraging me here at Uprooted Magnolia and for all of your comments, compliments and support. You give me confidence in my craft. ♥

*Edit* Duh, I’m obviously in the clouds and forgot to thank the Douglas Chamber of Commerce and the sponsers, Duke Energy and Cloud Peak Energy for providing the prizes.

Now, as soon as the 65mph gusty winds wind down, I will to get back out there with my camera.
Bye for now,
Leah

This is BK Kitty (Black Kitty Kitty). She is black as night with the brightest yellow eyes. I know the name isn’t all that creative but when I give an animal a schmooshy name, I get very attached. Because she’s an outside cat and a wanderer, the generic name gives us distance as I’m trying not to get too close. She hangs out on the front porch and with her  boisterous singing voice, has successfully adopted us.

She is so sweet and oh so hyper. She doesn’t sit still for our photo shoots and she’s always on point. So serious in her hunting, she has her eyes and ears peeled at all times. She follows me around the ranch on my frequent photo hunts. She slinks through the tall grass and peeks through with those bold, yellow eyes.

Hopefully I haven’t crossed your eyes or given you a headache with this shot. But it’s a perfect example of her not being very cooperative on our photo shoots. As soon as I get her composed she moves in too close and I can’t focus.

So I put the wide angle lens on and captured her after her meal.
With the windchill, the temperature was about 5 below zero yesterday. I couldn’t go beyond the porch without my face hurting from the roaring winds and freezing temps. I’ve made a very warm fleece bed for BK in our shed and she has a cozy place to stay during the cold days. Patrick says she’s been around the ranch for a few years now and has weathered many cold winters. She’s a tough one and I’m happy to have her around. The only one that doesn’t care too much for her is my inside kitty, Matilda. But that’s a story for another time.

It was a fairly warm and breezy day yesterday so I was finally able to take a walk around the ranch. FINALLY!
I took a 3 hour hike and could have stayed out longer if it didn’t get dark so early. It was so peaceful though, all I saw was this downy woodpecker. He was going from willow to willow, eating bark and seeds. I saw some deer in the distance and spooked a few across the river but mostly it was quiet and uneventful. Speaking of the river…

I thought the frozen grass under the ice looked pretty cool.

It’s snowing today and is supposed to for much of the week. I’m looking forward to hearing the snow crunch under my boots. Until then, stay warm my friends.

In the rearview mirror, I see this. Over the flats of the Mule Shoe Ranch, the mountains are crowned with streaks of gold and red with the cyan sky peeking through.

To my right, red and orange and pink hues hover above the meadows.

Patrick bundled up and headed out early this morning so this little squirrel and I had breakfast together. For a couple of days now, in the early morning, I’ve watched him go from the hay stacks behind the house to our front yard and up a tree. He’s finding nuts and seeds and has his meal right here, in the privacy of his own tree. So today I joined him by the window.

Happy Friday everyone. Hope you have a great weekend.

We’re slowly leading cattle out of the hills into lower pasture closer to home. They’ll be having their calves soon and we don’t need daily trips into the snowy hills looking for cows and their babies.

It was cold and windy but at least the sun came out occasionally which created nice lighting.
Usually my view while herding is full of backsides.

So I moved around front to get their beautiful faces.

They went through the gate and that gave me a minute to get a shot of the gorgeous view from up high.

The beautiful Cooney Hills were lit through the overcast sky.

Once we got into the next pasture, Patrick set out mineral tubs and salt for them. They LOVE this stuff.

I stayed back. I know not to get in the way of a pregnant woman and her sweet tooth!