Shades of Gray
I wouldn’t be able to find the ole gray horse during a snow storm if he closed his soft eyes. 🙂
We have a few inches of snow on the ground and they’re calling for wind today. It’s already blowing in several parts of the state and even close to our place, but just not yet here on the river bottom. I like the snow, but blizzards make me nervous. I am thankful to be working from home and I say a little prayer for those having to be on the roads today.
Stay warm, friends!
All Is Quiet
Happy New Year, my friends! All is quiet and frozen in our corner of paradise.
We had a white Christmas with a lovely snowfall.
I mean, some may not think the snowfall is lovely, but I sure like it from time to time.
Snow showers have been off and on during this entire holiday season but I think I am finally ready for a warm-up. Temperatures have been mostly in the low teens during the day and below zero during the nights.
This first morning of the New Year is a frosty 10 degrees.
We may be in luck with warmer temps later this week. Fingers crossed! 🙂
I want to wish you all a very Happy 2018. May happiness, good health and true peace be with you and yours.
Cheers and Love,
Leah
Squaw Mountain and Moon
The wind is bringing us a little snow storm today.
I don’t mind snow, but I prefer this.
I want Fall to hang on a little longer.
♥
Wyoming Windchill
We are in full on winter mode. It is serious. We’ve had temperatures and wind chills well below zero. Like 20 and 30 degrees below zero.
It makes the horse frisky. He throws his head up and down while running alongside the truck.
And the cattle have become cowscicles. But just look at those round bellies. They are weathering the storm beautifully. We cake them daily and they get a fresh bale every other day.
At times, we can’t even see the mountains.
The deer are sporting their full winter coats.
At sunset a couple nights ago, when temperatures barely made it to zero during the warmest part of the day, the river looked like a hot spring with steam billowing out of it. Patrick said he’d be glad to watch me take a dip if I’d like to.
I passed.
October Sunset
I know it’s cliché to say but I don’t care. October is my favorite color. 🙂
Here is a shot toward Laramie Peak at sunset to prove it. The wind has taken a lot of our leaves which means winter is coming. But I will hold on to this feeling for a while. It’s been a couple of really great months out here in the wild west.
Cheers!
Weekend with the Tetons
Storm clouds and rain over the Tetons
I have had a lot of client work lately and haven’t been here blogging as much as I’d like. I’m so thankful for the work and it’s been a great few months. Not to rub it in but I did get to spend the weekend with the Tetons to photograph a wedding on Friday. We were concerned about the fires going on in that dry part of the state but on Thursday, the day we arrived, it rained! It hadn’t rained there in a couple months and we had rain showers throughout the entire weekend. The next morning was clear and we spent time at the ranch while the bride got ready and had a first look with her groom. So romantic! We took a drive, walked across a beaver dam and stood with the Tetons as their backdrop while they said their vows. Everything went off without a hitch and we enjoyed every minute of it. The people we met, dare I say new friends, were a delight.
But the weekend wasn’t over. With a day off in between, I had the good fortune to photograph a newly engaged couple that came out to our gorgeous state from Illinois. He found me on the web, wanted a photographer for engagement portraits in that part of the state and I just so happened to be there that same weekend. We met on Sunday morning and had such a fun session. The clouds capped the mountains for the first hour and after a quick rain, it cleared off and we finished with a great view of the Tetons.
I’m now back at home and feverishly editing and processing. I do have more to share here…it just may be a little while. It’s cooling off and the leaves are starting to change. Yay for autumn! xo
Snowfall in Late June
Did that get your attention? Well, it wasn’t snowing the cold and wet stuff. It was snowing cotton.
We took a drive down to the meadows one evening to check the irrigation ditch and the water level of the river. We had already taken the cattle up to summer pasture so all was quiet except the summer wind blowing through the cottonwood trees.
Cotton was on everything. The barbed wire fence, tree limbs and blades of grass were covered. The scenes were out of a fairy tale.
This image is my favorite.
I ran around chasing the sun while trying to outrun the deer flies. We don’t frequent the meadows in summer because the bugs are bad. But wow. I’m so glad I went down there this particular evening.
Sunsets and Bunnies
I was just thinking that you hadn’t heard from Collins in a while. How have you been getting through your days without an update?! 😉
She’s my wild child outdoor kitty who loves to be loved. She enjoys long walks from the house to the hay bales to chase mice and grasshoppers. She loves rolling in the dirt and chasing me with her back hunched and her tail twice it’s size. I call her Halloween Cat when she does that. But here she is in a rare quiet and reflective moment admiring a gorgeous Wyoming sunset while watching bunnies hop across the yard, another favorite past time.
Phew! I know you need that, sorry it took me so long. Now you can carry on with your day. xoxo
First Born
Our first calf arrived on Friday and he was born to a first time mother. When Patrick saw the heifer in labor that morning, he got her into the barn for privacy and so that we could assist her if she needed it. She labored for about 3 hours until we saw hooves. We gave her 30 more minutes to have it on her own and sure enough, after a long and loud moo/grunt/squeal, he entered our world. I went in a checked on her and she was laying upright and very tired. The calf was alive and just laid there quietly. It was obvious that she didn’t know what happened or even saw that she had a calf. I gave her some water and left her alone to rest. About 10 minutes went by and she stood up. When she turned around and saw this little slimy bundle, she started humming loudly and was licking him like crazy. She was immediately in love and so energetic and exited. This excitement and mothering doesn’t always happen, especially with heifers. But this lady loves her baby and is taking such good care of him. We are happy and relieved that this was a calm and happy birth. We have a few more heifers to calve out and several cows to calve. We’re just getting started and I pray this will be a smooth calving season. And so it begins…
PS: Our Winter Art Fair went well on Saturday. Just wish you could’ve been there. 🙂
Whipped Snow
As I mentioned yesterday, we’ve been under a “ground blizzard” watch. It’s basically like a sandstorm, but with snow.
But yesterday morning, as the sun rose, it was perfectly still and beautiful.
And by mid-afternoon, as I showed you yesterday, it was still gorgeous.
By 4pm, I noticed from the comfort of my dining room window, the over 30 inches of snow was moving in the hills.
I hightailed up the driveway again so I could show you this fierce beauty.
It was blowing down here but nothing like up there.
I love the look of the whipped waves of snow. Mmmm…this image inspired me to put whipped coconut cream in my coffee this morning.
By sundown, it was still blowing but not too hard here yet. Overnight, however, the wind speed picked up. Thankfully, it’s warmer today. Continues to blow, but warmer.
My thoughts and prayers are with those in higher elevations trying to feed livestock in all that snow and wind. Warmer temperatures are in the forecast for next week so we hope to see some significant snow melt. I don’t think there is any more snowfall in the forecast for a little while.
I’m off to break ice in the water tanks. I’ll put rocks in my pockets so don’t worry ’bout me. I’m just fine. It’s just another day in paradise. 🙂
Before the Wind
I climbed to the top of the driveway today. I wanted to take in this view before the wind picks up. A ground blizzard is predicted for later today into tomorrow. But for now, I’ll enjoy the peace and quiet of our snow blanket.
Blizzard Conditions
Yep. Old man winter reared his ugly (or beautiful depending on your frame of mind) head yesterday. It started around 5am and hasn’t stopped yet, almost 30 hours later.
Up in the hills, which I still can’t see from here, at least 2ft of snow has fallen so far.
When Patrick got home from work yesterday afternoon, we headed down to the meadow.
The girls were excited to see us. They’d follow us anywhere on days like this.
They like cake. A couple of them will take it right from our hands.
This is the first time we’ve had to lay down hay this winter. The meadows have been plentiful but when there is a 10 inch blanket of snow covering their grub, we have to roll some out on top of it.
They love it. We said nighty-night and headed back in to keep the fire stoked up.
Then there was this morning.
Before you say anything, I am NOT forcing Collins LaRue to be outside on this snowy morning. She sleeps inside at night and explores the outdoors all day. But while sipping my coffee and watching the sun rise, she went in and out 10 times if not 20.
She just couldn’t decide. And she wants so bad to be out there but the snow is just too high. She has finally given in and is in her bed for the morning.
And what a beautiful morning it is. ♥
The Sun Shines Even on the Coldest Days
It’s been quite wintry here in the new year. Not bleak or dreary, just cold. I shot this after carrying up one wagon load of wood. It was so quiet except for the occasional moo from the cattle down in the meadow and the crunch of snow under my boots. I am thankful for a warm home and that the sun shines even on the coldest days.
See You in the New Year!
Looking forward to more of these beautiful sunrises and sunsets in the coming New Year. I don’t usually do resolutions but I have set some goals. Does that count? Same difference, right? 🙂
Business was so great this year and I have the best new and returning clients out there. I loved photographing all those beautiful faces, especially during our fantastic autumn season. Here is a glimpse of only some of those faces. I’ll have my website updated soon with all of these sessions and more.
Even though 2015 was a bit stressful with damaging weather and other complications, it has improved these last few months. I think that’s good sign that next year will be bigger and better.
Looking forward to seeing you all in the new year!
Cheers to you and yours,
♥ Leah
Winter Coat
We are having a lovely, blustery snow storm today. It’s beautiful but it has already closed a lot of roads and I’m sure has disrupted a lot of folks. Fortunately, I don’t have to be anywhere today.
As I’ve mentioned before, I have this cat. She’s tame, as in loving and can be sweet at times, but she is a wild one. She spends the night inside sometimes but prefers to be outside. Even on days like this.
I went to her regular spot this morning and there she was, dashing through the snow. The woodpile is her fort. Even though I made her an insulated house on our porch, she prefers the woodpile.
She grew a winter coat when it stormed over Thanksgiving. We were back east for the holiday with my family and our neighbor took care of her. She said she never saw her but saw her tracks in the snow when she came up to the house to eat. When I got home I thought she was fat but in fact she’s just sporting quite the winter coat.
Down the kitty hole she goes!
It’s been a busy and wonderful portrait season. It’s winding down now but I have some brave souls wanting winter portrait sessions.
Happy snow day my friends!
A Cowboy’s Vessel
Happy Monday, friends!
We had an eventful weekend full of horses, cows, cowboys, snapping turtles, and good friends and it couldn’t have been better. The rain held off down here but the thick clouds drenched the hills. The river is high and muddy and since we don’t have a boat, Patrick had to cross it horseback to mend fence. Gray did well at a branding and on the ride home, helped us lead our bay horse to the barn so he could go home with the best horse whisperer we know. Oh, and speaking of the river being high, we, ahem, Patrick, captured two HUGE snapping turtles out of puddles in the meadow and relocated them. They are a danger to the cows and especially the calves. Anyway, that was an adventure all in itself. Those things are scary!!
Hope you are having a great start to your week. I’ve got a lot of images to share with you from the weekend, sans turtles. 😉
Zero Degree Ranching
On my Facebook page earlier this week, I wrote that the girls were just plain ungrateful. I risked my life to drive through the deep snow to give them cake because Patrick was driving snow plow ’til all hours of the day and night. It was up to me to feed them. Well, the ATV got high centered in a snow drift. I was so very stuck.
The cows stared at me like I was nuts. They wouldn’t come eat the cake I put out for them and I was so frustrated! It’s like their brains were frozen. I don’t doubt it because every bit of me was frozen too. I cried. And I mean ugly cried. I hiked back the the house and stayed in the rest of the day. Patrick got home that night and dug the ranger out of the snowbank and got it back to the barn. He wasn’t mad at all thank goodness. It isn’t the first time he’s had to dig an ATV out of the snow.
The snow was just too deep in the meadows for me to get anything done on my own. So the next day, I brought reinforcements.
They came running this time….
…because my big strong man came to the rescue.
Check out our new bale feeder! This winter, instead of pushing these huge bales with our big strong arms, we have a feeder that hooks onto the ranger or the truck and unrolls the bale as we drive through the snow. No more faceplants in the snow-drenched hay for me!
This was our first time using it.
The girls were pleased (and so were we).
We don’t have a tractor and don’t really want the expense of one. While convenient, tractors are expensive to purchase and the upkeep can be pricey as well. We are content with out little manual bale feeder.
I hope you all had a happy holiday season! This was a tough one for me but I got through it.
The snow is still thick on the ground but I do see drips coming off the roof. I think we may melt soon. 🙂 We are up in the 20’s today and it feels downright balmy! I may go out in short sleeves in a bit to get some vitamin D.
ttfn (ta ta for now),
Leah
With a Little Help From My Friends
Thank you all for your kind and thoughtful comments, poems, emails, and phone calls on the loss of Matilda. You all have been so comforting to me during this difficult time. I know I couldn’t get through this without the help from my friends and family.
I wish you all a wonderful weekend. 🙂
Tilda Tuesday: My Baby Angel
Who knew that my greatest love would be an orange and white ball of fur with bright green eyes.
Last Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, Matilda passed away peacefully in my lap. For over 17 years, she was my best friend, muse, my playmate, and the sweetest snuggle buddy a girl could ever want.
The routine parts of the day that are the hardest. I miss the morning walks down the hall to the food bowl. Seeing her perched on the bed after my shower ready to settle in and cuddle for the night.
I miss the pitter-patter of her tootsies on the floor on her way to jump in my lap.
She was my rock for almost half my life. I’m sure going to miss that tuna breath. I loved being her mommy.
Her last day was snugly and quiet. We took a stroll through the yard to smell the grass and roll in the dirt. We Skyped with a couple of our closest friends at the very end. The vet came to our home and with great compassion, he reassured me that it was time for her to cross the rainbow bridge. I laid her to rest in the backyard and tossed in a handful of dirt. Patrick came out to finish and held me close while I cried and cried.
This might be the last Tilda Tuesday, at least for a while. As I go through my pictures of her and our time together, I’m sure I’ll post some to share with you. How can I not? But that will happen after some time has passed.
Thank you all for the love you’ve shown for my girl. I have enjoyed sharing her sweetness with you and she loved being a part of this. Hug your fur babies a little extra for me.
Rest In Peace Matilda ‘Badilda’ Marie Consuella Rodriguez Yetter.
Also known as: ‘Tilda, Tilda Mae, TillyToot, Tootles, Turtle Dove, TillyTat-TillyTat, Sweet Punkin’Pie Angel of Love, Baby Girl, my Baby Angel. ♥
Uprooted Magnolia 
3 comments