Diesel Has Mad Skills

He is working on his levitation skills for Halloween.

My Penelope

Yes, my lil girl has grown up.  Hard to imagine when I brought her home earlier this year at 5 weeks old, she would be such a beautiful big girl.  She is all legs, taller than Diesel and Lucky.  Don't know when she will stop growing.  The Husband says she's part Great Dane! ;)

We are having a girl's day on Friday.  She's gonna go to town with me to run some errands.  Probably head to Petsmart and pick her up a treat before headin' home.  We'll bring some home for the boys too.  Can't leave the them out!

UGH, What a Monday!

Man, this was a Monday, if I've ever had one!  It started out with a raccoon extraction from my yard.  I had given it every opportunity over the past day and night to remove itself.  However, it had not.  So I notified work this morning that I would be late cause I had critter issues.

I put the kids in the stock trailer and left the yard gate open, hoping it would just saunter out of the yard.  Sure enough, after about 30 minutes, I saw it come down the tree.  But every time a noise was made, it would run right back up it.  It even made it out of the yard SEVERAL times, only to turn, run back in and up the tree!!  UGH!

I gave it several hours.  Continued to get ready for work in hopes it would leave. (Insert Harley throwing up on the carpet during this time.)  Got out of the shower and noticed it cruising around the yard.  Of course, it was not going in the right direction to LEAVE!  At one point I lost sight of it so I went out the front door.  As I came around the house, it spotted me and guess what, RAN UP THE TREE!

So back in the house I went.  Time was running out.  Now it was not coming back down.  I pulled the .22 rifle out and loaded the rat shot.  Gonna come down one way or another.  I went outside and scattered it's butt several times.  Then I was out of rat shot.  It hadn't budged.  Next step, actual .22 bullets.  I came in the house and got the clip of "real" bullets.  Headed back out.  As I walked up to the tree, the sucker was climbing down.  He stopped and looked at me.  I looked at him.  Then I said, "okay, if you're gonna leave, I will go back in the house.  But this is your last chance."  I could see the comprehension in his eyes.  I turned and went in the house.  As soon as I shut the door, he scurried down the tree and headed for an exit.

I was finally able to put my dress and heels on to head to work.  Got there just by the time like I said I would.  Work was pretty uneventful.  Walked out to go home and guess what....flat tire!  Seriously!  I was not dressed appropriately to change a flat.  I finally figured out that I had OnStar's roadside assistance!  Duh!  So they sent someone to change the tire for me.  It was very nice.

Then I got to go see the Husband, which I hadn't seen in over a week!  He flew in from Washington this afternoon.  He was at work so I took him supper.  He brought me saltwater taffy.  My favorite.  That made up for the otherwise crappie day!

Okay, my whine-fest is over!  I just hope your Monday was better than mine!

Hello October!

We have some cooler temps.  Well, cooler as in less than 100.  Now we just need rain.  But one wish at a time right?!

So what have we been up to around here.  Not a whole lot.  More of the same.  Workin' our jobs and workin' our place.

Last weekend I ran on a team for a 5K race.  I ran as a cat.

The bell on my collar was quite annoying.  Jingle, jingle, jingle for 3 miles.  I got plenty of stares as I ran up on people.  I would just look at them and say "yes, I know it's annoying!"  But my team's theme was "walk on the wild side" and they wanted everyone to dress up as an animal.  Of course, I'm the only one that ran the race so I had to choose my outfit accordingly.  We did win craziest team!

The kids are all good.  The Husband was giving them treats here.

They have another raccoon treed in the yard.  Noticed it yesterday.  This morning Diesel and Penelope were on guard duty.  However, I don't think they were doing a very good job.

We have several things coming up this month.  I have a big photo shoot next Saturday.  13 mini sessions to benefit the local nonprofit spay/neuter clinic.  Then at the end of the month, Stubby is entered in a bull competition .  Fingers crossed they all go well!

Nature's Fury

I want to thank those that have contacted me recently inquiring on our safety.  Fires are running rampant in Texas.  They have been all around our area but luckily, none have gotten too close to our place.  It's an uneasy feeling when the wind is blowing and all you smell is smoke at your house.  You certainly keep an eye on the surroundings.  We are fortunate to have plowed farmland on two sides of our place.  That makes me feel a little safer but not a whole lot.

I wanted to share this picture I stole off Facebook.  It's amazing.

From what I heard, the guy in the truck is the brother to the one on the horse.  He shadowed them so his brother could lead the horses 12 miles to safety on the other side of a river.

They are telling people to spray paint their phone numbers on their animals, remove any halters (cause it will burn to them) and turn them loose.  That's their best bet for survival.

Fire is my biggest fear.  In an instant, everything you have is gone.  The husband and I will be going thru our closets this weekend.  Taking all the things we can to donation centers.  It's the least we can do to help the thousands of people in the area that have nothing except the clothes on their back.

I've Gone Canvas

Recently, I came in contact with a printing company out of Austin, Easy Canvas Prints.  They transform your photos into canvas prints.  They offered to let me try them out.  I couldn't think of what picture I would want printed.  I have my walls pretty much covered in my photography.  Then I thought of it....


About a month ago, I went to Dallas to take a childhood friend's engagement pictures.  You know it's a challenge for me to do people pictures!  But they turned out well.  She was happy so that is all that mattered.  Anyhow that was it, I would print one of my favorites for them as a wedding present.


Today it arrived!  I was excited to open the box up and see how it turned out!  Here it is...

It turned out great!  I really hope they like it.  I know I'll be using the company for future canvas orders.  I won't hesitate to send my photography their way.


If you have ever thought of making a canvas, try them out.  The website is SO easy to use.  The customer support is wonderful too.  But of course, they are Texans so you get that great Southern hospitality! 


Easy Canvas Prints

Welcome to Hell....

That's what it feels like around here.  Going on our 69th 100 degree day.  Plus no rain.  Gotta say it's pretty miserable and no real end in sight.  Here is our extended forecast.

Not really something to look forward to!  BUT we did have a cold front last Saturday!  Our 100 degree record setting streak ended with a day in the 90s!  I never knew 90 degrees could feel so good. 

We've been moving cattle around.  Stubby was brought home.  He's penned up with a couple yearling bulls.  I  get to go out every evening and feed them.  Probably the highlight of my day cause I love my Stubby so!  They wait patiently for me...

Gonna bring the rest of the cows from the lease home.  The grass is burned off.  So we'll be feeding them here.  Fingers crossed with taking them off and Lord help us, we get some rain, the lease will come back for winter.  It's the worst I've ever seen it.

Tanks are drying up all around us too.  Luckily, both at the house and lease, we still have water.  The one at the house has dropped 20 feet or so.  Still enough water for Diesel to swim though!

And Penelope is growing like a bad weed, as you can tell from the picture!!  She and Diesel are best buds.  And torment each other daily!

Other than that, nothing much going on.  Just trying to stay cool.  Hope all is well with y'all!

Happy Anniversary To Us!

13 years and counting!

My Near Death Experience

The Husband was putting out hay this morning in the calf pen.  I was keeping the calves from escaping out the open panels.  Thought I would video while I was just standing around.



So I look silly, cause the calves stopped right in front of me.  They looked at me like "what is up with you?"

The Husband's response to me scurrying to the fence when I saw the group of calves running at me...



Isn't he sweet.  Don't run from those calves.  Yea, I can just see it now...what happened to you?  Ummm, I was stampeded by calves cause the Husband told me not to run....

Are You Ready for Some Football?!

Diesel is!!