fair weather

Couldn't have been more perfect weather for the fair and the other bazillion events that I was involved with last weekend. I love the fair and the weather that goes along with it...well, except our county fair which takes place in July when it's 100 degrees!

This was the North Central Arkansas District Fair and is our last "hurrah" for Alex's show season. It is a little sad, yet a relief to be done for another year.

Took these at sunset when we got to the fairground on Saturday evening. I have had fun playing around with these in PS and used some crazy action called "happy" I downloaded from deviantart.

Looks very retro....me likey!

I love everything about the fair:

• the weather
• the food
• the lights
• the activities
  
• the sounds
• the exhibits
• the people you see like one a year....at the fair.

Call me old-fashioned, but anywhere that celebrates homemade goods, fun for the kiddos, and good conversation with your neighbors is a good place to be!

cntry txt

I've been playing around with logos/banners/watermark ideas for Country Text.
I've had some friends ask about buying some of my photos so I thought today would be a good day to try to get something going.
It's been terribly busy this last week with district fair, Emerson Drive and Golf tourney so It's been hard to be motivated.
However, I started a couple of "to-do" lists and Country Text was at the top. I had some time this afternoon to be lazy and thought I would play around with some ideas.
I got prints ordered and did this:
I'm not completely convinced, but it is a start.
Hope to get something up this week.
I'm also happy to report that KimM's long overdue RAK will be going out to her this week. I sure hope it is worth the wait. I feel like such a heel for not getting this done sooner.
I'm a bad RAK'er I guess! :(

Ode to Granny Hutch

Since I posted some pictures of my Granny DeShazo from Saturday, I also wanted to post something about my other Granny, Granny Hutch. Actually it's Granny Hutchison, but I always shortened it.

See we had a homecoming celebration on Sunday at church and I (of course) was snapping pictures of the day's events and when I captured this picture of our associate pastor/song leader, Wes Sharp playing the piano, I also captured something else: The picture on the piano is my Granny Hutch.

Granny was the pianist at our church-First Baptist Church of Evening Shade- for umpteen years and my mom placed that on the piano in memory of her. The woman could flat play the piano! Of course, Wes can flat play the piano too. Let's just say that piano has been flat played over the years!

Granny was such a cool lady and I still miss her. She was very set in her ways, very much ahead of her time, and was not afraid to stand up for what she believed in: God, her family, Bill Clinton, and the Razorbacks!!! (Not necessarily in that order!!!) ;) I feel so blessed to have the grandmothers...and grandfathers that I have. Granny DeShazo is my only living grandparent at this point in my life, but I can promise that my other grandparents are living it up in a much better place and it feels great to know that without a doubt.

I also love that this picture captures something else in the background: the fact that there was 101 people present for Sunday School that day. Because our numbers reached over 100, our Pastor, Brother Larry Weaver has promised to sing. He has been telling our congregation that for several years now, and it has finally happened.

I will certainly try to capture Brother Larry's big solo.
It may be a blessing that I have no sound! :)

spiders everywhere

The change in weather must be the reason. I don't know, but I'm seeing these furry six leggers everywhere on the road.
Amy & I encountered this dude excuse me, dudette (Amy informed me this was a female) on her Grandparents road Sunday. Right after I took this one and we started down the road we saw another one!
I'm seeing at least one a day on my drive to work.

Are they looking for a place to nest, or is it breeding season or what? Any insight into the world of tarantulas out in blogland?She is quite lovely in a creepy sort of way I must admit.

sorry oh blog

...for neglecting you so much lately.
Life has gone into overdrive and you have suffered.
Please do accept my apology.

I wanted to post a few fun pictures from Saturday.
I spent the afternoon with my Granny.
I always take my camera and love to
get pictures of her in her beautiful yard.
She has always had the most well manicured lawn
and spectacular flowers.
I know my aunt has a little something to do with it too.
She also has a gorgeous yard full of color.

I love this one of Granny!
She was cracking up because she was trying to hide
herself behind the zinnias!
She thought she "just looked awful!"
I think she is a stunning lady!
That one of Granny above is standing in front of her
plummage from some kind of grass (she told me but I forget!)
I think my friend Karla also has some pictured on her blog.
Anyway, Granny was quite proud of the beautiful grass and their splendorous sprouts.
I admit they are pretty spiffy.
They feel like feathers and she said they will stay pretty most of the winter.
Why did I not get her green thumb genes!?
Oh I know, because my cousin, Cindy got those!
Darn you Cindy!!! ;>
This is my stunning cousin I speak of:

She sells purses and this picture is going to be in the
next catalog for her company.
I love the way her shirt, eyes and purse all match!
It really was not planned that way.
This next picture totally cracks me up!
I was trying to get her to give me some attitude and this is
just her typical Cindy-look!
I love it!
It says, "eat your heart out. This purse is mine!"

It was a great day spent with my family.
I love hanging out with those chicks (and my uncle Jerry too, even though he always gives me a hard time!!)

I always find some goodies from Cindy's cool vintage consignment shop too.

This week is already set to be crazy, but I really will try not to neglect you dear blog.

Weekend ReCap

Last weekend was our final big horseshow of the season.
The Ark-Mo Show of Champions in Melbourne.
Alex & Molly had their final lead in class in the infamous Blue Outfits!

I love this photo of Molly and her "coaches".
Alex, Nancy and Brandi giving the 3-year old some pointers is just too funny.

It must have worked though cause she turned on the charm in the show pen and won 8th place out of about 20 cute kids and good horses. We were very proud of them and Molly got her first big trophy!
Alex has been so good & patient to help Molly out. I've very proud of how she has handled this responsibility.

Here's Molly when she discovered this huge hammock!
She wanted Amy & I to lay down there too,
but we didn't really feel like making complete idiots of ourselves that day!

Saturday night was when Hurricane Ike's fury came through Arkansas and the campers from the horseshow were "evacuated" to the new Melbourne High School because of the straight line winds at 4 o'clock in the morning.
It was pretty much cleared out for Sunday's show!

I just loved the way everyone below me was all lined up on the bottom of the bleachers.

The highlight of the show
(other than all the trophies of course!)
was Molly getting her new puppy.

Okay, here's the lowdown:
There were some people there selling these beautiful Australian Shepherd puppies. Of course Molly spied them immediately and she and Brandi went to check them out.
The people must have been really nice cause they were letting everyone hold them.
They also had names for all their puppies and Molly wanted to know all their names.
One's name that she liked was "Cowgirl" and the other one that she liked was....low and behold...."Molly!"
Well, immediately that was the one she wanted.
I think Brandi was secretly wanting to get one *wink*wink* and "gave in" to Molly's wishes for a puppy~
I do agree that every little girl or boy needs a puppy, especially one with the same name...Hello!

I mean who in the world could deny this:

It's a happy new partnership I think! :~)

I am always a little sad at this show because it is the end of summer and all the fun times with our horseshow friends.

I am also more melancholy this particular year because our association lost an important member and friend, Mr. Butch Honey. I still cannot believe that he is gone. He was a truly kind man and a gentleman in every sense of the word and his wisdom of horses and life will be missed by everyone.

I feel so blessed to have known Butch for the short time I did.

over & out...

Today's Reflections

Lots of things this weekend...good and bad.
While driving I was thinking....

• hurricane Ike.
• having to get up early on Saturday.
  
• weekend horseshow.
• last horsehow.
• Alex did well.
• Church & meaningful message.
• no power.
• kids & new puppies. (I love puppy breath)
• tree down.
• sunshine.
• discovered vi.sualize.us
• mud & rain.
  

This is not an all-inclusive list, but just a few of the good and bad.
More good tomorrow.
(and back to the old font too, methinks!)

focus

Seems I've been somewhat out of focus as of late.
I need to get back IN focus.

I've been busy/tired/running/crazy it seems
and have not had time or energy for creativity or other extras.
I did,
however get a little
scrap on last night-
Been wanting to do the challenge over
at Scrapstars and had something in mind.
Just hadn't gotten it on paper till last night.

the challenge had to do with a teacher that inspires.
This teacher and good "prend" (that's friend) inspires me daily.
She is a great teacher and is teaching me a lot about, well, Teaching!
She also teaches me about myself and life in general.
She has been blessed with a true gift of teaching and compassion for her students.
I only want her to teach me her secret. That is what this page is about.
I will focus more.
I will get things going with Country Text.
I will get KimM's RAK to her.
I will create.
I really will!

this foot

goes with this kid. Finley Jo Marlin was born on Tuesday 9.2.08 to my friends Jacki & Barry. You might remember some of her wedding pictures from summer of 2007. I'm so happy for them and I think FJ is already flirting here when she was a mere day old.
Like daughter like momma!

oh, and I have changed font.
I'm crazy like that.

now back to your regular scheduled weekend! =)

Alex rocked it at State

So proud of that girl and her horse!!!!

All the years of hard work, yelling, blood, sweat, tears and near death-
Hippy and Alex did it in the "big show!"
They won 7th in Keyhole a couple of years ago which was great,
but to watch them run poles this year and win 6th place was fantastic!
I just keep thinking about all that we've been through with Hippy and all his colic problems, eye problems, etc. and knowing that it has just been Alex and him teaching each other - no trainers, no pros, he does it for her.
He has more heart than any horse you've ever seen.

It just makes me happy to look at this pictures and see all the hard work come to fruition.
No, they didn't win first place, but does these faces look like they care if they won first?
She also won tenth in Junior Flags - and it was fabulous to see her get that flag...
and stick it in the bucket!
...in 9.420 seconds

Back at camp we had "mama fan & baby fan" cause it was super hot!

and here is little Miss Molly posing in front of the fan for pictures with Alex's little stuffed horse from her mom that Molly affectionately named "Hipsti" - aka Hippy!

That girl is something else!

Alex's mom also brought her some temporary hair color spray to decorate Hippy for the speed events. I made some star stencils and we graffiti'd "Hippy" on the other side.

It showed up pretty well in the arena.

For those readers who don't know, the State Horse show is held each year at the end of show season at the Barton Coliseum/State Fairgrounds in Little Rock. All of the associations from around the State of Arkansas send their top five in each class to the event. It is usually our "vacation" each year and there are tons of vendors, food and lots of memories are made.
I complain about it, but I really do enjoy it.

Really I do!