Afternoon Walk

After getting home from work, I took the dog out for a spin around the arena and fairgrounds.

Maybe if I get a teeny-tiny saddle and scrunch up really small .....

The livestock barn at the fairgrounds.

A neat, old cedar tree by the barn.

Looking Down, Looking Up

After yesterday's inch of rain, things are lush again, and the clouds moved on out and we had a nice day.

A few late-morning pictures from over at the senior center where I work.

Looking down:

Looking up:

Rain!

Considering all the wheat that's in the ground now, and turning into emerald-green fields of new growth, this soaking rain we're getting today (and supposed to yet tonight and some tomorrow) is a real blessing.

Walked to the post office after work to get the mail, and took the great big "John Deere" umbrella. That was interesting. I will not say whether or not I sang "Singin' in the Rain" on the way home, twirling the umbrella above my head.

Looking south, which is where all the rain is coming from so far.

Looking west, it looked like it was clearing, even saw some light blue sky, I thought. But I don't think it's going to clear out here yet.

Radar shows big areas of rain moving through the state. Praying God blesses every golden drop. It wasn't that long ago we were still in severe drought, so rain is especially welcome in this whole area of the Great Plains.

Walk Views

Took a couple of walks with the dog this last weekend.

I love cottonwoods.

Also, the wheat field to the south is showing off its new crop after recently being sown (in the distance, beyond the grass).

Roping Practice

Guess what this "cowgirl-at-heart" did this weekend, that she hasn't done in a long, long, long time. It has to do with these items:

First, I had to see if I could find the little iron roping dummy. Finally found it out in the shed, so hauled it to the back yard where I had some room. Then,

hat - check
roping glove - check
rope - check

Just don't tell anyone I was wearing sneakers. Hey, I was having a lazy, "comfy" day. ha ha

So finally, I was all set.

It had been awhile since I'd had the rope out, so it was pretty awkward at first, though I'm a rank beginner anyway. Finally got the feel of the rope, and built a loop.

Had a fun time just swinging the rope, and Hubby had given me a good hint about throwing and aiming. So I was trying that, too. The first few tries were pretty wild. They included...

... half a head and about a fourth of the body diagonally ...

... then on another shot after jerking the slack, the loop went under one horn, around and behind the other horn, then down around the snout (maybe I should try trick roping instead?) ...

... then finally I got a good catch. Yee-haa! Though, as a testament to my wild throwing yet, you'll notice the honda (loop at end of rope) has flipped to the wrong side of the "calf." I HAVE SOME PRACTICING TO DO.

Also tried some heeling throws, though that's a whole different way of swinging the loop and throwing it, it's all done in a certain way to catch the steer's hind legs (hopefully both, anyway). This is used in team roping, and in the working pen when dragging calves to the branding fire.

Recently, a dream of mine was fulfilled to have a chance to pull a trailer of some kind. It was awesome! (See previous post somewhere in August.) Another dream I have, is to have the chance to rope off of a horse, even if it's nothing more than sitting still and throwing a loop at a roping dummy. Just to be ON A HORSE, AND THROW A LOOP. So ...... we'll see! Meanwhile, I'd better practice a little more than I have been. If you're gonna dream, you need to prepare and practice and be ready when the opportunity finally comes along.

Purse with Real Western Flair

This is a purse I got at wallyworld recently, made with a nice "western" print.

But this purse has a unique feature, that it can also SOUND "western."

Awhile back, Hubby put a ringtone on my phone of horses whinnying. I LOVE IT. And it's VERY REALISTIC-SOUNDING.

So while I'm wandering around a store, or at work, and my phone goes off, you nearly expect HORSES to come running any second!

And like I said, I LOVE IT!

Somebody give me a call ..... I wanna hear some horses ..... !

Late Bloomer

I've had two pots with marigolds planted in them. They each came up with thick greenery right away. But so far, only the one pot had bloomed. But now .... the second pot is finally starting to get some buds! I'm curious what they will look like.

I am just LOVING the rich colors in these blooms.

Children

So, you're having a day where ..... your outlook on life is WAY less than "rosy." You're done with the whole world, and can hardly cope mentally or emotionally.

Such was me last night and this morning.

Didn't even go to church. That's sad.

So, went and did the grocery shopping at wallyworld to set up the household in eats for the week ahead. Got through that without too much upset. Then it was time to check out.

That was when God sent a ray of sunshine to break through my dismal mental state.

A few checkouts were open, and I picked one that looked the shortest. Ahead of me was an older-middle-aged couple, and a cutie-patootie little boy of about 2 or 3 years old in the seat of the cart which was between them and me.

As I rolled into line, the little boy, wearing a hat about as big as he was, motioned with his hands and a cute grin, "Come ... come ...." - indicating for me to roll my cart closer, so I did. Then ... "Stop!" - indicating me to STOP rolling the cart. So I did. With a look of comical surprise on my own face. We kept that up several times, our little game, as we inched closer to the checkout counter. I suddenly felt like a real person in a real world that wasn't dismal anymore.

The man (who I assumed may have been his grandpa) jokingly chided him for "bothering" me, but I just said that we had a little game going, and he was telling me how to drive my cart. "Grandpa" was playing his own cart games with the little boy, adding to the fun.

So .... God sent a precious gift and treasure to my sore and needy heart today, through a cute little boy.

Matthew 19:13-15, "Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence."

Luke 18:15-17, "And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein."