A Favorite Photograph

I came across this photograph while watching the screen saver on my computer. Thought I would share it--I miss the cactus of Central Texas!

All for now--stay tuned for two very different posts.

Bucket List Revisited-A Plan

Remember the item "visit the redwood forest"?

I have faint memories of visiting the redwoods as a child. I remember going into a store that was inside one of the giant trees-as I child, that must have seemed immense (it would now also, I believe). For years now I have been wanting to experience the wonder of those trees again. I seem to be drawn to them--I can sense the peace felt from just being among them. It may seem silly, but I feel "called" to them.

I

Wow!

Synchronicity at work? The library where I work purchased a book entitled Redwoods.  Reading it was enough to start my engine!! The quest was on--to learn more!!

I have a two year plan--between family health issues, animals,  a driving route, a safe vehicle, etc.it may take two years to get it all arranged. Time is marching on, though, and I'm not getting any younger.  I need to get busy.

One thing I need to check out is the level of mold and humidity in the forest. I also need to locate the shortest walks. There seem to be many trails to choose and sights to see. Since I will be driving from Texas, I want a scenic route with great stops along the way.

If anyone reading this has visited the redwoods, please share your experiences with me!! Any tips will be appreciated.  Meanwhile, I'll have fun just reading, watching videos, and gathering information. Sometimes the planning is half the fun of a vacation. I'll keep you posted on my progress. I have already found a book and video I plan to order.

Stay tuned!!

Moe Teaches One More Time

Moe mostly just lives the good life here at Salsipuedes--grain twice a day, all the hay he can eat, free roaming in my pasture with his buddy, Bochica, and open stall doors just in case he wants to come in out of the weather. He doesn't ask for much attention, but loves it when children come to visit and give him some lovin. So when my friend mentioned that one of her grandsons had received cowboy boots, hat, and clothes for his birthday, I jumped at the chance for her to bring him to my house for a photo shoot.  She has a new business, Simple Journeys Photography--check out her beautiful work!

First, we went out to the pasture to catch Moe. I explained to him about being calm around horses and the fact that they cannot see directly in front or directly behind them. The little boy was listening very closely.

Moe loves treats!

We had no trouble catching him--Moe will always come right to you. The little boy learned to hold his hand flat--Moe is pretty loose-lipped. He thought giving him treats was great fun!

Then we had a short lesson on leading---Moe is a BIG  horse!! But a total sweetie.

Come on with me, Moe

Finally, riding time! They went for a nice long ride. What fun for both of them! I think Moe enjoyed being a "lesson horse" again.

Now I am a cowboy!

We are looking forward to a return visit.

It is very heartwarming to see a child ride a horse for the first time. If I were younger, I would work with children and horses--but I guess I'll just enjoy the occasional visitor to Salsipuedes and my horses.

Stay tuned!

Thanksgiving 2012

Happy Thanksgiving from us at Salispuedes








On this Thanksgiving morning, I awoke around 4:30 a.m., thinking of the tough things my family has faced in the last few months. Wow--seems like most of us have either had health, financial, or other  issues!! But I read an online article this morning that made me stop and be grateful  for my many blessings. It talked about being "not dead". The author was glad he was "not dead". But the trick is to "be alive"--to enjoy our life and be grateful every day!! One of my goals has been to "enjoy the moment", but so often I find myself living in the past or future instead of the present.

So,this morning, I choose to focus on  some of the things I am grateful for this Thanksgiving day:

First of all, my family-especially my sons and their families.
My grandchildren.
My mother's  continuing improvement  from her illness
The special man in my life and his family
My animals and the joy they bring me daily
My co-workers who are so supportive
The beautiful fall weather we have had this year
The fact that I live in this the USA.
My continuing stable health
Friends
Being able to live in the country.
Having an abundance of  the necessities of life--food, shelter, love

I feel renewed this morning--and determined to enjoy this holiday season day by day--to try to recapture that childlike pleasure of the holidays. Wish me luck!!

Autumn Colors

I mistakenly believed that Salsipuedes would not be as pretty this autumn as it was last year. My trees were late turning. . What a feast for the eyes this week has brought! Last year it seemed that red was the dominant color--this year yellow is definitely the "in" color.

First I noticed  this little hickory:

My first glimpse of autumn

Then I noticed that the trees along my road had begun to turn:

Autumn is here!

Yesterday I awoke to an abundance of yellow with a little orange sprinkled in:

Lovely leaves!

The sweetgum takes the prize:

My favorite!

Even the oaks are pretty this year--some are reddish, but this big boy (behind the elm) is yellow-orange!

Elm in front, oak next and then sweetgum

The yellow is especially pretty peaking through the pine boughs:

I do have some glorious red thanks to the sumac!

A beautiful red!

I'll keep checking this week for more trees turning. Isn't life wonderful???

Perseverance Pays Off

Remember my post about the unidentified tree I saw at Los Dominicos market in Santiago? I've been searching the web periodically in hopes of finding it. Perseverance  does pay off--success at last!. 

Blooms of a Jacaranda Tree

I read that this tree is native to South America, but can grow here in the U.S. in warm climates. It would be very difficult to grow at Salsipuedes because of our cold winters. So I guess I'll just have to remember its beauty!! Wish I had taken more photos, but I can always go to the "web" for many great images!!

A Perfect Fall Day!

Every year since I moved to Salsipuedes I have been wanting to take the Talimena Drive through Oklahoma and Arkansas when the leaves turn. This year was the year finally!! The "special man in my life" was nice enough to take me! What a beautiful day it was!! Cool, crisp, and sunny. After a 2 hour drive, we arrived at the beginning of the drive--unfortunately the visitor's center was closed. Alas, no info-- but we decided to just "go for it" and began our journey. Our first stop was the "three sticks" site. 

The sticks represent land,wood,  and water

There were many overlooks  along the way. We had brought sandwiches, and found a nice place to have our lunch. One particular tree nearby caught my eye.

My lunchtime view!

We spied one tree we could not identify--any ideas? I have one like it here at Salsipuedes, so will delve more into this matter later.

Our mystery tree

My camera just could not capture the beauty, but here are a couple of shots--

Just one mountainside of many

Another one!

A little different angle

At every curve, the colors were just breathtaking. I oohed and aahed the entire trip!! The "special man in my life" was so patient, stopping every time I asked him to and letting me take my time reading the signs and taking photos.

Thank you "special man".

Lucky me!

We were tired puppies by the time we rolled in about 7:00 p.m.  We left at 9:00 a.m. that morning, so it was a full day. But we both agreed, it was a VERY NICE one!!

Stay tuned for my next adventure!!