Autumn Wind, a Cool Free App and a Secret

The wind was blowing leaves all over town today. I took this with my phone and edited it with one of my new favorite apps, Snapseed. 

It's so fun and free. And not like the "free" that you need to buy a whole lot of extras to get it to work right. The fun kind of free. Free free! Check it out! 

So here's my secret. I've run out of photo space on this blog. I actually ran out a long time ago. Like a year ago! I went to update my header and it wouldn't work. It said I had used up 99.9% of my space. This is what happens when people, like me, start a blog without any computer knowledge. 

So what have I done? I've used edit apps like Instagram to get my pics really small. I use mostly pictures taken with my phone. If not, I transfer them to my phone and they get really small. I don't even use the PC anymore. 

I also started my other blog. But I don't post there very much. Yet. You can find the link in my pages up at the top. But it's not about the ranch so it's not a replacement. 

I've thought about ending this blog and just moving on. But it's too much a part of me. I can't up and leave it. It's my story. At least for now. 

I may just have to buy more space. But I'm trying not to.  We'll see. 

In the mean time, here's another Snapseed edit for your viewing enjoyment. 

Happy weekend!  I'll be taking care of kids with the flu. 

Monsters in the Field

I pass this field quite often, on my way to and from kids sporting events. This time I had to snap a picture.

The oil pumps make me think of monsters sucking from the earth. I wonder what a field mouse would think. 

B is for Big

Big sky country that is!

A Look Back

This is what I see while I drive away.

Big Sky Sunrise

Sunrise is my favorite time of day here on the Ranch. 

It seems to always take my breath away. 

Adventure Man, however usually gets to be the one to take pictures of it, 

as he is the one who takes the girls to the school bus in the mornings. 

He took these pictures today. 

I got to go back to bed only to be joined by that cat, 

and the baby and the boy just moments later. 

See, I'm lucky that I can go back to bed. 

But that doesn't mean I will get any more rest just more snuggles. 

We do have to watch for the neighbors out here.

Deer don't seem to know to look both ways…. 

nor do rabbits, or mice, or elk, or bears...

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Instagram Love ~ 1000 photos

Today I took my 1000th photo on Instagram!
Yeah, I'm obsessed!

But not only that, I'm only 4 weeks away from being on Instagram for a year. So in less than a year, I have taken, no, shared 1000 pictures with anyone who is on Instagram. I've taken many more pictures then 1000.

So, in honor of this special event...

{Ha!}

I'm sharing some of my favorite shots.

Just a few. A lot less than 1000 anyway.

 You know how I like to do flashbacks. Like, "a year ago today" kinds of things.

So enjoy. And if you want to follow my snap happy madness, just click on the gray camera up at the right hand top of my page. It's a crazy life I lead, but someones gotta see it!

And have a wonderful weekend, Y'all!

An Empty Home

Teepee's from The First People's Buffalo Jump State Park. 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

September's Photo Gallery

1. Myself, now ~ In my kitchen, where it's good to be queen. 2. Father ~ Doing something that he loves.

3. Faraway ~ having them with me on my jog, turned it more into a run! 4. Inside my mailbox…

5. Bright  6. Everyday ~ really, it's a mountain of laundry! 7. Natural ~ yes, those are Bull Elk! 

8. At Night ~ at the staff party.   9. Something We Do Most Weekends ~ decompress with the Xbox. 

10. Black + White ~ at the bus stop.

 11. Hero        12. Together      13. Table ~ really dusty tables!

14. Favorite      15. First Thing You See ~ This was such an amazing sunrise to see, we were driving to Basketball Town, which took 3 yours and we left before sun up, but I didn't think about any pictures until the sun came up and it was fire red! 16. Strange ~ the outfit she refused to change! Oh yea, she's mine!  

17. In my fridge       18. Price ~ in Little Town    19. Underneath ~ at the park 

20. Man-made ~ my new toy!     21. Sometimes ~ little girls get to cheer at the big game! 

      22. Up           23. Before bedtime ~ Oh come on! You know you were thinking that too! 

24. 3 Things 

25. Frame ~ made by Adventure Man    26. Near ~ one workout nearer    27. Love/Hate ~ I'm trying something new for my MS and I love the idea of it, and the way it makes me feel, but hate change, and the fact that I forget and just eat what I shouldn't. Gluten free is such a lifestyle change! 

 28. A God Thing ~ she got put in!   29. Errand   30. Myself, Then ~ The Afro Magazine Modeling Agency! Modeling in the 80's, baby! Guess how old I was there! LOL! 

I use the list put out by Chantelle at Fat Mum Slim. Her October list is out, so join in! xo

Worn Out

The guests are gone. 

The season is over. 

The staff are worn out. 

And so are these old boots. 

 

Starlight Star Bright How Many Stars Are There!

Today I want to share the pictures my husband took while we were hosting the Photograph the Rockies week, here at The Guest Ranch. This is the first time he has attempted this technic and I think they came out pretty great! 

The Milky Way by Adventure Man

The Lodge at Night by Adventure Man

 

Sunrise With A Lesson

For our anniversary, we splurged and got ourselves a new camera. I've been using my husband's old Nikon a lot lately so we decided that the new one should be for both of us and our anniversary seemed like a good time to do it. Plus, the ranch is having a Photography week this week. Timing is everything!

In May and September we have week long workshops for our guests. In the spring we offer Grizzly Week and two Birding Weeks. In September we have had a Hiking Week and a Photography in The Rockies week. We invite experts in the field to come and spend the week hiking with, talking with, and teaching our guests.

So this week my husband has been taking his our new camera around and getting hands on tips and tricks! Now I sure hope he shares some of his new found knowledge with me!

Here are some of his shots! 

Monday Morning Sunrise 

The Guests on Monday, in the act of Photographing the Sunrise.

 At sunset they headed out to the front to see the elk. Adventure Man was messing with all the new settings.

Purple Mountains Majesty 

Monday's sunset with the elk, and geese. 

 On Tuesday they hiked up to the ridge and waited for the sun to come up onto the field. Once it was high enough our wrangler set the horses out and chased them along.

Tuesday morning horse run.

 The gate to the main house where the original owners used to live.
He built everything with his own hands and most of it is as it was!

Querencia

The river that runs through the property. There is a little foot bridge just to the left of this shot.

Wednesday they went out to the Front to see if they could do more with the elk, but it looked as if the land owner down there had been cutting hay and all they saw were geese and some coyote. They had seen a great horned owl, but he didn't cooperate with the photo shoot idea.

Go South! 

The Names Coyote, Wile E Coyote.  

I had gone into Little Town to pick up Bean from Cheer camp and take Lulu to Young Men and Young Women's Youth Group that night. When we came home we passed the van on the side of the road with all the guests out in the dark crouched in the grass. They waved us on as they had lots of folks stop to see if they were OK. I laughed and said I'd see them at home! I wish I had taken a picture of all them out by the side of the road!

Tuesday night they went out and star gazed. We have such an amazing amount of stars, the pictures are the first Adventure Man has tried and are fuzzy but still show the splendor. I will share them on Sunday.

Thursday morning they went down to the swamp lookout to see if they could spy a grizzly, but had no luck. The bears have been numerous this season, but are much more sparse now! Thank heavens!

 I'm so grateful to Adventure Man for letting me share these beautiful pictures with you!  I hope you have enjoyed them!

Now, I hope I can get a lesson in! And get to use the new toy!