Thursday, September 8, 2011

Texas Wild Fires


I suppose one might ask why I have this layout with this title. We are attending a Southwest Lowline Angus Breeders Assoc. Field Day just south of Paige Texas in 2009 at a breeder who live on Hwy 21. I finally got hold of this breeder yesterday because I had a feeling they were way to close to the Bastrop Complex fire. As the breeder told me, 'If you could see the photos I took right before we evacuated, you would not understand how our house didn't burn.' Fortunately her cattle are ok, too. As of yesterday they are still not allowed back in to care for the cattle. Yet she has a friend who is allowed access and is feeding and watering her cattle for her.

This past weekend I watched as fires popped up around us. I fear this will be the norm and not occasional occurrence through October. It's stressful! Texas Forest gives daily updates HERE. The map showing current fires is HERE. The closest fire to me is the Limestone 481 and is 95% contained with 3000 acres burned for the past two days. It started due to an electrical line malfunction due to high winds on Sept. 4th. We decided to try to start a green space around barn and home. I just hope the soil temperature has gone down enough for seed to sprout. As of this morning I am also watching my neighbors house as he's in the hospital after having six bypasses.

I ask a favor from you should you read this post. Please pray for our state. At the same time I have sent prayers this morning for those being affected by more floods in the NE and wish you will do the same.

As for the inspiration on this layout. This was the layout I created in April as part of my application to My Scraps and More Design Team back in April. This was the first design team I applied for and I just love the community. I didn't make the team, but I look forward to applying to be on more design teams.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Praying for Rain & Cooler Weather



It's mid July and the heat and drought is on and today will make 16 days in a row above 100 and over 30 days above 100 for this year. If only the high pressure would break over Texas! I pray for rain right now. Dreaming of fall right now makes the hot horrid temperatures seems to allow each day to drag on and on. I thought this writing this post might make me at least feel cooler. Winter....I love the cooler temperatures, I just don't like February in Central Texas. We get our worst weather during this month. I love the clear blue skies so representative of a blue norther coming through. The air crisp and clean! At night living a rural life allows one to see the Milky Way in no other way one can see it in an urban life. I love these photos, they represent what we need to do during the summer as cattle producers to take our cattle through the winter. The other picture looks up the hill from my neighbors ranch to ours. The tree line in the distance is a lease pasture we have which borders our ranch. I wouldn't trade living right where I am for anything in the world. I repeat that sentence over and over and over. I will not ever stop either!

Friday, July 15, 2011

Mothers

On the heals of my rant yesterday..... I thought I would write about Mothers!!! I love being 'MOM!' I can still hear..... 'Awe Mom!' Now I smile, sometimes wishing I still had teenagers in the house. I never wanted children until I met the man of my dreams. About eight weeks after Lynn was born I told Larry, 'I want six!' Yep, six and I got.... "The Look!" Except inheriting my father's analytical brain logic set in. I wanted two, or in my case I had this extreme urge to give my husband a son. Well the son came as child number two. And the teenage thing, I couldn't wait until my kids were teenagers! Ok, think I'm nuts! Teenagers are wonderful, they see the world with optimism, enthusiasm, and haven't been jaded by life experiences in the way this 50 year old has. Our two routinely got the question, 'Why do you want to spend time with your parents?' Or I routinely heard from their friends and still do as well as my kids, 'Your parents are cool!' Are we? I don't think so, we have just always treated teenagers with the same kind of respect that we expect out of an adult. We also have listened to what they have to say and validated their opinions. They are human after all.

My mother was a positive influence as were all three of my grandmother's of which one was not a mother. I'll let you ponder that one. There comes a time when the kids become grown and your roll changes yet again. My aunt put it right, there are stages to life and they repeat. I share the following layout with you from my wedding pictures. A short two years later my aunt shared that little jewel about life's stages. Now twenty five years later I will at some point get to this stage or I'm in this stage waiting for my children to find the right person to spend their life with. Their friends are starting to marry. And God willing I will see this stage again as a grandmother. I present a quiet time with my mother:



'nuff said....

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Children....Let Them Make Choices


My family.....they mean the world to me! Including our precious Paige sometimes called Paigee Poopers, Paiger's, etc. I read a blog this morning which struck me as odd. Or at least to me odd, as my idea of choices I allowed my children to make were very different. I have often been asked how I have two well adjusted young adult children. Both Lynn and James have given me insight into our parenting skills with them as children. Lynn recently made a statement which made me think. 'No, Lynn we never had a big discussion on parenting between us.' I remember telling Larry when I was pregnant with Lynn our oldest child, 'If we are worried about length or color of hair we are worrying about the wrong thing.' Larry was like, 'If we have a son he's not coming home with long hair or colored.' I know I must have given him what he always has termed, "The Look!" And sure enough when James was in 6th grade he came home with short hair and the style of the time was blond along the top. Not a peep out of Larry. LOL...I think the hair thing was the biggest discussion we ever had on parenting. Parenting discussions between us were more on the line of one or two sentences in passing.

I have always wondered how a parent can with a child of six years of age decide the birthday party is a certain way without consulting the child. The subject of a blog I read today. Now was this really how it went down? I have no idea. Lynn and James have both told us we taught them how to make choices and always explained the "why" to a decision we made. I hated being told as a child, "Because I told you so!" I can remember a handful of times those words came out of my mouth from an exasperated parent with young children in late afternoon. And each time I felt I failed. I would then sit down and explain why I told them so.

Choices....I see more children raised who don't know how to make choices. Hello parents, children have a brain!!! They are more then capable of making choices starting at a very young age. Choices should always be age appropriate and if your controlling choices they are perfectly capable of making.....good luck down the road. The ones I remember giving my children at a young age were on hair and clothes. No a two year old can't go shopping for clothes. But you can pick out two outfits and ask the child which one they want. A very simple choice and the start of boundaries being set. Yeah....they only got one! Or in the case of Lynn, she was two years old by time she had enough hair to cut. I absolutely dreaded the first trip to get a haircut. I hated seeing kids scream bloody murder while mother's thought it was so cute. So I made this big to do about Mommy and Lynn going to get a haircut and looking so pretty when we were done. I started two days ahead of time. When we got to the salon, she was able to watch Mommy get her hair washed and cut. Lynn was fascinated....and there was my two year old watching the whole process without running all over the salon. I was stunned she was so interested for the 45 minutes it took to get me through the haircut process. After my cut I pulled a magazine out and sat with Lynn. I quickly found two pictures side by side. Do you want long hair or short hair pointing to the pictures. She pointed to long hair. Now it was her turn. What fun she had getting her hair washed like Mommy and then to sit in the chair so still watching her hair being cut in the mirror. Not a peep, not a whine! Every female in the salon sat with open mouth wondering how my child in the middle of her first haircut was not screaming. uhhh ya think! She had a say in her haircut. Even when Dad took James for his first haircut, he showed him two pictures and he watched Dad get a cut, I guess modeling after my success with Lynn. James came home with a buzz and a huge grin at age of early two. Out of ear shot Larry told me James never uttered a sound. Again every man in the barber shop wondering with open mouth......again ya think.

Lynn is 22 and we are just talking on the phone. Exactly what we were talking about I don't remember except for one sentence. 'Mom we never had a curfew.' Lynn ended up saying, Mom are you there?' 'Yes, sweetie, just deep in thought.' She was right, they never had a curfew. You might be thinking we were nuts. My response is why give a child a set in stone curfew when they show you time and time again they can be responsible? When does that start for kids, certainly not when they are teenagers. It starts the moment two people decide to be parents. It is your job and responsibility to MAKE SURE you raise well adjusted kids. It's not the grandparents, your neighbors, the school, or government. It is YOU who is responsible!

So the birthday party's in life. Have your child help you plan his or her party within your budget. Remember teaching boundaries are important, too! This was a comment a child made to me recently, 'If my Mom was here, you wouldn't believe the amount of money she would spend.' And this came out of the mouth of a 11 year old. Aghhh....no wonder your parents are having problems. Does Mom know boundaries? This clued me in to listening more to this child. And sass her father, she did on more then one occasion. Katy bar the door, sassing anyone whether child or adult was never allowed by Larry in our household or in public and still isn't. I would hate to be the parent of this youngster in another two years. Those big huge birthday's which are extravagant....that's a whole other post I could rant about. Above all enjoy the time with your children....they grow up way to fast!!!

Friday, July 8, 2011

I'm so excited!!!


Oh, my gosh!!!! I was floating on air Thursday evening after I received a comment to my post on Thursday. Earlier this week Nikki Sivils offered all five of her Fall lines to someone who left a comment and linked the post to their blog. Of course she included Facebook and Twitter, too. Julie asked if she could use my layout for the monthly post "Showcase On You." There's a first time for everything and this is the first time a layout of mine has been requested to be use by a manufacturer of scrappy goodness! I literally did a happy dance. Thank you so much Julie and Nikki for this opportunity and for all of the wonderful products you provide us!!! Again, best wishes for a successful Summer CHA!!!!

Wink and nod.....it's not a picture of my Mom....it's a picture of me that my daughter took 2 years ago when I received my Nikon D40 for my Mother's Day!!! She got to play with it first....lol!!! She plays with the camera every chance she gets! It's ok....it is all about the thought that counts and my mother is a beautiful woman so Julie has honored me beyond measure!

This Month's A Cherry On Top GCT!


I've been so busy the first four days of the month with cattle and the TJLA Belt Buckle Bonanza I totally let it slide to post I was chosen last month to be this month's A Cherry on Top's July Creative Team Guest!

Wow!!! To date it has been a wonderful experience! Thank you ACOT, the Creative Team and bluejeans7 (Guest Creative Team Coordinator)!!! I am having so much fun! I was treated to some fantastic products from K&Co Abrianna line. I had to complete three layouts with my products and I had a huge amount left over so I'll have many more layouts to do into the future! My first layout is to the left of this paragraph. I'll post the next two in future posts!

There is always something fun going on the Message Board at ACOT! There is a whole bunch of challenges each month to keep your creative juices flowing if your into any type of paper crafting! One of my favorite challenges each month is the Scraplift the GCT. Of course this month they are lifting one of my layouts. But last month I scrap lifted meteechtap and I just loved her layout and how my lift turned out at right.

Come over and join us for a rocking good time at A Cherry on Top with the greatest ladies on the web!!!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Nikki Sivils Summer CHA Sneak Peeks


This past week for the My Scraps and More Got Talent Challenge #5 we had to scrap a picture of oneself. Hah!!!! ....my printer went kaput this past weekend which meant I had no access to scan some photos of me my grandmother had. It took me a full forty-five minutes to find a photo of me. I knew just the papers I would pull to do the layout! And with a little help from Page Maps July Maps this is my creation!

This is Nikki Sivils first line of papers, My Sweet Cherry Pie, back in 2009 if I remember right. Since then I've collected papers from another four or five lines. Nikki Sivils holds a very special place in my heart when it comes to her designs. First she incorporates animals and presents them in very unique ways. Second she uses some species that any other designer wouldn't use....like skunks. Had to have some of them, too! And third her style is so totally unique I feel at home even though the colors are not often ones I scrap with. Finally fourth....the papers and embellishments are just plain fun to work with!

Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker, on her blog yesterday she introduced her CHA Sneaks....and as usual I'm drooling. MUST HAVE You're A Hoot!!! I can see myself scraping photos of Papa Red with this line. It's such a treat to see all five lines I can fully love and want!!! I can't even do that with my long time favorite company Basic Grey and their Summer CHA lines. Nikki you completely outdid yourself this time!!!! I can not wait until they hit my favorite online stores or Photolicious in Buffalo, TX. While your at it, you can go straight to her blog post yesterday from the linked, Nikki Sivils Scrapbooker, and leave a comment on her blog and maybe just maybe win all five lines!!! Whoop....thank you Nikki!!!

Congrats Nikki!!! I love love your 2011 Fall Lines!!!!

Monday, June 27, 2011

I Didn't Sign Up for Beef Trim

Beef Trim.... I had a tirade over beef trim this past Saturday. Sadly we have none of our own beef in the freezer. And it showed when my poor husband made the statement and echoed by his cousin.... 'EXCELLENT STEW!' Poor husband got a tirade over stew meat. 'I'm done with stew meat having become beef trim, if I wanted trim I would have purchased bologna thank you very much!' Stew meat looks like this on a wonderful little blog called The Life of a Wife:


Pieces of Stew Meat are suppose to look like this. What in the world has changed in the last two years since Mrs. Bowles has made this fab looking Sunday Stew and the stew meat I purchased at HEB in Mexia this past Friday. The pieces were a 1/3 of that size and tough as nails. It's not just at HEB either, Brookshire's is the same way as is Kroger. I didn't sign up for beef trim Mr. Grocer as stew meat. So HEB and Brookshire's I'm headed to Stephens Grocery this Friday to pick up some real stew meat to make that fab stew for Poor Dear Husband. By the way Sweetie, thank you for telling me the stew was just as good today for lunch! Made my day!

Just a reminder to self, I'm bookmarking Mrs. Bowles', The Life of a Wife, to get some of those fab recipes with delectable looking dishes she is creating in her kitchen! Link to that fab picture above and the recipe! Life is fun when your searching for a picture and you find a blog as a jewel in a haystack. Jewel sounded better then needle! ;-) Thank you Mrs. Bowles!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Bumble Bee

If you have not checked out the store over at My Scraps and More and the FAB Gallery it is must visit site and community to become involved in. Going on right now is the My Scraps Talent Contest!!! Fun Fun Fun!!! We are ending the third week tonight with five more to go. Even though you won't be eligible for the Talent Contest Prize there is a little prize awarded each week. Week 3 of the Contest was AWESOME! You can check it out on the thread here!

I had an absolute ball stepping totally out of my zone!!! A 2fer layout which required the use of two separate companies papers that don't match together. Talk about having to think. I have never fussy cut for a layout like I did this one. I have never done a seven photo layout and had to find a sketch to do the challenge. I used Page Maps sketch from p. 47. And this was my creation:



To find out more about this layout you just have to visit the link to the challenge above. Then scroll through the thread to find my layout. Hey, I just want you to see how fantastic this community is!!!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Predators in My Life

Following some of the friends I've made online in Agriculture a post on a Hunting Blog reminds me that life on a ranch is not always a friendly place to be. Please be warned there are graphic images.

Wolves Kill Prized Quarter Horse

We are fortunate we don't have wolves in our area of Texas. But we do have coyotes and mountain lions or cougars. They are the same species just different terminology. We have two donkeys in the pasture with the cattle to help protect calves. The really sad part as the drought deepens here, the chance of coyotes hunting in packs increases as their prey decreases. Their most common prey is rabbit and other small mammals in our area.

Yet, coyotes are opportunistic hunters and your pet dog can become a meal. Puppies in an yard are their favorite because they can lure them away from a home. Coyotes have learned to be leery of humans. When one has an experience that coyotes will not always remain out of a human's way, you begin to reevaluate your status on the food chain. We are only at the top of the food chain because of our brain in relation to other animals.

Top of the Food Chain came in full view earlier this spring as I watch unfold before me the cruelty of my environment play out in front of me. To become part of a coyote hunting it's prey was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. The prey, our beloved German Shorthair Pointer Belle. I'm just glad I was there to remind the coyote he should be leery of humans. At the same time my biggest regret was I never had a clear shot and when I did he was out of range. I could have been the one the coyote was after, to think differently is just plain stupid on any human's part.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Fashion: Hats!

I am often stunned by papers by various companies who supply all those wonderful goodies we use in scrapping. Graphic 45 routinely has provided that "I WANT, I WANT!" desire. Yet for at least 2 1/2 years I've refused to buy because I didn't know what to do with such beautiful vintage papers which is pure artwork!!! I finally said I'm getting some because they are perfect for the photos I have to scrap of family. This was for the Heritage Challenge at ACOT in March. You had to scrap a Heritage photo with hats. My grandmother was definitely a hat person. She wore them ALL of the time. She was most comfortable when out and about wearing a hat. The picture is difficult to see, but it is my grandmother and aunt arriving at the Onteora Club up in the Catskills in approximately 1932 from what my grandmother wrote on the back. And yes, Onteora Club still exists today. And of course both were wearing hats. This was a tough layout for me. I must have played with the elements for an hour before I was able to start adhering everything to the page. I loved the way it turned out, my grandmother would have loved this page. She then would have reminded me I need to wear something other then jeans, 'Ladies belong in dresses, Kim.' She's 100% right, but not when your working with your horses or cattle.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Amigo


I kind of laugh at this layout! This is a layout I totally dislike, not one thing to I like about it. In my opinion I used "ugly" paper to build on. Taken in the front of my Houston area home. My neighbor John was moving to a retirement community in Arizona. Pictures were needed of Amigo to allow for her to move with her best friend. Yes, I typed it right. Amigo is a she and not a he. I know, I know John gave her a male name. I asked John when we had been neighbors about a year. He replied, 'I know!' I smiled. These pictures were then emailed. Laurie is shown with her dog Angel. And one of our dogs Cis-quo was sitting next to me while I took the picture.

I received eight comments on this layout....as all of my work can be seen in ACOT's gallery. I still don't know why?????

Friday, March 25, 2011

2011 Houston Livestock Show & Star of Texas Livestock Show

Eight days on the road with cattle for two livestock shows back to back isn't just hard on the animals but the owners, too! Everyone is tired tired when you load for home. Being 50 something in age makes it really tough compared to years ago, but even our daughter Lynn was worn out! It's so much fun though to be around all your friends within the breed your showing. These shows allow us to talk cattle, share ideas on one's breed, and just plain have fun.

I've been home almost a week as I write this post. We did well in selling embryos and a Half-blood Lowline. We also had good shows with our animals. FJL General Beauregard won Senior Bull Calf Division Champion in both shows beating the reigning National Senior Bull Division Champion. We did not attend the National Show in Denver this year. I have not ordered his photo as of this date. A heifer we have out on lease to a junior to show her did a bang up job at HLSR and took the Reserve Grand Champion Heifer. Here is Sunset Vicky 913W (Bar J Tequila x SC Victoria S11 12J) winning photo. She was not shown at Star of Texas because Andrew was showing his Beef Master heifer at HLSR.


There were two bulls Larry really liked in the sale. One just went for more then Larry thought he was worth. Larry did purchase the other bull who is a maternal half brother to Vicky, MRG Black Jack. He is sired by the hottest sire in the country right now, Yarra Ranges Jackaroo. We look forward to continue showing this bull who won his class in each show.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Perfect Scrapbook Line

I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels a particular line of scrapbook papers hits the market and you think it was made for a photo you have to scrap. This was true of October Afternoon's Modern Homemaker released last fall. As soon as it hit ACOT's store I snapped the entire line up. My grandmother was Equipment Editor for American Home Magazine in the late '40's and up until she married Papa Red in 1958 and moved from New York City to just north of Wilmington, NC. In this photo she was obviously out having fun away from work in Atlantic City and her friend signed the photo.




She was attending the American Gas Assoc. Convention in 1950. I don't know who her friend was but I suspect it was a co-worker. Their fun along the boardwalk must have been really special as there was a push pin hole in the top of the photo. I can imagine it was pinned on something near her desk at work. And as you can tell from the papers and embellishments, Modern Woman was absolutely perfect for this photo for fun and the time period. Thank you October Afternoon! I also used this layout to enter the March 2011 ACOT Scraplift the GCT Challenge! The Guest Creative Team member is aceason. Make sure you check out her reveal using Best Creation's Travel Forever line at ACOT, it is wonderful.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

2011 ACOT Winter Crop


I was so busy late Feb. & early March I just didn't have time to post what I was working on in my scrapping. I'm also catching up on posts of those creations now.

I joined ACOT's scrapping community a couple of years ago and I've been a devoted participant and customer since then. I have been so inspired by all of the Creative Team and loving community. A few months after I signed up I went back and saw an annoucement about the up coming NSD Crop in 2009 on the upcoming weekend. Needless to say my first online crop was kind of confusing to say the least. But I became hooked!!! I mean really hooked. I've not missed one since. Some I've gotten the present to be left alone for the weekend and then other times I've had to peek in and out with chores at the ranch. This crop was one of those with very little time! I completed two Fast Scraps and one Challenge. I also played a few games along the way.

The first one was to make a bookmark. And typical of me in a hurry to complete in an hour I didn't totally grasp the rules for the bookmark. I was suppose to personalize it. Whoops! But I think I will use it on one of my wedding album layouts!

The next Fast Scrap was to alter a can. I had the perfect coffee can for the job. Karenscraps gave me the idea to make a piggy bank for my husband to place his spare change in......and of course make it a piggy bank for me to buy more scrap goodies from you guessed it ACOT, LOL! I'm actually still not done with it! Gotta love using only scraps for these fun challenges!

I would have loved to have had time to work on more of the challenges for the crop as they were some of the best challenges ACOT Creative Team has put together for a crop. I was to draw inspiration from the posted collage for Challenge #2. A number of ladies drew their inspiration directly from the photo and did a blocked layout. I saw the birds on the tea cups, the ferris wheel and the clock. I had been working on heritage layouts and it brought me back in time to feeding the birds everyday with my grandmother. Funny how what grandmother's do tend to stay with someone. I love feeding birds at the ranch whether it is my chickens who bug me at feeding time and have a tendency to follow me around anyway or sitting on the porch and watching the finches and hummingbirds feeding on the feeders. In fact two nights ago we had sandwiches for dinner, a make your own night. James made his then stated matter of factly that a sandwich only tastes good when cut in triangles....LOL! My mother and his great-grandmother would do this for the kids when they were little. I would do it when they were sick and make butterflies with the triangles. And of course in this layout is James and Lynn's great-grandmother. I've known for years when I become a grandmother those beautiful butterfly sandwiches will grace my grandchildren's plate.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Years Together

I've loved loved the new lines since last summer from numerous companies. I wish I had double my scrap budget so I could buy all the lines I have fallen in love with. I kinda of shied away from Cosmo Cricket, Crate Paper and Pink Paisley the last couple of years. Their lines didn't fit me until Crate Paper Restoration came out. One of those have to have with all the family photos my mother handed me. I thought this line was perfect for scrapping this photo of my mother's fraternal grandparents taken I'm guessing in 1930's.





This was my layout into Heritage Challenge over at ACOT.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Happiness is......

What makes you happy?


Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.

~ Margaret Young ~


Most of you might think I'm nuts to love ranching so much. The job day to day is never the same. Sometimes the sorrow weighs so heavy you don't think you can go on, but the simple joys that happen make all the dirt, grime, physical labor and sorrow over fighting with an animal for their life keep you moving forward.

I've always said to myself and family, "Being on a farm would make my life complete." Hmmmm....two major crisis in our marriage and several minor ones made me realize happiness to me would come from within me first. And trust me those major ones would have caused most marriages to break up. Ours didn't. It didn't matter if it was something I wanted, had and didn't want or just a dream, none of those things would make me a happy person. I found I was responsible for my happiness, no one or not a single thing could make me happy. I worked happiness in reverse. When both of us became happy people inside of ourselves, our marriage and the ranch came to be. Now I live my dream, not my happiness. Now my husband lives his dream, not his happiness.

Today's simple joy at the ranch. Miss FJL Prissy is just over 60 days bred! She'll be on the trailer for the Houston Livestock Show and Star of Texas Livestock Show.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Facing Fear

Sometimes life hands you a challenge that raises an interesting fear of that challenge. When I started to scrap, my mother handed me all of the family photos. Including going back into the late 1880's. Scrapping these photos sent fear just pulsating through my body. Then came this month's ACOT Contest "Read All About It". I finally had a reason to do a layout using some of the photos. If you want to read more about my layout you can visit here.


I just love how it turned out and now I'm motivated to really get going on my Genealogy Albums. Sometimes we just have to face your fears to conquer them!

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Inspire

I have really been into one word titles for my layouts and this is no exception to that seemingly unwritten rule I have of late. From my wedding, the photo of the men in my life until I met Larry who had and still do provide me a great amount of Inspiration. I am Blessed Beyond Measure! My Dad a very blessed father flanked by my two brothers. Dad has since gone to be with the Lord. I don't get to see my brothers as much as I would like. Ranching can do that to you! It's even harder to get away when you only see your husband on weekends.



I am so delighted as Larry and I will celebrate our Silver Anniversary this year! It gives me a whole different perspective on looking back as I scrap our wedding photos.

Speaking of Inspiration, check out the sketch this week (Sketch 225) over at Pencil Lines! Thank you for allowing me to play along this week! The design team is amazing and so creative! If your just a tad bit thinking about trying for a Design Team, then they have a call out right now for their new design team! Would be so much fun. No, I'm not trying out for it....have too much on my plate. Maybe next year.

As always ACOT has a hand in this layout, too!!! It is the February Theme Challenge!


Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Grandparents



1962.....a visit from Papa and Dee-Dee! I love this photo! It's that expression my grandfather would have on his face when he found something amusing!

I borrowed this sketch from the 2009 52 Sketches...52 Weeks #29. All those cuts to get them just right for the rounded corners! Gotta love my Creative Memories Patterns.

As I kept looking at the date of the photo on the bottom I had a sudden block. Some of the younger ladies would see this as a heritage layout. Well not me....I'm neither heritage or vintage yet, LOL! So I found this really cool site trying to find colors to match the time period. Early '60's were very different from the late '60's in colors. I have clearer memories of the late '60's, as I was only 18 months when this photo was taken. Need help with colors then visit Ugly House Photos. I love traveling back in time! Might be ugly by today's standards when you look at the '60's houses, but I don't think so! I picked out Lily Bee Design Lovely papers to do this layout! I love how it turned out.

Also my entry into the ACOT Feb. One Word Challenge! Come join in on the fun!

What's a Farm Without a CAT!!!

Whenever I think of a farm cat I think of a Dairyman squirting the milk from a dairy cow right into the cat's mouth. Cliche....you bet! But honestly a farm without a cat just isn't a farm. So meet our farm cat who has two homes, mine and our neighbors!

And who said one could not use Halloween Paper for just a layout of your cat! Thanks to My Mind's Eye for this great paper to highlight "Cat"!? Yep, that's his name!

Thought I would share a link to a group on Facebook!!! Want to see some ooogly papers (ugly)!? Have a laugh or two? Great page!!! Scrap-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Scrapbook Creations Group

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Ibn Zubaydahh aka Zuby

At it again to scrap our family's Arabian horses. If you have followed I've done several layouts of Zuby's dam, Zubaydahh. This is her youngest son Ibn Zubaydahh. Although a chestnut his personality, the conformation of his face and his nuisances are his mother's. He's a Tammen son.


My entry into the ACOT February Scrap you Life Challenge. This month was to scrap the simple things in your life. For me I have those simple things happen each and every day with my animals. Some of those wonderful simple moments last but minutes when you have spent hours upon hours of work leading up to the moments which last a lifetime in your mind. Thank you Zuby, for making my life full of those wonderful moments we spent in the ring together when you were a younster. I still love many years later love watching you and your friend Bogart trot across the pasture with heads up and tails curled. The Arabian horse, to be owned by one is a treasure to hold for a lifetime!

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Sir Lancelot

I really need to get some of the photos we have of the cattle in the Ranch Scrapbook. I have a number of photos which need to be put in this album and more to purchase from show wins. As ususal I turned to ACOT for inspiration. January Contest was titled January Sketch Contest. I love how the contest was set up with the beginning letter of your "nick" as the Page Maps Sketch one had to use. I had this light bulb moment of a kit I purchased from Scrapbook Kits, now sadly defunct since I loved their kits! This is the Page Maps Sketch I used:



And my take on the sketch:



This was a fun sketch using American Crafts and Nikki Sivils pattern papers! I think I succeeded in giving the impression the photo was from a county fair, 2004 Brazoria County Fair. Lynn is showing one of her senior year projects, Sir Lancelot, her steer and scramble calf project.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Coming Severe Cold Bought a Calf

Twyla in 16 short months has given us four calves thanks to Embryo Transfer. Her two youngest calves are natural calves born 363 days apart.


Severe winter weather is something my state does not handle well. Everything comes to a screeching halt. My northern friends involved in ranching laugh at us. It's ok, because they just gasp at the thought of our temperatures in the summer. Twyla seems to love to hold and hold her calves. I keep thinking, tonight will be the night. This is calf number two she delivered just prior to a bad cold spell. Just after these photos I moved the little "Bear" and mom into the barn to protect him from the high winds we would have. "Bear" shows promise as a future head sire. His sire is Wanamara Findon Royale so he certainly needs a royal name when he is registered. Yet the barn name "Bear" will stick.

Photo: taken Monday, Jan. 31st and the high temperature that day was 62 in the shade.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Agriculture Technology

I've been working on registrations for SGBI, American Lowline Registry, and DNA Testing Via MMI Genomics. As I drove off this afternoon to the Post Office and Fed Ex, my mind drifted to technology. For my son it means computers. For me it means the cattle on our ranch. Years ago I would have to sit and wait for friends to get home from the Arabian Nationals to learn who won National Championships. Then came cell phones, then email and finally Twitter or messaging on cell phones. In a blink of the eye I can learn what's going on in my own little space in the world of cattle ranching.

Technology of communication lets me visit sales while sitting in front of the computer and viewing the bulls and heifers selling in the sale. This week Larry and I sat in front of the computer to watch the NWSS National Lowline Angus Sale. We watch five or six sales a year this way and have purchased numerous cattle by just clicking a button with the mouse.

But the technology for every farmer has grown just as fast as communication. It's so vast no one individual can grasp it all. I know little or nothing how technology works in corn, or cotton or chickens or any other sector of agriculture. I keep up with technology on cattle being a seedstock producer. Mapping of the cattle genome has help the seedstock producer to select for traits to be passed on to cow/calf producers so they can bring you a more enjoyable experience eating beef. We can now test for those genetic traits that produce marbling and tenderness for that great ribeye you love to put on the grill.

We have slowly been testing our cattle for their genetic traits for parent verification as required by the American Lowline Registry, whether they are polled or not, color genetics, tenderness, and marbling. For the first time Lowline breeders across our country could see first hand what testing for marbling and tenderness could do for you in the sale ring. Lowlines are a relatively new breed in the US and because of their small size, individuals who don't even know how or what to feed their cattle purchase them because they built their dream home on 30 acres. The National Sale sets the tone for Lowlines being sold via private auctions such as the National Sale or private treaty sales on the farm for the year. Sale order usually starts with the very best animals. The National Sale was no exception with the top selling heifer, EZ Satin 60U selling for $12,500 as a bred female to the sire of the hottest show bull in the nation this year, Jackaroo. The second high selling lot at $11,000 was MCR Findon's Montana Queen, the 2011 People's Choice Champion and sold as Lot 1. As we headed into the bottom of the fullblood heifers a 10 month old heifer selling in the 25th spot out of 29 heifers came into the ring. There was nothing special about Dakota Queen. That said she would not place well in her class the next day. In fact I would have been surprised if she even made it into the ribbons. The auctioneer went through her pedigree and then went into her MMI testing on Tru-Marbling and Tru-Tenderness Scores. Dakota Queen was the only heifer with DNA testing behind her sold in the sale. These scores made her a gold mine. She tested in the top 1% of American Angus scores and Lowline Angus Scores on Tenderness. Her Tru-Marbling scores were in the top 5% of American Angus and Lowline Angus. As I watched the bidding start at $1000 it was like a rocket ship went off. As the bidding slowed at $7000 I smiled as I looked at Larry, 'That $85 turned into a huge return on investment.' The gavel came down at $9500. This 10 month old heifer became the third high selling lot in the sale. Her genetics will assure a much sought after market for her offspring. Just a simple $85 and an extra five minutes of time in the chute provided a tremendous advantage for the breeder of this calf that wasn't much to look at. Before technology she would have been just another average fullblood. Now she is in the top 1%.

To all my fellow agriculture producers, grasp technology and use it. Even if your my age, 50, we need to grasp hold of technology instead of shying away from change because of our age.

I leave you with this thought....we do the things we do to bring you a great meal at your table. Beef, It's What's for Dinner.


Maya Road Chipboard

Yep 2am and I'm moving through Scrapbooking Sites to see what's new for CHA - Winter. When I moved away from paper only scrapping into using some dimension my first love is chipboard!!! Still is my first love! Naked chipboard was a hot item. I am in love with this from Maya Road being released at CHA this month!!!


Titled Windows Chipboard Set. I WANT!!! I GOTTA HAVE THEM! The only thing I would change is two window boxes in the package even if retail was $4.50 instead of the $4.00!

A Big Thank You to scrapgoo aka Jess on her blog "The Examined Life". She helped me think of Maya Road. Thanks Jess!



Friday, January 7, 2011

Agriculture and Scrapping All in One Post

I follow Crystal Cattle, one of the best cattle blogs on the web IMHO! Today's post The Farm Sign - Marketing 101. Crystal is exactly right a business markets itself first with their sign. I agree a sign needs to be up so one knows those gorgeous cows in the pasture by the road belong to. I'm not wild on the signs breed registries make like with Brahman Cattle. But take a look at the V8 Ranch sign on Crystal's blog today. V8 Brahman Cattle match the sign......AWESOME! So after the house is built this year I'll make sure we concentrate on the sign! Somewhere in the back of my head you'd think I would have been putting more emphasis on the sign, but the herd had to be built first! I am after all the Ag. Economist in the family.

I finally had the time to visit GCD Studios Blog today! They have been releasing lines since December and I'm loving them. Today's was Fun House. Don't forget to leave a comment on GCD's Post because one lucky winner will get the entire line. Need a Circus Line with a little vintage flare tossed in. And who said it had to only be for a Circus. I could just see the darling photos Lynn took of Tillie's calf this fall with her cute Angus head she got from her sire Peyton and all sorts of Milk Face going on done with this line! So enjoy some of these then click on the link for their blog!


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And of course some of the embellishments:

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You will just have to go to the two blog posts to see the rest of the lines, HERE AND HERE! I am so drooling!!!!