This song. I have been listening to it a lot this week. You should listen to the whole set if you ask me!
Thank you Courtney Patton & Jason Eady.
Walk your path, dear readers, and shine your own spirit.
I am so glad that tomorrow is Friday! Off to the farm for me! Needing my horse time.
Please enjoy this scroll through of my ride with friends and fellowship in the Hill Country along the Frio River! Not many words needed, I dare say! If you missed the reveal of my gifts, check out yesterday’s post.
I had a little bit of traffic on Friday, but it was OK, I had great music. Petunia thought she would help herself into the yard when I got there. The Sunrise on Saturday was just…just. Beautiful!
Loaded up and pulling out Saturday morning!
We were so blessed to have no incidents while hauling and no traffic, either way!!! We only had great conversation and music! Oh, and plenty of great Texas views and beef jerky. Hey, we did not want to get hungry!
We met at a friend’s place in Bandera for a couple of days along with some other friends before heading to the Frio. They were all going on the ride. We had great times, story telling, rest, and sunrise/sunset times. Yes, that is me with my nails done. I had to hide the horse ruined nails, but who cares when your horses are that cute!
We lost someone along the way!!! Ha! Just kidding…
Ike getting fancy in his stall! I then added more shavings. I like to really bed them down. I also documented his BMs. You horse people understand that.
Now time for the good stuff…Riding snaps!
Hydrating…
Such beauty! God’s beauty!
Me before we headed home…Ha!
I hope you enjoyed! Have you gone on any fun trips lately?! Share!
Lead with love, dear readers!
OK, so I am still processing my last week…and am still tired! Tomorrow, be prepared for a picture book of my week riding in the hill country! For now though, we must all wait. I can not begin to process that just yet. Yawn. I am still recovering!
Oh!!! I can show you the gifts I gave! Looky looky!!! Remember I told you about a few gifts I made for some friends that were going to be on the ride this past week? Now that the gifts have been given, I can show you! I gave each a photo transfer of their horse on a block of wood with character (have a look at this post to learn how!) and a piece I found created by Alex Ladner, also on a block of wood. I think they are just exact. I really tried to work with the character within the wood and let it shine and compliment the photo. I gave a few more photo transfers to some others, but these two are my favorite. Do you like them??? I hope so.
OK, back to perspective. The Friday before I left for my trip, I rediscovered an artist! I love when that happens. I started listening to Sean McConnell while in undergrad. He was getting some air time on a local Red Dirt station at the time. I loved his sound, but then somehow I did not keep up with him. Not sure why. Crazy how that happens. Anyway, while at work on Friday, I was listening so some shuffle mix that came up on YouTube. I was working away when I heard the song ‘Lie Baby Lie,’ but a different version than what used to be played in the flatland when I was in college. It intrigued me and I went to go look at who it was that was playing and singing. To my surprise, it was Sean! I immediately went to look up all of the material he has created since I stopped listening to him. I still dig his stuff and I am still listening to it this week! One song in particular really spoke to me that Friday. Have a listen, and when you need perspective, give it another listen. I have added it to my mental file of ‘when I need perspective.’ I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to the man himself, Sean McConnell, for posting this vid on YouTube. He also has several faith based songs. I have no doubt that I will be post on his songs again!
Have a blessed day, dear readers, and lead with love!
Tune back in tomorrow for the big recap!
Before I go off the grid to ride horses for a week *excuse me while I giggle and jump up and down like a little girl*, I want to share something with you. Remember that bit about your light from the other day? Well, you also probably know by now how my brain works with songs. This song came up on my shuffle yesterday while I was running errands to prepare for my trip and it made me think about letting my light shine through my holes and cracks. Thanks to Cody Johnson for recording this song and to Rachel Richardson on YouTube for the vid.
Now I get that he is not my typical type to recommend as he is not always my style, but I just really like some of his songs. This one in particular. The lyrics speak to me. That last verse. Climb out and let it shine, man. AHA moment right there. I sing this one loud in my car. Makes me think I am a good singer! Ha! This song makes me want to post several more songs. Do you think I should? Does anybody listen to these??? I will just in case anyone is curious what I have to share.
The middle part of this song where he talks about conversations he did not have with his dad reminds me of Brandon Rhyder‘s (I know, I know, I will not wax poetic today. Well, only a little) song, ‘Fingers To The Bone.’ Seriously, listen to this one. He never disappoints. I also sing this one loud in the car. Fine, I always sing loud in the car! Thanks to Brandon Rhyder – Topic on YouTube for the video. It is funny the things we do and say to our parents when we are young and then how the future plays out. Grace. Reminds me to tell my parents I love them. I put them through a lot! AHA moment, again. This one I dedicate to my parents. The best I have heard this song was live at an intimate, unrecorded concert here in town. Bummer for y’all. Stop, hold the phone. My mother just called me! I told her I love her. I am serious. That just happened. Just go on and listen to this song.
I could go on for days connecting these song dots for you, but I have to go work!
Have a great weekend and week next week. I look forward to sharing my adventure with you upon my return! Do not worry, I will try not to kill my travel buddy with my horrid signing.
Happy Monday Morning! I hope everyone had a great weekend! As promised, (here is your teaser)
I have for you all the fall things my cousin and I did yesterday (although I have to warn you, I was bad and forgot about taking photos), but first I just have to tell you about the rest of my weekend.
I had a great dinner with a dear friend of mine on Friday. I have not seen her in about five years. She was in town looking at a possible second horse to buy. She did not end up buying the horse (sad for her), but we had the BEST time catching up on all the things! It was so lovely. After dinner I drove out to the farm to spend the weekend with family and horsing around. Saturday morning, I went for a walk ride with my mother. I ride and she walks. It is our thing. We had AMAZING burgers for lunch. Instead of a nap (which I really wanted) my nephew and I went for a drive around the property and down the road. That boy is so sweet. We had a grand time with the fall air in our hair. I got a blister from mucking, raking, and cleaning the barn. Cheetah and I had a nice lazy dink around the arena. After feeding the evening feeding, my mom, sister, and niece came out to the barn to have some horse time for my niece. She LOVED it and got and gave many kisses with the horses and Petunia the donkey.
Sunday morning was my Lito time. That horse. Man. He is just amazing. It was his 8th or 9th ride and he has not been ridden in about a month. First ride with a bit. He was great. Never offered anything bad and seems to really enjoy riding. He was little confused at the ‘new’ communication form as to be expected (he as been wearing the bit for a while and we have worked with it on the ground), but he was his usual steady eddy, lazy self. We took it easy because of the bit introduction and the fact that he as not been ridden in a while. He makes me want another youngster. Not that I need one. By the way, my news feeds have been full of nice Spanish fillies for sale. It is just not nice to me. Then my nephew had his turn to ‘ride’ on Chance. He rides, I lead. We had a grand time. How profound, I know, but it just was. Between family, horses, Texas countryside, and weather, it is hard not to have a full heart and be happy.
OK, on to all the Fall things with my cousin yesterday evening. I made a roasted butternut squash flatbread pizza for dinner. In addition to the squash, it had pesto, bacon, goat 
cheese, balsamic red onions, arugula, and sage. It was so good! Sorry I do not have a picture. We were too excited for photos. We then made this Magic Pumpkin Cake for dessert. It was naughty and pretty good. I am usually more of a made from scratch kind of gal, but it is nice to do easy things sometimes that just require dumping and stirring. I think it will be better today after sitting in the fridge over night. I also would use a white cake mix instead of a yellow cake. Then we painted some pumpkins for table centerpieces. I was pretty conservative with my painting. I just thought their natural beauty should be able to shine and I also did not want to get wrapped up in something really detailed and intricate…which is what I usually do. I used some metallic paint and glitter that my cousin brought. I mixed them in a bowl with some unpainted pumpkins. My favorite is the little orange one with the metallic accents in the creases and on the stem. Very simple, but complimenting and pretty. What are your favorite fall things? My cousin and I always do baking and or crafts the minute the weather cools.
Brandon Rhyder is still as on point for me today as he was on Friday. This song written by Jon Randall was basically my weekend (sorry, this is not the best recording). I sure hope you have read this far and can enjoy this song. He gets me. I may have been born and still live in the big city, but being in the country has made me into who I truly am. I am so grateful to my parents for that.
Thanks to 98.1 KVET out of Austin for the vid.
Go out and kill it this week!
FRIDAY, FRIDAY, FRIDAY! Sending good vibes to you, dear readers, to have a great Friday and then a great weekend to recharge your batteries. OK, yes, I am proudly listening to Brandon Rhyder today. It is helping me get all the works checked off my list! Give him a listen and cross all the things off our list!
Tonight I am having dinner with a horse friend from college! I have not seen her in about five years. She drove 9 hours to come look at a horse. Very exciting. We will probably hit up a tack store or two and then have a fun dinner catching up…and talking horses. Off to the farm for me after that. Sunday afternoon, my cousin and I are going to do all the fun fall cooking, baking, and crafty things we have been waiting to do! Get ready, come Monday (name that Jimmy Buffet song) I am going to tell you about them all. Then next week, it is buckle down time for wrapping things up at work and packing/getting ready for my week long trail ride vacation. Leaving a week from tomorrow!
Have a great one! Walk in love!
Lead with love on this great Wednesday. It will be great, I dare say. Que killer work music because I am going to kill it today.
Y’all, it is a Tune Tuesday kind of day. Enjoy.
This song. It is where IT is at. What IT is all about. It is what is in your heart. It is about love. The memories that remind us and bring us joy. What we have learned from what He has shown us. The grace and unending love of our Lord. Our ultimate and great destination in heaven. That we are never alone. Something no man can take away. AHA moment.
Thanks, The Statesboro Revue – Topic on YouTube for the vid.
This song helped me with the passing of our sweet Mansebo. Makes me tear up. I will probably lean on it forever. Love the songs that evoke such emotion. I listened to it non stop on the day and on the one year anniversary. I could not talk about it though. Thankfully, I can now. Thanks to Stewart Mann (The Statesboro Revue) and Gordy Quist (The Band of Heathens) for the song writing and The Statesboro Revue for recording this song.
Do y’all like this song as much as I do? Share a song like this if you have one!
As promised, today I have brought you a little something about me, but first I want to do a little bragging. Yesterday I went out to ride Bella the buckskin. Man was she great! They always get worse before they get better, as they say. She was very relaxed, was better about keeping her shoulder up, and was straighter. Her walk and trot are really coming along and getting more adjustable. The canter/lope has a ways to go, especially to the left. It will come with time. OK, OK, on to what I promised.
A few things you might be intrigued to know about me:
~I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I try to live my life the way He intended and walk the path He created.
~I struggle with what my true vocation is.
~I have a masters in geology.
~I am a 9th generation Texan and yes, I am proud of that. Love this great state.
~I am a horse person. I have two heart horses of my own. Self trained…Well, really they train me.
~I am also a dog person. I have one dog.
~My animals make me a better human.
~My family and friends are my world.
~I am a self-proclaimed music junkie. I dig Texas, Red Dirt, Western, and Classic Country and Americana…and R&B…and Classical…and Gospel…Mariachi…Most of what I listen to does not fit in any one box. Go figure.
~I read incessantly about horse training, horse/human relationships/history, and faith. Throw in a few sappy romance novels, too.
~The parallels between horses and life are astounding to me.
~I never want to stop getting better and growing as a rider. I do not limit myself to one riding discipline.
~I like to share what the Lord and my animals teach me. Those are both one in the same, aren’t they?
~I do not like to have my picture taken, but I LOVE to take photos and I secretly want people to like my photos.
~Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong generation. However, air conditioning sure is great.
~I love to cook and bake.
~I can not spell!…and my grammar can be rather sketchy. Please be gracious and forgive me my mistakes.
I love my job and career, do not get me wrong, but horses are my true passion. People ask me all the time why I did not turn horses into a career. I made the conscious decision when I went off to school to study something that I both liked and would ensure me a good career, awarding me the freedom to follow my passion wherever it led. In my life, I have met a few people that turned their passion into work and lost the love in the process. It was both visible and palpable. I also know people on the other side of that coin. People that have built a career from their passion and have not lost the love. I did not want to lose the love, so I chose a different route. Was this the right choice? I do not know. You can bet on one thing, I will let you know when I learn the answer.
I believe that God speaks to everyone in a different and personal way. For me, it is through animals, nature, and music…horses in particular. One day, I hope to figure out why that is and use it for good. The similarities of working with horses and living life is a truly beautiful and astounding thing.
They say my love for horses began the moment I first saw a horse and has only grown since. I was that kid that everyone knew as ‘that horse girl’ and I just never grew out of that ‘phase.’ I am probably more horse crazy now than I ever was. It stems from somewhere deep in my genes, I think.
My family then purchased a farm and some ranch horses when I was nine years old so we could be raised as they were; spending every weekend out in the country. Those horses, one of which we are fortunate to still have at over 30 years of age, taught me what it means to be a horsewoman and a better human being. I rode, and still ride, at least once a week. Yay for weekends! I spent three summers in Mexico taking dressage and jumping lessons from three different international trainers. I really took to the dressage and am still passionate about learning more. I am eternally grateful for this experience because it made me the rider I am today and taught me that in every ride we are teaching the horse something, good or bad. There are some of these photos somewhere too…I am the youngest kid…my parents were tired!
In high school, I joined the local 4-H Horse Club where we participated in clinics and shows in various performance and speed events.
Man that is A LOT of talking about myself. Now I am tired. This weekend is my nephew’s 4th birthday party and I will then be running away to the farm to unplug and ride my horses! You will definitely not hear from me till Monday. Have a great weekend, interwebbers!
I have a friend that I have known for quite some time. She has been on my mind because I am worried about her. Her life has taken her on an interesting path, but more than that, it both looks and feels wrong for her. It is hard to find the words to describe the feeling. She is fighting for it so hard like she is trying to prove a point and make it fit. This is what troubles me and what I do not understand. I worry for her because I want the best for her. I pray that she finds the right path that not only fits her, but that also she fits the path. I also pray for my own understanding. Maybe it is right for her and it is my viewpoint that is skewed and blinded. It is a struggle for me to accept the things I do not understand.
Some things we are not meant to understand. This I know. There are things I do not understand and alone, I can not change. This immediately makes me think of two things: the Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr and the song “Horseshoe Lake” by Will Kimbrough and Tod Snider (It was also recorded by the band No Justice).
Whether it is about work, a friend, or anything else, prayer helps me with these things. Over time (sometimes a very long time), prayer gives me the serenity and understanding. Getting away, unplugging, and recharging also helps. Naturally, this makes me think of another song, but that will be another story for another day. Anyway, I try to get out of town and in the countryside or by water for at least a few hours every week. Doing this clears my mind of all the clutter and I am able to hear and see God more clearly. My prayers become deeper and I can really feel His presence.
Please enjoy these versions of “Horseshoe Lake” with the lyrics posted below.
(Thanks to Chris Sweeney on YouTube for posting)
(Thanks to this Tod Snider – Topic on YouTube for posting)
