I follow several blogs - some that I have found from Ranger's list - others that I have visited on my own and been charmed by the content or touched by the writer's ability to create word pictures. Some of my favorites are photographer's sites and they have lots of pictures along with a view of events in the life of the writer. I have added another favorite to my growing list. Pioneer Woman, whom I follow as do lots of others I know, just closed out a photography contest where the subject was Horses. Oh, my! Can I just say that the subject matter was great and the contestants were so talented - I couldn't stay away and found myself checking back over and over. I recall Ranger sketching horses when we were younger and I admired her ability to create the animal she so loved, on a flat sheet of paper. I was always a bit intimidated by the real life thing. Horses are so big. I was so small. How does one control such power.
In 1961, when Mother took us on a trip out west with friends, we wound up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. We went horseback riding while there. My horse was a paint mare named Dinah. I was terrified of Dinah. I suppose Dinah had walked the trail a thousand times and her only interest in going out with a rider on her back was to finish the trail and return to the barn for her hay and oats. My only interest was to finish the trail ride in one piece and on the top side of the horse. To that end, I spoke to Dinah almost the entire ride. I whispered in her ears, telling her that - if she wouldn't throw me off her back and would just get me back to the barn in good time, I wouldn't tell anyone how she terrified me. She must have believed me. We got back to the barn and I was able to dismount without my knees giving way. Dinah was led away to her stall. I was never so glad to see the back end of a horse as that day and haven't been on a horse since then. I admire those who ride without fear. I love to look at the beautiful beasts and have come so far as to pet and praise the two paint mares who reside in the field across from our house. These girls belong to my child, Elder Daughter. She, like Ranger has always had a love affair with horses.
To return to topic - sorry for the wandering mind - Pioneer Woman announced the winners of the contest and the prize went to Jennifer Warthan - of The Cotton Wife weblog and photographer of the most lovely shot of horses taken in the snow, in front of a great red barn. One horse was standing at the fence and the other coming along around the barn. I kept coming back to that picture and recommend you to take a look at it at PW's contest site.
Jennifer also sells linen-stock cards featuring her photographic art on her website: http://warthanfarmsphotography.zenfolio.com/fineart
I may just have to buy that shot that so won my heart and the Pioneer Woman's contest.
2 comments:
I liked that one, too, but the one that spoke to my inner child was the one of the horse nuzzling the cat. (Wouldn't ya know?)
I looked at that one a few times as well, but somehow that cat just didn't strike me as thrilled with being muzzle nuzzled.
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