EmPhotography

Cooper and Callie

2011-10-29T19:05:00.003-04:00

Cooper and Callie's 15 minutes of fall.

Laya

2011-07-04T13:19:00.002-04:00

Uh... Emily. Sit down before you flip forward out of the saddle.

Looks guys! It's a prancing paso fino... Oh wait. I mean excited saddlebred.

Ok... I am in training. Had no idea I had her head tucked this much.

Laya officially turned 5 years old on March 31st. She still acts like she's 2 but we are definitely seeing some "grown up" coming through every now and then. I love this horse!!

Fiddlers Grove Festival 2011

2011-05-30T23:27:00.002-04:00

Fiddler's Grove was beautiful this year. Of course, it helped that everything was clean and fresh after plenty of rain Friday night. Saturday was a great day full of even greater music. My favorite music of the festival was Laura Boosinger and Joshua Goforth. Together they make a great team on stage and some really good music!

We really like that bluegrass music. (Friday night rain)

(Yep... That's me. Tiny bit wet but enjoying myself!!)

What a rainbow!!

Remington

2011-04-11T16:27:00.007-04:00

Thursday evening I was privilaged to do a photo shoot of this little guy. He was cute as a button! A puppy full of energy and loving the great outdoors. :-)

Standing tall! (The hill helped with the tall part)

Peek a boo

Lovin' the great outdoors!

Sitting pretty on his blanket

Chasing tennis balls

April Showers. Not April hailstorms!

2011-04-07T19:20:00.002-04:00

An old picture from the blog history. This picture sums up my Tuesday morning (About 2 AM) very well. I thought for sure one of these were fixing to bust through my bedroom window along with the hail that was beating the panes. I need a t-shirt. *I survived an NC thunderstorm.*

Callie's 8 months!

2011-04-07T12:46:00.001-04:00

Lets rewind.... Below at 3 months.

Sunday Afternoon

2011-03-25T16:31:00.005-04:00

There is almost no better way to spend a fairly warm Sunday afternoon than to take a drive up the mountain and a have a short walk.

So.

Thats where we went. Callie was pleased to tag along with the trio. :-)

Sometimes cloudy days are beautiful if you look at them the right way.

So many hills to climb.

The trees are coming back to life again.

I'm assuming this is the Grandfather of Grandfather Mountain.

Where the waters run clear.

Callie

Callie playing in a little falls. She needed a bath anyways.

Something about the top of a mountain presses the need to test cell phone service.

And their GPS range...

Random Snapshots Around

2011-03-14T22:29:00.007-04:00

From the "Farm"
(Took these with my cell phone)

Callie.... Looks like a great guard dog, huh? Ok. I'm lying.

Sugar :-) Laya's sweet little companion.

Callie the mountain climber.

Gennie Gabriel, a friend of mine took these pictures for me. I just wanted to share a few!

"Oh where is my hairbrush? Oh where...."

Grace riding Laya

Me and my favorite girl

"Say whaaaa??"

Apparently, cameras are cool. Because she was looking into almost every shot.

CANTER! Yes... Finally. She did it.

By the way, this is what a country girl having fun in the mud looks like. :-)

Sugar. She was just for looks. She thinks the person on top is put there expressly to massage her back and pet her neck.

Cole Wedding

2011-03-14T21:55:00.005-04:00

Time seems to have vanished from my life. Not just the meaning of it. The essence. You know it's bad when someone never looks at a clock anymore to see if it's "time to go" yet. They just go ahead and leave. Probably gonna be late anyways..... That's what the whole month of February seemed like. So glad we have moved into March and spring is in the air! Will post pictures of my little "farm" soon. :-)

Hope you enjoy these few pictures from a wedding I did back at the begining of Feb. Congratulations Adam and Tiffany! :-)

SO happy it's over!

Couldn't resist snapping this picture.

Tired little "Snowflake" girl.

Before the wedding... This look just speaks anticipation.

Her bridesmaids love her!

Beautiful!

More Snow

2011-02-02T22:49:00.002-05:00

Finally. A warm day. And what am I doing? Posting pictures of snow. I must be crazy! Well, I won't be the first one to point that out, I guess. Have a good day and enjoy this warm weather while you can.

Visitor that was looking through our living room window.

Callie fetching... eh... Snowballs. lol

Congrats to Tiffany and Adam. Saturday is the big day!!

Enjoying the Snow

2010-12-25T13:13:00.003-05:00

Miss Laya and Sugar enjoying the snowfall. Shortly after these pictures were taken, the snow picked up and the temperatures dropped. The ground is now completely covered and the snow is still coming down thick. More pictures soon!! :-)

Laya and her "toy", Sugar. Sugar doesn't mind at all that she has become a possession. I think she kind of likes it.

Laya's winter theme hairstyle...

I love my girl!

Sugar. Always sweet as brown sugar! (-:

First Snow of the Season!

2010-12-04T13:58:00.004-05:00

Well, first snow/sleet/rain of the season, should I say. But while it lasted, and the huge white flakes floated down, it sure was gorgeous. I've always said, if it's going to be so cold out, please just let the scenery be good. :-)

One Whole Year Old!

2010-11-24T11:29:00.013-05:00

Smoky Mountains

2010-11-19T17:52:00.003-05:00

This past September, my family went on a camping trip together to the Smoky Mountain Campground, nestled between Pigeon Forge and Cherokee. We spent a week in the great outdoors and enjoyed every bit of it. I'm sorry these pictures are coming late. But hey, judging from past experiences, at least they made it on here. :-)

Veterans Day at Fort Dobbs

2010-11-13T19:10:00.005-05:00

In honor of Veterans day this year, Fort Dobbs of Statesville, NC held a living history day. All the people pictured here are volunteers that bring their own valuable things and camp "Colonial style" for two or three days while sharing their knowledge of the area, the artifacts, and the person they are "representing".

I was privileged to meet a Cherokee Indian, a group of soldiers defending Fort Dobbs in 1760, a WWI nurse, and a GI soldier. Together, all celebrating Veterans Day...

Weapons Demonstration

Part of Fort Dobb's recruits

Coat, hatchet, and an ammunition belt.

Just a day in the life of troops in 1760.

Have to keep the fire stoked somehow.

A lone Indian keeping to himself.

Veterans Day

Callie

2010-11-05T11:12:00.009-04:00

Welcoming a new member to our pet family.... Meet Callie!

She sleeps like this....

Helps Jacob do push ups like this... "lick lick"

And stalks the cat like this.... "poor kitty..."

Now for some portrait shots of the lil puppy...

CowGirl

2010-10-29T17:35:00.004-04:00

Some old pix

2010-02-05T10:31:00.005-05:00

Working on some old picture for a friend who's getting some pictures framed to hang in his home. These were all taken at his farm, with his saddle, his horse, the barn, and the property there.

Boone, NC

2010-01-03T20:33:00.000-05:00

Beautiful! But Spring sure would be too...

What a blustery day...

Michael and Amanda

2009-11-22T16:59:00.002-05:00

Ezra

2009-11-09T15:09:00.001-05:00

English Mastiff

AND a big huggable teddy bear!

Fall Shoot

2009-11-01T15:38:00.005-05:00

Please check out the rest of the photos from this shoot and let me know what you think!!

A Girl and Her Fiddle *

Baby Autumn

2009-10-29T20:02:00.000-04:00

Fell asleep as she was sitting up being burped and I had to grab a picture. Sweetness!!

Some shots from my first ever "Family" photography shoot

2009-10-29T19:46:00.003-04:00

Straight out of the garden and...

2009-10-11T15:51:00.002-04:00

straight out of my camera! (no editing)
This is my great Grandpa TB and Grandma Inez's garden this year.

Murray's Mill

2009-10-11T15:43:00.003-04:00

This was a tractor "parade" driving around Murray's Mill during the 2009 festival this year. While I was snapping pictures, little did I know (Although I found out later) that this was my great great grandpa's tractor that he put together himself from a kit. One of his sons had it restored and brought it to Murray's Mill Festival. Pretty cool huh?

Cute with a capital "C"

2009-10-11T15:40:00.001-04:00

Pamela

2009-10-08T21:45:00.001-04:00

Sunday's Picture of the Day

2009-09-13T16:19:00.002-04:00

I did a photo shoot the other day and realized something...There are new babies all around me!

Congratulations to all the new mommies out there! May God bless you and the little one. :-)

Kilian

2009-09-03T20:07:00.003-04:00

I love this horse. Kilian is built like a brick wall and has the face I've always imagined a war horse to have. Today I just wanted to capture his solemn disposition as he relaxed into his daily routine. His face could almost tell a story.

My goal in this photo was to capture two things and blend them together so that the viewer is drawn to one thing and then another--but still show contrast in my picture. I think I achieved this because the first thing to draw your attention is the tag on his halter and then yours eyes go straight to his. At least, this is what I'm hoping. My contrast was achieved in turning the picture to a Black and White.

Please post your comments below!

Update

2009-08-31T18:54:00.003-04:00

Sorry it's been so long since the last post. Things have been busy. (Sorry, best excuse I could come up with!) The truth is, my laptop crashed a few weeks ago and along with it, my photoshop software. I'm in the process of reinstalling it on another computer but I've got to get the files on that computer backed up and then clean the PC off so it will run better. Then, I will be back to my picture taking self. Hope everyone has had a wonderful summer because it looks like wintertime is just around the corner. Later!

Thursday's Picture

2009-07-30T22:23:00.002-04:00

I haven't been out much with the camera lately. I've been having fun and in the process, one forgets to photograph it. :-D Thanks for stopping in. The following picture was taken near Julian Price Campground on the 2 mile hike around Price Lake. We got to the bridge just in time to see the sun set.

New Slideshow

2009-07-17T12:55:00.003-04:00

Here's a look at the new slideshow that will go up with my new website soon. Thanks for looking!

July Fourth at Blowing Rock, NC

2009-07-08T14:37:00.003-04:00

These are some sites I found in Blowing Rock, NC this past weekend. All of the window shops had decorated for the holiday and it made for some fun picture opportunities. The day was filled with fun! Went for a beautiful stroll down the street that morning, met up with friends, watched the always exciting parade, listening to the Cockman Family sing, then played a game of tennis that ended up lasting almost 3 hours. Fun stuff! That evening we all treated ourselves to dinner at Sledgehammer Charlies. We finished just in time to catch an incredible fireworks show right outside town. All in all, it was a great great weekend! Thanks to all the family and friends who made it happen! :-)

July Fourth Weekend

2009-07-08T14:33:00.002-04:00

So.... What is it?
It's tree fungi that was literally as big around as my waist. It was huge!

Friday morning me and my family headed up the mountains to see Linville Falls. I've uploaded the rest of the pictures from our trip on my facebook acount. Check 'em out!

Influence

2009-06-22T22:15:00.000-04:00

Poet: Joseph Norris

Drop a pebble in the water, And its ripples reach out far;
And the sunbeams dancing on them may reflect them to a star.

Give a smile to someone passing, Thereby making his morning glad;
It may greet you in the evening, When your own heart may be sad.

Do a deed of simple kindness; Though its end you may not see,
It may reach, like widening ripples, Down a long eternity.

Something I believe with all of my heart.

Tuesday's Pictures of the Day

2009-06-15T21:17:00.003-04:00

Ok, so I'll admit it. It's not hard for me to do so seeing as there is no way around it... I have REALLY been a slacker! It's not helping that my computer seems to be on it's last leg. It's slower than a turtle on crutches. I don't know what's wrong... Could have something to do with why it's overheating now.

Anyways, on a brighter note... I hope things have been going well for you today! I'm starting to realize: There is no day without sunshine. It's just whether or not your eyes can see through the clouds. Enjoy the pictures! They are of two kitties I was privilaged to meet Saturday. The bigger handsome one is Zeke. And the small pretty one is Grace.

Missing my Buddy today...

2009-06-02T11:21:00.002-04:00

This picture was taken on one of our many walks together in the woods. There's miles of trails behind the house. Once we got out there, I would take his halter off and it would be just me, my dog, and my horse. Good times! :-)

Fiddler's Grove Festival 2009

2009-05-27T17:47:00.004-04:00

It's hard to believe Fiddler's Grove has already come and gone once again. Up until, it seems like it will never arrive. During, you don't want it to end. And when it's over you wish it had lasted longer. I miss falling asleep to the bluegrass jamming that goes on continuously through the night. I miss waiting on the edge of my seat to hear who won the competitions. I miss sitting back in my chair and relaxing while listening to incredible musicians play their heart out...

This year they were calling for rain all weekend but as it got closer to the festival, the forcast said it would hold off until Sunday afternoon. Lo and behold though, Saturday evening the clouds could hold it back no longer. It drizzled all evening and finally started a real rain by Sunday morning. I missed Sunday but I'm told the show still went on with the audience migrating to sit under on the stage under the roof with the musicians. I'm sure that was a sight! If anyone has pictures of that awesome moment, please let me know.

The picture above was taken during a light drizzle Saturday evening while me, Mary Lynn, and Elizabeth were going on a short walk. We stopped for a moment to listen to some music. The whole aspect of standing in the rain, hovering under a tiny umbrella for the sake of bluegrass made for an awesome picture. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Once again, Fiddler's Grove was a wonderful experience and I can't wait to do it again next year!

Congratulations to all those people I know who placed in the competitions! You guys were awesome!

Thursday's Picture of the Day

2009-05-21T22:04:00.003-04:00

Here's a picture of me and my Australian Shepherd, Blue, while on a hike one day. It's not very often that viewers are allowed to see photos of the photographer. There's 2 reasons for this: A, the photographer is almost ALWAYS the person BEHIND the camera. And B, lo and behold, most photographers are camera shy.

Photo courtesy of Michael Gabriel. :-)

Wednesday Picture of the Day

2009-05-20T13:48:00.004-04:00

This is my little cousin, Caleb. What is he eating? Well... I could just say "Cake Icing". Which is the honest truth. But the rest of the story is that he's eating off of a sponge from my Grandma's Graduation Cake--It turned out to be a surprise SPONGE cake with icing on top! The grandkids all grabbed a sponge and proceeded to lick the icing off. That's when I snapped this picture. So cute!

Tuesday's Picture of the Day

2009-05-18T21:56:00.003-04:00

Monday's Picture of the Day

2009-05-18T10:20:00.001-04:00

Sorry it's been a while since the last update. We layed Buddy to rest last week and this week has been busy with company in a things. Enjoy the pix! Keep checking in this week for more. :-)

Friday's Picture of the Day

2009-05-08T14:40:00.004-04:00

Hey guys! This picture is about a year old but I recently found it on my hard-drive and thought I would share it with you. The ISO, Ap., and SS for this picture have been lost since that day that i took it. I'll explain to you how it was taken: (I did absolutely NO editing to it whatsoever)

I started off in total darkness standing up holding a flash light that was switched to "off". My camera was stationed on a tripod while Jacob clicked the button and opened it's shutter. Then I turned on the flash light and drew a question mark in the darkness. I switched it off and sat down. And, (Since I don't have a seperate flash) Jacob switched the porch light on and then off. (As if the flash had just went off) And then he closed the shutter on the camera.

An easy way to explain the result is a black picture (Since there was no flash) with the only light in the picture being the question mark I drawn with the flash light. And then a second "Layer" to the same image when my homemade flash went off. It created a weird effect. I hope you enjoy the picture!!

Tuesday's Picture of the Day

2009-05-05T22:13:00.002-04:00

Zippy and Buddy

(I did so much editing to this picture I'm not gonna bother with info...)

New Baby!

2009-05-04T22:32:00.006-04:00

(Playing with pink photo filters on this one)

f/8

1/250th

ISO 100

No flash

(Left the rose in full color)

f/8
1/250th
ISO 100
No flash

(Working with shadows and photo edging. Could us a little more work but I thought it was cute just the same)

f 5.6

1/320th

ISO 100

No Flash

Friday's Picture of the Day

2009-05-01T22:40:00.004-04:00

Racheal with Buie and his half brother, Raider

(Sorry don't have time to post photo info this time)

Monday's Pictures

2009-04-27T07:39:00.005-04:00

Wow... It has been so long since I last updated my blog here, that blogger.com is no longer in my PC's history. I think that must be a sure sign that I have been slacking off. Sorry guys! Here's two pictures instead of one. Just because. :-D

Also: I have recently been asked to start posting the Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO with my pictures. And if you'd like to know any info on past pictures, just let me know and I'll get with you ASAP on it. Glad to help!

F-stop - f/5.6
Exposure Time - BULB 4.4 sec.
ISO - 400
No Flash

F-stop - f/5.6
Exposure Time - BULB 3.3 sec. (This all depended on when the lightening appeared)
ISO - 400
No Flash

Wednesday Picture of the Day

2009-04-01T13:59:00.001-04:00

A quick shot of Buddy...

Back in the Saddle

2009-03-30T14:02:00.002-04:00

Here's an apology to all you folks who check in to see what I've posted. Considering it's been near a month since I've posted, I think I owe it to you guys. :-P Here's a picture I took out at the barn the other day. Enjoy!

Friday's Pictures of the Day

2009-03-06T23:54:00.002-05:00

To see more click HERE

Monday's Pictures of the Day

2009-03-02T10:32:00.005-05:00

The softest part of the horse:

~His Muzzle~

This is Raider in his first snow... "Hey! This stuff tastes funny!"

"I just wanna have fun"

To see more winter pictures, click HERE!

Saturday's Picture of the Day

2009-02-28T21:57:00.002-05:00

Elijah doning his uniform that he recieved for his birthday. A 9 yr old couldn't be much happier than he is.

Friday's Picture of the Day

2009-02-27T15:30:00.002-05:00

My class ring. I would've liked to have gotten the sunset in the background but as it was, I just got a the glow from the sunset--almost as good!

Monday's Picture of the Day

2009-02-23T22:12:00.002-05:00

My cozy place... With the kitty who placed herself directly in the middle of the bed for this shot.

Sunday's Picture of the Day

2009-02-22T15:02:00.002-05:00

SPRING! ..... Is almost here--hopefully.

Sadly, I bought these from a florist shop for a photo shoot. I can't wait to see them springing up around here soon!

Friday's Picture of the Day

2009-02-20T16:30:00.002-05:00

Finally here!

Old Wall Around a Cemetery

No Picture...

2009-02-14T21:15:00.003-05:00

Wow.... Time flies! I can't believe tomorrow will be a week since my last post. I haven't been able to get out and take any more pictures since the last post but I will try to soon. Just an update from me. :-) Hope everyone has a wonderful day today!

Sunday's Picture of the Day

2009-02-08T15:20:00.001-05:00

I went horseback riding with a friend yesterday and happened to snap this shot of Thunder.

Beauty in black and white...

Saturday's Picture of the Day

2009-02-07T22:41:00.002-05:00

Wonderful wonderful weather here today! In the upper sixties. On my way to the Johnson's barn to ride I passed 3 different horseback riders out for a joy ride. Everyone had the same idea I did. Before I went to the Johnson's barn, I stopped by to see how Buddy was doing and went for a short ride with him too. Here's a pic I grabbed along the way...

Friday's Picture of the Day

2009-02-07T22:39:00.002-05:00

A little overdue but here it is!

It's snowing!! This is Elijah catching snowflakes on his tongue--what fun!

Thursday's Photo of the Day

2009-02-05T22:21:00.003-05:00

A somewhat older picture that I ran across today... Enjoy

A baby's love for mommy...

Friday's Picture of the Day

2009-01-30T16:52:00.001-05:00

" No Description... I'll let you decide. "

Update :-D

2009-01-28T14:13:00.005-05:00

20 or so of us got together Saturday to go skiing at Sugar Mountain. In the end we ended up going a little higher up the mountain to Beech Mountain Ski Resort. We spent the entire day making the most of the snow and had a great time!! I am sad to say I didn't get any pictures of the skiing part of our day. I did however, manage to get some pictures of the ride up the mountain... We had so much fun!

Mary Lynn spots some snow!

Me... And in case you're wondering, Mom says I have a lazy left eye.

Mary Lynn

Alex striking a pose-haha!

Our Map Reader, Michael G

Our Careful Chauffeur, Shane

A random moment in the backseat... I do believe it was an "Air Camera"

Alex hanging from the roof... JK The picture was taken this way over my headrest and I just decided to leave it this way.

Jacob enjoying the comfy seats in the van... lol

Friday's Picture of the Day

2009-01-23T14:11:00.003-05:00

Hi all! I will probably be doing a Special post on Sugar Mountain Ski Resort sometime in the next few days as we're taking the day tomorrow and going out for a ski trip.

What: Thyatira Presbyterian Church
Where: Salisbury, NC
When: Me and Melissa went to check out the church for a pre-wedding photography set-up.

Monday's Picture of the Day

2009-01-19T18:03:00.003-05:00

What: Calob giving hugs
Where: Latta Equestrian Center in Huntersville
How it happened: Betwixt mucking out stalls and filling up water buckets, LEC volunteer, Calob, found the opportunity to give one of his favorite horses a hug. He laid his head over the horse's back and said, "I could stay here all day!"

Saturday's Picture of the Day

2009-01-18T15:29:00.003-05:00

A little late but it's here. No editing...

What: My quarter horse, Buddy
Where: The barn he is staying at for the time being.
How it happened: He was watching a stray cat I think and struck an awesome pose in the process.

Whoh...

2009-01-13T10:14:00.002-05:00

Well, obviously, I've been getting very behind with my "Picture of the days" . I think I'm going to take a break for a bit so I won't be posting POTD's quite so often. Maybe once or twice a week.

Just keeping you updated! Have a nice week. :-)

Special: Kerr Mill Pictures

2009-01-09T13:17:00.005-05:00

Sorry guys! I managed to get the pictures on here but I haven't had time to edit any of them. So what you see is what you get. Straight out of the camera. :-) Have A Nice Day (HAND) everyone!

A Millstone laying by the pathway

Cellar?

Waterwheel

Melissa Cockman taking pictures!

The shingles of a building nearby...

The backside of the Mill

The old architecture was fun to take pictures of...

Straight up!

Another Mill Stone

An old window

Special: Windy Day Excitment!

2009-01-07T16:35:00.006-05:00

Elijah eating a grham cracker and watching the action--A firefighter's hose got blew off the truck and strung out all down the road. This is the truck parked out front picking up the loose hose.

A rainbow!

The double rainbow that I was priviliged to see!

Our backyard... Enough said.

Buddy's old pasture... I pointed out the trunks of all three trees that fell with red dots.

Tuesday's Picture of the Day

2009-01-06T21:23:00.002-05:00

What: A pinecone in the pond
Where: The pond at Murray's Mill, NC
How it happened: Every good photographer cheats somewhere along the line. I set up for this picture and threw the pinecone into the pond which created the neat little bubble in the corner.

(I didn't take the time to watermark this picture but it is copyrighted just the same)

Monday's Picture of the Day

2009-01-05T19:56:00.003-05:00

What: Drambuie AKA Buie

Where: The dressage arena at RHD

How it happened: This is Buie ,a 3 yr old Hanoverian gelding in the early stages of dressage training.

Saturday's Special Post 1/3/09

2009-01-03T16:58:00.006-05:00

Royal Son -- AKA Raider showing his moves. These pictures were taken of Raider at his first time under saddle. He accepted the saddle so well that Racheal decided to lunge him a bit. What's the big deal? Raider has only been lunged about 3 times that I can recall. Maybe more but I wasn't there. So considering this, he did an incredible job in the round pen!

Getting the hang of it... "Look! I can do this!"

Re-adjusting the bit that he gummed at the whole time. "But Mooooom! It's my new toy!"

"I spy a skinny girl with a camera who won't mind her own business..."

The joys of training... "Look mom! I've got it now-- I've got the moves! Check this out--and this!"

Waiting for his next command. "I'm all ears!"

Thoughtful moment between horse and owner.... Ever wonder what horses think? I bet he's going, "So mom, how did I do? Did I do good? I did good didn't I? Yeah I did. I know I did!"

And owner's thoughts? Here's a flashback>

Friday Picture of the Day

2009-01-02T20:34:00.002-05:00

Newborn longhorn heifer... How cute!

Happy New Year!!

2008-12-31T23:04:00.003-05:00

Ho hum... Another new year.

WOO HOO!!! I think I'm gonna sleep this one in though. Then when I wake up in 2009, I'm gonna take Jacob to work at the church and then....... *Drum roll please* I am going to celebrate with Jana at McDonald's with a Big Mac. For the fun of pure self inflicted pain, I have went a whole year now with no sodas and no McDonalds. The sodas part was not hard. Just think of all that acid... Blach. But the McDonald's I have ALMOST broken several times but never actually done it. Unless you count the time about 2 months ago when I gobbled down my little brother's hamburger he didn't want one night, when him and our parents got back from town. They were SUPPOSED to have stopped at Burger King.... Well, I started realizing there were chopped onions on that cheeseburger so I investigated then... Only to find it was too late! Anyways... *Clears throat* That was an accident. It is now time to move on with my life and....

CELEBERATE 2009! :-D

(I may actually gain a couple lbs from this visit I'm planning to McD's... )

NOTE::: No Post of the day... Once again, I apologize. I WILL get them up by the end of the week. Honest.

No Post of the day

2008-12-30T21:10:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm really starting to fall behind now. I've taken a few pictures but haven't had the chance to upload them yet. I'll try to get to ot tomorrow (Wednesday)... If I can't, just bear with me and I'll get them up before the end of the week. Have a wonderful near year!

No Saturday Picture of the Day

2008-12-27T19:40:00.002-05:00

Sorry guys... Busy day and I didn't get to take my camera out.

Special Christmas Day Post

2008-12-25T22:43:00.005-05:00

The weather was beautiful today so I drove out to the barn to get a ride in while I could. I rode Zippy and the other horses were really kicking up their heels and having a good time. So much so that Zippy wanted to join them and she about come out from under me a couple times. lol The cowgirl in me (The big mushy part) wanted to see what she'd do, so I jumped down from her back and stripped her saddle and bridle in a few seconds. She was gone like the wind across the field with the horses. That small herd of horses was a beautiful sight to behold right about then.

But of course, by the time I got back from getting my camera out of the jeep, they had run all of their energy out.

Here's the pictures I took today. I was feeling a B&W theme but I kinda fell somewhere in between I believe.

I always knew Zippy had a halo...

Buddy playing hide and seek over Zippy's back. *Haha... She'll never find me over here*

Door to the heart?

The cows across the road... Just minding their own business. As usual.

VOTE ON THE POLL PLEASE

Wednesday's Picture of the Day

2008-12-24T23:42:00.003-05:00

What: The planks making up a walking bridge
Where: South Mountain State park
How it happened: Michael, Caleb, Jacob, Jana, and I went for a hike Sunday afternoon and I was able to get some neat shots. I tweaked this one in photoshop a bit to make the foot bridge look old. Any suggestions??

No Post of the day

2008-12-23T22:20:00.000-05:00

Sorry everyone... Been busy... I'll try to get one up for tomorrow's Picture of the Day.

Making up for Saturday's Picture of the Day

2008-12-21T22:41:00.003-05:00

Hi all! A little late but it's here. Enjoy!

How much can you do to a photograph? Editing creates incredible moods for pictures that can't be achieved otherwise. Although some photographers disagree, editing is a huge asset to the field of photography. Look at the difference bettwen these two photos. The below is a "before" picture and the above is and "After" picture. Although some may like the before picture better, (It's all a matter of taste) the after picture has created a completely different mood and mindset for the viewer. What do you think? Vote on my poll!

No Saturday's Picture of the Day

2008-12-20T17:50:00.002-05:00

Sorry everyone! No picture of the day today. I could have went back through the thousands of pictures I have and pulled out a good one but I'd rather not. It's possible I'll post a picture tomorrow (Sunday) evening if I go to Latta Plantation as I plan to do. Thanks for checking in!

Friday's Picture of the Day

2008-12-19T22:55:00.004-05:00

Hasn't struck midnight YET! Picture of the day has finally made it. :-)
This picture I dug out of a folder from earlier this year. Wouldn't it be great if it were spring again!!?

What: My cousins out rock climbing
Where: Black Mountain NC
How it happened: Every good photographer has to get their feet wet sometime right? I was standing out in the middle of the creek directing traffic (5 other kiddies) so I could get a picture of the girls.

No Thursday Picture of the Day

2008-12-18T22:04:00.001-05:00

Sorry everyone! Haven't been able to get out with the camera today. Check back in tomorrow. Until then, God bless u!

Special Rainy-Day Post For December 2008

2008-12-17T18:11:00.006-05:00

Tuesday's Picture of the Day

2008-12-16T16:57:00.004-05:00

What: An indoor water and lights show.
Where: Opryland Hotel in Nashville TN
How it happened: The water came from holes in the floor and would shoot up 25 feet or so into the air and fall down hitting the floor with a slap. The color in the water came from lights that were rigged into the ceiling which changed colors periodicly making the water seem full of life. Beautiful! :-D

Monday's Picture of the Day

2008-12-15T10:02:00.002-05:00

What: Shelleigh playing the piano...
Where: My living room here at home
How it happened: We all took turns banging away on the piano; Here, it was Shelleigh's turn.

Please vote on the new POLL to your right! Thank you!

Sunday

2008-12-11T19:42:00.001-05:00

Just letting everyone know that there will not be a Picture of the Day on Sundays. And in case you are wondering why I am cheating with my Picture of the Day posts, I am having company this weekend so I decided to go ahead and post my pix so I'll have, "No worries!" this weekend. Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Saturday's Picture of the Day

2008-12-11T19:13:00.002-05:00

By Erin Knight

A tiny little mound
No more than a half inch wide
I can't help but wonder
How many ants are living inside

I know they're in there
As busy as could be
Building their city
And working diligently

I patiently sit
And watch for awhile
Soon they emerge
From the top of the pile

In single file
They filter out
In search of food
They're off to scout

Each one assigned
A certain job
Just as important
As head of the mob

On a mission
For their queen
Their survival skills
Are very keen

With mission complete
And food in hand
They then return
To their home land

Assembled at the base
Of the massive hill
It's time to go in
Their village to fill

Marching uphill
They don't miss a beat
As they disappear
Into their cozy retreat

What: Mr. Bee (Diseased) and Mr. Ant.
Where: On the ground by Stone Mountain NC
How it Happened: Mr. Bee left us one bright and sunny afternoon and Mr. Ant was elected to perform the burial--I.E. Remove the remains and put them to good use back at the nest. I spotted the goings on when Mr. Ant's movement caught my attention.

Friday's Picture of the Day

2008-12-11T18:59:00.003-05:00

What: A horse shoe hanging on the wall
Where: The Barn
How it Happened: I was kneeling down taking pictures of the barn cat and happened to notice this horseshoe tacked to the wall. How it got there I will never know but it made a great picture!

Thursday's Photo of the Day

2008-12-11T10:18:00.004-05:00

What: Buddy's pasture mate, Reva

Where: Just inside the barn

How it happened: Tired, soaked from the rain, and just after eating her lunch, Reva lets out a huge yawn! Although it appears as if she's laughing at me for some odd reason.

Picture of the Day

2008-12-10T16:28:00.005-05:00

Ok, so as long as I am alive I will always be arguing with myself. I had an argument today. In this case it was over whether or not I should post a "Picture of the day" each day of the week or if I should do a "Picture of the Week". What reason would I have to argue, you say?

Reason #1 I don't have a lot of free time each and every day so on the days that I didn't, "Picture of the day" would be a chore to get done--one of those things that you're doing at 12 AM right before your eyelids fall closed.

Reason #2 Why can't I find time in my schedule for a 15 minute job of uploading a picture? I CAN. So problem solved, right? No... I must make the picture enjoyable to look at so editing is involved. I'm an obssesive editor. Meaning: Once I get started, I cannot stop until a picture has reached perfection in my minds eye.

So, even though I can list numerous reasonable excuses for arguing with myself over this dilema, I will have to bring myself to make a decision sooner or later. I will therefore choose both. Today I will start posting "Picture of the day" each day. On days that my schedule is too full, I will post pictureless so as to keep you updated. Thank you for stopping in!

Once you've read this post, please take my poll located to your right. Thank you!

New blog header!

2008-12-10T16:28:00.002-05:00

Just bragging on my new blog header that Melissa Cockman made for me. Thanks! :-D

Mom's wintertime candles...

2008-12-08T17:44:00.003-05:00

Hello hello!

It's me again. I really need to stop procrastinating and start keeping this thing updated. Here's my plan for the upcoming months.

I plan to post a "Photo of the Week" every Thursday.

Also, keep checking in for the "Specials" post each month when I will do a long post full of pictures pertaining to a theme I choose. I'm hoping this month to shoot some abstract photos of a few places I have in mind. Keep your eyes peeled. Have a good day all!

Our kitchen table has never looked more inviting without the food...

I am still here... Contrary to popular belief.

2008-11-21T08:15:00.005-05:00

Yes yes... I appear to have fallen from the face of the earth. Well, not to say that this is a good excuse for slacking off but things have been really busy here lately and I just haven't had time to get out and take any pictures. I spent the previous weekend in TN with some friends and had a great time but in the process of the fun, I somehow managed to get myself sick going in and out of the cold. Either way, even though I'm still feeling pretty crummy today, I thought I would post and let you guys know I'm still here.

Anyone who'd like an update on Buddy:
His white line disease seems to be completely gone and I'll be able to have to farrier out soon to trim his hooves up so they look normal once again. But on the down side, his allergies have returned. At least now, I know why. He's allergic to hay. So for the rest of his life, any hay he gets has to be soaked in water first to get rid of any dust particles. But there is no running water at the barn where he stays now. Just the pond. So pray for me as I try to make a decision on whether or not to bring him back here until spring when the grass has grown back in the pasture at the barn. If I bring him back, it will break his heart... If only you could see how he loves the other horses company. But if I leave him there, he could quite possibly end up with heaves-A life threatening condition sort of like asthma in humans. Ugh... But to be quite honest, his joints are acting up on him and he's just plain "getting old". The thought has actually crossed my mind to humanely let him go. But for now... I'm not making plans. Just praying for guidance.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope everyone has a wonderful day today! I'm off to Charlotte for the Christmas Home Show. We'll see if I actually buy anything or if I just look till my eyes hurt.

Didn't feel like editing anything so what you see is what you get. :-P

Special Fall Post for November 2008

2008-11-06T09:33:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone! I finally got around to taking my camera outside to get some pictures. Here's the results from my hike:

Zippy gazing across the pasture at Buddy

My Buddy out in that beautiful pasture!

Wednesday Post

2008-10-29T10:31:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone... Sorry it's been so long since the last post. I am such a slacker!

To be honest, I don't have much to update anyone on. I've been going out to the barn every day for the past few days to work on Buddy's feet. Seems that he, and the other mares have developed White Line in their hooves. ( http://www.wiwfarm.com/whitelinedisease.htm ) So until his feet grow out, I've gotta keep them cleaned out and treated. Oh joy.... :-S He's such a soldier though! This little thing he has now is nothing compared to the thrush he had in all four feet when I bought him. He's become and old pro now at giving me his feet and even knows what foot I'll do next and picks it up and holds it there for me. :-P I put a neck reign on him yesterday and jumped up on him bareback for a short ride in the pasture. He did great! Ok, anyways, enough bragging on my Buddy... I hope you all have a wonderful day today! May God bless u!

Front to back> Zippy, Reva, and Buddy

Kendra and Steven's Wedding - Take 2

2008-10-21T12:12:00.002-04:00

Ok here are a few eidited pictures from Saturday. Sorry it took me so long to get them up. I hope you enjoy!!

The flower girl looking at the crowd inside the church. She chickened out after this shot and wouldn't walk down the isle. :-P

Kendra

Kendra and Steven

Wedding Bells!

The one closest to the camera got the bouquet...

Quick Pix!

2008-10-20T18:11:00.005-04:00

QUICK PIX = No editing, cropping, or fixed poses. Sooo what you see is what you get! :-D This isn't a wedding I was supposed to take pictures of or anything. Just a friends wedding that I wanted to remember. ;-) I will add more as soon as my PC starts working right again... Right now, it's telling me I have 20 pictures folders with absolutely NO pictures in them... Ahem. We'll see about that. I'm going to restart it and hopefully finish the post tomorrow sometime. Have a nice day everyone!

Here comes the bride!

There goes the bride...

You may now kiss the bride!

Introducing: Mr. and Mrs. Steven Fox

Mmm no wedding is complete without a beautiful cake!

The mirror under this made for an interest shot.

Cutting the cake.

Dishing the cake out to the Groom... ouch. Look at the JOY on that girls face!

Kendra holds up her skirt and makes a mad dash!

Mmmm... Gonna need a REAL shower after THAT shower...

The bride on the path and seeking revenge...

She found her target!! I thought it a good idea to move after I took this picture. Considering the target was nearing ME and that Kendra had enough amunition (Birdseed) for two people in close aim.

Beautiful Baby Grand piano with the church in the background.

Adding the finishing touches..... mwuhahaha

Latta Plantation Equestrian Center

2008-10-11T16:10:00.005-04:00

Hi all! I went to a horse show today at Latta Plantation Park. The leaves have already began changing and the scenery there was gorgeous! I've rode there once before but I had forgotten how nice it is there. I enjoyed myself a whole lot today and for once, got to get in on the action a bit. Here a few pictures from the show... Hope you enjoy them!

Horse and Hiker trails. See the leaves!?

Racheal walking Copper in the early morning

A few riders making last minute adjustments to their riding gear before heading to the main arena.

A beautiful Friesian gelding showing his moves

Yes I was quite captured by this guy... :-)

Elaine and Racheal watching one of Elaine's students ride a test.

Doing a leg yield.

Racheal's halt and salute on Copper.

Just a random shot but I love the way his mane is here!

A gorgeous pony that, at first, I thought was an andalusian cross...

The same pony in it's stall.