LE Horse Guardians

I've had these images for a few months now and finally decided to release them for holiday shoppers. I will put one up for sale each Sunday evening until the series of 6 is complete. But don't wait to buy them, see my special offer farther on in the post!


They are all black and white images that would make a great grouping of art. I am first offering them as 12x18 images as you see here. The print itself is 12x18, while the image will have a border and my small digi-sig. I am offering them in this manner as a Limited Edition of 30 each. They will be $30 each. Yes, you read that right! I will also sell the entire series of 6 images in this size for $150, a savings of $30 off the individual print purchase price. If you want the entire set, please email me. I will be posting an image later this week showing the six images. If you are trying to find an unusual gift for someone, consider my Horse Guardians series. I titled it such because there was a beautiful light that made me think of angels and an otherwordly emotion evokes from them. I hope you think so too.
These will be released also as smaller images, cards and unsigned in several months.

Bring on the red

I have these two little bushes on my patio and in the fall they offer brilliant red berries and leaves. One seems to do better than the other, but I thought the runt was better suited for this photo venture. I've got several great shots, but am only posting one for now. Don't forget to scroll down and visit older posts/archives! And if you like my blog, show some holiday spirit and post a comment! Sometimes I feel like I'm writing to an audience of 1.

Curb appeal or Porch pretty

I really like driving around town and seeing what people do with their homes during the holidays. This is a nice place. I wonder if a home like this has big rooms or small rooms.


and closer:


I'd guess small, since that seems to be the case here in Oklahoma with older homes. I must say I'm fortunate that my home, while it lacks a lot of elegance on the outside and looks small, when you walk in the door, the space is incredible. Believe me, I've had several people come by and they are amazed when they step into my home. I've started decorating my dining room for Christmas. I'll post some photos in a week or so after that room is complete. For now though, my house is upside down with tubs and tons of holiday stuff strewn about as I make my way through it in deciding how to decorate. The first year, we moved in with only days to Christmas, so we didn't do much. Last year, it just seemed sparse. So I've been collecting goodies so that my home just sparkles with Christmas for the little ones this year.
If you have posted photos of your holiday home on your blog, let me know!

Go Dog Go!

This dog made me think of Tip from the primer readers I learned to read in. Sally, Dick, Jane, Tip and Mitten..I still have several of my childhood books. Sally and Tip were my favorites. The primers got a bad rap, IMO. So did phonics. Supposedly, children struggled to learn how to read and the books were unrealistic. Really now? I learned before I was 3 to read from those books. And by the time I was in kindergarten, I was reading ahead of first- and second-graders.

Of course, I had the advantage since my mom was a teacher. What I'm saying is that now I write for a living, have always loved to read, so how can the primers be 'that bad!?'
As for the photo, he was in the back of his owner's bike in the Paseo Arts District in OKC. Just too cute to pass by. And yes, he was getting ready to "Go dog, go!"

Smile for your thankfulness

Love this little lamb smile! Be sure to visit your own Main Street, you might be pleasantly surprised by the window loveliness waiting to be discovered this holiday season. Duncan has some wonderful holiday windows every year. We have a great Main Street program (thanks Tammy and all the merchants!) And if you're ever in the area, be sure to stop and shop!

Red building in Waurika

A few weeks ago I was in Waurika and I've seen this building hundreds of times. Every day when I used to work down there. It sits in a very visible spot as you go into the town's Main Street but it was on this day that I felt compelled to photograph it. Glad I did. I really like how it turned out.

If you want to buy a copy of it, hop over to my tphotos site, button at left (fine art,scroll down you'll see it).

Happy Birthday Mr. B!

My grandson turns 1 this week. I only had a short time to do a few photos, but I'm so happy with the way they turned out. Happy Birthday little guy! Love you so much!

Life's little moments

My granddaughter's rubber duck after bathtime at 2 a.m. when she wasn't feeling well. Isn't it great that little things like this can make a child feel better and are moments that make up our wonderful lives?

Roscoe's one cool dog!

I went out to Comanche cemetery to do a feature for the Sunday lifestyles section and here was this adorable dog, Roscoe. I haven't seen one just like him since I was a child, when my Uncle Arthur had one in the 1960s. I remember my mom talking about that dog quite a bit and I've got a photo somewhere of Arthur and his dog.
So anyway, Roscoe became my new best friend while I was out there. At one point, I bent down to pull a sticker off my pants leg and he startled me by climbing up my back and getting on my shoulders! I laughed so hard. He jumped down when I stood up, then he grabbed my pants leg and wanted to play tug-of-war.



Well when I had to take a photo of the people there, he got behind me and started barking furiously. Something behind me had spooked him and he almost acted like he was guarding me from 'whatever' it was out there. We all looked to see if maybe there was a squirrel or vulture, but there was nothing and he was sure defensive. After a few moments, I'll admit that I thought maybe a bad spirit was there. Then when one of the people there, who also has a bulldog, but female, she wasn't there, but they said she also acted like that right there the other day. So that confirms enough for me. I don't think I'll go to that cemetery alone or at night. And I've never been bothered by cemeteries, but if a dog is showing some agitation, something's not right, that's all I'm saying! Hah!

Dog's Day in the Park

Cindy I sure had fun, your dogs are super. Enjoy! I hope this makes you smile today.


and another one (you might turn your volume down some as it's a bit louder! ha!)

Tricycle found "Help me title this!"

roses of childhood

My mother had the most magnificent rose garden when we lived in Pacifica. I wished that I could have had the opportunity to photograph it. One of my favorite photos of myself is when I am like 7? standing by a rose that was as big as me, but it is in black and white. I don't have a scanner right now, or I'd scan it in.
When I saw this rose up in the Paseo Arts District in OKC this weekend, I thought of those childhood days. It's similar to those roses. I decided to enhance it and have shared some of the versions here. Which is your favorite? I'm curious to know!
Also, if you have a favorite rose story to share, I'd love to hear it in a comment below. (P.S. - click on it and it will load up large, you are welcome to use it as desktop wallpaper for personal use only)

Playtime

Paseo Arts District, OKC

My husband and I made our first trip to the Paseo Arts District in Oklahoma City Saturday. The weather was perfect and we didn't even visit all the galleries first trip out. Mostly because I spent lots of time visiting with the gallery owners.

Met Cynthia Wolf and we instantly hit it off. Of course, having something in common was key. She also shot photos of the Oklahoma Centennial Cattle Drive, farther north. Her gallery, Adelante! is perfect. Artist Thomas Stotts was outside painting and he and my husband spent lots of time talking too. Cynthia and I are considering collaborating with our Cattle Drive photos and doing something really cool. She does these fabulous transfer emulsions with her photography also and had some cool tiles. Definitely a great Christmas gift item.

Love this architecture (above). I think this will become a piece to hang in my home.

I love yellow! this was at The Elms.

Gorgeous building. Reminds me of California.

Can't wait to go back. I saw so many things that kicked my creative zone into overdrive and wished that I could afford a few pieces even. Loretta Young-Gautier's horse images are awesome and I saw some other things too.

Barn in paradise

I shot this a few years ago and am anxious to go back. It's in NW Arkansas and such an idyllic setting. I will be putting it in my etsy shop, it's 8x10.

Springtree Road cards!

I love the photography on springtree road blog. This month is black and white over there, click on the link to the right when you finish here. I visited her etsy shop on Sunday and found these lovely cards.
Why do I like them?
1. colors! love red and blue!
2. subject matter. I don't 'yarn' around, but my mom did.
3. children's chair..I have a few!
4. and I just love cards from other photographers.
I have an etsy shop and pretty much after expenses I take my profits and put it right back into etsy by spending it in other etsy shops. I've managed to get some nice photography and other items. It's nice to have something on my walls besides just my own stuff!
But now I'm broke, so I need some more etsy sales so I can spend more on etsy!

Yogurt - finally!

It makes me want to say Oikos three times really fast, but all I could do was enjoy the thickest yummiest yogurt I've ever tasted. I don't know that I could ever go back to those 'other' yogurts that are packed with sugar and are like melted ice cream. This stuff, by Stonyfield Farm, is a bit pricier, at $4 for four, but it is definitely worth it and when you consider what you pay for an single ice cream or soda these days, it's a better buy.
No, I'm not getting paid to say any of these things. I just really really like this yogurt. And if I were getting paid, this would be written much better and not at midnight! I had no idea this is what yogurt should be like. I am a blueberry nut, so of course, that's the flavor I bought. No photo with this post, as my camera is in the bedroom and the container is empty. So just visualize the spoon and container.

gone to the dogs!

I'm a bit behind in posting images, but these are some from Bark in the Park. I love being a 'dogographer' and really should do this more often. These were at the event, but when I do private sessions, it's a blast and the dog isn't distracted by all the activity like they were at this event. The event generated a reported $20,000 this year for the Stephens County Humane Society shelter. That's awesome, considering that the economy is still struggling. Several donations provided 'free adoptions' so about two dozen animals went home with new owners. This little guy by the tree was so adorable. Total PUP! His owners plan to put him through obedience training.