I am a Scavenger

I've been a Scavenger for a while now.   It seemed such a little thing, but it has made a HUGE impact on my photography, my attitude, my confidence and my life.
That may sound a bit mellow-dramatic, but I assure you, it is not!!!

I have done things.
Many things.
I never would have done these things if not for the Scavenger Tribe!!

I remember the first time I heard about this thing called the Photo Scavenger Hunt on a now obsolete platform called G+. Ron Clifford had shared a link for the signups in his stream. I had recently joined this thing called G+, discovered him there and immediately followed him because I loved his style of photography. This was at the beginning of my own photography journey. I was still discovering my love for photography and learning on a whole new level!
I had NO idea the journey I had put my self on!!

I said "I'm in!" for the first time in March of 2015..... I remember it being so fun to see a group of people that enjoyed photography AND each other!
The first meetup had just happened and there were many post in my stream about how awesomely wonderful it had been.  I'm guessing Ron was commenting on some posts as well, so I saw the posts that way!  It looked like a fabulous time was had by all!!!
It got me very motivated to jump in and become a part of this "community".
What I didn't realize at the time was how truly WONDERFUL being part of this community would be!   I had NO idea of the friendship that would form, the connections across the world that would be made, the encouragement I would receive, the happiness I would have from meeting people in real life!
 That's right!!!
This small town girl right here got on a plane (for the fist time ever) flew across the country (Alabama to Nevada) to meet people I had only "met" on the internet!!!!

It.
Was.
Epic.

I cannot describe to you how absolutely wonderful it was to meet these precious people!!
These Scavengers.
My tribe!

Life changing. Enormous amounts of FUN. Hugs galore. Photography.  LAS VEGAS!!!!

That will be a blog for another day.....

For now, I'd like to take a look back at my first ever Hunt Photos.
It was Round 15...there were 10 words.

....quick explanation on how it works..... It happens about four times a year. There is a "sign up" day. On that day you say (type) "I'm in" if you want to participate in the Hunt.  After you sign up, we are given the rules of the Hunt.
My favorite rule is "Have FUN"!!!!
It's important.
There are a few technical rules about how to post the photos, how to name the photos, how to participate in general.
Then, we get the List.

The list is sacred.

The list is magical.

Every.

Time.

We are not allowed to talk about the list outside of that particular Round's community!!! (It's one of the rules!)  (it causes confusion, jealousy and world hunger. The list must be guarded at all cost!!)
We are given 7 - 10 words to interpret into photographs!!!
Sounds easy, right?!!?

My first list was as follows:

Bite

Bliss

Cobweb

Curved 

Greasy

  

Hang in There 

LadyBug

Risk

Wax

Yellow

I SO wish I could take you back to see all of the FABULOUS interpretations of these words!!! Let me tell you.....Scavengers are amazing, creative and fun!! For each word there are hundreds of interpretations!!!
So.
Much.
Creativity!!!
I was hooked after this round!!!
I haven't missed a single round since my first sign up!!!
Even when I was at my own personal worst, (life was very ugly for me for a bit there) the Hunt helped me focus on something else for a while!
I have submitted a photo for every word on each List.  Not always the best photography, I'm a work in progress, but motivation to keep plugging on.
The List has made me think outside of the box, inside the box, under the box, through the box, around the box, and made me look for the essence of the box!
It is because of the Hunt that I found the Arcanum. I learned more about photography and post processing under my Master Instructor, Bob Young. As an apprentice in the Arcanum I had access to people all over the world giving feedback to help me improve my skills. Much like the Scavenger Hunt, but consistently.  It was like having my Tribe with me every day, not just during the Hunt!!! It was another of my life changing experiences.

Because of the Hunt (and consequently, the Arcanum) I now have my own photography business, a web page for my work and have made actual money doing something that I absolutely LOVE!!!
<<<  My website  >>>

I found my niche, my style and my voice because of the Photo Scavenger Hunt, the people of the Hunt (my Tribe) and the process of the Hunt.

My latest entries for Round 26.....I think (hope!!) you will see a bit of improvement....

Courage

Coward

Curtain 

Home 

Monkey

Rainbow

Road

Selective Color

Sepia

Wizard

You can see everyone's entries here ----> Round 26
I highly recommend that you go see just what this Photo Scavenger Hunt is all about!!!

This is not the end of my story, just a quick  look into how it started!!!!
I will forever be grateful to the people of the Hunt.... Chrysta who had the idea and made it happen, kept it fun, Lauri and Elizabeth who have kept it going through ALL of the changes that were forced upon us,  and each person of the Scavenger Tribe.
Y'all are in my heart, always.

#HappySads

So Very Much Not A Farm Girl.... Part 4....

Ok. Yes.  

There has been another incident of my non-farminess.... 

If you need to catch up here is a link>>>Farm Girl Part 3<<< 

You will also find links to the other stories there..... I'm afraid I will never be a "Farm Girl".

On to this story....

I am not what you would call a snake hater!!!! Quite the opposite!! I think they are beautiful and have a very specific purpose. As long as I don't have to see them, hear them, or whatever, they can live their happy life however they choose! 

Where I begin to digress from my lofty opinion of them is when I see them in places I frequent…

Namely, my yard!

As a “city girl livin’ the country life” I am not accustom to seeing snakes so my first reaction to a sighting is “GET THE SHOVEL!!!!”  or  “GET THE GUN!!!!!”  It really doesn’t matter what size the snake is…. At some point they will be bigger, possibly venomous, and/or eat my chicken’s eggs so all snakes must go!!!  I am assuming that most "farm girls" are capable of taking care of this themselves.... well, good on them!!! 

Yesterday I had some extra energy (a rare thing it seems these days!!) so I decided to go on a walkabout around our property. My Army Man had told me of thousands of flowers growing in the bee field so I wanted to check that out for sure! And the bees!!!! Of course, I wanted to check on the bees too!!! It’s always so wonderful to see lots of bees flying around and being active around their hive!!

See those spots on the right side?? Those are bees!!!

I started out in our front yard which is actually very large. Earlier, I had spotted some mushrooms I wanted to shoot (photograph) so I headed that way first! I got a few shots and let me just say…. mushrooms can be a bit tricky to shoot. I was lying prostrate on the ground to get a good angle and could feel a bit of the dampness from recent rains coming through my clothes, but it had to be done. It doesn’t help that my oldest son, who was getting logs for a future bonfire, drove by on the lawnmower and gave me a weird look. You’d think he’d be used to seeing his mom down the ground with a camera by now!! Maybe it was the dampness….. pretty sure I saw an eye roll in there somewhere!!! 

But a photographer does what a photographer needs to do to get the shot....

I think it tuned out quite lovely!!!! I have a few (read, several) more, but they didn't strike me quite like this one did!!!

I left the area with the mushrooms and went across our ever-running creek!!! It's the little creek that could!!! It never stops flowing!! Even when there has been no rain for months!! It is a faithful little creek and when it has rained it gets bigger and louder!!  Anyway.... I crossed the creek and found a few wild flowers growing over by the pond!!! (and here I was thinking the flowers were almost done!!!) 

Well, technically the last (yellow) one is ragweed!! At least that's what we call it around these parts and it causes many folks plenty of misery this time of year!!!   But I found it's tiny blossoms quite enchanting (after I sneezed about four times!)!!

As  I was making my way back to the bee field I came across a bit of wetness that I can only describe as extremely gross!!! It is a place where runoff water flows from properties higher than ours and the place it ends up is stagnant for the most part!!! There must be movement somewhere, somehow, because of the shapes within the depths, but it seems very few and far between!!!

?????

From here I walked the path through our enchanted forest (at least that's what I tell myself as I am anxiously dodging huge spiders, countless spots of poison ivy, possibly snakes--that I cannot see, thankfully! and moss!!). I love moss!! =) 

The bee field is through this path and it really is covered in little yellow flowers!!! It is quite a sight, but the camera does not see the beauty as I see it. The camera only sees the chaos so I decided not to share photos of that part!! 

I crossed back over the creek (in a different area)(we have like three creek crossings on our property!) and decided to go see the chickens!!! They are always good for a photo or two!! I noticed that the volunteer tomato (by the coop yard) had a few orange tomatoes so I decided to give them to the chickens as I have done all summer!!! 

No big deal!!! 

Right?!?!?!

WRONG!!!

The wooden gate that the tomato vine has clung to all summer has on opening on the support bar that until now held a spider. The kind of spider that sort of buries itself and puts it's web around the opening....I think it's a trapdoor spider or something  like that!!! Anyway..... I noticed that it's web was hanging down so I looked closer and freaked out a little!!!

I KNOW!!!! It's really hard to tell from this photo!! (believe me I saw the giggles the men were suppressing while I was showing them this photo in the camera!!!) 

BUT...there is a SNAKE in there where the spider used to be!!!! 

FREAKING OUT HERE!!!!!
First of all.... All I saw was a tan body, dark spots. Tan body, dark spots....tan body dark spots...

Gaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!! It could be a rattle snake OR a copperhead!!! Both of which live in our area of the world AND both of which are venomous!!!!

So I did the only logical thing I could think of.... I called my Army Man!!!!

Luckily for me (and ultimately the snake) he was very close by with a coworker!!!

That's right!!! I called the Alabama National Guard!!! 

Bahahahhahahaha

And what do you think they did??? They came right over and started looking for that snake!! 

I am the luckiest girl in the world right here!!!! Two very capable Army Men came to my house to remove the threat (that I was feeling!!)!! They had to remove the planks on the gate because the snake would NOT budge out of his hiding place! He had gotten himself curled up around a screw or something....I don't know. All I know is, there was a snake in the gate, he did not come out of the gate and I don't want him near me, my kids or the chickens!!! 

They worked on this thing manually removing the screws so they could get to the snake! 

=) =) =)

Meanwhile, I got a photo of a wasp butt..... This is no ordinary wasp (butt)!! The size of this thing (the wasp,not necessarily the butt!) is about the size of my pinky!!! It is the largest, reddest wasp I think I have ever seen!!!!  EEEeeeeekkk!!!! We stayed well away from this thing!!! 

Seriously, there are days, beautiful days, that I wished I'd have just stayed inside!!!! 

Back to the drama of the snake.....

The Army Men finally got the snake out! It was all of about 9 inches long. (shivers!) Jere said it was a "rat snake". Non-venomous. Non-threatening.  

Still....it had to go!!!
Never fear though you (crazy) snake lovers!!!! It was a catch and release!!! The guys took it with them and released it in the woods far away from our home!!! =) 

See those dirty hands?!?!?!  

THAT is what the Alabama National Guard did for me 

(and this little snake!)!!!! 

It really helps that I'm married to one of them!!!!! 

=) =)  

 Then my son, traitor lover of reptiles that he is, got to hold the snake while the Army Men were cleaning up!!! He was thrilled and begged asked several times if he could keep it!!!
Ummmmm NOOOOO!!!!! I need my sanity!!!!

                                      

To help and prevent nightmares (my own included!) I will leave you with these last few photos I took while waiting to be rescued by my Army Man!!! 

Find a happy place. Think happy thoughts. Find a happy place. Sunshine and rainbows. Find a happy place.

Blessings!!!

Farm Girl??? Part 3

Yes....this is the third in a series.... 

Here are the first two if you want to "catch up"... hahahahahahha

>>Part 1<<

>>Part 2<<

I am trying to be as open and honest as I can. I sometimes feel I am really not cut out for the life that I live!!!

Craziness!!!
I am a city girl.... I now live in the boonies. By choice, but not necessarily fitting in with my surroundings!!!!
But the sound of bugs and birds beat the sounds of traffic and sirens any day of the week!!!! This is my sky view from my porch nearly every day (unless it is raining and dreary!!)

 It is very pretty where I live and I have no complaints....

ok....maybe I have a few complaints!!!

My sweet daughter….  My almost 13 year old beautiful little girl…. 

My tenderhearted chicken keeper…. My most capable kitchen helper…..
My mini-me (at least in looks and attitude!!)......  My Truly....

  

Somehow, in a sense of humor only God could have, I have a daughter that thrills in the hunting of squirrels.  We have always taught her (and her brothers) that if she kills it, she has to eat it.
Not that I have ever, ever (Nope, NEVER!!!!) shot anything for food!!!
Nor do I ever intend to!
As a child and teenager, my Army Man was a hunter.
He no longer enjoys it as he did...
  

Every single day my daughter asks me if she can go hunting. 

Every... 

Day....

I had an “excuse” through the summer because it was not “hunting season”, but now that we are in September I no longer have a valid excuse for denying her this. 

She LOVES to go out hunting. 

I have no idea where this desire comes from!!! 

Is it her competitive nature?? Nope!! Don’t think so….Neither of her brothers want to hunt. So she wins every time... 

Is it her need for food?? I should think not…. There is plenty of food in this house!!!  I have to feed 3 kids that are 11, 13 (in Oct.), 15 (in Nov.)!!!!!  

I just do not understand….. 

It is something I have come to accept as a part of her.  She is not like me at all when I was her age. I wanted earrings, new shoes, dresses and makeup for my birthdays, not a new gun, arrows with real tips (for future deer hunting!!) and a large knife!!!!  It’s kinda freaky, but she is who she is and I love her for it!!! She is pretty awesome!!! 

After she has shot and cleaned it she then prepares and cooks it herself.

Like I said, she is petty awesome!!!

 My oldest son, McCoy,  has always been fascinated with all things lizard….. he is constantly bringing me creepy, scaly things to look at. It seems to me as we have been out on this property  that the things are getting bigger and creepier…..this is an older photo (from Spring 2015), but gives you an idea of things that are thrust into my face almost daily (ok, so he has learned his lesson and no longer thrust them toward me, but it still FEELS like they are thrusted and I shrink back. Every time!!!)... It's no wonder that my hair is turning grey!!! Look at what I have to see!!!!

My barefoot boy…..
My youngest son is by far the least adventurous….
He is always concerned about safety and making people aware of the dangers of our property by telling them about all of the snakes he has seen, the spiders that lurk in the trees, and the many, many thorns he has pulled out of his feet!!! 

However, all that caution does not apply to him. Obviously.  

He runs about the place bare-footed. All. Year. Long.   

So much so, that his running around barefoot combined with an abnormally quick growth spurt when he was nine has caused him to have a condition known as Sever’s Disease. It’s not a disease in the exact definition, but that is the layman’s term for it…. 

It is called “Calcaneal Apophysitis”. Yeah, that’s why it’s also called Sever’s disease….. 

Here is a bit of info on that... >>Heal Pain<<

Over the last year and a half this barefoot lovin’ boy has been in double casts on his feet five times (3 to 6 weeks each time!!)!!!! Five times!!! Can you even imagine how difficult that is for a boy?!?! We went from carefree to be careful overnight!! Because of this issue (which he will have until his heel bones fuse)(somewhere between 12 and 14 years old!) he is forced to wear shoes all the time!!!! Not a big deal if you’re in the city and have to walk on concrete and roads often, but out here in the boonies we have 6.5 acres of grass, woods, creeks and ponds to explore. It has been a very difficult time for my boy….. but he is a fighter!!! He hardly complains unless the pain has become unbearable and still, he tries to run around barefoot!!!  

Speaking of spiders..... I have found at least 3 different (I said THREE DIFFERENT!!!!) types of humongous spiders that enjoy our property along with us!!!! =/
GASP!!!!!! 

I don't think I have ever been so creeped out by spiders before!!! I'll admit, ALL spiders are somewhat creepy, but these things?!?!  Yikes!!!!  We're talking as big as my hand here!!!

Freeeeeeaky!!!!! 

Along with a few other critters.... this "little" guy was about 3 inches long!!!! 

Since we do live out in the Boonies now we had to consider getting a larger dog!! 

Our Bella, a cute and cuddly Australian Shepherd mix is a great companion, but when it comes to watchdog she is more annoying than scary. We ended up with Aries… you can read the story of how we came to have him here >>Aries' Story<<  and some of his antics here >>Crazy Dog!!<<  but most recently he has been diagnosed with Radial nerve damage in his right shoulder.
This is what I have discovered about it so far....>>Link<<
He had been limping for a few weeks and his right leg muscles have begun to atrophy!!! This is the result of three males fighting an epic battle for dominance with Aries being the smallest and youngest of the three!!!  He is a scrapper and does not know when to cry uncle!!!!   The good news is no bones were broken in battle and there is no infection!!! We took him to the vet because he lost control of his right leg/foot. He was dragging it….. 

But he seems to have regained some use of his leg/foot and we continue to give him cortisone tablets (anti-inflammatory) . The bad news is, when we have him rechecked in 4 weeks he needs to show marked improvement. If he does not we have to face a possible amputation to the shoulder. I was in tears at the vet’s office just thinking of our happy-go-lucky boy with only three legs!!!! But the vet assured us that dogs get along just fine with three limbs and should the worst happen he would go on to live a happy healthy life.  

I do love where we live!!! 

We have much freedom here that we would not have in the city. 

I have a beautiful home with a wonderful view, a completely failed garden, and lots of love and laughter. 

I couldn't ask for more!!!

Blessings!!!!! 

P.S.   My youngest just turned 11 years old!!!!! (11. Years. Old.)   

I am feeling old and crippled.... 

Well, not really, but I do feel like time is flying by!!!! 

I don't have many years left with my children here at home so we try to make the most of every day!!!

Here is my baby, Thoene, on his 11th Birthday and his choice in cake.... cheesecake of course!!!

My "Little" Loves