I started watching a new TV series, Private Practice, well it's not actually new, I'm just newly watching it. One of the main characters goes a little crazy, and has a breakdown over her ex-boyfriend of 3 years, suddenly marrying someone new. It kind of hit home, and I had a little breakdown of my own. Fortunately one of the greatest girl-friends a girl could have was able to set me straight again. She's been my rock through so much and I just love her for it.
I had a nice busy day spent with friends and horses and it did wonderful things for lining me out. Tonight I have a pile of bridles that need cleaning, but I decided to do a little reading first. There were 2 wonderful quotes that oddly enough really fit into my current situation. I don't do a Quote of the week thing really, but I thought I'd share. "Every journey toward something is a journey away from something". How true is that? We always concentrate on moving forward, being a different, better version of ourselves, but do we ever consider that we're also leaving something behind? That's a positive thing, but we should consider that in order to move forward we have to leave the past behind. "You cannot journey to a new place and at the same time stay where you are". Just marvelous! I love it.
As a part of moving forward and being a different person, I decided to join a faith. I was raised in a non-denominational church, so I'm not really converting so much as simply choosing a faith I most identify with. I'm very happy with my choice and in fact I'm going to be baptized on Holy Saturday. My parents are coming up and it'll be the best Easter ever. A part of my classes requires I read a religious book written by Mathew Kelly, and it's not dry reading at all. That's where these quotes came from, and I'm so thankful to be given this opportunity, now.
A great thing about being baptized now is that all of the sins I've committed up to this point will be forgiven. It truly is a chance to start anew. A chance to be the best me I can be. This is my chance to leave it all behind, and I'm welcoming the change with open arms. I'm definitely looking forward to this new journey in life.
Xo Loves,
Me
Scorup Cabin
Monday, March 25, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Sketches
If you don't draw, sketch or doodle I suggest you try it. It's so relaxing, and really fun, even if you're not great at it. After a wonderful afternoon of scratching lines into my notebook, I decided to look up some fun sketches on Google. Here's what I found :)
The Day of the Dead ones actually came up under a Gipsy search, but aren't they great?
XO Loves,
Me
Photo Credit: Google Images
The Day of the Dead ones actually came up under a Gipsy search, but aren't they great?
XO Loves,
Me
Photo Credit: Google Images
Monday, March 18, 2013
There Is No Arizona
This morning on my way to meet my chemistry tutor, the song There Is No Arizona by Jamie O'Neil came on. It's a great song and I've caught myself humming it throughout the day, but have you ever really listened to it? I don't mean listen and sing along, but let the words seep into your mind and touch your heart. Yea, me neither. But today I did.
It all came together, made sense and really hit home. I've known for years that there was no Arizona, that his lies could more than fill up the Grand Canyon, that the dreams he sold me don't exist. Due to recent events, I've been forced to truly realize all of these things. No more pretending, no more forgetting or tucking away the feelings. There truly is NO ARIZONA! For the first time in two years I realize I can let go. It was ok to give all I had, it wasn't ok to be dependent. But it's ok, I'm ok, and you know what? To Heck with Arizona! There are 49 other states available to me in a year when I graduate, and I plan on visiting quite a few of them. But don't you know the old AZ won't be one of them :) I'll make my own new and better life!
"There Is No Arizona"
It all came together, made sense and really hit home. I've known for years that there was no Arizona, that his lies could more than fill up the Grand Canyon, that the dreams he sold me don't exist. Due to recent events, I've been forced to truly realize all of these things. No more pretending, no more forgetting or tucking away the feelings. There truly is NO ARIZONA! For the first time in two years I realize I can let go. It was ok to give all I had, it wasn't ok to be dependent. But it's ok, I'm ok, and you know what? To Heck with Arizona! There are 49 other states available to me in a year when I graduate, and I plan on visiting quite a few of them. But don't you know the old AZ won't be one of them :) I'll make my own new and better life!
"There Is No Arizona"
He promised her a new and better life, out in Arizona
Underneath the blue never ending sky, swore that he was gonna
Get things in order, he'd send for her
When he left her behind, it never crossed her mind
There is no Arizona
No Painted Desert, no Sedona
If there was a Grand Canyon
She could fill it up with the lies he's told her
But they don't exist, those dreams he sold her
She'll wake up and find
There is no Arizona
She got a postcard with no return address, postmarked Tombstone
It said "I don't know where I'm goin' next but when I do
I'll let you know"
May, June, July, she wonders why
She's still waiting, she'll keep waiting 'cause
There is no Arizona
No Painted Desert, no Sedona
If there was a Grand Canyon
She could fill it up with the lies he's told her
But they don't exist, those dreams he sold her
She'll wake up and find
There is no Arizona
Each day the sun sets into the west
Her heart sinks lower in her chest and
Friends keep asking when she's going
Finally she tells them don't you know
There is no Arizona
No Painted Desert, no Sedona
If there was a Grand Canyon
She could fill it up with the lies he's told her
But they don't exist, those dreams he sold her
She'll wake up and find
There is no Arizona
He promised her a new and better life, out in Arizona
Underneath the blue never ending sky, swore that he was gonna
Get things in order, he'd send for her
When he left her behind, it never crossed her mind
There is no Arizona
No Painted Desert, no Sedona
If there was a Grand Canyon
She could fill it up with the lies he's told her
But they don't exist, those dreams he sold her
She'll wake up and find
There is no Arizona
She got a postcard with no return address, postmarked Tombstone
It said "I don't know where I'm goin' next but when I do
I'll let you know"
May, June, July, she wonders why
She's still waiting, she'll keep waiting 'cause
There is no Arizona
No Painted Desert, no Sedona
If there was a Grand Canyon
She could fill it up with the lies he's told her
But they don't exist, those dreams he sold her
She'll wake up and find
There is no Arizona
Each day the sun sets into the west
Her heart sinks lower in her chest and
Friends keep asking when she's going
Finally she tells them don't you know
There is no Arizona
No Painted Desert, no Sedona
If there was a Grand Canyon
She could fill it up with the lies he's told her
But they don't exist, those dreams he sold her
She'll wake up and find
There is no Arizona
He promised her a new and better life, out in Arizona
XO Loves,
Me
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Chris LeDoux
A friend posted something on Facebook about this week being the 8th anniversary of Chris LeDoux's death. He has forever and always been my favorite artist, even the old stuff from before he was famous. It's strange I can still remember the exact moment my mama and I heard on the radio that he had died. We were in Redding, CA on Hilltop Drive. I was a senior in high-school and had a meeting with an adviser at Shasta College. My mama and I were just stunned, we heard what the DJ was saying, but it just didn't really sink in, just didn't seem real.
In high-school I used his music for class projects several times. In Spanish I made a children's book based on Caballo Diablo. In English I used a quote from The Ride for a presentation. He inspired me all through my childhood. He was also the first concert I ever went to. The most amazing thing I had ever seen was towards the end when he entered the stage on a bucking machine. I remember thinking he really was the real thing and how lucky was I to get to see him in concert. It was just a couple years later that we lost him and anyone who hadn't seen him live would never get the chance.
This Cowboy's Hat was probably my first favorite of his. We had it on cassette and I used to play it so much my dad told me I was going to wear it out(I actually may have done just that). Call of The Wild was also a top favorite, I played it in the barn all the time. My sister has a lot of his albums and when I stayed with her during the summers I added another couple to the list, The Yellow Stud and The Stampede. My newest favorites are; Hairtrigger Colt .44, Hoka Hey, Lakotas, The Passenger, Too Tough to Die and Working Man's Dollar. This is definitely not a complete favorites list, I have like a trillion!
There's a song that really hits home to my papa. He used to ride bulls in the 70's when him and my mama were first married. My Grandad thought he was crazy, but actually really respected him for it. He wasn't particularly great, I wouldn't say he was on the road to the NFR by any means, but he did it and he loved it. My dad is short, but has really wide shoulders and carries all of his weight in his upper body, not exactly the best physique for a bullrider. At some point he rolled a CAT off of a cliff and broke his neck. He wasn't riding anymore, but that ensured he'd never be able to again. His song Ten Seconds in The Saddle means the most to my papa. "Life is just like ridin' broncs it's a battle, then he rolled a cigarette with shaky hands. Son I'd gladly take 10 seconds in the saddle than a life time of watchin' from the stands" I can see that longing in my papas eyes every time we watch the Bull Riding. He may not have been great, but it wasn't about that, it was the feeling he experienced every time he crawled on the back of a raging bull. A few years back we had a pretty rank Angus bull, and don't you know my dad was talking about what it'd be like to buck him out! We all took it as idle chit chat, but I know in his heart he really would have liked to have crawled on him.
I'm sure Chris LeDoux has touched us all at some point, especially those of us living the songs he wrote. What are some of your favorites???? Do you personally identify with any of his songs?
In high-school I used his music for class projects several times. In Spanish I made a children's book based on Caballo Diablo. In English I used a quote from The Ride for a presentation. He inspired me all through my childhood. He was also the first concert I ever went to. The most amazing thing I had ever seen was towards the end when he entered the stage on a bucking machine. I remember thinking he really was the real thing and how lucky was I to get to see him in concert. It was just a couple years later that we lost him and anyone who hadn't seen him live would never get the chance.
This Cowboy's Hat was probably my first favorite of his. We had it on cassette and I used to play it so much my dad told me I was going to wear it out(I actually may have done just that). Call of The Wild was also a top favorite, I played it in the barn all the time. My sister has a lot of his albums and when I stayed with her during the summers I added another couple to the list, The Yellow Stud and The Stampede. My newest favorites are; Hairtrigger Colt .44, Hoka Hey, Lakotas, The Passenger, Too Tough to Die and Working Man's Dollar. This is definitely not a complete favorites list, I have like a trillion!
There's a song that really hits home to my papa. He used to ride bulls in the 70's when him and my mama were first married. My Grandad thought he was crazy, but actually really respected him for it. He wasn't particularly great, I wouldn't say he was on the road to the NFR by any means, but he did it and he loved it. My dad is short, but has really wide shoulders and carries all of his weight in his upper body, not exactly the best physique for a bullrider. At some point he rolled a CAT off of a cliff and broke his neck. He wasn't riding anymore, but that ensured he'd never be able to again. His song Ten Seconds in The Saddle means the most to my papa. "Life is just like ridin' broncs it's a battle, then he rolled a cigarette with shaky hands. Son I'd gladly take 10 seconds in the saddle than a life time of watchin' from the stands" I can see that longing in my papas eyes every time we watch the Bull Riding. He may not have been great, but it wasn't about that, it was the feeling he experienced every time he crawled on the back of a raging bull. A few years back we had a pretty rank Angus bull, and don't you know my dad was talking about what it'd be like to buck him out! We all took it as idle chit chat, but I know in his heart he really would have liked to have crawled on him.
I'm sure Chris LeDoux has touched us all at some point, especially those of us living the songs he wrote. What are some of your favorites???? Do you personally identify with any of his songs?
XO Loves,
Me
Friday, March 8, 2013
Believe in Your Dreams
My room-mate gave me a book to flip through today, 'Always Believe in Yourself and Your Dreams'. It's a Collection from Blue Mountain Arts, and has a lot of very inspiring/helpful quotes in it. It's really a pretty cool little book!
My parents have always known I'm a little dreamer. From crazy things(even I agree) to seemingly attainable goals if I worked my hind end off, hard. When I was really little my friends and I used to sit around and draw. Our favorite thing? Our ranches, when we grew up of course. We would draw all kinds of things! From horse barns, to arenas, to tracks and breeding facilities. Mine always also included cattle. We used to also enjoy coming up with crazy registered names for our horses, mostly inspired by the hundreds of APHA and AQHA Journals I had stacked under my bed. As I got older my dreams turned into more real life ideas, and I love them all. Even if I won't ever get the chance to travel all across Europe, its nice to dream. Some people believe dreams are a luxury or something only children do, but that's not true. It's important to dream and look forward to the wonderful things that are yet to come. Here's a little excerpt from the book I read through today:
Be a Dreamer
Dare to dream, for dreamers see tomorrow.
Dare to make a wish, for wishing makes way for hope, and hope is what keeps us all alive.
Dare to reach out for the things no one else can see.
Be unafraid to see what others cannot.
Believe in your heart and in your own goodness, for in doing so others will believe in them, too.
Believe in magic, because life is full of it.
But most of all, believe in yourself... because within you lies all of the magic, the hope, the love, and the dreams of tomorrow.
-Ron Cristian
XO Loves,
Me
My parents have always known I'm a little dreamer. From crazy things(even I agree) to seemingly attainable goals if I worked my hind end off, hard. When I was really little my friends and I used to sit around and draw. Our favorite thing? Our ranches, when we grew up of course. We would draw all kinds of things! From horse barns, to arenas, to tracks and breeding facilities. Mine always also included cattle. We used to also enjoy coming up with crazy registered names for our horses, mostly inspired by the hundreds of APHA and AQHA Journals I had stacked under my bed. As I got older my dreams turned into more real life ideas, and I love them all. Even if I won't ever get the chance to travel all across Europe, its nice to dream. Some people believe dreams are a luxury or something only children do, but that's not true. It's important to dream and look forward to the wonderful things that are yet to come. Here's a little excerpt from the book I read through today:
Be a Dreamer
Dare to dream, for dreamers see tomorrow.
Dare to make a wish, for wishing makes way for hope, and hope is what keeps us all alive.
Dare to reach out for the things no one else can see.
Be unafraid to see what others cannot.
Believe in your heart and in your own goodness, for in doing so others will believe in them, too.
Believe in magic, because life is full of it.
But most of all, believe in yourself... because within you lies all of the magic, the hope, the love, and the dreams of tomorrow.
-Ron Cristian
XO Loves,
Me
Saturday, March 2, 2013
No Time to Workout? No Excuses
I saw a photo on Facebook a couple weeks ago, it was a short workout focusing on legs. Sexy legs to be exact. I think if we don't have time to work anything else, legs are most important. I'm not a trainer, or super fit girl, or any sort of pro or guru, this is just what I think.
I have knee issues, my knee caps don't track straight and for years Physical Therapists have concentrated on strengthening my thighs to fix the problem. I know a common problem in runners, especially female runners is a tight IT band. There are I think 3 muscles that attach to our knee caps on the outside of the leg, but only 1 attached to the inside. A tight IT band can be painful, and stretching does help, but what helps more is strengthening the adductor muscle(inner thigh).
As women in today's world we are constantly wearing shorts, skirts and dresses: lets face it, who doesn't want to have smokin' legs??? So here are a couple little short workouts that can help achieve some Hot legs for the summer weather that's quickly approaching, I think the shortest workout is 4 minutes, so try them out and see if they work for you! They all will also burn calories, and who can't use that?
I have knee issues, my knee caps don't track straight and for years Physical Therapists have concentrated on strengthening my thighs to fix the problem. I know a common problem in runners, especially female runners is a tight IT band. There are I think 3 muscles that attach to our knee caps on the outside of the leg, but only 1 attached to the inside. A tight IT band can be painful, and stretching does help, but what helps more is strengthening the adductor muscle(inner thigh).
As women in today's world we are constantly wearing shorts, skirts and dresses: lets face it, who doesn't want to have smokin' legs??? So here are a couple little short workouts that can help achieve some Hot legs for the summer weather that's quickly approaching, I think the shortest workout is 4 minutes, so try them out and see if they work for you! They all will also burn calories, and who can't use that?
XO Loves,
Me
Photo credit: Google Images
Friday, March 1, 2013
The Stories They Could Tell
I absolutely Love books. Any books. I'm constantly ridiculed when moving for the numerous, super heavy totes full of westerns and romances. I currently have two flat totes full of unread books in my house now. Over Christmas I used my mama's Nook like crazy. I seriously read 15 books over break. It was great because I could search for whatever I wanted and got it in a nano second and I could read in the dark without any lights on. Perfect right? Not really, I almost felt like I was cheating on the real thing. Actual books have history and tales outside of the stories they contain. Old books smell like moth balls, most of you may think yuck, but it's comforting in a way.
Our University Library has an amazing collection of really old, worn out, torn and abandoned books in the basement. I could spend days down there fondly caressing the spines of books tucked away and forgotten. No one ever goes down there for the books. Anyone who happens to be down there is only there to study or use computers. But not I. There are rows and rows of classics, books published before 1900, books with special inscriptions from loved ones passed down. My favorites are the books that have cardboard covers and are literally bound with string. How cool is that? I'll admit, I walk around looking for the oldest looking books and take them down just to see when they were published, or if anything is written inside the covers. A lot of these old books have been donated and I really find myself thinking of their pasts. Did the belong to people in OR? Did they hold regal positions in a ceiling to floor personal library like you see in movies? Were they read and re-read, cherished and coveted? Or did they sit untouched on a desk or shelf in someones study? I would love to know each and every books' story. Call me a nerd, but hey, I love Libraries!
Here are some pictures I took while creeping around in the basement, alone. I'll add that I currently have 5 of these pungent smelling forgotten books. I like being the only person who's checked them out since they've been there. I feel like all books deserve to at least be looked at, if not read. I doubt I'll be able to single handedly read every never checked out book in the library, but I'm sure going to do my best! At least with the classics.
These are the 5 books I have right now, Tennyson, Chaucer, Tolstoy, Leighton and Lehmann
Our University Library has an amazing collection of really old, worn out, torn and abandoned books in the basement. I could spend days down there fondly caressing the spines of books tucked away and forgotten. No one ever goes down there for the books. Anyone who happens to be down there is only there to study or use computers. But not I. There are rows and rows of classics, books published before 1900, books with special inscriptions from loved ones passed down. My favorites are the books that have cardboard covers and are literally bound with string. How cool is that? I'll admit, I walk around looking for the oldest looking books and take them down just to see when they were published, or if anything is written inside the covers. A lot of these old books have been donated and I really find myself thinking of their pasts. Did the belong to people in OR? Did they hold regal positions in a ceiling to floor personal library like you see in movies? Were they read and re-read, cherished and coveted? Or did they sit untouched on a desk or shelf in someones study? I would love to know each and every books' story. Call me a nerd, but hey, I love Libraries!
Here are some pictures I took while creeping around in the basement, alone. I'll add that I currently have 5 of these pungent smelling forgotten books. I like being the only person who's checked them out since they've been there. I feel like all books deserve to at least be looked at, if not read. I doubt I'll be able to single handedly read every never checked out book in the library, but I'm sure going to do my best! At least with the classics.
Leo Tolstoy, Russian Text
Isn't this one awesome? If I can find it again I'm going to check it out next.
Little Red Riding Hood of course. This is one of the books from the set above. There were only 500 copies in Art Vellum and we have copy 450. Copyright 1896
I really have no idea what language this even is, but pretty cool huh?
There are just amazing treasures down there I tell ya!
One of my favorites, string binding
Talk about Classic
Isn't this just too cute? It was the size of my hand and had all kinds of great advice.
There are a lot of books bound this way, and I've never seen any before.
This one is awesome. An 1880 copy of the Iliad. It doesn't get any better in public libraries. There was even a note written inside from a father to his daughter in 1881.
This ones a little rough from time...
I know I've been on a streak of really long blogs lately, but sometimes I get so excited I can't contain myself :) I hope you at least enjoyed the pictures.
Xo Loves,
Me
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