THE HEAT'S BEEN BRUTAL, BUT THE ADVENTURES GO ON!

SNAKE CATCHING 101

WITH THE TEMPS REACHING AS HIGH AS 110 DEGREES, AND NO RAIN IN SIGHT, EVERYTHING IS DRY AND IN A VERY STRESSED STATE OF BEING! THE SNAKES ARE MOVING, TRYING TO FIND WATER...THIS HUGE BULL SNAKE WAS FOUND IN THE FRONT YARD, PROBABLY HEADING TOWARD THE WATER FAUCET ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE HOUSE...THE BOYS CAUGHT IT AND OF COURSE TOOK IT TO THEIR DAD FOR INSPECTION AND KUDOS. WHEN THEY LET IT DOWN AND THEN TRIED TO PICK IT UP AGAIN, IT BECAME VERY MAD, HISSING AND STRIKING! USING THEIR CAP, THEY WERE ABLE TO DISTRACT IT, WHILE ZACK REACHED DOWN AND GRABBED THE HEAD. HE'S A BIG 'UN!

ALMOST A 6 FOOTER!

HURRY UP, MOM, HE'S MAD!


ANNIVERSARY PRESENT!

FOR MY ANNIVERSARY PRESENT, DYKE PROMISED HE'D HELP ME FIND SOME MORE CHICKENS...I JUST LOVE WATCHING MY CHICKS PECK AROUND ON THE FARM AND OF COURSE, I LOVE HARVESTING FRESH FARM EGGS! OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE VARMINTS METHODICALLY PICKED OFF ALL OF MY BELOVED HENS, LEAVING ME WITH 4 LONELY ROOSTERS. (Dyke says the hens didn't last long because they were "free roaming" and not tucked in each night...)SO, THIS TIME, I AM GOING TO TRY HIS IDEA AND KEEP THEM IN THE CHICKEN PEN, AND PUT THEM ALL UP AT NIGHT. WE'LL SEE...

WE FOUND A "CHICKEN-MAN" IN SEYMOUR, TX JUST SOUTH OF US...WE HAND-PICKED 10 HENS, TRANSPORTED THEM BACK TO THE FARM IN MY ANTIQUE WOODEN CHICKEN BOXES, CLIPPED THEIR WINGS AND THEY SEEM VERY HAPPY IN THEIR NEW HOME. THE "CHICKEN-MAN" HAD 100's OF CHICKENS...IT WAS PRETTY RED-NECKY, BUT THEY WERE HEALTHY AND OF LAYING SIZE, SO IT WORKED OUT GREAT! IT'S A GREAT FEELING TO HAVE CHICKENS BACK ON THE FARM! DESPITE THE INTENSE, INSANE HEAT, THEY'VE STARTED LAYING ALREADY! NICE, LARGE, BROWN EGGS! YEE-HAW!

THE ROOSTERS ARE SO HAPPY NOW!



WE WERE ALMOST HOME FROM GETTING THE CHICKENS, AND WE SPOTTED A SNAKE IN THE ROAD. DYKE STOPPED AND I SHOT OUT, QUICKLY REALIZING IT WAS A PRAIRIE RATTLER...

IT WASN'T VERY BIG, BUT DYKE SAID IT COULD DEFINITELY KILL YOU WITH ONE INJECTION OF VENOM.

DRIVING LESSONS

ZACK'S BEEN DOING SOME PRACTICE DRIVING IN THE EVENINGS ON THE RIVER ROADS...HE'S THE ONE I AM WORRIED ABOUT...DURING THE ENTIRE TIME, HE'S SCANNING THE FIELDS FOR DEER, RABBITS, AND HOGS, OR CARRYING ON LARGE AND INVOLVED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO CATCH THE BIGGEST CATFISH OR WHICH LURE IS BEST TO USE ON BASS, OR EVEN HIS NEWEST CHALLENGE - HOW TO CATCH A WILD HOG ON A FISHING POLE! HE'S NON-STOP JABBERIN' WHILE HE HANDLES THE WHEEL WITH ONE HAND. HEAVEN FORBID A SNAKE CROSSES THE ROAD IN FRONT OF US...AS IT HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES, THE TRUCK IS THROWN INTO PARK AND HE FLIES OUT TO APPREHEND IT BEFORE IT SLITHERS AWAY!

I AM CONSTANTLY SAYING, "TWO HANDS, ZACK!! EYES ON THE ROAD, ZACK!! QUIT YAMMERING AND PAY ATTENTION, ZACK!!"

GOTCHA, JAKE!

JAKE DETESTS GETTING HIS PICTURE TAKEN, SO I HAD TO PUT THE SNEAK ON HIM WHILE HE WAS GRILLING ONE EVENING! WHEN HE REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING, HE NEARLY THREW THE GRILLING FORK AT ME!

IN 20 YEARS, YOU'LL REGRET THE THINGS YOU DIDN'T DO MORE THAN THE THINGS YOU DID! FT. WORTH...HERE WE COME!

ONLY OUT ON THE RANGE CAN YOU TRULY FIND YOURSELF! WELL, OUR "RANGE" FOR THE DAY, WAS THE OL' COWTOWN OF FT. WORTH, TEXAS...THE INFAMOUS STOCKYARDS! WE WERE ALL OVER THAT PLACE LIKE A CHICKEN ON A JUNE BUG!

WOW - WHAT AMAZING BURGERS WE HAD AT THE LOVE SHACK!!!!!

WHOA, NELLIE...buffalo butt beer?

ON TO MAVERICK...

OH MY...WHAT A PLACE!! AT MAVERICK, OTHER THAN SALIVATING OVER THE HUGE SELECTION OF FINE WESTERN WEAR, BOOTS, JEWELRY AND ACCESSORIES... WE VISITED WITH THE FAMOUS DEVON DAWSON - VOICE OF JESSE, THE SINGING COWGIRL, IN THE TOY STORY MOVIES! I KNEW HER THROUGH MY AMERICAN COWBOY MAGAZINE AND A SPOT ON TEXAS COUNTRY REPORTER!

THEY EVEN SERVE COLD BEER & WINE WHILE YOU SHOP!



COLLESEUM ENTRANCE (1908)-LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STOCKYARDS AT: http://www.stockyardsmuseum.org/

NEXT, IT WAS ON TO THE COWGIRL HALL OF FAME!

I HAVE ONLY DREAMED OF ONE DAY SEEING THIS PLACE!

WE WERE BLESSED TO HAVE OUR OWN PRIVATE DOCENT - COMPLIMENTS OF JOLINE- AND IT WAS AWESOME AND AMAZING! HER NAME WAS KAY AND SHE GREW UP ON THE RODEO CIRCUIT - HER DADDY WAS A RODEO CLOWN! SHE WAS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HAD A LOT OF PERSONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION! THE EXPERIENCE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WHAT IT WAS WITHOUT HER! THE EXHIBITS WERE GORGEOUS AND WE SAW SOME OF THE NEATEST COLLECTIONS FROM THE 190 INDUCTEES!

(OF COURSE I WASN'T ABLE TO PHOTOGRAPH IN THE MUSEUM, EXCEPT FOR THIS ONE PARTICULAR INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT!)

YOU'D RIDE YOUR BRAINS OUT FOR 20 SECONDS, TRYING NOT TO LET YOUR SADDLE OUT RUN YOUR BUTT AND THEN COLLECT A TICKET TO LATER DOWNLOAD YOUR BUCKIN' FOOTAGE FROM THE COWGIRL.NET WEBSITE! WHAT A HOOT! YOUR IMAGE WAS SUPERIMPOSED AGAINST OLD FOOTAGE TAKEN FROM THE PENDLETON ROUNDUP OR THE CALGARY STAMPEDE - YOU COULD PICK!

"IF YER HORSE AIN'T SWEATIN', U AIN'T GOIN' FAST ENOUGH!"

OOOOWEEEE!

AFTER THE TOUR, WE HAD TO CHECK OUT THE GIFT SHOP THAT WAS PACKED WITH THE COOLEST COWGIRL GOODIES! I ROUNDED THE CORNER AND WHAT DID I SEE? YUP! COWGIRL KATE! THE COWGIRL FIGURE THAT I MADE EXPECIALLY FOR THE INDUCTEE LUNCHEON LAST OCTOBER! SHE LOOKED GREAT AND IT WAS THRILLING TO VISIT HER IN HER NEW HOME!

(THAT'S KAY, OUR FAVORITE DOCENT, IN THE PRINTED PEARLSNAP!)


This was coming out of the ceiling in the gift shop
Mamie Francis Hafley (1886-1950) Year Inducted: 1981 Home State: CA
Mamie thrilled audiences with her dare-devil act of riding her horse off a 50-foot-high platform into a barrel of water just 10 feet across. Between 1908 and 1917, she performed this stunt 628 times. She also performed as a sharpshooter, before and after the years of her diving act. Learning to shoot when she was a child, Mamie did her rifle shooting from horseback, performing in vaudeville and the wild west shows.





THE FIRST DAY ENDED WITH AN AMAZING MEAL AT JOE T'S!
OUCHEE WOWA...THE FOOD, MARGARITAS, GARDENS AND ATMOSPHERE.....

MUI BUENO!!!!!!!!!

DAY 2.....WEATHERFORD, TEXAS!

WE STAYED WITH LUANNE'S DAUGHTER, SARAH AND SWEET TALULAH!

THE INFAMOUS TESKEY'S!!!!!!!!!

WHERE DO YOU LOOK FIRST? TACK, FARM & RANCH, HOME DECOR, CLOTHING, BOOTS, OR JEWELRY??

SMILE, CHICAS!

THE PLACE WAS FILLED WITH THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY STUFF! HUGE WESTERN NAME BRANDS! I SAW THINGS THAT WERE ADVERTIZED IN MY COWBOYS AND INDIANS MAGAZINES! OF COURSE, BEING WHO THEY WERE...THE PRICE TAGS WERE HUGE TOO!

...IT WAS STILL FUN TO LOOK!

WE HIT A FEW OTHER HOT SPOTS IN WEATHERFORD AND ALSO MINERAL WELLS BEFORE WE HEADED BACK TO VERNON...BACK TO REALITY...

SOME THINK THE CITY IS A WASTE OF GOOD PASTURE LAND, BUT IT SURE IS FUN TO VISIT EVERY NOW AND THEN!

IT WAS A SASSY, EXCITING GIRL'S TRIP AND WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER ONE SOON!

...RIDE LIKE THE WIND AND NEVER LOOK BACK...

THANKFUL FOR SO MANY THINGS...

I AM SO VERY THANKFUL FOR THE INVENTION OF AIR CONDITIONING! THE HEAT HAS BEEN BRUTAL AND THE TEMPS AVERAGING 105 DEGREES ON MOST DAYS! PHEW! I REALLY DON'T LIKE THIS TIME OF YEAR - EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT SCHOOL IS OUT!

When you have a moment to stop, breathe in deeply and release slowly...your soul is somehow recharged. I recommend doing it often. I am so thankful for so many things that God has blessed me with: my family and our lives together! Watching our boys grow and become young men can, of course, be frustrating and annoying at times, but when you see them enjoying spending time doing what they love, and the spark in their eyes, that's when you give thanks to God for His Hand on their lives and yours.

AFTER AN AFTERNOON OF FISHING AT THE POND, ZACK RETURNED WITH THIS SOFTSHELL SNAPPING TURTLE! HIS GRIMACING FACE TELLS THAT HE COULD ONLY HOLD IT FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE IT SCRATCHED HIS FINGERS AND TRIED TO SNAP AT HIM...BESIDES THE FACT THAT HE WAS HEAVY!

JAKE'S WORKING AT THE WAGGONER RANCH AGAIN THIS SUMMER - MOSTLY GROUNDS MAINTENANCE AND WHATEVER ELSE NEEDS TO BE DONE. IT'S HARD WORK, BUT HE SEEMS TO LIKE IT ALOT, ESPECIALLY THE PAY! HE USUALLY COMES HOME AND CRASHES FROM THE HEAT AND THE MANUAL LABOR. HE'S KINDA KNOWN AS THE SNAKE CATCHER - AS HE HAS HIS DAD'S BLOOD WHEN IT COMES TO SNAKES! THE HEAT HAS BEEN INTENSE! LAST WEEK, THEY FRIED AN EGG ON THE TAILGATE OF THE DUMPTRUCK!

THE GARDEN IS IN FULL SWING...TOMATOES, SQUASH, JALAPENO PEPPERS, RADDISHES, BEANS AND CUCUMBERS...THE FENCE HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD! IT PROTECTS THE PLANTS FROM THE HOT DRY WINDS AND EVEN PROVIDES A BIT OF SHADE AT CERTAIN TIMES OF DAY!

MY FIRST PAIR OF OLD GRINGO BOOTS! THEIR STYLE NAME IS ROCK STAR! GOT A GREAT DEAL ON 'UM - THEY'RE PYTHON! KINDA A STEP ON THE WILD SIDE, BUT THEY'RE FUN TO WEAR!

I AM SO GLAD THAT IT IS STILL GREEN COMING TO THE END OF JUNE! WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY SOME GOOD RAIN!

WE RECENTLY PAINTED THE PORCH BARN RED TO MATCH THE DOORS AND THE TIN ROOF. IT LOOKS SO MUCH BETTER AND SEEMS EASIER TO KEEP CLEAN.

WE ARE SO VERY THANKFUL TO BE BLESSED BY SUCH A GREAT HOME OUT ON THE HOT, DRY TEXAS PLAINS!

THE PUPS HAVE BEEN GROWING LIKE CRAZY AND THEY'RE LIL' BUTTERBALLS! THEY'RE 3 WEEKS OLD NOW AND ARE RAVENOUS EATERS! PENNY IS A VERY GOOD MOM, BUT YOU CAN TELL THEY'RE WEARING HER OUT!

THEY'RE STARTING TO PLAY, BARK AND TUMBLE AROUND!

LIL' CHUNKS!

MY STUDIO

MY JEWELRY BUSINESS IS GOING WELL, A BIT SLOW AT THE MOMENT, BUT COMES IN SPURTS! I AM SO THANKFUL FOR MY STUDIO AND THE ROOM IT PROVIDES ME WITH SO THAT I CAN HAVE ALL THE THINGS I NEED WHEN I NEED THEM. REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT MY SHOP AT: www.turquoisecowgirl.etsy.com

I AM HEADED TO FORT WORTH IN THE MORNING WITH SOME FRIENDS - SHOULD BE A BLAST! WE'LL HIT THE STOCKYARDS, NATIONAL COWGIRL HALL OF FAME AND SOME AWESOME EATERIES! LOOK FOR MY NEXT BLOG ABOUT OUR ADVENTURE!

AMAZING NEW TURQUOISE AND STERLING PENDANTS

THESE NEW TIBETAN TURQUOISE AND STERLING SILVER PENDANTS ARE TO DIE FOR! GO TO: www.turquoisecowgirl.etsy.com
Here's just a sneak peek...