Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is my birthday & I am celebrating by heading up to Benjamin, Texas!

Benjamin, Texas is in ranching country – 4 hours northwest of the Wagon Wheel Ranch – home to the Moorhouse Ranch & close to a number of power house ranches like 6666 Ranch, Tongue River Ranch, Pitchfork Ranch and RA Brown Ranch!

This is my cowboy’s kinda heaven, so why am I headed there?

Because the famous & incredibly talented photographer, Wyman Meinzer, lives there & he’s hosting a workshop…and I’m going!

The workshop is a Night Photography Workshop – learning how to take some fabulous photographs with just moonlight – and I’ve got to admit that my D3 had better be able to pull it off, or my cowboy is going to have a heart attack! He says every time he asks if I can take a particular type of photograph, I tell him, “Well, I don’t have a lens for that!” I do have a lens for night photography, so I’m set!

Benjamin, Texas – here I come…celebrating my 35th birthday!

Long Distance

This is my long distance Merry Christmas wish – to some of the cutest, most loveable kids!

I hope that Santa brings you everything you wish for…

The Johnson Clan in Madison, Wisconsin!

Chattavegas

Chattanooga, Tennesse!

Home of Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls and the Chattanooga Choo Choo!

My dear friend, Rachel, refers to it as Chattavegas – and since I’m going to see her & some other dear family friends, I thought I would follow in her reference to her hometown as “Chattavegas.”

I’m headed southeast for Christmas & New Year’s! They’re calling for Christmas snow & I have got my fingers crossed because it will make for some AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL photographs!

Mikel Donahue

The amazingly talented Western Artist, Mikel Donahue, has come to visit the Wagon Wheel Ranch for a couple of days. He’s observing the cowboys branding and maybe just maybe they’ll show up on a piece of artwork somewhere down the line. In the meantime, his kind gesture of a thank you for allowing him to come visit (hello…he needn’t a thank you gift – although we LOVE it!) it’s named High Noon and it’s already hung on the wall by our front door!

Mr. Donahue & my cowboy struck up a conversation at the 2008 Working Ranch Cowboy Association’s Finals in Amarillo, Texas. We attended the art show where Mr. Donahue had art on exhibit – beautiful, beautiful pieces of drawings, pastels, watercolors…

I surprised my cowboy this Christmas with a print, Tall in the Saddle by Mikel Donahue

We’re so honored to have Mr. Donahue visit & we can’t thank him enough for his visit, his gift & his friendship!

Now, go buy yourself some beautiful western artwork!

Will Trade Sister for Candy!

OMG, I loved his shirt – although, his sister is way too cute to trade, the shirt still makes me giggle!

Pumpkin Patch

He was definitely the cutest lil’ pumpkin in my patch!

I love & miss you terribly, Thomas!

Love, Auntie Mimi

Nike+iPod

This is the neatest thing since my sweat burning belt, it’s the Nike+iPod gadget!

Stick the lil’ sensor in your left Nike running shoe & it syncs to your iPod – measuring distance, calories, time, etc. – Lovin’ it!!!

Tracey Porter Designs

I learned of the brilliant mind & design of Tracey Porter by the dishes & housewares sold at the swanky, (but, now defunct – terribly sad story, the day it switched to Macy’s at the Hilldale Mall, Madison, Wisconsin) Marshall Fields Department Stores, from my glory years of being a teenager who could shop with no worries of bills! ha ha ha

Now, surprisingly, I see that she offers an array of items from clothing to furniture & all easily found on her website: www.TracyPorter.com
It’s all yummy & easily desireable! Enjoy!

Point & Shoot

The BEST point & shoot camera that I have come across is the Panasonic DMC. It uses a Leica lens…has anyone priced one of those lately…Cha-ching!

Now, since I’ve purchased mine & fallen in complete love with it, it has been upgraded to the Panasonic DMC-ZS7!

I’ve had a couple of friends ask my opinion on point & shoots and without a doubt I would recommend this one, with 100% confidence!

Click here to buy it – right now, they’re offering a $30 rebate (until Nov 6th).

Beabout-Smith Family

The Beabout-Smith Family was all about jet-setting around the city of Lampasas! We got it all in…

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