Riding Mules

Last week was eventful, to say the least. I'm not sure where to start, but I have lots of pictures to share, so I suppose I'll start there. Seth was home all week with meetings in the office (the office we live three blocks from) and with the weather so gorgeous took me all over the place for evening adventures. It was so fun. I'm not used to having him around during the week and felt blessed to have so many dates with him in one week!

Ok, I should probably stop here and say that the week began well and ended poorly with a trip to the ER and a head injury on my part. Seth and I aren't the "stay at home and read on a Friday night" kind of couple but are more like "let's do something because I'm tired of just sitting here." That's not to say we're reckless...maybe just adventurous? I don't know. It's just that our hobbies have a certain amount of risk involved...like riding things that could potentially throw a person off...

that's all I'll say about that.

Anyways, this particular evening of riding mules was safe and relaxing. My in-laws live on beautiful farms with lots of fun animals to visit (remember my wedding?), and Seth and I decided it'd be fun to just saddle up and ride around the yard. I practiced my picture-taking skills (always) and played with the farm kittens while Seth visited with granny and gramps atop his pretty auburn mule.

Today I'm taking it easy and hopefully working up some sketches that involve a pretty farm with flowers and horses set against a dark blue starry night sky. More pictures to come!

snow

Snow!  Puffy white flakes of magic fell on our hair and on our shoes and blew into our coats yesterday as we went exploring in the woods and on the farm and with the kittens in the barn.  I've been absent from my studio and from the internet for days now, and have loved every minute of life!  My best friend came down for New Years Eve, and we spent every waking moment talking and laughing and dreaming and journaling and goal-setting and planning the rest of our year.  I bought her (and myself) this 2013 Day Designer by Whitney English for Christmas, and turns out, the thing is a gold mine for creative entrepreneurs like ourselves.  It gave us endless hours of things to talk about and plan for and opened our eyes to all of our many dreams...most of which we share.  To live in the woods and have a giant studio.  To create lots of new art.  To memorize Scripture.  To start a family.  To go all out on our dreams.

That's what a new year does, I suppose.  Gives us all a fresh start and inspires new dreams and goals.  It's such an exciting thing!  I have so much more to share with you in the weeks and months to come.  I do hope you'll share your dreams with me as well!

The Foster Farm

This Thanksgiving Seth and I made the very short trip to the Foster's (remember the barn we got married in?) and stuffed ourselves with homemade everything.  Everything about this place gives me the warm fuzzies: the people, the food, the horses, and the kittens.  Five little kittens!  High up in the hay loft in the Foster's big white barn now live five little mouse-hunting, playful, and snuggly kittens.  Two black, two gray striped, and one very affectionate black and white kitten who got most of my attention.  They really have it made up there in the hay loft with so many places play and sleep and explore.

And then there's Tag, Seth's white quarter horse who rolls in the mud until he's Seth's gray and brown quarter horse.  I love their winter coats and Tag's long pretty mane.  And those fuzzy Mule ears get me every time.

So here's a little part of my Thanksgiving day, and did I mention how thankful I am to you for meeting me here so often?  I'm always thankful for a space to share and for a friend who hears.