The Nose Picker Ring!

I remember being told that when you pull off the pop can pull tab you wear it on your finger and use it as a nose picker! Some were flat, some curled. I would sit and look at them on my finger and try to imagine why I would use that to pick my nose! I often bent them down so they looked like a real ring and I could put my hand in my pocket. In the '80s the pull tab was replaced with the flip tab, where you couldn't pull them out!

I hadn't seen one of those pull tabs in ages until I was hiking around Chilco Lake with my husband. I was on the trail behind him and stopped to look at the small lake from the rock I was on. I looked down at my feet and there was a NOSE PICKER RING!! I admired it, didn't move it, didn't touch it but captured it with my lens. It has been there almost 30 years, and it is still there today.

Saddled Up for St. Jude

Today a bunch of us Saddled Up to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Hosptial. All together with 30 riders, we managed to raise close to $1700.00 and there are a few late pledges of donations coming in by the end of the week. The weather was wet, cloudy but warm. The horses didn't mind at all and neither did the riders! The trail ride was located at Farragut State Park near Bayview, Idaho. The trail was a 10 mile loop, marked by a few of the 4-Hers in the group the night before, as well as camp. 5 girls slept in a tent in a horse trailer to ensure they stayed dry and toasty all night!

The riders set out at 9am in groups to trek through Farragut for the cause. With rain coats wrapped over saddles and around their legs, and the horses ready for the adventure they were off. During the ride there were a few helping in camp, cooking chili, setting up the lunch table and setting out the prizes for the riders that had the most money pledge for St. Jude's. I ran out on the trail after the first group came in to capture photos in the trees. I turned into a new obstacle for a few horses that had never seen a tree with a flannel shirt and camera! Never did I see an upset face, nor hear a complaint about anything, including the weather! When the riders went by me they all flashed a smile as their horses steamed with moisture.
The Saddle Up for St. Jude's is held at Farragut every year on the first Saturday of October. For more information for next year please feel free to contact the Kootenai County Extension office or the Farragut Information Desk.

Life's a Bit!

A Son's Love

Spring flowers everywhere, including dandelions! My son preferred the purple ones that look like little balls on a stick. He brought me a handful of them! I do have a flower bed full of these Grape Hyacinth and at first was surprised, thinking that is where he got them. I asked where he found these and he said " In the grass part of the yard", and he pointed over towards the side of the house. There were more over there all scattered out with the grass! Then he says " you have some in the flower bed but those I can't give you." AAwwww!!!!

The Lone Tulip

Four years ago I planted a huge 100 bulb bag of yellow daffodils on the edges of my flowerbeds and by out gate rock. This year I was given a huge surprise. Out of all those daffodils a pink tulip popped up! It is surrounded by faded yellow blooms and green foliage of it's neighbors.

Rainy Day's Sunset

It has been a busy, wet, cold spring. Seems things are getting a start on renewal in a slow, round about sort of way. This weekend the local lakes and rivers are expected to crest from the winter run off, and they are already well above the flooding levels. Saturday, you can find me with my camera capturing the historical event for this past winter was a record snowfall here in North Idaho.
We have added a few new members to our family, you have already met our blued eyed horse and now it is time to introduce a dapple gray mare named Coco. She is 7 years old, and a quarter/arabian. She has been the one used most often in 4-H riding meetings over the past month allowing our daughter to learn so much and building her confidence on horseback. Coco is very headstrong and likes things to be direct and correct, and if you mix up the commands she has been trained to, she will let you know. Our daughter already went for a crow-hopping 20 second ride!

Thee Ol' Milkin Barn

When my husband was a kid, his dad had cattle, dairy cattle and horses. He remembers having to do the milking twice a day, feeding all the animals before school. My husband claims he had to load 120+ bails every morning before school to feed the 50 head dairy, 50 head of horses and 150+ head of beef.

He told me all this when I was rummaging through the old barn, finding antique treasures about every 5 square feet! Now that is heaven to an antique collector, but trash to my husband. His dad had passed in 1999 and sold out the cattle and most of the horses a few years before that. His mother's family homesteaded on that land, and he was born in the old house that still stands, and passed in a home set up 40 to the east of it. You can say Stanley's roots were planted deep in Teton Valley!

The SURGE Milker canister has many stories, I can imagine them.. teenage boys pulling through the cows and probably playing a few pranks on each other in the meantime. I saw three wide canisters like the one above, complete with the lid that sealed on and has 4 ports each for a tube that ran to the teets of a cow with electric milkers on the end. There is also an upright canister. They no longer sit under cows collecting milk but rest on my front porch with annual flowers in them every summer. My husband thought I was 'off my rocker' when I asked if I could have them and hauled them 600 miles to our home now.

Along with my collection of Milker canisters I have two steel milk cans, stamped with their origin. I do believe one is stamped TETONIA. I'll have to post a later blog about them, when they are not covered with 2+ feet of snow as they are now.

I absolutely love antiques... for the mysteries they hold within!

a blue eyed horse

he looks a little goofy
kinda spooky
but the colors really cool
or i'm just a fool.....


Actually, this horse now belongs to my daughter,
saving up many money gifts, helping with chores
and being responsible with her animals.
His name is Trooper, he's a 7 year old
quarter/connermara gelding, stands 15 hands
and really loves cob!

Rella

Rella - was named by my then 2 year old daughter 11 years ago. Why Rella? That's how she said Cinderella, and it was a spur of the moment decision at the vet office on check up day. I said to Erika, "The puppy needs a name. What should we call her?" With the hugest smile and a bounce off the bench, Erika shouts "Rella!" So Rella it became.

Rella is now 11 years old. I am amazed she is doing so well and still so active. She is a shar-pei/lab and has a very protective personality. She stands her ground to other dominant dogs and has helped raise many playful puppies. She survived an in-home daycare for 2 years, a divorce, a roommate, a move to southern Idaho and back, being hit by a van, and a bout of parvo when she was 9 weeks old.

Just recently Rella is showing definite signs of aging. She has signs of an auto-immune disorder that is causing atrophy to the jaw muscles on the right side of her head. Her only symptom of it is a lopsided head, you can definitely feel when you pet her head, and her cheek bone seems so prominent. She does not have signs of pain, decreased appetite or activity.

I hope Rella can stay comfortable and happy as long as possible!

Winter Moon

In January, before some heavy snows fell here, I ventured out into my front yard to capture some images of the still night. It was so still out, the only sounds were the occasional breaking branch from the cold. I set up in a few spots and with a 16 second shutter took several shots before my fingers and camera froze. I absolutely love the stars!

For My Mom!

As it probably is to everyone, I owe my mom a gigantic never ending thank you!
I wanted to post her pictures she shared with me, taken on my birthday this year
of the wildlife that frequent her home.
As you will be able to see with these photos, she has the
photographer's eye! She is creative and
talented! I've always looked up to her since I can remember,
I do think I always will.

For the Blogs!!!!! I've decided to join finally!

Hello! I'm Elena aka Rockin E Photography, based in North Idaho. Rockin E has captured local musicians, Fair and 4-H activities, nature scenes, portraits, parties, wildlife, and macro photography. Rockin E has made is subtle start in the fall of 2006 and has been expanding portfolio since! After starting up my photog stuff on myspace, I have decided to broaden my virtual horizons by joining blogger! I hope to reach out to others interested in photography, or even those that are looking for someone to do photography for them! I'll post another blog after I click around on this site to figure it out. To see more of my photos, please do take look at my page on myspace... http://www.myspace.com/rockinephotography , there you will be able to link to my Flickr.com page.