All of a sudden its Wednesday. If I don’t get this blog written it won’t happen. We are in the midst of a flurry of busy days. Flurry……hmmm, I wonder if that slipped out because there is a lot of snow accumulating out of my window. Our little corner of Saskatchewan is supposed to get as much as 8 inches of snow before the morning. I think we are almost there.
Looking at these pictures it seems to me that the star of the show for this 5th day on the trail this fall, was sun, and the amazing ways it casts it light. I was sent some really beautiful pictures. In addition to the light the sun did its job cutting through the morning cold, which was startling for the crew. By midday the truck was full of clothes, one of the riders told me at lunch, “thats what I like to see, a truck full of clothes.”
We were bringing our bred heifers and open cows home from the Carievale area and stopped along the way to pick up a group of cow calf pairs from their summer pasture near Carnduff.
Jenn took this first picture, it catches the frost on ground we have recently worked up in order to plant new hay seed in the spring. We can’t figure out who the rider is in the foreground.Gina and Cinder, captured by Jenn.Morning sun is gorgeous. Thanks for the picture Tenley! Clara and Elton John are in the front. The sun and the herd are very beautifully lined up in this moment that Maja captured. Thats Gina and Laurie in front and Jenn and Morgan behind. There is alot going on in this picture between the dogs, cows, horses and riders. The sun is kissing it all. Russ says one of the big deals of this picture is that we were trespassing but with permission and the access given meant alot to the herd. It meant three miles of grassland versus gravel and Russ had not been through there in 30 years. He said it felt “old-timey.”We were happy to have our old friend Maja on the trail again. Jenn took this picture.Steve caught these long morning shadows.If you drove near Precision Ag at about 12:30 last Saturday you would have seen the cows crossing the highway and just off to the north me getting this set up going. I appreciate seeing glimpses of my part of the action as Becca has given here.Russ keeping a watchful eye as the cows moved across the highway. The RCMP were able to have an officer on hand which helps reduce the stress relating to human behaviour. At times like this though Russ is watching to see how the cows will react to lines on the highway and in this case the crew had just gone over a train track. Both can cause trouble. It went quite well. It seems Tenley’s horse needed a little shade over the lunch hour. Clara sent this awesome photo of our donkey Elton John, just basking in the sun at lunchtime. Clara was our donkey trainer on this chase. Laurie caught this moment, featuring four generations of Connellys, including Laurie’s cousin Barry visiting from Toronto. He said he really enjoyed the experience of being on the trail. It was a really comfortable lunch hour time. Laurie’s parents Mona and George have been helping us move trucks and trailers from trail start to end for a few years now. Its a huge help.While the crew eats the cows still need to be supervised. Usually Russ and a few others keep watch while other experienced crew grab a quick lunch then come back and relieve the first shift. This is Dwayne taking his place on the second shift at lunch. Becca took his picture.Here is Barry and Laurie, I am not sure what the story was here, a break from riding is sometimes a good thing. Lacee caught this moment.Patrick took this picture of three generations of Connellys. The clouds are lit and interesting.Tenley is a fan of Mike’s jacket and sent this picture for that reason. It looks especially good in the glow of the sun. Thats Jenn beside Mike.Lacee’s selfie with her boy Lennox in the back. He had a great day.Sharon caught this moment when her granddaughter Hannah and husband Bill were together, the clouds are gathering.Sharon caught these smiles. Her grand-daughter Emma and a new friend Briella just met on this chase and really enjoyed the day together. This picture features Dwayne’s shadow and Jane in what Russ calls her “self propelled” gear. She is very good at that. That is Knightwing in front of Jane.Dwayne’s camera caught Liam, the day’s youngest cowboy on our mule Dick. Thats Merrick beside Liam.Our good ol mules Dick and Jane hosting the days youngest riders Liam and Lennox. They look like two young boys off on an adventure, no other human or creature in sight! A photo of Becca’s. The sun really lights up Chester’s mane in this picture Dwayne captured from his saddle.Cowboy silhouettes are captured in this photo from Dwayne. This is Griffin, Meadow, Gina and Tenley, with Emerson off to the side.Tenley grabbed this important moment when the herd got to the pasture gate.Morgan tells me that Becca used a snapchat thing to make a time stamped picture of the herd going through the gate. The same process allowed Becca to record her start for the day, before any sun had touched the day. That is quite a span of time her horse was on duty, and the whole crew!Back at the house for a late afternoon snack before everyone heading off, there was hangout time in the living room. Thats Morgan and Jordanna, with Jo’s sister Clara grabbing the picture. This is cute. But it also lets me tell you that last night after supper, on the 3rd anniversary of my Mom’s passing, something that was a bit of bear to feel out this year, I went to this same spot to read. I had not been here long when Morgan came and asked me to shove over he was going to join me. I said to him, “I’m not as skinny as Jordanna,” he replied with something witty and didn’t relent. The two of us stayed there together about an hour. It was uncomfortable but deeply comforting to me. Jordanna, Tenley and Becca, sunny faces, sunny spirits on a beautiful, sunny fall day.
Mom, I love this picture of Gina, I look at it and I think “Grace”. She is in a place and posture to receive. The kiss of the sun looks as if it is giving her peace, a reminder of how sacred she is, a moment of rest. In addition it brings her beauty alive in a new way. I find myself wishing the same things for you. I know how you love to see and feel the sun, you can transport yourself to Hawaii anytime if the sun is kissing you. In a hospital room it may not be as possible, but God’s grace is enduring and not dependent on circumstances. So I wish for you, as in this image, a deep sense of peace, constant reminder of how sacred you are & comfortable rest. I observe that this time is bringing alive in you, or making glow, your particular inner beauty…..the ability to flex + flow, to be grateful in all circumstances, to give unconditional love, to inspire goodness. Thank-you.
❤
K
This postcard is the 16th in a series of 22 being posted occasionally on the blog. It is part of a set of photocards, all taken by Liz Griffin Photography at various times since November 2019. The postcards were for my Mom when she was living with cancer.
This photo was part of Gina’s grade 12 graduation photos, from her casual photo shoot with Liz in July of 2020.
As Far As The Eye Can See 