Wild, Wild Horses

I've said it before...and I'll probably say it many times more. I love living on the prairie. I wish I could bottle the sounds for you of standing on a hilltop--gazing into the far horizon...and the sounds of the wild horses. The puff of their breath. The softness of their neigh. The whisper of the grass. The hum of the cicadas and crickets.

The prairie.

Eye of the Quilter 2013--International Quilt Festival, Houston

Momma It's Cold

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Do These Horses Make Me Look Fat?

In 2009, the International Quilt Festival, held each year in Houston, Texas, began featuring a special exhibit called "The Eye of the Quilter." This special exhibit features photographs taken by quilters. The theory is that quilters develop an “eye” for not only quilting but other detailed and creative works of art. Entrants were able to submit up to three digital shots for the juried exhibit, with the winners being on display at a special area of the Festival in Houston, which brings more than 53,000 attendees to this event. Each year has a special “theme.” This year’s theme was “Flora and Fauna.” I am excited and honored to learn that all three of the photos I submitted were selected for this year's exhibit. This will be the fifth year that my work has been selected. In addition to the photograph, the photographer must also submit a short essay to explain “why” they submitted a particular shot. I must say that I stressed and agonized over what to submit this year. I KNEW I was going to enter the photo of the Cross L Ranch horses with the quilt...and probably the bison at Woolaroc. BUT...the photo of my shadow was a midnight decision..."what the heck"/see if they like it submission. One thing I know about quilters, they have a great sense of humor and I figured they would get a kick out that shot! What a hoot that it was accepted!!! Yippee!!! Here's my photos AND the essay submitted with each "shot."

DO THESE HORSES MAKE ME LOOK FAT?

I HATE photos of myself. Ugh. There is a golden hour on the Tallgrass Prairie just before sunset when everything has a golden halo. The shadows are long. I'm blessed to live where the ranchers have herds of wild horses. Imagine looking across a valley at a herd of horses covering a hilltop. It leaves you breathless. So one beautiful evening I was driving down a country road when these three pretty horses were standing at the fence just begging me to stop my Jeep! I stepped out & saw that (at last!) my shadow made me look TALL! How does this photo relate to "Flora and Fauna"? The definition I found of "fauna" was "the animals characteristic of a region." If you are visiting northeastern Oklahoma—you are in "wild horse" country! (Think the opening scenes of Ree Drummond's "Pioneer Woman" cooking show). Also, the entry information on this year's Eye of the Quilter stated "fauna (wildlife)"—that's ME…one "wild" and "wacky" quilter photo woman!

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

This spring I participated in a "30 day photo challenge." One day the challenge was simply, "Obsession." Hmmm…there are so many things I would say I am obsessed with!! But two "themes" kept circling around in my mind: horses and quilts. But how do I show my obsession in a photograph?? As I pondered this task I noticed an antique quilt top sitting in a basket—and there was my answer! The rancher next to our farm in southeastern Kansas has some of the most beautiful horses. I was hopeful they would be "out" and not in some far off ravine or on top of a far hill. I was also hopeful that none of the other ranchers or farmers would pass by to see me throwing a quilt over the fence (and making my husband hold it down so it wouldn't blow off to the other side!). But if they had, I'm sure they would have thought, "there's that crazy lady in the red Jeep with her camera shooting horses AGAIN!!!" How does this photo relate to "Flora and Fauna"? The horses, of course, are the fauna…and touch of flora in the quilt!!

MOMMA IT'S COLD

When I first bought my "real" camera, I took a photography class by a local Oklahoma photographer at Woolaroc preserve and museum (Jerry Poppenhouse). He showed us photographs he had taken one winter morning of the bison at Woolaroc where they were covered with frost. From that moment on, whenever the weather forecast was for frigid temperatures and snow, I would pray that I could get to Woolaroc to photograph a frosty bison!! One blustery fall afternoon karma was good. I was off work and conditions were "right." Quickly my husband and I headed the 20 minute drive from our home to Woolaroc! Let there be frost. Let there be frost. That was my mantra. Turning a corner we were greeted by this sweet scene…a momma bison and her calf. Awwwwww. No. Brrrrrrrr!!! How does this photo relate to "Flora and Fauna"? The bison epitomizes the Oklahoma wildlife. When we imagine the "Oklahoma hills" that Woody Guthrie sings of, we envision the herds of bison roaming free.