Git along little dogie

I'm head in' for the last round up
gonna saddle old Paint for the last time and ride
So long old pal
it's time your tears were dried
I'm head'n in' for the last round up
Git along little dogie
git a long 

We were tired and been driving too many miles in too few days, but coming upon this scene was so grounding for me.  I love the West, the cowboy life, riding horses, gettin' dirty.  There is something truly comforting about driving cross country - gettin' out of the city and seeing life like it should be. What a nice traffic jam we came upon.  

Watching the new babies cross the road running back and forth trying to find Mom, being scared with this new experience, the bulls butting heads showing off for all those heifers!  It was great.

Chama & La Bahada Junker

This is a true Arroyo Junker.  I crawled down an embankment, past a dead dog, and past some very shameful graffiti.  Amy if you see this.... SHAME SHAME!  I was going to show these pics of the dead dog and what the graffiti said about AMY, but my photo shop skills weren't good enough to cover the bad parts if you really didn't want to see it.  This junker has had many a river run thru it.  It was a beauty, however.  I know it's weird to see such beauty in these old car, but I swear I do. 

I've discovered that New Mexico is in love with Chevy's!  I drove many miles thru lots of small towns and all I saw were Chevy's.

I loved the way this hid behind the old adobe... as I crept forward so did that old chevy.

Blacksmithing a Rose

I've made it back safe and sound from my blacksmithing journey in Santa Fe, NM with Helmut Hillenkamp.  I created some fun stuff and learned a whole lot more.  Met some great folks and enjoyed having the opportunity to participate in this adventure. Thanks go out to Helmut for inviting me and being so generous with his time, tools and steel.  I know I'll be able to use what I learned in my work ~ only wish I had that power hammer in the shop to make my life easier.  Who knew I could make a hummingbird out of a steel pipe.  That Power Hammer was quite the tool.

As much as I enjoyed these new experience and getting out of my routine I think the best part was coming back home and getting back to my routine.  Life is funny that way.... I love to go and do fun and exciting things, but I always love coming home.  It must be the adult version of a babies blanket ~ its warm and enveloping plus you can leave your dirty underwear lying around!

It's truly amazing what can be created with one single round bar of steel!   Here is a gorgeous rose that was created by Christin Boyd with Fly Girl Iron.  Each handmade forged Rose typically sells for $100 a piece.  Husband if you read this..... I'll take a dozen of those any day of the week ~ don't forget I only need 11 more!