goodbye

Last Friday morning, I had the opportunity to visit a beautiful lady and photograph her lovely animal family. The purpose of the visit was to photograph her beloved horse, Yogi, who sadly had to be put down this morning. It was a bittersweet experience. The horse - as well as her other animals - was sweet beyond measure. I feel so honored to have been invited to photograph this majestic and graceful creature in his last days.

Thank you for your life and death, blessed Yogi. Bless you on your way.

turquoise

It started with the red polka dotted Barbie dress. It just called for a turquoise background. I found the perfect color in card stock at Michael's. The red looked glorious in front of the turquoise. Unfortunately, the photos didn't really turn out well. The dress had arrived with a crease across the front of the skirt and the crease shows up too much in the photos. But the turquoise was so spectacular, I had to use it for something. Then I spotted the white Breyer pony I've had since I was a little girl. Perfect.

foto friday

Going back to the root goal of my photography, I've decided to make Fridays a sharing day. I will provide a different photo each Friday that you can download and print for your personal use. The photo is in pdf form. You will need Adobe Reader to open the file. You can download Reader for free here. I'm new to this downloading stuff and am using dropbox to facilitate the transfer. If you have any problems downloading the photo, please let me know.

Witaka Eye

download 6x9 pdf here

what life gives us

A few fly bites cannot stop a spirited horse.

Mark Twain

Well...my stomach flu/fever/cough turned into pneumonia. Bad. I've been out of the hospital for a few days now. It's good to be home. Regular posting will resume tomorrow or the next day. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

2 cats, 3 llamas, 1 horse, 1 donkey

...and 1 dog - but I didn't get any photos of him. Saturday I went with a group of plein air painters and photographers to an incredible estate called Chapelle de l'Artiste in Paradise. This gorgeous property rightly belongs in a place called Paradise. The event was part of Avenue 9 Gallery's annual Paint-Out. By the time we could arrive the sun was already beginning to cast harsh shadows and blowing out the backgrounds. Stubbornly, I kept using a zoom lens I know to be soft and hinky. I had other lenses with me, but with few exceptions kept to the one zoom lens. Between the lens and the sun, most of the highlights are blown out - except on the one perfect cat photo and the precious donkey who couldn't take a bad photo.

i met some ponies

Here are a few of the ponies I met yesterday on the way to Table Mountain...

i met a horse

Today, on my way to Table Mountain for a photo shoot, I met a horse.

The road to Table Mountain winds through lush, green hills covered with rich and poor properties, many with livestock. One property has a huge field, home to at least 50 horses and ponies - and one llama. I suspect the horses are all rescues since there doesn't seem to be any working facilities like arenas or paddocks, but I don't know for sure. Every time I drive to Table Mountain, I pass this ranch, slowing down to admire. Today I stopped and parked along the road. As I approached the fence, most of the nearby ponies came to greet me - accepting pats and head rubs. There was one horse - a bay with a white blaze - who was always near but wouldn't approach. There was fear in his eyes and he held his body ready for flight, but he never retreated. I spoke softly to him and offered him my hand to smell. Gradually, he came closer, but never near enough to touch. He followed me as I walked up and down the fence line, petting ponies and taking photos. Eventually, he was standing with his head within inches of me. I let him see my hand and gently pet his head. He jerked back. This happened quite a few times. By the time I really really had to leave, I could rub his head without him jerking away. I wish I could have stayed longer. I called him my love. I know I'll be going back in the next few days to see him again.

Here are a few head shots of my love - it's always the eyes of the animals with me...the last one is my favorite...

death of an image

Both images by Andrea Galvani via life according to celia

spirit horse

In the lexicon of symbols, horses usually mean healing. I've always believed if horses are healers, white horses are super healers. There was a very special white horse in my life - actually she was a flea-bitten grey, but that's close enough for me. She wasn't my horse, but one of my sister's three horses. Her name was Witaka. She passed away a few years ago from malignant tumors all over her fair skin. I believe Witaka was a healer, but not so powerful a healer that she knew how to get rid of all she absorbed from the people around her and the tumors were the result. Whether I am right or wrong really doesn't matter. What matters is how lucky I was to know her and how much she brought to my life. She had a troubled life. Not in terms of being cared for, she was greatly loved and my sister is an excellent horsewoman. She just didn't seem comfortable in her horse body and horse life. I always felt a special affinity with her. Maybe because I've never felt completely comfortable in my human body or human life.

The photo of Witaka's eye began my photography career. It is the photo that first touched my soul. It was the first photo of mine that was more than just a photo. I have sold more of her photos than all others combined. Her photos are always the ones that people are first drawn to. She still speaks, still heals.

I've posted this photo before, but as far as I'm concerned it can never be seen too often. This is the photo that is the loadstone of all my photos that have come since...

Witaka Eye

Thank you, beautiful Witaka. I miss your presence. You will always live in my heart.

dream

I had a vivid dream this morning about white horses, a road I've traveled many times, skateboarders, Lou Diamond Phillips, and love. My alarm woke me. I so wish I could go to sleep and be back in it...

btw, the collage may be in black and white, but I dream in full technicolor...

inspired by...

...Ana of Live & Enliven. Her post today was a series of absolutely beautiful horse photos. It reminded me of how much I love those animal beings and of the significant impact they have had on my life - both physical and spiritual. Get ready for a post HEAVY on photos - on my favorite photos.

btw...do yourself a favor and read Ana's blog. When I "discovered" it through another blog a couple of months ago, I spent the entire night reading every post - well, almost every one...I couldn't quite finish. I will someday though. Read it. The light of her soul shines through every post.

Now, to horses...

Witaka Eye

Cinnamon Eye

Grey's Eye

Through the Wire

Diamond



Kaytee Eye

horse crazy

My sister is nine years older than I am. She was my idol. In many ways, she had more influence over me than our mother did. We shared a bedroom and a bed. Everything she loved, I loved - art and horses, especially. Unfortunately, in our family there was room for only one of each kind of child. My brother was the mechanical genius and recluse. My sister was horse-crazy and a natural born artist - the popular one. I was the "baby" - specifically the "cry baby." But that is all another story...

I was a lonely and constantly alone child. I relied on books and my imagination for company and pleasure. One of my favorite pasttimes was playing with my sister's Breyer horses. My favorite was the rearing appaloosa. I had one horse - a little white pony. I still have her. Sadly, White Fluffy Love knocked her off the windowsill and broke her leg. Luckily, she's not real and her leg can be mended with glue. She will be with me for the rest of my life.

While browsing a new-to-me blog - Live and Enliven - I came across a link to a beautiful etsy shop that sells vintage goods. Look what I found...

 ethanollie

Alas, my wallet will not allow me to indulge my nostalgic heart.

Below is a photo of my precious childhood friend. Notice any similarity with the prone pony above???

Rain Pony

photo envy

I wish I had taken this photo.
I wish I had the opportunity to take a photo like this.

Miradas

by Andres Tarrab

devil close behind

I'm gonna steal a silver stallion
With not a mark upon his silky hide
Teach him he can trust me like a sister,
One day we'll saddle up and ride

And we're gonna ride, we're gonna ride
Ride like the one eyed jack of diamonds

With the devil close behind
We're gonna ride, we're gonna ride

I'm gonna find me a reckless man,
Razor blades and dice in his eyes
Just a touch of sadness in his fingers,
Thunder and lightening in his thighs

And we're gonna ride, we're gonna ride
Ride like the one eyed jack of diamonds

With the devil close behind
We're gonna ride, we're gonna ride

I'm gonna chase the sky forever,
With the man and the stallion and the wind
The sun is gonna burn into a cinder,
Before we ever pass this way again

And we're gonna ride, we're gonna ride
Ride like the one eyed jack of diamonds

With the devil close behind
We're gonna ride, we're gonna ride

Silver Stallion

Clayton, Lee

Cat Power sings it here.

the ride

Day before yesterday:
general ickiness - rejection as redirection.
trip with J to the pet store to investigate the possiblity of adding turtles to our menagerie.
encounter with a European Hamster left me unsettled (more on that another day).

Yesterday:
slept in late with J.
wonderful morning playing, reading, and cuddling with her until she had to go to her dad's. Then missed her like crazy.
presented with temptation, made a moral choice I feel very good with. Little pat on the back to me.
delightful online banter (slightly racy) with a very charming - and handsome - man.
on my way into town, passed three riders on horses and a few blocks later a man on a Harley. Realized how much I miss both horses and motorcycles. Need both in my life again (not at the same time, please.)
while waiting to pick up a pizza, met Sven - a very gentle and kind man who wanted nothing more than friendly conversation. We spoke of children and aging and choices. A very pleasant conversation. A true gift of an encounter.
lovely and fun dinner with a very good friend.

Today:
slept late (how I love school vacation!)
while transferring photos from my computer's stuffed hard drive to an external hard drive, I started looking through old files and realized I have gems buried in "not enough time." I am so excited and can't wait to start unearthing the treasures. So far, have done nothing else today except look through raw photos!

Because posts are always better with pictures, below are three horsey photos that have never seen the light of day and the only motorcycle photos I could find.