Posts tagged ‘country people’
It Truly Is A Small Word
Sometimes I feel like I am the only one who lives a life that is unique and hard to manage. As some of you know I live spring and summer in Belgium, {my husband’s home country} and fall and winter in Colorado to be with family along with stops in the Chicago area where I was born. This type of lifestyle is hard to manage when you have a photography business because I am always on the move. It does create great opportunities, but managing paperwork, computers, second residence, communication with family and friends and language and cultural differences can be quiet a challenge.
Many times my I feel I am the only one who lives such a lifestyle and I am on my own when dealing with all the challenges. But a recent trip to a small town in Shell, Wyoming made me realize just what a small world this truly is.
A group of fellow equine photographers ventured to a fabulous guest ranch to create winter images of horses and western lifestyle images. We stayed the week at The Hideout Lodge and Guest Ranch located in Shell, Wyoming with a population of 63. This ranch is set just below the beautiful Big Horn Mountains. It took my breath away with the beautiful log cabin lodge and quaint cabins set in fresh snow with views of the mountains everywhere you looked. It brought back my memories of living in Montana.
After settling in to our quaint log cabin room we all met for the get acquainted dinner in the lodge. That is when I discovered that this beautiful guest ranch was managed by a couple from Belgium. I could not believe that I would hearing that lovely Belgian accent so familiar to me in such a remote place. Peter De Cabooter and his wife Marijn Werquin (just to clarify in Belgium women do not take the family name of their husbands which I think is great} manage this lovely lodge and guest ranch and also live a similar lifestyle as myself. Who would have thought I would find a couple from Belgian in such a remote location?
We had a chance to talk about Belgium, living in the two countries and how we both handle the travel of back and forth and all that goes with living in to different cultures. Having met them made me feel a bit more content with my very different lifestyle. I realized that there must be many who live this multi-cultural life and deal with all the excitement and challenges that comes with this.
Having worked with my husband on several guest ranches while living in Montana for 10 years, I quickly recognized how Peter and Marijn bring the best of Belgium to this small western community. The ranch offers nothing shy of quality from the beautiful log lodge and quaint cabins to an accomplished chef Sheena cooking meals you would only expect in high level restaurants. All the staff was professional, friendly and very qualified for the position they were hired to do. Peter told me during one of our conversations during cocktail hour that he understands that if he hires the best employees he know he has to offer them a long-term career so they can keep the high level of employees that they have. Unlike the ranches we worked on that after three months you were scrambling to find another job for the rest of the year which most likely not make if possible to return to the guest ranch the following season leaving the owners to continually trying find new employees. Which in return leaves regular guests wondering what to expect the following year.
In Belgium you can not just hang out your sign and run a business, you must be trained, schooled and certificate for the professional position in most cases. I see that at the HIdeout ranch Peter and Marijn have brought this quality to the ranch. I also experienced the friendliness and creativity of the employees that is so prevalent in our culture. Like Tom Bercher the head wrangler with his patience for us demanding photographers to Rebecca his wife who is the office manager and keeps everything running smooth.There were the two twin c cowboys Greg and Mark Prows entertaining us all with their cowboy stories. So with the best of two cultures they have created a very unique and pleasant experience. This was the first time I experienced both of my worlds coming together in this lovely week.
I hope in the future I can bring my husband back to The HIdeout Lodge and Guest ranch so he too experience what it is like when you blend these two cultures together and how a quality ranch guest ranch can be run.
If you have a dream of experiencing the western lifestyle and want to ride a horse in the beautiful wide open spaces of Wyoming I highly recommend The HIdeout Ranch as a place for your destination. I guarantee you will not be disappointed and will you will have a once in a life time experience at this very unique and traditional western ranch.
Here are some of the photographs I took during the week. The interior image are were created by the talented fellow photographer Rebbeca Neff.
Tom Bercher our vary patient and wonderful host.
Rebecca taking a day out of the office
Double Trouble Mark & Greg Prows
Augustus son of Rebecca and Tom Bercher
Peter & Marijn
Marijn with her faithful border collie
The whole crew of riders
Finally Rural Life Get Noticed
I was so excited with the Dodge Ram commercial because rural life is finally getting some attention. Just as we have all watched hundreds of commercials, videos, television shows, photographs, centered around urban living in this modern world, Dodge came out and changed it up and showed us what country people are all about Yepee!!! (visualize me jumping up and down now)
I was thinking I was the only one in the world that got it, but now the rest of the world saw in prime time what it takes to be a farmer, thank you Dodge!
Farmers, ranchers, country folks, unite. We have been noticed again and we warmed their hearts. That is our best quality. So be proud and celebrate.
In case you missed it do to chores, here is the link
Here is one of my contribution to the farmers out there.
Plowing the old way
Cabin Fever
Early morn
Cabin for sale
Cabin Fever is what I am experiencing right now, but unlike the definition describes about Cabin Fever my fever is a bit different.
I have a fever to own a cabin in the mountains. I have had this dream ever since I could understand the words to the song “Over the River and Through the Woods” I can still picture in my mind the snow, the horse-drawn carriage and going away from everyone to a place set in snow deep in the woods on a mountain somewhere. A dream is born.
This past weekend I went with my son and his family to Grand Mesa in Colorado. As we were driving towards the top of the Mesa it just did not seem like a place where there would be woods and snow, the surrounding area really seemed a bit like the Grand Canyon than a mountain top. Beautiful vast views of rocky buttes and open space, but not exactly what I had envisioned.
To my surprise as we reached the top the world changed. The snow was deep, aspen trees were everywhere mixed among towering pine trees. We were there, on top of the Mesa I was so amazed at how driving up to an elevation of 10,000 feet could completely change the landscape.
We came there with snowmobiles in tow and 3 small children. It was going to be a family time. But I also brought my camera and each morning I would get up before just before dawn and walk along the snow-covered roads that were only accessible by snowmobile now. I could see all the cabins that were situated on the shores of the now frozen lakes. Some were new some were original older cabins, but there were cabins just the same. I was having Cabin Fever to own a cabin in such a beautiful spot.
I took pictures of some of the cabins that I could imagine myself living in. Snow piled outside so high the almost covered the windows. Small row boats leaning against the walls just waiting for summer to come back around. Stone chimneys where I could just smell the wood burning in crisp morning air. Outside the only sound was the wind blowing through the pines or a chirp of a chick-a-dee pecking at the pine cones. This is the place of my dreams.
I have a dream of owning a cabin in a place like this one day. Somewhere to go and photograph nature and wildlife and just enjoy the peace and quite that only nature can offer. Build a fire,make a fresh pot of coffee and go through the photographs I took just the night before during an amazing sunset.
So you see during this time of year when we spend more time indoors due to the cold and short days of winter, I do get Cabin Fever, but mine is a fever to be shut in a cabin in the deep winter months. Locked away from the world and enjoying the new snow cold crisp nights and a crackling fire.
Will this be the year I finally find my cabin home? I have no idea, but for now just dreaming is good enough because dreams have a way of turning into reality if you believe they can.
Here are a few of the cabins I saw while staying in Grand Mesa National Forest
Photography, Ranching, Autisum What?
When I wrote down those three words in the title of this post so I would remember what I wanted to write about I thought “what?” how could these three ever be related? Well let me tell you a story about all three.
During a recent trip to one of my favorite states Montana, a good friend who lives on a ranch there agreed to help me find some great ranch horses to photograph. She is a very busy ranch women, mother of two young children, and wife. I knew this was a real gift from her to find the time to help me.
It was a great trip and I got many amazing photographs around their ranch and the area. I told her before I came that I would be willing to photograph her family for her as I knew with their lifestyle going for a portrait session is almost unheard of. She said she would really appreciate that because you see she has an autistic son who is 4 and quite a challenge. Although she has many photographs of both of her children as they grew over the years, there were very few with her in the photograph which is common with many moms with young children. Ranch women also have a difficult time juggling family and ranch work let alone finding the time to gather everyone for a family portrait and all the work that goes into preparing for it particularly during the busy months of summer. So I was more than willing to help her with this.
As I pulled up to the ranch I was excited to meet her family. We had not seen each other for the last 10 years. She has a little girl who is 6 and her little special guy who was 4 . As we talked in her ranch kitchen I could see her total dedication to her children. She was doing everything possible to help not only her child with special needs but her little girl who also needed mom’s attention. On top of all the challenges of living on a Montana ranch, which I know all to well, I had to wonder how she holds it all together. But then I remembered something my own mom would say, “you are never given more than you can handle.”
This family is the real deal, they work hard and they live basic and that is what I was hoping to capture in these photographs. Rural people have different needs than say suburban and city people when it comes to a portrait sessions. They work with the land and animals, and wearing dresses, ties, suits, and pearls is saved for weddings and funerals. Most of the time a shopping trip of any kind is an all day affair of traveling at least 50 miles, and happens once a month or so. It also includes shopping for groceries, ranch supplies, a stop at the tire shop, and if your lucky maybe a new pair of boots. No time to window shopping at the latest styles, testing the latest fragrances, or dreaming about that gold necklace, getting the basics is all they have time for or are interested in.
As we headed outside for our photo session, she had her little ones dressed up in nice clean ranch wear. I knew I would have to work fast as her son was racing around the ranch with my friend closely watching to make sure he stayed out of trouble. I told her to just forget about me and the camera that I would catch the moments as they happen. I knew in this situation there would be no posing and I was going to have to be alert to each moment as it would arise. I was up for the challenge.
I took photos of the kids in a hurry while they were still clean. Her little girl really enjoyed the camera and was so funny as she went from place to place posing. Her son was on the go. He was in his own world of discovery that none of us will ever understand. No fear, just curiosity. I managed a few nice shots of him as he went from one thing to the other. Then they both headed to the corral full of horses and cows. I had a feeling that the clean clothes would become a thing of the past. Both of the kids had a great time playing with their pony, climbing on the hay feeder pouring water from the stream in their hats and over their heads. I could not stop pushing the shutter. They were taking me back to my childhood and the fun of just playing and discovering.
Later my friend’s husband showed up from the field. This was July and haying season had just ended. I knew taking family pictures was not top on his list of things that had to get done. My friend managed to get the kids dried off and into new clothes so we could try some kind of family portrait. I saw a hay wagon sitting next to the yard and told them all to just climb on it and we would see what would happen. Her little cowboy was running up and down back and forth and there was no way you could tell him to stand next to mom and dad. He had his own agenda. I told the rest of the family just to keep looking towards me and I would try to catch him as he went by or when he would occasionally stop to see what everyone was up to. I managed to capture a few nice shots of them all together.
Then as dad headed back to work, I glanced and saw my friend sitting on the hay wagon having a moment with her little guy. I quickly turned my attention to them. Although he was carrying a wire in his hand, the moment was too precious to let go. I caught one more photo of him gazing into her eyes and knew this was a fleeting moment and very special.
After she had received her photographs. She wrote me saying how she appreciated having these photos of her family. She said that the one photograph of her and he son looking at each other meant the most, because no knows how hard they both have worked together to have a brief and rare moment when they look at each other with love and appreciation. It may have not lasted but for her it was validation of the love they share. We all only have moments to cherish along the way in our lives and if I can capture and preserve those moments that are special for someone else, than I know I have picked the right career.
Here are a few of the photographs I caught of this special ranch family’s life.
Little cowgirl
- Curiosity
- In the hay stack
- Time to play
- A special moment
- You found me!
A Tip I Got From The Belgians On Beer.
Beer, well I think among country people it is probably the drink of choice after a long days work in the hot summer months. I know it is in this family. My husband is a Belgian and they invented beer, raise their young on beer, and drink it like water. When you are 12 years old you can go into a Cafe’ and have a beer if your parents are present. If you are 16 you can have a beer without them present. Agree or disagree, that is not the point. I am just saying they know their beer and there must be over 300 different kinds here from dark to light and everything in between.
Here is a tip I learned from my Belgian guy. If you pour a beer and it goes flat like this one:
This beer has gone flat.
All you have to do is get a small piece of cardboard, like tear a piece of the coaster they give you or use a corner off the matches, or just tear a piece off a card board box. Swirl it in your beer a few times and Wa La You have foam. Like this:
Beer with lot’s of foam
I have tried it and it works every time. But I must say the better the beer the better it works. Coors light will have less foam than say a Stella Artois. If you know your beer you know what I am talking about.
This is my tip of the week. Now back to my favorite beer, Karmeliet a nice blonde beer made by the monks. Yes this country girl likes beer. Like they say when in Rome or better Belgium, do what Belgian’s do, drink lot’s of beer.
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Remembering Old Wives Tales
Wise Woman
The other day I was helping my husband move his 80-year-old mother into a smaller place. Since all the furniture was not set up, we had her stay with us for a few days until she got settled. Her and I were taking a much-needed break at end of a long day and having a cup of tea. She was gazing out the window looking over to the chicken pen when she said to me in her dutch language that it was going to rain in a day or two because the chickens were still scratching and it was after 7:00pm. I had never heard of that before and it got me thinking of other “old wives tales” that have been passed on over the ages. I decided to list some of the ones I found interesting.
- When the swallows fly high it will be a nice day, when they fly close to the ground it will rain
- Chickens will follow the sun eating if they are not penned in
- Don’t tie the rope until the calf is born (Belgian saying) or don’t count your chicks until they hatch
- A cow in calf will have a bull if the hair is standing up between her horns, and a heifer if it is laying down
- If the mist or fog is close to the ground the day will be nice
- If peacocks are making lot’s of noise it is going to rain
- If it rains on Easter Sunday, it rains seven Sundays after
- Never give a knife as a gift or it will sever the relationship
- Some people are penny wise, but pound foolish
These saying give me a chuckle and I guess some have a lot of truth in them, but what I am wondering is will we have any tales we that will be remembered in the future? Do we have modern day old wives tales to pass on? Maybe they will come in a different form like something to do with the internet or computers or social media. I just think it would be a shame if this generation did not have any everyday sayings to pass on to the next.
I enjoy old wives tales, just like I have always enjoyed the Farmers Alamanac to predict the weather. I suppose in the agriculture era this all was very important.
If you have any interesting “old wives tales” that you remember, would love to have you share them in this blog.
Until next time, and remember if you are a taking a photograph always look behind you, you may just see a better view.
There Are Differences Between Us
I was thinking this morning about all the differences between people who live remote and people who live in cities and towns. Besides the obvious of the size of our property or what type of transportation we drive there are some little things that get overlooked.
I suppose the first thing would be fashion or style. I am sure you in town folks think that many country people have no style, which I must say few of us do think about it much. We do not look forward to the latest fashion magazine, we are more interested in when the seed catalogs are going to arrive in our mailbox.
We could care less about designer jeans or the latest color, we shop your leftovers at the Goodwill store because most likely those jeans are going to get caught in barbed wire by the afternoon.
We do not have to decide between flats or heels today, more like rubber boots or work shoes.
Are meals do not look like they came out of a 5 star restaurant, they consist of meat, potatoes and vegetables dug out of the garden, a meal that can feed and satifiy a working man.
You will seldom see us in pet stores buying doggy coats, beds, or retractable leashes, our dog live outside, grow their own coats, and come when they are called. They also are quite talented at dodging an oncoming tractor or a kick from a flying horse hoof.
Our cats are just as beautiful as most, but have never seen a can of fancy feast, or have exotic cat toys, they eat what we give them and are always busy chasing the mice around the barn or stalking the birds at the bird feeder.
We seldom visit the dry cleaners, our clothes are usually hanging on the clothes line in the back yard, and we all love the person who invented permanent press material.
I know on occasion we run into you at a variety of events and we always try to dress up with what ever we have in our closet, and you can be sure we have checked to make sure our shoes have no manure on them when we enter a room. But we can feel your stares at our fashion choices and we have grown use to the snickers behind our backs. But then again we know what your thinking because we have had the same thoughts when you announce that you didn’t realize that milk and eggs did not come from the grocery store.
Here are some photos I took of some country people in Belgium enjoying a day together last fall.
Taking The Back Roads 