Okay, so I lied.
I admit it: I only claimed that I would present 2010 reasons to read my new blog so that you would read this post. I am not actually going to take the time to make up... er, come up with 2010 reasons to read my new blog. I just wanted to get your attention so I could remind you to switch over to the Jest Kept Secret.
You know you want to. All the cool kids are doing it.
And by the way, Happy New Year. ;)
Friday, January 1, 2010
Sunday, December 27, 2009
You Know What I Learned About Boobies?
My parents told me to write this. In other words, if you are offended by the following content, blame them.
I read recently that occasionally, male Blue Footed Boobies will take a year-long sabbatical from intimacy get "sexier". No joke. Apparently, the Lady Blue Footed Boobies are attracted to Male Blue Footed Boobies with extra blue feet. If a male skips a breeding season, his feet will be even bluer the next year. Translation: Now we know why Viagra is blue.
Yeah, keep dancin' buddy.Photos by unknown photographers. My apologies for not crediting you, but I have no idea who you are. If you happen to find your photo posted on my blog and would like credit for it, please let me know and I'd be happy to do so.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
White Fences
It is cold outside.
I'm sitting here, eating potato soup and waiting for my fingers to thaw after braving the barrens to feed the horses and the cat. Two nights ago, a fog settled over the valley and left a fabulous ice display for us to ooh and ahh over Sunday morning, and it's trying hard to wow us again. It was a beautiful day today and warm, but the moment the sun set, the cold returned. Feed buckets were frozen to the ground. Metal gate latches were painful to touch. Ice crystals spread like so many spider webs across the surface of the fence, the delicate reaches of their fingers sparkling in the light of my LED flashlight. Cold as I was and eager to get back to the house, I stopped to take a moment to admire these beauties, these perfect, frozen little hydogen bonds, and I realized how lucky I am.
I failed to mention this in my last posting, but my parents have moved again. Not far, just the next town over. But if I have one thing to say about our new home, it would be, "Boy, this is an upgrade."
Which, in fact, I did say the very first time I saw the house. No offense to the old house, but this, this is the stuff dreams are made of.
My excellent photography habit has fallen by the wayside since I have arrived home, I regret to say, but I shall try to take some photos before I leave so you can all see that I'm not just making this all up.
The house is a small, Craftsman-style house built in the 1940s and moved to its current spot about 20 years ago. It has hardwood floors, built-in cubboards, a wall hutch, two fireplaces with mantles, and an attic that makes artists swoon. Literally.
But my personal favorite part: 4 1/2 acres surrounded by white vinyl fences.
You know that cliche dream that so many people have - the little bungalow in the country with the white picket fence?
I've never had that dream. The bungalow in the country, sure, but no picket fencing -you can't have horses with picket fencing. Well, I suppose you could, but that would be asking for a hefty vet bill. You might as well sign the blank check now.
But vinyl, white vinyl. Now that would get my heart galloping. As a child, I would see those white vinyl fences and know that there were horses inside them. Even now, when I envision my dream farm, I see miles and miles and miles of white vinyl fencing. Future Husband, wherever you are, I don't want a diamond - I want a synthetic stone made out of recycled vinyl.
We had a party on Friday night, a Christmas party that filled the house with so many friends that you literally couldn't move. During the afternoon before the party, Mom strung Christmas lights on the porches while Dad and I hung 75 opaque plastic cups on the fence and put a single tea light in each. Before the guests arrived, the lights were lit and our house was suddenly worthy of the Better Homes and Gardens cover. It was magical, like something from a fairy tale.
We are so blessed.
And p.s. The driveway is lined with mature trees.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
The Christmas Spirit
Family and Friends, please enjoy this beautiful video about the real "reason for the season".
May your Christmas season be filled with love, light, and a knowledge of God's love for you.
The Christmas Spirit
May your Christmas season be filled with love, light, and a knowledge of God's love for you.
The Christmas Spirit
Friday, December 11, 2009
Stampede Strings
New Mexico is a windy place. I believe I have mentioned that before, but I think that everything about New Mexico bears mentioning more than once.
New Mexico is a windy place, and while I generally find that delightful, it poses issues when you're a Pony Wrangler wearing a straw hat given to you by the very man who owns the Resistol Hat Company. Hats like that are impossible to replace, and the last thing you want is for your nifty, I-Got-This-Hat-From-A-Famous-Guy hat to join the tumbleweed in a dance-off in the high desert. There is a saying in these parts that goes something along the lines of, "You can tell a native New Mexican from a visitor by how he reacts when the wind blows his hat off. The visitor goes chasing after it, while the New Mexican buys another one the next time he's in town."
So I did what any self-respecting, hat-loving Pony Wrangler would do. I went and bought myself a pair of stampede strings, a fabulous invention that keeps your hat literally tied onto your head.
Now let me tell you, I am a smart shopper (sometimes). When I want to buy myself something fancy, I look at a couple different stores until I find the Deal Of The Century - a deal so good, every word deserves capitalization. I had done so with these stampede strings, and when I asked the proprietor of a cowboy clothes store in Taos if she sold any, she laughed at me. "No, honey," she said in a thick New Mexican accent. "I don't carry those." At first, I thought she was turning her nose up at me, but then I realized she was just working hard on keeping her glasses balanced on the end of her nose.
But I finally found a pair at the local tack store and brought them home to meet my nifty, I-Got-This-Hat-From-A-Famous-Guy hat. I put on the hat and tromped off to the bathroom to check myself out in the mirror, at which point I realized my mistake.
Stampede Strings are just about the nerdiest thing ever invented. You thought the pocket protector was bad? Check out these bad boys - nothing says, "I wish I was a cool cowgirl, but I'm not," quite like a pair of black stampede strings with flaxen horse hair tassles at the end. Sure, they're cool in concept. You think, "Hey, I can wear my hat around my neck when I don't want it on my head," and it's true - as long as you don't mind not breathing when the hat pulls the strings against your trachea. And I guess they're cool if you like having your ears pushed forward until you look like Bug Hall.
Nope.
But there they were, and there was nothing I could do about it because I had to wear a hat and I was tired of having to calm spooking ponies when my hat blew off my head in the middle of Sandy the Small Fry's pony ride. And it worked, too - sometimes too well. If the wind was really bad, the stampede strings would catch on the back of my ears so the hat would flip forward and cover my eyes. Now THAT was fun.
Okay, Jess, why are you telling us about your stampede strings?
I'm not. I'm telling you about wind. The Winds of Change, to be more specific. Geez. Get with the program, will ya?
The WOC are blowing again. You know how I like to rearrange the furniture every once in a while? Well, 2010 is coming up, and it's going to bring some changes. BIG changes.
#1. I'm going back to New Mexico.
But Jess, you're IN New Mexico.
False. I am in Idaho. I came home to visit my family for the holidays. My fall contract at Philmont ended November 20, and I thought that was it for my Philmont Adventures until May. But I've been offered a position for the winter season starting in January, so with another summer season on top of that, I'll be there until August.
#2. I'm retiring The Big Idea.
WHAT?!
I know it's hard to believe, but I've grown tired of having a blog with a ridiculously long address that obviously rips off someone else's blog name (heywhatsthebigidea 2), so I decided to scratch the whole thing. Starting in January, I'll be posting to the much, much shorter blog address of jestkeptsecret.blogspot.com. But don't you fret, and don't you frown. I'll be leaving The Big Idea up for all of you who just love to go back over my old posts with a reminscent sigh.
#3. I'm starting a ridiculously brilliant blog project with my super cool friends Heidi and Cheri Kay. It's called The Thursday Chronicles. I won't spoil any surprises now, but I promise that its awesomeness will be mind boggling.
#4. I'm getting married. Just kidding.
#5. I will start the process of looking for a literary agent! That's right, folks! Jess' Ten Year Book Project is almost finished. I've got 20 days to meet my 2009 New Year's Resolution goal, and I can honestly say that there is light at the end of the tunnel. And even if I end up like every other New Year's Resolution breaker in the world, I am close enough to finishing that 2010 will still be the year to start crossing my fingers every time I check the mail.
#6. I'm starting a business. The website hasn't been launched yet, but some time in early 2010, there will be a Grand Opening celebration for Zia Recreational Marketing. In a nut shell, ZRM will be a marketing firm that serves small recreational companies ranging from horse farms to art galleries. Services offered will include photography, web design, logo design, copywriting, print media development, and limited market research. As the business grows (hopefully), video production and event planning will be added to the lineup. More details to follow, so keep your eyes on the horizon.
So get ready, y'all! 2010 is going to be a great year, and I look forward to spending it with all of you!
New Mexico is a windy place, and while I generally find that delightful, it poses issues when you're a Pony Wrangler wearing a straw hat given to you by the very man who owns the Resistol Hat Company. Hats like that are impossible to replace, and the last thing you want is for your nifty, I-Got-This-Hat-From-A-Famous-Guy hat to join the tumbleweed in a dance-off in the high desert. There is a saying in these parts that goes something along the lines of, "You can tell a native New Mexican from a visitor by how he reacts when the wind blows his hat off. The visitor goes chasing after it, while the New Mexican buys another one the next time he's in town."
So I did what any self-respecting, hat-loving Pony Wrangler would do. I went and bought myself a pair of stampede strings, a fabulous invention that keeps your hat literally tied onto your head.
Now let me tell you, I am a smart shopper (sometimes). When I want to buy myself something fancy, I look at a couple different stores until I find the Deal Of The Century - a deal so good, every word deserves capitalization. I had done so with these stampede strings, and when I asked the proprietor of a cowboy clothes store in Taos if she sold any, she laughed at me. "No, honey," she said in a thick New Mexican accent. "I don't carry those." At first, I thought she was turning her nose up at me, but then I realized she was just working hard on keeping her glasses balanced on the end of her nose.
But I finally found a pair at the local tack store and brought them home to meet my nifty, I-Got-This-Hat-From-A-Famous-Guy hat. I put on the hat and tromped off to the bathroom to check myself out in the mirror, at which point I realized my mistake.
Stampede Strings are just about the nerdiest thing ever invented. You thought the pocket protector was bad? Check out these bad boys - nothing says, "I wish I was a cool cowgirl, but I'm not," quite like a pair of black stampede strings with flaxen horse hair tassles at the end. Sure, they're cool in concept. You think, "Hey, I can wear my hat around my neck when I don't want it on my head," and it's true - as long as you don't mind not breathing when the hat pulls the strings against your trachea. And I guess they're cool if you like having your ears pushed forward until you look like Bug Hall.
Nope.
But there they were, and there was nothing I could do about it because I had to wear a hat and I was tired of having to calm spooking ponies when my hat blew off my head in the middle of Sandy the Small Fry's pony ride. And it worked, too - sometimes too well. If the wind was really bad, the stampede strings would catch on the back of my ears so the hat would flip forward and cover my eyes. Now THAT was fun.
Okay, Jess, why are you telling us about your stampede strings?
I'm not. I'm telling you about wind. The Winds of Change, to be more specific. Geez. Get with the program, will ya?
The WOC are blowing again. You know how I like to rearrange the furniture every once in a while? Well, 2010 is coming up, and it's going to bring some changes. BIG changes.
#1. I'm going back to New Mexico.
But Jess, you're IN New Mexico.
False. I am in Idaho. I came home to visit my family for the holidays. My fall contract at Philmont ended November 20, and I thought that was it for my Philmont Adventures until May. But I've been offered a position for the winter season starting in January, so with another summer season on top of that, I'll be there until August.
#2. I'm retiring The Big Idea.
WHAT?!
I know it's hard to believe, but I've grown tired of having a blog with a ridiculously long address that obviously rips off someone else's blog name (heywhatsthebigidea 2), so I decided to scratch the whole thing. Starting in January, I'll be posting to the much, much shorter blog address of jestkeptsecret.blogspot.com. But don't you fret, and don't you frown. I'll be leaving The Big Idea up for all of you who just love to go back over my old posts with a reminscent sigh.
#3. I'm starting a ridiculously brilliant blog project with my super cool friends Heidi and Cheri Kay. It's called The Thursday Chronicles. I won't spoil any surprises now, but I promise that its awesomeness will be mind boggling.
#4. I'm getting married. Just kidding.
#5. I will start the process of looking for a literary agent! That's right, folks! Jess' Ten Year Book Project is almost finished. I've got 20 days to meet my 2009 New Year's Resolution goal, and I can honestly say that there is light at the end of the tunnel. And even if I end up like every other New Year's Resolution breaker in the world, I am close enough to finishing that 2010 will still be the year to start crossing my fingers every time I check the mail.
#6. I'm starting a business. The website hasn't been launched yet, but some time in early 2010, there will be a Grand Opening celebration for Zia Recreational Marketing. In a nut shell, ZRM will be a marketing firm that serves small recreational companies ranging from horse farms to art galleries. Services offered will include photography, web design, logo design, copywriting, print media development, and limited market research. As the business grows (hopefully), video production and event planning will be added to the lineup. More details to follow, so keep your eyes on the horizon.
So get ready, y'all! 2010 is going to be a great year, and I look forward to spending it with all of you!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Garden Walls
Written by: Mindy Gledhill and Kenneth Cope
The lights within Jerusalem are gone
But there is one who will not sleep at all
He will call upon the powers of Heaven
Deep within a garden’s walls
A voice breaks through the silence in the night
And branches shake to hear a grown man cry
Oh, He cries and feels the sting of death inside
But He won’t ask why
Through the years and ‘cross the deep blue sea comes this mystery
Why would the king of Heaven and Earth bow down to free me?
Footsteps in the sand are drawing nigh
And raging voices echo in the sky
Angry eyes can’t see that the man they send to die
Offers Life
Through the years and ‘cross the deep blue sea comes this mystery
Why would the king of Heaven and Earth bow down to free me?
Two thousand years and ‘cross the deep blue sea (wondrous mystery)
The King of all creation came to free me!
The lights within this city now are gone
But there is one who cannot sleep at all
I will answer to the voice that ever calls
From those garden walls
Jeremiah 17:7 - Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.
The lights within Jerusalem are gone
But there is one who will not sleep at all
He will call upon the powers of Heaven
Deep within a garden’s walls
A voice breaks through the silence in the night
And branches shake to hear a grown man cry
Oh, He cries and feels the sting of death inside
But He won’t ask why
Through the years and ‘cross the deep blue sea comes this mystery
Why would the king of Heaven and Earth bow down to free me?
Footsteps in the sand are drawing nigh
And raging voices echo in the sky
Angry eyes can’t see that the man they send to die
Offers Life
Through the years and ‘cross the deep blue sea comes this mystery
Why would the king of Heaven and Earth bow down to free me?
Two thousand years and ‘cross the deep blue sea (wondrous mystery)
The King of all creation came to free me!
The lights within this city now are gone
But there is one who cannot sleep at all
I will answer to the voice that ever calls
From those garden walls
Jeremiah 17:7 - Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.
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