2.5 Seconds!!!!!!!!!

First of all, I must apologize, because Buckskin Lily's Amazing, Fantastic Blog hasn't been very amazing OR fantastic lately.  But in my defense, I've been having such a GREAT summer, I haven't had time to even think about my blog.  However, I today I decided to change that, so...here are a few updates on what Noah & I have been up to this summer.

The first major shooting event of the summer was the Wyoming State Championships aka Cody's Wild West Shootout which was held June 9-11, 2011 at the Cody Shooting Complex right here in Cody.  This was my best State Championship by far since we moved up here in 2007--I was shooting very well.  I was REALLY hoping for a win this year & at the awards ceremony, it came down to a nail-biter.  The 1st & 2nd place ladies' winners were separated by a mere 2.5 SECONDS!!!  I held my breath as Kari Lynn made the announcement & I LOST!!!!  ARRRGGGGHHHH!!!  By 2.5 SECONDS!!!!  Was I ever bummed!!!  So, once again, I'm only the runner-up state champion.  Phooey!!!

However, Noah & I DID pick up an unprecedented award...something we'd never won before & never expected to win, either:  Best Dressed Couple!!!  I was shocked.  Here we are in our finery...I think it was my new hat that put us over the top.

So...at least we didn't walk away completely empty-handed.  (Noah also won a handful of side match awards & took 3rd place state championship).

Nostalgia...

Just messing around today scanning some old photos...here I am around age three-four.  We were still living in Covina, so I definitely was under five.

Another of the young Buckskin Lily.  Check out that sweatshirt!

And here's one of all three of us...what a handful!!!!

Have a great Mother's Day, everyone!!!!

Love,
Buckskin Lily

Spring Break!!!!!!!!

Yes, I know...I've been home for two weeks, but I'm just getting around to posting my Spring Break photos...that's just how I roll.  We had a great time, though.  It was a late Spring Break this year, but the snow was still flying in Wyoming, so we decided to head down to the ranch in Arizona.  After a hard two-day drive in the motor home, we got to Quartzsite around 10:30 at night on Saturday the 16th (of April).

Roger & Luke came to hang with us on Sunday, and we spent the day shooting from under a canopy...it was a bit warm for us northerners, but a great day anyway.  Here's Luke shooting his .22:

And just posing for a picture:

Here's Roger obliging me with a photo as well:

Roger & Luke had to head for home Sunday evening, and we spent the rest of the week riding the quads, taking walks, and hanging out with our friends Lee & Kathy who live in Quartzsite full-time. 

It's me, Waldo & a saguaro...

...and Noah & Waldo out on a walk.

Here are Lee & Kathy the day we went out on a quad-runner ride to see the Big Foot.  And  here it is:

Judge for yourself!

And it's me, Buckskin Lily, in front of a blooming ocotillo.  Isn't it great???

I also spent some time taking photos of some of the cool desert stuff.  Like this:

Looks a little like a crocodile, doesen't it?

And this...

And this:

There was more, but that's probably enough for now.  Sorry I've been a bit neglectful of my blog...but with the new job, I've been too tired to get around to this.  HOWEVER,  Summer Vacation starts in only 2 1/2 weeks, so I'll have lots of time & lots of exciting news to thrill you with soon.  Keep your eyes peeled & I will talk to all of you really soon.  Until then...

Lots of love,

Buckskin

Happy Spring from Wyoming!!!

This was me last April 8th, making my very first snowman.  Spring is so wonderful here in Wyoming!  It was so cold, even Alfie was wearing his sweater!!

The Buck in the Yard

Noah wanted me to share this photo he took of a nice buck out in the pasture the other day.  (You all know that Noah did not have a good hunting season this year:  he didn't take a single animal).  There is still hope, however, elk season has been extended till the end of January due to the extraordinarily poor hunting season this year coupled with an increase in brucelosis in the elk herds...so keep your finger crossed for him.

Here's another shot of the same buck jumping the fence a few minutes later.  Nice action shot considering this was taken with a telephoto lens & no tripod:

Merry Xmas!!!

That picture just about says it all!!  Wow!!! What an exciting Christmas...can't believe it's come & gone already.  Noah got lots of things to wear (since he never buys clothes for himself).  He got some new shirts, a mad bomber hat with rabbit fur to wear when he goes outside to feed the horses:

And some new toastie slippers:

Buckskin got a new iPod (with the entire Beatles catalog on it), a docking station for her new iPod, a case for her video camera (prompted by the infamous video camera search of a few weeks previous), a weathervane for the top of the horse barn:

(The horses were completely non-plussed), but I think it's GREAT!!  Now I can always tell which way the wind is blowing.  Here's Noah up on the roof installing it for me:

Aren't I a lucky girl?

What else did I get...oh, yeah...a new mic & mic-stand for my basement music room.  Now I can play my guitar & sing loud enought to entertain the entire neighborhood.  Have you noticed  how all the photos in this entry are of Noah & not of me, Buckskin Lily?  Isn't that  handy?  Well...since I'm the one writing this blog & since I didn't look particularly fetching on Christmas morning as I was opening my presents, I simply decided to leave photos of myself out.  I will give you one pic of me opening a Christmas present, just to be fair, but I warned you!!

Well, so much for Christmas 2010.  It was great, but it's over now...nothing but memories & my iPod full of Beatles songs to remind me of the good times... 

Until next time,
Buckskin Lily

(I know...should have used a tripod, but I'm too lazy!!  Notice Alfie in the bottom left stalking the tree.  He thought the Christmas tree was the neatest toy ever...he was NOT happy when we took it down).

Last Day of Class

I don't know if you can see them, but when I went out to the garage to get in my Jeep and drive into town for my last day of class with the Korean teachers, I heard the strangest sound.  I went outside and looked up, and there were hundreds of Canada geese flying overhead.  I yelled to Noah to come outside, and gave him my camera (I was taking it with me to class for a final class photo).  He was able to snap a few shots of the birds flying overhead...don't know if you can see them that well, but here it is anyway.  They just kept coming in waves and waves.  Hundreds of them.  And were are so loud!  They honk constantly as they fly (all of them at the same time!)  You'd think they'd lose their voices!  It was really cool...had to share!!!

Even though I'm not teaching at the college anymore, I was lucky enought to get to teach one class to the Korean teachers this semester.  I did an Intensive American pronunciation course with them, and as is my long-standing tradition (unbroken in 25 years!)  I took an all-class photo on the last day.  These guys really didn't want to do it, but I appreciate the fact that they humored me.  Here we all are:

YAY!!!  We finished!!!  (Can you spot me without my buckskins on?)