Young Harris, GA Rodeo and Flea Market Finds! A Friday well spent! May 17, 2013

I replied to an Etsy message and it looked like it was turning into a blog post so I will take it again from here.

We just returned from a rodeo tonight ( Friday Night)  and my first one.  I will post photos on my blog and face book, I loved meeting the cowboys.  My husband and I have both deceived we are REALLY  OLD after walking n a pasture and sitting on bleacher seats, Just a few years ago, I walked with a cane and could not wear shoes and socks, just sandals with my neuropathy!

I can hear the whip'o will outside singing its'  little heart out - over and over - and over again!

They sing every evening and morning without doubt and I love hearing them.

OK, Friday,  I started a couple of errands and went by a Flea Market to see how busy they were because I needed to be there selling my extra things!  Of course, no intensions of buying like the story goes, I should have not had any cash in my pocket, but I got some for Mother's Day along with my favorite shoes( 4 Pairs! I have been begging her for more than the first pair I got from my daughter!) and Yankee Candle along with diffuser set. Love the "Fluffy Towel" scent! I also got a beautiful new Golden Retriever mouse pad which I am using and coasters to match. Plus Hunter ( my Grandog) sent me some cash and so did my daughter and son in law! Way, over the top in gifts!

But, back to the flea market! There was no much happening in the outside table area but the barn had enough folks in it for me to go broke!  I could not believe the great finds offered and I had to snag a few.

 My first purchase was a Vintage Antique Brass I guess Bird cage! Yes! Had to have at $10 price and I got it for $8 because I bought more stuff from this couple.  They had several items I can use in my mixed media art and fairy gardens.

OK, down the road I went after and on the way I saw a pasture with a lot of activity and it was a rodeo set up! I stopped and took some photos which is nothing new because I do this all the time. It drives my husband crazy for me to ask to stop and go back but he was not with me, I just had the dogs with me. They love traveling with us anywhere and are good riders.

Here are a few of the early photos, the riding area was not yet plowed I noticed when I went back through the pictures from the morning scene to when we did go back that evening for the show. A good way for a farmer to get his garden plowed because this nice gentleman donated the property site for the Rodeo and all the proceeds went to the Towns County, GA FFA groups!

The two vintage fire trucks were awesome when I returned and got some close up shops! They had pop- out to open front windows and wood ladders on one side with the hoses on the others side.

We arrived and sat on first row seat of bleachers, bringing our cushions to sit on and my  husband later wished he had worn his back brace.  I can't sit still very long with my Small fiber Neuropathy so I got up and walked around to see what all was happening before the show started. We don't get out much and go too many places so it was fun to just see the crowd of families there!

When I saw the Cowboys' out walking around and I also went back where they houses and steers where staged behind the big arena for the show. I was so delighted and enchanted by their boots and spurs! They wrap their ankles to keep their boots on as you can see in some photos. One Cowboy had a huge brass buckle and I asked if he won as a prize, NO, but his uncle had many years ago and gave it to him. HE was very proud of it and it was just beautiful!  Most of the belts were big and fancy! I also got some photos of their equipment they used, I had no idea what for until the show started and I saw a rodeo for the first time.

And, front row close!  I missed photos of the girl rider who straddled three horses and went through a ring flame of fire with them but I saw it and she was awesome!  We enjoyed the barrel racing and I was a little sorry for the baby calks roping but it did not hurt them, just made them mad to be tied up!  They were glad to get untied after 6 seconds.

I met one cowboy who was dear to me. He is graduating high school in two weeks and moving to Charlotte, NC where the Rodeo appeal is bigger I guess! More adventure and opportunity for him to make a career.  He won the Steer riding last year and came in 2nd place this year. For Saturday night rodeo he was on to another site as new riders came in for the second show of the weekend. This was the Third annual Show and I look forward to next year and more Rodeo's in the future.

Prized Uncle inherited Belt Buckle on Another Cowboy

 Vintage Firetruck

Cowboys getting Ready

Steers

Elvis Singer was great!

Boy Popped out of barrel to scare me, they were playing and he later posed for me

Native Americans meets New Frontiers

So cute, Clown in middle had ladder pegs attached to his friends who walked and danced with him!

Horses

Morn the Rodeo Company

http://hedrickrodeocompany.com/

I will post  a FaceBook  Rodeo photo album for you to see more photos if interested. I was enchanted the whole evening!

Here is the link and you can friend me there for more of my adventures and photography! 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151939103363452.1073741830.811493451&type=3&uploaded=226

Over 200 photos for you to see! 

Smiles, Cyndi

Pussy Willow Branches and Changes!

Have you noticed the re-design on Pinterest. It shows bigger pictures and is easier to move around.

Here is a link to my new Pinterest Page with ByLightOfMoon   

I also heard from Dawn at "The Feathered Nest "  that the Google Reader  will be changing the way they deal with blogs and friendship followers  so I registered also with" BlogLovin "and have the icon on my top right of my page here.  Click on it to stay a follower of my blog and I really appreciate your comments and thoughts!  Of course I have Mr. Linky also which is very easy to use!

Dawn's posts are always very refreshing and I have been a follower of hers for several years! She is very creative and makes the most fabulous creations always in the shabby creams natural colors! 

                                                  Pussy Willow Branches

My crafting lately has been with nature as in my last post about moss. I also have been collecting "Pussy Willow tree branches" that are in bloom right now. They are so beautiful and I have sprayed a preservative on the branches and it seems to be working very well preserving them. I also planted a few in my yard, we will just have to see if they grow here. 

I even added some branches to my Etsy shop that can be used for Easter services and then at a worship shrine in the home.  Or, just for home decor beauty, placed in a very special place, or wedding.  

I also have been thinking of listing some  of my photographs on Etsy to share with others. I take so many as I just go through everyday life. I think they are pretty good and I take photos of  everything from soft and delicate to rusty crusty!  The roadsides here in North Carolina offer such a varied supply of material to remember and just have fun researching. 

This is a very rural area 2 hours from about anywhere, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Asheville, and Knoxville. I am lucky enough to live where many people come to vacation! The Appalachian Trail passes through this area and we are an hour from the Smoky Mountains National Park and the Gatlinburg area where al ot is always happening.  We used to drive six hours to visit this area to go hiking and river rafting on our younger days from Alabama.

Thanks for visiting! 

Smiles, Cyndi