I have a lot of favorites this week! I like the top picture of mother and child, the two lambs kissing, the lamb kissing his mother, the two chicks and the little bunny standing up on the edge of the box.
We have quite a few lambs on the ground and more expected all the time! So far we have not gotten any color other than black and white! I have a lot of favorites this week! I like the top picture of mother and child, the two lambs kissing, the lamb kissing his mother, the two chicks and the little bunny standing up on the edge of the box. These pictures were taken two weeks after the ones I shared last Friday. What a difference! The bunnies are growing by leaps and bounds and with their eyes open now, they are little balls of energy! The last picture is of their very patient mother :)
8 Comments
Our winner of this giveaway is.....Laura Pol! Laura will receive one paperback copy of In Path's of Righteousness!! Congratulations Laura! I know you will enjoy this book! It's one of my favorites!
Drop by Keri's blog to see the winner of my book! For those of you who would still like a copy for yourself, you can purchase one on Keri's website, www.storiesbykerinicole.com And Keri is offering free shipping on any book orders from now until February 5th! 'Whisper' is almost ready to hit the shelves!! I am just waiting to receive my proof copy.... I went the complete self-publishing route this time, which means that I had to hire people myself to do the editing, cover design and interior formatting. Alicia and Perry were a huge help to me in these areas!! Once I have approved the book and it is ready to go, I will reveal the lovely cover Perry designed for me! For now, here is a short excerpt from Chapter 17. ***** I shook the rope at her and she picked up her pace. She held her head high and the white of her eyes were showing. She was filled with fear, but trying hard not to show it. When I felt she was ready, I tossed the rope toward her, keeping hold of one end. She immediately started cantering. I kissed to her and trotted to keep up, coiling the rope as I moved before throwing it again. It landed closer to her this time, and she gave a little squeal as she jumped ahead to avoid it. This was the beginning step of join-up. Since horses are prey animals, when I put pressure on her and made myself to be bigger than her, she ran from me. I can't kick or bite her like another horse would to assert dominance, so by chasing her off and denying her access to me, eventually she will ask to have a relationship with me and will join-up. The rope is basically an extension of my arm and, to her, it's like another horse kicking her. A horse's flight distance is usually about a quarter mile. After that distance, they will turn and face whatever frightened them and determine whether it really was a threat or whether it is still there at all. When they are in disgrace with the alpha horse, they are chased from the herd and made to stay away until they show signs of submission. They are more vulnerable when away from the herd, so they usually come around fairly quickly, eager for the security of authority. During join-up, you are letting the horse know that you are the alpha and also teaching them that you don't want to hurt them and letting them know they can trust you. The mare didn't like the fact that I was telling her what to do, but I could see her relaxing as she realized I wasn't going to hurt her and also finding security in my authority. After ten minutes of keeping the mare moving constantly, I saw her inside ear turn and lock onto me, the first sign that she was beginning to submit. Up until now, her ears had been flickering back and forth, but now that it had locked on me, I knew that she was concentrating. As she loped around the pen, I marveled at how beautiful she was. Her silver coat glistened in the sun, and her dainty head and intelligent eyes drew me in. Underneath that stunning exterior lay a beautiful heart, just waiting for someone to notice and help it blossom. It was a warm day, and the mare was sweating heavily. I prefer to do join-up when it is cool in the early morning or evening, but Dad had always told me, "When you feel the time is right, go for it." A lot of working with horses is about feelings. You can only have so much head knowledge; the rest comes from the heart. Dad says that is what separates the great trainers from the rest. They follow their heart, not their head. I kept her moving, pushing for more speed. She was totally confused, but I could see the wheels turning. She was thinking hard. Her muscles were tense and she was ready to fight if needed. I had to be careful not to push her hard enough to make her attack me, but just enough that I accomplished my goal. Fifteen minutes had passed since we started, and I saw her head drop slightly. The head dropping is the next step. When a horse has its head lowered, for eating or drinking, it is more vulnerable to predators. For a horse to lower its head for you means it not only trusts you, but also accepts your authority. I was breathing hard and sweating myself now, but I kept her moving. Gradually her head came down even further. When it was level with her body, I saw her tongue flick out and her jaw moved as she licked and chewed while continuing to lower her head. Licking and chewing is the last thing a horse does to tell you they are ready to join-up. Whenever you see an alpha horse scolding another, the horse being punished always licks and chews, as well as drops their head. Young horses will clack their teeth in submission. I didn't feel she was quite ready so I kept pushing until her nose was almost touching the ground. We had only been at it for about twenty-five minutes. Some horses don't take that long, others take much longer. I had expected her to go a lot longer because of her history, but she was surprising me once again. The mare was being very clear with her signals, so, dropping the rope to the ground, I turned around. ***** And....you will have to wait until the book comes out to find out what happens!! Don't forget, the giveaway of Keri's book, In Path's of Righteousness, ends tonight at midnight! If you haven't entered yet, leave a comment on the post by clicking here. The winner will be announced tomorrow!!
And you can enter to win a free copy of my book, Rustlers and the Texas Trail, on Keri's blog by clicking here. One of Levi and Lydia's rabbits had six babies three weeks ago. Three of their does were supposed to be bred, but only one took.
Two of the six babies didn't make it, but the ones that did were so cute I just had to get some pictures of them :) These pictures were taken when the babies were two weeks old and their eyes were just barely open. I like all the pictures but the top one is my favorite. My second favorite would be the one with the baby in my shirt pocket :) I plan on having some cute lamb photos for next week! What is your favorite this week? I'm really excited to have Keri with us today! I really love her book and I know you will too! Keri has answered a few questions for us about herself and her journey to being published. And the best part is...Keri is giving away a paperback copy of her book! Instructions on how to enter are at the bottom of this post! Drop by Keri's blog to see to see her interview with me and a chance to win a paperback copy of Rustlers and the Texas Trail!! http://storiesbykerinicole.blogspot.com/2015/01/interview-and-book-giveaway-with-lauren.html Keri, welcome to Heritage Literature! Tell us a little bit about yourself. Thank you! I'm 19 years old, a homeschool graduate, and I live on my family’s farm in Ohio. We grow corn, soybeans and wheat; and we raise cattle as well. I love farming—harvest especially is my favorite time of year. I have great parents and two awesome younger brothers, and we all have a blast together! Singing, playing piano, harp and mountain dulcimer are a few of my hobbies, as well as crocheting, quilting, gardening, baking and more! I also enjoy spending time with friends, square dancing, playing cards and volleyball. One of my biggest passions is ministering to the persecuted church. I have had the privilege of serving with The Voice of the Martyrs, which has been an incredible blessing and encouragement to me. I have been reconciled to God through the blood of Jesus Christ, and it is my desire to live my life as a testimony of the One who has given His all for me. How did you get started writing, and what inspired your book, In Paths of Righteousness? Towards the end of my freshman year in highschool I was supposed to write an 8-10 page short story. As I began to work on it, I started getting bigger and better ideas and the story line grew immensely. After several weeks—when it became apparent that this was not going to be finished by the end of the school year, and that it would far exceed 10 pages—Mom told me to take as long as I wanted, just as long as I promised to finish it. What she didn't realize was that it would take me over 3 1/2 years! I can honestly say that it was God who guided me to write this book the way that I did. As I grow in my relationship with Him, I realize more and more how important it is for me to share what He has done for me, as well as seek to honor Him in everything that I do. I grew more in my understanding of the gospel during those 4 years than any other time of my life, and I found myself wanting to incorporate those deeper truths into the story. Now that it's all said and done, I marvel at how the Lord has worked in my own life and given me the inspiration to share what He has done for me through this story.
And his constant battles with the bully at school bring out the worst in him. Meanwhile there is a mysterious wives' tale in Detweiler about a crazy old man, a black wolf, and an albino red-tailed hawk. The thrill of the unknown sends David on an adventure to try to figure out the real story. But what he discovers will change his life in more ways than he ever could have imagined. Who will enjoy In Paths of Righteousness? I would recommend this book for ages 12+. It's written on a level that young teens can grasp, and yet I've had numerous adults of all ages read it and say that they couldn't put it down. Do you plan to write more books? Yes, I have started writing a sequel to In Paths of Righteousness. I have ideas in mind for several other stories as well, but we’ll see how the Lord leads. Where can people connect with you online (social media, websites, blog)? You can order a copy of my book through my website at: www.storiesbykerinicole.com Follow my blog to stay updated on farm life and what I'm currently writing: www.storiesbykerinicole.blogspot.com Like Stories By Keri Nicole on Facebook Become a fan, or ask me a question on Goodreads Or add me to your circles on Google+: google.com/+KeriNicole7 Thanks for being here with us today, Keri!! And now, you have an opportunity to win a paperback copy of Keri's book! Your name will be entered once for each task you do. Leave a comment telling us which ones you have completed. The giveaway will be open for entries until midnight on Wed. Jan. 28th. I will announce the winner one week from today on Thursday, Jan. 29th. I will contact the winner after that to work out the details. -Like Keri's facebook page -Share the link to the giveaway on facebook (go to Keri's facebook page and reshare the link to the giveaway she has there so she can track the shares) -Follow Keri's blog, either by email subscriptions or becoming a member -Become a fan, follow, or ask a question on Goodreads -Follow on Google+ I just wanted to share this lovely review of Rustlers and the Texas Trail that a lady named Barbara left on Amazon. Its exciting to hear that people are enjoying it!
"I picked this book up at a book show just because it had a horse on the cover. It is obviously intended for teens. I am gray-haired but thoroughly enjoyed it. The story was not predictable. There were many surprising turns in the plot. The characters were all likeable, except for the rustlers, of course. Lauren Lotter has a very pleasant voice, easy-to-read and understand. There was much kid humor (pouring cold water over sleeping friends) which kept the book from becoming too serious in spite of presenting realistic rough life on a ranch in the 1920's in Wyoming. It is definitely Christian with many prayers included in the main characters thoughts. A delightful read." It's been almost too cold to take pictures! I think the bitter cold spell will be broken tomorrow when it is supposed to get up to 34*, but we'll see!
I didn't get too many pictures this week. I had lots to catch up on after Bible School, but here a few shots. My favorite is the delicate snow/ice crystals on the frozen creek water. They are so intricate! I thought I would share some of the fun, light hearted...and even hilarious moments of Bible School through a few photos. I earned the nickname of "paparazzi" during the week by catching all the funny, embarrassing moments on camera...whether it be by video or snapshot. It was kind of fun to get those shots everyone loves to see, but no one wants to be in :) I did manage to catch an embarrassing moment of myself on video as well....more on that later. Even though this is not Photo Friday, I do have a favorite :) The top photo has so much humor in it! I was sitting at my spot in the classroom, dutifully studying when a friend rushed over to say there were four guys on the sofa with a purple blanket on their laps!! Of course, I grabbed my camera and scurried over there! They didn't see me taking pictures right away...I got one shot of them looking at me with a bland expression before the camera registered...then they realized what I was doing, thus the grins in this shot! I think my second favorite shot would be the guy in mid air trying to hit the volley ball...I got pictures of his crash landing as well. Ouch. So this picture is a shot of that embarrassing moment I mentioned earlier :)
We were playing drop the blanket...for those of you who don't know what it is, its a game where you have two groups of people with a blanket in between them. Two people walk up on opposite sides of the blanket and when the blanket is dropped, the first person to say the other person's name is the winner. So I walk up there and this guy is on the other side. (the video camera is behind him...and it caught the whole thing!) I got his name out first and as we both go to walk away, one of the men holding the blanket says, "I just want to know why he is on one knee." Oh boy!!! The poor guy started trying to explain himself as someone else yells, "Where's the flowers?"! So, I was proposed to at Bible School :) As I went back to stand with my group, I heard someone say my name so I turned around and saw this guy standing with another guy. "Did you say something to me?" I asked. The other guy grins. "No, he just asked me your name." I'm back!!
I had a great time at Bible School this year. The classes and teachers were great and we were able to fit more into our week since we didn't miss two days due to snow like we did last year :) There were 41 students, the largest number to attend since Bible School was started ten years ago. Everything was a bit crazier than last year due to the large number of people, but it was really fun!! Here are the group pictures of the students and the teachers. I'm hoping to have more pictures to post in a slideshow soon. There were three of us taking pictures with two cameras and we took over 2,000!!! Today is exactly two years since I built my website and did my first blog post! It's hard to believe it's been that long!
I was reading through some of my old blog posts the other day...what a difference between then and now!! I want to thank everyone who read my blog over these past two years and all of you who commented. Even if I don't always reply, I read every one! I've made so many new friends through this blog and re-connected with some old ones! Thanks for all your support!! Tomorrow I am headed off for a week of learning and fellowship at the 2015 Dunkard Brethren Bible School in Ohio!!
I am so excited! I had an absolute blast last year....learned a ton and made so many new friends!! Last year there were 30 students and this year there are 40!! Ten students makes a big difference and the classroom is going to be crowded!! I won't be able to post while I am gone, but I will have lots to share when I get back on Monday, the 12th. I have a post planned for the 11th...hopefully I will be able to post it then because it needs to be posted on that specific date, but it may have to wait until the 12th :) Though I won't be able to post anything, I will be able to get emails and see any comments. Until Monday.... :) Yesterday, all of us but Dad went up North to my Situ and Gidu's (Grandma and Grandpa in Arabic) house by Lake Huron to visit with my Uncle Dan who is visiting from California.
It kind of a dark day, but I wanted to try to get some pictures of the lake so Gidu (Grandpa) took me to the public access so I could. I got some great shots. Some of them turned out dark and moody. Not my typical style, but I liked them! Gidu also took me to another lake that has a sort of wildlife preserve at one end that is a cedar swamp and I got some great pictures there as well. I had a hard time picking a favorite so I picked two. I really like the top picture...the combination of live and dead trees is really nice and I also think the No Trespassing sign is pretty neat too. I like the colors. Do you have a favorite(s) this week? Here's a few things I am looking forward too this coming year. This is just the tip of the iceberg!! I have no idea what is in store for me but I'm eager to find out!
~Bible School (In three days!!) ~Publishing Whisper ~Publishing Hidden Treasure and Wedding Bells ~Completing Thunder and possibly publishing it. ~Finishing the rough draft of The Stranger and the Lost Mine ~My friend, Kristina, coming home from Africa (Starbucks here we come! Kristina promised to treat me to Starbucks for helping with her blog when she didn't have internet. Who could pass up an offer like that?!) ~Getting my drivers license ~Our once in a lifetime Alaska trip. ~Taking hundreds of pictures during the trip and over the summer (my hard drive is going to be working overtime :) ~Working with new horses ~Welcoming some cute kids from my goat, Sabriyah. ~Discovering new books and authors ~and lots, lots more! I found this little quote on Google+ yesterday and really liked it. It's 'write' up my alley! |
Grab My Button!
<a href="http://www.heritageliterature.com/my-blog"><img src="http://www.heritageliterature.com/uploads/1/0/2/8/10288877/7847242_orig.jpg "></a>
Blogs/Websites I Follow
Archives
March 2017
|