Sue Thomas

My sentiments too! The US government is already loosing it's political footing on the world stage, along with many other Western governments. (so called empires) When they fall, and they will fall, in time stability and peace will be regained.

In this challenge the word doesn't have to be related to the previous word.

It certainly is a sight to be hold and cherish. As the years have gone by fewer and fewer ranchers trail their cows out and then back home. They now get trucked. Horses are also being replaced by quads to gather and trail cows. The sky is equally as awesome, you have to experience it to really appreciate it. I spend a lot of time on my back, looking up, day and night. At home the Border Collie is the favoured dog for working, more specifically sheep. As the Border Collie will gather to fetch them to you, which they do instinctively. I used to train our borders for sheep dog trails. Only for local shows, not on a professional scale. We brought our Border Colie bitch out with us. The dog of choice out here for working cattle is the Australian Kelpie. They will trail cows, also they are more aggressive, which is what you need sometimes. Not around cows with their calves though, as you are asking for trouble in that scenario. As the cows will turn to defend their calves. In my opinion not a good combination.

Quite possibly. I can say in all honesty, that there aren't any comparisons what so ever between the UK and Canada, more specifically, the prairie provinces.

Follow the steps that Corrie and I have taken. Corrie is yet to create a page using the word PUMKIN. And post it in her original comment, by using the edit tab. I decided to take the word ORANGE, which was Corries word of choice. I have created a page containing the word Orange. Should you decide to take the word that I have submitted which is RIVER, you are committing yourself to creating a page with the word RIVER in the title. Also you have to think of another word to enable someone else to take on the challenge. It can any word what so ever.

I took the word ORANGE from Corrie. Here is my page. Using the word Orange in the title. I created a ghost text, turning it into a sort of sticker for the title. Added flames to 2 of the frames, extended the branch out and over the frame. Used a photo for the background, which consisted of branches and blue sky, blurred. As I mentioned blue skies in the text. Susan prompted me to mention our blue skies, that go on for ever. I believe I am correct in posting my page, in the original acceptance message of the word Orange. By selecting edit. Which is what I have done.

Even after all these year, the vastness still never ceases to overwhelm me. From someone who's homeland is small Island. You can put 3 UK's in Saskatchewan alone. A population of over 70 million. Saskatchewan has a population of just 1 million.

'I take it' and the next word is: RIVER

Thank you Julie. Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think of leaving my homeland, and the life I had. Although my heart is still in Wales, I have adapted well here. If it wasn't for the local ranches that introduced me to their way of life, which revolves around horses, and cattle. I wouldn't still be here. Within my first 6 months here, I had the pick of any horse that I had schooled. The rest is history. Here are 2 photos, which I took trailing cows home for the winter. There is always a lead cow, that has made the trip several time prior. They move well, especially when they are strung out, with the wind in the faces, to keep them cool. Making the riders job easy, just along for the ride. I rode to the top of a hill, to take the first shot, looking down on the cows, and the vast expanse of the landscape. Once they had a drink, I rode on in front to open the gate. (one of my all time favourite landscape shots) As seen through Meg's ears, and I added Nell. Extracted her head, overlay.

When we first moved here, word soon got around that I was a compitent horse woman. Although the disciplines I was used to was very different to western riding. Basic horsemanship is the same where ever you go. I was soon back in the saddle, trailing cows across the open prairies for local big ranches. Days at a time. Schooling and fetching on their young horses. Brandings. I've vaccinated, and ear tagged thousands of cows and calves. I do have reservations about branding though. Being a farmer's daughter, animal husbandry wasn't new to me. My girls and I still gather and trail cows out to their summer pastures, and fetch them home for the winter. The horses looked at the Buffalo but weren't put off by them.

The eyes can reveal so much. I can read horses through their eyes, and overall disposition. Which applies to most animals.

They are very fast, considering their huge body mass. Also, they don't tire when running vast distances, to overcome this they extend their tongues out, enabling a much greater lung capacity.

Photo taken this July.

Over the years I have been fortunate enough to ride the Grasslands National Park, East block and the West block, which extends into the US. I've seen the Prairie Dogs, burrowing Owls, and of course the Native Bison, which are free to roam, without human intervention. Here is a shot I took back in 2016. The North American settlers, committed immoral atrocities of genocide on a mammoth scale of the Native Indians, and it's wildlife. This Bison is allowed to be free, and roam the vast grasslands, as Bison do instinctively migrate. They were introduced on 1999. Look closely at it's eye, it's free and wild. Now look at the next photo. Their eyes are dull, oppressed. I pass this large herd once a week, (raised for commercial use) to go shopping, they are confined, handled by humans, they graze on stubble, and hay.

There isn't a day that goes by, where we don't learn something new in the campus, myself included.

It was a pleasure to be able to suggest, what you had mistakenly done. The punch is also perfectly aligned, which makes a huge difference. We have all been there, done something we are not happy with, and can't work out why, even more so when the brain is tired, and in turn not functioning as it should.

Quite simply a superb no fuss layout. I love where you placed the sequin. The background colour highlights the colours in the photo perfectly. I feel quite honoured that you nicked my large corner punch idea, which adds a touch of class to the layout.

For those that would like a better view of the wasp, I have posted it on facebook. ( Macro photography).

Beautifully done Bonnie. I had to put my sunglasses on, the orange is vibrantly bright. Awesome colour!

I found 3 of these wasps in the stable this morning. So I decided to see what I could find in the leaf litter out amongst the trees. Low and behold, by gently disturbing the leaves I discovered 9 more of these wasps. Gorgeous insects. These are paper wasps a subfamily of the Vespid family. You will often find their combs suspended beneath the eves of houses and other building. They are extremely efficient predators. I do handle them, and they have never tried to harm me I created a mask for the photo, used another one of Carole's frame punches. Negative tutorial, for the heading. ( I didn't need to refer to the tutorial, as I use it fairly often as I like the effect) Simple notepaper for the text. One of Carole's latest punches under the word notes.

They are all beautiful, but I have to say this one is my favourite. It's as Susan said, it's like stepping through a portal.

That is interesting, about the heated baths. I appreciate a professionals opinion, other than my own. Between the heated bath, dirt baths, and a buffet, your birds get the luxury of a full spa treatment. Whilst giving you immense pleasure observing them. Who needs retail therapy, when mother nature provides all the therapy anyone needs for free.

Thank you! I appreciate your words, as I do other comments that I receive. I look forward to seeing what you come up with for your 1-2-3 challenge layout.

I leave the bird baths out, certainly until the first snow fall, and until the temps do not rise above freezing during the day. Now I am emptying just after dark, and refilling them just after the sun has risen. As we have had a couple of nights of frost. Some use heated baths during the winter, personally I feel it isn't a good idea, as some birds have been known to get frozen to wire, with wet feet, when it's 20 or 30 below. Bird can and will eat snow. The Robin has a very distinctive song, one of the sweetest songs you'll hear. Second to them I would say are the Native sparrows, I hear them before I see them, especially the American Song Sparrow, and the Vesper Sparrow.

Few Robins will over winter, providing there are sufficient berries for them. The great majority of them migrate. At the moment they are passing through, but it's now coming to an end. As they migrate they do flock, sometimes in great numbers. I'm still putting out blueberries for them, (apples, grapes that have gone over too) as there are very few insects for them now. You'll be surprised what they can find under the leaf litter. It's in the Spring, when they are passing through I have the largest flocks, around 200 plus, will descend out in the trees. I'm prepared for them, as they will go through 6-7 apples and other fruit in a day. They will leave on mass in a few days. Those that stay will remain for the summer, rearing 2 clutches, depending on whether it's is a good season for insects. I heard a Robin out in trees today, the photo was taken on the 8th Oct. They are not in their breeding plumage now, and you have immature Robins, which can make them a little difficult to ID, if you don't know what to look for. The only little birds I have now are the Juncos. There's one on the ground in the photo.