Just another Tuesday...

Hey y'all!

It's almost mid-week...anyone else wishing it was the weekend?

This weekend will actually be a sad one for my family because my older brother, Mike, ships out to the Middle East on Saturday. Luckily, they're letting the families of the airmen come to the base to see them off. And when he's gone, I won't see him until August. :[ Proud of him though! Thanks for serving our country, Mike! Love being your sister :]

Alright, no judging -- I saw The Hunger Games again for a 3rd time! in IMAX this time! it was pretty sweet. It makes you feel like you're actually in the movie.

I searched around saw someone speculate that it may come out on DVD in August. Fingers crossed!

Today was a good day filled with cleaning, finishing Jenny Han's book It's Not Summer Without You, rain, schoolwork, Hunger Games, Wendy's, grooving to the Step Up 3 soundtrack with my little brother, and Dancing With the Stars (Go Katherine, Maria, and Jaleel!) :]

enjoying the little things :]

song of the day: Abraham's daughter by Arcade Fire

ERW 

Categories: family, movies, song of the day, The Hunger Games, TV

Found My Heart at Heartland

Many of you who read this may or may not know that I am a Heartlander.

Not as in the "I-live-in-the-heartland-of-America/Canada" Heartlander, but as in "I-am-a-big-time-fan-of-CBC's-TV-show-Heartland" Heartlander! :]

Why do I love it?

1. Horses

Ever since I was little, I was always into horses. Even though I don't own a horse (hopefully one day!) or ride as much as I want to, I feel so passionate about these beautiful, majestic creatures, and Heartland puts horses front and center.

This show is about an Alberta, Canada family coping with a death in the family and struggling to make ends meet on their sprawling horse ranch where Amy Fleming AKA "The Horse Whisperer" or "Miracle Girl", as she's known in her community, works with problem/injured/traumatized horses by using her connection with horses and the theraputic techniques she learned from her Mom.

Helping her is her grandfather, Jack Bartlett, the rock of Heartland, her older sister Lou Fleming, the brains on the business side of things, her close-friend-practically-sister Mallory Wells, and their bad boy stable hand Ty Borden.

I seriously believe this show was made for ME. And if GMC (Gospel Music Channel) didn't air it, I probably would be like you, thinking, "How good can a show about horses be?"

Well, the great thing about this show is that not only does it showcase a certain type of problem/injured/traumatized horse, but it also centers alot around the importance of family, sticking together through the hard times, and pursing your dreams no matter how far-fetched they may seem. AND, if you watch it on GMC, they edit out all of the cuss words that sometimes pop up in an episode, so it's very family-friendly :]

2. Cast



(left to right front row: Shaun Johnston as Jack Bartlett, Amber Marshall as Amy Fleming, Graham Wardle as Ty Borden, Michelle Morgan as Lou Fleming, Kerry James as Caleb Odell left to right back row: Jessica Amlee as Mallory Wells, Chris Potter as Tim Fleming, Nathaniel Arcand as Scott Cardinal)

This show would not have taken off and been a hit like it has without this cast. You can tell they all truly love their job and portraying their respective characters, and their love for horses is evident too! Especially with Amber (Amy)! I've found out that she grew up riding and already loved horses before being approached to be in this show. Every scene she has with a horse (and there are a lot of them!) where she "acts" and has to comfort the horse or praises the horse on a job well done, she doesn't look like she's acting. It's just so natural for her! Which makes her very convincing as Amy Fleming on Heartland.

3. Location

photo credit: CBC

Yes, I am an American. Yes, I love my country. Yes, I know our national anthem....

but I love Canada too! I have lots of friends in Canada believe it or not that I met at Word of Life and there's always my Canadian friends who's blogs I follow on Tumblr (shoutout to y'all! <3) :] It is so beautiful where they shoot this show. I've only been to Canada once --to go see Niagara Falls (because everybody knows the better viewing side is on the Canadian side ;]) but one of these days I'm gonna get out to High River, Alberta where they shoot the town scenes for the show and just roam around looking for all that awesome Canadian Rockies beauty! Maybe I'll see some Heartland stars! It would be awesome to meet Graham and Amber, but honestly if I had to choose, I would pick Amber :] Anyway, I love the mountains! Grew up close enough to them that every summer, I'd spend it there working at a camp and going to a rodeo every week. When I saw the first episode and saw the location, I was like, "Yup, I already know I'm gonna like this show."

4. Inspiration

photo credit: Shawn Turner

When I started watching Heartland, I was still thinking about what to go back to school for. After watching Amber's character, Amy, take care of so many injured and abused horses, I knew that I want to do something like that. A couple months ago, I signed up for online classes to study to be a VA (Vet Assistant). It's been going great so far, and I feel like this is the path I'm supposed to be taking. Heartland further inspired me to seriously consider taking courses in Equine Studies after I finish up with the VA course. Then instead of working in an animal clinic, I could work with a mobile veterinary clinic who travel mostly to farms to take care of livestock and horses since it's easier for the farmer, and most importantly, the animal.

So............this has been a super long post and it's okay if you didn't read it, especially if you're someone who's never watched Heartland. But if you haven't, I hoped this post put the bug in your ear and you'll try it out. I instantly loved it because I firmly believe I am half country girl even though we don't live on a farm. Must've been because my Dad lived on a dairy farm growing up, so me and my siblings grew up like he did, just without all the cows :p

We have a cat though. A great big, fat, black cat called Kitty Barkley. :]

One of these days......I WILL own  or maybe even adopt a horse.

I already have a name picked out: Charlemagne.

:]

Until my next insanely long post,

ERW

Song of the day: White Horses by Jenn Grant

Categories: animals, country life, Heartland, horses, photography, song of the day, TV

Thanksgiving Prayer--Dr. Quinn style

I figured I'd get on my blog here tonight to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving because I won't have any time tomorrow! It's gonna be busy, busy, and did I mention, busy? 

I'm pretty sure I mentioned in my last post that one of the shows I like is Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. I know to most it's just a sappy romance-y show, but it also depicts the Wild West after the Civil War very well. (I know I mentioned in my last post how I like the post-Civil War era, too). The show also holds nothing back when it comes to race. On more than one occasion, it is brought up because there are two freed slaves that live in the town. In this era, women doctors were very rare, it was interesting to see how Dr. Quinn handled a town that wasn't all too enthusiastic to accept her. The progression of medicine is cool to see too when treatments that are used today were just in their developmental stages in the post-Civil War era. And I love seeing anything with Indian nations involved, and in this show, the Cherokee are often a part of the show.



Michaela Quinn, M.D. played by Jane Seymour

 It's also, for the most part, a family-friendly show. It has its moments with cussing and sensuality, but every show teaches you a lesson, a moral to the story.

Now! After saying all that, down below is a Thanksgiving prayer that is said in the season 6 episode: "A Time to Heal". It is a two-part-er where Colorado Springs is victim to a diptheria epidemic right before Thanksgiving. I don't want to give anything away if you haven't seen it before, but there are many people who die from it, even some of the regular cast. In the end, the epidemic is stopped, but many tears and sorrows remain with those still alive. The end scene is the best part when the Reverand and Dr. Quinn offer up a prayer of thanks after such a difficult and worrysome time for the town.

And here it is: 

"Dear Lord,

Let us give thanks to God our Father,

For all of His gifts so freely bestowed upon us,

For the beauty and wonder of Your Creation

And earth and sky and sea,

For our daily food and drink,

Our homes and family and friends,

For minds to think,

 And hearts to love,

And hands to serve,

For health and strength to work,

And leisure to rest and to play,

For the brave and courageous,

Who are patient in suffering

And faithful in adversity,

And for all valiant seekers

After truth, liberty, and justice.

Thank you, dear Lord.

Amen."

It's such a beautiful prayer that I made it into a little sign a few years back to put on the table for Thanksgiving as well as the Thanksgiving prayer Tillie Bassett says in "An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving" (see previous post).

I love it, and so I just thought I'd share it with you.

I pray God blesses you mightly this coming year and that you can look back on this year and find many things you are thankful for.

If you're reading this, I'm thankful for YOU!

Enjoy your family and your feasts!

ERW

If you'd like to watch the two-part-er, here they are!

Categories: Civil War era, country life, Jane Seymour, prayers, Thanksgiving, TV, Westerns, Youtube videos

"Aww! You didn't tell me you were gonna kill it!"

Woohoo! It's pumpkin carving time again! Time to transform these colorful gourd-like squashes into funny, scary, or gruesome faces or images of Halloween. Nowadays, they have Thanksgiving themed carvings or just general Fall ones. Most of the time I usually do a face....

Before

After!

Still lookin' cute, even in the dark!

I'm also going to carve a skull and crossbones pumpkin for my church's "Trunk or Treat/Harvest Festival" cuz I'll be dressed up as a pirate and decorating my trunk all pirate-y, so I thought a skull and crossbones pumpkin would be fun! 

Guess what's on ABC this Thursday @ 8pm?!?!

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" One of my all-time favs...actually, all the Peanuts movies are my favs :) and I love that they are always shown around the appropiate holiday every year :) We have the DVD so I could watch it right now if I wanted to but there's something about watching it on a TV channel...











Linus kicks up a pile of leaves as he and Lucy head to the pumpkin patch.

  

poor Linus!





"I got a rock." -Charlie Brown.

Have a safe and fun Halloween...and make sure your kiddos are warm cuz it's suppose to be pretty cold!

ERW

Song of the day: "Thriller" by Michael Jackson

Categories: art, Autumn, Halloween, pumpkins, song of the day, TV

It's Funny Every Time Dick Van Dyke Trips Over the Ottoman.

The Dick Van Dyke Show

Dick Van Dyke does his unforgettable stumble over the ottoman.

One of my favorite TV shows.

Whenever we watch it, my Dad says, "Now here's a good show that you could actually watch."

Me and my family like a lot of the older TV shows: Andy Griffith Show, Leave It to Beaver, The Honeymooners, Emergency, Star Trek (the original show), Bonanza, The Rifleman, Gunsmoke, The Big Valley, The Waltons, Little House on the Prairie.

There's something about TDVDS that tops all of them. Well, one of them is Dick Van Dyke, himself. He's one of my favorite actors. Mary Tyler Moore also stood out because she was the first woman to wear pants on a TV show. You go, Mary!

Another thing that makes it so funny is that you barely see their son, Ritchie. He's either in his room or over at the neighbor's house! haha...its like they don't have a son at all!

I love the witty banter between DVD's character Rob's co-workers, Sally and Buddy, how Buddy always insults Mel, one of their bosses, and how the big wig boss Alan tells Mel to always "Shut up, Mel!" no matter what he says!

What gets me every time is when he trips over the ottoman in the opening credits. I laugh. Every. Time. Without fail.

Favorite episodes (so far): It May Look Like A Walnut, That's My Boy?

from "It May Look Like A Walnut"

from "It May Look Like A Walnut"

Mary Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke, and Larry Matthews

"The Petrie's"

Richard Deacon (Mel), Rose Marie (Sally), Morey Amsterdam (Buddy),

Mary Tyler Moore (Laura), Dick Van Dyke (Rob)

One of these days, you have to sit down and watch an episode of the Dick Van Dyke Show...

...and I dare you to watch just one episode ;) it's that funny!

ERW

Song of the day: Mayberry by Rascal Flatts

Categories: old school, song of the day, TV