The dusty trail from Chicago ..
.. brought us back one more time to the last night of the Horse Show in Fort Atkinson. 
Flip flops and shorts were quickly exchanged for jeans and boots.
Horse Show …
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A day in the city ..
“Would you ever want to live here, honey?” the Cowboy asked his daughter on a whirlwind trip to Chicago. We were in a cab on the way back to our car, cutting it close to the time we needed to be heading again for home.
“No way,” she replied, with a slight chuckle for emphasis.
The Cowboy’s little girl just celebrated a birthday. While preferring a country lifestyle, ever since I have known her (and most likely long before that), she has expressed a fascination with the city. Not just like a small city. Big cities. Skyscrapers. People. Things going on. She’s been to a few others. But for her birthday, she told us she really wanted to go to Chicago.
We weren’t quite sure we could make it happen.
But amid the chaos of work, a horse show and other commitments .. we made the most of what little time we did have, and made a run to town.
It seemed as though a long line might thwart our plans to visit the Shedd Aquarium, but the wait made for some great photo opportunities.
Sharks, dolphins and jellies on the wish list to see. Check. Check. 
And check.
Back to the Cowboy’s question. None of them said they would ever want to live in the big city. But when we were closer to home again, the Cowboy asked, “Hey kids, what was your favorite part of that trip?”
“All of it,” replied one of the boys.
“Yep, all of it,” the other two echoed. “When can we go back …… “
Horse Show …
Last year about this time was one of the first visits by the Cowboy .. to Wisconsin. 
Well, since I had met him anyway.
This year’s Horse Show at the JB Ranch in Fort Atkinson was another return trip for some more fun/work. This year, we were lucky to have most of the kids along.
So did our friends ..
Wednesday was day one of a three day show and the Cowboy’s first day back in town this week. Been a busy week for us, but a fun one too.
And so nice to finally meet Carter … A & E.
Little pleasures of summer ..
There are few season so brightly colored when it comes to food .. as summer.
Watermelon is one of those things, when the kids are around we cannot seem to keep enough of in the house. Or on a plate on the porch …
Fresh flowers always for the dining room table ..
Ripe tomatoes on the vine out the back door .. 
And an ice cold beverage .. perhaps like one of these that I couldn’t seem to get a friend to share this past week.
Family photos ..
It was the perfect day for a photo shoot ..
.. Few more shadows than I might have liked or know yet what to do with, the amateur photographer I am. But the temperature, for a late summer day was just right. And most importantly, everyone, all 18 of them, could be there.
Spent time taking this past week taking photos for a dear friend from our younger years and her beautiful family … as they face some pretty big life challenges.
It truly is an honor that people allow you into some of the most wonderful, heartfelt, intimate times in their lives in order to take a photo, or tell a story ..
Great Friends, Exceptional Wine, Classic Cars…
Every year now, a couple times a year when special events roll around, for quite some time .. I have received an invitation to help out at a dear friends vineyard.
Sunday was one of those days …
Botham Vineyards hosts a Classic Car Show, a day and a hobby near and dear to the hearts and families of the beautiful couple who own and operate the vineyard.
The morning was crisp for a drive in a classic convertible, but made for some beautiful moments.
Cars were enjoyed. Wine was shared. Moments were had.
And fun memories were made. Many of which I witnessed, made me miss the Cowboy even more than I usually do the days we are unable to be together. But overall, a beautiful day in a serene setting over fine wine and with good friends. Blessed.
Time to meander …
Amazing what new discoveries are out there .. when you take time to walk. And simply look around.
This past Saturday took an hour and walked the Farmer’s Market and upper end of State Street in Madison.
Little window shopping proved an appetizer for return trip soon with the kids. New niche candy shop and bakery just a few doors from each other.
There’s been boom in niche chocolatiers, cupcakeries ..
A big fan of breads and as communities look to shop and support local business, I wonder if this is something we’ll start to see more of. Apparently the case in some parts of the world.
Get out and enjoy …
The Hiatus.
A lot has happened since my last post. Probably for just about anyone that might be reading this and hopefully everyone else in the world, right? I hope so otherwise the days would get pretty boring. Families gather. Summer calls. There are backyard bar-b-ques. Days at the lake. Hot days. Really hot this summer. Nights are filled with the sounds of air conditioners still going strong. Kids finally making their way back outside to play. Lawn mowers running. Crickets. Fireflies light up the night and little feet run after them.
Things happen. Life changes. We enjoy what we can and stand tall and grounded in our faith in the face of another new day and all of the new challenges that might come along with it.
We have had so many blessings presented us this year. And some incredible challenges. In the midst of it all, I want to be authentic in writing about any of it.
For any number of reasons, it’s not easy to do that at the moment ..
So instead of not writing at all, I’m switching it up for the time being to photography. Which I love. I have been doing much more of that anyway these days. I’m looking to get better at it. And just have fun.
Besides, a photo can tell a thousand words. Isn’t that what ‘they’ say?
Camp comes to a close ..
Last walk up with a friend ..
It has been one of the hottest June’s on record here in Wisconsin and this week at camp, the girls .. most of them anyway .. didn’t seem to mind. Other than one day. They rode in the morning and went to the pool in the afternoon.
“Well,” my daughter tells me on the way home as she is reliving some of the fun that went on this week outside learning better horsemanship .. “some of the girls got really crabby the last couple days. I think it was just too hot.”
We laughed a little about it, especially since we were at that point, sitting in the air conditioned car. I looked at the temperature gauge. 99 degrees. According to the car.
Hugs, introducing parents and taking last day pics ..
Our 11-year-old absolutely loves this camp ..
Showing families all they’ve learned ..
This is only our second year of overnight .. but she’s been fortunate to come for years to the day camp. There is something about it. The place. The people. The other girls. Learning something new. Being close to home but not too close to start to really learn to feel more comfortable in her independence. Perhaps most importantly, it’s just camp. Late night chats. Secret stories. Running around like crazy. Freedom of being a kid in a cool place and confidence building in life and social skills. That experience she’ll remember for a lifetime. That she’ll perhaps tell her own daughter about.
One last ride for this year anyway, on Quincy ..
She gave a few hugs. Said many thank you’s. Bought the standard camp sweatshirt. Grabbed a Gatorade and we hit the road. Ran errands. Then having had enough of the heat all week, grabbed the dog and headed for the River to cool off.
What a beautiful day.
………………..
While she has a few other camps coming up yet this summer, ones that I know she will love in very different ways ..
As we were watching early 4th of July Fireworks from a friends pier on the lake last night and she is leaning on my chest with her arms around me, she says, “Mom, I really miss camp. I’m worried I won’t be able to go back next year.”
“We’ll see,” I told her. “If you love it that much and it is important to you, that might be one of the things we’ll make sure you’re able to do.”
She hugged me tighter and said thanks.
Mr. Hyman ..
I was walking the other day out of an event, one of my favorite of the year .. with a few dear friends. We were some of the last to leave, having helped clean everything up and putting the place, a camp for kids with disabilities, back to semi-normal.
One: A wise friend and mentor to us all and one of the programs biggest supporters .. who has been married to one of the most wonderful women now, for 40 plus years.
The other two: A sweet young couple I have gotten to know well and who I just love. And who at some point, I fully expect these two will get married. Sooner than later if my girlfriend has anything to say about it. She can’t hint to her rockstar boyfriend enough she is ready for the ring.
…………..
“I hear you’re getting married!” he says to me, seeming genuinely excited and sincere about it all. “That’s just great .. ” he adds, among a few other wonderful thoughts and observations. I have known this gentleman a very long time. His company was one of the first I went to work for long ago just out of high school .. we have remained friends ever since, having many mutual close friends, colleagues and causes that are important to us.
“If I can offer you one piece of advice, because I really do want things to work out for you with this one … ” he says .. which had I been drinking coffee or any sort of beverage, I would have spit it out laughing. For as sweet as I know he was being with that comment, it just struck me as funny.
He continued. “Something my wife and I have been blessed to have always done. Don’t ever go to bed upset with one another.”
Agreed. Not going to bed angry is a goal I have always strived for. I think we all do. But, we also all know it’s not always easy .. is it. Sometimes circumstance and personalities get in the way no matter how much you may try to hit that goal.
This dear friend continued to share a story about one of the most important lessons he learned from one of his High School teachers way back when he was a ‘young buck’, Mr. Hyman. “Hyman,” I asked? I had to chuckle. Hyman, he confirmed. Know it’s spelled differently but for a teacher that name had to be tough. Anyway ..
Mr. Hyman had apparently told his class long ago when our friend was a student, ‘Marriage is a lot of work. And you may think each of you needs to give 50/50 to make it work. But it’s not. One person always end up putting in 90% of the effort. And the other person, also needs to put in 90% of the effort. And somewhere in there you hope it adds up to 100%.”
Lessons we learn firsthand being in a marriage.
Being out of one as well. That’s a lesson that can apply to many things in life.
………………….
Going back into another union of hearts, dreams, families and all that goes along with that is a conversation the Cowboy and I have had on countless occasions. Not wanting to repeat past mistakes. Taking care to not take for granted what the other does or contributes. Knowing there is always work the other is doing or energy being put in that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Communication that needs to happen about life, with each other, to each other that doesn’t involve bills, the kids, the ex’s and problems. Dreams always need to be shared. Dates always need to be had. Respect for each other and who we are as individuals as well as together is the goal. Acknowledging that’s a lot of hard work, but deciding it’s worth it because the reward of a family that cares about each other, supports each other, is kind to one another, roots their day and actions in their faith, talks happiness, works only for the best and expects only the best of each other and delights in the good in the world around them sure beats the alternative.
Plus it’s no fun going to bed mad each night.
And my eyes always get puffy from crying so it’s just not pretty either.
It was only a few years after sharing his marriage insights in class, Mr. Hyman got divorced. Successful outcome of the marriage or not, it is still a good reminder that while it may not always look like both parties in a marriage or a job or any relationship are putting in all they can and more, often they are. And while we can always work harder and give more, we hope that in giving all we’ve got, no matter the ratio, it adds up to a beautiful life. Even when its not always pretty.
Conversations With a Cowboy 