8/3/07

Backyard Moose (Nice pic of Depp, Em)



Shot pictures of this baby moose in my backyard this morning. This baby is as big as a normal size horse. Beautiful brownish black, quietly eating from my trees, wading around in the river; I named him "Sunny B."

Emily, you know I never answer phones. Just text. And no I won't be at school for two more weeks, thank heaven. Come when you can. I'll leave pillows on the couch. Rodeo is Sat. at 6:15.

Last night I sat in a soft steady rain next to my dad, watching the number two rated in the world bull rider compete for a $10,000 ride. This was probably one of Dad's last rodeos. He still stopped to chat with all the old cowboys along the fence, but we had to help him into the grandstand. He won't stand for that again. We ate fried waffles with blackberries and whip cream and jotted down each score until the program got too wet and ripped, and I picked out the $50,000 barrel buckskin horse that I'm going to search heaven for when we get up there. He moved like silk from India.

After all this heat, we felt in heaven. A little Native American five-yr-old won the mutton busting (riding sheep until a whistle blows). After they gave her a trophy a foot taller than she was, the announcer asked her what she'd do for a brand new BB gun from . . . (some sponsor). She said, "Nothing. I don't want one." He lost words but recovered quickly, "Well, can we give it to your parents then?" "Nope. They don't want it either." "Do you have a brother? I bet he'd like this new BB gun." "No, he wouldn't." I loved the whole night.

Welcome home,
Jaren and Charity. I'm going to post a Keith Urban tape to welcome you back to the West (via Australia). In a full count, just how many snakes have you seen so far? This is important information for me if I'm to consider a PhD at Tucson.

8 comments:

S.Morgan said...

By the way, Gillz, no clowns at this rodeo, only Professional Bull Fighters. The bulls are beautiful, big slobbering, alert, muscled-up power, kicking up dirt, knees lifting high when they run, heads shifting back and forth just itching to gore a young cowboy before his first shave; everybody, including the pick-up men, move out of their way. I was thinking what it'd be like to accidentally meet one of them in the woods. I'd stand as still as an aspen tree. Whew. Where do these Brahmas come from?

Emily G said...

Sharon, I'm so excited for the rodeo tomorrow. Your descriptions change all the paradigms my vegan sister has attempted to erect in my mind.

INCREDIBLE MOOSE PICTURES!!! I had no idea there were moose in the area. I wish I had been there this morning. It's 6:17 right now...I'm headed up in a few minutes. Expect me a little before 10 p.m. I'll let myself in. I'm waking up early to watch for that moose.......

charityeve said...

I have just caught myself up with the Birch Trees news. I love reading these posts and comments, they are so beautiful! Such great reflections of beautiful souls. I'm so happy I have the opportunity to know you and can't wait to know more.

Mushy, I know, I just can't help myself. I have been through a lot lately (physically and mentally, not so much emotionally beyond the breathtaking beauty and the aggravating Budget Truck ordeal).

S.Morgan said...

Oh. Budget Rental trucks. The worst! Before Jason (my oldest) was ten, we had moved 21 times. I'd rather chew nails than move again. My heart goes out to your ordeal. But do you like your place? What's it like?

Jaren Watson said...

Yes, we like our place. It has quite a bit more room than any place we've lived. The grassless yard is large enough for the kids to play on the trampoline and to run around and fall and cut themselves on the rocks.

Emily G said...

charity, thanks for making sharon take cooper the dog. i love cooper the dog.

James Best said...

I talked to Jaren last night. What's this I hear about PhD? It sounds like a great idea to me.

Then you can come out and hang at the AWP conference in New York with me and Jaren and Josh and Braden and Greg. Well, I guess it would be a year earlier then you are applying but you could just come hang out anyway.

Hooray for higher education. Sans drugs.

charityeve said...

I'm glad you like "cooper the dog," is there some other Cooper that he could be confused with, or are you just ensuring that no other readers mistake him for a homeless man or male entertainer? Does that count as dirty? I really do have to be careful now, Jaren's mom wants to start checking this blog now, she too has been converted.

I am liking the place more and more as the stress melts away. It really is eye candy, and I am a major fan of summer 365 days a year. I can't wait for you to get your little cans out here S&M and BT! We will have such great times together. We'll have dinners and late night conversations, sleep-overs on the trampoline, hikes in the mountains, water fights, sunsets, and so much more! It will be divine.