adventure in petsmart

well, first to answer Derek's question   i'm headed to Disney World in Florida Memorial Weekend   I'm taking my sister and her 4 grandkids ages 2-6yrs old   personally i'd rather wait til they are older, but she already told the oldest we were going this year   we might have to do another trip years from now   anyways,  it'll be fun just the same   we are also headed to Sea World while there and the beach somewhere for a couple days   i'm lookin' forward to seeing the kids   haven't seen them in about 3yrs.....now, the adventure to Petsmart today was for Boo   she needs to be socialized somewhat   so today i took her to a store i could take her in   she did quite well and i'm proud of her   she even allowed someone to pet her   i also learned about Dog in the Park just down the street   so next week i'll begin taking her there as well   tomorrow she goes to the vet to spend the night   first thing Monday she'll be getting spayed and that will be enough trauma for her at the moment    she's a friendly dog, she just hasn't been exposed to the outside world much   she's a tidbit timid but still friendly   so at least once a week we'll go socializing til she greets everyone with a smile and waggin tale   she does that at home already so we're off for a good start....now i'm off to practice my guitar   can't wait til i can just play    when i can play i'll be hummin' you all a song!

the tatt

ok, i don't think i've told you about my latest tattoo   it's in its beginning stages   it covers my entire back   i discovered this beautiful work of art, wolves, eagle, trees & symbol, a few months ago   i kept debating as to whether i'd do it   finally i decided yes    well we did the outline wednesday nite   to my surprise the back is a bit sensitive   but 2 shots of jack daniels & a few breaks in between, we got the outline completed    now it will be all the shading   except this time i can use some of that numbing creme for shading   so we're working on getting it right now    it's a beautiful tattoo, even my therapist liked it and she doesn't like tattoos    anyways, once it's all complete i'll definitely post a pic for everyone ...now in the meantime, i'm searching for my next road trip   it'll be 4 wheelin in Mt Taylor about an hour west of here   in a couple weekends for i have motocycle training next weekend...hope everyone is doing well...take care

 

the guitar

today i had another guitar lesson   i always have to play what i practice for the instructor  i always get nervous   and today he played with me on one of the songs   i was draggin' , just a little, while he kept up the beat   i was actually enjoying what he was playin so much i couldn't focus on what i was doin'   but i'll do better the next time   he added some more notes and strands of songs to play, plus he added 'chords'   chords are playin more than one note at a time, a whole string of them so to speak all at once   i'm so excited about learning the guitar, yet i wonder if i can do it each time i come out with my new lessons to practice    i'll be fine and i'm doin' fine for the most part, but God playin in front of Ken (instructor) i just freeze....lol

in the meantime, i'm reminded i'll be in Disney a month from now   i'm anxious to see the kids, ages 2-6yrs old    i haven't met the youngest yet, but he'll be fun    as long as my sister doesn't treat me like one of the kids, dictator self she is, then her & i will be fine   i think have her grandkids will take care of that....in the meantime, on monday i start Tai Chi    it was recommended i do this first before i do a martial art   they'll get me aligned and strength the muscles i need for a martial art    i may not take a martial art, but at least i'm headed in the right direction for now    plus with my other classes, including motorcycle riding class coming up, i'll be pretty damn busy for awhile   once i return from Disney, i'll be enrolling into school...intially when i retired i didn't know if i could fill the time   now there isn't enough time because i have so many books and so little time    but all is good    i just began The Da Vince Code to insure i complete it before the movie is released   plus i have a whole bunch of other books to read    all in time...

 

surprise on me...

wow,   this mornin' i woke with Boo in bed with me    that's the surprise on me   it was only a few days ago she realized she doesn't have to sleep outside anymore   she's been gettin' into bed with me but usually stays only a few minutes and she's down on the floor   i think she's settling in   she's also not jumpin on my lap as often, just quietly laying on the floor doing more confetti parties    this is a nice change   poor Boo, all those nights she had to sleep outside with no dog house and all alone, now she doesn't    i'm happy she's progressing...

gay pride event...

tonite Cindy & I went to a Gay Pride event of sorts   it was the competition for Ms Gay Pride plus a few other titles   mostly i think it's a show for all the drag queens, but some are really beautiful   Cindy got these tickets free and asked me to go along   i saw all this in my younger days and haven't missed it    i thought Cindy had already seen one of these shows, but i learned otherwise   she knew 2 of the men in the show, one was her hairdresser    it was a decent show, but i was mostly moved my the young disabled man, who had a walker of sorts to get around, who was in the competition   he showed tremendous courage and the crowd just loved him, including me   he told his story in a poem with background music   he actually became first runner up to Mr. New Mexico, second only to Cindy's hairdresser who sang a beutiful Mexican ballad accompanied by the Mariachies (sp?)    anyways,   other than the 2 of them and the Ms Gay Pride winner, i was totally yawning throughout the show    as i said , i haven't missed it    and both of us still didnt' figure out whether the 'male' mc was a woman posing as a man or a real man   we'll find out later from her hairdresser    anyways,  now we wait to see if there will be rumors about Cindy & I at her workplace   some people she knows from work was there and we were imagining there will be rumors   o well, we had a good laugh about it...well that's about it for the day    now it's time for a good night rest and church in the morn....

jackalope!

have you ever heard of it?   jackalope?    well it's a store here in New Mexcio and i love it   don't know how long, but we finally have one here in abq   how do i describe this store   rustic in nature for sure   full of rugs from all over the world, pottery, dishes, wonderful wood furniture from all over the world, small rugs and blankets from the southwest, plants and miscellaneous wonderful things   as Cindy & i went to lunch yesterday she pointed the new store out to me   i had to go back as we drove by it   and of course i found a rug that fit perfect for my den   plus today i went back to get a skull, cow skull with horns   they had some that were painted but i decided on a smaller one unpainted   i may paint it myself   plus i found a Huge sitting pillow i had been looking for   i've been sitting on the floor in the living room reading a lot  (still don't have my new couch), but it's been nice to sit onn the floor again   i used to do it all the time   very comfy   anyways,  Jackalope is just absolutely wonderful   i feel like i step back into ancient times when shopping there   i even found a very nice coffee table made of wood but it was pricey    although i have the $300 for it, not sure i desire to spend that much on a coffee table   i have time to think about it   anyways,   i'm sure i'll be going back to Jackalope soon   even bought some wine glasses there with blue-purple trim....Jackalope, the place to shop!

Ice Age: the Meltdown

this is my second attempt for this entry!   dammit!   i was about finished when Boo jumped on my notebook and erased my entry    kids!....lol    anyways, as i stated, this movie is hilarious!   a must see movie   it's just as funny as the first if not better   Cindy & i saw it tonite on a spontaneous moment   i must get both of these dvds for my collection when available ....anyways, i had a good day despite not sleepin well last nite   in so doing, i had two naps today   actually i was awake at 5:30am then went back to sleep    then later this afternoon i took another small nap   now i'll be awake late tonite but hopefully i'll get back on track once asleep   in between napping i've been burning music all day on & off    i also read a small book from Ramtha regarding our soul's journey and purpose thru life   if i understood it correctly, our purpose is to create and re-form a new consciousness   the book had more depth but it came down simply to that    we can choose to be open minded or not   but anyways, it was enlightening for me    i also read my homework for 5 Gifts and some for A Course of Miracles   i've been struggling with the Course but today when i read it was very clear   i'm thinking it had to do with a shift change within me and my perception a week or so ago   God is all there is   God is in you, as you, is you   i see God in all things, all people, all Life   God consciousness    a place where we all evolve eventually    anyways, Life is Good ...enjoy the moment and treasure them    there is only Life!

Bandelier National Park

Welcome to Bandelier!   grab some coffee and have a seat   these may take a few moments    Bandelier dates back to about 10,000 years ago with prehistoric people   then Pueblo people inhabited this place  Pueblo as i understood to indicate they didn't have written language at the time   they did paint pictures on the walls, and one is included among these photos   the first pics are upon entering the park   it's suppose to be volcanic ash melted together hence the holes   then the pics follow the trail of the kiva, pueblo ruins and cliff dwellings where the ancient people lived   the caves in the walls were also inhabited by the people   they were are part of their dwellings   eventually you'll come to a round circle 'cave' of sorts with a ladder coming out of it   that is the Ceremonial Cave   i had to climb 140ft up to this cave  the ladders following these photos are the ladders i climbed and they're halfway up the ladders to the cave   but the climb was well worth it   i wonder how the natives at the time actually got up there  ladders i presumed    anyways, continuing with the photos   you'll see a touch of spring in the trees and the last of winter holding on   then you'll come to an antique car in the midst of these pics   it was in the parking lot and i couldn't pass it up   the photos following the car are my trail adventures to the waterfalls   totally i hiked about 5miles on sunday, but it was a great day!   i also wondered if i had a past life here at Frijoles Canyon, Bandelier for i always feel "Home" when there   anyways, if you ever get a chance to be here in New Mexico, do stop here   it is worth the trip!  

copyrights for all photos reserved for Karen L Goins....to get the intricate details in some of these photos, view larger...

Boo! my kids!

ok,  this is Jimmy and Boo!   Jimmy is the first photo and then the remaining 2 photos are of Tabbou....gotta luv 'em....

Jemez Mtns...Soda Dam...& my Jeep

ok   here are a few photos of my weekend trip to Bandelier    these are of the Jemez Mtns the backroad to Bandelier   it's very beautiful and i felt like i had seen them for the first time again this weekend   these photos have  been doctored a little   my first attempt in simmering down the brightness they reflect when i put them on my puter   they look fine viewing from the camera, but really brighten up once on the puter   my main object was to get the rich red clay showing well in these photos   so i dimmed the brightness   the only photos not doctored on these are of my jeep   the next journal entry will be of my Boo (Tabbou)   then i'll doctor the Bandelier photos and post them too   that may be a couple days for i have classes all day tomorrow....until i cya again...take care

copyrights for all photos reserved for karen l goins

Happy Easter!

a quick note:    photos are coming!    i went to Bandelier Nat'l Park today via the Jemez Mtns and it was just awesome   i took photos but they're not downloaded yet   they will be in a few days and will post them immediately    i also got photos of my jeep and ms Boo   hope everyone had a great day    cya soon....

she's awesome!

yep, my jeep is beautiful!   i picked her up yesterday and she's settin' perty   God i had no idea how tall she'd sit with 33 tires, but now she looks like a jeep in lieu of a station wagon    she was just too plain with regular wheels   i'm definitely ready for some 4wheelin' now    the front bumper looks great with the wrench   and the rack really tops her off    the only thing missin', well maybe, is some step rails   somehow we manage to forget to put them on the invoice   so we ordered them and they'll be in a few days   Mom won't be able to get up into the jeep without them when she visits   but i do havve a step stool already for her   the other thing i may need to purchase is a new rear bumper and swinging tire holder for the back    this morn i'll see if i can mustard getting the full size spare tire up on the rack,but it seems pretty damn heavy   if i can get it up there, i won't need the tire rack, but we'll see later this morn   it's a pretty big tire and i know it's heavy as hell    i'll see soon....

in the meantiime,  i went to the opening Isotopes baseball game last nite   it was nice but i only stayed for about 4innings   for some reason when i sat down at the park, i was ready to go to sleep   maybe because i had just filled my belly with dinner   not sure exactly, but i lasted a few innings and i was good to go   there'll be plenty of games and i have plenty of tickets   i bought a diamond pack deal which included 10games for the season   i bought a pair of seats and if a ticket isn't used i can redeem it for any other game   Cindy didn't go with me last nite so i already have one ticket to redeem   anyways, it was a Good Friday after all

today, Tabbou and I begin classes for training   it's not the training i'm after, but to get her socialized   sure i'll train her but not very much    apparently she's ok when people come to the house, but once out in public she's a bit timid    she's very friendly, she just needs to be exposed to the outside world   Tjnya didn't ever go places much and she surely didn't take Tabbou    this class lasts for 8weeks, but we may only make it thru 6 of it   my vacation to Disney will be on the tail end of it and i'm not sure i'll return just for one more class once i return    but i've decided everytime i head out for dog food, Tabbou will be going with me   plus i'll take her everywhere i can   there's probably some time in the park where dogs & owners meet that i can expose her to as well    plus she'll be hiking with me too   not sure how much for she has hip dysplacia and is limping quite a bit   hopefully that'll heal   will find out with her next doctor visit   Jimmy wants to have sex with her all the time which isn't helping her leg   i don't mind the sex, but not with her bad hip    so anyways,   all is good in the life of kbear and family    the wind blows at the moment howling up a storm ever so sweet...

the range cafe

early morn and i dropped my Jeep off to 4Wheel Parts for it's upgrade  all new tires and a lift kit along with a wrench and rack will take me to Alaska some day soon   plus i picked up a couple books on 4wheelin in Colorado and Arizona   so once i have my car back friday evening, i'll be ready to hit the road   God i can hardly wait for some 4wheelin'    it's been tooo long since i've been ...in the meantime, i've been ready for another road trip, but i think i had a little this morn actually right here in town    after droppin off my Jeep, i stopped @ The Range Cafe right down the street   it was quaint, western and had that hometown range feelin   and the food was delicious   had my biscuits and gravy    but this little cafe was full of 'regular' people   'regular' people are the little people to me   the little people are those just living an ordinary life of just plain folk from rural America   i love places and people like this although i don't get to be around them much nowadays   maybe my Spirit was showing me a fresh perspective with them today for i felt more at home at this cafe than i have in any place lately   o fancy restraunts are all fine and dandy, but i love the little places that not too many people notice   they just have that homey feelin for me and i'm so at home when there   my waitress even had a southern draw accent which i haven't heard in awhile   so i picked up a couple business cards to remind me to go there from time to time   enjoy the atmosphere and remember the true nature of myself-free spirit!   and i took the bus home and the ride was different this morn in a good way    i just think Spirit was with me this morn, but Spirit is always with us, i just noticed today ....now i'm back at my apartment which i still desire to call my house, reading The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield    M gave me this book and i'm loving it   plus this saturday evening our church is showing the movie   so hopefully i'll have the book completed by then, or at least most of it....

now for the latest on Boo (Tabbou)....she's have confetti parties all over the place   but she's content and not shredding anything else in the house, so that makes us both happy   i can always pick up paper later and it costs nothing    but she has settled in here quite well    i even left her in the house for 3hrs last nite while at class and she did great   no messes, nothing shredded except paper   she's a great kid.....

trees & the trip home

these pics are all but one are trees we discovered on the road trip   now the first photo is of a miniature palm tree   i was just stumped by them   still can't believe my eyes   in the photo is a mile marker to reflect the size of these trees   Cindy gave me such a hard time about my desire to get a photo of these mini palm trees that i was laughing with tears rollin'    we had such a great time   now the one photo not a tree is Elephant Butte Lake   there used to be a hell of lot more water but it's better than a couple years ago when very dry   the remaining photos of  huge trees we saw all along our trip   they are so beautiful in their magnificance   there are a few more photos to be posted in the next entry and that'll wrap up our trip   then i must be off shooting more photos   i have many adventures planned   cya soon....

the rose pipe

yesterday i bought me a pipe to smoke   it's carved into a rose and simply beautiful   for the past 3months i have been desiring a cigarette yet refuse to lite one   the anxiousness created from my illness needs something to calm it down   the only reason i've ever smoked in the first place    so a few days ago i figured i'd smoke something but it wasn't going to be cigarettes anymore   so i tried Carrillo cigars and yet those were still too strong   i've never smoked a pipe but always loved it when my dad smoked a pipe  i love the aroma   so i thought i'd try a pipe, and yep it is sooo much better   it's sooo mellow compared to the other two options   plus the aroma is still good and the taste is not strong at all   this is perfect for when i need to calm my anxiety   just a few puffs for a few moments and i'm good to go    i asked my dad how to keep the fire lit in the pipe   he wanted to know why i was smoking a pipe for it was "unladylike"   i responded i wasn't very ladylike anyways, but he disagreed   truth is my parents don't see or know the real me   they have this perfect little angel image of me and just don't want to see anything else   i am most definitely my own person and i do a Karen as Cindy informed me a couple nites ago, which is doing simply whatever i desire   reflecting i've been doing this since 'bout 18/19 yrs old when i decided i wasn't living for my parents or anyone else   i was going to do what makes me happy    i have evolve & changed much since a teenager growing into a better person all along, and still growing   i am reminded at times in various ways that i am a very independent woman   but i like that actually    sometimes i'm still putting the pieces of me together, like yesterday, but all is well   now retired, i feel the freedom within me to change my direction some in life and develop and express the more creative side of me    i can live now   i am not tied to the p.o. living as a postal letter carrier which defined a lot of my life   now i get to take on a new identity, or more correctly, a truer identity of who i really am   i love the infinite possibilities and freedom to do so now   i'm not sure where i'm headed but Life is teaching  me   as time unfolds, so will i...

Lincoln, NM

these pics are of Lincoln, NM  the last great escape of Billy the Kid   we stopped here for 'bout an hour on the way down to Carlsbad Caverns   very quaint old western town   we walked through the courthouse where the story was told about Billy's last capture   there's a pic of his life size photo included   anyways,  the courthouse was unique and still preserved the original flooring and furniture in the courthouse   also reconstructed was a Mason's room   don't know why i didn't take pics of this room   it was beautiful   this was a great little rest stop for us   the only thing missing was a postcard   the woman selling them at her house closed up 5mins too early @ 3:30 in the afternoon   guess business wasn't booming    also in the town was a museum with some artifacts of Civil War Era   what i liked most about this musuem was it included history on Hispanics, African Americans and Indians as well   very well rounded   ....

now, Tabbou just shredded a phone book and is having the time of her life   will pick up the confetti party once she's completed playing   she's adjusting well   we even cuddled on the couch yesterday for a nap    ...Life is Good!

a couple of these photos need doctoring for the light is too bright on them   will doctor them and repost them   this trip with my new camera was just to learn more about my camera   i'm in love with my new digital camera for someone who didn't want to go digital...

grumpy goose attacks shoppers

LOLOLOLOL!    saw this in the headlines on aol and it cracked me up    Go Goose!

Tabbou!

mornin everyone   i sit this morn with coffee in hand enjoying the solitude of this hour   not much in the news to read and i'm not big on reading it anyways   so i thought i'd drop in and say hello   give you the latest, then start my day    first i think it might be snowing a few flakes this morn   it's pitch black so i can't see for sure, but i put the dogs out for a few moments and they came back with a few snowflakes decorating them   o yes,  i picked up Tabbou yesterday (new spelling from Tabou)   she is mine now i learned yesterday  Tjnya already found her a place to live in Illlinois and she definitely isn't keeping her dog   i sorta figure as much, it's just that Tj wouldn't tell me for sure upfront   but that's Tj for ya   anyways, i'm all happy Tabbou is here now   she gets her first shots this morn and will be scheduled asap for her spaying  i was perturbed when i found out last week that Tj hadn't done any of this for as long she has had her   if i had known i wood have taken care of her   anyways, she's mine now and she will be well taken care of    plus she's getting spoiled already    we cuddled on the couch last nite   she just kept cuddling up next to me laying her head on my chest    she was hestitant about getting on the couch for Tj didn't allow her to do so, but here it's all game   that's part of my quality time with my kids   we sit and watch tv together or just read a book   then they get to sleep at nite with me   it'll be awhile before she actually sleeps with me, want to make sure she's housebroken first    she's a little whiny right now, but getting better    she is a sweet sweet sweet dog   i'm going to spoil her sooo much, but i do all my kids   they deserve it and for all the unconditional love they give me, they're worth it..anyways, all is good here    today i will put my new bookcases together and organize my office   tomorrow i get my new rolltop desk  yesterday i received my new chair and now just waiting on my new couch to come in    i'm excited!   Life is good and can only get better    ...the next entry i'll post more pics from my trip and write more about it   until then   have a great one!

mother nature's cathedral

this is Carlsbad Caverns   my friend Cindy called it 'Mother Nature's Cathedral'   it is so fitting   not sure that these pics really depict the beauty of it all, but this is my best shots    we were in the cave for 3hrs   we hiked down 750ft and then some   there wasn't enough light to capture it's beautiful depth and complete beauty    it was breathtaking   Cindy and I took our time and we kept wondering what was the hurry as everyone else kept passing us by    it was my first trip to the caves, Cindy's 4th   the majestic it is isn't really on these pics    must see it one day    we'll be going back...

all Copyrights on these photos reserved for Karen L Goins

o yes,  VIEW THESE LARGER TOO...

White Sands...

a few photos from White Sands National Park    the sunset Cindy took the pic (and of me)   the remainder i shot    these are a few of the shots taken there    i'll look over the rest and post/repost all of them from White Sands    Nature's beauty is magnificent as it is here    we took our shoes off and smushed our toes into the cool sand   the photos are taken about an hour before sunset (ideal time to take photos)   words cannot describe the beauty here...hope you enjoy!

All copyrights reserved on these photos for Karen L Goins!

definitely view these larger to see the textures...

road trip!

well Cindy and I made it back from our road trip   we made it to Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands    this a note to let you know photos are coming    this pic Cindy took of me and my new teeth at White Sands    it was a FANTASTIC trip!   it was just what i needed after a stressful week  last week    tomorrow is class all day, but i may stay home and work on the photos so i can share them with you   and for someone who didn't desire to buy a digital camera, i sure have fallen in love with mine after this weekend....i'll cya soon!