Spin Cycle: Cyber Santa

Jen of Sprite's Keeper very generously took the time to organize this Secret Cyber Santa Spin (say THAT five times fast). From a list of our favorite bloggers, she waved her magic wand and assigned us one lovely blogger on whom we were to post.

I get to rave about The South Dakota Cowgirl, Jen, one of my all time most fascinating bloggy buds.

I was first attracted to Jen's blog because her world is so completely different than my own. Originally from Texas, she rides horses in barrel events and lives on a huge cattle ranch in South Dakota.

Her days are filled with riding and training horses and helping her cowboy, Zach, with multiple ranch related activities, from herding and preg-checking cattle to rescuing horses stuck on wire fences.

It's clear from her posts that she's an awesome cook, but her creativity doesn't end there. Among her many talents, she makes gorgeous jewelry, plays piano and guitar, sings, and even writes her own songs. Her voice is lovely and definitely worth a listen.

I can't imagine what it's like to live on acres and acres populated with deer, antelope, rattlesnakes, jackrabbits and prairie dogs, but Jen's spectacular photographs and video give me some idea.

I may have originally followed SDCG out of curiosity, but I've stayed because of the sincere and generous person she is.

Like all of us, Jen has been through a lot, and I don't mean just upending her life in Texas to move to South Dakota. Her heartfelt writing reveals a woman who is courageous and adventurous, playful and stubborn, and very much devoted to her friends and family.

If you don't already follow SDCG, you should make a point to click on over there and take a look around.

One thing I didn't plan on when I started this whole blogging thing last May, was the extent to which I would develop actual relationships, however virtual, with fellow bloggers. Jen may be much younger than I, and our lives as different as night and day, but through her words I sense a kindred spirit.

She has been a fun and loyal cyber friend, and I truly hope she goes on sharing her world with us for a long, long time.

Jen may not know this, but it's entirely possible one day I just might show up at her door, ask her to throw me on a horse, and have her give me a personal tour of the ranch. I get the feeling we'll have a lot to talk about.

For more Cyber Santa Spins, go call on Sprite's Keeper. And give her a big holiday hug from me.

 

Comments

[SuziCate]

Interesting post, am going to check out SDCG and Sprite's Keeper.

[Sprite's Keeper]

I agree with you 100% on SDCG! I love how you can just feel her warmth from the words she writes and the photography she shows. Excellent tribute, Maureen! You're linked!

[Erin@TheLocalsLoveIt]

How fun...

I'm off to read SDCG!

[~The South Dakota Cowgirl~]

Maureen- I am speechless! You're welcome to show up at our door whenever you want and I'd be happy to give you a tour of the ranch horseback (which personally I think is the best way to see it!)! I heard it said the other day that The Pioneer Woman is inspiring; I would love to be inspiring and it from the way you made me sound I am. Wow!

Oh don't forget that we also have badgers, porcupines (which are soooo cute!), the occasional raccoon, coyotes, foxes, and an evil mountain lion in our little piece of heaven!

[Jane]

I'm on my way to go check her out! I love suggestions for new reading - but especially when it comes from one of MY favorite bloggers!

[Joanie M]

And to top it off, she's GORGEOUS!!!

[Ocean Girl]

Thank you Maureen, I was beginning to feel lonely. I'm off to check out your friend.

[Kimberly]

Sounds like a great blog and you wrote about it beautifully. The "country" life style sounds so nice and relaxing and I love the horse part. I'm a city girl at heart though, so too much country would drive me crazy. I'd like to have a little of both in my life.
I'm heading over to check her out!

[Maureen D. Hall]

Jen,

 

You inspire me every day, and  I mean it.

Im so glad Ive met you.

 

Mountain lions, seriously?

Do you ever hear them at night?

I think that would be creepy in a very exciting way.

 

Im so glad you like my Spin.

Have a very merry Christmas!!

-xo

[Mama Badger]

I love SDCG, too! There are just so many good blogs out there. This was a great tribute to her and her blog. Have a great holiday!

[Mama Badger]

And now that she's told us she had badgers? I want to visit, too.

[~The South Dakota Cowgirl~]

Maureen- I haven't been blessed with hearing or seeing the mountain lion, but I have seen the fruits of its labor in that my mare's colt was torn out of her and then eaten by it this summer. Not only did it kill the foal, it tore my mare up so bad she now has a disfigured hootch. We hope she'll be breeding sound again by this year. She had nasty deep scratches and gouges all over her back end. I had been religiously checking on her everyday because I couldn't wait for that baby. Then my uncle died and we left for two days for the funeral. We didn't get to check her the day after we got back for having too many other chores to catch up on, and sure enough when we did check her we find her with a swollen bag and a bloody torn up back end. Needless to say after you wait 11 months for the baby and there isn't one and you find your mare a bloody mess it's disheartening to say the least.

The cat should be glad that there isn't a rifle here in this house, because rest assured if there were one (maybe I should get my dad to get me one for xmas next year) and I saw it, it would be no more.

[Kate]

Sounds like a great one, I'm going over now to check it out!

[jessica]

I have an "ode to Maureen" on my blog today. I'm crappy at the sentimental stuff. I hope I did ok at this

[Michele]

What a nice secret Santa post. I've checked in on Jen periodically but now it looks like I'll be heading over there more often these days. Have a terrific holiday season.

[Ocean Girl]

Hello Maureen, I would like to properly wish you Merry Christmas and the best of 2010.

I thought of you too during Hajj. I thought of whether you would think of me when you hear news of Hajj. In my concentration and focus, there were so many things and experiences that I want to share with my blog buddies. Funny how they say that it is harder to make close friends when you are older but I do feel friendship and bond. After all, we know of each others' deepest thoughts. But I must add that when I think of my friend, you are my only.

[Constructive Attitude]

Thanks for sharing :) :)

[Pseudo]

Wonderful tribute to a deserving blog.

Merry Christmas Maureen ; -)

[Heather]

That was a wonderful post and I am off to check out SDCG.

I can't get over the fact that she lives on a ranch and doesn't have a rifle! WOW!

[Stacy (the Random Cool Chick)]

Wow, Maureen - that's an absolutely beautiful Tribute Spin! Now I have another awesome blogger to add to my blog roll! :)

[kathryn]

This was a lovely tribute! I'll definitely check her out...if you enjoy her blog, I'm sure I will as well!

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

[Beth]

Great tribute! I'm off to go check her out.

[Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings]

She sounds great! I'm adding her blog to my reader now! Thanks for the tip. I'm off to read some more of your posts (in between working)

[Casey]

Great spin! I haven't heard of Jen but I'll definitely check her out. It is weird how we all feel like we know each other, sometimes more so than our friends in real life. I like it..