Smokin’ Guns At Rabbit Ridge Part1

Posted on by kathousekelli70

……I'm an American soldier, an American, besides my brothers and my sisters, I will proudly take a stand, when liberty's in jeopardy, I will always do what's right, I'm out here on the front line, so you can sleep in peace tonight….. (yes, sing along, Toby Keith's American Soldier) well, what a heart rendering opening ceremony as Smokin' Guns at Rabbit Ridge is known for. The presentation of the Color Guard is the highlight to this match which usually falls on Memorial Day weekend. Thank you to all those who have served and are serving, be it here or across the world.

Sweetwater Sage riding Quervo trotted down the range with the Christian flag and Tumbleweed riding Sunny with the American flag ready to hand to Col. Benjamin Grierson and Sgt. Hampton for raising. This is all whilst they have Toby Keith's, American Soldier playing in the background. Man, just brings tears to your eyes. Just truly sensational! Go to Facebook to see the video.

 

After the Color Guard, National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance, was a very moving tribute to Easy Lee who passed away just a short time ago. Fellow cowboy's from the Mississippi Rangers led a procession with the painted pony bearing a set of cowboy boots back to front in the stirrups, his rig, pistols and hat astride the saddle. May he rest in peace.

 

With the fire of multi shotgun blast, the ceremony was complete and after having the usual group photo beside the paddle steamer facade everyone departed to their assigned Posse and we are ready to throw some lead down range!

 

Five spectacular stages completed under light cloud cover with intense humidity….,yeah that's probably a good way to describe it, although I think the humidity hit its peak earlier this evening when the sun came out and we were all hanging around waiting for dinner and the band.

A visit with vendors, chatting with folks, drinking beer. Yep, sounds like a whole lot of fun!! When the band, Drivin' Sideways, got on to play with our resident star guitar player Fast Fingers Green from Oklahoma, we were rockin' out to the good Ol' tunes. (He played with the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and Conway Twitter when teenagers! Just imagine! I was so born in the wrong era, love this music!)

 

We called it a night, been a long day, got another long one tomorrow (yes it was only 7.45pm when we left the range 🙂 ) and just too sticky to stay out longer.

 

Night y'all!

Kat xo

 

Mississippi Bound

Posted on by kathousekelli70

We head out today for a trip to Byhalia, Mississippi. Home to the Mississippi Rangers and the 20th Anniversary of Smokin' Guns at Rabbit Ridge.

Will be a good catch up with lots of friends on a beautiful green grassy range, great facades and a well put together match.

Yee Haa!

Kat xo

 

Surprise! Go to their website and there is us from the last time!

www.mississippiriverrangers.com

 

The Week That Was

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Not much exciting this week at all really but still a full week.

Last weekend we had cowboy on Saturday and Wild Bunch on Sunday wih the Territorial Marshal's. Pretty good run on stages and getting the 1911's working ready for State and End Of Trail.

A lot of cutting out, ready to get Pearl's outfits done, corsets a plenty, have even managed to throw a few pieces my way. Looking forward to later doing some little dresses for three tiny cowgirls.

Practice this week was good, throwing lead down range is always a good day anyway!!

Weather has been exceptional with the occasional tornado watch thrown in but hey! That's what you get when in Oklahoma! 🙂

Yesterday we hit a few shops, lazed in front of the tv and watched a movie with coffee and danishes. No work, no phones…..I'm sure each of us dozed off at least once.

Then to top it off it, went to the Dr's for Jack to get the stitches out of his thumb and head to Louie's (same car park, like we hadn't planned that!) for cheap beers and burgers!

Got to talk to a few kidlets and the grandbaby boys! FaceTime and Skype are awesome!

Now it's time to get up and get moving, enough of this laying around, bacon and eggs are calling and I can hear the geese on the pond!

 

Have a good one!

Kat xo

 

Convicts and Crimes

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Well we all know that Australia was colonised by convicts in the late 1700's for some (my ancestors included) for as little as stealing a loaf of bread!

So getting on with it, we were introduced to a wine called 19 Crimes in Oklahoma of all places. A South Australian wine that I hate to admit, have never experienced in my native country of Australia!

Yes you heard it right. I have never seen this in Aus, although I will look for it when I go back because it's bloody nice! Our bottle-o (aka liquor store) up the road has 3 versions in stock. Red Blend, Cab Sav, The Warden Reserve. Thanks to San Jacinto Joe, Jack and I regularly partake in a tipple of 19 Crimes now.

THEN I get to the hairdressers this week and Jenny says “have you tried 19 Crimes?” and we have a whole discussion about this wine.

So wanting to confirm and find out more about the corks and the crimes listed I hopped over to google this arvo and checked out their site. Go have a look for yourself, even tells you about the convicts pictures featured on the bottles.

The corks have a number and the corresponding crime on it. For example #14. Counterfeiting the copper coin or #1. Grand larceny, theft above the value of one shilling.

Pretty neat! So I've been helping San Jacinto Joe finish collecting his 19 and Jack and I have started collecting ours.


Then I opened the reserve tonight to find #2. Hyde Park Barracks. Now I know this is in Sydney so this gets me to thinking that the Warden Reserve must feature the prisons that the convicts were sent to!?

Anyway, delish wine! Loving it! Check it out!

Kat xo

 

The Great Spaghetti Western

Posted on by kathousekelli70

By definition 'a western film made cheaply in Europe by an Italian director'.

 

The GREAT Spaghetti Western however, was not in Europe but the great state of Texas (Leonard, TX) directed by the Texas Ten Horns.

A neat little range that is slowly growing. Great facades and buildings that allow for shooting under cover should the weather be inclement and a couple of open ranges. Plans are in place for expansion so we look forward to attending this range again!

 

Only a few hours drive, we arrived Friday finding the motel and the range without any hassle. We checked in and caught up with some cowboy's and cowgirl's, watching some already commence with side matches.

Stages were set simply with a great mix of target shapes and sizes. This was going to be fun!

 

Jack and I also got to meet these little treasures! We had met their Dad 'Texas Jack Diamondback' and eldest daughter 15yr old 'Darlin Diamondback' up in Thurmont, MD last year. Adding to the Diamondback family is 7yr old twins 'Dixie Diamondback' and 'Dazzlin Diamondback' along with 10yr old 'Daisy Diamondback' they are all just so sweet and I'm looking forward to making the little ones their dresses for End Of Trail. Now if we can just get Mom to shoot!! 😉

 

Saturday morning with safety briefing, pledge of allegiance and a spectacular rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by Chiquita Bandita! Outstanding!

Five stages done by lunch time, everyone is fed, watered and released back into the field for side matches or just catching up. Of course where would we be without 'spaghetti and meatballs' for dinner!! Side match awards were given out also.

 

Then we caught up with Hawkshaw Fred and Annie D Vine and got to see the riding habit (previous blog post) in all its glory! It's perfect, fits her, length is spot on, I couldn't be happier – best of all was the smile on her face!

Sunday, last chance for another spectacular day with the Ten Horns. Five stages done and dusted! Thank you to our Posse Marshal, Billy Boots who headed up Posse 3 – Big Iron Patnode, C R Hicock, Colorado Jackson, Creek County Kid, Forty Dawg Kid, Highland Scottie, Jackaroo, K D Steel, Kathouse Kelli, Krazy Legs Kay, Lefty Wheeler, Longhandle Slim, Marshal Kidd, Red Knee, Roy's Creek Dan, Sassy Boots, Sharp Shootin' Leroy, Silver Sam and Snake Oil George.

 

Another spectacular lunch with Tiramisu cake for lunch dessert. O…M…G! Yum!

Raffle drawings and prizes were given away before and during the awards. I didn't get to see a clean match pin but the conchos given for 2nd and 3rd winners and the 1st place champion are a great idea for a change.

Congratulations to all cowboy's and cowgirl's that placed in or won their categories. Creek County Kid and Kathouse Kelli took overall honours for Men's and Ladies. Good work CCK!

 

Thanks again to the Texas Ten Horns – a great little match! If you didn't get there you missed out and should look to go next year!

 

'Once Upon A Time In The West'

Kat xo

Texas Ten Horns http://www.texas10horns.org/index.html

Molly's Custom Silver (buckles and conchos) https://www.mollyscustomsilver.com/

Spaghetti Western pic found on Pinterest.

Spaghetti western definition courtesy of Google.

 

Machine’s Running Hot

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Many hours in, the embroidery work is done!

Can't show full patterns of some as they are sort of surprises but there is enough there in the pile to get the gist.

Eight full panels, two Oklahoma armbands and smiley pocket triangles complete!

 

Here are the finished Oklahoma armbands ready to get to Pony Soldier this weekend.

 

Having a productive afternoon!

Kat xo

 

Poppycock!

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Poppycock! Peacock corset I intensely dislike you!

Sigh, you know, sometimes I just don't get it right for me, get it right for other people but alas sometimes it is not always the case for myself. Weird I know.

This corset has been bugging me for ages, I bought the fabric and then another lady shooter in Australia bought the same fabric and of course I don't make the same thing twice so I inset these blue panels into mine. …………….,,I don't like it……….. Every time I look in the draw for a corset I see it and I don't like it.

 

BUT!! During my sewing and embroidery right now I had a brain wave, so off tangent to the rest of what I am doing that I think I have come up with a solution and a whole new outfit!

Cool! (Claps hands with child like excitement!) finally I will look forward to wearing it – not with those blue panels in it though – it's now in the bag of car projects ready to unpick so I can replace those panels with more sweet peacock feather like fabric (lucky I still had some left) and then will work on the rest of the ensemble later.

Weird moment of thought!

Kat xo 🙂

 

Habit Forming

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Riding habit that is!

After Land Run (not included in the previous blog) I set to getting a surprise job done for Annie D Vine. Her 1880-1890's riding habit in a Kelly green Melton Wool. Hawkshaw Fred and I had discussed the making of this for Annie's birthday without her knowledge which made me slightly nervous as we had only briefly discussed colour and thrown a couple of pictures her way.

Got the job done though, a full on week, trim hadn't arrived from Ireland and had to order more soutache which really put the pressure on. Not one to back down from a challenge though, it was game on!

The Victorian riding habit is an interesting skirt suited for ladies to ride side saddle and still be involved in the pleasures of equine sports.

A wider right hand side allows the wearer to sit upon their trusty steed and the skirt would drape nicely over their right knee and the saddle horn without revealing any knees or ankles. Keeping decorum to the max!

Once riding exploits have been had, the lady after alighting from her horse, can hitch up the skirt and fasten it in back on a button. This allows her to walk freely without tripping over the excess skirt.

 

Riding habits (as mentioned in the Truly Victorian pattern) were 'severe' in look and usually had no trim. I did however, find some old photographs of some with the military style braid work, so this is what we went for to add a little character at least.

 

The surprise worked! It fitted perfectly! Can't wait to see Miss Annie in her riding habit with all the accoutrements.

Maybe I'll see her doing some riding like this? Or not! From what I've briefly read, it took 2 men to get a lady up on her side saddle and there were many injuries and issues with restraining your horse BUT these are true pictures of women jumping their horses side saddle! Incredible.

 

Kat xo

 

Sew On, and Sew On

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Lol, I crack myself up when I think of a funny play on words! At least I'm amusing someone I guess.

Sew, I mean, so! What's been happening in the world of Kat and the sewing machine.

Well, I got a $70 you beaut machine when I got back here to take the strain off the embroidery machine and it goes like the clappers! Even had Jack doing some straight stitching for me at one stage.

So before Land Run hit, yes cast your mind back to beginning of April, I did a new set of frillies and petticoat for my friend Belle Vaquera, another smart looking guerilla/Jesse James shirt in vivid red for Gunkiller, a sweet little aqua and silver grey corset for Annie's Shadow, a top for Missouri Mae, throw one in for me and a couple of repair jobs.

Photos?! Yeah someone forgot to get one of Gunkillers shirt! (Rolls eyes in disbelief.)

 

Then it was finish Jack's sack suit and finish our Tom Mix inspired outfits. Well mostly, I'm still working on the buttons for the Tom Mix jackets and still pondering the epaulet (did I even spell that right? You know the shoulder board thingy's?) and cord. Buttons are car projects though, so all in good time.

 

THEN Jack gets another outfit. One lucky man at the moment. His 'Thomas Durant' (hee hee I have a thing about voice overs, this time I hear that being said like 'the Swede' says it in the show. Have to have watched it to get it though) I think it is pretty slick and looks the part! Only to find similar hat now and if you have paid attention through Season 4 Ep 1 then he needs a map of Wyoming to simulate the land sale to complete his prop's for a costume contest.

 

Since then it's been hem cowboy pants, make cowboy pants and seems to be “have you got it in black?” season with everyone wanting black frillies, black skirts and black shirts.

 

Have had a small injection of colour with the Judge and Justice Lily Kate's gorgeous brocades though and fabulous welt pockets I did make! Happy dance!

 

NEXT!! Gorgeous blues, deep green's, splashes of gold, off whites, hopefully some silver in my direction, day of the dead, and a bit of gingham to the mix.

Oh and Greasy Creek Slim will be happy to hear that Belle Vaquera and I have finally found fabrics I am happy with for her 'Eva' outfit (another Hell On Wheels inspired ensemble that I have been dieing to make!)

Better get cracking!

Kat xo