Beautiful People, One Beautiful Horse, One Gorgeous February Day

After a rough start to my February, I had an unexpected opportunity to photograph some beautiful young women and a sweet horse on a quaint farm in surprising February warmth.

There is something about a rustic barn and farming equipment that makes me long for the quiet of the country.

The sixty degree weather in the middle of this Chicago winter brought more than a few breaths of fresh air my way. As I headed into the brown fields, the country muck and dirt gave me the opportunity to clear my head and the sun shining brilliantly over the fields of dormant grass waiting patiently for the spring stirred my soul and inspired some beautiful images.

It was tough to decide whether to put this in monochrome or brilliant color, but, in the end, I liked the beautiful intensity of this black-and-white version.

Horses are gifts from God. Horses can look you in the eye and tell a story. Horses can read emotions and reflect them as a mirror ~ and beg you to release anxiety and merely live in the moment.

Time for a Buddy close-up!

Horses are a mirror to the soul. They see us for who we truly are.

Horses can make you laugh, force a smile and show you the way.

The smile on her face is all from her Buddy!

Horses bond with us.

Horses heal.

Horses stir the soul.

Horses pave the way for our journey.

Horses do not care about yesterday or tomorrow. Horses care only about today – this moment. This journey.

Horses can know our hearts even when we do not speak.

They long for reciprocal love and compassion.

They bring us to the edge of the sunset and beyond.

Horses take advantage of the indescribable sun and balmy February weather in Chicago (without thinking about the inevitable brutal return of winter), and begged me to do the same.

Horses are innately beautiful, inspire big dreams of little girls and help to make the journeys of those now-women just a little clearer.