125th Post

 

This June has been one busy month!

 

We had our family reunion in the first week, then I house-sat from the 11th through the 21st, VBS is coming up, and then it'll be a new month already. 

 

Beatrice hatched two chicks again this year and they are growing.  My biggest hope is that they're not roosters like the previous chicks ever hatched on this ranch.  I think I'll name these two Cricket and Florence.  (Don't ask me why; I have no reason.)

 

No kittens were born this year and I don't know if any will be.  I'm disappointed about that.

 

It's hot and windy now.  Summer finally feels like summer, though I could use some cooler temps about now. 

 

The garden is thriving!  Yes, we have the grasshoppers, but not near like years before.  We have already picked a yellow squash and a banana pepper.  And this year we--Dad--finally got to pick fruit off of our own fruit tree!  Three tasty peaches were plucked off a couple of days ago and there are a couple more on the tree.  Our almond tree also has a handful of fruit.  We are so thankful for all of the green plants, tall grass, water, fruit and veggies, etc.!

Praise God!

 

We are doing alright here on the ranch and I hope you are doing just as well.  : ) 

 



 

Dr. Milk 'relaxing' in my redbud tree

A dog where I house-sat

 

Ladybug

Well howdy, folks!  It's time for yet another picture post. 

This week a little ladybug will be our star.  She (or he, which is weird to think about) joined me while I sat on the porch, enjoying a beautiful evening.  I snapped this picture and let the bug pass by. 

Here's something to think about...

What if every time you blinked your eyes, something disappeared.

What is the very last thing you'd want to hold on to?

 

I personally find this hard to answer.  I like and love so many things and people.  I would try not to blink and we all know how hard and impossible that is!  It's kind of a frightening thought when dwelled on.  

 

I know, I know.  I've never done a post like this, and it's a little out there, but I thought of this a few months back (or was it a year?) and just now decided to put it in a blog post.

 

So what would be your answer?  : )



Storm Pictures

No Editing

Sunday was a busy one!  We were heading back from our family reunion (you can just imagine how much that takes out of a person), it was stormy, and we were eager to get home.  But along the way, we couldn't resist taking pictures of these crazy cool clouds!

This first picture was when we were leaving town and the cloud was making its way in.
This last picture is of the cloud chasing us home.  We stopped and took pictures near a wheat field.

There had been rain before us and some crops were hit pretty hard by hail, but I don't think there was any other damage.  We got a little over a half inch of rain out of the whole thing.  The clouds in my pictures missed us by going south, but I was still pleased to get fine photos.

The evening was ended with a few rainbows...yes, there were at least three during the whole time.

Keep safe.  : )



Edited

New Tack Area

Those of us who have a garage know the hard work it requires to keep clean.  Our garage (shop) is really big, thus makes it so easy to fill up.  When I started my pet boarding business, I had to clean out a fairly big area in the shop so that I could board.  That was really an eye opener, and what I mean is that it proved the shop could get cleaned and look nice. 

And so the slow process of de-cluttering began.

There are lots of "piles" of trash and keepers and all of that needs time to go through.  But one of the worse parts was where our saddles, bridles, and halters were slung around on the ground.  The saddles were sitting on sawhorses, the bridles were hanging on little nails, as were the halters.  It was messy and hard to quickly saddle a horse.  When carrying the saddle out the door, you'd step on cinches and ropes, and even come close to falling.

After much thinking and talking it over, we finally got wood and tools to make our own saddle racks.  Yes!  Living on a ranch, you most likely have old fence posts lying around, and that we do.  Dad got a board and nailed it to the wall.  Then he took an old cedar post and cut it up.  After screwing those little pieces of post into the board, we had a nice bridle/halter spot.  And, my, did those cedar posts smell good!

With the lumber we bought, Dad helped each one of us measure, cut, screw together, and sand our own saddle racks. 

It was hard to get good pictures to show just how the racks are built, but you can get the picture.  Mainly, it holds the saddle much better than sawhorses and the saddle holds its shape nicer.  Plus, now the stirrups don't drag on the ground as they had on the sawhorses.   And sometime we'll get to personalize each one to our own liking. 

In the end, we have six saddle racks and so much more space in that area of the shop.  You know cleaning is hard and not that much fun, but the end product is so worth it.  We still have a long ways to go, but looking at those clean, tidy areas make a person realize it can be done.  : ) 

1st of June

Today marks one week that Poppy has been gone.  We went out to Nanny's house yesterday and spent some time out there.  It was great, as always, but different without him.  We appreciate all your prayers and thoughts. 

~~~~

On Friday, we five headed to a pasture we call the Blue Stem.  We had some replacement heifers there and needed to move them elsewhere.  (With this rain, we now have too many pastures full of weeds, yucca blooms, and grass!  It's hard to know where to put the cattle to get the most out of it all.) 

There were some pairs as well in that bunch, so we roped a couple of bull calves to cut them (make them steers).  Big J. and Dad roped, I stood on the ground, ready to flank anything they brought me, and Mom watched closely to know when to hurry to the calf and cut him.  Little J. bravely rode her steed and made sure the mama cows didn't get too close to the workers.

One calf was a fighter and it took Dad, Big J., and me to hold it down.  Even then it was a little tricky.

When we had finished cutting the calves, I thought we should get a family photo.  And so we did.

Big J., Dad, Mom, Little J., and me.

 After the "photo shoot", we moved the heifers and pairs through a couple of pastures and kicked them into our horse pasture. 

Have a good Monday, everyone.  : )

I started playing with this picture.  It looks cool...doesn't it?

 

Poppy

Nanny and Poppy last Thanksgiving



On Sunday, the 24th, we five went out to our grandparents' house for our every-other week visit.  My grandpa, Poppy, wasn't feeling well.  Really, we thought he would get better because so many times he'd get sick and popped out of it in due time. 

Well, after we got home later that night, Dad couldn't sleep and something inside him knew something was different this time.

I awoke in the darkness of my room as our telephone rang out.  Instantly I knew.  Lights came on in the bedrooms down the hall and I didn't move.  Soon mumbling and low whispers came from Dad and Mom's room.  I told myself, "Either Poppy got worse and Dad's getting ready to take them to the doctor...or he died."  After what seemed like a long time, I drifted back to sleep, knowing that if it was so important, Dad or Mom would wake us up.

Monday morning came as any other day.  The sun was shining and that was actually a glorious sight since it's been so cloudy and rainy lately.  I walked outside and into the perfect weather, wondering what the plan was.  Originally we were going to move cattle on this day. 

Dad appeared near our pickup and trailer and I stepped towards him.  He told me the news.  Poppy had passed away.

Our Monday changed from fixing to move cattle to a service held near a grave.  Dad left before the rest of us and helped my grandma, Nanny, with preparations.  They assembled the coffin.  It was a plain one and had to be put together.  Poppy was made ready for the last resting place and slowly, the rest of us filtered out to their house. 

In a matter of only a few hours, (all thanks goes to God, who really set things into place!) we had supper made by some wonderful friends, had let a bunch of people know, some family members dug the grave, all of the immediate family, except for two, arrived, and when we pulled into the cemetery, over 70 people showed up.  It's just amazing how well everything went.

If you're wondering, yes, we had a "family burial."  We did the work, but that also gave us so much peace.  Poppy had wanted something simple and that's just what we did. 

The service was just right.  Dad and his brother and sister said a few words, some of my cousins spoke, our pastor led us in prayer, and there was even time for the people gathered around to say a few words.  We laughed and cried while remembering all the good things about Poppy.  And earlier that day, we cousins folded the American flag for Nanny.  (Poppy was a veteran.)

When the viewing was over, Dad, his brother, and many cousins lowered the coffin using ropes and after it was set, anyone could dump a few shovelfuls of dirt.  Many took this opportunity.  The sound of dirt hitting the lid of a wooden coffin is one that is so...so distinct. 

Some people left right after the short service, but many stayed until about dark.  

Monday evening was one that couldn't have gotten better.  The wind died down, the sunset was so brilliant, and the temperature was nice.  Even the rain had quit enough days before that the ground had dried out so it wasn't muddy.

When the sun had gone down most of the way, we headed back to Nanny's (and Poppy's) house.  Supper was eaten and well after dark we started moseying homeward.  By now Dad was tired, both emotionally and physically, so Big J. and I went with him.  Mom came home later, leaving Little J. to spend the night with Nanny and others.

Poppy was 99 1/2 years old.  He was still bright and his mind was working perfectly.  His hearing was a little off, maybe selective hearing is the right term.  He was walking with a walker, but still going.  He was in great health until Saturday or so and he passed away in the early morning of Monday, the 25th. 

We all greatly loved him and will miss him in the days to come. 

There are so many stories to tell!  One that I will always remember is when Poppy went to town for the first time.  He said that they went to a silent movie and at some store, he bought a new hat.  Sadly, on the way home the wind yanked that hat off his head and in his words, "We never found that hat." 

He was in WWII, married once, had great kids and grandchildren, and lived a good, long life. 

One of the things he'd tell me (and others) is...

"It takes a boring person to be bored."

 

So much happens in a person's life that one blog post could never get it all, not even a book can.

 

Thank you to everyone who's been there for us, said kind words, or just comforted us.  It's great to see so many caring people!  : )    

 

 

 

 

Look closer and you can see a windmill on the coffin. 
Since it was plain wood, we cousins wrote notes, signed, or drew on it.

 

 

Why a Blog

Recently we had a cardinal come to our house.  And that seems appropriate since the nearest town has a cardinal mascot for the school. 

~~~~~

Okay, so maybe some of you have wondered why I'm writing a blog.  Well, now I'll answer you.

Writing is a gift from God and I want to use it as much as I can.  I like writing!  Maybe 'love' can even be the word for how much I like it.  A person can create ANYTHING when they write and I take a bunch of pleasure in that.  I've written so many books and stories that I personally don't know how many.  Just on Sunday a girl asked how many I've written.  I truthfully answered, "I don't know."
(Maybe I should count...)

Elaine Littau is an author (and really cool, dear friend of mine) and when I was asking her all sorts of questions about writing/publishing she told me to start a blog.  At that time I was probably around 13 years old.  Well, I took her thought into consideration and decided on doing it.

I started my blog in Oct. of 2012, mainly so I could write and let people read it.  Since I live on a ranch, am homeschooled, and such, I thought a blog about those adventures would be neat.  I know that my subject is in no real genre and sometimes I wish it was, but I don't know that I'll really change it.   

This is a place I can show some of my writing style, let people from all over the world read it, and capture neat stories.  Here lately it seems it's been filled with photos, and I think I should be writing more, since that was the first reason for a blog, but then I like some of the pictures I share.

Anyway, now you know why I started it.  I hope to continue blogging and sharing more stories with you.  Thanks for reading throughout the years of this adventure.  : )