Quilt Crop & Cabbage

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T11:30:00.000-08:00

Good morning 2012! What will you bring me as your days go by? Adventures? ~ like the photo hike I'm planning to take around Palouse Falls ~ YES please!

My goal in this fine new year is to journal every single day, whether it be in the form of an art journal, scrapbook, or blog posts. It's a 365 project. I'm excited...and nervous...and determined. Look! I've already started!

And she's off to the next adventure...

A post-full of my favorite things...

2011-11-26T12:21:00.001-08:00

Cheyenne in her favorite mode, sleepy time. I love how peaceful she is!

Claddagh, my Gallagher Rep. She's so very informational.

Cinders' nose is the softest part on her whole horsey self.
I love to stroke it and give it kisses!

Skipper is a total comedian!
I was trying to take a picture of his horsey sister
and he stuck his big noggin right in the shot.
Funny guy, keep it up!

To be continued...

Steampunk Lady

2011-09-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

The Parasol

2011-09-12T08:40:00.000-07:00

Lookee what we found during our roofing project! Our house was built in 1905. After we bought it, I searched high and low for something left behind by the original owners. Sadly, there wasn't a thing to be found except an empty secret compartment under the stair case...so imagine my surprise upon finding something several years later. Jason pulled this parasol out of what i thought was a ratty old t shirt. It was tucked in the edge of the roof under the old cedar shingles. I imagine it was either red or coral colored and was QUITE fashionable in the day. Finding this just revived the the wish to know more about the original family that built our home... where they were from, what they did for a living, why they moved to Diamond. Maybe they even knew John Q Diamond, the original founder of the town!

The search continues for more clues to our home old history.

It's a~MAIZE~ing!

2011-09-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Both hands on the cob!

Do you eat corn like this?

Nom, Nom, NOM!

My horse cracks me up!

2011-09-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

Splish Splash, he's takin a bath...

And he goes bobbing for apples!

That's an excellent moose impression...

Wooooooweeeeeee that's fun!

Gathered at the river

2011-09-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

A selection of the rocks Carissa, Jeanne and I picked up. We had too many things in the boat already so I had to snap a picture to remember them by.

Some of the driftwood on the beach. We floated the river for hours on various pieces of it!

The Palouse is famous for...

2011-09-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

Wheat, Barley, Lentils, Peas, Oh My!

Swap Bot ATCs

2011-08-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

Tired of getting junk mail in your snail mail box? Consider Swap-Bot!

http://www.swap-bot.com/

Self Portrait ATC

Beautiful Swear Words ATC

Won't let the sun go down on QC&C!

2011-08-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

No no no, folks, I will NOT let the sun go down on Quilt Crop and Cabbage. Ok, it's been a long time, but with modern technology I think we'll be back to regular posts! HOORAY! (Mom, I know you are practically jumping up and down with excitement).

It's SO good to be back!

tbc....

Pony Post

2011-05-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to get time to post these pics, mostly for my Mom and Linda- I know you two are my most devoted followers and won't see these elsewhere.

Introducing......... Wraylee and Cinders as SHOW GIRLS!

Cinders and I at our first horse show!

YAY! 3rd place in Halter class!

Boody, Jeanne, Wraylee, Carissa, and Zippa

I...love...lamb- A Victoria & Leelee Bonanza

2011-04-26T14:02:00.000-07:00

Bus Ride to the Ranch tour! SO FUN!

Grrr baby, very grrrr!

She's a filthy little lamb, that Lamb Chop

It's LAMB CHOP!

On de plane, boss

BOOT SHOPPING GALORE, we hit every store

A moment in the Triplet Pen

2011-04-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

Makes you smile, doesn't it?

Toxi

2011-03-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

A lovely horse is always an experience.... It is an emotional experience of the kind that is spoiled by words. ~Beryl Markham

ATCs, finally!

2011-03-29T14:56:00.000-07:00

Quick, I need a caption!

2011-02-09T15:54:00.000-08:00

What would Elly say???

Another great horse escape

2011-02-07T15:02:00.000-08:00

Jeanne exclaims "They went that-a-way!" while Marc reflects on the rock slide we just came THUNDERING down.

Ok, maybe not thundering.

Moi on Zippa and Jeanne on Boody

The appy people, talkin about appy things

Scott on Mouse and Hearty runnin lead

A request

2011-02-05T08:28:00.000-08:00

Dear Grandma,
Please don't wrap things in frilly silly curly girly bows.
It disgusts us.
Love,
Win and Remi

How do you step out of your comfort zone? A photo journey

2011-02-04T16:16:00.000-08:00

What she's doing now

2011-01-30T08:42:00.000-08:00

Returning to a favorite

2011-01-29T08:20:00.000-08:00

Ah, steeds, steeds, what steeds! Has the whirlwind a home in your manes? Is there a sensitive ear, alert as a flame, in your every fiber? Hearing the familiar song from above, all in one accord you strain your bronze chests and, hooves barely touching the ground, turn into straight lines cleaving the air, and all inspired by God it rushes on! ~Nikolai V. Gogol, Dead Souls, 1842

1...2...Cha Cha Cha

2011-01-28T10:20:00.000-08:00

3...4...Betty Cha Cha

Mother

2011-01-27T10:15:00.000-08:00

A Mother's love knows no bounds

Catchin' up after Reno

2011-01-26T10:15:00.000-08:00

Rafter 7 Ranch tour photos

Not just sagebrush...look closer.

The Rafter 7 Ranch in Nevada has many glorious views, this being my favorite.

Well hello, pretty little ewe! Rafter 7 has come up with a clever way of health checking sheep. Put them up on our level!

Ah, you handsome faced Ram. Love your graceful horns.

The love of one llama

2011-01-14T15:33:00.000-08:00

Osama the Llama doing his job- guarding his herd

More than anything... even cherry tomatoes... 'Sama loved his lambs. He loved the brand new babies, the ones who were hurting, and especially the ones who ran and bucked on the manure piles. Sometimes he'd even join in. We were unbelievably lucky one night to see him race around and wring his neck and buck and carry on! It was mysterious and amazing to watch, something I never knew a llama would do.

Thank you 'Sama for being so wonderful!

Grandpa's chore

2011-01-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

My momma's favorite picture of my Grandpa. Why? Sheep!!!

I wish I could have met...

2011-01-12T08:15:00.000-08:00

Thelma, my Grandpa's sister. She was a beautiful woman, wasn't she?

Magestic Steeds

2011-01-11T15:33:00.000-08:00

Meet my Great Grandfather, Earl Carroll. He's on the right....I believe. (Carroll children, correct me if I'm wrong).

I love our family's visual history. This picture came from my Great Aunt Fleeta's collection, the one in the red expandable file folder that my Grandma has stored in the bottom drawer of her curio cabinet.

Oh give me a home

2011-01-10T18:38:00.000-08:00

And the skys are not cloudy or grey!

Where's Charlotte??

2011-01-07T13:30:00.001-08:00

Not in her web this day!
I love the texture of the spider's web against the fence, with the river running behind it.

Dancer

2011-01-07T13:08:00.000-08:00

Authors note: ROCK music, it seems! ;)

Ride Em Cowgirl!!!

2011-01-06T13:08:00.000-08:00

Reckless Exuberance

Boy toes

2011-01-05T16:53:00.000-08:00

I couldnt help but notice this boys toes as he eagerly awaited opening Christmas presents....

Back where I come from- Nebeker

2011-01-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

Quayle, Leona (with Arlene), Libby, and Golden

In the darkness...

2011-01-04T13:36:00.000-08:00

Twin tutorial

2010-12-30T17:56:00.000-08:00

Not Twins

Shall we call them twins by choice?

Not Twins either

Twins by ribbon connection?

TWINS!

Real ones!

Aren't they precious?

Aunt Leelee sure thinks so.

Hey, wanna trade?!?

2010-12-28T13:19:00.000-08:00

Here's a collection of Artist Trading Cards I just made- HOT OFF THE PRESSES!!!

Silhouette of a workin man

2010-12-27T18:30:00.000-08:00

Meet the editor

2010-12-23T13:21:00.000-08:00

A collection of horsey pics for your viewing pleasure!

2010-12-22T12:31:00.000-08:00

Maybe you've been wondering...

2010-12-20T18:01:00.000-08:00

Where have I gone?!?

Well.......

I've gone Rogue!

I've hooked up with a band of Bandits.

We roam the snowy countryside looking for hay piles and chocolate vampire lips to eat. It's true.

School

2010-10-04T17:55:00.000-07:00

They walked uphill, both ways, to a one room shack for school.

Rural Whitman County school house

I hear you knocking

2010-10-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

If opportunity doesnt knock, build a door.

~Milton Berle

Gonna get my blogger mojo back!

2010-09-10T16:32:00.000-07:00

There are not words for how much I love this picture.

Someday I'll explore the history of the mill this bottle came from...

Texas Size Cowboy Bandaids, YEEHAW!

Elko hats and Hayin

2010-09-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

After so much anticipation, Tracy and I finally got our new hats!!! Many thanks to Dave at Wolf's Hattery in Spokane WA for ordering and shaping them for us. The style is called Elko, in case anyone wants to rush out and get one too!

The Priest River hayin crew L to R: Mike, Cindy, Tracy, Me, and Arthur. We did some serious work!

Pretty view in the background, isnt it?

ATC's

2010-08-27T07:57:00.000-07:00

OMG, I almost forgot- went to an Artist Trading Card trade on Wednesday night! The bottom six cards are the ones I made for the Palouse theme. The top three were for last months theme, Summer.

Sunset and Seedhouse

2010-08-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

One of many beautiful sunsets on the Palouse. Harvest time seems to magnify the vivid colors of dusk.

Seed house in St John. Wish I could take the sign down and hang it at my house...love the texture!

Country Smarts

2010-08-26T12:43:00.000-07:00

What a great idea!!

Love that this couple used a piece of old barn wood to point the way to the festivities.

"What's the deal with no blog posts?" she asks

2010-08-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

I'm driving along, talking to my mom, and she exclaims "Oh! And what's the deal with no blog posts??"
GUILT!!!
"Uh, I'm busy?"
LAME!
But it's true, I've been a busy gal! So here's a little post to placate you. Ok? Feel better? I do!

Girly Mane

2010-08-06T12:57:00.000-07:00

Which style do you like better?

Elbow Grease

2010-07-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

WOW! My arms are KILLIN me today! I spent a few hours scrubbing and washing this horse trailer last night. My arms will look like Hercules by the end of the day, I'm sure!!

Oh, but look how cute the trailer is now!

Three things I enjoy

2010-07-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

and speaking of Harleys....

First star I see tonight

2010-07-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

Star light, star bright,

The first star I see tonight;

I wish I may, I wish I might,

Have the wish I wish tonight.

Some of those darn crazy horse people!

2010-07-14T14:58:00.000-07:00

Nate swings the rope at Jeanne

Logan cuttin cows

Jeanne warming up Boody Scott and Mouse

Nate and Congo Annie and Ollie the "Cowpony Extraordinaire"

Post-a-palooza! My weekend in pics.

2010-07-12T13:39:00.000-07:00

Diamond's round bales dot the hillsides

Round bales at dusk

The Palouse River meanders past Green Hollow

The best damn hayin crew a girl could ask for!

Boy and Dog enjoy a cool dip in the river

Captain Cash-tastic... He's the best river rock pickin dog in the Greater Palouse.

Rust Colored Sunset

2010-07-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

Rust colored sunset pulls its blanket o'er my day,

Put the horses to bed while I hear the coyotes play.

The chickens are fed, dogs are all tuckered out.

To the work load, tomorrow I must be devout.

My farm may be small but this farm girl is MIGHTY

and for now I bid all on this little farm G'nighty!

~Wraylee~

7-7-2010

Lovey Love

2010-07-07T14:18:00.000-07:00

All of God's Grace in one sweet little face.

Isn't that a lucky job, to be loved so by a little boy?

Buzzin around on my back porch

2010-07-02T14:28:00.000-07:00

A bee is never as busy as it seems; it's just that it can't buzz any slower.

The old homestead on Mack Lloyd Rd

2010-06-30T15:16:00.000-07:00

She's an old old house but still stands so strait after all these years.

2 post kind of day!

2010-06-28T15:12:00.000-07:00

Could not wait to share this pic....

Now that's relaxin'

Smelly Elly's photo shoot

2010-06-28T15:08:00.000-07:00

Oh, Smelly Elly, you are truly one of a kind!

A walk around the old cattle chutes

2010-06-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

Peekaboo!

2010-06-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

I see you! Oh yes I do!

And this just makes me giggle. It's a Cowboy Cone! Imagine the marketing strategy ;)

I LOVE horse time!

2010-06-15T14:39:00.000-07:00

A touching moment between trainer, Nate, and trainee(s), Rohana and Rio.

I've been spending a whole heap of time with fellow horse people, trail riding and watching lessons- taking pictures and taking it all in. I really enjoy this horsey time...wouldn't you?

A few of my very most favorite horse friends and I enjoying an evening trail ride.

Palouse Afternoon

2010-06-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

Ewan Sunset

2010-06-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

The sun set on a beautiful afternoon of horseback riding out at Ewan, WA.

The Cowboy

2010-06-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

Under endless skies

That's where I belong

With miles and miles

Of room to roam

Oh blog, To Be Continued...

2010-05-28T12:28:00.001-07:00

Oh little QQC Blog...I have not forsaken you. In fact, I am fighting to get back to you! Sattelite internet is being considered in effort to continue with this little blog that so many love.....

So hang in there....

What little Boys are made of... a pictorial

2010-05-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Mothers Day!

2010-05-07T16:16:00.000-07:00

Victoria, Queen of the Sheep!

You will hate this picture, I'm sure...but I love you so very much and I love this picture too.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Lambs love you too!

Helping a mother feed her baby...I can hear your chatter in my head :)

Be still my heart...

2010-05-05T16:53:00.000-07:00

Ariat® Women's Showbaby Cowboy Boots in Brown / Wild Rose

How I love you! Won't you be mine?

Rainbow Collector

2010-05-04T10:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Courtney

2010-04-28T15:22:00.000-07:00

It's your birthday today. You'd be 30 finally, just like Lindsay and I.

Memories come flooding in...
Snoop Dogg blasting in The Flying Pickle with the windows down and the heater cranked in the dead of winter
Viva La Towel Band! and tan Wranglers
Getting lost on the back roads while laughing and talking about EVERYTHING from sweethearts to secrets, horses to hair styles
Spinning broadies in the fresh gravel at McGregors and then STRESSING about getting caught!
The Bach-lo-ette party....AH YES, that was classic
Wearing candy necklie
My birthday, the one where you made it SO SPECIAL by making a huge dinner, a funfetti birthday cake, and potato salad just like I like it...JUST FOR ME
Bunny Ears in triplicate
The love you had for your Coug hoody (hey, the one in this picture) and how completely upset you were when it was thread bare, see thru, and you couldnt wear it anymore (even tho you did)
The pink store in Spokane, the inappropriate one, and mentally scarring a very pregnant Lindsay with certain specialty items , heehee
Chubby bunny- I wasnt there for the original but I loved every minute of the dramatic reenactments
Your signature dance move
Goldie Honda
PINK BOOTS!!! and matching Pink horseshoes for Milly
Walking you to your car in the dark to check for strangers in your backseat
Gangsta Names and catch phrases
Hand signals that made NO SENSE for the words you used...like sticky rice...and a half scoop of caramel.

...The list goes on and on, and differs for every life you touched. I miss you every single day!

Toes Toes Toes

2010-04-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

Her name is Cinders, she is a show girl....

Er, no, she is a paint mare!

She's got new toes!!! Don't they look grand! You can't see?

See! Believe me, these toes are a huge improvement over the before...which we have no proof of. SORRY!

New toes make you capable of running fast and leaping tall buildings! You didn't know that either? You don't say!

New toes also make your momma super excited to ride!!!

First ride ~ went pretty well :)

Marley and Skipper

2010-04-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

Ah, steeds, steeds, what steeds!

Has the whirlwind a home in your manes?

Is there a sensitive ear, alert as a flame, in your every fiber?

~Nikolai V. Gogol

Turkey Lurkey

2010-04-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

Errrrk Erk Errkkkk Chick Vvvvvmmmmmmmm

That, my friends, is what a male turkey's mating call sounds like.

Well...at least our white turkeys sounded like that when I'd walk in the pen

so that's what I assume this tom sounds like...

WILD TURKEYS! Who knew they lived in the draw below our house!

What is it?

2010-04-14T09:14:00.001-07:00

I know...do you?

Say Cheese!

2010-04-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Win and Remi have become quite dashing big boys! They don't walk or trot~ THEY DASH! EVERYWHERE!

Where thy nose leads thy brother follows.

Last night we spent a few hours out in the big world doing some cleanup, transplanting lilacs and mentally planning this years garden additions. Remi discovered the goats and Win discovered the garden swing. It was all very exciting, as can be expected in the big world.

Lucky for me they both sat still for just a moment and said "CHEESE"! So smiley, so sweet.

Friendship

2010-04-13T16:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you pick your friends, sometimes they pick you.

I've missed blogging! Let's play a game.

2010-04-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS....not completely!

Cinders working out in her school clothes.

A customer rode thier horse to my work and "parked" it right outside!

Xander get's a giddyup out of Unkl Jasin.

Cliff carries his dog, DM, on a horse back ride. She was to tired to continue. Sweet, isn't it!

And my horsey love, Skipper.

So tell me, which one is not quite like the others?

odds and ends

2010-03-24T15:34:00.000-07:00

Today I want to share a few pictures I love!

A tribe of sillys!

We really enjoyed the 1st Annual Dutch Oven Cookoff this last weekend.

Good morning deer!

Cinders takes a moment to watch the deer run by in the morning before settling in to her feed pile.

Touching

2010-03-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

All horses deserve, at least once in their lives, to be loved by a little girl.

Oh ya, I did craft a little this week!

2010-03-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

I made this! A LOOOOOOOONG time ago I picked up some clear plastic check book covers from my local scrappin' store. This week, in celebration of my new checks arriving, I created this custom cover with scrapbook paper, ribbon, flowers cut from vintage advertisements and a pretty little vintage inspired brad. It would be very easy to switch out as the mood hits! I'm thinking a little cowgirl inspired cover would be ADORABLE!!!

I feel random, oh so random

2010-03-18T12:59:00.000-07:00

MOM- Spoiler Alert- Dont look at the last picture! I MEAN IT! :)

Rows upon rows of cherry trees in Prosser, WA. Love how they flow over the hill.

A Valentine's package from my Secret Sister. It was incredibly SWEET and thoughtful of her.

THANK YOU!!!

Greeting cards I made for my Mom, the sheep lady of Southern Utah.

Paper Pals of Pullman, WA brought in some super cute farm animal stickers.

Waiting for Jeanne

2010-03-16T15:32:00.000-07:00

We're waiting at the end of the driveway for Jeanne. She's gonna come from that direction. She has a big trailer and our driveway is pretty narrow in spots so we meet her on the road.

OMG, aren't we sweet?

A random share

2010-03-12T09:16:00.000-08:00

Our brand. Isn't this great???? My DH fabricated it out of stainless steel rod. It's about 12" tall. LOVE IT!

A glimpse of the round table meetings at our house. Seed catalogs for the man and I, rubber tire toy for Cheyenne.

Last but not least- meet Howly Berry! She's our new farm kitty. I don't know where she came from but she arrived in the barn one night while the coyotes were howling in the distance. Hence the name Howly :)

The Dawn

2010-03-10T10:36:00.000-08:00

PLEASE click in this picture to see it full size. I want you to experience the dawn as it greets me it in the mornings. This brilliant display last a few minutes at most. Between the sun and the apple tree you can make out the furrows of the field. Oh, gorgeous morning, I love you!

Making Sausage

2010-03-03T16:52:00.000-08:00

FIRST... you grind the meat. We used pork for all but one flavor of sausage. "Hot Beer" flavor called for 2/3 beef to 1/3 pork. No, it doesn't taste like beer that's been warmed up. The guys tell me it makes them *want* a beer because it's kinda spicy.

THEN...you mix the seasoning in with the pork, adding a bit of water to moisten the meat so it can go through the stuffer.

AND THEN...You fill the hopper with the seasoned meat, forcing it down the tube where the machine shoots it into casings or bags. Most of the sausage we processed was in link form. The guys rolled the links, making sure to turn every other one the opposite way, to form the links. There is a bit of art required in making each link fairly uniform. As the day wore on the link legnth got a bit...random.

AND FINALLY... taste every variety in both patty form (to test the flavor) and link form (to test the tastyness??) I had my fill, for certain! YUM!

Some special side notes-
It's wise to have a pot of warm water for cleaning hands and tools, and access to running water for rinsing pans, etc. Even wiser- Clorox wipes.
Sausage making is best on a cool day so the meat stays at a refrigerated temp.
There is a bit of table mess, hence doing this process in the shop. NOT the house.
Sausage testing is an EXCELLENT way to season cast iron skillets on the BBQ.
Enjoy the sausage you made on sausage day, you won't want to eat it for a few days/weeks after!

Cody and Xander

2010-03-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero. ~Marc Brown

Adoration

Trust

They hiked and biked over hill and dale. No bickering- just brotherly love.

These are the best days, ones they'll remember forever.

Chief resident building inspector and mechanic

2010-02-22T16:16:00.000-08:00

Cheyenne

(aka Ninnie, Cheyennerbananaer, Lil Baby, Pretty Girl, Twinkle Toes, and the latest one- Shortcake)

*I'm telling you, this battery is dead!*

*One good kick, Daddy, and this building will just topple over.*

She's our farm helper, intruder alarm, diesel mechanic, building inspector, and loyal assistant in every project Jason starts.

Spring after winter

2010-02-18T15:21:00.000-08:00

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature -- the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.

~ Rachel Carson

Tote Bag in an evening

2010-02-18T08:28:00.000-08:00

I've been hanging on to a vintage t shirt of my hubbys for a few YEARS now, just waiting for the perfect application. Finally, I happened across this blue, white and yellow plaid material. I lined the tote with a vintage flour sack dish towel and put in grommets to run the handles through. I cut 1" wide strips of tshirt material, braided it and tied a knot to keep it from pulling through the grommets.

I'll admit one thing- I could not get my fusible webbing to cooperate so the t shirt material stretched as I was sewing so I sewed a strait line around the border and ziggzagged around the strait line to give it a deconstructed feel.

OMG, such abuse!

2010-02-17T16:53:00.000-08:00

Look at these two! You would think they'd be out of their yard all the time, right? They jump and jump, clearing the gate with every leap and bound, BUT they never jump over. Never.

Is that not a perfect animal abuse ad? I mean look at Remi's pitiful little face and death grip on the fence! And Win looks desperate to escape!

What would the Cesar, the Dog Whisperer say?

LOVE these goaties!

2010-02-15T10:51:00.000-08:00

They never cease to entertain me!

It's the Verizon bars! Really, we do only have three bars at our place.

Pan, the smiliest goat EVER! He's so stinking cute.

Merlin takes a siesta while Luna and Pan SCRITCH AND SCRATCH the spring itchies away.

Aren't we VIBRANT!

2010-02-12T10:58:00.000-08:00

Jalayna, Lindsay, and Wraylee- "A Matched Set"

I believe that people come into our lives for a reason, a season, a lifetime. It is rare to find a true friend, and even more rare to find two. As luck would have it, Lindsay and I get to be sisters! Jalayna is the Royal Icing on top of the sugar cookie!

It's my 100th post!

2010-02-10T12:30:00.000-08:00

How shall we celebrate? With new boots!

They do look fantastic, no? Xander sure loves them!

OMG, He's three. THREE!

You can't force spring

2010-02-08T08:51:00.000-08:00

BUT you CAN force Paper White bulbs!

A friend gave me this little Paper White in a Mason Jar for Christmas last year. It grew really well and when it's life was over I put it in storage with the intention of planting the bulbs in my garden. It seems the Paper White had other plans! I found it with half an inch of growth two weeks ago, replanted the bulb a little lower in the soil, watered well and VOILA!

Instant Spring!

Star light, star bright

2010-02-05T15:20:00.000-08:00

Look at the stars, look how they shine for you and everything you do…

I LOVE STARS! No, not star decorations, star tattoos or gold stars on the board…I’m talking about stars in the sky; the Milky Way, constellations, shooting stars and satellites. I am not sure exactly when my love of stars began. When I was a little girl someone taught me "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might have this wish I wish tonight". I think it was my Momma. Sometime around 5th or 6th grade Grandpa would sit/lay out in the yard with us and look for satellites in the sky. If you just watch for slow, steady, unblinking movement, usually around the Milky Way...that's a satellite! With this game, Grandpa introduced me to the vast expanse of the galaxy and even gave me my very own constellation. You all know it as Cassiopeia, The Seated Queen.

WHY you ask!

What does it look like to you? The letter W! What’s my name start with? The letter W!

Hey, I’m pretty thrilled to have my own constellation. I feel connected to it, like seeing an old friend when I look up to the night sky.

There is NO BETTER PLACE to see the stars at night than in the darkness below my barn. Imagine stand in the shadows, holding Howly Berry (our purrrrry farm cat) and listening to the horses munch at their dinner, all the while taking in the night sky in all its glory. I seek out Cassiopeia first and then make my way across the sky, picking out the constellations I learned in high school astrology class. I love nights when the stars are vividly shining and the Milky Way seems so crisp, like a big white ribbon around the sky.

So I challenge you- find a shadowy place tonight (providing it’s not too cold) and check out the stars. See if you can pick out all the stars of a constellation, even if it’s the Big Dipper!

Facing the dawn

2010-02-04T08:43:00.000-08:00

Our windmill eagerly anticipates the sunrise, the beginning of a fresh new day.

I eagerly anticipate the lilac, peony, and bottlebrush buckeye growing and blooming around our windmill and greeting the passerby’s on our country road. Spring fever starts!

NWSS Photo Journal, and then some!

2010-01-26T10:04:00.000-08:00

Our boots, standard foot attire for the National Western Stock Show in Denver CO

Thursday night we went to "An Evening of Dancing Horses".

There were many kinds of horses doing all types of movements in every discipline from reining and dressage to trick riding on a Clydesdale.

Mom, Grandpa, and I did an incredible amount of walking. Our hotel had a complimentary shuttle, thankfully, so parking wasnt an issue.

Grandpa really enjoyed looking at all the equipment and machinery. He's got the pamphlets to prove it!

This Rambouillet ram sure was a pretty guy. I've never seen horns this long on a sheep before. A little red headed boy came up and informed us this was HIS sheep. He seemed very proud!

The Highland bull show was great! Imagine seemingly gentle giants with wispy hair and lumbering gaits...This guy was the only black bull and took top of the class. His "mom" really loved him, she gave him a little kiss on the face when they won. The WORLD Mini Hereford show was being held in the same arena at the same time. Interesting to see the difference between the two types of cows.

I think my most favorite part of the whole weekend was watching the 2 up draft pulled working wagons. There were over 20 entries! These wagons held a lot of history, I loved the way they rattled and clattered around the arena.

The NWSS is a massive event, held in three different buildings. The history of these massive old buildings is still shown in the stadium seats at the Events Center. Have to admit, they weren't even that uncomfortable!