Moving The Sheep...

Twice a year, in April and then again in October, they run the sheep across the hill behind us.  They take them to summer pasture which is, I've heard, near Sun Valley and then bring them back in the fall.  What a  long trek!

A few minutes ago I looked out at the donkeys and saw them doing this...

Usually, that means there are deer up the draw and I always grab my binocs and have to take a look.  I looked where they usually are and nothing so I scanned the hillside, moving up the draw and saw this!

 

 

 

Thank you watch donkeys!  I probably wouldn't have noticed them!

Throwback from 2010... Wow! My Dream Came True, Except for the Horse...

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Do You Have a Dream?

My friend Jennifer, a cancer survivor, posted something on Facebook this morning that really hit home with me. It said "Where will you be in 15 years? If you know, can you point me in the direction of where I'll be, because I'm having trouble seeing it." I know exactly how she feels.

It's very hard to have a dream or even think more than a year ahead after cancer. You don't know if you'll ever be able to realize your dream so is there any point in having one? I don't like that I feel that way. I want to believe that I'll be alive in 15 years.

I've really only had one continual "dream". When Elmer and I got married, we lived in my grandmother's home after she died. It was an acre and we had goats and chickens, geese and ducks. We loved it. Since leaving there, we've looked for property dreaming of that life again. A place to have a little farm with animals and a somewhere where family and friends can come and just sit on the porch and enjoy our quiet and simple life. I'd have a horse that I can jump on whenever I choose.



Tell me your dream and how do you plan to make it a reality?

Tuesdays With Sue...

I went to see Sue this morning and take her some white chicken chili that my dear daughter Jacki made for her.  She was very happy - thank you Jacki!

When someone we love is sick, we want to do something, anything to help.  If you've read my blog or know me, you know I'm not a good cook.  However, the other day I was talking to Jacki and mentioned that I'd like to come up with some things that Cliff could throw in the freezer and pull out when he doesn't want to cook.  Jacki suggested calzones.  Sounded easy enough so I found a "simple" recipe and made 2.

They actually turned out beautiful!  I decided I'd stop by Sue's the next day so I put them in the fridge for the night.  I woke up at 1:30am thinking I hadn't put enough cheese in them and they'd be dry.  Damn it!  They looked so beautiful on the outside but I knew if I took them and no matter how horrible they were, Sue would tell me they were great.

So, the next morning I decided to cut one open and danged if I wasn't right.  Not enough cheese and too dry.  So, lucky for me the guys were heading out early to hunt and I set them on the counter and told them to take them for lunch.

About an hour later, I noticed they had "conveniently" left them.  In fact, they're still in the fridge because they looked so nice on the outside that I just haven't been able to throw them away.  I guess it's time and the donkeys will love them.

So, rather than cooking for Sue, I get to spend every Tuesday with her for a while.  It gives me peace of mind to know that I can, in some small way, help and I also just love spending time with her. 

I love you dear friend and I'm sorry about the picture.  I couldn't find our cruise pictures so I found this on an old blog post.

Why do I look like Bugs Bunny and you look adorable??????
 

An Old Favorite from 2009...

Sunday, January 25, 2009

The Lecture...

Ok, after all of you told me how I'd brought my domestic problems with Elmer Fudd and Jr. on myself, I decided you were right and that it was time for a Family Meeting. First, I carefully crafted a list so that I wouldn't forget ANYTHING they do that pisses me off. Then, under the influence of drugs (I have a very bad head cold) I decided to sit them down for a talk.

I called the meeting to order and started out...

"Now that I'm working again, I've decided that I don't have the time for, or the interest in, being a maid any longer. It's time we stop living like pigs so here's what we're going to do."

Jr. is snickering...

"From now on, if you use the last of the toilet paper, I want you to put a new roll on. That doesn't mean set a roll on the old roll. That means, take off the old roll and put the new one on with the paper coming over the top."

Jr. - NO WAY! That means I'd have to touch the paper! (if you missed it, you must read Life's Oddities to understand why this is a problem).

"I'm sorry son, you see, I'm not giving you a choice. If I find an empty toilet paper roll still on the holder, all of the toilet paper will be removed from the house. Now I just really don't think you're going to like that. Next, when you take your socks off, please make sure they're not in a ball so that they can be washed properly. Otherwise, you'll receive them the same way and they won't be dry."

Jr. is snickering again... Elmer finally chimes in "You better quit laughing, your mother is serious"

I ignore him and go on "I'm going to buy another laundry hamper. Anything I find on the bedroom or bathroom floor will go into a garbage bag and will be donated once a week to a worthy cause."

Jr. - "NO WAY! We pay good money for our stuff. You can't just give it away!"

"Like hell I can't. I don't care if it's clothes, your IPOD, or your best friend. If it's on the floor for more than 24 hours, it's going away."

Elmer hasn't said anything other than the few words he said to Jr.

"And, from now on, since dad cooks dinner, I'll continue to put the dinner dishes in the dishwasher. But if you go get a drink, or fix something to eat, or dirty a fork, put your own dishes in the dishwasher."

Jr. - "Well what if we forget?"

"If you forget, the dirty item will go into the bag to be donated and pretty soon, we won't have any dishes or silverware left."

Jr. - "Mom, what's going on with you? Home come you're acting like this?"

"Because son, it's time you learned that your mother is not your maid and you need to become a productive member of this family." (that was a good thing to say wasn't it!)

"So, that's it. See those clothes on the fireplace hearth? You have until 12:14 tomorrow to remove them and put them away - where they belong."

Jr. - "What if I forget?"

"Well, I suppose by the time you're down to one shirt, a pair of socks and pants, and if you're lucky, a pair of underwear, then you'll probably remember."

So, we all went our separate ways. Later in the afternoon, I walked into the garage and Elmer was standing there.

"I feel so crappy, I just realized I haven't even combed my hair today."

Elmer - "It's okay, it was very effective for the lecture..."

Looking Back...

My friend Sheri mentioned the other day that she was re-reading some of my old blog posts so I thought I'd take a few days and post some of my favorites. I loved this one...

 

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Look at This!!!!

Mom and I were on our way to a Turner family picnic tonight - driving in her Caddy. She's a beautiful red caddy and mom keeps her spic and span. Until now...

We were driving over the hill when all of a sudden my dear, sweet seventy-something, extremely classy mother excitedly announces, "Oh look, I almost forgot to show you, a bird crapped a fish on my windshield!"




"OH. MY. GOD!"

"You know I can't wash my car now."

"Well, what if you forget and turn your windshield wipers on?"

"I'll have a little awning built for it. Or an umbrella."

"Nope, that won't work. You're going to have to get some of that clear packing tape and put over it and seal it real good around the edges."

"Ok, that'll work."

We then decided it was too bad the bird didn't crap The Virgin Mary or Mickey Mouse. Mom would be rich right now...

Owyhee Mountain Day Trip...

Nancy and I headed out last Tuesday to travel the Owyhee Upland Backcountry road.  I had heard dad talk about the roads in the Owyhees so we were prepared.  However, we discovered that the road for this trip was more like a freeway - minus the traffic.  Obviously, dad spent more time on the side roads as this was very well maintained for us sissies.  While you could safely travel 30 mph on this road, we discovered we were traveling an average of 10 mph because we stopped so many times.

It was incredibly beautiful in a way that's hard to describe.  I've always loved the mountains and this was totally different.  Gnarly old Juniper trees, deep canyons with crystal clear streams, and stands of aspen in unexpected places.

So here, in pictures, is our trip in order as we left Jordan Valley until we got to Grandview...

 

Someone took a lot of time to hike through the rattlesnake infested desert, up these cliffs to build this rock formation.  Or, was it aliens...

 

 

I was fascinated by the beautiful moss growing on all the trees...

This was the coolest fence, I think we need to build one!

 

In several places they had been thinning the Juniper as they evidently tend to take over.  However, we got to a spot where these HUGE junipers in a swatch about 1/4 mile wide had evidently blown over.  Not a one standing.  There must have been one hell of a windstorm through there.  Or, was it aliens...

We did take one side road trying to find Little Jacks Creek.  That's where I understood dad saying that the roads were horrible.  We bounced out of our seats but came across this badger running down the road in front of us.  He was too stupid to run into the brush and he stayed on the road for quite a long time.

The closest thing we could find to Mt. Rushmore...

 Our last stop, an old cemetery.

 

I had never understood why dad loved the desert so much until this trip.  It was spectacular and I highly recommend it if you want to get out and see some of the beauty of Idaho.