Rain! Finally!

Saturday, May 24, 2014

DSC_1220

DSC_1221

 

Update: as of Monday, May 26, we have over 5 inches!

Road Trip

Wednesday, May 14 – Sunday, May 18

Windy, Cimarron and Laredo joined Quint, Regina and Grant Phipps on a fast trip to Utah. We traveled up through the corner of Colorado and then into the SE corner of Utah all the way through to Salt Lake City. We saw some amazing scenery. I was in the back seat snapping pictures through the window all the way. On the way home, we left Salt Lake and went east through Colorado, over the mountains and then down into New Mexico and back into Texas. If you’ve never been this route, these pictures will give you a little taste of the terrain.

West of Amarillo somewhere, probably in New Mexico already.

DSC_0684

DSC_0686

DSC_0691

DSC_0692

DSC_0695

DSC_0706

DSC_0718

DSC_0725

It’s nice to get out of the car.

DSC_0738

Snow covered peaks in the distance.

DSC_0748

Interesting business.

DSC_0754

DSC_0759

Shiprock, NM

DSC_0766

DSC_0782

DSC_0800

DSC_0802

DSC_0807

DSC_0810

DSC_0813

DSC_0820

DSC_0845

DSC_0847

DSC_0852

DSC_0853

DSC_0854

DSC_0864

 DSC_0876

DSC_0910

DSC_0930

DSC_0940

DSC_0944

DSC_0954

Shouldn’t there be a posse or something riding by in this picture?

DSC_0965

DSC_0967

DSC_0972

DSC_0979

DSC_0989

Elk grazing by a river.

DSC_1019

DSC_1023

DSC_1025

Almost to Salt Lake City.

DSC_1030

DSC_1037

DSC_1046

DSC_1060

DSC_1061

DSC_1062

DSC_1063

Now starts pictures from the return trip. This is heading east out of Salt Lake towards Colorado state line.

DSC_1069

DSC_1073

DSC_1077

DSC_1078

DSC_1086

DSC_1098

DSC_1106

DSC_1110

DSC_1117

DSC_1122

DSC_1123

Crossing the Rockies.

DSC_1130

Monarch Pass gift shop.

DSC_1133

DSC_1136

The Phipps family.

DSC_1139

 

DSC_1144

DSC_1149

DSC_1152

DSC_1154

DSC_1156

DSC_1157

DSC_1166

DSC_1171

DSC_1173

DSC_1176

DSC_1181

DSC_1189

DSC_1191

DSC_1203

Stockton’s Battle

Sunday, May 11, 2014

 

On the school room table, Stockton had this nice display set up. I just couldn’t resist posting a few pictures of it since he obviously spent some time setting this up.

DSC_0602

DSC_0605

DSC_0603

Best Mother’s Day Ever

Sunday, May 11, 2014

 

This morning when I came walking into the living room, look what I saw at my computer.

DSC_0599

There were three cards, from Aspen, Carolina and Stockton. Also I had some yummy scrambled eggs and a piece of toast cut into a heart shape with blackberry jelly. The cards were so cute. Here’s Aspen’s:

DSC_0631-001

DSC_0618

Stockton’s:

DSC_0630-001

DSC_0619

Carolina’s:

DSC_0629-001

DSC_0620

Now who wouldn’t be completely satisfied with those? I certainly was. But then was I surprised when later in the day, these two cards from Stockton and Carolina showed up.

DSC_0613

DSC_0624

DSC_0623

Well, after this great surprise, what do you think happened a few hours later?

Boom! more cards!

DSC_0614

DSC_0622

DSC_0621

So, I’m no dummy. I could see a pattern forming here, so I wasn’t quite so surprised when two more cards showed up that evening.

DSC_0615

DSC_0617

DSC_0616

Wow, what a lot of work those two put into making this day so special. But wait! That’s not all.

DSC_0611

DSC_0625

DSC_0626

Needless to say, I was blown away by these sweet gestures to make my day special. Thank you, Thank you to Stockton, Carolina and Aspen!

P.S. Speaking of best mother’s days ever, I have to say, another great one for me was eight years ago when Cim and Laredo were both baptized on mother’s day of that year.

 

UPDATE!  Before I went to bed, look what appeared on my computer from Stockton:

DSC_0627-001

DSC_0628-001

Wow. Just Wow.

 

 

The Towerton Family Visits ShannonRanch

Friday, May 9, 2014

Some old friends that we hadn’t seen in over 6 years came over today. We originally met in the Childress Walmart all those years ago. I knew they were a home-school family right away. We got together back then only once and then they had to move away. But they’re back in the area, for a little while at least, and we managed to finally get our schedules coordinated on Friday. We had so much fun. We did some sewing, some crafts, ate second breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks, and talked and talked. Cim and Laredo even got to stop by for a short visit when they had to come pick up some tools.

DSC_0581

From top left: Jeffrey, Olivia, Melissa; 2nd row: Lily, Caleb; front: Angelina, Makayla

DSC_0574 DSC_0575

Everybody takes a turn milking the cow.

DSC_0576

DSC_0577

DSC_0578

DSC_0582

DSC_0584

Afternoon Promise

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

This afternoon some clouds built up and even thundered around a bit. The clouds looked very promising. We just knew our time for rain was here.

Belle, one of the milk cows was very interested in my camera.

DSC_0557

DSC_0552

DSC_0553

All we got was a few sprinkles. Can you see them?

DSC_0559

We are about to be desperate for rain. Can you see the “wheat” in the background? This was supposed to feed the horses for a while longer. But it’s gone.

DSC_0572

I guess Rusty decided he needed a little water, too.

DSC_0566

 

 

DSC_0567

 

Baby Bird Encounter

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Stockton found this little bird under a tree. I guess he had been pushed out of the nest. Hopefully his mom is nearby watching over him. We think it’s a wren of some kind.

DSC_0544

DSC_0543

Courting Courtney

Sunday, May 4, 2014

 

Well, I guess it’s official, as of a couple of weeks ago. In case you hadn’t heard, Cimarron and Courtney Marrs of Amarillo have embarked upon a courtship. We enjoyed having her and her sister, Mackenzie visit this weekend.

DSC_0283

Sick on the Couch

Friday, May 2, 2014

Carolina’s been under the weather all week. She’s able to do a little school, but after an hour of being up, she heads back to the couch and falls asleep again. I snapped these pictures of her as Rusty was offering a little moral support.

CameraZOOM-20140501111507266

CameraZOOM-20140501111501525

 

Zebra Finches For Sale

Friday, May 2, 2014

 

Our little finches are ready for new homes. We have three males and two females for sale. They’re starting to get their orange beaks and are eating on their own now. They’re only 10.00 each and make great pets.

DSC_0272

DSC_0274

DSC_0275

“Eggstra” Small

Monday, April 28, 2014

 

Guess what we found in the finch cage this morning? The female, creamy, has begun to lay more eggs. Needless to say, we don’t want her to hatch out any more birds right now. So, we took the egg away. Her six fledglings are growing rapidly and eating on their own. If you’re interesting in getting a pair of zebra finch, use the contact form to let us know.

Stockton with the new finch egg.

CameraZOOM-20140428115222274

A comparison picture showing the difference between a goose egg and a finch egg.

DSC_0197