Pretty Picture Monday

Check out the

2011 Photo Contest Winners at

"Cowboys and Indians"

magazine......at www.cowboysindians.com

or pick up the March issue.

Sunday Stills, Circles

Who's Watching Who

I had company this afternoon.

The girls stood there for the longest time

watching me and then just wondered off.

I love living in the country.

Thursday's Thoughts

This hug Camilla in my back yard was here when we

bought the place. It's over 8 feet tall and close to 60

years old. Almost all the flowers are milk white, with

a few pink petals showing up here and there. When

we started out house in 1990 we nestled it into the yard

and trees of the old house.

It had belonged to the Hendrickson's. They came by to

see what we had done to the place and approved of the

new house.

Both were so old and frail but Mrs. Hendrickson took

me around my new back yard and told me about every

tree and flower that she and her husband had planted

there. They had also planted the Olive orchard and the

original Orange orchard.

They've pass on now, but a Maple, Sycamore and the

biggest Tulip tree still stand. A Holly tree, Mock Orange,

Pink Ladies, Bears Breech and this Beautiful Camilla,

remind us that we were not the first and

we will not be the last.

Bad Snow, Great Ride.

We spent an entire weekend at the cabin (that doesn't

happen very often) and it was the best. JS wanted to

leave before noon on Friday, but last minute had him

going to Sacramento. I had everything loaded and

the trailer hooked up. After JS got home, we drove

the hour and a half to the staging area, then unload

and rode into the cabin, it was almost midnight when

we got there. Sleeping in, made up for it.

Saturday we had planned to go for a long ride and asked

out friends if they would like to go along. First we

headed out by the dam to see the water falls, we were

there for awhile taking pictures. There is only

3 to 4 feet of hard packed snow and the trail to the

falls was all ice. Not real fun to ride on and with

out the soft snow for the tracks to throw up on the

machine they over heat.

We rode to the top of the ridge, were the sun would be

shining and the snow would be softer and better riding.

It was a little hazy but you could still see a long ways.

While the guys were shooting the breezes, I took some

shots of how beautiful it was.

Off to the next ridge, were their had been an old burn.

I had never ridden their before, it was really open and

made for good riding. We played around for about

an hour and then started back to the cabin for lunch.

I had Corn beef, potatoes and carrots in the Crock Pot.

The ride back was a challenge, instead of taking the

trail back we headed cross country. Starting out was

fine, the snow was good ,you could go anywhere and

there was plenty of space between the trees. As we got

higher up the mountain the trees got closer together,

witch made the tree wells closer together.

( Tree wells are deep holes that eat snowmobiles.)

The descend down was a lot slower and a lot more

difficult. Normally this time of year their is about

6 or 7 feet of snow, that's fluffy and fun.

Now hard and frozen, the trail in places only the with

of your machine with long drop offs and the snow melted

down to the rocks. JS and our two friends were ahead of

me, that helped a lot. I was still having to use

every riding skill I knew and all the time was thinking

" I sure hope someone knows were we're going"

A shot time later we drop off a bank and were on the

road to the cabin. Hot lunch and some Advil, it

turned out to be a great ride.

Pretty Picture Monday

Sunday Stills, The Color Green

The color green as a challenge was given, because

most of the participants at Sunday Stills are up

to their butts in snow. January, February and

March are the only time of year that

California is green and if you know JS every

truck we own is green. This was a very easy

challenge, that's why I only used one picture,

I didn't want to show off !

Full Moon, Full Day

Hasn't the full moon been amazing and not having

any fog so we can see it is even better.

I didn't get to Thursdays Thoughts yesterday, it was

clear, sunny and WARM! I hurried to get all the inside

chores done so I could be outside and it was great.

We even had orange orders to fill. YAAAA!!!

and Mom came by for coffee.

The after noon was spent working for JS, that means on

the road "Goforing" that's my own work.

A stop by the tile shop for samples, the engineer to

get a set of plans stamped, the tool place and

pick up JS's new phone.

JS and a smart phone, you know a little computer.

The only time JS runs a regular computer is

after I've turned it on, found Richey Brothers

new equipment sales auction list and then leave

him alone to scroll up and down.

Will see? If he doesn't like it "I do"

I've been replacing our pots and pans, I picked these up

at Target. Left Chico about 5pm, ran home to make

sure the oranges were pulled out of the orchard and

moved the forklift. I had a date with a group of

girlfriends for dinner, Cory was out of town so

I pick up Dawn to join us. it was a fun evening.

My day and my tummy wore as full as the moon.

Little Green Man

Isn't he cute?

I bought one for JS and I at Christmas.

I told JS that instead of arguing with each other

we could us them to illustrate our frustrations.

Let me demonstrate, you hold them in your

hand and squeeze.

This ones mine, Ops !................I blew an eyeball.

I really need for spring to get here.

A Day With The Boy's

Saturday JS and I picked up one of the workers

(at 6:30am) and headed to son Shane's, a nice hour

and a half drive in and out of the fog. Shane's been

working on his house painting, new carpet and is working

on landscaping the yards. For his Christmas gift

we told him we would come down and help with the

woodwork.

Meet sons Shane and Zach (with the hat). All three kids

spent summers threw high school and college working for

our construction co. Shane is a good framer and

concrete man and Zach is a pretty good finish carpenter.

The boys put this floor in and are doing all the base board,

but needed the pros to come in for the windows,

paneling and chair rails and Dad was glad to help.

Mom helped too..................... filling nail holes,

and Shane bought lunch.

It was a long day, but I have to say it really looked good

when it was done. Only 10 thousand nail holes to go.

Just between you and me, I think renting is

under estimated.

"Really Mom, again with the camera?"

Let me think, did I take this picture in the morning

or when we got home?

Pretty Picture Monday

"I just needed something other than gray !"

Sunday Stills, Macro Pics

Hows everyones weekend, good I hope. The challenge

this week was for inside shots. To get the camera

as close to your subjects as possible, so heres

my take on a few items around the house.

Fog.......

The only good thing about fog, is standing in the sunshine

looking at it. Yesterday it rained but this morning the

fog had returned. I took the camera and drove up the

hill so I could share with you.

Thats the Coast Rang over there on the other side

and the north end of the Sacramento Valley is under

that sea of grey.

This little mountain range is the Sutter Buttes,

they look like an island. My house is right down

there in front of us.

When I got home these Cedar Wax Wings were setting in

the top of the oak tree, waiting for the sun. Their sure

cute and make a really nice sound.

The plan for the weekend is to go to son Shane's and help

him finish base boards and trim in his house. I'll take the

camera, and show you the progress.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Thursday's Thoughts

"It is the memory that enables a person to gather

roses in January".