New Years Eve

"HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL"

A quite night at home for JS and I.

A couple of fresh crabs and prawns and 

 of course a loaf of Sour Dough bread,

it's California after all.

;D

Pretty Picture Monday

Christmas & Oranges

Now I bet your asking yourself,

~

Why don't she write?

~

Like the rest of you , tacks are many and time is short.

Made it through the freeze, How? is beyond me.

We should have lost every orange.

We've picked half of the orchards and have the other half sold.

"Thank You God"

we know who did that!

Getting ready for Christmas seems to take up more time each year.

I'm sure it has nothing to do with getting older...LOL

Christmas shopping!!  I hate shopping.

Well, let me back up......   I like shopping.

I hate standing in line and then lugging it to the parking lot.

Crowds of people and traffic, don't do much for disposition.

That might be a getting older thing too.

~

"MERRY CHRISTMAS"

Pretty Picture Monday

"Our Christmas Tree"

Freezing, Snow and Navel Oranges

I don't even know what to write, this is how my week began

and this is how it's ending. 

 Yes that's snow, and we have had snow here on the farm in years past, 

so... it could happen.   Chico is about 25 miles up the road, but their weather

 is not far off of ours.  Usually, freezing in the valley pushes warm air up to us, 

here in the "Banana Belt".   But when we get this kind of freezing day after day, 

for hours on end, there is no warm air left to push. I realize that compared to 

weather in other parts of the county and for my friends in the far north,

 this is short sleeve weather.   But!!!  if your raising Citrus,  It's Hell.

We've been turning on the water during the night hours, it keeps the air

 moving and ups the temperature....... a little bit.   It your lucky it will safe 

the fruit, now we just trying to save the trees.  I had a pipe blow the other

 night, but it's to cold to fix it properly, with out breaking more.  

Any port in a storm.

This is how the tree above the brake looked, 

makes for pretty pictures and a lot of heart ache.

I Am Thankful This Day

Dear God

I want to take this time, to Thank You for all the things that have made 

me the person I am.  Being born to a ranching family where things didn't

 come easy, not knowing we didn't have a lot, because  horses, 

dogs, trees to climb, creek to wade in, lot of room to be a kid and to not

 have fear of anything, was more valuable then gold.

Thank You for all the family vacations, like gathering cows and branding,

 hunting and fishing trips, camping under the open sky and all the family

 members who came along.   Grandparents, aunts and uncles, great aunts
 and uncles and a herd of kids of all ages.     It was great.

Thank You for the time I was on my own with no direction and free to wonder. 

 It had it's ups and downs, but showed me who I was and quickly

 what I believed in.

And Thank You for what I have today.  A family of my own.  A husband that

 works from first light till way beyond the setting sun, who has done good by 

this family, giving us a beautiful home and a place were our kids

 could grow up the way I did. 

And I can not Thank You enough for the three best kids ever.  Thank You 
that they are healthy, intelligent, loving and caring to others and each other.  
That they will never be a burden and who can stank on their own. 

  I am so very proud of them.

Thank You for our wonderful Son in Law,  he is a hard worker and treats our 
daughter like a queen.  He's a good man.  Thank You Thank You so much 
for our beautiful granddaughter.  She is perfect.

Thank You that I have so many friends that I can never repay all the
 dinners I owe.Thank You for new friends I have never met, 
but hope to someday.

Thank You God, that I have lived this life, my life and
 I have lived it as an American.

Pretty Picture Monday

If I don't talk to you between now and then,

"HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING"

;D

Sunday Stills, One Pic of Your Favorite Subject

This was a hard challenge, I guess because there are so many things

 I like taking photos of.  To sum it up I would say nature, landscapes, 

wildlife, wildflowers.  Anything, that is or has to do with it.  Also snap 

shots of ranching and framing life, even stills of everyday things. 

Not interested in wedding, portraits, staging or a lot of computer changes.

I love it and marvel at what real photographers create.

  I look at photography on different web site and tell myself 

 "This is the kind of photography I want to do"

 Of course my new favorite subject is my granddaughter

and have to admit I don't have many photos of her.

Hope you take time to check out Sunday Stills and 

other beautiful photography web sites.

Come Take A Walk With Me.

I want to show you around the farm, it's so beautiful.

Some of my favorite trees are the Liquid Amber, that we planned 

when we first moved here and this one greets

 you at the front gate.

It's amazing how one tree can have so many different color leaves.

The Oranges are showing color as well and

 will be ready to pick in mid December.

The giant Tulip tree, was here before us, I love it's fall color and

 it's beautiful spring flower.  It towers over the  yard

 The pomegranates bright red fruit among it's gold leaves, 

glows in the sunlight.  More Liquid Amber around the house.

Red, Gold, Orange, Black, Yellow, Purple. 

I never get tiered of looking at them, or taking pictures.

 Dogwood next to where I park, is at beautiful now, as it is 

it's covered with white flowers.   The big Maple at the front

 door, fills the window of my office on the second floor.

Last but not least is the Japanese Maple 

viewed from the kitchen window.

I enjoyed our walk.

;D

Pretty Picture Monday

Sunday Stills, Blue

This week challenge is Blue.

A late bloomer in the garden was a welcome addition 

to all the red, orange and gold.

Shopping JS Style

Pretty around here, haven't had any big winds or rains,

 so it still looks like fall.   Last week was mostly uneventful

 and I was beat after the Conclave weekend.  Did go to the eye doc.

 Had a piece of glitter in my eye from the flower arrangements.  

This week has been a little more lively.  Tagged along with JS

 to preview a bank sale at a local tile and granite warehouse. 

 Daughter Dawn came along, she had the day off and Biscuit.

Picked out granite slabs and unites of tile flooring.

This is what I'm hoping to get for the new cabin.  I really like 

the tile flooring that look like hard wood and  the granite

 on the right is what we pick out for the kitchen counter tops.

Dropped off the girls and headed to Dixon to the concrete

 bock plant.  JS bought three truck loads of seconds and

 I got to get the paver blocks, I've been wanting

 for the kitchen garden walkways.  Pretty happy about that.

Tuesday went to the County Supervisors meeting over the

 pot growers in out area,  that was a waste of my time.  

Then made it to the Cattlewomen's meeting to

report about, what a waste of my time it was. 

"Not Happy At All Over It"

Wed and Th had the Biscuit and tried to catch up on things

 around here.  Yesterday the online auction was going all day,

 on the tile and granite slabs.  Trying to watch a a baby and

 an action, to submit bids was a bit tricky.  They where

 both determined to have my attention at the same time.

JS is going to the mountains this weekend. 

  I,m staying home to clean out the garden shed  

and make a big sweep on the yard and put things away 

before it rains.  They say it's going to happen.

;D

Conclave 2013 "Share The Gold"

I haven't written much about my charity gal,

the Alpha Beta Chapter of Omega Nu.

We are a philanthropic sorority and our primary 

function is to raise money for local charities.

Children's Services, Red Ribbon Week for elementary schools

(drug awareness), The Mission, Tec Trek (a science and math camp

for girls), Scholarships to both Chico State and Butte Collages

and many other organizations in our town.

Omega Nu is made up of 12 chapters, all in N. California.

Modesto, Lodi, Chico, Watsonville, Colusa, Sacramento, 

Santa Cruz,Santa Rosa, Woodland, Sonora, Stockton and Oroville.

Each year in November, Conclave is held and hosted by one 

of the chapters.  This was our year.

We have been working on this for two years.

The event is made up of, the Saturday business meeting.

Saturday night dinner-dance and Sunday brunch-

business meeting and Installation of new Grand Officers,

for about 150 attending.

Our theme was, "Share The Gold"

Our county is not only rich in Gold Rush History but in agriculture.

Olive oil, rice, nuts, fruits, and citric were showcased, 

with gold nuggets (candy) for accents.

Our Sisters worked very hard and it showed.

Many hidden talents arose, such as the art work that became 

our logo.  Everything was first rate and beautiful.

Just like my Sisters, it was truly a Golden weekend.

Wordless Wednesday

Click on Photo to Enlarge

Biscuits First Halloween

Finely getting to post about The Biscuits First Halloween. 

Daughter Dawn and I have had a tradition over the past

few years.  We decorate her house and yard in town,

then set on the front porch and had out candy to the 

Ghost, Goblins and Fairs who come by.

"A few hundred"

This year The Biscuit sat on the porch with us.

It was funny how the little kids were more

 interested in her then the candy.

I think it was the bow.

Dawn had Biscuit in the walker while we were decoration.

Luckily the driveway slopes towards the garage

 and not the street, because she can get that thing going.

See the caution tape and signs ?  No there not part of the 

decorations......   Biscuit's Daddy is a little protective of his lawn.

Nanna had a little Halloween treat also.

;D

PS....    I don't know why there is a big gap ???

"HAPPY HALLOWEEN"

Pretty Picture Monday

Sunday Stills, Trees/Fall Colors

 I Love Fall   !!!!!

Friday Morning Mist

Not much to write about.  

 Fire wood has been the big event around here.

I wont be going to the mountains for a couple or week,

it's suppose to start raining soon and

there is still a lot to do to get the farm ready for winter.

Shane has a new job, so I will be losing my help.

I couldn't pass up taking photos this morning,

so beautiful,the leaves, the mist 

and the rising sun.

"HAVE A GREAT DAY"

;D

Pretty Picture Monday

Sunday Stills, Shorelines