Rhymes With Vanilla

A sad day

2012-01-25T17:30:00.000-07:00

It's been a sad day at our home. We lost our sweet Olivia. She had been battling mammary cancer for over a year. She had three operations to remove the tumors, but they kept coming back, with a vengeance. We decided, with our vet's blessing, to stop all heroic measures and just let her live as long she was able. Over the last few weeks, it became apparent that she was deteriorating. The tumors were spreading, she was losing weight and getting a little wobbly. In spite of it all, she continued to eat and drink, lounge in her favorite spots, and "grumble" at the other cats when they got in her face at feeding time. I found her this morning when I woke up, stretched out on the floor in front of the washing machine.

Olivia came to us over 10 years ago, as a foster. She was an adult when we took her in and all we knew was that she and a litter of kittens were found as strays. Olivia hated going to adoption days and it showed. She would curl up in the back of the cage and pout through the whole event. When she saw me or Neal coming to pick her up at the end of the day, she would perk up. Neal taught her how to hop out of the cage on the table and walk straight into our pet carrier on the floor. Her "trick" amused many people, but no one ever showed interest in adopting her. After putting her (and us) through that for several months, we finally caved in and adopted her.

Olivia was a delightful and beautiful cat. She got along fabulously with everyone in our household, except C.C., the calico. We had to break up some pretty heated brawls between those two over the years. Now I know why they say women fighting resembles a cat fight! Her favorite places to snooze were on top of the turbo scratchers and underneath the raised dog water bowls. When I found her this morning, I wrapped her body in a towel and laid her on top of the dog bed, giving all the other animals time to say their goodbyes. Only the dogs seemed curious and gave her a few sniffs, but I worry about Skittles, who was very attached to her. Even though we still have a house full of animals, the loss we feel is huge. We feel blessed that she died in her sleep and we didn't have to make the decision to euthanize her, but the pain is still raw. As I prepare to feed the cats their evening canned food, I keep thinking she will pop into the kitchen and start talking to me in anticipation. My mind knows better, but my heart is slower to catch on.

RIP our sweet Olivia, a.k.a Liver Head, Liver Smack, Liv...

A bathroom organization tip

2012-01-19T10:26:00.001-07:00

I recently read about some organization tips for the home and I wanted to share one of them with you today. I will apologize in advance for the quality of photos. I tried with and without a flash and just couldn't get it right this time. It may have something to do with the lighting in our bathroom.

Do you have multiple accessories lying around like metal nail files, nail clippers, tweezers, scissors, etc? If you do, you probably have them stuffed into drawers or containers like this...

In our little house, storage space is at a premium, especially in the bathroom. We have no drawers and very limited shelving space. So, I was thrilled when I read about this neat little tip. Are you ready? Here it is...

Magnetic tape! This stuff is worth its weight in gold, and then some. You can usually find it at a hardware store and it's available in different widths. We got the thinner width, not realizing exactly what we would need.

Cut the tape to whatever length you need, using as many strips as you need, and affix it to the inside of your medicine cabinet door. And then...

start organizing those metal accessories! Isn't that a great tip? Everything located within reach and within sight. No more digging through drawers and containers. I just love this idea! Do you have any other easy organization tips to share?

Stay tuned for another organization tip...this one for the kitchen!

Quotable quote

2012-01-16T22:21:00.000-07:00

A single rose can be my garden

A single friend, my world.

-Leo Buscaglia

A New Year, A New You!

2012-01-08T16:07:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned previously, I am now a distributor for Shaklee, the number one nutritional company in the U.S. Every day that goes by, I learn something new and wonderful about this company and its products. Today, I'd like to share with you two Shaklee specials for the New Year. If one of your resolutions was to lose weight and get in shape, you are going to love these deals!

First, if you join Shaklee as a member or a distributor and purchase a minimum of $70 in products, you will receive the Cinch weight loss sampler pack for FREE ($100 retail value)!

The sampler pack contains:

An assorted Cinch Snack Bar Pack
A box of Pomegranate Energy Tea
2-Week Supply of Cinch 3-in-1 Boost
Single Sample of Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and Blueberry Almond Crisp Meal-in-a-Bars
One Chocolate Shake Packet and One Vanilla Shake Packet

If you are not yet committed to a total weight loss program, the sampler pack is a great way to introduce you to the Cinch Inch Loss products.

And for the second deal...if you are serious about losing weight and looking for a clinically tested, safe and effective long-term program, check this out! Buy three months of the Cinch Transformation Pack products and receive your fourth month absolutely FREE! That's a retail value of $299.95!

The Cinch Transformation Pack contains:

1 Cinch Vanilla Shake Mix Canister
1 Cinch Chocolate Shake Mix Canister
1 Box of Assorted Cinch Shake Mix Packets
1 Box of Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Meal-in-a-Bars
1 Box of Blueberry Almond Crisp Meal-in-a-Bars
1 Box of Cinch Decadent Chocolate Snack Bars
1 Box of Cinch Peanut Butter Snack Bars
1 Box of Lemon Cranberry Snack Bars
1 Cinch® 3-in-1 Boost™
1 box of Cinch® Pomegranate Energy Tea Mix

If this is your year to get healthy, lose weight and do something good for yourself, consider trying Shaklee's Cinch products. And remember, every product you purchase comes with a 100% money back guarantee, so you lose nothing but pounds and inches!

To find out more about the Cinch Inch Loss products, go here. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions.

Happy New Year!

Crab Quiche

2011-12-29T09:27:00.001-07:00

I had intended to make this crab quiche for our Christmas Eve dinner, but we ended up going over to friends for appetizers instead. Since I had all the ingredients on hand, I decided to make it last night and boy, was it good...and so easy. Neal and I each had two pieces! I used a store-bought pie crust and it wasn't the prettiest in the world, but I think Paula Deen would be proud.

Crab Quiche

(courtesy of www.pauladeen.com)

Servings: 6 to 8
Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 40 min
Difficulty: Easy

4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
One 9-inch pie shell, par-baked and pricked with a fork
1 pound fresh white crab meat, drained (canned works well too)
2 scallions, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch ground mace or nutmeg
3 eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the bottom of the pie crust. Top with the crab meat and sprinkle with the scallions. Whisk together the heavy cream, lemon zest, mustard, seafood seasoning, salt, mace or nutmeg and eggs in a bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the pie crust.

Bake until the custard sets, about 40 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.

What I did with that one perfect lemon...

2011-12-26T14:17:00.001-07:00

Lemon Chess Pie

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons butter

4 eggs, separated

grated rind and juice of one large lemon or two small lemons

pie shell

Cream sugar with butter until light. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. Add grated lemon rind and juice; beat in. Beat egg whites until stiff, then fold into lemon mixture. Pre-bake pie shell in 425 degree oven for 7-8 minutes. Pour in the filling and bake at 350 degrees until set and light golden brown, about 25-35 minutes.

Merry Christmas from The Ranch!

2011-12-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;
The spirit of Christmas which is peace;
The heart of Christmas which is love.
~Ada V. Hendricks

One perfect lemon

2011-12-20T05:00:00.014-07:00

Recently, Neal's parents sent us a Christmas package filled with goodies from the South. The contents included pecans, pralines, candies, crab boil, fish fry, gumbo file', various Zatarain's mixes, Creole mustard, and a Christmas towel. I love and appreciate everything we received, but my absolute favorite is this:

One perfect lemon. A homegrown Meyer lemon from my in-laws' neighbor. It is gorgeous. The color is eye-popping and it smells so lemony. I heart this lemon.

Now comes my dilemma. How do I use this most beautiful bounty from nature? My mother-in-law suggested I make lemonade, but I think this lemon was destined for a much higher purpose. The question is, what? What can I do with just one perfect lemon? Bring on the suggestions!

Are you poisoning your family, part 2

2011-12-19T03:00:00.004-07:00

Yesterday, I shared with you a video called Toxic Brew.

What did you think? Scary stuff, huh?

As promised, here is part two.

Unfortunately, part two wasn't any more encouraging than part one, was it?

Most people who really know me are aware that I am passionate about animals and the environment.

I try to live my life as close to nature as possible, which means buying, using and consuming products that are eco-friendly, animal-friendly and natural. Many years ago, I found out the truth about all the toxic chemicals in most household cleaners and laundry products, and how many products are needlessly and cruelly tested on animals in labs. To me, it seemed the best way to control what went into my products was to make my own, which I did, as much as possible. I thought using things like vinegar, baking soda, lemon, borax and washing soda would be more economical and healthy. The problem was, not all of those products are really natural and non-toxic, and they didn't always achieve the best results. And ounce for ounce, they weren't even less expensive than other options.

Recently, one of our pet food customers introduced me to the world of Shaklee. I had heard of Shaklee many years ago, but had never tried any of their products. Once I found out about their line of Get Clean products that are organic and not tested on animals, I decided to give them a try. Much to my delight, they worked beautifully and I actually got excited about cleaning. I know that sounds corny, but it's true. You may have heard of Shaklee products on the Oprah Show or on Dr. Oz. Both of them highly endorse Shaklee's Get Clean products and the Cinch weight loss plan.

Shaklee is the number one natural nutrition company in the U.S. Shaklee's founder, Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee, developed vitalized minerals (vitamins) in 1915 and one of the first nontoxic, biodegradable cleaners in 1960. Shaklee became the first company in the world to be Climate Neutral certified to fully offset their carbon emissions, resulting in a net-zero impact on the environment. None of their products are tested on animals...ever. Shaklee has a long-term commitment to quality, purity and safety, performing over 80,000 quality tests a year.

After using the products and researching the company's philosophy and reputation, I decided to become a distributor. I could go on and on about the positive things about this company and their products, but you don't have to take my word for it. Do your own research. Try the products and see for yourself. Shaklee offers a 100% money back guarantee, so if you aren't satisfied, you lose nothing.

The main thing I want you to remember is that you do have options when it comes to finding quality products for yourself and your family...options that are healthy, safe and effective.

That's the Shaklee Difference.

Are you poisoning your family?

2011-12-18T05:00:00.050-07:00

I'm sure you are thinking, "What kind of crazy question is that?

Of course I am not poisoning my family!"

I am not assuming you are poisoning your family (or yourself) on purpose.

However, if you purchase and use household cleaning, laundry and beauty care products from traditional grocery stores, drug stores and the like, chances are you are unknowingly harming your family.

Poppycock, you say? If things were harmful to our families, they wouldn't be allowed on store shelves.

I know, it's terribly hard to believe that our good old government doesn't have our best interests at hand.

But it's true. This is definitely a case of how what you don't know might hurt you.

Take a look at the video below.

It will take almost 9 minutes of your time, but I think you will find it very enlightening.

Tomorrow I will blog about part 2 of the series and

I will also share with you what I have done to stop potentially poisoning my family.

Gingersnap cookies

2011-12-17T00:00:00.046-07:00

I haven't done much holiday baking or crafting this year as in years past, but I have managed to bake a few things. I have made snickerdoodles, pumpkin cranberry bread and gingersnaps. I didn't think to take pictures of the snickerdoodles or pumpkin cranberry bread, but I did get a shot of the gingersnaps. They are so easy and so good, so I'll also share the recipe in case you are interested. One batch made 40 small cookies according to the way I rolled them.

Gingersnaps

(from Food Network TV)

1 stick of butter

1 cup of light brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 T. ground ginger (yes, that's TABLEspoon

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (I used 1 tsp. instead)

a pinch of ground cloves

sugar to dip cookies in

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheets. Cream the butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the molasses and egg and beat until smooth. Sift flour with soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Add to butter mixture and beat until well blended. Pinch off dough and roll into one-inch balls. Dip each ball into sugar and arrange sugar side up on baking sheets, approximately two inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cracked on top.

Enjoy!

Scratchin' that itch

2011-12-16T12:31:00.003-07:00

I have been having an issue with a really itchy back lately. Guess it must be the weather. Neal got tired of me asking him to scratch my back on a daily basis, so he created this...

My own personal back scratcher! It was a little too dull at first, so he whittled and sanded the "fingers" some more and now it has just the perfect scratch to it.

I am enjoying it so much that I thought I would share. Nadia was not impressed.

Otis, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed the new gadget.

As did C.C. "A little more to the right, please."

Tucker thought the scratcher was a toy and tried to eat it.

George and Justin discovered it made a mighty fine butt scratcher too.

No, I am not going to show you a picture of me using the new back scratcher. But, I will tell you this...I love it! No longer do I have to resort to rubbing my back on the door frame like a bear up against a tree! Ahh, the simple things...

'Tis the season

2011-12-10T10:34:00.001-07:00

For many years, we used a grapevine wreath with artificial greenery and a red bow as our Christmas door decoration. This year, I wanted something different,

something more natural. Plus, since our move, I am not even sure where the

old grapevine wreath is!

I searched the Internet for live wreaths and was shocked at the prices

(I don't get out much!).

I narrowed my search to my state, then more specifically to towns near me, and voila'!

I found a newspaper article about a special ed class at one of the local high schools making live wreaths and sprays for a fundraising project. And best of all, the prices were great! I decided to go with a 3-foot long spray instead of a wreath.

The price...a very affordable $10!

The spray was made with several types of pine branches, pine cones and a big red bow. I love the spider web look of the top branches. I love the natural, asymmetrical shape. I love the smell of fresh pine. I love everything about it! The spray by itself was lovely and festive, but Neal felt it needed a little something more.

It's hard to see details in the above photo, but the lights are actually chili peppers! We have just the one strand that we bought for our pop-up camper back in the day when we had a pop-up camper. I think they add a perfect touch to our doorway, don't you?

My, what big teeth you have!

2011-12-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

A visit to Beckwith Ranch

2011-12-04T13:29:00.000-07:00

We are fortunate to live in an area that has a rich cultural heritage. In addition to the Gold Rush boom, our mountain area has seen the likes of Spanish Conquistadors, German colonists, and explorers Zebulon Pike, Kit Carson and John Fremont. A couple of weeks ago, we attended an open house to celebrate the restoration of The Beckwith Ranch (Waverly House), a local ranching icon that had fallen to the wayside over the years.

The 2,300 acre ranch was granted to the Beckwiths in a document signed by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1874. With their prosperity, they built a magnificent mansion complete with a port cochere. I had no idea what a port cochere was, so I looked it up. According to Wikipedia, a port cochere is a "coach gate", also called a "carriage porch". It is the architectural term for a porch or portico-like structure at a main or secondary entrance to a building through which a horse and carriage (or motor vehicle) can pass in order for the occupants to alight under cover, protected from the weather.

The original structure, which has been uncovered during the ranch restoration process, was built of logs about 1869. By 1880, many additions had been added and the main house was described in the Denver newspaper as “one of Colorado’s Mansions in the hills. We had not seen the house prior to renovations, but we were told it was really a mess. It looks really lovely now, and I can imagine what a spectacular gathering place it must have been back in the day.

There were so many attendees at the Open House that it was difficult to get photos, but Neal managed to get poses from some of the period characters such as Mr. and Mrs. Beckwith and Annie Oakley.

All the interior walls, floors, and ceilings had been remodeled. One very interesting characteristic was how the contractor chose to frame around a portion of the old wall paper in the upstairs hallway, preserving a bit of history. It reminded me of truth windows that are sometimes found in straw bale houses.

There was also a portion of wall downstairs left opened to reveal the copper pipes that were once used.

During our tour to The Beckwith Ranch, we found out that both Beckwith brothers and one Mrs. Beckwith are buried at a local cemetery, just a couple of miles from the original home place. So, after we left the Open House, we stopped off at the cemetery to see if we could find their graves. The cemetery is not too heavily populated, so it wasn't very difficult to spot headstones from the early 1900s.

So, whatever became of the Beckwiths and their ranch? According to their website, the Beckwith Ranch was sold in 1907 to Baker & Biggs of Canon City, Colorado with Elton and Elsie retaining the right to live in Waverly House. Six months after the sale, Elton Beckwith died in a sanitarium in Pueblo, Colorado from injuries incurred from a fall (jump?) from the second floor of the Beckwith Ranch (Waverly House). It was rumored that he had contracted syphilis and it had driven him mad! A likely true story as many prominent and not so prominent men frequented the “bawdy houses” during this straight laced Victorian era. After Elton’s death, Elsie Beckwith sold all of the property in the Wet Mountain Valley and moved permanently to Denver where she lived in a suite of rooms at the Brown Palace Hotel until she purchased a home. Elsie died in 1931 and as far as is known, never visited The Wet Mountain Valley again.

Here we go again...

2011-12-02T11:28:00.001-07:00

You may recall that Captain had knee surgery back in April to repair a torn ACL. After many weeks of monitoring his every move, he regained a full activity level and we all began enjoying life again.

Then, the unexpected happened. He started to limp on that leg. Then he started to walk three-legged. We tried to convince ourselves that maybe the cold was affecting him, or maybe he had over-exerted himself one day on a walk.

Unfortunately, that was not the case. He started self-limiting his activity, so much so that he preferred to eat lying down instead of standing. He would walk down the driveway and have to sit and rest before he could make it back. A phone call to the surgeon determined that it was either, a) a reaction to the metal plate put in during surgery, b) a torn meniscus, or c) both.

So, back to the surgeon we went. Since we now live almost three hours away, they were able to work him into the surgery schedule for the same day as his exam. Surgery revealed a torn medial meniscus, which is the cartilage around the knee. The portion of torn meniscus was removed and the metal plate was removed, just in case it was also causing a problem. According to the surgeon, the metal plate was only needed to stabilize the bones until they healed properly, which they have done. This surgery was not as major as the first and recovery time is less; however, Captain still must be monitored and limited in his activities for at least four weeks, which means our lives and activities will be altered until he is back to normal. And, when we are not watching him, he must wear the donut of shame, which he hates. I have to keep reminding him the donut is much better than the cone!

Hug a chicken day

2011-11-05T11:59:00.000-06:00

It seems there is a day on the calendar for everything and today is no exception. As I was browsing Facebook this morning, I found out today is Hug a Chicken Day. Now, this is one day I can really get into! I love my girls and welcome any excuse to sneak a chicken hug.

Ginger gives wonderful hugs, for a chicken. She is the calmest of the three and will tolerate being held for quite a while - even in the wind and snow!

Neal got in on the action with a Cayenne hug. Nutmeg said she would pass on the hugs today because she is molting and not very photo-worthy right now. Plus, she's a real stinker about being caught and held.

If you have chickens, take the time today to hug them and tell them how wonderful they are. If you don't have chickens, what are you waiting for?

Feeding time at the zoo...

2011-10-28T14:45:00.000-06:00

Oh deer!

2011-10-21T19:37:00.002-06:00

One of our neighbors came by today, as he was headed out on a week-long hunting trip, to let us know deer/elk hunting season begins tomorrow. We live in an area heavily trafficked by deer, and apparently there are hunters who frequent this area, even though there are many homes scattered about.

My father was not a hunter; my husband is not a hunter; and I, being a vegetarian, am most definitely not a hunter. Even though I was raised in north Louisiana, where hunting is the next best thing to sliced bread, it was never a part of my life. And frankly, I do not understand the "thrill of the kill" mentality.

If a person is hunting for the main purpose of feeding their family, I am more comfortable with that. I actually prefer to know that someone raised or hunted their own meat rather than purchasing something from a factory farm where animals can languish in agony before being put out of their misery. But, killing just for the thrill of killing or to add another trophy mount to your collection, that is pure senseless to me.

We have really enjoyed having the deer visit our property, and we marvel at the magnificence of being in the presence of such a delightful piece of nature. While we do not put out feed for them, we do make sure they have a water source daily, and that sometimes involves breaking the ice and melting it down with warm water now that we are experiencing freezing temps.

Neal is headed out to place "No Hunting" signs on our property lines, and we will be on the lookout for any hunters who think they can score a nice "rack"on or around our property. And, I pray that the deer take shelter in the comfort of our wooded areas and learn to distinguish friend from foe.

Old Man Winter makes an appearance...

2011-10-09T13:28:00.000-06:00

We awoke Saturday morning to find that Fall had disappeared and Old Man Winter had appeared...

Some of us were thrilled with the first heavy snow of the season...

While others of us, were not at all impressed...

Only a few die-hard finches ventured out, happy for the fresh feeders and thawed out bird bath...

Just the day before, we were picking pine nuts out of these pinyon trees on our property...

According to my unofficial patio table measurement, we received over 5 inches of the white stuff...

And just as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared, leaving behind a slushy, muddy mess. Old Man Winter sure knows how to make an impression!

Preparing for winter

2011-10-02T05:00:00.000-06:00

We have been preparing for our first winter here at The Ranch. We're stocking up on groceries, adding straw to the gardens and chicken run, and bringing in herbs. Most importantly, though, is our need for wood to heat our home. We are totally off grid and have a generator for back-up, so we are not worried about power outages. However, our only source for heat is two wood stoves. Since we have not lived here through a winter, we have no idea how much wood will be needed to keep us

and the critters comfortable.

We started out with this...

Our neighbors up the hill cut down a tree and offered us the wood since they don't live here full-time. It took Neal about three trips back and forth with the trailer and three-wheeler

to get this stash.

Now, we're former city folk and don't have a lot of experience with country living, but one thing we knew was that this little stash was not going to see us through the winter. So, we contacted a local wood guy and ordered three cords of aspen. He delivered it in two truckloads and dumped it right on our property. Have you ever seen three cords of wood?

When Mr. Wood Guy delivered the wood, he threw it off the truck in a big, unorganized pile, which was the fastest way for him to get it done. After three days, off and on, of touching each piece and stacking it by hand, Neal made a nice, neat arch of wonderfully seasoned aspen. I really hope this is enough to see us through a Colorado mountain winter, but if it's not...

We know where to get more!

Chicken Trivia

2011-09-30T14:26:00.000-06:00

Why did the chickens peck at the car bumper?

To clean off the squished bug guts, of course! They are such good helpers.

CHICKENS ROCK!

My Sweet Baby Girl

2011-09-16T12:00:00.007-06:00

Our lives have been a bit of a roller coaster since April. That's when Captain had his major knee surgery; then we closed our business that we had tried to sell for over a year; then we moved to The Ranch; then Nadia had to have double cataract surgery due to the effects of diabetes. As if both surgeries weren't costly and time-consuming enough, Nadia's surgery has not resulted in success, as we had hoped it would. We were advised that there was a 10% chance that cataract surgery would result in glaucoma, and even more of a chance due to her shar-pei mix breed. So, guess what? Nadia now has full-blown glaucoma in her left eye, which means she has virtually no sight in that eye, and if the pressure continues to rise, she might have to have that eye removed. Can you say, "oh crap"!

The encouraging news is that she seems to have good pressure and good sight in the right eye and the long-term prognosis for that eye is positive. The downside is that after all we've been through with the surgery and aftercare, she will probably never see out of her left eye again. We know it is quite possible for her to live a good quality life with the sight from just one eye (just ask our love sponge Otis), but we want to make sure she is pain-free, if possible. She is actually getting around a lot better than she was before surgery...she was quite the pitiful blind patient and it was depressing for all of us! So, we take things day by day, continue with the daily meds and weekly vet visits and hope and pray for some sort of normality for all us us soon. Just another day in paradise!

Snake Wranglin'

2011-09-15T20:43:00.000-06:00

OK, OK, so I know I've been lax with blogging lately (thanks for reminding me, Nellie!) We are really enjoying living at The Ranch full-time. So much so that I've had little desire to sit down and blog. That's not to say there hasn't been a lot going on out here, however. For example, we've had the stranded bird in the chimney that required a complete tear-down from the inside and a successful extraction of a grateful bird; mice hockey in the house in the middle of the night courtesy of the cat door (twice) before we wised up and closed the door at night; the neighbor losing ten of his chickens to a hungry bear; and, the wildfire started by lightening that was just over the mountain from us in our neighbors' backyard. Yes, indeed, there has been a lot going on in the country lately. And we have loved every minute of it!

Call us crazy, but even seeing this guy/gal didn't spoil our country high...

Neither of us are afraid of snakes, and we appreciate them for their place in the ecosystem, but when they get too close to the house or the chickens, we (translated "Neal") must intervene.

Unfortunately, we do not have a proper snake catch-pole like Linda at 7MSN, so Neal had to improvise with a paint roller pole that was lacking in the "catch" part.

Several attempts to wrangle the rattler ended up with one pissed off snake curled around the many branches of a currant bush and one frustrated Neal. I, of course, was standing on the sidelines, taking pictures and giggling at the comical side of it all. So many people we know would have either done nothing or immediately disposed of the snake in a not-very-nice fashion. Here we were trying to save the dang snake's life by relocating him to a spot far enough away that he didn't cause harm to us or our critters.

Trying to get an angry, writhing rattlesnake to cooperate by attaching his body just-so to the catch pole is no easy task, I tell ya. Neal had done this a time or two before on our property, but he swore the preceding rattlers were more cooperative. This one, apparently, had a bone to pick and refused to be moved for what seemed like an eternity. Then, finally, the dance between man and beast ended...

Neal and the rattler took a little walk far, far away from our house, the rattler claimed a new piece of real estate, and all was right with the world again. Now, you understand why I've had little time to dedicate to blogging lately. Too much activity going on at The Ranch. Livin' the dream.

The End.

Dinner time at The Ranch

2011-08-09T16:34:00.000-06:00

We are enjoying sharing our lives with the various wildlife here at The Ranch, even with the most recent bear attack that took ten of my neighbor's chickens. Fortunately, Neal built our girls a Chicken Fort Knox, equipped with electric wire, and we have had no issues with predators. Unfortunately for our neighbors, they didn't properly lock up their chickens one night and a bear was able to raid the chicken coop through an opened door. The Department of Wildlife set a trap for the bear and he/she was caught a couple of days later, and hopefully relocated to an area far, far away.

Not long after we moved here, we put out feeders for the birds....one for the hummingbirds, one for the finches, and one multi-species feeder for larger birds. After purchasing one package of the ready-made hummingbird food, I realized I could make my own sugar water for much less. And, in no time, the hummers realized they had found a "sweet deal" indeed. We have decided we need to put out a second hummingbird feeder, to give the lesser aggressive ones a chance to eat. For such little things, they sure can get territorial!

The finches, on the other hand, are pretty ticked off at me. I ran out of the $12 per 3 lbs bag of thistle seed and decided to order in bulk online. You can see the empty thistle feeder to the left of the hummingbird feeder. I got a really good deal, but they were back-ordered, so it's been over a week since the finches had any food from our buffet. Somehow, I think they will forgive me when the bulk seed is delivered later this week!

Update from The Ranch

2011-08-01T19:05:00.001-06:00

Day by day, we are getting settled in at The Ranch. And we are loving it here.

Neal took some time off to go back to Louisiana for his 30-year high school reunion and to visit his family. He deserved the time off after all the work he has done lately.

Unfortunately, there are still some housekeeping and repair things to be done at the city house before we put it on the market. Because Neal is the Mr. Fix-it in the family, most of those tasks will fall to him. We hope and pray the house will sell quickly. If it doesn't, we will rent it out until the market improves, but that is not something we are looking forward to doing.

Our sweet Nadia is going blind due to diabetes. I will take her for testing this week to make sure she is a candidate for cataract surgery. If she is, we will proceed with surgery on both eyes. It will be expensive and the aftercare will be intense, but we cannot stand to see her struggling to maneuver what used to be basic routines and routes. Other than the diabetes and vision loss, she seems to be in perfect health. Neal and I both feel we owe it to her to restore her vision, if possible, especially since we went to the effort and expense to repair Captain's torn ACL. Captain, by the way, is doing fantastic post surgery. If only his hair would grow back!

All the critters are doing well, for the most part. George needs a daily reminder that chasing deer is not allowed. He has, however, mastered the art of high-tailing it when he hears a rattlesnake. Guess that snake aversion class paid off after all!

We have been welcomed into the "neighborhood" by some greats folks willing to share a beer, give dish towels as a house-warming gift, and troubleshoot our land line when we were having issues. It's nice to have the local telephone repair guy living right across the road!

La Belle Vie (the good life)!!!

We're Here!

2011-07-18T18:34:00.000-06:00

We have finally made the move to The Ranch and we couldn't be happier!

We still have some things yet to move from the city house, and some repairs and such to be done, but for the most part....we've moved!

The dogs, cats and chickens are all settling in remarkably well. Even though we have multiple beds scattered about, Captain has decided to claim one that was originally for Nadia, and a bit too small for him.

It is a bit surreal to actually be living here permanently, after planning and anticipating for three years. It just goes to show that dreams really can come true!

Time is drawing near

2011-06-30T20:14:00.000-06:00

We are deep into the packing and moving stages of our journey to The Ranch! If it weren't for a prior commitment that takes up our entire weekend, we would be mostly moved by then. The plan is to move all the critters and the rest of our essentials early next week. Neal will spend a couple of weeks at our city house... repairing, painting, sprucing up things, and I will get us unpacked and settled in at The Ranch. In between all the hustle and bustle that moving brings along, we have taken some time to stop and enjoy the warmer temps and the cool grass under our toes...in the front yard, the only place where we actually have some grass!

The chicken run

2011-06-14T13:26:00.000-06:00

One more project almost completed, and Neal is relieved...and sore! He spent last weekend at The Ranch, tackling the chicken run building.

He started by digging a 12-inch deep trench into our hard, rocky ground so he could lay an apron of the hardware cloth to deter digging critters. Luckily, he rented a machine for the trench-digging and didn't have to do it manually. Digging holes for the posts, however, was not so easy. Neal broke the handle on our post-hole digger trying to break the ground! He borrowed our neighbor's tractor with a post-hole digger attachment, but that did more harm than good. He finally went back to digging holes by hand.

We decided to make the run a square shape, 24 x 24 feet. It won't be as much space as the girls are used to free-ranging now, but I think it's a nice size run for three chickens.

Neal added additional posts for support, since the top will be covered with chicken wire. This will also make it possible to partition off a certain section of the run if we need to isolate chickens due to illness, or introducing new ones to the flock.

We decided to locate the chicken coop/run near the shed, where there is some tree coverage to protect the girls from wind. It will also be convenient to have a storage place for the chicken feed, pine shavings, and other supplies nearby.

We will be transporting our current chicken coop to The Ranch and attach it to the run. I have fingers crossed that the coop will fit perfectly in the area Neal trenched out. He forgot to take measurements of the coop before he left, so he called me to do that. I hope I measured correctly!

We used a combination of close-weave hardware cloth on the bottom half and chicken wire on the top half. In addition to that, we bought a solar charger and electric wire to run around the perimeter. We have spent more money and effort on these chickens than many folks would do, but they are our pets and we want to protect them.

Neal took this photo to show me the view the hens would have from their run. They will be a good distance farther from the main house than they are now, but they will have a "bird's eye view" of us coming and going at all times!

Powered by the sun

2011-05-31T10:53:00.001-06:00

It's official! And we have the bumper stickers to prove it! We have power at The Ranch!

Neal decided to tackle installing our solar system all by himself, after getting a couple of quotes that we thought were too high. At first, he started by connecting all the gadgets, gizmos and wires in the garage, which will be command central.

Then, he connected all the battery cables and made some adjustments to the box that houses the batteries.

Next, he very carefully climbed up on our metal roof, using rubber-backed rugs for traction.

The end result was these beauties...four, 135 watt solar panels that can produce up to 3.2 kilowatts per day. I'm not really sure how much 3.2 kilowatts actually is, but Neal powered up everything in the house and seemed pleased, so that's good enough for me.

And speaking of pleased, Mr. Fix-it was very thrilled with his new accomplishment and the fact that we now have power without using the generator. He couldn't stop saying, "We've got power. We've got power!" Can't you just feel his enthusiasm?

Girl time at the beach

2011-05-23T10:05:00.000-06:00

I recently joined ten other gal pals for an extended weekend at the beach in Destin, Florida. We rented two gorgeous condos with spectacular views right on the beach . The weather cooperated most of the time and we were able to soak up some rays while we sat on the beach catching up with each others lives. I have known all of those girls over 25 years, but don't keep up with all of them regularly. In fact, I had completely lost touch with most of them until last year. It's amazing how we seemed to pick up right where we left off after no contact for so long! I definitely feel a different connection to girls I have known since I was a child, compared to friends I've made as an adult. Maybe it has something to do with growing up and maturing together and experiencing all those awkward childhood moments!

We had a fabulous time and the days flew by too fast! We laughed and cried, we ate and drank too much, and some of us got too much sun. We enjoyed the freedom of having no obligations and no schedules. We rekindled old friendships and developed new ones. We vowed to get together at least once a year to do it all again. Now, I need a vacation to recuperate from my vacation!

One step closer

2011-05-11T05:00:00.002-06:00

We are still on track to make the move to The Ranch later this summer. Before we do so, however, we need an outside room for the cats, and a fenced yard for the chickens. Last weekend, the cat room began.

The cat room covers the entire depth of our apartment/garage, which is 24 feet, and comes out 12 feet from the building. This room is much larger than what the cats currently have at our city house, and I think they will love it.

Neal said it was no picnic using the post hole digger in our rocky ground, but he managed to get it done with no automated machinery and no assistance from anyone.

After the posts were set in the ground, he then hung and framed the handmade door. He even put a decorative touch to the trim!

Because I was at home babysitting Captain, Neal had to handle the entire project by himself. He tells me the trickiest part was attaching the chicken wire roof with only two hands. He managed to secure the wire panels with bungee cords to hold them down, as he moved along on a ladder stapling each section.

As a finishing touch, and a barrier to digging critters, he lined the perimeter of the room with rocks. We certainly have no shortage of rocks at The Ranch!

When I asked Neal why the cat room was sloping he said, "because the ground slopes there!" It would have been too much trouble to try and bring in dirt to build up that area, so he worked with what he had. If we put plastic roof panels on in the future, the slope will help with rain/snow run-off. Plus, I don't think the cats will mind one bit if their room is sloped!

Neal had hoped to completely finish this project in one weekend, but unfortunately he ran out of chicken wire. He lacks a small section on the back wall, which shouldn't take much time or effort to complete. Then, on to the chicken yard!

After working hard all weekend long, Neal was rewarded with our gorgeous mountain views and only the peaceful noises of night in the country. A just reward for a job well done!

Donut Head

2011-05-10T09:51:00.001-06:00

This week marks the fourth week post surgery for Captain. Overall, things have been going really well.

My main complaint is that I miss sleeping every night in my own bed. Captain's main complaint is having to wear the inflatable donut on his head when we aren't watching him.

Everything is healing nicely and his first x-ray looked really good, but he still has a spot on his incision site that isn't healing like the rest. It's on the top of his knee, on the inside fold of skin. It's in a perfect location for him to lick and aggravate, which prolongs the healing.

The donut serves its purpose well and is less cumbersome than the lampshade collar the vet provided, but Captain is still not impressed. A few times, he has even managed to get the donut off his head, usually in the middle of the night...that little stinker!

When he can't succeed at removing the contraption himself, he comes up to one of us and gives the most pitiful, pleading look you ever saw. The shame of it all! And, when neither of us can be convinced to free him from the torture device, he goes off to pout in his most uncomfortable-looking frog pose!

Snoozing on the compost pile

2011-04-22T12:13:00.000-06:00

I was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown because I couldn't find Otis anywhere. Then, I rounded the corner of our house and found him lying atop the compost pile, quite content. After I fussed at him for giving me mild cardiac arrest, I didn't have the heart to move him. There he snoozed, half in the sun and half in the shade. We are all very glad to see spring. Hello Spring!

Captain comes home!

2011-04-15T10:18:00.000-06:00

We picked up Captain yesterday from the vet hospital. I was a little unsure of what we would see, but knew the head cone would be involved. One of my friends calls it the "cone of shame". Captain certainly seemed ashamed to be wearing it!

We promptly took the cone off and he perked up right away. He was so excited to see us, he was grinning (or maybe it was the pain meds!). The vet tech had told me on the phone that he wouldn't eat anything, not even canned food or treats. So, I pulled out my mom tricks and presented him with a McDonald's plain hamburger.

He woofed it down in no time, then headed for the door. He was ready to get out of there! Neal made fun of his haircut and pink leg bandage while the vet tech and I talked about his aftercare and medications.

Neal lifted him into the car, then put an inflatable donut on him instead of the cumbersome cone of shame. The donut will keep him from licking his incision site, but allows him a better visual field than the cone. He's not crazy about it, but I am sure he prefers the donut to the cone!

Once we got home, his buddy George greeted him, then spent some time laying beside him for moral support. Captain ate his second hamburger and even shared a few bites with George and Nadia. He settled in on his new orthopedic bed and Otis snuggled in on one corner. I spent the night on the sofa with him on the floor. I didn't sleep so well because I was worried about him, but he did great. He didn't stir until about 6:30 a.m. when it was time for a potty break. He is already putting weight on his operated leg and actually limps less than before the surgery! We have a long road of rehab and recovery ahead, but I am encouraged by how well he is doing already.

Difficult Choices

2011-04-11T19:34:00.002-06:00

As I reported a few weeks ago, Captain has a torn ACL in his right knee. He has been going to hydrotherapy twice a week for almost two months. We had really hoped the therapy would heal his ACL and help avoid surgery, but it appears that is not happening. He is getting worse and he is in pain. New x-rays have revealed that not only does he have the ligament tear but he has arthritis in that leg, as well as in the opposite hip. The simple act of putting one foot in front of the other has become a real challenge for our red dog.

We went for a consultation with a specialist last week. Out of the three surgeries currently performed for ACL tears in dogs, Captain only qualifies for one....the most aggressive and most expensive one (of course!). We have weighed the pros and cons over and over and decided to go with the surgery. While the actual surgery time is less than two hours, recovery will take much, much longer. Captain will have to be monitored very closely and only allowed to go outside on leash for potty breaks for at least four weeks. Because we live in a tri-level house, we will have to keep him confined to the lower level and Neal and I will take turns sleeping with him at night. This whole process will undoubtedly test the patience of all of us, but we are hopeful that the end result will be a pain-free existence for our boy and many more years of chasing squirrels.

All prayers, white light, good vibes, and special thoughts sent our way will be much appreciated.

Parallel Worlds

2011-04-09T18:06:00.000-06:00

I'm a hip chick, oh yeah!

2011-04-04T11:04:00.001-06:00

Thanks to a post from Tammy at Flat Creek Farm, I am now the proud, new owner of these...

chicken Wellington-style boots! Aren't they just the cutest things? I can now be hip and stylish when outside doing farm chores or playing in the rain!

These boots, normally priced at $49.99, are currently on sale at Gardener's Supply for half price! That's right, for just $24.99 you too can have a pair of these so-cool boots. Or, if you are not the chicken type, they also have a tomato pattern available.

The reason for the great sale on these boots is because they are considered factory seconds. Apparently, they have cosmetic blemishes and pattern irregularities, so they didn't make the quality control cut. Neither Olivia nor I could find any obvious defects on my pair, however.

And when I showed them to the real quality control experts at my house, I got the three beak seal of approval. The girls were quite impressed with my taste in farm wear (or perhaps it was the handful of meal worms I tossed on the ground at my feet)!

*Note: Tammy also shared a code for free shipping, which saved me about $10. I am not sure if the code is still valid, but be sure to try it out if you decide to order. It is XXXX1957.

Nutmeg's strange eggs

2011-04-03T05:00:00.005-06:00

From time to time, Nutmeg lays strange eggs.

They can be rough and wrinkled-looking...

with hash marks like someone took a sharp blade to them.

And other times, they are as smooth and lovely as a baby's bottom.

We have no clue why Nutmeg - and only Nutmeg - lays such strange eggs, but Neal thinks it might have something to do with his exploratory probing procedure when we thought she was egg-bound!

Multipurpose bucket

2011-04-02T09:34:00.000-06:00

Once upon a time, the icing bucket served as a home to a catnip plant.

Now, it appears most useful as a cozy cat bed!

Getting my donkey fix...

2011-03-27T17:33:00.000-06:00

It had been approximately nine months since my birthday trip to Longhopes Donkey Shelter. I was having withdrawals. The blogs I read that focus on donkeys, such as The 7MSN Ranch and Morning Bray Farm are very enjoyable, but they just weren't giving me the fix I needed. So, yesterday Neal and I took the 1 1/2 hour trek up to Bennett, Colorado to visit our friends at Longhopes.

I was thrilled to see my buddies from last year, Spirit and Ghost. They have come a long way in the nine months since we last met, but they are still a little wary of humans.

Of course there were new residents, like Oscar who is 30 years old...

and Boyd, who is missing his tail. How this came to be no one knows....or more accurately, no one is saying.

We also met sweet Simon, with the wavy, soft hair...

and Pedro, the curious one.

There was no lack of donkey arm rests to be found.

Before our visit was over, I managed to fall in love with two wonderful females, Elsie and Kachoo. They are former BLM donkeys who lived as pets for over five years. They are bonded to each other and they are very friendly with people. I really wish we were further along with things at The Ranch so we could adopt these girls, but we have no fencing, no shelter and we are not even living at The Ranch full-time yet. Neal and I discussed going ahead and adopting them and offering to pay boarding at the shelter until we have a set-up for them. As great as that sounds, we really don't know how long that will be and it wouldn't be fair to the girls to make them wait for us if another qualified home comes up sooner.

So, I will have to put my selfish desires aside for now and hope that when the time comes the perfect donkey pair will be ready and waiting. Since patience has never been a strong suit of mine, I know it will be difficult. Mini donkey Hercules couldn't agree more!

The handy man strikes again!

2011-03-22T14:16:00.001-06:00

On a trip last year to a nearby mountain town, we discovered some very cool pet bowl holders made from reclaimed Aspen trees. Neal and I both liked the idea and the design, but the products were a bit too pricey for us. Because Neal is so handy with a hammer and nails, I suggested he try his hand at making something similar for our crew.

He was intrigued with the idea and the challenge, but it took several months before he finally gave it a shot. He gathered some pine logs from a downed tree on our Ranch property...

used the stainless steel bowls we already had and slapped on a couple of coats of stain...

and, voila! We have a rustic, handmade dog bowl stand for a fraction of the cost of those in specialty stores!

It took the dogs a little while to get used to it, but the cats had no issues. Even though there are multiple water bowls all over our house, much easier to access than this one, this is the preferred watering hole.

Not only is it an excellent watering hole, it makes a mighty fine resting perch!

The Latest

2011-03-17T11:26:00.001-06:00

Catnip Party

The saga with aging and ill animals continues at our home. I feel as if there is a big, black cloud hanging over us these days. We have been visiting the vet clinic 2-3 times a week for at least a month, for various check-ups and newly found ailments. We are still working to regulate insulin levels in Taco and Nadia. Our vet says it can take a while to find the right dosages, but yesterday she assured me we were almost there.

Olivia had to have another mammary tumor removed, much smaller but similar to what she had removed last year. She is recovering nicely. Yesterday, Taco was diagnosed with a mast cell skin cancer that will need to be removed. Nadia has a fluid-filled cyst that appears benign, so we will just watch it for now; her eyes are beginning to cloud with the early stages of cataracts. And Captain is going to hydrotherapy twice a week, but his leg is getting no better; in fact, it may be getting worse. We will continue to do the therapy and re-x-ray his knee at the end of the month. While surgery is the absolute last thing we want to do, we might be faced with that option if nothing else will work. Our neighbors' dog had ACL surgery last year and she is doing great; however, for every success story there is a horror story. All we want is a good quality of life for our boy, one where he is free to romp and play without pain or difficulty.

We have been trying to sell one of our businesses for nine months. We have a buyer prospect, but negotiations are proving to be difficult and tiring. Just when we think it''s time to sign on the dotted line, more questions and road blocks arise. I am seriously ready for this chapter to be over!

On a more positive note, The Ranch is beckoning us to come and live there permanently. We have almost all the solar equipment we need and Neal is currently getting installation bids. We now have a refrigerator, window blinds and two wood stoves. We are gradually moving things a load at a time, in preparation for a full move later this summer. It's nice to know there are some things we can still control in this crazy, overstimulated, fast-paced world!

Captain takes a swim

2011-02-26T08:43:00.001-07:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, Captain has a torn ACL in one of his knees. If the tear gets worse, the recommendation is surgery. Since knee surgery is the absolute last thing we want to do, we have opted for more alternative forms of treatment, specifically holistic anti-inflammatories and hydrotherapy.

Lucky for us, we have a fabulous canine rehab pool in our area, one of only two in the state, with therapists trained and accredited in England. Research has shown that weightless, no-impact hydrotherapy can helps dogs with ailments from spinal cord injuries to arthritis, to everything in between.

Hydrotherapy opens up the blood vessels near the surface of the skin and relaxes the superficial muscles just under the skin allowing the muscles to work more efficiently. Hydrotherapy is considered to be a natural anti-inflammatory due to its ability to reduce tissue swelling and aid in the relief of pain and stiffness.

Because the temperature of the water is 88 degrees, the muscles warm up quickly and the dog relaxes....even when the temps outside are frigid! Captain was a little unsure of the whole situation at first -especially the life jacket- but, as soon as Coni pulled out the tennis balls and started throwing them in the pool, he was unstoppable! Captain has never met a tennis ball he didn't like. The cost of ACL surgery, recovery and pain meds equates to about 100 hydrotherapy sessions. Given that fact, we will continue to do the hydrotherapy sessions as long as we possibly can. It's really a no-brainer when you think about it!

Look what the postman brought...

2011-02-22T17:45:00.001-07:00

Today was a busy postal day at our house. I received a shipment of goodies from www.reuseit.com and blinds for the Ranch, and Neal received a car part. But, the most popular delivery by far was for the hens.

ME: Oh girls! I have a surprise for you!

HENS: Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! What is it, Mom?

ME: Come closer. Let's take a look.

HENS: Wait for us!

NUTMEG: Hurry up already. The suspense is killing me!

ME: Well, what do you know? It's the dried mealworms I ordered just for you!

HENS: Mealworms? What the heck are mealworms?

GEORGE: Yeah, what the heck are mealworms? Can I eat them?

ME: No, George, not for you. These are special treats for the girls. C'mon girls.

HENS: Hey mom, these mealworms are DELICIOUS! Can we have some more?

ME: Sorry, girls. These are expensive treats, so you can't have them very often.

We will have to treat them as a delicacy.

NUTMEG: Yeah, right. Just for that, I think we'll have to declare our precious eggs a delicacy for you!

I bought the mealworms at www.mealwormsbythepound.com. And, I wasn't kidding about the price. They were $25 per pound! About mealworms, the website says,

"We highly recommend mealworms for chickens. Chickens go wild for both dried and live mealworms. Dried mealworms are recommended for people who enjoy watching chickens eat out of their hands and are much more affordable than live. Chickens really seem to be able to distinguish mealworms from regular feed and will come running when they see you coming with a familiar bag of dried mealworms."

Now, I ask you...who could deny themselves and their chickens such extreme pleasure?

I know it is possible to raise my own mealworms, but the thought of my hens eating live, squiggly worms gives me the willies. Until I get brave enough or broke enough, does anyone know of a less expensive source for dried mealworms?

Home for geriatric animals

2011-02-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Within the last couple of months, we have found out that two of our cats (Taco and Skittles) and one of our dogs (Nadia) have diabetes. Taco and Nadia must have twice-daily insulin injections. Skittles is so feral that there is no way to medicate him, but he seems to be suffering the least of the three. In addition to that, Captain D has a slight tear on his ACL (knee ligament) and if it worsens, we may be looking at surgery. And another of our cats (Bandit) has a urinary tract infection. It feels like a black cloud has been hanging over our house recently! I was at the vet clinic three days this week and our checking account shrunk considerably. With all the animals that we have, and most of them now geriatric, we knew this would eventually happen. When our vet told me about a client who has three dogs, all in terminal stages from one disease or another, our situation didn't seem so bad. We love our critters and have vowed to take the best care of them that we possibly can for the time that they are with us, but having pets is a huge responsibility...time-wise and money-wise. And honestly, sometimes it gets to be overwhelming. But, given the immense joy and entertainment they bring into our lives, we think it's a fair trade.

As for The Interloper, it appears he has moved on. We haven't seen him again, so I am hoping he went back to his rightful home....and to the vet for a neuter!