Easters Long Ago

 

 

 

Happy Easter

We had our "Easter Dinner" last night with Carly, Colter, and their children.  We had braised beef with mashed potatoes, insalata rustica, hot rolls, and chocolate sorbet with chocolate chip cookies for dessert.  The table was decorated with colored eggs and little envelope bunnies filled with candy. 

Through the Years

Over the past few weeks, Papa and I have been working on our wills and we downloaded lots of old songs onto our Ipods.  From that mix, I started thinking of how happy and grateful we are for the life we live.  The Kenny Rogers song, Through the Years, comes close to expressing my thoughts, about Papa and our children.  
 
Through the Years

I can't remember when you weren't there
When I didn't care for anyone but you
I swear we've been through everything there is
Can't imagine anything we've missed
Can't imagine anything the two of us can't do

Through the years, you've never let me down
You turned my life around, the sweetest days I've found
I've found with you ... Through the years
I've never been afraid, I've loved the life we've made
And I'm so glad I've stayed, right here with you
Through the years

I can't remember what I used to do
Who I trusted, who I listened to before
I swear you taught me everything I know
Can't imagine needing someone so
But through the years it seems to me
I need you more and more

Through the years, through all the good and bad
I know how much we had, I've always been so glad
To be with you ... Through the years
It's better every day, you've kissed my tears away
As long as it's okay, I'll stay with you
Through the years

Through the years, when everything went wrong
Together we were strong, I know that I belong
Right here with you ... Through the years
I never had a doubt, we'd always work things out
I've learned what life's about, by loving you
Through the years

Through the years, you've never let me down
You've turned my life around, the sweetest days I've found
I've found with you ... Through the years
It's better every day, you've kissed my tears away
As long as it's okay, I'll stay with you
Through the years...

Easter Eggs

Yesterday afternoon, I boiled eggs and then made color baths for dyeing.  I left the eggs in 

for over an hour, so the colors are quite deep.  I think they're beautiful!

Leather Bag

A couple of weeks ago, Whitney sent a link for a leather bag she liked.  We had plenty of leather, so Papa got to work.  This bag has the first zipper Papa has ever put in.  It has a leather divider inside and should easily hold legal pads or an Ipad.  A beautiful leather bag!

Ipod

Always behind the curve, Papa and I got our first Ipods in December 2012.  I have recently been downloading Itunes and syncing to our Ipods.  From the time we got the Ipods to my first Itune download a couple of weeks ago, Papa and I took notes of songs we liked.  I'm close to the end of the first pass of songs and have over 180 synced on our Ipods, with about 30 more to go.

The music I like best is mostly from the 70's and 80's, but there's plenty from the 60's to recent too.  My music interests run from James Taylor to Coldplay.  ABBA, Simon and Garfunkel, Lionel Richie, Sting, Gloria Estefan, Whitney Houston, Jackson Browne, U2, Stevie Wonder, the Beatle, and Jimmy Buffett seem like old friends.  What took us so long to get Ipods? 

Wind on Bald Ridge

Papa and I set off for Bald Ridge yesterday morning.  We drove Bob about an hour and fifteen minutes across the ranch, then hiked to Cowboy Dam #1, and tried to follow cow paths up the side of Bald Ridge.  When we left home at 9:30, there was light wind, under 5 mph.  By noon, as we hiked higher up the mountainside, the wind picked up.  Within a hundred yards of the top, we gave up hiking.  Bald Ridge is steep and winds of 45+ mph were too fierce to deal with.  We hiked back down to the Dam and had a picnic.  Along the way, wildflowers were in bloom, we came within 30' of a pair of Coos deer, and we saw most of the ranch's herd of cattle grazing. 

Poppies

Papa and I drove Bob across the ranch this morning.   We saw poppies in many of the places we've seen them in years past.  Spring 2013 is not a banner year for poppies, so those that are blooming are special. 

Today's Hike

I hiked twice today, down to the Rock House and then to the Buck Knob pasture.  The 30 first year heifer cows were out and about, eating and drinking.  The sky was beautiful blue with clouds.

Few Signs of Spring

As yesterday was the first day of spring, I set out this afternoon to find signs of spring on the ranch.  There are a few!  We've had a warm winter with little rain.  Our dry grassland and canyons are yielding very little color.  Still there are some buds on the trees, a few blossoms, and patches of grass.

Beauty of the Ranch

Papa and I have traveled to and from Tucson several times over the past month.  We are happy to be at home on the ranch for a couple of uninterrupted weeks.  I hiked and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon.  The walls of glass in our house make views of nine mountain ranges possible all day every day.  We are grateful for the joy we receive in seeing the sheer beauty of the ranch we live on.

Sunday Morning Hike

A few days ago, Papa and I noticed a shallow cave across the canyon from our house.  We set off this morning to find it.  We didn't find a cave, but we enjoyed the hike.  We came upon several cows that first ran away from us, and then gathered to follow us over the ridge.

Papa Reading

Papa loves to read.  He reads every day, on his Nook, online, magazines, and more.  

He particularly enjoys reading to grandchildren.  They enjoy it too!

Welcome Back to the Ranch

After traveling between Tucson and the ranch over the past three weeks, Papa and I are very happy to be home on the ranch!  Our welcome yesterday afternoon was from a herd of nearly 50 deer at our house gate.  We woke up with the same herd surrounding our house at 6 this morning.  I counted 46 deer.  A few were ahead and there were a couple behind. Love our welcome back to the ranch! 

Really Walking

Colby took a few unassisted steps at the ranch last week.  Since we've been in Tucson the past few days, he started walking more and more.  Papa and I have loved every moment of holding his hand and walking in circles, "catching" him as he takes a few steps and leans toward us, and then watching as he takes over a dozen steps at a time.  Good job, Colby!

Water Play

Colby played in a tub of water on the patio yesterday afternoon.  

The simple things of life are sometimes the best! 

Festival and Park

We went to the Tucson Book Festival this morning.  The weather was perfect, sunny and warm.  There were thousands of people enjoying the festival, including us!  After an afternoon nap, we took Colby to a park nearby.  He loved going down the slide, swinging with Claire, and crawling in sand.