Savannah's Bridal Luncheon

Today was a beautiful day, sunny, with a light breeze, and temperatures in the 60's.  Carly arrived by 9:45 a.m. and we put the finishing touches on the tables and food for Savannah's bridal luncheon. The tables were set with placecards on pumpkins.  Today is Halloween too!  Guests began arriving just before noon, in a caravan.  We watched a short slideshow of "Savannah and Will" set to Savannah's favorite songs and then we enjoyed lunch of fresh fruit, cheese chunks, spanakopita, Greek orzo with shrimp, and insalata rustica.  Dessert was all chocolate, at Savannah's request.  We watched Savannah open gifts and everyone visited for much of the afternoon.  It was a beautiful day!

Chopper Invasion

We had a guest at the ranch today.  While talking, we heard something coming closer and closer.  Suddenly we looked up and there was a military chopper up the hill from us, just a few feet above the ground.   The cargo door was open, as was the pilot door, with a gun mounted on the front.  We could see people inside the chopper.  The chopper came down the canyon, lower than our house, seeming to barely skim the top of the grass!  Then it turned and flew east.  We've never seen a chopper fly that low on the ranch before. 

Progression of a Sunset

Tonight's sunset started slowly and became more and more dramatic.  It was spectacular!

Fixing Fence

I went up the mountain this morning with Papa to repair fence.  Bears have gone through the fence in the past couple of years, breaking old fence posts and taking down barbed wire.  Papa has made quick repairs as needed.  Today we took a couple of t-posts and the pounder, to beef up the fence.  While Papa was fixing the fence, I took photos of the landscape, snapping as I turned around.  It was a beautiful morning on the ranch while Papa fixed the fence.

Right Place and Time

Living on Winchester Ranch is not always perfect.  It can be lonesome.  Papa and I are out here by ourselves without people around most of the time.  Our phone service has ceased working.  We no longer can receive calls and can make outgoing calls after many, many tries.  Getting anyone to help with housework or repairs is nearly impossible.  Going to the grocery is a three hour round trip trek.  We get our mail once a week to ten days.   

Yet, we look at either side of our house and we have amazing views of 100 miles away, of at least nine mountain ranges on most days.  We see a big sky during the day that fills with stars at night.  We often see wildlife around our house.  I saw antelope and deer just yesterday.  We enjoy our home, in spite of its faults.  We are incredibly fortunate to be in the right place for us at this time in our lives.   

Stragglers

Papa and Colter moved 20+ cows out of the Buck Knob pasture two weeks ago.  The day they rounded up, they looked for hours, for nine missing cows.  Colter found the straggler cows the next day but left them in the Buck Knob pasture.  Papa and I came upon the nine cows yesterday when we hiked.  Papa moved them out of Buck Knob this morning.

Ant Circles

Across the ranch, there are thousands of ant circles, with colonies of ants clearing the land in circular patterns.  Ants gather grass seeds, so grass is thick around the periphery of each ant mound. 

Golden Grasses

The green grasses of summer have turned golden.  Papa and I hiked today, trying to identify some of the various grass species growing on the ranch.

Back at the Ranch

After three weeks away, in Chicago to help Audrey after Taylor's birth, and in Dallas to celebrate Brian's 40th birthday, I'm happy to be back at the ranch.  Papa was away less than a week, but the horses were really happy to see him!  They were getting a drink at the drinker nearest our house when we drove up the driveway.  Oscar and Pablo are beautiful spoiled horses.

Dallas

After 10 days in Chicago, I flew to Dallas on October 12 to meet Papa.  We stayed with Brian, Amy, Emily, and Sarah.  The reason for our timing was to celebrate Brian's 40th and Emily's 13th birthdays.  We enjoyed wonderful meals together and walks through their neighborhood. 

Papa and I also had dinner, a lunch, and coffee with my longtime friend, Linda.  Linda and I still talk a couple of times a week, every week, after living in different cities since 1992.  I didn't take many photos on the trip as it rained every day.  Papa and I visited old neighbors and drove by our two former homes in Dallas.  Both neighborhoods are still beautiful and we would 

choose each of them all over again.  It seems to pour rain every time we visit Dallas! 

Baby Taylor

Big Sister Lauren

Lauren has been very sweet to baby Taylor over the past days.  Lauren's nanny, Mina, is very creative and has worked hard to keep Lauren busy.  Lauren had fun yesterday wearing Mama's pearls.

Audrey & Dan's Family

Busy Time with Baby and Lauren

Lauren and I have had fun playing, reading books, and trying hard to stay on her normal schedule for the two days Audrey and Dan were at the hospital with baby Taylor.  I took Lauren to the hospital yesterday afternoon to see Mom and Dad, and to meet Taylor.  Lauren is sweet and has been very loving toward Taylor.  Audrey, Dan, and Taylor came home from the hospital by noon today.  Taylor had a terrific afternoon.  We took turns holding her and she enjoyed her swing.  All is good!

Birth of Taylor Rhea

Little Taylor Rhea was born this afternoon at 1:15 to Audrey and Dan in Chicago.  She weighed 6 lbs. 13 oz. and appears healthy and rather mellow.  Audrey and Dan are doing well too.  I was fortunate to have arrived in Chicago by 11 a.m., so was with Lauren when Dan texted the news.  I met little Taylor this evening.  She is adorable!

Tobacco Barns

I happen to be visiting Kentucky while tobacco is being harvested.  Kentucky is the 

largest producer of burley tobacco, used in cigarettes.  I took photos this morning at an old barn full of fresh hanging tobacco.  It will dry for two to three months before being taken to market 

and then dried for 1-3 years before used to make tobacco products.

Dinner with a Long Time Friend

I met my friend, Barbara, for dinner late this afternoon.  We met in sixth grade and were close friends all the way through high school.  I call her when I visit KY, so we've kept up sporadically over the years.  We laughed and reminisced, while catching up on each other's lives, as well as other old friends.  I especially enjoyed our conversation about our life viewpoints and realized that Barbara and I are on the same page about most things, even though we live over 2000 miles apart, with very different lifestyles.