Hike to Find ChristmasTree

Papa and I hiked part way up the mountain this afternoon to look for a Christmas tree.  Actually, we looked for the tree we found last year.  The horses were near the fence along our way.  The sky was clear, the air was warm.  It was a beautiful day and we found our tree!  Papa tagged it again with bright pink tape.  We'll cut it in a couple of weeks. 

 

Thanksgiving Hike

Mary joined us for a couple of days to celebrate Thanksgiving in Tucson.  After breakfast, we drove to Saguaro National Monument and hiked for a couple of hours.  It was a beautiful day, with clear skies and temperature climbing to the low 80's by early afternoon. The saguaros were exquisite, tall and majestic, and plump from the late summer rains.  We worked up an appetite for our big dinner.
  Happy Thanksgiving!

Hiking to the Top of Muskhog Peak

About a year ago, I had a call from a couple from New Hampshire who wanted to go geocaching up to Muskhog Peak on our ranch.  The timing didn't work last year, so they came yesterday.  They had a good day and they found the geocache.  They made it to the top, and she took amazing photos!

Rock House

On Friday evening of last week, I was in touch with neighbors who are planning to move from another ranch.  Our Rock House is available for them to live in for a few months, before he goes back to university next fall.  In the meantime, he will be working on a fence project on our ranch.  Since Saturday morning Papa and I mowed the Rock House yard and tidied up.  Our little Rock House is quite cozy, not fancy in any way.  We hope they will like it!

Thanksgiving

 “When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. 
Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, 
the fault lies in yourself.” ~ Tecumseh

"Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It's a way to live."

“Gratitude doesn’t change the scenery. It merely washes clean the glass 
you look through so you can clearly see the colors.” 

~ Richelle E. Goodrich

"When life is sweet, say Thank You and celebrate.  

When life is bitter, say Thank You and grow."

Shared Photos from France

Dominica and Philippe, the owners of Chateau de Puicheric, sent these photos from our visit.  

I seem to always be taking photos and not so much in front of the camera.  

Thank you, Dominica and Philippe!  We had a wonderful visit!

Back on the Ranch

Papa and I spent yesterday flying from Toulouse, France to London, to Phoenix, to Tucson.  We had a wonderful trip, cruising from Rome to Istanbul, visiting Claire in Tbilisi, and going back to France.

We had a wonderful trip, but coming home is always nice.  Oscar, Pablo, and Doc were very happy to see Papa.  They were also happy to get their sugar cubes! 

Markets and Chateaux

On our last full day of this trip in France, we went to the market in Mirepoix.  We walked about, checking it all out.  Mirepoix was mostly built in the 14th century, around a large central square, with half timbered houses supported by wooden posts, creating a covered arcade.  The church of St. Maurice sits along the square, and has the second largest nave in all of Europe.  It has beautiful stained glass windows and a painted ceiling.  We were in Mirepoix three years ago, 

but not on market day, so this time was much busier.

 

We left Mirepoix and drove through the countryside, checking out various chateaux.  

There are over 40,000 chateaux in France!

William and Marion invited us to have a drink with them, along with a light supper, on our last night at the farm.  We enjoyed every moment!  It has been a real treat to spend time with them again!

Foothills of the Pyrenees

Papa and I took a drive today, through a few places we've been before plus some new ones.  We stopped in Ales les Bains, with its 9th century abbaye ruins.  We went to a market in Esperaza, with an odd mix of people, from elderly locals to Rastafarians.  We drove south through the foothills of the Pyrenees, decorated for fall with bright yellow, orange, and red leaves.  We stopped to explore castle ruins in Lagarde and the Plus Beaux village of Camon.  Our last stop was at the Collegial Church of Saint Vincent in Montreal.  The church dates from the early 1300's and the interior is handpainted.

 

It was a beautiful day!  We were happy to "come home to Domaine Caraman."

Market Day in Revel

The village of Revel has held a Saturday market for over 600 years.  Amazing!  We went to the Revel market in November 2011 and again yesterday.  There was light rainfall, but it didn't dampen the spirits of buyers or sellers.  The market hall is impressive with its 79 oak posts and stone tower in the middle.  We bought a few things, bread, grapes, and persimmon.  Mostly, we enjoyed the day!