Shopping and More Shopping

I am in Tucson for a few days to shop.  Papa and I keep a running list of things we need at the ranch.  From paper towels, to flour and sugar, to D batteries and muffin tins, I'm making progress.  I also got my hair trimmed and made a few shopping stops for things not on the list.  I'm having fun!

Carrot Soup

I made a big pot of Carrot Soup a couple of days ago.  I use Aunt Rhea's recipe and it is anything but ordinary.  Try it!

Carrot Soup
Serves 6-8
6 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 1/2 lbs. carrots, peeled and sliced
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 baking potato, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup fresh parsley or basil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry
1/2 teaspoon cumin
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

In large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter.  Add onion and garlic.  Cover and cook over low heat until softened but not browned.

Add carrots, tomatoes, potato, basil, cumin, curry, salt and pepper, chicken stocks, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter.  Bring it all to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered about 45 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

Puree soup in blender or food processor.  Return soup to pan and add lemon juice, heating through.  Serve with fresh croutons or a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and a little fresh parsley.  YUM!

Bird Watching at Whitewater Draw

Papa and I spent time at Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area yesterday afternoon.  We drove about 2.5 hours south of the ranch to find an incredible place that neither of us had ever visited before.  There were 20,000-40,000 birds in the shallow water of Whitewater Draw.  Sandhill cranes made up the majority of the birds.  They are migratory birds, with thousands spending winters in the Sulphur Springs Valley.  They are 2.5'-4' tall, with a wingspan of 5'-7'.   We also saw ducks, egrets, and more.

Changing a Tire

Changing a tire doesn't seem like such a big deal, but one of Fergie's tires has given Papa a hard time for many months.  After two trips into town to get the tire repaired, Papa realized the new inner tube had a leak.  He decided to give up and buy a new tire.  He ordered a new tire and it arrived in December.  Papa picked up the new tire and realized when he got back to the ranch that it had the wrong treads.  Back to square one!

Papa ordered another new tire and picked it up last week.  The hardest part for Papa is getting the new tire on the rim.  Not easy by himself (with my wimpy help).  Papa worked five hours yesterday to get the tire on the rim and got it on about 5 pm!  Now we're hoping it will hold air!

Horse Buddies

Oscar, Pablo, and Hank spend all day every day together.  They are buddies!  We often use binoculars to look for them from our living room.  Without fail, if we see one of the horses, the other two will be nearby. If Papa is within sight, they are sure to find him.

Most Beautiful Campus in America

I learned today that Florida Southern College, my alma mater (1979), has been named for a second consecutive year, the Most Beautiful Campus in America, by Princeton Review.

Over the years I was at FSC, I was the girl that walked around Lake Hollingsworth every afternoon (3 miles).  I went to FSC because of the weather and a good mix of study options.  I thought FSC was beautiful every day I was there.  It has the largest concentration of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world.  Annie Pfieffer Chapel always took my breath away.  Campus buildings were joined by stunning covered walkways.  The campus sits on a beautiful lake, framed by old oaks dripping with Spanish moss and cabbage palms. The Princeton Review got it right! 

Low Choppers

Over the past few days, we've had a chopper flying low over the ranch at different times of the day and night.  A couple of nights ago, a chopper flew toward our house and got so low, the house was shaking.  He then made a 360 degree turn and left.  We felt as if we were being invaded!

Yesterday as we were at the end of our hike, we heard a chopper flying low again, and we searched the sky to find it.  It was flying between us and the mountain and was hard to see.  The highest point of the mountain is 7423', and the chopper was at least 1000' lower!

Breaking Ice

With the very cold temperatures of the past week, comes ice on the drinkers and broken water valves.  Papa and I bundled up and hiked this afternoon.  He broke ice on several drinkers and checked float valves.  Pablo was happy Papa came along!

Inside Stuff While It's Cold Outside

We have had the longest string of "colder than normal" days on record, in southern Arizona.  Last night the low was 14!  Yesterday, the high was 31!  I can't bear to go outside to walk, so I've been walking on my treadmill and spending at least a half hour a day on my stationary bike.  I've been planning our girls weekend for April, in Princeton, NJ.  Papa and I decided to use some frequent flyer miles and we're planning a trip to Portugal and Madeira in late April.  Today, I'm cooking!  I am making carrot cake muffins, hummingbird muffins, and chicken enchiladas.  All will be stored in the freezer in anticipation of Claire's family visit to the ranch in late February.  I will try to tackle a sewing project that's been on the shelf for months.  There's plenty of inside stuff to do!

Winter Sunset

We have had very cold weather the past few days, with lows in the 20's.  There have been occasional snow flurries.  The clouds are full of precipitation.  The clouds were beautiful at sunset last night, with colors of pink, orange, and purple.