Wrapping up May

I'm sure I will blog again before May is over but looking at my track record for the past few months maybe not!

This week kids and I took off early Monday morning to go about 2.5 hours to buy a new bull.  He is a shorthorn, really pretty.   That zapped the last of my energy store.   I came home and crashed. 

We are working on getting ready to go camping.  Last year we went camping with a group of adoptive families.  It is that time again.  We leave in the morning.   Of course that means getting critters streamlined as best we can and not drying cows up.  Son and DIL are gracious in doing them for me.  I don't want it to be any harder than it has to be.  

We have 3 kittens in a cage in the house, 2 we have had a while, they are eating well etc.  Cage because I don't want them running wild.  Third kitten is the latest in kittens the boys come bring in that is less than gentle and less than happy.   Another wild kitten.  The other FOUR gentled in a few days and are happy back in the barn.  This one isn't that gentle yet.  I know they want to keep one of the other two.  MN adopted it as a "replacement" sorta for her cat that died New Years.   For a tabby he is pretty.  White socks and chest, bob tailed.  The other D13 went over with the weed eater, didn't hurt the kitten but it got 'adopted'.  It is a black bob tail.  Anyone want a bob tail black kitten?   Or just ugly tabbies?   I will bless you with them!   The kittens will need food and water once or twice.  I can't figure out how not to do it.  I have water and feed out for the barn kittens.

Then as if that wasn't enough stuff, yesterday my DD (not sure what the D stands for) showed up with a little chick, only it wasn't a chicken, it was peafowl chick.  They couldn't find mama, not sure how hard they looked.  Since chicks don't do well alone it needed a "friend" so out she goes to catch a chicken chick for a buddy.   So again upstairs in the girls room are birds.   This is the 3rd time. MN has done this she likes raising them up there.  I find that interesting. 

In other ranch news I finally got a new buck for my sheep.  It has become a joke.  The dogs killed my buck back when we had to get rid of them :(  I have ask my livestock buyer son to find me one.  He did, first one got loaded on the truck to the feedlot, once there son decided he didn't like the way he was made so he sold him.  Second one got loaded on a truck to NJ I think!  So this time he found the buck and hand delivered him to me.   He is pretty. 

I have spent the day baby sitting AC guys as they installed a new AC unit.   Today was the hottest day all week.  Not only was it the hottest, it was also the stillest, meaning no breeze in the house.   It is done and house is cooling now.  I hope it lowers the electric bill like they claim.

Sorry no pictures!   I am avoiding the heat.  I am also avoiding having to walk and take pictures as our ranger is in the shop. 

Family Dance

Ever been to a family dance?  I grew up doing them.  Not often, but some.  Last night my DIL, son and a friend hosted a family pot love dinner and dance at sons work place.   It is a mechanic shop so it is really grimed in dirt over 50 years of being a mechanic shop, but that sure didn't stop us from having a LOT of fun.  Pictures aren't very good the were phone pics. 

First dance for my 14 yo.  DIL's brother is dancing with her.  Not sure either was giving much of a choice.   More like siblings parents suggesting they dance.  

DJ central!  They used the Internet and YouTube to find songs.  For the most part they took request and most of it was Country, some OLD dance Country.   Lots of good dancing music.  DJ's did a great job.

Line dancing!

 This is what makes the family dance so special. Kids learning to dance.  Kids asking other kids young adults and adults to dance.  This is my D10 dancing.  He had no problem asking ladies of all ages to dance.

MN and D13 dancing.  My bigger boys didn't plan on dancing.  I looked each one in the eye and explained they would dance ONE dance with mom or I would hound them all night.  Their choice.  They decided too dance with me.  I gave them some very basic instructions and from there they both danced with several girls/ladies.  D13 the most!  

Speaking of D13.  He has a birthday to really be 13 this week.  We jumped the gun and he opened his gift from us at the dance.  LOTs of laughs as it was several books all packaged in a big box with a mixture of boxes of rocks, empty boxes and even one with a very dry cow chip and a note stating, "We got you a cow, but it got away, this is all that is left."   For some reason everything but the books went in the dumpster after he FINALLY got them open.

 Back to dancing.  Don't you love the littles and the bigs all out there together?  It was SOOO fun!   Over and over people said we have to do this more often!  I agree! 

No pictures of the food, but there was LOTS of it and it was SOOOO good!   We had a great turnout.   I am guessing there was between 50-60 people there.  Closer to 60 I think.  This is counting 2 babies. 

Next dance come join us!  It is soooooooo amazingly fun!  

Growth and Maturity

I keep being reminded of the growth and change and even maturity I am seeing especially in some of my kids.  In fact several times I have tried to blog it.  I can't seem to do it justice.  Much like seeing a beautiful mountain and taking a snap shot of it.  It looses so much in the translation.  So understand this is loosing a lot as I share.  Different days I am struck by growth in different ways on different children.

D10 was 8 when we got him.  He came on 4-5 meds can't remember which.  He is on some homeopathic meds I get on line.  I do tell a difference when he misses a few of them.  Where I see growth the most is in conversation.  He makes sense... at least most of the time!   He really is smart, but I think he has never had anyone to guide him in talking so it is scattered.  He can sit still!   He can put up dishes or even wash dishes.  Our greatest issue is doing things to push buttons and make people mad.  It makes people not like him.  The people he pushes away are mom and siblings mainly.  Dad not so much.  It is better though!

T who is now 11 is still the energizer bunny.  She was 4 when we got her.   She always has 47 projects going, most never get finished unless I become mean mom and make her.  She has a dress that mom is about to lay the law down on sewing.  Once I pin her down and make her spend an hour a day sewing she will do it and be proud.  As a cook she is awesome.  She is always trying new things and changing recipes.  She cooks at the speed of sound also.  She cooks for 8-10 when she cooks and does it great.   She holds the record for the best lasagna of any of them.

D13, or he will be 13 next week, is tall, as tall as the 15 yo.  Remember the child that was afraid to stick his face in the water even setting on the pool steps?  Today he was playing swiming in the pond chasing the boat across and such.   Amazing!   He loves to build and to work with his hands.  He weed eats for fun!   His birthday presents are books on building/crafts.  He doesn't know yet so don't share.   Tonight he made steak fingers, mash potatoes, and mixed veggies for supper.  They were wonderful.  I didn't even go in the kitchen!  We have had him 2.5 years also.

MN is now 14 or she would say 14.5!   She has become a very "normal" young lady.  She is making life choices that are good.  Choices like doing school and passing.  When I brag things topple so I am praying as I state what I am seeing I don't regreat it.   She was 7 when we got her and already full of rebellion.  I don't see the rebellion in her like I have so many years.  Yes, we have issues but she is 14!

MJ is now 15.  Some days I see such growth and glimpes of the man he can become.  Some days I feel fustered and sad that he isn't getting enough reality into his head.   Bottom line is much of it is teen boy I know.  He loves the littles and can often be found toting them around.  Really both big boys are often doing that.  He some days surprises me with insite.   I think back to the little 8 yo who walked in circles and had very limited IQ or so we were told.  Not! 

In the Garden

This morning I wanted to go tie up my tomatoes which were becoming a jungle with our blessed rain.   I like working alone in the quiet of the garden.  It allows me to pray and think and just be.  Quiet moments are rare here.   This morning I had joyful chatter.  Three grands went with me to help.   As they were walking cinder blocks and doing other fun things in the cool mud I discovered this.

It is a rather large tomato worm. Being the squeamish Granola I am I called all three kids over to show them.  I was proud of oldest as he told me what it was.  This is the second one this year already!

I brought it out from under the vines where they could examine it better. Yes, I touched it :)

 So did they!  Each one had to touch. 

Grand daughter's touch was short and sweet, and she was done.  .

 The boys on the other hand were much more into checking it out more

 Once they were off to show everyone else their new treasure grand daughter and I finished tieing up the tomatoes.  She might have gotten to eat three little ones.  We are starting to get several a week.

On our way out of the garden I suggested she pick an onion for lunch.   She was thrilled!

 As you can see my onions have done rather well.  The tops are about all folded over so I need to pick them and find a nice cool dry spot to keep them until they get used.  

I should have taken some garden pics, but that wasn't why I went to the garden so all I had was my phone.   Everything is growing wonderfully with our blessed rain.   We received about 3.5 inches since Monday.   I am very thankful!

Acoma Puebelo New Mexico

Today we stepped back in history.  Older kids could really tie it in with the Texas History they have studied the past few years.  Last time we were here I didn't pay to take my camera up on top.  This time I didn't make that mistake.  

Tour started in the Cultural center.  They had this sign on display which I loved!   I ask to take a picture of it and share it.  We need to see this sign more places out of respect for ourselves and others!

On the mesa!  These white ladders are used to go into the Kiva's. 

View from the top toward the direction the Acoma people first saw the Spaniards.

I loved this yucca.  This is what the Acoma women use as paint brushes to paint amazing pottery.

This building shows the difference in the older, maybe dating back into the 1600 or 1700 and the "newer" buildings.  The bottom is much older than the second story where they rocks are more evenly cut.

Enchanted Mesa, the story is that this was the first home of the Acoma people in the valley.  A flash flood destroyed the one path to the top while all the people but two women were in the valley floor.  The people then moved to the mesa they still live on.

This Church was built before most/all of the E. Coast even knew there was a "New World".  I think it was finished about 1590 something.   It is amazing, art work that was given to the church then is STILL there and Amazing! They do not allow photos.  The bell tower has a bell that cost them 4 young men and 4 young women from the Acoma tribe.   That was the "price".  The Church has 10 ft thick walls at the bottoms and 4 ft. at the top.   The beams that support the roof were carried without touching the ground from Mt. Taylor, 40 MILES away!!!

You go up on a bus, but are allowed to walk down.  This is one of the 5 trails down the mesa.  The one we are allowed to walk down.   See the steps?  This isn't even the steep part yet.

View out the crack that is the way down.   Yes it is steep and cool.

More of the climb down.  This was almost a rock ladder, but not straight down, the steps were carved in the sandstone in a slight curve.

View from the bottom up after we were away from the cliff.  The way up that we came down is about center of this picture.  The road to the top is a new addition built in 1910 by a movie crew.  Wonder what the movie they made was?

It is expensive to tour the Pueblos, this one or Taos, but for my family this has been a lasting memory that they would do every year if we would come this way and let them.  Taos Pueblo, not the town, is just as amazing as this but in a different way.